THE ARROW.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 134, 10 August 1864, Page 2

THE ARROW.

(from our own correspondent.);. August 8. The heavy storm which occurred on-Thurs-day night last caused much damage to the river claims in the district. The Arrow rose rapidly some five or six feet, completely swamping, with two or three fortunate exceptions, all the river claims. In many instances, wheels, sluice boxes, timber, and tools' were swept entirely away or buried in the sand; and an almost entire suspension of work has arisen in conseqience. At daybreak on Friday the lower beaches of the Township Flat were strewn with waifs and strays of drift wood, and broken timber, much of which soon found its way to the wood heaps of thrifty housekeepers, lhe great dam at the Gorge stood the force of the water without injury, but the claims on the flat were flooded by the rising of the Bush Creek. Shepherd and Co's wheel —the Scottish Chief —is completely imbedded in sand, and the new tail race of the Hit-or-Miss Company is filled up The mischief done is in fact so great that it is not piobable cither party will attempt to repair damages. The foot bridge at the crossing on the Dunstan track was swept away, and all traffic suspended for many hours.

On the Kawarau River, all labor has been stayed for the present, and the 200 and odd, new arrivals, who had pitched their tents on its banks during the last few days, in anticipation of taking up beach claims at low water level, finding their prospects blighted for the winter, have nearly all left again, some retracing their steps to the Arrow and Cardrona, where the effects of the flood have been less disastrous. This creek rose rapidly, and in one or two claims the paddocks were flooded before the owners had time to remove their tools; some of the wheels were also stopped, but beyond a temporay delay of time no great loss has been sustained. Most of the claimholders on the Cardrona are now engaged in deep sinking, finding payable ground at twenty-five or thirty feet from the surface, and the workings are assuming a very permanent character. Various plots of ground are being marked off and fenced in for garden allotments, for cultivation in the coming spring, and a fixed population is quietly settling down in that remote locality. At the Twelve-Mile, and on all the terrace workings up the river, the late .storm has proved of much benefit to the claimholders, bringing an abundant supply of water, and setting all hands actively at work again a welcome change to many after their compulsory spell, arising from the previous long continuing frosty weather. With the exception of a chain or so, the new track to the TwelveMile is now completed for traffic, and travellers to and from this township no longer find the journey a task of danger and difficulty. The Arrow Quartz Mining and Crushing Association have decided on revising and amending their Lite prospectus for the formation of a company, and the scheme will now be offered to the public on much more liberal terms than previously. The prospectors of the reef have considerably modified their claim for compensation, and have decided with the provisional committee that £BSO only, instead of £2250, shall be claimed as representing the value of the entire present vested interest in the reef, and the whole of the shares will bo thrown into the market. With these terms the company will, probably, be now successfully floated, the somewhat extravagant conditions of the first prospectus having alone prevented many shares being already taken.

HEAD OF THE LAKE, (from a correspondent.) August Bth 1864. Mining matters here have had a severe shock. Early last week there was an evident change in the weather, and on Thursday morning the heavens were clothed in sombre garments. A little rain fell during the day, and shortly after sunset it came down in real earnest at Precipice Creek ; the violence of the water sweeping everything before it. The damage done to the miners 011 the Bucklcrburn is to be deeply regretted—scarcely a claim escaping—the fury of the merciless current carrying everything before it. Goldsmith's party have lost a quantity of timber. The Greek claim is levelled, and will take five weeks to repair damages. The holders of the Morning Star have suffered largely, and say it will take them two.months to put their claim in working order. Several ethers have also sustained losses. Fortunately, one party thinking their hut did not stand on a secure spot, immediately set to work and shifted it, on the very night some slips came and brought down trees which, doubtless, would have destroyed them but for the precaution they had taken. The well-known steamer, Alexandra, paid us a visit on Saturday. She laid at anchor off the saw milis all night, and on Sunday forenoon landed her passengers at the jetty of Keid, levers and Co. Messrs Marshall, Lubecki and party, owing to the inclement weather, retraced their steps. They have set in on Precipice Creek, and from their information, obtained a fair prospect. One of their party has returned to Queengtown.