NEW BUSH AT HAVELOCK.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 175, 15 June 1871, Page 5

NEW BUSH AT HAVELOCK.

(By our own Reporter.)

Such a thing as a new rush in Otago has become extremely rare. On hearing a few days ago that certain parties had been pegging out claims in the vicinity of Haveiock, in the dead of the night, and that something of the description of a rush had taken place, I crossed my old nag, and posted off to the scene of attraction. I was aware that several of the parties at work at Havelock had been extending their claims, with good prospects of payable results, but I had no idea that the workings in the neighbourhood of the bridge were so extensive, and worked so systematically as I found them to be on my visit. The scene of this so-called rush, which is on the top of a high spur at the back of Mr. Grant's farm, presented a very bleak and desolate appearance ; nothing can be seen but a few jutting boulders and pegs here and there with application forms for extended claims stuck upon them. I was informed, however, that a company just formed had obtained a pretty fair prospect, and the appearance of the conglomerate or cement having a striking similarity to the Manuka Creek diggings had inspired them with considerable hope of good results. This party, consists of Messrs, Detert, Pope, Vye, Cogbill, and two others, who are about to extend Mr. Detert's race, which they have purchased, to the ground, a distance of five or six miles. If they obtain a sufficient quantity of water, of which they seem to have no doubt, the ground will be bound to yield all its golden depo it without any great trouble, as the fall they have is unequalled. But, leaving this elevated point and walking along the bank of the river, the first claim, which is situated dose to the main road, is White and party j then follow.; Smith and party, an extended claim of five ain-es. This claim, from all appearance, has been at work for a considerable time. They have a face of about 200 feet, with a stripping of 15 or 18 feet. The wash varies from 2 feet and upwards. A few yards further on is a coalpit recently opened by Mr. George Hicks. The coal appears of a superior quality, but owing to its nearness to the river, will always be subject to floods, and I fear rather expensive to work. The seam of coal, which is 4| feet in depth, appears to dip below the river bed. A Califomian pump is constantly at work keeping the pit dry. Wending our way along the river bank, the next gold mining claim arrived at is Cairns and party's. This also an extended claim of five acres, with a face of 150 feet in length and three feet of wash. I was informed that this party have been making good wages, notwithstanding their having gone to a large expense in bringing in a water race from the river, a distance of 2^ miles. At present they are using wheelbarrows to carry the stuff to the boxes, but they are making arrangements for working the claim with trucks, which I have no doubt will prove a far more profitable and less laborious process. The Alliance claim (Pillatchie and party) is the next in order. It is also a five acre paddock, the face is about 120 feet, and the depth of stripping is about the same as the others on this side of the flat. The next claim is Bush and party's, 5 acres, with 100 feet of a face, and a wash of from two to six feet. This company have got a dam on the flat adjoining their claim. The " Pioneer " (Pearson, Hamilton, and Co.) is the next in order. This is one of the oldest claims of the kind on the flat, having been at work for over two years. They take their name from the old Pioneer Water Race which they purchased, and which extends a 'mile and a half up the river. They have done an immense quantity of work during these two years, and I believe were, if not the first, among the first in Havelock that used horse power to convey the stuff from the ground. They have a face of 160 feet ; a stripping of about 16 feet, and an average of two feet of wash. The wash has been as many as five or six feet thick in some parts of their claim. M'Whinney and party's is the next claim come to. It consists of four acres, and is just being opened. They are at present cutting a tail-race, and intend woi'king the claim with trucks. Their prospects gave two feet of payable wash. Nixon and party's is the next, and last in order on the same bank of the river. They also are only vet opening their claim, but I believe have equally fair prospects. These, however, do not by any means sum up all the Havelock Flat workings. There iis Tranter, Moggath and party with

their five-acre claim ; Auld, Watson and party, or the Waipori claim, of equal extent ; Quigley and party, Hill, Mills and party, witn their four-acre claim, which is yielding very hand' some returns ; Busst and Devonshire, who have been working away for two or three years in the neighbourhood of the bridge, and netting good wages; and I have no doubt several others that escaped my notice. I think Ido not go beyond the mark when I say that Havelock is yet bound to be one of the most flourishing little townships on the Tuapeka Groldfield. During the last twelve months it has made very rapid strides, and now shows as much vitality as any township in the district. It has its hotels, stores, butchery, bakery, village blacksmiths, coal-pits — for there is a second coalpit, the property of Mr. Auld — and even can boast of a medical practitioner. Its hotels have recently been redecorated — Mr. " Cogbill, especially, has effected great improvements upon his house. I forgot that it had also its church, besides sites purchased for two or three others. If the spurs, where the new rush on a small scale has taken place, yield as good or a better return than the flat gives every prospect of yielding, we may expect to find Havelock, which is also surrounded by beautiful agricultural land, one of the most prosperous townships in the province. I must not omit to mention that a claim of four acres has been taken up by Trabshaw, Robinson, Moodie, and Purdy, at Paddy's Point, which gives very good prospects of paying handsomely. I think I have exhausted my programme for this journey, and hope again soon to pay Havelock a vis.it, when I trust the expectations of the miners and my own bright hopes of the place will be in part realised. The district ought to congratulate itself on such a beautiful piece of road as we now have from the Bridge to Lawrence.