MINING INTELLIGENCE.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 249, 16 September 1865, Page 2

MINING INTELLIGENCE.

This week is remarkable for the severe floods, and the consequent heavy thaw that has taken place. All the rivers and mountain streams have been heavily flooded, especially the Arrow and Shotover. On the latter considerable injury must have resulted, as the river has rarely been higher since it was first opened. The plants and machinery at Sutherland's Beach and the beaches lower down have been, in some instances, entirely swept away. At Arthur's Point the Morning Star, and the Big Beach lower down, resisted the flood, though the water swept over the dams and side walls. It is too early yet to say to what extent damage has been done, though the rivers were full of debris and broken wood. Sluicing parties have plenty of water, and we hear Johnson's party, below the little lake survey (Shotover), on the Queenstown Reserve, are doing very well. The number of claims and leases taken up on the various reefs in the district may be put down as follows:—On the Prince of Wales (Skipper's), west of the Scandinavian, five claims, and leases averaging about 15 acres each, and extending over a mile in length. On Scandinavian (Skipper's), with seven claims, extending over a mile and a-half. On the Elgin Reef (Pleasant Creek), over 400 yards. On the Arrow Reef, over a mile and a quarter, and several prospecting parties in the ranges. Our Maori Point correspondent, in a letter dated the 14th inst, says : Things are progressing steadily at the reefs, but nothing fresh to report in prospecting. The crushing plant of the British and American Company has arrived at Invercargill, and is shortly expected in Queenstown; the lighter portions of which will be packed up at once, while the heavy will take some time before it reaches its destination. The Homeward Bound are fast getting their machinery erected, and will soon be in working order. What with the late rain and melting of the snow occasioned thereby, the Skipper's track is in a very bad condition —added to this, loose earth from landslips is, in several places, strewn across it, and many complaints are made of its dangerous and impassable nature, but hopes are entertained that it will soon be put in order so as to enable machinery to be brought up with as small an amount of capital and labor as possible. At Skipper's the late rains have caused heavy floods in the creeks, so that all work is suspended for a day or two. Much damage has been done to the water-races by the landslips, but in a very short time all will be right again. The creek has never been known to be higher than it was on Monday last. On the Shotover everything had to be removed on Tuesday night for safety, and on Wednesday morning the river was still very high. I have not heard the extent of damage done, but no doubt it is considerable, and must have well tested the strength of the various works along its course. Millan and party were on the boulders previous to the flood, and would have taken off the bottom in another day, but everything is now levelled again, and I have not the slightest doubt but that many parties on the Shotover were similarly situated.

The 'Evening Star' states:— ■" The Secretary of Public Works has notified to persons about to tender for public works, that in future tenders must be in the actual name of the person or persons tendering. The person tendering must either call at the office of Roads and Works and give reference (if required), or send in with their tender a certificate, from some known person, certifying that their names and signatures are genuine. No transfer of contracts will be allowed, except by special permission." The 'Dunedin Herald* thus expresses the feeling of the country:—" Every right-minded man who is not blinded by party prejudice, must regret the possibility that its fiscal policy may cause the overthrow of Mr Weld's Government at the present crisis of our affairs." The ' West Coast Herald' gives the following account of a trip down South:—" A gentleman recently returned from the Totara rush gives anything but an inviting account of the difficulties that attend those who voyage thither. After travelling about fourteen miles along the beach, the Totara has to be waded or swam, as the case may be; and after its bed for some distance, the travellers emerge on to an execrable track, in some parts of which the horses sink, literally, up to their haunches in mud, and their riders have to squat monkey wise to prevent their legs dragging through the mire. After some little distance the track runs in such a fashion that our informant stated he could not actually see his way for bush and scrub, whilst supple-jack and bush lawyers are hanging and twining in all directions. About a mile from the diggings a sort of earthen wall rises up in such a manner as to suggest the impossibility of anything but a good climbing of it. Somehow or other the packers manage to get their horses up, however, with half loads, though every now and then a horse comes down by the run. The gentleman referred to, and a companion, declined the ascent on horseback, and climbed up on foot. They proceeded to the diggings, but found that little gold was offered for sale, although the claimholder appeared to be tolerably well satisfied. Storekeeping there, we hear, is carried on in the most primitive state."