CHARLESTON MINING INTELLIGENCE.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 382, 21 October 1868, Page 2

CHARLESTON MINING INTELLIGENCE.

On the Victoria Terrace mining matters are looking lively. The Morning Star (Collins and Party) is still worked with its usual success, and yields the handbome dividend of £l2 a week for each shareholder. A new water-wheel was ere ted about four weeks since; it has a diameter of 25ft., and drives 8 heads of stamps. Parsons and Party (Criterion) have already commenced to put up a new wheel of thirty feet diameter and expect to have it erected in about a month. As this claim is on the same lead with that of Collins and party an equal dividend may be expected. Mace and Co., have not started crushing as yet.

A new water-wheel belonging to Sullivan Sbiae and Party is in course of erection i* the gully at the foot of the terrace, and will be completed in a few days. The party, however, will not be in a position to work before a fort, nig'it—being engaged in making a water-wheel.

Adjoining the above, is the waterwheel of the G-erinan Par.y who still make a nice thing of it by crushing for many parties on the terrace. I may mention that the stuff which has been crushed for some time past, by this party yielded on an average about an ounce to the load.

Candle Light :—deep lead. The steam engine of G-iles, Penney, and Party is still attended with its usual success; it is of 12 horse power and drives 8 heads of stampers. I may mention that it was imported hither from the" Try Again " claim, Kanieri, and safely located in its present position at no inconsiderable trouble and expense. The primary expenses of this claim were about £IOOO. There are 7 shareholders in it who receive the handsome weekly average sum of £ls to £2O a man. It is an important fact that they were not affected in the slightest degree by the recent severe drought. There is abundance of auriferous substance in the claim for the next two or three years.

Knory and Party's claim pays the handsome dividend of £l2 a week to each shareholder.

The steam engine of Nelson and Party is of 6 horse power and works steadily. It drives ten wooden stampers. The party will wash up in another week and as far as can be judged from the plates—which look well —I have every reason to believe that the result will be a handsome one. A share was sold in this claim a few day's since for the moderate sum of sixty pounds. The claim of Breen and Party, and Martin and Party, in the gully close to the lead, pays handsomely when a sufficiency of water can be obtained. The parties however, especially the latter, labour under a great disadvantage owing to the insufficiency of this element.

G-ordon and Party's claim is one of the best in the district, and yields between thirty and forty pounds a week for each claim-holder.

Adjoining this is that of Kelly and Party and though not remunerating so handsomely as the former it still pays well ; fifteen or twenty pounds a week to each share-holder.

CHABLESTOIS" FLAT. The few claims in this parfc are doing fairly :—The Duke ofEdiuburgh (More and Party) yields for each shareholder from eight to eleven pounds a week. Sharp and Party have worked for about two years in their claim. The weekly average may. he about five pounds a week for each man.

Merchant and Party are also doing from six to eight pounds a week. A new wheel has been lately erected in this part, by King and Party—who expect to do fairly. I may mention that all the above claims are extended areas, varying from one acre to an acre and a-half in extent.

In the Basin, (the oldest diggings in Pakihi,) the few parties still remaining are only doing fairly. There is a claim, however, at the back of the Basin which pay's about six pounds a week to eich man.

Mr Savage, of the Cosmopolitan Co., Back Lead, sold out oa Saturday last for four hundred and eighty pounds. The late washing up, however, of Saturday last will augment that sum to about three hundred and sixty pounds.