MINING.

Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 33, 18 May 1863, Page 2

MINING.

The month's mining intelligence from the Lake District has not been of a very exciting character. We have had occasion to notice the disparaging manner in which the Australian press are continually speaking of the New Zealand diggings. The reason is apparent, every man who finds his way over here is a dead loss to the colony he leaves. In spite of bad roads, dear provisions, and a climate by no means, so agreeable as that of Victoria, her miners as a rule prefer the " new love to the old," and with good reason, for the average of their Tarnings is very high in New Zealand, especially on the Southern gold fields ; whereas in Victoria, on many of the fields which at one time were of

surpassing richness, things are now reduced almost to starvation point. The annals of the Victorian insolvent courts tell the tale but too plainly ; besides which we know that with a population continually increasing her gold exports have fallen off in six years to the extent of L5,298,000. No wonder then that the miners prefer New Zealand as the scene of their labors. There have been several cases of death by drowning in Lake Wakatip. On the 14th instant, a party of mners and others, numbering in all six persons, left the " Twelve Mile" in the boat Cheviot, the property of Mr. Stewart, of the ** Twelve Mile," eii route for Queenstown, although at the time of starting the weather was somewhat boisterous, consequently making it a rather hazardous trip. Upon arriving at about two miles from the Queenstown Reef, a squall caught the boat and precipitated the entire crew into the Lake, the boat at the same time turning bottom upwards, and in this state eagerly clung to by the men in ■the water, and it was in this trying position that John Baker, a German; relaxed his hold upon the boat, and after catching 'for an instant at one of his mates, sank to rise no more. The case of this man appears

most excellehfc^^imn^r^D^iutflKi^th iP° m s?4Sl^ie|daiiger 6( ffhiaiinlandi** W$ 1M s^?«|9 f f^v&M**®™® 6 IS due *<> Wm; Cam Ml and AnffttsOT^Coy, for, the strennoui efforts to relieve and save the irien, as als« the readiness and expertnessthat characterised the movements "of the 'police boat under sergeant Bryant, and the Yon nl America belonging to Mr. Kees. As an evidence of /the general prosperity of the miners in the Lake districts, and the confidence which is reposed io : its, future development, we may mention, that a nwspaper has been started at Queenst oWn the principal tbwn in that part of the country »•"? /«>«» what we have * seen of it, thi Wrtatip Mail will prove of great service to the minim? interest, and also a profitable speculation for its enterprising proprietors Talking of Queenstown, the Otago Gal vernment contemplate placing the head quarters at Plankton, which is not nearly so advantageously situated. Th« attempt will probably prove abortive, a gold-mining population but rarely yieldmg to coercion in matters of that sort Petitions are about being presen Jed, prayi ing that the subject may receive further consideration from the authorities. In the meantime, the Otago Government ar« erecting an hospital at Frankton on the same pldn as that afc Tuapeka. A dispenser has arrived, and the work is to be commenced immediately. It is an institution which is much needed, and which if properly managed, will be a blessing be' yond description. The Government a»ree to give twp^ounds for everyone obtained by subscription ; so we hope to see this ! nrst call upon the charitable feelicgs of the dwellers in so rich a district freely and I readily answered. A mining surveyor has been appointed for the Lake District and will be fully employed. One item of his winter s work is to erect cairns, marking out bridle tracks to Skipper's Gully and other wild, unapproachable, but auriferous regions. Thatcher, the comic singer, at Queenstown, has, as the saving is, " put his foot in it. It appears that he composed and sung a song concerning Mr. Jackson, the bouthland Agent, which that gentleman considered insulting. As long as Thatcher's raillery was directed at him in his public capacity, Mr. Jackson bore " chaffing" witii the utmost good humor, but when it changed to vulgar and personal allusions lie demanded an apology, and threatenei to take satisfaction by means of a horsewhip. The matter has ended in Thatcher being fined hi in the polic court. Several works of importance in connec tion with the development of the re sources of gold-fields are spoken of-onj of them the lowering of Lake Wakatipu by deepening its only outlet at Kawarau' and by that meaus laying bare a sufficient extent of beach along its margin for th formation of a road. We have not much faith in the scheme A few nights since two very fine nu»get were shown to us, which were brought to town by a gentleman just returned from i prospecting tour*, in this province. Tin locality of the " find" is at present j secret, but we hope shortly to be in a posi tion to give further information on th< suliject. We are permitted to state thai they were found within the borders of Southland. Taken all together, the pro-P speets of the Southern Goldfields are enji couragins in a high degree, and thougi winter will, of necessity, be a comparative* dull season, we do not anticipate a furtfcyX reducion of the population. ReturninT spring will doubtless see thousands flockf 1 ing over to what has proved the riche-f 1 "diggings" since the palmy days of oli< Bendigo. ' l ( The following is the return of golfc purchased by the banks in Invorcar^il during the past month, viz., 2,896cm iSdwts 7grs. >We append a letter from our Lak special correspondent: Having been absent down the country f< some days, I am better able to notice an appreciate the rapid strides which Queem town is making in the march of civilisatioi The new police buildings give a look < security and settled habitation to w hat ma be called the suburbs of the town, and tl neat little Church of England, now nearl finished, speaks of higher thoughts ai wishes than belong to the laying up treasure, "which moth and rust may co rupt." We have our local paper handed us twice a-week, and our hot rolls for brenf fast ; our circulating library of l,ol° volumes, not to speak of billiard-roonlg balls, and other fashionable entertainmenftt An inquest was held before the Reside 1, Magistrate, on Monday last at the old Wai tipu diggings, Rogers's station, on the bo l of a man named James Roberts. He and 1 8 mate, William Thomas, were the only m at work there, and as it is likely the si > vivor will soon leave so lonely a spot, t ' ancient gold-field may be pronounced ( ' serted. The deceased has been ailing v disease of the chest foi some time j abou p< fortnight ago he became worse, and i „ nursed by his companion as carefully as c " cumstances permitted ; he was not, howev n alarmed about him, and was much shoe! P at finding him dead beside him on Sum isi morning. Verdict, " Died from natil, a causes." j Very little gold is being sent down njS which is easily accounted for by the fact ti 611 the diggers in the outlying gullies |ar weather-bound. They have laid in store» n winter provisions, and manage to keep til earnings safe ; as long as they can doT. they are perfectly right not to attempt f "' perilous passes of our snow-clad hills ; f>u there are rumors of many a wonderful jL , wkich will burst forth in gorgeous splendoL when spring unlocks the gates of the golifL! prison. fHi A handsome watch and chain has b S < presented to Mr. Bracken, of the Qu/e qJ, Arms, by some lucky Shotover mineral J is deservedly popular for his energy, pe ™i verance, and willingness to please and ol e » the public, sec Boat accidents are now so common 1 jy that, except when loss of life occurs, i , o are hardly noticed. The Ellen was upset!"] Sunday morning, close to St. John's. FoJ™*' nately the accident was seen, and the ve rescued ; but a valuable safe belongin fa the Bank of New South Wales sunk, in probability, to rise no more. Another j^ '. more tragical casualty was the upsettin M the Cheviot, coming from the Twelve ot Rush to Queenstown. . In ticking; to e ret the bay she capsized, and one mad: uL drowned; 'the other five had s worn W* escape. ' . 8C The "inimitable Thatcher" has "j h from our gaze," or rather from, our hea eH for a while; the void whieh his abs [♦«, creates amongst the pleasure-seeking, 0 L» say ■ ••' loafing" A community. i* -filled W[ " Our,Own:Miii9trels f '* who were 'eriti t>H astically cheered last night;' E <i ifjfe . A memorial is about to be forwards V \ His Honor the Superintendent, _ ;h£ a would-be-holders of riVer ! claims da ™ Shotover. Mr. . Wood finding; t|iat%Ja<i« s*. " Amended ReguMtiohß tor; JUvex B pe,

a* " confusion and dissatisfaction could be avoided, has refused to grant any . claims, until the experience of one e r shall decide the boundary of low r-mark. ... ; .-■ ; \.- '•■.,-:.;.. ..>; ..-■ ■■..:;';;

flre are to believe all "we hear concerning; \$ jvrness of the Shotover during the win--1 months, a river claim ..will, be almost W hlef« under the existing regulations, h defines river beach claims from high 5| f to low water mark. This regulation m ridently been made for theDunstan and M Tieux, where the rirar cannot be turned, ■:t ffherethe miners are too far apart to ] about their boundaries., If the weather 1 are enjoying now continues, we may tl . at the sufferings, of the dwellers in idfl tfin and other damp and muddy localiipji Clear, frosty mornings, bracing winds, ?A gunny mid day hours; with a blue sky J ei head and dry ground underfoot, makes *? the old Australians appreciate the plea!C^ of a winter on Lake Wakatip. Out mail % Duneaiu did not arrive here till Saturf but the condition of the roads render us I 8 to frequent disappointments of the p ? i kind till the government see fit to jk -A their wavs." We notice a long lead- *? rt/cle in the Daily Times, concerning a ct for removing the rockv wall between I ,ake and the Kauawara River, 'for the '; iose of draining the Lake and laying bare ;• "auriferous deposits'" which its bed is • osed to contain. The dwellers in this ict know but little of such a scheme, and 'I >r fancy they have plenty of ground to • ;, and quite enough to do without enterinto anv Quixotic undertaking of the Probably the fertile but ton often '■■ died brain of the " Times special corresenf is the source in which the brilliant - either ridiculous leader originated, which i accounts to the inhabitants of Queensl for its incoherency and want of truth . \ iaps the next idea will be to «• dry up" Kawaurau River, and turn the Lake into ? Mataura ; by which neat arrangement \ p could swamp Southland at one blow. i future generations would only hear of rcargill as a place that once existed bethe great Wakatip Deluge swept it away i the face of the earth.

a application has been made to the goment for the grant of an area of twenty j in the Shotover Gorge, on the part of a panv about to be formed in tMs district he purpose of thoroughly prospecting if possible working the Gorge. It has been a matter of doubt among miners if present bed of the Shotover River below mr's Point is the original one, and it is opinion of several that such is not the but that the river ran through the re itself into the Lake, diverted from that se through volcanic agency into that :h it at present occupies. In the course mversation with one of the projectors, it pointed out to us, amonsr other evidences anport of their theory, the sharp, abrupt the river makes, at risht ans:\es to its ious course, below Arthur's Point ; the ] finds below the Point in comparison those above it, and the apparent conition of the original river bed through Jorge. If such should prove to be the ,the benefits that will be conferred upon i.nstown and the Lake district generally, not an easy task to calculate, taking into [deration the unexampled richness of the as already proved. It is to be hoped a question involving such manifold mtewill not be suffered to be burked, but ruth or fallacy of the supposition once for all decided. In the meantime we the projectors every success.