THE GREENSTONE DIGGINGS.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 481, 23 March 1869, Page 3

THE GREENSTONE DIGGINGS.

The Greenstone cowespondent of the West Vpast Times gives the following particulars of mining in that district:—On the various diggings in the Greenstone locality there has been for iome time past sufficient water in the dams to enable the miner to work. h the majority of the claims, however, the returns are not more than small wages, and there are very few indeed making as much as £8 or £lO per week—they are the exception to the rule. A great deal of work is just now being carried on at Shed Flat, situated at the back of the town, and for the last three months the miners have been constantly at work. The work, however, is not unattended with difficulty, owing to the large boulders which intersect the ground in all directions, and the removal of which gives the miner an immense amount of trouble. The sinking on this flat is only from 12 to 16 feet, and, but for the time occupied in removing the boulders, the claims would pay well, ibout 500 men are engaged: on the flat; but many of the claims are nearly worked out. On the Duke of Edinburgh Terrace, there are a good many men employed, the majority of whom are earning " tucker" and wages, or from £3 to £3 10s per man. The great drawback on this and other terraces is the want of a constant water supply. Several tunnels are being put in to the terrace, but as yet the reiult is not known. The population on and about the ten-ace, including storekeepers, is estimated at 800. At Maori Point there are from seventy to eighty men employed on a terrace and in the creek, and they are reported to be earning small wages. On the terrace at the south side of the township, and down the creek, there are a few parties working at ground sluicing, 4 breast of from eight to ten feet high, and by this process, although the ground is poor, they can earn from £4 to £5 a week per man. At the Three-mile Creek, a few miners are doing pretty well. The Junction rush, which promised so much, is nearly deserted, there being about half-a-dozen parties of miners remaining on the ground. A few are engaged tunnelling on the terraces on the Greenstone, and the remainder on the south side of the Teremakau.