WARDENS' REPORTS.

Tuapeka Times, Volume I, Issue 19, 20 June 1868, Page 2

WARDENS' REPORTS.

For the month ending 31st ulfc. (From the "Evening Star.") Mr. Warden Hickson, writing from Mount Benger, under date May 31st, reports : — "The past month has been a dreary one for the miners in this district. The fickle Molyneux has risen and fallen, and the claims have been put in order for working so often, that I do not wonder at the holders being put out, and indeed disgusted. But they live in hopes of its " going down " again, and giving them a chance of making up for lost time. Nearly all the parties have returned from the ranges to winter quarters hero. Those who have remained out have been idle through the greater part of the month, in consequence of bad weather and the flooding of the principal creeks. ' " The Chinese population is steady, and they seem to be one and all making .what they consider good wages. Thd^/Hfage rate of wages is L 3 12s. a week. The population of the district is 800 ; there being — European miners, 450 ; Chinese do., 150 ; storekeepers, &c, 200." Mr. Warden Stratford (Nokomai district) reports for the month ending the 31st ult., as follows :— " Were Ito judge of the prospects of this district by the events of the last two months, I should have to write most disparagingly ; for the falling off of work and consequent depression of business has created a great change in the appearance of Switzer'a during the last two months. It is no longer a busy scene of active employment, and even the water supply has been occasionally greater than the demand—which is the worst feature of all in the change ; not but that it might have been expected after so great a rush caused by the absurdly exaggerated reports about the richness and extent of the diggings — not but that some good has arisen out of the evil, for prospecting parties have been made up, and have gone out in all directions on their exploring expeditions. In my estimate of the population, I have made a very small reduction, owing to the increase of the number of Chinese. Richardson and party have commenced cutting their race in real earnest, the completion of which will be looked forward to with great interest, as upon the success of their undertaking depends the forming of an entirely new settlement on the west side of the Waikaia. Two sad accidents have occurred in the Mataura this month. The first one refers to a man named Frank Shepherd, who, while crossing the river between Nokomai and Athole, was upset off his horse, and immediately afterwards sucked into a whirlpool andl drowned. Since then, Patton, a bullock driver (at Messrs. Jackson and M'Kellar's), was seated on his dray, driving his bullocks across the river, when in the centre of the stream, the leading bullocks swerved round with the current, dragging all after them, and in less than a minute the eight bullocks, dray, and a horse tied to the dray, and poor Patton disappeared under the water. Since then, by dragging, the dray, horae, and bullocks have been drawn to the shore ; but the body of Patton has not yet been found. We have had one week's fine weather, and the remainder foggy, rainy, and gloomy, and thus the month ends. Estimated population — European miners, 400 ; Chinese, 100 ; others, 150. Total, 650." Mr. Warden Robinson (Dunstan district) reports as follows :—": — " The miners in this district have not been slow to avail themselves of the increased privileges placed within their reach by the new rules. Memorials have been put in from the Nevis and from the Kawarau;'^ Gorge, requesting that those localities should be declared to be open for occupation in claims of an acre per man. In the case of the Nevis Valley, which had been previously declared as " old worked ground," the request has been granted ; but as regards the Eawarau Gorge^nly one small piece of ground has ©eSMaeclared, the miners at the Gorge township "being mostly of opinion that th« ordinary .

10l 100 x 100 feet, or 10,000 square per man is quite sufficient for their Tses. Several claims of from three t acres are already taken up at the i • and there can be little doubt but it becomes generally known mdL large claims may be held there, rs who know the ground will be ml to^turn thither from other parts, of H*feyfe claim 3 'turning out well lately: "The difficulties and deof the work have been very disening, but it seems probable that who have had the means and the ice to hold out will be adequately ■ded. The Chinese seem as a rule pretty well there. Some of them have tip ground on the flat, and a party iropeans has also set in to a , large about two miles above Korlls It is generally believed that the > of the Nevis Flat is auriferous, , with the encouragement of large claims it is not unlikely that many miners may be tempted to try the ground fairly. The weather in the Nevis Valley continues i;o be fine, although the night frosts are sharp. The mountain gullies are of course deserted for the winter. The Molyneux still delays falling to its winter level, and there is not much dwng in the way of beaoh workings, although a, good number of men are now scattered alcng the river ' banks. The Alexandra, dredge, which some months ago was carried away down the river in a flood and was ■sold as, a wreck, has been brought up again to Alexandra by the purchaser and, with the addition of some new material, rebuilt. She was launched about the middle of the month. The banks of the Molyneux, in the immediate vicinity of the "Clyde, have not until lately been -fairly tested for sluicing. One party, with a moderate power of water, has recently been working to advantage opposite the town. Some Chinamen seem to be doing very well sluicing on the township side during the last few days, and two parties of Englishmen are about "bringing good streams of water to bear upon some ground near the Hospital. In •every direction signs are to be observed of people feeling more settled in the wintry. Comfortable cottages are taking the place of tents and rude huts, and heat and productive gardens surround fee dwellings of a large proportion of the bining population. In the Upper Clutha Wtry, mining enterprise continues to Jake its way. There is now a very large ame-unt of capital invested beyond the boundaries of the proclaimed' goldfield. Large and expensive races have been constructed, and others are in progress- The number of heads of water applied for is about 200. A meeting was leld at Cromwell lately for the purpose •of urging on the Government the advisability of extending the goldfield, so as to T)ring this fine mining district within the "•peration of the regulations. I believe a petition will be sent down. Estimated population— European, 800 ; Chinese do., 300 ; others, 900. Total, 2,000." Mr. Warden Beetham (Queenstown district) reports as follows :— " The winter in the Lake country may now be ' said to have fairly commenced. During the last fortnight heavy falls of snow, and in the higher portions of the district Bharp frosts have prevailed. There is . still, however, sufficient water for mining piu-poses. On the reef at Skipper's. Southberg and party are obtaining re- 1 nmneratij-e results, and are in full work. | The StSSSjlinavian Company, under the manafrement of Mr. Evans, are preparing ty means of expensive machinery to test tiemundic by roasting. Should the experiment prove successful there is little doubt but that many of the claims now apparently abandoned will be found to be payable. Population is steadily setting in at the head of the lake, and •everai Chinese have recently proceeded to Breckleburn, the pioneers of their countrymen, and their is a vast amount of auriferous country in that direction. IW an agricultural point of view, the tlistrict is, evidently making great progress. A very-large breadth of land will oe sown with wheat for next season, and a great quantity of new land broken-up. The capabilities of the district as a wheat growing country, have now been placed «eyoad a doubt. Above 20,000 bushels ■of the.finest wheat were grown last season, and it is estimtaed that the Brunswick Flour Mills will send out at least, 400 torn of flour for the season. The flour is ■of first rate quality, quite equal to the Adelaide brand, and of course infinitely cheaper. The export trade of the district in flour and timber will, in a few years, be very great ; it already extends far into Southland and the Dunstan District. The great drawback to the extension of the trade down country is the Shotover river. Day by day the fords become worse and worse, as the silt washes down from the &p river workings, spreading out into extensive and dangerous quicksands,- cut up in all directions by the rapid current. So changeable is the river bed. that I have known a ford that was easily crossed in the morning on horseback, become by the evening unfordable and dangerous, and this with falling water all the day 1 believe it to be the most dangerous river ta New Zealand for horse, buggy, or dray. Estimated population, 911."