Ohinemuri Goldfield.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4630, 6 November 1883, Page 2

Ohinemuri Goldfield.

THE FLOODS.

(FROM OTTR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Paeeoa, Yesterday.

This district was favored upon Saturday evening last with a perfect deluge of rain, which caused the Waitekauri and Waitawheta rivers to rise to a height unprecedented in the memory of even the oldest inhabitant. Two sections of the Hauraki Company's trestle-work and fluming, which span the Waitawheta ri?er near the battery, were detached from the main structure and carried down stream, where they were picked up by the natives, who will doubtless convert them into firewood. This misfortune has just happened at a time when the mine gives ample promise of yielding handsome battery returns, and, in order to effect repairs, will necessitate the suspension of operations generally for several weeks.

The Waitekauri Company's water race has also been damaged to a considerable extent, and some of the small bridges upon the road leading to that locality have been destroyed.

In the Waitawheta Valley the flat portions of the farms of Messrs Quinlivan and Franklin were completely submerged, and a considerable number of their sheep were drowned in consequence.

The coal prospecting operations at the Tarariki Creek are progressing satisfactorily. The first shaft, which was started 30 feet distant from where No. 1 seam outcrops, bottomed on coal on Friday last, at a depth of 16 feet. The seam here is four feet six inches in thickness, and the manager informs me that the coal is of first-class quality. George Gage, a half-caste, who rode into the township at a rapid pace this afternoon, informed Constable Graham that a man named John Smith, better known as " Puriri Jack," who was working in the bush about three miles from here, was taken suddenly ill, and died at twelve o'clock to>day. Soon after receipt of the intelligence, Constable Law started off on horseback to take charge of the body; and Constable Graham organised a party of volunteers to carry it inhere. Upon reaching the whare it was found that " Puriri Jack," although very ill, had not departed from this vale of tears, but was still in the land of the living, and even now strong hopes of his ultimate recovery are entertained. Gage and his wife still persist in the statement that " Puriri" was to all intents and purposes a dead man when they left him, and can't for the life of them understand how on earth he was resuscitated.