KANIERI.

West Coast Times, Issue 231, 15 June 1866, Page 2

KANIERI.

(fkom our special correspondent.) Continued.

The claim of the Independent Company is situated next but one to that of the Westland Steam Drainage Company, and is held by two parties of miners, who united for the purpose of purchasing an engine, which drains both claims. It was the first at work on the Flat, and is an excellent piece of machinery of 10-horse power but a single cylinder only. It, however, works well, driving' with much ease a double-auction force pump, worked by two connecting rods, having a centre swing. The pump has four feet stroke, and can discharge with ease 500 gallons of water per minute; and even when the Flat is flooded, is still able to keep the claim dry, if coal instead of wood is used for fuel. It is unnecessary to expatiate

on the superiority of the former as a steam raiser, and it is much to be regretted that a scam of good steam coal has not been found in the neighborhood, for the imported article when landed on the claim would prove an insuperable objection to its general use by mining companies. Like their neighbors, however, the Independents burn wood which, notwithstanding its sappiness, keeps up a sufficiency of steam for ordinary work, and something to spare besides. This company have sunk jan] immense paddock, out of which they have already taken a great quantity of wash dirt, and much yet remains to be broken up. Touching the quality, however, they were exceediugly reticent, but admitted it would pay well, as there was a thickness of fourteen feet of gravel containing gold; and as the bed rock has not yet been reached, they -are sanguine that heavier deposits than any yet discovered in the claim will be found there, providing the under drift can be drained. Like the Kanieri Company, the Independents keep all their gear in good order, and certainly possess the most .perfect " plant " that is to be found on the Kanieri. I believe Mr Gordon superintended the erection of the pumps and also the , ( engine of the Westland Company, and much credit is due to him for the perfection of all the arrangements ; and next to the Independent Company*^:. 12-horse single craMtft^^gj^git I^P^^S round water down, Payable-,. was^qwl^pSp struck in this . claim fifteen feet Hp sfc surface, and althpugh Jhe top layerflftnip ' richest, gold, JB f,dut)d'dißtHbi\tsl ihWOgr the bed of 'drjffas «? V# »% O^WWP' trated. Pr6ssC# ftWaf-d^Jo. tfs«> the dish can be .^ashetl out of it. ' Work, however, has 1 rbee^\li&;ush*retavdea lately, through the sides oMhe pump-well caving in, and the conseq^eW^wa&ithat the paddock was partly flooded until a new one (which is not yet quite finished) was put down. I noticed a very great convenience on this claim that must save the share • holders a great deal of time, and which the other companies would do well to introduce : — attached to the engine by a driving belt is a circular saw used, of course, for general purposes, but chiefly to cut firewood into lengths ready for the furnace. Much labor is saved by this contrivance, and more time. Re-crossing the Independent Company's claim, the large water-wheel erected by Caldwell, Smith, and party is reached. I §aye a full description of the wheel ■ and ume in a former report, which was then not quite ready for work. Now, however, the elevators, arc in position, and the wheel kept constantly going ; arid although work is not so far forward as I expected fo find it,, very fair progress has been made. The motive j,ower to drive the wheel is supplied by the United Water Race Company, for the consideration of £15 per week. Water, however, becoming scarce through dry weather and frosts on the highlands, it was found that nearly three times that figuro could be obtained elsewhere, so the company endeavored to break through the agreement which they had signed, and about three weeks ago cut off the supply. v Such a proceeding was objected to by Caldwell and his mates, who at once instituted legal proceedings against the race men, and obtained a verdict of damages for loss of time, and that the agreement was certainly binding. A fortnight was lost to the water-wheel party through this occurrence, who had only re-commenced work a day or two before my visit. They are now sinking the well deeper, and state that the claim will pay well, as there is fourteen feet of wash dirt resting on a sandstone bottom that will pay all through. Nearer in to the Terrace, a claim was bottomed last week, out of which good prospects were obtained, and a little higher up the flat another party sunk a shaft which promised to yield good returns for the labor expended. I must not forget to mention Grant and party, who were amongst the first to set into the flat last year, and certainly the first to introduce 'machinery, in the shape of a handy little overshot-water-wheel which works a Californian pump. Under ordinary circumstances this power would have been found amply sufficient, but the underground lake, subsequently pricked into, proved too much for it, and now the shareholders intend to erect pumps which will bo worked by the Independent Company's engine. Nearer the river, four parties have amalgamated under the name of the United Steam Drainage Company, and purchased the engines and boiler once belonging to the old Wakool, and are now employed getting them into position. The company consists of thirty working shareholders, who intend registering under the act. Payable prospects havo been obtained out of this claim. As it is now believod that the gold runs from the terrace across the fiat in the direction of the river, a great deal of that which was once considered to be outside ground, has since been taken up, and is now closely held. Attempts were made to bottom it by hand, which resulted in a failure, although I heard that small prospects had been obtained out of the lowest vein of gravel reached. There is no doubt this ground will pay when systematically worked, The present state of the old Kanieri Flat is not calculated to create favorable impressions . in the mind of a visitor not well acquainted with the district, as the late heavy rains so raised the river that nearly every claim was flooded, and work in consequence almost entirely suspended. The two steam engines are also idle — thnt of the Star Company, through some hitch in the elevators, whilst the Westland Drainage Company are busy erecting another nine-inch lift-pump, as one was found insufficient to overcome

the water. This Company possesses a excellent and valuable plant, having a 40-horse power engine, a corresponding boiler and pumping gear to match. Substantial wooden buildings are erected over all ; and the orderly, clean appearance of every part of the* works denotes how careful is the supervision exercised. . A large paddock, 40ft. x 40ft. has been sunk to the top of the wash,and the " stripping' 1 is still being proceeded with ; a tramway having been laid down from the cutting to the end of the " tip," on which a horsetruck works and conveys away the surface mullock. I was not able to discover what prospects had been obtained out of the paddock, but was given to understand that they were payable. I am sorry to say that the Star Company are compelled to incur another heavy outlay in providing new pumps, lis the elevators hitherto used are a failure, the expense of keeping them in repair being something enormous. An order has been accordingly forwarded to Melbourne for (wo powerful iron lift

pumps, which may be expected to arrive in about a month or six weeks. Two of the claims drained by this Company are paying remarkably well 1 for out of Rutter's lOOoz. weekly can be obtained when it is in full work; and the Eureka will yield nearly as much. Tho Blue Jacket claim Is, so far, no good ; but the shareholders intend sinking on to the main bottom, on which the rich bed of drift is supposed to rest. On the bank of river only three claims are now at work, Hawkes and party having worked out and deserted theirs. Of these, Townsend'a is supposed to be richest, although the Cumberland purty are making excellent wages. The latter have a long spell of work before them, having bought the Old Ballarat Company's Claim, which was worked on the false bottom, and now has to be re-worked on the main. I cannot say that mining on the old terrace is in a very flourishing state, for the ground being poor and tho price of water very high a great many claims have been deserted. There are, however, a few still paying good wages, but tho majority yield from " tucker" only, to L 5 and L 6 per week. It is, however, likely that an improvement in these returns will take place, as the Pioneer Company intend reducing the price of water to sluices. Amongst the Kanieri improvements, the tramway for supplying the town and diggers with firewood must not be forgotten, It extends from the centre of the township, across Commissioner Flat, and some distance up that terrace which bounds it on .the eastern side ; and is forming a great |boon to the inhabitants, and a source of 'profit to the proprietors. According to fthe provisions of the Act, it is under the supervision of the Government, which has decided on a scale of charges that in my opinion aro somewhat of the lowest. The population of the Kanieri district may be estimated at about 3000, aud the weekly return of gold at from 1500 oz. to 2000 oz. Trade is moderately brisk, although storekeepers complain sadly, as, in fact, they always do, under any circumstances.