MAEREWHENUA.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 166, 10 May 1872, Page 5

MAEREWHENUA.

(From our own Correspondent.)

For twelve long months there has been little or no rain here, and as a necessary con*equeuee. very little gold has been obtained. A change, however, took place.on the 22nd April, when it commenced to rain, and continued more or less until the 2tfth, causing a flood whjch did damage to several of. our races. The creeks, which a short time previously were insufficient to supply even a drink of water to the weary traveller, became torrents which nothing could withstand. All hands are now engaged in the most plucky manner in repairing damage and making things again shipshape. Botting and Sons had six days running last week, and took six ounces of gold out of the head box. It is very much to be regretted that one or more good races are not

completed, the water at {--'sent in nse'beiug mero.lv front tri uiaries and, creeks, the .<ipply fro=.i Wiiich is iusuf-1 ficient and irregular, should the winter prove to be an open one these tributaries will, I feel sure, render a very good account of themselves. Scarcity of labor during the harvest has delayed the completion of the Mosquito race; It should, in terms of contract, have been finished by the commencement of last month, and the contractor is, I hear, liable to a penalty of £5 per week for every week in excess of that time. I doubt very much, however, if Mr. Taylor will attempt to inflict the penalty, seeing that circumstances, were adverse, and the job. so far as it has gone, is substantially done. Everyone here is very desirous of seeing this race completed, as it is the only one from which, for some time to come, a constant supply of water can be obtained. I am of opinion that the value of the shares in this race will very much increase before the winter-is'over. Looking at mining matters generally, I am justified in saying that they are in a healthy condition —shares gradually but steadily improving in value. The Golden Hill Kace shares risen from £6O to £2OO per share, and the interest in their claims, &c, have risen in a somewhat similar ratio. Reed aud party have mad) a start, with, every confidence in their ultimate success. M'Cann's party are using tail water only.

I regret to report an accident of a' very serious nature which lately occurred in the claim of Mr, John'Baudeen. One of the rnates was working alone in the claim, when he was struck down by a fall of earth, being completely buried thereunder. ! A stranger who heard the fall, on hastening to the spot, found but a small portion of a shirt discernible! He was got out, but hisensible and half, suffocated. The unfortunate man was much cut about the temple, and seriously and severely bruised about the sides and breasts. He was conveyed to Oamafu, and by the last reports there, are great hopes entertaiued of his recovery. He. is quite a young man, bearing a high cha r ra?ter and universally esteemed. Nimo and Allan are washing with good prospects. . Cooper and Smith; alias the Little Wonder, sold a third, share a short time siuce for the sum of eighty pounds, although the supply of water is small. • The prospects' taken have proved highly encouraging. The Band of Hope Company are busily engaged in opening up a new claim, with running through a depth of fortyfive feet and not yet bottomed; the general prospect being 100 colors to the dish about eighteen inches from the surface. That should pay well. The reports of the ground in the locality are highly satisfactory and promising. All that is required here to send, this place ahead is water, and plenty of it. It is very much regretted here that Government aid was not granted to the Ben Lomond Company to complete, their »*ace. Had that assistance been given, the water supply would have been sufficient to have given employ- 1 ment to hundreds of miners, and tendto the opening up of a large tract of well known auriferous country, and establish a rich and permanent Goldfield. This race commands an area of country as large as the Hogburn, the whole of which has been found to be pay ably auriferous. It would appear, however, that little assistance is to be hoped for at the hands of our paternal Government, which, cares little, it. would appear, whether th* Goldfields are to be held in the hands of a few, or whether they are to supply, as they are capable of doing, employment to hundreds of miners. The Goldfields members, should, at the next session, force the Government to take some action in the matter. It looks very much as if Mr. Julius Yogel will, make sufficient out of the mail and railway- contracts to. enable him- to return Home, purchase a comfortable estate, and perhaps aspire vo the honor of a* seat in the Imperial Parliament The proprietor of the Ben Lomond race 1 is now cutting a tail race to his claim. It is a very great pity that a Government surveyor was not on the ground to see the capabilities of this race. All that is- wanted to make this race a success is to complete the cutting into the river.

j*nd nnrfr bu .' opening i ieir ciitiiii, -.iiifi they appear fobcd-ting their work in a" thoroughly pruciical manner, which seems to bid fair to be' a great . success, and to give the;a a profitable washing up in a couple or' months. Dollins and party are ■ pushing ahead, and expect to have a wash-ing-up shortly. It is gratifying to know that the contract for the construction of the track betweeu -this place aad the Hogburn has been signed. Eight men passed by here a few. days s-ince for the of operations. No doubt the season is late for road making, still, •' better laie than, never." . The people here all feel grateful to . the 'Chronicle', for the persistent and able manner in which it has all along advocated the construction of this road. Them is no doubt that, when this road is completed, ihuc'n of the gold obtained at this place -will find its way to Naseby. Mr. Shaw, of Naseby, has been herelately, and offered .£240 for two sixth shares in. M'Cann's race, but they still hold out for £IBO per share. A" share could hive been bought for £llO a few weeks since. It is a pity that this party could not agree, as be would havebeen a valuable shareholder, being a thoroughly practical man.