The Goldfields.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 1, Issue 29, 6 May 1890, Page 2

The Goldfields.

Mahakipawa. (From Our Own Correspondent.) All the claims in the' creek have recovered from the effects of the flood, and a good many are on the metal. The only claim I know of that has not yet repaired damages is the Homeward Bound, who will take another week to clear their tail race. There were some very good dividends last week, the Golden Hope getting 320 z. Adam Ross and party 82oz. The Long Time 18o,z. The Never Surrender, who only got 2ft of bottom lifted, getting 16oz, I am glad to record that Our Boys (Lyford and party), who have been off the run for some time, are on the right track again, getting Boz with a good show for the next week. The Try Again, Just-in-Time, Te Ore, Wairarapa, and Lucky Hit are also on the metal. I don’t hear anything startling from the sluicing claims, but I think several claims are,.doing fairly well. About lOOoz were purchased by our local buyers. I shall prophecy a good record for next week, as several of our fancy claims finished the week on good gold. The Hibernian Company are pumped out once more. I hear that they are going to build a bigger wheel and put up a substantial plant. The Mahakipawa Company have got their pump rigged, and will start sinking this week. I am told that the Alice Fell Company have got a dip in the reef, and are driving for the sidling reef, intending to sink a monkey shaft for the gutter after they get,the sidling.

A committee meeting meeting of the Mahakipawa Miners’ Union was held at Maher’s Hotel on Saturday evening. The rules and regulations of the Miners and Labourers Association of New Zealand (which were sent to to us by Mr Samuel Andrews, general secretary of that association, with an invitation to form a branch in connection with it) were read by the secretary, and a resolution was passed unanimously, That the Mahakipawa Union be formed into a branch of the Miners and Labourers Association. It was resolved, That Mr John Lomas, the president of the A.M.ZA,, who is now visiting the mining centres of the colony, be invited to visit Mahakipawa; That the secretary write to the miners at the Antimony mines and the Wakamarina, inviting them to join. The committee sat for three hours, and every question of interest was carefully studied and debated on before a decision was arrived at; but as what has been done and what it is proposed to do will be fully explained at a

general meeting to be held as soon as possible after the secretary has received, answers to correspondence it .is not necessary to give details. ’ ‘-The fact that an association, of which the principal mining centres of the colony are branches (from simply seeing in your evidently widely circulated paper that we were taking steps to. form a Miners Union) requests us .to form a branch in connection with it, speaks volumes for the success of the Mahakipawa Miners Union,

There was a meeting of householeers on Tuesday to elect a School Committee. Messrs Nelson, Law, Maher, Coombes, Dumphy, M‘Millan, and Levy were duly elected. On Mr M‘Rae suggesting that it was usual to give an annual report, the Chairman requested the secretary to do so, who stated there was nothing to report only that the committe had never had one single reply to a number of letters that had been written to the Board on school affairs.

The lover of the art of self-defence are promised a treat on Saturday next, when Jack Laurie will give a boxing and athletic exhibition, assisted by his brother Dick, who has lately arrived here from Timaru. He brings a reputation with him of being a clever boxer, and as several local amateurs are going to try conclusions, there should be a full house. We had a visit from Mr Gordon, Inspector of Mines, on Friday. I think he took a favourable opinion of this district away with him.

Wakamarina.

A meeting of the Wakamarina miners was held at Deep Creek on May 3rd. Mr R. Alexander was voted to the chair, and having explained the object of the meeting, and several speakers having expressed their views, the following resolution was carried unanimously, That this meeting beg to call the attention of the Minister of Mines to the urgent necessity of a practicable road being made from Deep Creek to Dead-Horse Creek, Wakamarina, to enable the Golden Bar and other mining companies to convey their machinery to their respective claims, and also to enable the up-river miners to cart their goods. The meeting also wished to suggest that, should the Government not be prepared to make the surveyed road, that a sum of four to five hundred pounds be granted to the Pelorus Road Board to convert the present track into a road suitable for vehicles. The meeting wished to point out that this road would assist the mining industry, as there are four companies waiting for a practicable road to convey machinery to their respective claims. It was resolved, That a copy of the foregoing resolutions be conveyed to the Minister of Mines and Pelorus Road Board. A vote of thanks to the chair terminated the meeting.

Miscellaneous Items.

Shares in the mining ventures being floated to dredge the bed of the Duller River for its gold, are going off rapidly. The late crushing of the Wakatu, Owen, yielded 31oz of gold from 70 tons of stone.

A very rich goldfield has been discovered at Ashburton (Western Australia) where IOOOoz of coarse gold have been unearthed recently. News has been received from a source believed to be reliable, that an important discovery of gold has been made at Galatea, in the Uriwera Country, between Waikaremoua Lake and Whakatane.

A cutter, which arrived at Stewart Island from the goldfield at Preservation Inlet, reports that a watchmaker named Clark, from Dunedin, was drowned while attempting to land at Coal Island, the boat capsized, but four other occupants were rescued. There are seventy men on the field. The weather has been bad, interfering with prospecting on the mainland.