GREAT NORTH LEAD.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 453, 16 January 1869, Page 2

GREAT NORTH LEAD.

(FROM OUR Offlf CORRESPONDENT.) The festivities of Christmas being over, the miners of this district generally have set in with renewed vigor to their usuil avocations, the present favourable weather affording every facility for their operations, and, though in some instances scarcity of water has been complained of, the majority of large claim-holders are profitably employed in obtaining timber, a commodity which has become somewhat scanty convenient to the older workings. Those who hold tailing-claims are busily engaged erecting and preparing dams to hold their wash-dirt. Several of these are in course of construction on German and Caledonian creeks, and one on the Orawaiti, in which creek, no doubt, others will follow as there are some good tailings coming down from G-iles Terrace. The claims on this terrace are also yielding handsome returns. At Hatter's there are several parties who have lately struck payable ground. Three parties have commenced a waterrace which is intended to carry six heads of water. The race when completed will be two miles in length, and will be principally fluming. It is expected to be completed in three or four weeks. Barrow and party, who have been putting in several tunnels, .altogether about 2000 feet, struck a fresh run of gold on last Tuesday, and obtained good prospects beneath the former wash and making towards the ranges, excelling in richness anything hitherto found on the terrace. If the ground should turn out according to the prospect a great deal more will be taken up shortly. The party who struck gold

in shallow ground some weeks ago have determined to ground-sluice as soon as water is procurable. Several stores are in course of erection; Mr Cook's of Giles's being the most prominent. The parties who struck gold further north, by sinking, are putting iu a tunael, and also several others besides them are sanguine of striking the run in about a fortnight. Several parties pegged off ground on Tuesday on a spur below Eochfort Terrace, in consequence of gold having been struck by a party prospecting. The prospects as yet are hardly payable, but I shall give more information shortly. At Deadman's Creek, Graham and party, and, I believe, parties adjoining, intend to put up a monkey-shaft from their tunnel to prove the ground overhead, as they have had a little wash already above them, and M'Cracken and party intend lowering their tunnel to the level of their wash. Altogether matters look in a very prosperous state in this district, which we may congratulate ourselves is as yet in its undeveloped infancy.