CALEDONIAN.

Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 313, 1 August 1868, Page 6

CALEDONIAN.

(FROM OUR OWN CO-RESPONDENT.) Monday, July 27th. On yesterday evening the Kevd. Mr Thorpe held divine service at the Alliance hotel. The different claims continue to progress satisfactorily. That of Bartihwaite and party is being worked on the same lead of gold as yet, this run will be shortly worked out ; they purpose making another lead available in the same claim. Marshall and party's claim is turning out one of the richest on the terrace and will amply repay them for the ong period spent in looking for the run of gold. Steel and party, have also a very good claim next Marshall and party, and it is a high paying claim though not so rich as their ne g'ibours. At German terrace, Langrish and party have their crushing-machine completed. South of the Arowaite three tunnels are being pul in, and they have sanguine hopes of coming on a fair run of gold. At Giles' terrace there is no news of importeuce, since my lawt. Davis and party have not, as yet, struck the lead of gold, their tunnel has become very wet, but they are in hourly expectation of reaching the run of gold. Two stores are erected on the top of the terrace, and a butcher and baker's shop. Quite a township has sprung up in a short time, aud it is quite astonishing, how quickly a little gold creates a township. Perry and party in the fifth claim are getting on vei*y quickly with their tunnel and it will be very shortly in the supposed distance of the lead of gold. At Deadman's some new parties have arrived, and are about opening fresh ground. Simon and party have not as yet come on the run of gold, but are hourly hoping to do so. M'Farlaue and party, have got in about one hundred feet with their tunnel, which is very good progress, notwithstanding the great difficulty experienced in penetrating the ground. Barry and party are working about a mile further up, and are makiug about £lO a week. A few men are at work down the creek, near the old workings in the bush, aud are making small wages. some of the parties engaged on the beach are doing very well, but they are familiar with every gully and rivulet between Deadmans and the Waimangaroa.

A party left Westport for this quarter, a few weeks since, but I have been unable to learn their whereabouts, or whether they have been successful in their first attempt at digging. The late rains have been in no way attended with any disastrous result ; at the Caledonian, in fact, water is of an advantage—on this ground—as the the several elatnis are enable to have it running by their heap of wash dirt, and if this dirt had to be carted to wate the ground would not of course return the same amount of money it at present does. The Otago fields have suffered rr.uch for want of water, and there is plenty of ground in Otago which would not pay in consequence of not being in a neighborhood to procure a head of water, In consequence of the German terrace men not being able to be present

at the Amateur Concert, in aid of the hospital at the Caledonian lust weak, thoy purpose making arrange me its for an Amateur Concertaud Theatrical, in Mr David Barries store, —on the terrace—for the Westport Hospit.d, and from the way they are taking it in hand I think they will place German terrace in a prominent position amongst the list of subscriptions to the institution, the assistance of the Caledonia v Amateurs will of course be obtained, but I think there is a little local talent on German terrace, both vocal and instrumental, and wc wish them every success. At the Caledonian Terrace things are just the same as usual, n Casino is about being opened and several balls are talked of. Every person i s speaking about the track which remains in the same state, and 1 see very little probability of its bein'p open for the public this month, and if things go on as they are at present, it wiil not be finished for a month to come. This is hard on the packers. I saw a horse whose iorejegs were for some inches deprived of skin by the old track, and after such a time has elapsed, one would have thought we would be near having a passable track, hut i'rom the aspect of matters at present, it is very probable we may go from bad to worse. When an overseer had charge of the work, it was certainly the chief part of his duty to see that it was performed according to specification, and not have money fruitlessly expended both by the contractor and the Government. July 29th 186S A man in Broadbent's claim had a rather narrow escape on Monday. Some of the slabs gave way and one fell on his head, but beyond a cut he was not much hurt and is now doino' well ; this is the next claim to the one in which the mau was killed lately. At Ballarat Terrace Mr Passmore disposed of his share in a claim, for £SO on Monday. On German Terrace work is going on steadily, aud mining matters are in a healthy state. The concert and theatricals for the hospital will take place in a fortnight or so, as soon as Mr Banie's iron store can be procured, which is atpieseut occupied and will be for a few davs.

Laugish and party are making verygood progress with their tunnel, south, of tlie Orawaite.

At Giles' Terrace, Williams and party struck the upper run of gold on Friday, and after over a day's walning they had 00.",5. 3dwte. of amalgam", since theu their washdirt has much improved, and the fact of their having struck gold caused the ground about there to be rushed on Monday. Davis and party are iu nearly three hundred feet, and they think within about twelve or fourteen feet of the washdirt, they should have been in to the dirt last week were it not for a flow of water coming down from the top at the extreme end of their tunnel, which rendered it necessary to slab the sides and a portion of the top, which has stopped the water, and they hope to be on the washdirt iu a few days. This ground at first was very easy working, but when penetrated a few hundred feet several boulders of a large size have had to be blasted, or in some w?y removed, so as to admit of the tunnel being proceeded with • the stuff at present in the distance of three hundred feet resembles beach wash, and is composed of sand and gravel. Evans and party are still engaged procuring water, and will not be able to waW for a month to come. At Deadmau's the prospectors have not come on washdirt as yet, and their progress is considerably retarded by rocks.

M'Farlane and party have their turinei in one hundred feet, and also have difficult ground to work. Thompson and party have their tunin 100 feet, and have made fair progress since they commeuced. Deadman's Terrace has been rushed for the distance of two miles and a-half as far as the Fair Downs, the work is all tunnelling and there are fifty or sixty men on the ground. The Fair Downs were rushed twelve months ago the same time as the Caledonian, but were not worked. This is taking the run of gold still further north, towards the Waimongoroa, and it is probable that from the Caledonian Terrace the diggings will be extended as far as the Quartz Beef. At the present it looks very like it, as men are working within a couple of miles of the river. The extent of the diggings is now considerable and it is pretty certain that good, payable gold is to be had all along this line of country, and parties who can procure a few months tucker wou|d do well in having a look at this ground, which is much preferable to some ground on the neighboring fields where both time and money have been expended, and not attended by a very remunerative result.