KANIERI.

West Coast Times, Issue 108, 22 January 1866, Page 2

KANIERI.

(vnou oun sveciaj, hkpokter.) To a casual visitor the appcaranca of the Kanieri Goldfield would be suggestive of former prosperity followed by a sudden decline and reaction, every part of its workings giving palpable illustration that it must once have carried a population very far exceeding in number its present community. On its terraces and flats, acres of well wrought and deserted ground are to bo seen covcrcl with heaps of mouldylooking gravel and surface soil, presenting to tho eye a peculiar dreary and disagreeable aspect. A pee]> into the shafts or ! paddocks, out of which' these have been thrown, is not ono whit moro inviting, the evidence of aban- ' * donment in tho caved-in sides and accumulation of water being ' still more striking, and places where oneo itho" cradle way rocked from morning to night arc now marked by mounds , of " tailings" and dried-up puddles -of yellow mud. ' But tho marked feature is "the wonderful clearing made in the forest by the .axe of the miner ; • for out of tho dense bush that six months ago cumbered the ground, hardly a tree is now left in the immediate vicinity of the township and diggings, a long distanco having to bo traversed * for firewood and timber for build.ng or mining purposes that once were to be obtained close to the door. Truly tho change is most remarkable, and to' nono more so than he who was familiar with the place, in its earlier days, and has' since then not altogether, lost sight of it. Tho Kanieri, however, must not

bo judged l)j' nppenvnnccs, for on no other part of the coast gold-fields nvo they so deceptive ns hove, the abandonment so perceptible being anything but indicative of exhaustion, or the spnrspness of tho population of permanent decline. For from this, tho district is merely undergoing conversion from n lower to a higher pliaso of mining, vyhich Avill hereafter bear fruits propor- ' 'tiountc to its magnitude. And although tho population has so much decreased, some good lias resulted from it, for now an idler is scarcely to bo seen, none being left but thoso who are actively nnd profitably employed, nil of whom speak satisfactorily of the present and hopefully of the future, believing that brighter,days aro in store for those who havo sufficient faith to wait patiently, for their dawning. Not a fow have given substantial proofs of the reliance they place upon the resources of this district by speculating freely in the introduction of machinery and the formation of mining- companies, risking their all on the chances of tho old Five-mile, tuyning out well when systematically worked. I, for one, have no doubt that the Kanieri is a field whore capital can be most profitably invested, and the miner, wishing for steady remunerative labour, find permanent employment for. years; and although individual exertion can no longer expect such success that once rendered this field so famous, it does not follow that its bet>t days aro gone by. The introduction of machinery is, however, attended with unavoidabledelay, in consequence of having to send such a distance for it, Melbourne being tho only port where a supply can at all times be depended upon. Two engines , are, - however, on their way from there, ono of which ordered by the' Kanieri Steam Draimvo Company, is daily expected. ' This party, as I stated in a foimor report, arc located on Commissioner's Flat, and for tho last six weeks have, registered their ground, pending the arrival of the plant. No work whatever has J^ou"

done by them lo. their claim, but to-day (Monday), they commence clearing away the surface for its reception, and confidently anticipate that in the course of six weeks they will be fairly at work. It is the intention of these men to register under the Mining Company's Act. Another portable twelve-horse power engine has also been sent for by Henry and party, and Rankin * and party, who have united for the purpose, one engine being sufficient to drain both claims, and also those adjoining, provided terms can bo made with the holder?. One man from each company was told oft', and proceeded direct to Victoria to purehaso the plant, and as they have been away neaily a month, notification of their return is expected by the next Melbourne steamer. Their mates have not becu idle in the mean time, a largo area of ground having been stripped close down to tho wash dirt, and a site cleared away for the erection of the machinery. Between them and the Kanieri Company, Grant and party are busily employed stripping and clearing tho surface away, for although they are already provided with machinery, having an excellent water wheel of more than sufficient power to drain their ground, they find it quite, impossible to contend singly with the water flowing from the adjoining claims as well, and arc, therefore, compelled to wait until their neighbors arc as well supplied as themselves. Uninviting as this part of the Kanieri looks, I was told that a share in this claim had changed hands a few days ago for the sum of £200, a convincing proof certainly of tho estimation Commissioner's Flat is held in by the diggers. Only two parties on the flat are at present getting gold, the prospectors and the one adjoining them, but to the fact alone of their ground being shallow is this to bo attributed. They, however, have plenty of water to contend with, but at the same time manage to make very good wages. "Wonderful perseverance and consistency of purpose have the miners on Ibis flat discovered, clinging to their claims in the face of extraordinary difficulties with a»tenncity unparalleled. Flood after flood has rolled down the river and laid their ground underwater, compelling them to a term of idleness until its subsidence, when, like giants refreshed, they again turned to repairing damages with a will, which several times they had hardly effected when they were again swamped out, until at last, convinced of the utter hopelessness of overcoming the water by manual or horse labor, they como to the decision that it would bo the wisest plan and most profitable in the longrun to send for steam power at once. Subsequent events will prove how sound was the discretion that led to the adoption of this resolution. But tho tail-races which intersect the flat will prove a hindrance rather than assistance to its working if some alteration and improvement arc not made in their formation. At present jjthey arc merely open ditches, up which iloods find an unobstructed way, penetrating tho drifts laid open, and thus flooding, the flat from one end to the other. This must be prevented, either „by filling the races up again, which would necessitate lifting the water the full height of the surface — easily done by a twelve-horse power engine, the • lift not being more than thirty feet, or else culvert the race from end lo end, and fit tho mouth with a valve, which would close as the water backed up from the river. ( )nc of these plans will have to bo adopted, or Commissioner's Flat will never ,be successfully worked. On the old Kanieri Flat a company is foimed. and will shortly . 'register under the new Act, having .-.given formal notice by advertisee, racnt, that such is their intention. It will be designated the .Star Steam Pumping Company, and consists of one hundred LIO shares, at present in the bane's of forty-two members. This company is well advanced, having completed their negotiations for the purchase of the twelvo-horsc-power steam engine belonging lo Mr and} now at work at his saw mills, immediately opposite tho Kanieri town, on the south bank* of the llokitika. It will cost tho purchasers LBuO, the first instalment of which avill bo paid in a day or two. A fiist call of L 2 10s a share has been made, and promptly responded to. The site chosen for the erection of their plant is immediately behind Lucket's Star Hotel, where a ' shaft nine feet by six is in the course • of sinking, piles and massive frames being usod lo secure it, in preference to » slabbing and centering. Elevators will be used instead of pumps, as being less expensive ; and as the depth of sinking will not be over thirty or' thirty-five feet, it is presumed they will prove equally efficient. This company posf«%ses no ground of its own, having een formed simply for the pui- • pose of draining the ground, for tho benefit of the surrounding claims. A contract has been entered inio with three parties, numbering twenty-three shareholders, who have agreed to pay , £2 each per week, on consideration that their respective claims shall bo kept free from water. Thus the income of of-, tho Stay association will common no at £10 per week, which will pay a very handsome per qentago on tho capital invested. Besides these three claims it will be optional for them to make terms with others, providing the engine is found powerful enough to di'ain more ground, of which thero is but little doubt. It is calculated that ""in a fortnight it will be in position. Much benefit will accrue to the Kanieri through this move in. a right direction, for ground, which but the other day was considered worthless, has since been taken up, aiid been proved jfya be payable, - was it only possible to overcome tho excess of water. It is also believed that gold will bo traced into Connni.s.sionor's Flat underneath tho low ridge which separates it from the old one, and in anticipation 1 hereof the whole of it has been marked out and is now closely held, a very high figure being demanded tor shares.

The Methodists have erected a very creditable house of worship on this high ground, having chosen the site as one not likely to intcrfero with tho diggers, as well as for its central position. The Fates, however, have decided against them, for their chapel is already pegged in, and there seems every probability that ere long it will bo surrounded by claims in full work. So long as tho miners abstain from damaging the building, they will, of course, receive no check in following the gold should it run

in that direction.

It is rumored that negotiations are pending for the purpose of obtaining the engines of tlio Maid of the Ynrra i'rom Mr Collins, and should they lovininalo .satisfactorily tho claims in and around Lylte.lton street will be drained by them. Mr Collins, I believe, oilers to soil and land them on tho ground lor LIOOO, which may be considered a very low price, considering their high power (to horse.) Ido not, however, vouch for tho truth of this, giving it only as a report. Many of tho claims on tho old flat scill yield splendidly, although tho easiest wrought and richest ground has already beeii turned over. I was informed of one party, four in number, who, between last Monday and Thursday morning, obtained 104 oz. of gold. These men have much ground yet to work, and expect to clear £700 or £800 each. Further into tho Flat Old Harry is supposed to be working the richest ground, as £1000 per share is positively spoken of as tho amount each shareholder in his claim is likely to realize, limns and party, and the claims around them are i 11 paying well, from L 8 to LI 2 and L2O per man weekly being the returns. Much of the flat, however, is deserted, or merely " shepherded" until it is seen how the engines answer, and when once that question is settled, and steam power proved a {success — economically speaking, there will be no lack of associated bodies of miners in that particular locality. All with whom I conversed on the' subject seemed to have implicit faith in the existence of gold at a much greater depth than it has yet been found on the Flat, and I believe very few of the holders of rich claims will be satisfied to leave when the surface layer is worked out without testing the worth of tho main bottom beneath it. Tlio Kanieri Teirac.e, I must confess, *has a very woebegone nppearanec, so much ground having been worked' out and abandonod. Nearly a]l of Olivers party sold their shairs in a claim which has given them constant employment for nine months. Tho accounts from the beach workings unsettled them, they sold for a trifle, and proceeded in search of bettor pastures. • Marshall's claim is nearly finished, not more than a fortnight or so being required to take them to the boundary. It is paying well to the last. Bosw'ell and party ex- 1 pect to work out iii a month. Godwin calculates that six. weeks or two months must elapse ero himself and mates will be free to " roll up" and be off somewhere else. It is not difficult to foresee the probable future of tho terrace. It will bo loft to tho tondel' mercies of tho sluiccrs who will again turn it over i'rom one end to tho other. . An attempt made by Harris and parly to find tho main' bottom has failed, for on reaching the depth of sixty feet they encountered, such a body of water a<i compelled them to desist. These men deserve credit for tlio enterprise they displayed, having slabbed tho shaft from top to' bottom, and spared no pains to sot tho vexed question of gold or no gold at rest. For the present they are satisfied as there was no contending with the underground lake picked into, so they rigged a stage in the shaft and are now working the surface layer, lam diljghted to be able lo report that tho Pioneer Itaoc is nearly completed. Tn a week the water will be running on the terrace and at the service of those whoso claims are within reach of it. The late dry weather has considerably reduced the quantity of water in the two oi eeks already cut into, so to insure a constant supply a third, containing twelve heads, is to bo tupped. To effect this Jour milcß of a race will have to be cut, and is already in hand, contracts having been issued at so much per chain for its construction j and as a specified tune has been set down, which if not complied Avith, will result in a heavy loss to tho contractors, there seems every ehanco that the terms of the agreement will bo fulfilled, and the three creeks connected in two months. Oi\ the flat in front of tho town only two claims are in Avork, viz., James an.l parly, and the Now Chums, and these may thank the Cumberland water wheel for tho privilege of working. These parties are waking good wages, but have not washed up siuto Christmas, wisely taking advantage of the fine weather to drive out as- much ground as possible before another flood again swamps them. The Ballarut Company no longer exist ; they were not proof against tho constant succession of hynvy floods, which finally disheartened them, They sold their claim and plant to the Cumberland party for £1.30, and left, incontinently, for the beach diggings. On tho river bank, Hawkes and parly are taking every advantage of the fine weather to work as much ground as possible ere tho next flood conies down, and now the river is low they have- not much Water lo contend with, but can make fair progress daily. Their elevator, worked by horse power, answers very well, not only draining the ground, but supplying wilier for sluicing purposes. When in full work they can got 70 o/,s to 100 ozs a week. Townsond, next to them, has also ground as good,. but containing the largest boulders I have over seen in Westland, or, indeed, any where. One of them, I am sure, must be nearly forty feet in circumference and many tons in weight, but being only three-parts uncovered, I was unable to do more than to form an approximate idea of its absolute »izo. Another monster is sticking out of the face of the bank. Tho power of tho liver must have been prodigious to have deposited these masses of rock where they are, and their rounded form attests

that they travelled some distance. The Cumberland party have .some difliculty in keeping a Miflicient body of water running through their flumo to supply full power to the. water wheel in consequence of tho river scouring a deeper channel for itself in mid stream. They are now endeavouring to fill up this "gut" by depositing I in it all the stoves which como out of their claim, and although this may remedy the evil for the time being I much fear it will eventually forco the river still further from them, as the opposite bank being composed of shifting sand and silt oilers no resistance lo tho stream and is sure to wash away as the force, of water against it is increased. No serious inconvenience has so far ro • suited to them, the elevator not only draining their own chum, but three others as well. "When sluicing they can wash out from 1 2 0/ to 11 01/,o 1 /, daily and as it will lake from twelve to eighteen months to work out their claim they may bo eonsiderd as having a good thing in hand. These river bank claims could be easily worked were it only possible to keep tho floods out, and to compass this most deslrablu end a high embankment is being thrown up round thorn which when completed will I think prevent the river overllowing except during extraordinary floods. Several claims have struck gold higher up tho river, and there seems a probability that the workings will extend a considerable distance in this direction. I need hardly say that tho township is very dull, business folk complaining sadly of tho falling off in trade. At the same time they are not wanting in faith, implicitly believing the advent of steam power will be the commencement of tho regeneration of Iho district. An attempt was made on Saturday to sell by auction tho Empire Hotel, but " mine hostess" objecting lo the highest bid ns not being nearly suflicient, the "knight of tho hammer," who presided on the occasion, was fain to declare their was no sale, and pocket his disappointment without the commission.