MINING INTELLIGENCE. OTAGO.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 112, 31 March 1870, Page 6

MINING INTELLIGENCE. OTAGO.

The Cardrona correspondent of the " Wakatip Mail " writes under date March 16th:—

A party of Celestials working in the bed of the creek at the Coal pit have recently taken off their first paddock, which yielded one ounce per man a day this week. "John " musters throe hundred strong around this district.

From, the " Cromwell Argus " we learn that parties named Aspinall and mate, and Fimiey and mate, have for some weeks been netting 200ozs. of gold, or about £400 per man at the Shotover.

The " Dunstan Times," of the 18th inst., writes : — Another proof of the richness of the Otago goldfields has lately come to our knowledge. A short time ago a party sold out of a claim on ono of the terraces in tho Upper Shotover district, for the sum of £800. The purchasers were two thoroughly practical men. In a fortnight, with the assistance of wages men, they had realized sufficient to cover the purchase-money, and they have since been making a net income of about £150 per week per man.

A Drybread correspondent of the " Dunstan Times," writing under date March 14th, says : — The prosperity of the diggings under the Dunstan Range is becoming every day more established and Matakanui is fast approaching to the position of being one of the leading gold producing districts of Otago, under the head of Matakanui — I include Tinkers, Drybread, Devonshire, and other gullies running from the Dunstan Range between Welshman's Gully and the Dunstan Gorge. Tho exact amount of gold obtained it is impossible to arrive at, as under the present system, there being no local bank, it goes towards swelling the escorts of Blacks, St. Bathans, Mount Ida, and I do not doubt occasionally Clyde.

The Queenstown correspondent of the same journal says i — The terrace workings on the Upper Shotover continue to yield very large returns. It is said that a party at Skipper's Point have realized £600 a man for the last fortnight's work. Moke Creek and Moonlight are also turning out well, and some one hundred and fifty miners are located between these two places. Judging from the escort returns the miners must be doing well generally all over the district.

The " Cromwell Argus " writing of the Bendigo Reefs on the 16th inst., says: — The Cromwell Quartz Crushing Company are bringing in their water-race from the Little Bendigo Gully, from which they have recently obtained a grant from the Warden. The cutting of the race is being proceeded with vigorously, and it is expected to be completed before tho frost sets in. Crushing at the Company's battery has to be frequently suspended, owing to the quantity of sludge brought down by the tail-water from the sluicers higher up the creek, and a lawsuit is pending between the Company and the sluicers. The Company is getting out very good stone from deep sinking on a lower level than forming workings on their reef. The next crushing at Logan and Co.'s battery is from a portion of ground called "The Golden Link," situate between both leases of the Company, and as the stone is very rich, the next washing up is expected to exceed SOOozs.

A contract has been accepted for sinking an additional 50ft. in the shaft of No. 1 west of the Bendigo Reef, at £1 per foot. The original shaft was down about 50ft. This will be the fourth shaft now sunk on the claim. The reef appears cropping out of the surface in this, as well as in the adjacent claim of John Wilson and party.

Of the Aurora Reef, the same journal remarks that tho Aurora company are for the present crushing with only four stampers, owing to the the scarcity of water. The second set of stampers will be ready to commence operations as soon as the necessary supply of water is available. Their tunnel, which is worked vigorously night and day, is over 400 ft. long. Although only four stampers are working, the next washing-up is expected to exceed the last, as the stone appears to be improving the .deeper the company sink. The adjacent claim east of the Aurora (David M'Loughlan and party) are piling some excellent stone, and are anxiously looking out for a trial crushing.