MINING SUMMARY.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 8, 18 June 1864, Page 3

MINING SUMMARY.

Tho attention of the miuing interest during the past month has been solely confined to the now goldfields on the Whakanmrina River, in tho Province of Marlborough. On the outbreak of those diggings an enormous rush set in from all tho Nevr Zealand Provinces, but more especially from Otago, where the mining community is principally located. Every available vessel, from our largest steamships to an open boat, for the conveyance of passengers to tho new Ei Dorado, was engaged, and the excitement for the first week or two was intense. The accounts received at the outset were of a measure calculated to induce a mania of the kind, as nothing loss than pounds weight of the precious metal was talked of, and to be had for the picking up in the bed of the river, or with, at the least, the most simple appliances. By-and-bye, however, the high-toned coloring of these reports became less intense, and rumors of tho much vaunted Pelorus Diggings proving a "failure" began to reach \is ; but for a tune no faith was placed in such discouraging statements, and thousands continued to ilock northwards as before. It was soon discovered, however, that there was really no grounds for such an insane rush as took place to tho new goldfield, and the result was — that the place was over-rushed in a week, and all tho, payable ground taken up. That there was gold in tho Whakamarina in payable quantities was quite true, but tho thousands who over-run the place could find nd room to work, and, as a matter of course, they returned disgusted with their ill luck, and, in very many instances, penniless. Wo extract the following from a letter from tho correspondent of the Marlborough Press on tho subject : — " It is with extreme regret that lam compelled to witness the large number of arrivals which every day pour into this goldfield. I am sure, had the letters written by your correspondent been read by the diggers, many of them woidd have paused before they came on to the ground. I shall here once more repeat what I have so clearly and emphatically stated on previous occasions — the Wakamarina goldfield is only rich as respects the river bed and a portion of its banks. It is true that some of the gullies and the creeks have been found to contain good claims, but at present only to a limited extent. The river is now quite taken up from near its source to where it debouches into the Pelorus. Those who come now, and hundreds of those who are already here, will have to look to other rivers in other localities for paying claims. That they -will be found no doubt whatever is expressed ; but the same thing happens hero as I have witnessed on most other goldiield. Everybody is waiting for everybody else to prospect new ground, -when all are quite ready to follow upon any success which has been obtained by others. ■ When the diggers are tired of fossicking along the banks, and in untried crevices of the rocks— when they are, in fact, compelled by necessity to try what alluvial sinking will do for them — then will the real value of the Wakamarina be ascertained, and not until then. We have had much rain lately. The river has risen very considerably, and many of the best claims are under water.: In fact, the river, except in a very few favored spots, cannot be worked." . ; . . • Coming nearer honie, we find that the ; goldfields of Otago suffered materially during the past month in consequence of /the exodus to the Pelorus Diggings, but matters are again looking up in every district* and many of the runaways are, returning to their old Haunts and good-paying 1 claims, -wiser and more contented m their pinds I than they were on their departure. ;;.;'!. ' ' As showing a sample of what ia being done in. j the iako District, s we cull tho following iparaV J graphs from recent numbers , of: tiie^W^dJc^tw Mailj-rr' : .'',-, '..".. V : „: . : \ y .X ,-. ;• ,r. . ; ."-"-Y : '^As proof of -the very extraordinary richness, qf ;l Borne of the river claims at Arthur's Poinfc» wo have the authority of Mr. Beetham, one of the Wardens, who visited Arthur's Point on Thursday, for stating that a small : paddock, some six feet by eight feet, in Wilson's claim,, gave a yield of. over 300 ozs: , The men had even then: to work

up to their knees in water, and;;shovcl>-up 'the stuff througli it ; and they are -under the 'full impression that this, ground, -and; >tlie^gfeater portion of Arfchur'sr Point, ifiiiai bo ■worked over again. , An ; application had been -made * to the Warden to permit the sluicing! ofv the sandbank thatprbtects some of these claimi, and because. ■he;refused : to,allo\r it, the 'applicants became very,! indignant." _'. 4 „ ,/...,., : _,^^-.U — ,—-— . r " Our Maori 1 Point corespondent, writing pri;. vately,. says : — ' I -will just give you a few: -ifeins'tnai-' you may use if you think .fit. First,- the-river- isvery low; 'and -most parties ion; it can work to advantage..;; Sullivan's 'old claim ia still turning out well ; last week they. got about 200 ounces-out of '-two' paddocks, and are ' now 5 sinking another • with excellent prospects: ' : fOtf the same beach, a. claim known .^aa Doolanfs, .and hvhich had been •deserted as a 'duffer,' was taken uplbyia 1 .party of ten men, and on Wednesday they struck good gold, with every mdication of getting richer the further they got in . the dii'octipn-tojw'aTds vthoi i crates..' Barrotarid party goirs3 qu'nces last week, | and expect to get the same this 1 week. A large" number of claims' between Skipper's and the Sandhills are paying well, .and heavy gold '■ has been struck in the Stony Creek terraces. I' have-' seen some nuggets from them, the least weighing ; from 7to 8 dwts." , ; . ;..... |( . .: ; I The correspondent of the Otago. Daily Times' states, that, "Shellback Beaelvlialf a mile below Maori Point, is, :about;fco bo worked, in a most, complete manner. Tyreo, and. party, or rather, a company formed in their name, are diverting tii'e river entirely by means : of a 'cutting through the rocky point. This is a work of great time and labor, and requiring much blasting ; but, no .doubt, it will pay well, as the ground is known to be very rich, 300 oz. having been obtained from a small paddock. Jack Bs Beach, a little further down the river, is yielding magnificent returns to; the ' Perfect Cure' Go., who are realising upwardß of 800. oz. a week. On the upper Shotover, abovo Skipper's, the population has considerably decreased, owing to various causes, especially the severity of the weather and the extreme difficulty of getting provisions to the ground. Sluicing is j being taken in hand at the Sandhills with great \ energy ; in several cases the water is flumed across the river at a great height in hoses suspended to wire ropes, and so brought to bear on the opposite terrace." As instancing some , of tho (hardships and liairbreadthescapes which miners oncounterinthe'pursuit ofthe universal " pile,"' we taTco the if olio wing '* from the same : — " Amineron his way back from the!Arrow township to the Twelve-Mile had a narrow escape of his life under the following circumstances. He was proceeding on foot, and while passing a sideling on the high range, now covered with • enow, he sKpped his foot and fell, twisting it under him; not being able to rise, he gradually slid off the narrow track, and rolled some 200 feet down the mountain side, lacerating his hands terribly in attempting to check himself. At last ho succeeded, but remained helpless, lying in the snow for eighteen hours, from 4 p.m. until 11 the next forenoon, when some packers fortunately came to his assistance. Strange to say, though greatly j exhausted and for some time almost paralysed, ho has received no permanent injury from the cold and exposure, not oven frost bite of the extremities, ! which might have been considered a certain result ! of being in the snow so long without any protection beyond his ordinary dress."