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ALEXANDRA.

j (From a Correspondent.) The -weather here lately has been very boisterous, with any quantity of dust and an occasional shower. I hear in the Lakes district there has been a deal of rain, which has had the effect of raising the Molyneux nearly to its summer level. At Butchers Point, Halfmile Beach, and Frenchman's, work is suspended for the season — that is, as far as forking from the bottom is concerned. There are a great many bank claims +hat the river as yet has not swamped out, which said claims are in full work, the most noticeable being that owned by the Manuherikia Ground Sluicing Co., situated on the east bank of the Molyneux, near the Newcastle Coalpit. This company hold the largest water race in this district, and one portion of the company are always prospecting. Last year they expended £250 in a plant to test the west bank of the Manuherikia, near the township, but were not successful in obtaining payable gold, although they took off three very large paddocks, which could not have cost less than £1,200, including labour and cost of plant. This season they have shifted their plant on to the claim mentioned above, for the purpose of testing the main bottom on the east bank of the Molyneux, which as yet was never done. They have started to sink the paddock about sixteen feet above the level of the river, consequently they can stand a large flood. They have also followed the Hit or Miss Co., at Frenchmans Point, and laid down a tramway, and are working their claim with trucks — a great improvement on the barrow system. They are troubled with a large quantity of water, and have been obliged to procure a second pump. The Ovens Water Race Co. are also working on the banks of the Molyneux. Their race takes its rise from the same source as that of the Manuherikia Co.'s, viz., the Chatto Creek. This company is preparing to sink for the main bottom near the township, and I trust ere long I shall be in a position to chronicle their success. The water races on the west bank of the Molyneux are all full of water, and every inch of it in use. The great claim at the Halfmile Beach about which I've written so much, I am sorry I can't give you any j reliable information as to the payable nature of this claim. It is generally believed to be good, and that Mr. Kefct's wish is to keep Messrs. "Wood and Ferraud, who own the adjoining claim, in the dark. Be that as it may, Michael wears a cheerful countenance, which augurs well. Further than that, Tarn in the dark myself. The Hit or Miss have had a very good season. I think in a former communication I informed you they were working their claim with tramway and trucks, which, I am pleased to say, have exceeded their most sanguine expectations. At Butchers and Conroys gullies, the whole of the extensive tail races are in full work, but no washings lately. They are, however, satined with their prospects. The dredges have all knocked off work on account of the flooded state of the river ; but lam informed the Galatea is on a beach that can be Avorked with the river at its ordinary summer level. This dredge was not at work last week owing to a law suit in the Warden's Court, which was decided by Mr. Warden Pyke yesterday. It appears that Halliday holds two one-sixth shares in j this dredge, and Grordon a one-sixth share, and that up to the Ist October, 1870, they hired wages men to work said shares, but the week previous to the Ist October the dredge paid little or nothing ; having worked out a good claim this season, they were prospecting for another, so Halliday and Gordon, on the Ist October, let their shares in the dredge to the men that had been working for them, the terms being that the men were to receive the first £3 10s., but should each share produce anything over that amount, tjhen the owners of the dredge were to I'eceive 25 per cent, of the gross yield, the lessees to pay all expenses and to keep the dvedge in repair. This was the agreement as sworn to by the lessees, and the lessors swore on the contrary that said agreement was never entered into — (it. was nothing more than a verbal agreement). On Monday, the 3rd October, those men started to work prospecting, and on Wednesday, the sth October, succeeded in finding a payable prospect, and marked out a claim, and by Saturday evening had obtained nearly 14oz. of gold. On seeing Halliday and Gordon, a dispute soon arose as to who this claim would revert- to when the term of this agreement was at an end, which, by-the-bye, was on ( the Ist January, 1870. Halliday and Gordon claimed the ground, and so did the men, and neither would give in, so Halliday ,and Gordon gave ,the men noticfe not again to go aboard the dredge or interfere with the, olaim, which, as a matter of course, they'took no notice of. Consequently Halliday and Gordon instituted proceedings in the Warden's Court to deprive them of the ground, also of the dredge. The verdict of the court was that the agreement was to be carried out in its entirety, and the ground to be the property of Halliday and Gordon after Ist January, 1871. I may here state that this claim is considered to be the best ever worked on the river, Mr. Brough was acting for the plaintiffs, and Mr. Chappie for the defence,

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TT18701027.2.24

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 142, 27 October 1870, Page 7

Word count
Tapeke kupu
954

ALEXANDRA. Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 142, 27 October 1870, Page 7

ALEXANDRA. Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 142, 27 October 1870, Page 7

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