NOTES FROM ST. BATHANS.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 235, 5 September 1873, Page 3

NOTES FROM ST. BATHANS.

One of the mildest winters on record is now over, but the immunity from the rigor of ordinary seasons which we have enjoyed'has its drawback, and : we .will probably have, to .pay dearly, for. the privilege during the- ensuing summer, in 'the shape of a scarcity of water.' Very little snow fell during the winter, and what remains on the mountains is-rapidly dissap.pearing. At present we have a plentiful supply of water, and the miners are all fully employed. Advantage is also being taken of the fine weather toput. the gardens and paddocks in : order, and planting and sowing are going on" pretty extensively. . The Otago Gold Mining Company are getting on famously with their race. Twenty miles have been completed, and I am imformed by a shareholder,, that a junction with; their branch race, to Clear Greek will be effected by the end of the year,; when a permanent supply of water will be available for working one or other of their extensive claims on Smokers Flat. The St. Bathans Gold Mining Company (M. OFahey. and Co.) are making rapid progress.with their race from Duhstan Creek. This race is about six miles in length, and is a heavy undertaking for a small company, as it traverses a very rugged and mountainous district, and for some distance is being, hewn joiit ofl'tbe solid-rock. The party are pegging away at it: with a will, and certainly deserve great rcredit for their pluck and. perseverance. It is expected that the race will be, finished by Christmas. /The." Eureka i Water IB ace (Gt-H. Smith's), from Duhstan Creek to Soldiers Gnlly, is now finished throughout, and works admirably. Mr. Smith has now six heads of water on his fifteen acre lease claim, and the prospects so far amply justify the belief that lie will realise a handsome return for the heavy outlay in the construction of his race. .

At Welshmaus Gully sluicing operations are being carried on as usual, theresuit of recent washings up in the claims there go to prove that this is one of the most prosperous mining, communities, in the Province. Several large areas have been taken up lately under the Mining] >Lease.s [Regulations, and a large channel for the discharge of tailings, from .the gully has been constructed. Several large and capacious reservoirs for the storage of water have also been formed during the;last few months., Welshmans Gully contributes a larger amount to the revenue in the shape of license and other fees than many Goldfields townships of greater pretensions and double its population, and has never had a shilling of public money expended in necessary works and improvements of a public character. Now, however, that the main road through the gully has become almost impassable, an application is about to be made to . the Government for assistance. This road leads to the coal pits from which the district receives its supply of fuel, and in consequence of its impassable condition coal has lately risen considerably in price. In your issue of the 22nd ult. appeared a letter from Mr. George Purton, manager of the Scandinavian Water Race Company, in which he states his reasons for objecting to the sale of the township. I would not have referred, to this-matter. had s Mr.-. ; Purton not done mean-injustice by accusing me of an attempt to. distort and misrepresent his motives in the course he has, thought, proper to. adopt. This is hot the case. In my;notes on the subject I merely mentioned the fact that Mr. Purton-had lodged an objection to the sale, but his reasons for doing so were not referred to in any way. KAs I am on this subject, I:may reiterate^the remark that the. sites on the east side of the street have been held under business licenses for many years,' and occupy ,less than half an acre of ground; which, if sold for sluicing purposes, would not realise one fourth the upset price of the I will not refer further to this matter, as a full enquiry into the whole subject is about to be - instituted by Mr. Warden Robinson. The Amateur Dramatic Club intend giving an eniertainment on the 9th inst., and have issued an attractive programme.