MOUNT IDA.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 15, 11 December 1863, Page 2

MOUNT IDA.

(From the Otago Daily Times Correspondent.) * Thursday, 3rd Nov., 1863. Mining matters, which for sometime past have been rather dull here, have again taken a step in a forward direction, and the population being constantly increased by fresh arrivals from the Taieri, and those returning from the "shicer '' rush in the Waitaki direction, business is exceedingly brisk. The great majority of those persons are now settling down permanently and steadily to work, dear-bought experience having taught them that it is much -better to be contented with good wages on the Hoghurn than to be incessantly rambling about the country in search of rushes, which too often turn out *o be myths. The great drawback io the prosperity of this place— the scarcity of water— has been to a considerable extent remedied, andaveiy short time will now see it entirely removed. The Enterprise Company are now supplying Avater at the head of -the gully ; the Moun.tlda race is nearly completed,, and so successful !y have both these schemes heen carried 7out, and so favorably are they 10-.ked upon by the publio that a third, company is now being formed, some experienced Caliiornian miners being its. projectors, and the pre-' limi nary steps' liave been taken to initiate it. With these races in full operation we shall have an abundant supply of water ; and I have no hesitation in asserting that this goldfield will then be in a position to support a population of treble its present number. As the result attendant on the completion of one race, all the terrace claims which had been for a long time abandoned were taken up and busily worked within an hour after the water was turned on, and apparently w ith the most satisfactory results, for it is now proved beyond the chance of contradiction thatall the. ground around here, whether hills, gullies, or terraces, will pay for sluicing. From the different outlying workings — Clarke's, Cleance's, and Queen's Nos. 3 and 4, the accounts. are still favorable, but the ground being shallow they will not afford employment for any length of time, and unless some new. ground is opened* there is nothingjo justify any present increase to the population^ In these gullies, however, some very rich patches have been and still are being. got ; and, as very fre-

quently happens, some of t& claims which ' at first were c*» worthies**, and were consequent\ rioned by, their first proprietors. lk first supposed that the prncious m|A confined to the Tough drift! — a \A which lay on ; a soft slate bottoir^. ; more recent research has pr-jved th^k j very best of tlie gold is in the softst^; which at the depth of a^lpt, terMJ; nates iri the "solid rock. [ y \... ■ ... j/j As I saitL before, the r_uih lp DougM' station in-the Waitaki country has turt-M-. »out utterly worthless, and been" the caw* of a vast amount ;of ; ;suflfering;and mis*f[| to hundreds if not thousands., .The beli claims wov:ld : -not v pay more than seve* .shillings and sixpence per day; a.sumto. tally inadequate to support amah in a place where provisions are so di Intuit to b - eobtained. In a country like this, where 1 travelling is a matter of" sach" difficulty ; and danger, the greatest cautio-i shotild? be used iw giving currency "(qi-eports o£ new rushes, nor should any person, jn; whatever position-placed^ attempt to "one shade of [coloring to facts. ."j On the Kyeburn the utmost activ?t| p'revailsYarid "many are doing uncommon)---well; the population has greatly increase* of late, and all. appear satisfied: ft fc asserted that a party of fivemen eleare-1 out a few days ago,al"ter 'dividing 1 5.000 as the proceeds of . between three ami four .months' work. l"his, liowever, [ believe to be an exaggeration, and suppose 1 the repot t to have originated fr.om the Tani of five men having; divided 800 o-| of gold as the result of their tirii.ed wortj For the last day or '-"two", a report bas been ctarrettt of some payahle gold '"^vini been struck ; oii the. other side] Kakanui Mountains, A some^ thi if from the Hogbiirn, in the Wia direction, and a good many are out Hr^A ofthe prospectors, but nothing definite il yet known. Ai, Some -men are working \ the;Otepopo Rivei*, and I have reason ft j believe that this is the place alluded iq 1 The part of the river they are working on is almost in a line with Coal Creek, end. the approach to it is over a Tearfully rough country, but JitYa day or two "I shall be able should the place thm out well,, to furnish 3ou with full information on tlie subject. Strange to say, while this part of the Province is'undoubtediy taking the lead a* a gold producing district, and maintaining on its fields a large proportion of the population, it has received ai the hands of the Government nothing but neglect[ -\V r hile thousands ave' heiny: spent on roads and surveys^ at the Lakes and other places, not one shilling lias been reserved for \h road between Wakou-iiti and the Hogb-n-ii .and Dunstan. Fortunately its natural capabilities are great, and it requires bul little attention and little -outlay to rendei it second to none. Indeed, there are on tin whole line but three bad spots, yet all who are acquainted with the horrors of Pig-rool Hill (h most appropriate name for thepinci in question) the *** tilue Pots " of the [joniGorge and the Quagmire, of the Flax Swamp, will agree wiih me that llisy art quite sufni'ient materially to impede.i not altogether to obstruct, the trdfliQ. ll wasatouetimeboped that the recent chongi of the heads ofthe road department t^ul* ha*, c been productive of a better Pf^^o tiling?, but s» far as tliis Boa rd^Y. concerned, the chati^e appeal*-* to hstve' been frorft bad to wovse And fearful are the anathemas .hurled; at the htY£r£<*if thei binciais by- belaied draymen/ and half grazed bultocK d*7ivers. While the mo** classical .allusions are made to their eye and'limbs, and the [uipst charitable^ xv[i expressed ,;i-i' that some of r these'«entleme Avere for fine , month suhjected to all th pa'nsandTi enWlties of bullock diivitis.* ove ihis road Certainly the good folk o Waikouaiti.must he .'a'- most apathetic r%i of people, when' they can sit quietly clnivi and see tlie only available outlet whii-1 tbey possess for cairying on business witli the'up-country diggings gradually blockei up. iviuchfrood has often been expecta by a little gentle pressure from withoul and there can be no doubt, but the preset is a most legitimate occasion for puititi on the screw.