KANIERI.

West Coast Times, Issue 47, 21 September 1865, Page 2

KANIERI.

Our last advices from the Kanieri aro of the most satisfactory nature, the whole district being steadily progressing, and a very decided increase both of population and mining plant perceptable. Claims which but the other day were lying idle, looking quite foisaken and neglected, covered with unsightly heaps of gravel, trodden by the passerby out of shape aud form, are ago in licked into shape and working order. The deserted camping ground, with its chimney falling to decay, is once more occupied, and the latter most necessary adjunct, patched up and repaired, shall again have its dark recesses illuminated by tho cheerful blaze, and see many a savory bush mess, in which a digger's soul delights, prepared therein. If the rush to the South caused a partial desertion from the Kanieri, the one from the West is very rapidly making amends for it, for daily may be seen tho unmistakeable new chum, with his neatly rolled-up swag, outward bound new tin dish, pannikin, &c., and, comparatively speaking, fresh appenrance, making his way thitherwards, bringing with him fresh energy, determination, and hope, and, in seven cases out of ten, succeeding in finding gold to pay him in those very claims so unprofitably wrought by former owners. Especially is this remark applicable to the Kanieri whero false bottoms abound, which often lead even the experienced miner astray, causing him to be perhaps working shicer ground tvithin a very few feet of a goodpayablc layer. Of course, the first new rush takes him away, and his successor either tries a httlo deeper or higher as the case may be, and strikes the gold. Much, too, is often lost through prejudice, and amongst no other class is this feeling stronger than the digger. Ground that after perhaps much toil and trouble has been f irly opened, does not prospect as it ought to, on examination tho stuff is not the thing — too hmngry looking, or the~depth of the ground not coinciding witlftliatr ofja_aoigh.bour who happens to be on it, a claim is joften given, up thaTreal]y_^yjould,..with'nriitlle"more patient_2aborj_pay. In tho caso of the Kanieri7h"owever, it matters but little who reollylinds gold as long as the populatton^e^psjipl^_6ome^ipg like its former~numfj§r7 for thon, not only will old grounefbo thoroughly wrought, but nevrijolintry, assuredly opened, and the flcldTxtendcd. It is yet a matter

of doubt amongst our Kanieri men whether the gold found on the Flat is merely a patch, or a part and parcel of a maiu lead that may yet be traced miles through the bush. Certainly, the lay of the country is in favor of the latter assumption, for between tho township and Tucker Flat it is most essentially a made one, with outoard features that would at once catch the eye of the prospector, consisting as they do of fiats and low hills, intersected by likely looking gullies. This question will, however, be soon set at rest, as a fresh and extensive rush has set in to the flat at tho back of the Camp Reserve, and every yard of ground pegged off in the vicinity of the gold. The place, during the past two months, has been almost defunct, two or three parties only sticking to it, the rest having, in consequence of the excess of water there, rather than lack of gold, gone to the many rushes that have so unsettled us all lately. Now, however, there seems a chance of its being systematically worked, some two or three hundred men having ' put their pegs in with a determination, it is to bo hoped, of sticking there and giving it a thorough trial. Of the few parties who so long and so perseveringly have stood by their claims, one has an over-shot waterwheel in a forward state of preparation, and which it is expected will be in full work iv a month or so, and another is erecting a horse-whim for working pumps, which will be completed in a fortnight. The will, doubtless, greatly facilitate working the ground for some distance round these claims that absolutely possess them ; and if the rest of the claim-holders would only unite together, and with hearty co-operation bring up a tail-race from the river on nearly a dead level, the present superabundance of water would be drained off, and results equally as satisfactory as those which followed the same system adopted on the Kanieri Flat, in all pro • bability would follow. There the same busy scene still exists — the claims on gold being in full work, and the returns from them still keeping up. The out-: side ground, that - was partially tried and abandoned, having found considerable favor in the eyea of new comers, is being tried one^ more, and with better result than formerly, and there seems every likelihood that before long tho workings on the two flats will be united. Much of this outside ground is very poor, and in some places very wet, still there are " patches" for those who will pcrseveringly seek for them, and untried country towards Tucker Flat and up tho river that may yet richly reward those who make the locality their home. Shanks and party, at the head of Lyttolton street, have their whim in full work, it answers well, keeping the pumps constantly going and ground dry ; they are making good wages. The Flower of Wheat Party are, it appears, satisfied with the future prospects of their claim, as they also are going in for machinery to supersede haijid labour at the pumps ; their whim will be in working order shortly. M'Grnth and Co. are at present thriving along their boundary, but find tho ground there considerably deeper and not near so rich. They sunk their shaft on the very best part of the claim, and have a very largo block of splendid ground to work ; their expenses havo, of late, been very heavy, as much as LI OO in ten days for wages, plant, &c. The Bal • larat Company have broken through into the above claim and find the ground equally good for the whole distance, tho prospects ranging as high as 3 dwts tho shovel ; they are in full work night and day, and can make from twelve to fifteen pounds per week a man. The New Chum Party are still doing as well as ever, with almost a certainty before them of clearing out of their claim with a small pile each. Jack James, though troubled with a good deal of watdr, declares he is doing as well as his neighbours, which admission on his part requires no comment on ours. It is now evident that all these claims are working on one lead which runs into Ned's (now Townsend and party) old claim, and thi'ough Hawkes and party's ground, at the river side ; theso latter have been completely swamped out during the past fortnight, but hope to have a little fine weather now which will enable them to make headway. On the Kanieri Terrace a considerable number of fresh hands have set in, and very little of the old ground is now unoccupied. Steady and good wages are being made by tho old hands hero, Steele and party, near Beattie'B store, getting as high as £20 per week a man. In Oliver s claim a fresh layer of wash-dirt has been struck underneath the bottom they have been working on, the prospects obtained being £ dwt. to the dish. During the pastfortuight a marked change has taken place in the external appearance of both tho Flat and Terrace through the clearance of timber, there being very few trees left standing on cither; this feature especially strikes the eyo of a beholder who knew the place in its earliest days. The township is still in its pristine state of mud, and were it not for tho numerous drains cut by tho miners, would bo next to impassable ; it certainly looks in a languishing state, and its appearance evidences lack of enterprise on tho part of its inhabitants ; they, however, grumble sadly at tho depression of trado and scarcity of money, and it must be confessed their position is not an enviable one, situated so closely to Ilokitika, which has a blighting effect on the progressive developement of their commercial relations with tho miners — thoso latter gentlomen infinitely preferring to walk into town if the weather be at all fine, see the sights aud there get rid of superfluous oa9h. Thoro is also any amount of grumbling on the part of tho store-

keepers, who have commission from the Banks for gold buying, and with some show of reason, too. They complain that the Bank clerks and agents como round on a peddling toui and solicit the sweet suffrages of the lucky diggers by offering them a price for their gold the storekeepers cannot possibly give without ruinous loss to themselves, as the Banks tie them down to a certain figure, and refuse to go beyond it. It is usually understood that sixpence an ounce is allowed, as commission, by the Banks to the buyer, and the latter sometimes chooses to break into thiß and divide it with tho seller, f r the sake of securing a larger connection of customers for his particular commodities ; the Banks getting scent of this considered it an infringement on their rights, and instead of decreasing the commission to prevent its recurrence, and thus secure fair play for themselvos, choose to send round their young men to tout, for custom. From Avhat a height we have fallen to bo sure 1 thoso very individuals whom we have hitherto,,regarded as being, par excellanco^'tlie " swallow tail mob," have degenerated into something very nearly resembling a Cheap John, and may be seen, on certain dt»ys of the week, well gaitered, and with pack on back, poking their noses into tunnels and down paddocks, dodging round cradles and sluice boxes, with thp. ciy ever on their lips, " Any gold to sell to-day, mate?" Of course they have, if three pence an ounce more is to be got by it. A sort of influenza prevails very much just now amongst the Kanierites, nearly every one is complaining. Doubtless this is to be attributed to the late inclement weather ; Dr. Anderson, however, declares that they are too healthy by half, very few serious cases having come to him for treatment since he has pitched his tent in their midst. It must be a matter of congratulation to the Kanieri community that they at last have a qualified medical man so well known as the above-tnamed gentleman, to consult in case of need. WOODSTOCK AND MAORI RESEHVE. A considerable amount of share jobbing has been going on in this locality during the past week, and some very decent sums have changed hands in consequence. The population has been somewhat increased by new arrivals in the province, who have been induced by the favorable account of the Maori land to have their first try for fortune there, aud the consequence is an increased briskness in trade and more one pound notes into the Maori pocket for right of occupation. In the Government ground — from Hyde and Arthur's, and the tunnellers' claims down to Webster's, the first claim in the Reserve,the flat or terrace is worked in patches, none of which are very rich ; but from Webster's upwards, in tho same direction, only keeping close under the hill, runs a lead of gold that is slowly traced, the depth of ground and excess of water preventing its quick development. Waid's claim, tho last on gold in that direction, is flooded out, and has protection granted for seven days until the next party who are sinking are down deep enough to assist them in subduing it. Mitchell's claim still keeps up to the mark ; they have driven fifty feet across, and find the ground very good — they are making ton and twelve pounds wages per week. Webster is also doing well — his ground dips into the hill and gets very wet ; they are working along the edge of the water, until a tailrace that is being brought through the Flat below them shall arrive within a certain distance of their claim, when the parties round intend joining together, and by bringing it through a high bar that runs between them and the flats, effectually tap this reservoir that proves such an impediment to their progress. A fow claims below them, closer into the hill, a shaft has been sunk, and three dwts to the dish washed from tho bottom. This looks well for the hill and width of the payable gold. Willis and party, and the Frenchmen next them, have again to deepen their tail race, as they cannot bottom for wator ; during the pasi fortnight they have tried several parts of their claim, (and with tho like success ; thoy now intend to bring up all the fall they have from the river and put in a wooden culvert all the way through, thus preventing future loss of time that would otherwise accrue to them through mishap to the sides of the race, by the river rising, or heavy rain. Tho next claim to them (tho Welshmen) is working -quite dry, and paying very well indeed, their ground, however, is shallow; from them to Johnson's claim, the la3t on the gold, it is equally payable. The owners of this claim say that, as far as they have tried towards the creek, the wash is running thinner and tho gold less plentiful, but such changes in tho strata aro not at alluncommbh on leads, aud form what are usually termed " poor spots ;" beyond them the lead is often traced both wider and richer than before it fell off. There can be no doubt that gold will be eventually traced all through tho reserve, but hugging the terrace, which runs considerably more to tho southward than the direction of the river, and is intersected with many small creeks, that doubtless have contributed their quota of gold to the main lead. Time and labor is all that is required for its development, and tho ensuing summer will doubtless see jt completed.

It is said that Mr Lincoln waa a boliovor in dreams, anithat ho actually, on tho morning or hia. assassination, related to the Cabinet his conviction that a groat national event w.as about to happen, as ho had throughout tho four years' war always droamt tho night prior to an event of groat importance tho same dream— namoly, that ho saw a;yessol < rabidly sailing ty 1 ■ M