MINING NEWS.

Lyell Times and Central Buller Gazette, Volume VI, Issue 282, 17 July 1886, Page 2

MINING NEWS.

OWEN BEEFS DISTRICT. (from our own correspondent.) The gratifying intelligence that the Wakatu Company had struck a grand gold-bearing reef in the crosscut tunnel in the old Uno ground must be taken as evidence of the general permanency of the line of country marked out. Originally the Bulmer Creek was the favoured claim (and in my opinion is still), and according to surveys and the opinions of practical miners the reef just found is none other than the continuation of the Bulmer Creek line.

The Golden Fleece being directly south of the Uno, and dead on the line, must stand a good show. I mentioned in one of my former reports that this Company's ground would come to the front. The bearing of the line of reef starting from the Bulmer Creek must run through the Uno and Golden Fleece.

There can be no doubt in my mind that the country now being prospected will lead to a general opening up of the district.

Speaking of mining in general, we find that a new field has but few friends until the ground is thoroughly proved. This is a matter supposed to be left to a favoured few, but taking all things into consideration, and the small amount of support offered by the Government, the field has made good headway by private enterprise.

[Nelson Evening Mail, July 10.J We learn with very much satisfaction that telegrams have been received in town to-day stating that the reef has been struck in the Wakatu United Company's ground. The manager is very cautious in his statement and simply says that the reef is payable and that lie cannot add more until he has cut through it which will be in the course of a few days. Other messages received state that the stone litis every appearance of being rich in gold. The reef has been struck several feet short of the distance that it was expected would have to be driven, which is of course satisfactory to the shareholders, as it means so much less expense, but what is really the most gratifying feature in the news is that it entirely disposes of the theory that the' stone hitherto found was a mere pocket, as the reef has now been proved to a depth of some hundreds of feet, the present drive being 150 feet below the old Wakatu Company's ground. From a gentleman who has recently visited the field we learn that the stone in the Enterprise Company's ground has been followed for some distance, that there appears to be plenty of quartz, and that the gold is to be seen in almost any pait of it. He predicts that ere two or three years have passed there will be a town there as big as Reefton, for it really seems difficult to place a limit to the reefing country. Altogether the news received from the locality is of the most reassuring description and the discoveries recently made will go far to convince the Midland Railway Company of the mineral wealth of the district through which their line is to run, and in which they are to become the owners of so large an extent of country.