SHAG VALLEY.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 248, 31 October 1872, Page 7

SHAG VALLEY.

(From our own Correspondent.)

According to promise, T now send a few more observations' concerning this, place. The prospects of this district are steadily improving, and it promises at an early datie to assume a development unequalled for richness and extent;. It has been almost overlooked during the excitament caused by the discovery of the Carrick Reefs, and other auriferous treasures ; but it has always been deserving of more" notice, and is jnst bttKinnin; to attract attention. The individual miner in the paat had not the means to develope the reef a 1 existing here, "and the capitalists knew or heard little or nothing of the place, lint if fh'o reaction \ which has lately taken place only con* j tinncs. it augurs well Fop the future. j

The Perseverance, since the date of my last, have Commenced two more tunnels, making four in all, and are driving along the course of the reaf in a nn*fch- westerly direction. They have also wnmonc^d to st-ope out. Tlioy 3mve been compelled to

timber one of their tunnels. The rock in this claim at present is very hard, and the work is progressing m but slowly, I hey are also a little embarrassed by water. The stone in all the trmvels is stil! looking very well. Their next washup .ought to be a good one. It seems to have always been the practice here to mix the stone indiscriminately together, and to crush everything that it was supposed would pay the expenses- of crushing. One oz. to the ton seems to be the general average of the stone they are now raising. Their battery is busy at work at present, bnt from the scarcity of water is troubled with many stoppages. They have purchased another battery of, five stamps, which they intend erecting in Long Valley, adjacent to the claim. Their present machine \9 fully quarter of a mile from the workings". The new battery, I hear, is to be erected within three weeks ; it will save the company the expense of cartage, and will also have a much better water supply ; two great considerations for the shareholders.

The Shag Valley Freehold Quartz Co. have just completed their term of the lease of Mr. Duncan's battery. They have crushed some "TO or 80 tons, o.f stone from the 93 acres ; but I cannot ascertain the exact result, although I hear it went some 10 or 11 dwts. to the ton, which, if correct, considering the body of 'stone (19ft.) from which it was taken, ought to be looked upon with pleasure by the shareholders. When they have their own battery erected on the ground, it should pay handsome dividends, as the stone can be raised and carted for a mere nothing ; in fact, if the hundreds of tons of stone which they have already uncovered, only gave half the above yield, it should pay well. This company is also pushing ahead with their main tunnel ; they are driving in an opposite direction (southeast) to the Perseverance Co. , and have come upon a splendid run of stone, .over two feet wide. ■ It shows fine gold. They are now on the real track, with every indication of its lasting, the reef getting confined between two fine walls. They are working night and day. This, in my opinion, is a promising claim, and the public here have great faith in it. It is well-known that this company have a splendid property, but no effort sufficient to develope it lias been made. It- is the opinion of all here, that if the company would sink a depth oh this portion of their property, they would enrich themselve&aud benefit the district greatly. They have accepted a tender, I hear, for the removal and re-.erection of their battery from Macrass to this place, to be completed in ten weeks. The surveyor was here last week for the purpose of surveying and reporting on the beat site for its erection. I believe he surveyed two sites— one in Ninety-acre Gully and one in Long Gully. I believe he is in favor of the Long Gully one, it possessing ihe Wst water supply, and being the most advantageous for working both portionsof the company's ground. It is the site that was fixed upon by the company's manager, Mr. Bell. I consider it. by far the most eligible site, forj;he stone can be carted to it from the Ninetyacre Block for almost nothing, and it would not be more than two hundred yards from the mouth 'of the tunnel in/the mining lease, with a first-rate opening for a tramway ; whereas, if it was placed in Ninetyacre Gully, the company would have to sink a shaft and erect a whim to draw the stuff from the tunnel, ib being almost impossible to get it there any other way unless at great expense. The stuff would then have to be carted to tKe machine. It is to be hoped the company will erect additional stamps, aud crush for the public, as it would give a great impetus to private enterprise, and dause many a claim at present lying in abeyance to be persevered with and worked^ with fresh energy. I am informed th.it if is the intention <jf the manager to reommend the directors to erect live more stamps ('the engine being capable of dricing m**© Ih&n tk© present complement), he being, of opinion th»t such a coarse — commanding, also, as it does, the best supply of water — would prove alike advantageous to the shareholders and the public.

Garland and party (the adjoining claim to the Shamrock), the claim I mentioned in my last as having been bought by some Dunedin capitalists, have been working steadily on the reef for a long time past, and even when a bad report of the place was spread about, and numbers of miners left the district, continued sinking on the line of reef, and are now likely to reap the reward of their perseverance, they having struck the reef and obtained sone splendid prospects. They were offered a tidy sum for their claim, which they refused.

Pincher and party have lal«en up the next claim to the Shamrock, on the other side, and have three men employed look-ing-for the reef.

Cooper and party, on the Duke line of reef, are busy engaged sinking. This party had three 8 im;>!es crushed at the Government battery a short time since, under the name of Farquarson's Impromptu claim, the result of which appeared in the Witness ; but neither sample turned imfc according to expectation. Still, Mr. . Cooper had great faith in the reef, and when his mates «jave it up (after the crushing), he got other mates, and determined to give it a further trial. I hear he has come on some good stone, and | hope that he may yet be -well rewarded for his pluck and perseverance.

1 cannot find out anything regarding the future proceedings of the proprietors of the Shamrock claim further than that they have applied for "a lease of ten acres.

Madden and party Jiare ceased work for the- presjut, bjinj ' troubled with water.

The schoqlhouie is now completed, and will soon be opened. It is a nice compact building, auxl reflects great credit on the contractor, 'Mr;' Mills, of Waikonaiti. The cost. I hear was £I^'}. Th&stfttlera and business people cartel "the material* gratis. It is 'intended "to vetobrate ijjo opening either by a balj ny-jjfesuirea. Our farmers are now resting f rom Sheir lab »rs, having -sowing -their sesd, and plafttin^ p'jtatneß, .^thoae not having yet finished fccnng busily employed, and pushing on with -visor. Boite ol the crops 'snim early are looking npletidid. • The weather is still very -unsettled, . on© day scorching hot, next day cc&L, nerfc wet, and so on, £he eights vary-colH 'with heavy winds. . The shearing season has comnfeuce!l*c* s?v«.ral stations, but kinds Sre source, and w'a^ea r?ill be cuuaeQtceirt^r very high.