BALD HILL FLAT INQUIRY.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 292, 4 September 1873, Page 5

BALD HILL FLAT INQUIRY.

The Board of Inquiry for the district, consisting of W. L. Simpson, Esq., District Land Officer, and Messrs, Hazlett and Thompson, held an iuquiry at Clyde on the 27th ult. as to the auriferous nature of the land on Bald Hill Flat. Mr. W. F. Forrest appeared to sapport the objections to the sale of the land, and Mr. Wilson, solicitor, appeared on behalf of the leaseholders. Mr. Forrest said, before calling evidence he wished to explain that the fact of gold having been found in a number of sections might create an impression that it was scattered all over the flat ; but this was not exactly the case. The flat ia divided into two portions by the Bald Hill ridge — Skipper's Grully forming the outlet at the Butcher's Creek end of the flat ; this gully separates into two branches, one branch running through sections 1, 3, 4, and 5, and then crossing the road to the little Bald Hill throngh section 30. The other branch comes into the flat through a gorge about half a mile from Butcher's Creek, and crossing the road winds up the side of section 32 (J. Croßsan's). At the other end of the flat them is a gully running at the back of Hugh Crossan's sections, and emptying into the Obelisk Creek near Kemp's ; and it would be found by the evidence that most of the prospects obtained were in the line of these gullies. These gullies could not be observed very well from the road, but if the Board were to visit the ground referred to before coming to a decision, they would be able to form a better idea of the flat than from any mere description that he could give them. He called the following witnesses — John Trembath, being sworn, deposed — I am a miner, residing at Butcher's Point. Know section 1, occupied by Timothy Wilkins- "Worked there for two months about three y© ra since. At that time the land was not leased. I had very little water to work with. I made about £3 per week by paddockiug. The ground would pay from £7 to £8 per week with sufficient water to sluice it. I ceased to work it on ai'couut of not having sufficient water to work with. Ido not recollect the time when it was applied for by Wilkius. I was residing at Campbells at that time. At the time the flat was surveyed for agriculture, I did not know it was auriferous. My actual experience is confined to "Wiikins' section. I believe the gully to be pay&ble all through. The next section is auriferous also. I made £3 15s. the last week I worked there. That was the most I had in a week. I bad as little as £2, £2 155., £3 10s., and £3 ss. per week. The only reason I left the ground was the want of water. I made 10s. a day bringing up a tail race to the ground. 1 showed Wilkins some gold that I got there. There was about one ounce of it The miners in the neighbourhood did not know what I was making, except Samuel Simmonds, Cross-examined by Mr. Wilson — I got the gold from the Gully. I think it is confined to the gully. The sums mentioned are per man per week. Had a mate named Smith. He left me and left me his interest. A Chinaman was working ahead of me. I worked as long as I could get gold. I have been doing better since I left Bald Hill Flat. I consider the bed of the gully fit to be worked over again. If water could be got it would pay £3 per man per week. It would take four heads of water to supply four men. The average depth of the wash is about two feet; on the sidlings from three to four feet. Found the gold on the sidlings to be scaly. Other parties worked the gully afterwards below where T had been. I heard that they made from £5 to £6 per week. I never went back after I had once left. I have^bepn ten or eleven years in the district. Took no steps to oppose the application for an agricultural lease. Do not recollet whether I signed the petition for the flat to be thrown open for agriculture. 1 do not recollect

wVthrr I opposed its being thrown op^n, I have seen gold got on John Crossan'a (section 32) before it was taken up for agriculture. The ground was not much disturbed by miuers at the time of selection. I saw the holes sunk on section 32. There were two or three feet of likely looking wash. It was a kind of gully where the work had been done. Cannot say positively if there is other payable ground, but believe that there is. I believe I could go back to Wilkins' ground and make from £2 to £3 per week at the present time. I would' $at ? have left if I had water there. I think' Wilkins' section would occupy four men for three years to work it with a supply of water. If the Chinaman above mo had made £3 per week I believe he would have stuck to the ground. Samuel Simmonds — I am a miner, residing at Bald Hill Flat. I know Wilkins' section ; got gold in it about j IS months ago ; obtained half a grain to the dish; it was deep stripping. There was no water to be obtained at the time. Tho place I got the gold was ' about 200 or 300 feet from the centre of the gully on the sidling. I sunk another hole, and got as much as from one to three grains to the dish ; the stripping was from IS to 20 feet deep. Myself and mate considered it would pay from £6 to £7 per man per week if we had water to sluice it. Never tried any portions of the flat. By Mr. Wilson — Do not recollect how many dishes I washed. Obtained about half dwt. of gold by prospects in all. The second hole I sunk was in a line with the first. The section is only fenced in, not cultivated. There are a number of holes on it. Other men. worked there, George Wilkinson amongst them. I know of no other payable ground within the surveyed block. James Scott — I am engaged in business, and reside now at Cromwell. Was formerly working as a miner at Bald Hill Flat. Was shareholder in a water race brought in from Butchers Creek. Worked ground at J. Crossan's section. Found it payable. The ground I worked was gullies running into the flat. Below our workings the ground had been worked by cradling. Our tailings ran on to the fiat on Crossan's section. All the gullies had been partially worked before I had anything to do with them. We gutted them out. I believe the holes sunk on the flat to be a continuation of the run I was working. We only worked the ground that could be worked without taking up a main tail race. I got a prospect out of one of the holes on the flat of from |dwt. to f dwt. to the dish. We bad poorer prospects afterwards^ Do not think the ground would pay for tunnelling ; but would pay well for sluicing. Since I sold out my wa f er has never been available for the flat. I tried other portions of the flat. In Skippers Gully we made "£2 10s. per weok paddocking. The • place would be 300 or 400 yards from the Bald Hill. I likewise found payable sluicing ground on the little Bald Hill. Water can be got on to it. I believe there is not a better speculation in the district, if there is a good water supply to sluice the ground. I lost 'too much time and money in litigation, otherwise I would have been well paid for any work I did on the flat. The taking up a main tailrace is a heavy job, but some gold would be got in doing so. It would require considerable capital to form the races. By Mr. Wilson — I believe I could yet point out the places referred to in my evidence. The wash varies from 3to 7 feet in thickness. The thickness of wash diminishes towards Bald Hill. We had a second race heading from Coal Creek. It carried very little water; not a constant supply. At Kemp's end of the flat I only made £1 the last week I worked on it. I have not much knowledge of that end of the flat. Webb and party would have objected to me taking up a tailrace on that end of the flat. The prospecting I did was on the flat itself — not on the hill sides. Thomas Sims— l am a miner residing at Mutton Town Point. Have had IS year's experience of sluicino". Had a share with Scott and party m their race. Know section 32. Was sluicing in a gully near that section with Scott and party. The ground paid well ; a branch gully leading into it also paid well. The law in force at that time compelled us to keep 6 men to do the work which ,3 men could have done. The lead that we worked would run into Crossan's section (32). We lost a great deal of time and money by litigation ; but the ground paid us over £4 per week per man clear of expenses. The ground, in my opiuion, is highly payable, sap from £5 to £6 per week, oi Crossan's section. I prospected all along the flat. My opinion is that there is payable gold in many places, from the surface to six feet deep. The Goldfields Regulations did not permit us to hold our quantity of water with less than 6 men. We sluiced the ground as low as we could without bringing up a main tailrace. As far as we could work the gold did not diminish towards Crossan's ground. I prospected no other portion of the flat, excepting old holes that had been previously sunk— one of them was about 40 feet deep — near the Baki Hill. I got a payable sluicing^prospect from the stuff thrown out of the hole, We did not take our water on to the little Bald Hill, in consequence of the heavy price of material for Huming at that time,

By Mr. Wilson. — I only tried small quantities in prospecting. I cannot toll the length of ground I worked. The ground in that vicinity is comparatively unworked. There was no other water race available for that ground. Our party broke up on account of the constant litigation we were in. The water was diverted to the other side of Butchers Creek after we sold out. We were not the party who took the water away from Bald Hill Flat. The party who diverted it had better ground than we had. While we had the race it terminated at Bald Hill Flat. lam not aware that it was extended to White's. We worked the ground out only as far as the fall permitted us without bringing up a tailrace. We did not find the ground poorer the further we worked. The depth of the holes alluded to in Crossan's section is from 4 to 6 feet. I think they are within the present fence. We had a little over £4 per man for working. I had £146 for my share of the working. The depth of ground where I worked varied from 3 to 12 feet. I base my statement of the payable nature of the ground on my long mining experience of 18 years. T consider the flat not half tested yet for gold. I do not think more than one-tenth of the flat would be required for mining purposes. My opinion is that the gold is confined to the gullies and water-courses on the flat. I have only experience of Crossan's side of the flat. I left the place on account of the constant litigation. I had shares in claims in several other places at that time. I did not work near White's when I left. I have no idea of the prospects obtained near White's. I signed no petition for throwing the land open for agriculture. I was in the district at the time. I do not recollect the special petition. I never signed a petition that the rent should go as purchase money. At the time of these petitions I was working near Clyde. By the Bench — T will not swear that T did not sign the petition; but if I did so, I signed it on the representations made to me, without reading it. Samuel Canfield —Is a miner. Worked at Bald Hill Flat with M'Donough, Leslie, and others, in a gully falling from the flat in Obelisk Creek. The workings are not situated in any ground held under lease. The ground paid well. It was not worked out when I sold out. The workings came down from the range, We made from £10 to £12 per week per man. I am aware of jjold. having been got in section 1 (Wilkins'). lam aware that work has been done and gold got in Crossan's sections (21 and 32.) My knowledge refers to about 9 years ago. At that time there were 20 or 30 mer working on Crossan's, and about double that number in the gully running through Wilkins' ground. I think latterly it was too poor for cradline:. The workings were conducted in a primitive way. I had a race, heading from the Obelisk Creek, leading on to the spurs. ' It was registered for two heads of water. We let water to parties working on Wilkins' section. They were paddocking. They only bal a small quantity of water from us, sufficient to wash up with. The quantity of water we had was barely two heads in the best season. The party we let the water to were irking for some time ; it therefore must have paid them. I saw a good prospect washed close to the road at Crossan's section. By Mr. Wilson — I came back from the West Coast on purpose to try that ground ; but I found it taken up for agriculture. lat one time prospected on section 27 ; but did not find anything payable : yet a great deal of it has been worked since then. I think the gold is confined to the gullies. David Halley — I am a miner working at the Bald Hill Flat. I know section 27. I was working there with a tailrace; the race was not deep enough to work properly. I was stopped from usinor it at last. I believe it would pay £4 per week with a tailrace and plenty of water. It paid me £4< per weelc. I was formerly |in partnership with Lythgoe and others. My old tailrace ran through ! the agricultural sections before they were surveyed. On account of its : not being properly registered, I was deprived of it after the land was leased. I have been mostly working there, off and on since that time with a cradle. I have got as much as half an ounce and 16dwts. in a day. with a cradle. The gold was coarse, I have got nuggets of various sizes, up to an ounce in weight. I have worked up to the fence of section 28. The gold ! is distributed, all over the section (27.) I was assisting to cut a drain in section 5. There was gold found in the drain. I have worked in Wilkins' section. I got gold there with a cradle. There is plenty of ground to work left on it yet ; It would pay well for sluicing. I have been all over the Flat. I got gold opposite J. Crossan's ground. By Mr. Wilson. — I am not rich. I have not worked steady on section 27. I have sometimes worked for the farmers. I prefer working for myself whenever I can do so. It is a month since I worked on section 27. Can average £1 per week with a cradle. I think 1 worked about oneeight of an acre of ground during the last six months. M'Donough's water could be got for as low as Is. per . week. It is not of much use, I oh-

ijected to Webb's application for a lease of section 27. I have no illfeeling to any of the farmers. I work here and there and anywhere. By the Bench. — I believe there is gold all over the Flat. There is no one else working on the Flat just now. Allan Kussell — I am a miner ; and have worked on Bald Flat on section 27. "We fillod a small dam with water during the night, and used it up by abo.ut 10 o'clock next morning. We could make about £1 10s. per week per man in this way; the remainder of the day we could do nothing. I think if there had been a fair supply of water, we would have made £4 per man per week. It was in 1870 that I worked there. We were working in a primitive way. We had to pick all the dirt. By Mr. Wilson. — We followed no lead, but took the ground as it came before us, from 14 to 20 feet wide. We worked 10 feet of it per day. We left on account of not being able to get water. • James Gray — lam a miner. I know Bald Hill Flat, have worked there since 1869. I know Hugh Crosson's section (14). I prospected some holes on it ; about one grain to the dish was the pi ospects obtained from them. As far as I know, the run of gold is narrow. The cost of bringing up a tailrace prevented us from working it at the time. I was not in a position at that time to expend much money. By Mr. Wilson. — The cost would not have been too high. I believe it would have paid to bring up a main tailrace. I would have ventured £100 to do so. I think about one grain was the prospect. The holes referred to were 10 to 12 yards on the side of the gully. I do not know anything about the Flat. I know section 27. I am aware that Kemp's water was engaged to work it at one time, but the parties made a mistake in the levels of their tailrace ; it was abandoned on account of the mistake. Mr. Wilson did not address the Board, but called the following evidence on behalf of the leaseholders. John Kernp — I reside at Bald Hill Flat. Hold a water race there. Know section 27, my water would not be very useful in working it. I know David Halley, he was working on section 27. I do not know with certainty what he was making. I have lived on the Flat for the lust nine years. I know that mining lias been done on sections 1, 26, and 27. I have understood the ground to be payable near the creek. My sections would have to be cut to reach sections 11, 13, and 14. The value of improvements on my sections is about £200, but I have expended £1,200 on the sections I hold in connection- with these. Smith M'Lellan — I have been a miner for 17 years. I know the Bald Hill Flat. I have been prospecting on it. I heard James Gray's evidence. I prospected the holes he referred to in his evidence. I found fjrora half to one grain to the dish as the result. This was three years ago. I think the ground would pay for sluicing. I never found anything anywhere pise to pay. I can give no opinion whether it would pay to upset the farmers. John Crossan — I am lessee of sections 31 and 32. The old workings are outside the sections. My valuation of improvements on tbo two sections is from £800 to £900 in fencing, building, and laying down in grass. No opposition was made when I applied for the leases. I was settled there, by permission of the run holder, for two years prior to the land being surveyed for settlement. There has been no mining done since I have been there, except by Chinamen, who left it again as no good. By Mr. Forrest — There is no water except in old holes. There was one hole on the sections when I took them up. There might have been more than one hole, but they were covered over with tailings. My proper boundary is outside of my fence, and would take in some of the old workings. I include all implements in the valuation. I offered one of the sections f32) for sale for £300. The moveables were not included. It is 3 or 4 years ago since I offered to sell, and I have made improvements since then. Hugh Crossan — I am the lessee of sections 12, 13, 14, 25, and 26. I originally took up 12 and 14, and afterwards bought 14, 25, and 26. I think my improvements are worth £1000 or £1200 on the whole property. I was living there when the flat was thrown open. There was no mining going on then. P. M'Gettigen — I am lessee of sections 19 and 52 (50 acres). There was no mining done on them when I took them up. I value the improvements at £600. There are Chinamen working near it, and Lythgoe and party higher up the creek. By Mr. Forrest — I know section 27. Any tailrace or workings on the flat would not interfere with my sections. John Butler — I am lessee of sections 3 and 4. The area is about 86 acres. There were traces of mining having been done on both sections. There appears to have been paddocking done in several places. I value my improvements at £600. Wilkins informed me that his improvements are worth' from £170 to £180. He only has three or four acres cultivated as a garden. M'Cluskey and Lynch — Lessees of section 11. There were no traces of mining on the section when taken up,

except a tailrace. We value the improvements at from L2OO to L3OO. O. Murphy — Lessee of section 9. No mining has been done on the section. I lvalue my improvements at from L 250 to L3OO. By Mr. Forrest — There are about 70 chains of fencing done, It cost LI per chain. T have also a house and other 1 improvements. John M'Donough — I am a partner of White and Leslie, lessees of sections 28, 29, 30, 5, 7, and 8. There had been mining done on the sections when taken vp — merely prospecting holes. I was in Court when Halley gave his evidence. I can say nothing certain respecting it. I value my improvements at from LI 700 to LIBOO. I know section 27 ; but cannot speak regarding its payable natitre. I worked on it myself occasionally, but had other business to attend to. I think it is a narrow run of gold, made sometimes LI 10s. a week on it. I gave permission to prospect section 29 lately. The greatest number of holes sunk on our ground was on section 5. At the conclusion of the evidence, the Chairman stated that the Board would take time to consider the evidence before coming to a decision on the question.