The Goldfields.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume I, Issue 11, 4 March 1890, Page 2

The Goldfields.

WAKAMARINA.

A Visit to the Gorge Co.'s Claim by Our Special Keporter.

The excitement over this claim has been gradually extending its circles, and deeming it advisable to place the most reliable information before the expecting public, we now subjoin the particulars as furnished by our special reporter, and will also give a full report of the Golden Bar shortly. It is astonishing what a few people outside of Marlborough know anything of the Wakamarina beyond hearing many years ago that gold was found there in very great quantities. To enlighten those alluded to it may be stated that the river named is situated about six miles from Have lock, where it joins the Pelorus or main river of the valley, and very little work has been done or gold won for a distance of four miles from the junction mentioned ; but from that point to the Wakamarina Gorge Co.'s Claim it has been worked over and over again with more or less satisfactory results. Some years ago a few gentlemen formed themselves into a company with the intention of draining and working this portion of the river, but the appliances i used were of too primitive a nature to successfully carry out the undertaking, and after expending a large sum of.

money the, enterprise was abandoned. Some of the shareholders, however,; still retained their faith in the venture, and floated another company, which eventually came to the same fate as its predecessor. Still the settled conviction that some vast treasures were deposited in the Gorge again urged another company to undertake the work, and under the efficient management of Mr Patrick Aherne, who thorough practical river miner, th« have now successfully pumped out thflt claim, and are proceeding to unearth the deposits, either small or large, which have been placed there through Nature's agency. . In shape, this claim is like the segment of a circle, 500 feet long, and about 70 feet across in the narrowest and 200 feet across in the widest part, with precipitous and over-hanging rocks to form the walls some 40 feet high. Those who have seen it for themselves cannot help but admiring the ingenuity and good judgment dig'played in placing the dams as they, have now found themselves to be, in the best position that could have been selected. But it seemed to me that the failures to empty this immense hole of water on previous occasions had, to a certain extent, left a feeling of uncertainty with the present directors, hence they were not provided with everything required, nor had they made arrangements to put on the number of men to make the most of the fine weather. Now, although money will go a long way. you can never buy dry days, especially when -not kept in stock. Now, when the great point is gained in pumping out and everything done so well, reflecting such great L credit on the Manager, the work of excavating the shingle and getting the L rich deposits believed to ■ be waiting for the shareholders should be pushed on with vigour, and with the aid of a 1 Wells' light, night as well as daylight ' might be economised to advantage. " Every indication is there to warrant ! us believing the patches will be very 5 rich, and shares which were difficult 7 to part at 20s have suddenly rose to 3 455, with an upward tendency. T (From Our Own Correspondent.) j We had a visit on Tuesday from Mr \ McAlister, legal manager of the Gorge Claim, and several of the directors and j other gentlemen interested, including f Messrs Jackson, Mead,; r Kilpatrick, x Smale, Purser, and Nairn. f After viewing the successful pumping * operations several of them went to the i head of the claim to fossick, where I they obtained a first-class prospect, i altogether about half-an-ounce, one piece, the shape of a bean, weighing j about 2£ dwts. ' They all expressed themselves well pleased with the progress made by the manager, Mr Patrick Ahern, and will wait patiently for the result of the first ' paddock taken out, the result of which i. may be expected in a fortnight or three j weeks. There were several remarked s that it was a " dry" proceeding, I but what was meant thereby lam not ' prepared to say.