THE ARROW.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Volume I, Issue 45, 3 October 1863, Page 5

THE ARROW.

(fbom oub own cobbespondent.) October Ist, 1863.

Since the shower of wind and rain reported in my last, the weather has been beautifully fine, and the river having gone down in almost as fast proportion as it rose, little time has been lost in repairing the devastations of the flood. The miners on the Flat, with a thorough British pluck, have set to again, and are to-day engaged in cutting a new floodrace, and preparing again to turn the river. On Tuesday evening, the 29th inst, a meeting was held at the Golden Age Hotel, to consider what steps should be taken to prevent the recurrence of such another serious calamity as has been occasioned by the sudden flush of the water of the Arrow. On Monday night, Mr. Haughton was called to the Chair, and the following Resolutions were, after an animated and protracted discussion adopted: —I.—"That the primary object of all interested in the Flat is to erect a main dam to protect all the subscribers to the agreement from having their claims flooded." 2. " That the main dam be erected where the last stood, built in whatever manner will be considered most substantial" 3.—"That a Committee be appointed to consider the best construction of the main dam." 4.—" That the Committee consist of the following:— Messrs. Morris, Colter, O'Brien, Fox, Colclough, Burgen, Young, Griffiths, Melody, Connor, and Watson." A very large number of miners and others were present, so that the room was crowded to excess, and numbers unable to obtain admission, were crushing in the bar and round the calico sides of the building. Notwithstanding the attempt on the part of some two or three rowdies to get up a disturbance, the whole proceeding passed off most quietly, and after a vote of thanks to the Chairman, as the case certainly well deserved, the meeting separated about ten o'clock, p.m. The intelligence from up the Arrow is by no means so unsatisfactory as might have been expected. Most of the parties appear to have taken proper precautions, and so avoided the inevitable disasters which a flush brings down upon unprotected ground. In Smith's claim, and others within a few miles of the Township, the plan has been adopted of constructing the dams with crates, much in the fashion of fascines in fortifications, and this has proved most successful, the earth or sand used being so bound together by these appliances that even if over-flooded no damage has accrued. Where materials for constructing crates are not attainable, the attention of the miners might be called to the fact that poles driven in the ground at intervals give great solidity to any work of embankment, and may be disposed in a way as to render the most fragile material into a compact mass Sluicing is still being pursued with great energy and with further increased success. Complaints are now being made of the quantity of dirt washed into the river, which is gradually blocking up the channel in certain parts, and seems likely to prove an increasing permanent obstruction to the course of the stream. Cases pending on this matter are now before the Warden for his decision, and as Mr. Hickson is now present on the field, great confidence is felt that all these matters will be fairly and legally settled. The Arrow Sluicing Company have opened out new ground about a mile further down the river, and after trials of various adapta tion of the sluice box, seem to have decided that the best form for bottoms of sluice-boxes is the donkey-ruffle with green baize lining. The experienced manager of the company considers that since the employment of this box little or no gold has been lost, and the returns begin to show something satisfactory, and it is to be hoped will soon prove more than merely remunerative to the energy and capital expended. The Golden Age Hotel, with stock-in-hand, was sold yesterday for £260, and the Post Office Hotel was bought in, it was understood, for £4O. Mr. Elliott officiated on both events. October 2.

The body of the man who was smothered in the tunuel, some three miles from this township, nearly three months was yesterday found; the superincumbent earth having been removed in the course of mining

operations. J. S. Hickson, Esq., R. M., proceeded to the spot this day to hold an inquest. The remains are said to be in a very decoraposed state. A meeting of publicans was held last evening at the New Orleans Hotel, when it was decided that the subject of storekeepers holding wholesale spirit licences and driving a retail trade in the same, to the great detriment of the regularly licenced publican, should be brought under the consideration of the Warden. A deputation was accordingly appointed to wait upon his Worship on the subject.