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KANIERI.

Vague and extravagant rumors from the unknown south have penetrated into every hole and corner of this district, unsettling men's minds with glowing accounts of riches that aro to be had for tho mere gathering in those regions j and although theso accounts, when sifted, aro unreliable in tho extreme, the very fact of so many boing affected by this " rushing " fevor goes far towards hood-winking others, and tainting them with the same disoaso. Metaphorically spooking, men's faces aro all turned to tho south, and their thoughts, as shown by their conversation, dwell incessantly upon this Ultima Thulo of the West Coast goldfields. In this district tho epidemic is raging fiercely ; every ono is ready to pack up and be off that can possibly afford to do so ; and should tho first accounts that roach us bo at all favorablo, we anticipato a rush that will nearly depopulate tho Kaniori district. Evon in this early stage, parties who aro working good claims havo sent pionoei'3 ahead to prepare and make ready the way j and that restlessness and desire for change so peculiar to miners, is now fully ddve-

loped, and promises to be the means 6j£ dissipating many an ounce of bright gold hardly earned on the Kanieri. For; all this, mining matters there aro dccl» dedly flourishing j the old ground is yielding well, fresh ia opening up, and from the visit we paid this district on Thursday last, appearances augur well for its permanency and progress. Any one who has taken the trouble to explore the Kanieri Flat, is aware that it is of no slight extent. On the ono side it is bounded by the Kanieri Terrace, which runs for a long distance nearly in the same direction as the river, but edging gradually inland, and on the other by a range which terminates in a steep bluff on the banks of the stream somo half a mile above the town, and which gradually draws nearer to the terrace as it is followed inland, until a distance of about two hundred yards separates them, which may be put down as the average width of the flat afterwards. The flat between, after running for a mile or two in the direction of the terrace, turns towards the river and once more joins it about two miles further on. This formation would naturally lead one to suppose that at some former period the Kanieri river had run down there, and that the portions of the flat proved to be auriferous may at one time havo been likely-look-ing beaches of tho ancient river-bed. This theory is feasible enough if the strata already gone through be examined, for everywhere river and lake action is perceptible. All over the flat from four to sixteen feet of clayey sediment, full of timber in every stage of decomposition, lies on the top of a heavy drift, that is in some places auriferous, close to the surface loam, but in others several feet of it have to be gone through ere a payable layer of gravel is reached. The fact of the gold in this drift being found at different depths shews how often tho river-bed must have changed its position, and some conception may be formed of the power of the former stream by examining the huge smooth-washed boulders that are daily brought to light by tho pick of the indefatigable miner. The presence of the clayey sediment may be accounted for, by supposing that the water of the river was once obstructed in its outflow, or ran at a much higher level than at present, thus forming lakes in all those indentations of the ranges that are now flats, and which gradually became filled up by sediment and deposits of timber and vegetable matter washed there by eddies of the river, then running close under the opposite range. In such an unctuous soil as this would make, the growth of vegetation would be almost spontaneous, and in a very short period those bare, dreary looking newly formed flats would be clothed by Nature with a rank luxuriant undergrowth, and, later, ornamented by the same beautiful hand with those stately forest trees which are now condemned as a nuisance, but which hereafter will be a source of wealth to generations that shall succeed us. When the Kanieri flat was first rushed tho ground was taken up for some distance along it, and many holes and paddocks were sunk in what was afterwards left as duffer ground, the then holders objecting to work for mere tucker, preferring rather to shift their quarters and solicit fortune elsewhere. During the past fortnight, however, a very considerable accession to our population has taken place from other provinces {fad colonies, and the result is that many of the new comers have been induced, through the established reputation of the Kanieri as a gold-producing district, and their own impecuniosity to set in here and be content for the present to make that tucker which was scornfully rejected by their predecessors, and moreover give the outside of the flat a thorough prospecting. We certainly anticipate very favourable results from this new rush on old ground. From our own observations we believe that thero are two distinct runs of gold in this flat, commencing where it begins to widen out, but both running out of a patchy load that will be traced up what we choose to consider as tho old bed of tho Kanieri River; for although the area of ground- enclosed by the terrace and range is really one flat, it is by the miners considered as two, being intersected by a narrow ridge that has no connection with either, but rises suddenly out of the flat and extends to tho river and creek which runs on the south side of it, and extends along the Hat beyond where the spur ends, thus forming a line on each side of which is situated the old workings of the Kanieri flat and the new ones in Commissioner's. Between the two there is at present no connection j both are "good, but the latter aro both deep and wet, and the inequality of the depth of the grouud between , them, and its poverty, induces us to suppose that the gold found in Commissioner's is another lead altogether, <frhich will be traced down by the camp, to its junction with the old load immediately in front of tho Kanieri Township, in those claims now occupied by Townsend, and Hawkes and party. Machinery, however, will be required to thoroughly work tlu's lead. Most undoubtedly it is no poor man's diggings ; and tho parties who first struck gold there and who cut tail-races to drain the ground, and havo steadily stuck to it since, aro apparently convinced that no ordinary labor will succeed, and aro now employed erecting machinery for its efficient -working. Certainly tho introduction of power other than manual is not general, there being only tho two parties mentioned in former reports at present engaged in so doing. Of theso, Grant and party are building a watenvkeol, arid providing

they can get sufficient water, which they say they can at all times, except there fehould be a long spell of dry weather, wo have not the slightest doubt but it will be a success. The wheel itself will be an overshot, nine feet six in6hes in diameter ; it is to be so fixed that the top will be level with tho surface, and will drive two largo California!! pumps that will have to lift the water twelve feet. The head-race cut by this party is finished, the water being within one hundred yards of tho claim, and a lino of fluming is all that is now required to bring it right on to the wheel ; they expect the work will be completed in a fortnight or so. These men have obtained payable gold, and have every prospect before them of a long job. Next to them, Rankins and party are at work erecting a horse power to drive their pumps ; this is merely a whim reVersed, with a single section having a rim round it for the rope to run in, inBtead of two connected by battens, which ' form the drum of the ordinary whim. Their work is not above half completed, so we shall reserve any further note of it until it is finished } there are ten men in the party, and a hard-working " crowd " they seem to be. The prospects they obtained were very good. Abovo them, closer into the right-hand terrace in going up the flat, are' the prospectors and two or three other parties. These are getting gold, and don't appear to be so troubled with water'; neither is the ground quite so deep. The flat beyond them has been rushed a long distance a-head, and many holes are sinking. . We heard of nothing having been struck worth mentioning, the prospects that have been obtained not exceeding seven grains to the dish ; still, there is plenty of time yet, aa the rush only set in a few days ago, and the ground is difficult to test on account of the heavy wash, depth, and wetness. Another week will, we "have no doubt, tell a tale about it, and it is to be hoped that this fine-looking flat will not deceive the expectations formed of it. We certainly think if all hands would set in and bale with a will, that the water would soon be broken, for there are two parties working claims quite by themBelves that find they can master it by the aid of 28-feet Californian pumps ; whilst, at a short distance from them there are to be seen paddocks with three or four windlasses over them, deserted on account of the quantity of water to contend against. This certainly would lead to the supposition that the water, like the gold, is patchy. There is nothing fresh to communicate concerning the old workings. On the Terrace itself men are steadily at work, land turning out a good deal of gold. Steele's party, and the claims round them, are paying very well; and the holders of claims round Spurling'a store ftre doing as well as ever, their " screw" Btill keeping up to ten and twelve pounds per week. At tho upper end of the old flat tho old ground is being ~re-worked, and the workings extended. The main body of the flat that has proved so good shows no decrease in the yield. In Ly ttelton-street, the claim that Was once called the Flower of Wheat, is now Barrett and party's, and after all the yarns about it, has proved really payable — 12 oz. 5 dwta. of gold being taken out of a set and a half of timber. M'Grath's claim is yet giving good returns, although tho payable ground has not proved so extensive as was at first anticipated. Last week the Ballarat company sold £125 worth of gold for their week's work, end James and party are not far behind them in their weekly average. The expenses of these claims are, however, very heavy, which considerably reduces the nett profits. The claims close to the edge of the river are being more vigorously worked ; a number of hired men are employed — the shareholders, doubtless, seeing the necessity of getting the gold out before the heavy snow-floods come down. Taking it on the whole, the Kanieri is flourishing, and every succeeding week gives further evidence of its right to tho character of a permanent goldfield. The business people in the township seem inclined to improve and extend their buildings ; trade is slightly improving, most articles remaining firm at former prices.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WCT18650930.2.8

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

West Coast Times, Issue 51, 30 September 1865, Page 2

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,955

KANIERI. West Coast Times, Issue 51, 30 September 1865, Page 2

KANIERI. West Coast Times, Issue 51, 30 September 1865, Page 2

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