WOOD'S POINT IN A NEW LIGHT.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Volume II, Issue 106, 4 May 1864, Page 3

WOOD'S POINT IN A NEW LIGHT.

The following letter has been addressed to the Age newspaper on the above subject: — Sib, —Having read, with some surprise, a letter from " A Correspondent," in your issue of the 7th inst., and headed " the Wood's Point Mania," wherein he has made several statements totally incorrect, I deem it my duty to Wood's Point and the public generally, to expose this person who attempts to blind your readers with such false statements. As to his knowledge of mining, I think " A Correspondent" has not the remotest idea. However,! shall commence with his first statement. He states the cartage from Melbourne to Jamieson is only £lO per ton; —granted; and that the distance from Melbourne to Wood's Point is only 104 miles direct. Now there are three direct—so called—tracks from Melbourne to Wood's Point. I wonder which one he means, that the public might form an idea of the difficulty to be overcome by carriers on the Jamieson journey. Did he ever travel this this road ? If not, I may inform him that not long ago, the distance from Melbourne to Longwood used to be reckoned 85 miles, and from thence to Jamieson 75 miles—which makes the distance through to Jamieson 160 miles. And I ask any person acquainted with the colony, if the road to Jamieson is bad, when carriers can convey goods to it from Melbourne at the rate of £lO per ton ? The reefs—perhaps your correspondent might inform me who supplied him with the information he has obtained, which states that in some instances, it has cost thirty pounds per ton for raising their quartz; and which of the claims have not turned out well. Your correspondent has not given a thought as to what might be the cause of his not seeing more quartz on the surface. Did he ask any of the miners the reason ? If he had, he would not have stated that the crushing power was equal to the supply. The fact is, there are thousands of tons ready to be crushed at this moment; but there not being enough machinery, the stone has lain at the shafts for these last two months and upwards; and the miners know better than to leave their quartz on the surface, so that every one passing might carry away a pocketful of the richest of it. I do not intend to occupy too much space in your valuable paper by noticing all the untrue details of your correspondent, but merely a few of the principal ones. He states that there are a great number of prospectors trying for miles to find the continuation of the Morning Star Reef, which is untrue; had he gone a quarter of a mile in any direction where a reef has been struck, he would then see that it was not that reef. The Waverley, Edwards, Emerald, and many other reefs on the three sides of the Morning Star, are all different reefs. He also supposes that the prospectors of the Emerald Hill, Alabama, Alhambra, Hibernia, All Nations, and other claims, had nothing more to do than commence raising quartz the first day of occupation, else he would not have taken the number of tons at present on the claims and placed it against the labor of twelve men for eighteen months, as being the total amount of stone that they could produce in the same time if they were working the reef. He never asked them how long it took them to strike the reef, so that they might be able to work it properly, and the number of shafts which had to be sunk. And his statement that the Emerald Hill reef was, or is being worked by an open cutting—as he calls it —is untrue. The All Nations have had a trial crushing, the result of which is the only thing that he has stated as near the mark, so far as the yield goes, but no further; and as to his suspicions about their not working with increased energy, after obtaining such good prospects from the crushing, I may state that there is 180 tons of quartz raised, 50 tons of which has been sent to Lloyd's machine; and that they could raise 100 tons per week if they could get it crushed; but Cox's, the Emerald, the Alhambra, and other reefs must have their turn of getting their quartz crushed, as well as the All Nations; and I ask your correspondent if those reefs will pay when they will give from 20 to 40 oz. per ton, when the cost of raising, carting and crushing, will not exceed much more than 255. per ton ? I might also inform him that Lloyd's machine consists of four batteries, containing each four stampers, which makes sixteen stamp-heads instead of his twelve. And the advice he gives working miners might suit new chums, for the practical reefer knows well he cannot get along without the " sponduelicks," commonly termed money. Should your correspondent wish to uncover the veil which has prevented him finding out the actual prosperity of Wood's Point, I will refer him to the escort just gone down, and others that will follow.

ROUTE FROM VICTORIA Tj THE LAKE GOLDFIF.LDS. The shortest ro".te is via Invercargill, which is at least one day nearer Victoria than Dunedin. Steamers call regularly at thft Bluff, which is distant from town twenty miles. From Invercargill t the North Road is followed, beginning at Dee-street. About four and a half miles from town the road turns to the left, and from thence tho dray track should be kept to the foot of the Lake. If the Oreti is high the east bank can be kept all the way. There is a track leading back from the accommodation house on Rogers' station, which saves fording twice. By this route the distance is only 92 miles from Invercargill, the road perfectly level, and there are accommodation houses all the way. A coach, also, runs three times a week, accomplishing the journey in 14 hours ; Fare, £5.