MINING.

Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 64, 18 June 1863, Page 3

MINING.

There Las not been much news from the Lake district, irost of those remaining for the winter having taken the precaution to build warm houses during the autumn, and %y in provisions, anticipating being blocked up for a month or two. These, ; though doubtless doing well, have not been < bringing- in any gold for sale to the various . ; townships. The Warden at the Wakatip ! reports the estimated population of his district as follows : —Skipper's, and down j to Arthur's Goige, 2500 ; Moke and 1 Moonlight, 300 ; Arthur's Point, 1200 : < Few's Creek, GOO; Simpson's, 180; Buckle ' Dart, and Rees', 320 ; Queenstown, 600 ; ' Frank ton and Kawarau, 130; total, 5830. , Heavy floods had taken place, and nearly . all the flood races cut to turn the river ] filled with sand, and the dams washed away. The Warden at the Arrow River l estimates the population as follows: — ' Arrow Township, storekeepers and others, s 450 ; Arrow River and adjacent gullies, 1 JftjjfcP; Cardrona, 250 ; Upper Shotover, "* Sw! flats in the vicinity of Arrow r Township, 350 ; total, 2600. Many * claims on the flat lately rushed have l been bottomed, and the result is as ' yet most satisfactory. Prom the direction £ the lead is taking, it is anticipatad a large extent of ground will be opened up. The s Arrow River has also been heavily flooded, 1 and considerable damage done to the t holders of bwich and river claims. Water- 1 wheels have been up-rooted and - Cali- r ornia pumps buried under the debris washed 1

down. Still the holders of these claims are energetically repriteiuj; the damage clone whiqh of itself is sufficient proof of . the richness of the ground. This district generally has suffered from a fearful gale which has devastated it. At Queenstowu nearly all the stores were unroofed, and the ihurch, which has recently been erected, blown down. Several boats on the Lake Avere driven ashore, but we have not heard of any lives being lost. The Wakalip Mail of the 10th. inst., in speaking of the damage done at Kingstown, says : — " Sir Joyce's Royal Hotel, an entirely new building 1 , was blown down ; McGeorge's store has scarcely a stick left ; the Criterion Restaurant was stripped, and considerable damage done ; the iron roof of the Post Office Hotel is partially stripped off ; a store belonging to Mr M'Kenna, was blown down ; Cobb & Co.'s stables were stripped, and a large quantity of oats and chaff damaged ; several others are only partially destroyed, among which we may notice Mr Campbell's Exchange Hotel. The waters of the Lake were raised by the wind to perfect seas. Among the craft damaged, we may mention the Escort, beached, and partially split xip; the Arrow, smashed to atoms, and her cargo considerably injured ; the Pride of the Clutha was driven on shore, her cable having patted, but very slightly hurt ; a whaleboat was driven up the beach a distance of between 20 and 30 yards. The s.s. Victoria was several times covered with water, it washing completely over her ; but with the aid of tarpaulins, and men constantly baling, they managed to keep her afloat. The steamer Expert has had her after-cabin and funnel carried away, and part of her deck stove in, when she sank bodily, and now lies o» the beach, with her stern just standing out of the water. The Wakatip, steamer, is uninjured." At Arthur's Point the gale was equally severe, the wind blowing with such violence as t° endanger every building in the neighborhood, After the gale the rain descended in torrents, flooding the river and doing considerable damage to a number of claims at the Arrow. The wind blew a perfect hurricane. The ' Post Office Hotel was the first large building to give way, and is utterly destroyed. The Prince of Wales, Provincial, Olive Branch, Albert, and other hotels, are unroofed. Mr Richmond's billiard -room at the New Orleans is destroyed, the hotel fortunately escaped damage, and Brown's bakeries are completely ruined. The Government offices are all laid level with the ground — Post Office, Court, Camp, &c. Not a tent is left standing. The wind was followed by heavy rain, and the river rose several feet.