CHARLESTON.

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 658, 14 May 1870, Page 2

CHARLESTON.

(FBOM OUB OWN COKDESrOIfDENT.) May 10 During the past week we have been visited by the ketch Constant from Westport, and the schooner Wih* Wave from Melbourne, with general cargoes. The latter vessel having amongst her cargo a large quantity of Hour, which article had become so scarce that some of our tradespeople had to pack a small quantity from Brighton to keep them going until the market was supplied by an arrival. Nothing of importance in mining mutters has of late occurred, the miners in most instances are busily employed, having had a steady supply of water for the last week. The beaches, I am given to understand, are not at present yielding at their accustomed rate, the last heavy weather having carried out a good deal of the auriferous sand. The Maori Chief claimholders are busily engaged in repairing the damage they sustained in the late flood, and the Southern Cross Company have also resumed work, the injunction having been removed.

The road party between Charleston and Brighton, are getting the road into a very creditable state, some portions of the road which were previously positively dangerous, are now perfectly safe, and the creek at the foot of the White Horse Terrace can be easily crossed by pedestrians without getting a wetting, as was the case before the improvement was made. The people at work on the St Kilda beaches complain also that the beach is very poor since the late rough weather. On the terraces between the White Horse and the Dublin Terraces, the miners seem to be generally adopting the system of working their ground by hydraulic, that being found, when a plentiful supply of water can be obtained, to be the most economical method of extracting the precious metal. On the Belfast Terrace nearly every claim is being worked by this process, the miners using cloths, as for some reasou the gold on this terrace will not take the plates. On the Welshman's Terrace, whole blocks are quickly disappearing, the amount of ground put through by some of the claims being enormous. Between the Dublin and Welshman's Terraces several leases of from one to seven acres have lately been applied for, and, from the known character of the ground and the abuudanee of water, very good returns may be expected. The Dublin Terrace now presents to a passer-by a rather dangerous looking face, the whole front having given way, from the old workings at the back of it, during the late heavy rains, and is now slowly settling down towards the flat. When the first slip occurred some considerable damage was done to Burning, &c. A little to the southward of this terrace, Rusk and party have just broken ground in their half acre block, with very encouraging prospects. Gardiner and party have returned from their prospecting tour up Fox's River, which has been satisfactory, so far as proving the presence of gold of excellent quality, and similar in appearance to the gold obtained at Waimea, but they have not found the precious metal in payable quantities. The quantity of gold brought down and sold by them, I learn from good authority, was four ounces and eight penny-weights. The party, I hear, intend, after a few days' spell, to cross the dividing range and prospect the country towards the head of the Four Mile River. lam also given to understand that Rimmer and party have gone out in the same direction. That the enterprise and pluck of these prospecting parties may meet with good success is to be desired by every wellwisher to the district.

Messrs Dwan and Co., yesterday, disposed of, by Public Auction, the Provincial Hotel, and right to section, it being knocked down to Mr Richardson, for the sum of twenty-eight pounds.