REEFTON.

Westport Times, Volume VI, Issue 960, 9 April 1872, Page 2

REEFTON.

(from otjr own correspondent.) The machinery belonging to Mace ? s claim, as you are aware, was again set iu motion on Wednesday 27th March. They have nearly cured the defects in the flues by adding some more piping to the chimney, which has considerably increased the draught of air through the furnace. The plates are looking well, being covered with amalgam, the only drawback being a want of sufficient supply of water for the tables, as the supply from the dam is getting short owing to the late dry weather. Beefton is gradually getting the appearance of a settled town. Broadway the principal street is so much improved that drays may be seen passing up and down conveying goods to and from the numerous stores. The temporary panic caused by the late flood has vanished from the "minds of business people, who aro now erecting large substantial looking buildings. Amongst those nearly completed are those of Messrs Graves and Fleming, Thomas Field, Stitt Brothers, which are situated at the corner of a cross street and Broadway, and which some people have named the Westport corner, owing to the proprietors being Westport merchants. There is also a large hotel on the opposite side of the street nearly completed belonging to MrSlatiery. Close by are two large buildings in course of erection—ones store belonging to Messrs Ching, of Charleston, and the other an hotel belonging to Mr Kelly, of Brighton. There are numerous buildings going up in the adjoining streets ; and if one is to judge of the future size of the town by its growth for the last month, there is not the slightest doubt that in twelve months it will become the Bal*

larat of New Zealand. It is not uncommon towituess fouror five hundred men on Saturday evenings walking up and down the principal streets. Mr Warden t Broad held ex service in the Schoolroom on S last to a numerous congregation. A meeting of the sharoholdei No. 1 aud 2 South, Hopkins's line reef, Painkiller's Creek, was held in Roefton last week. It was decided to put on six wages men to prospect the ground immediately, as it is thought the reef can be got near the surface without much outlay. The two claims are amalgamated aud applied for under lease, as the Cumberland Quartzmining Company. This claim is situated on a high terrace on the south side of the creek, next to the Prospectors. There are eighteen shareholders in it; its value can be estimated from the fact that it has been the bone of contention in three different lawsuits. It is said to be one of the richest lines of reefs in the district ; the prospectors are down with their shaft about twenty feet, and expect to cut the reef at a depth of thirty feet from the surface. The stone taken from the prospectors' shaft resembles the quartz found in Anderson's line, only the gold is coarser and runs in veins through the stone. There are about ten claims taken up on this line, but the Prospectors' and the Cumberland Companies are the only claims working at present.