MINING NEWS OF THE WEEK.

West Coast Times, Issue 367, 26 November 1866, Page 2 (Supplement)

MINING NEWS OF THE WEEK.

(ritOir THE WAIUE.I CHRONICLE.) Notwithstanding the heavy rain which fell during the first half of the week mining matters have been successful, payable gold having been struck on now ground up the right hand branch of the Wainiea Creek, on a terrace near Piper's Flat, and near the Old Auckland Hush. On SCANDINAVIAN HILL the claims on the lead give no syrap • toms of becoming less rich, and at the workings on the western side of the hill many good patches are found. At sawyers' terrace, situated between German Creek and the second Scandinavian Terrace, several fresh shafts are down on payable gold. From one claim bottomed on Wednesday half an ounce was washed to a dish of dirt. The greater portion of the ground on the terrace yields from a quarter of a pennyweight to two ounces to the tin dish, and all the hill will, it is supposed fro in the prospects already obtained, pay well for working. On JSALLARAT HILL ■a few shafts are being sunk on the south eastern end of the hill, aud the workers expect to find a continuation of the lead which has not yet been traced on this side. PRETTY "WOMAN'S GULLY. , The several tunnels in working are paying their holders handsomely. The drive in tho prospectors' claim on the terrace is broken into bj' the tuunelling party in the gully, and both parties hold good ground. This tunnel is taken in to a distance of upwards of 60ft, and some portions of it give 2dwts. to a dish with three feet of washdirt. Cross drives will now be taken in through the best ground, and will extend to a distance of 40ft. Several of the tunnels taken in from this gully traverse highly auriferous washdirt. On riIETTY WOMAN'S TERRACE another claim was bottomed on Thursday by Hughes and party, at a depth of 42ft. The bottom, on beiug brought to light, showed numerous flat pieces of gold, and on half a dish ot dirt being washed, about fdwt. was obtained. There are about two feet of washdirt, composed of blue gravel. This makes the third claim bottomed on gold on this terrace. There are several parties working at hatter's gully, ani some of them have [succeeded in Utriking gold. The workings at fistdlay's terrace are proving to be exceedingly good, and the lead is traced from one end of it to the other. On pisper's flat the extent of the yield discovers no i diminution, and the holders of claims ' obtain from L3O a week a man to fair I wages. A NEW RUSH to a terrace about half-a-mile from Piper's Flat, on its beach side, set in on 1 Monday last, and a good many parties are now vigorously prosecuting mining

operations there. The prospectors bottomed at a depth of sixty feet, and obtained a good prospect. Several shafts are now bottomed, and there is no doubt that payable ground has been opened. To secure the shafts slabbing is resorted to from the top to the bottom. The ground at the sea beach, TOOT OF THE TRACK, is still being worked, but little, however, has been done during the week, because of the wet nature of the ground made worse by the recent heavy rains. Tho terrace near the OLD AUCKLAND RUSH is found to be a rich and extensive diggings. Upwards of fifteen claims are now on the washdirt, and all give payable prospects. So far -as opinion can be formed at present, from the quality of the ground tested, the southern end contrasts favorably with the northern. and party bottomed on Tuesday, and 3Jojs were obtained. The tail race that is commenced will be completed in about a month, and will be of great sers r ice to the miners. Another rush up the RIGJIT-IIAND BRANCH of the Wairaea Creek occurred on Wednesday, and about 100 men are now busily employed in searching for the golden treasure. The workings are on a terrace, about a mile and a half from the old Waimea township, on the sides of a small gully running into the right-hand branch. The depth of sinking is about 40 feet, and slabbing is necessary from the top of the shaft to the bottom, and the water is troublesome. The prospects obtained are from half a pennyweight to a pennyweight to the dish, and the washdirt is about three feet. Seven or eight holes arc bottomed, and good prospects obtained in e:ich. Up to the left-hand branch at callagiian's no claim but Mackay's is yof, bottomed, although no time isiost by other parties in endeavoring to test their ground. Mackay and party have sunk a well through the bed of the rock at the bottom of their shaft to a depth of 1 5 feet, and are now driving. The well is baled out once in every twelve hours, and greatly assists in draining the adjoining claims of Avater that befoie gave much labor to keep under. The ground in the gullies and terraces between Callaghan's and the Waimea township is being worked with profit, and will give many month's employment before their treasure is obtained from them. Other claims, it is expected, will be bottomed next week, when we will report progress thereon.