MINING ITEMS.

Westport Times, Volume VI, Issue 984, 2 July 1872, Page 3

MINING ITEMS.

At a recent meeting of the Arrow District Miners' Association a resolution to the following was carried:—"That it be suggested to the General Government to alter the clause in the Goldfields Act requiring 500 signatures to a petition for the formation of a Mining Board ; to make 250 signatures sufficient for the purpose ; and also to provide that members of a Mining Board may receive payment for their services; and also that a clause be inserted under which the owners of water races may become entitled to compensation in cases where two sluice heads of water are ordered to be returned to the original channel for general use." A correspondent writing us from the Carrick reefs, Otago, says:—The utmost confidence is still felt in the permanence of most of the reefs that have as yet been opened, and all the miners firmly believe a reaction will take place. Shares are constantly changing hands at fair prices. The gold obtained from a late crushing of 211 tons by the Star of the East Company was 128ozs 16dwts. The last cleaning-up of the O.P.Q. Company, Waipori, showed a result of 78 ounces for the fortnight's crushing. In the Molyneux River, below the Dunstan township, a steam dredge is now working, and the experiment so far has proved successful. The dredge which has been designed and built by the owner, Mr Seiderberg, is most substantially constructed, and is in

dimensions about fifty feet long with fifteen feet beam. In the centre is a longitudinal opening or well, wherein the spoon, or lift works, scooping up the sand or washdirt, from the bottom of the river, This spoon consists of a stout spar, to which is attached at one end, an iron oval shaped ring, made of flattened steel, and shaped with a wide edge or lip. Hanging pendant from this is a stout leather bag into which the stones and washdirt fall, as the spoon scoops along the bottom of the river. When filled the laden end of the spoon is raised by block and tackle on to the deck, and the contents deposited on a wide table, fixed amidships, from whence it is carried off through a series of sluice boxes fixed to the side of the craft, fitted with the usual blankets, perforated plates, and ripples, which retain the gold while the stones and sand are again deposited in the bed of the river at the stern of the craft. The motive power for working the spoon is a handy horizontal steam engine of five horsepower, and which, in addition to this, also performs nearly all the work pertaining to dredging. The crew consists of three men only, and they are enabled to get through as much work as a crew of six or eight men working with an ordinary rope and windlass lift. The steam dredge is fitted up with two comfortable little cabins wherein the crew may live and sleep, and thus when moored amid stream, or at some distance from their homes, the owners have no need to go ashore for days at a stretch, and can thus carry on their work uninterruptedly while a spell of good weather and low water lasts. Dredging in the Molyneux has become a work of difficulty for mere manual labor, on account of the quantity of tailings constantly accumulating from sluicing claims on the river banks. In many places dredgers find that they have to strip six or eight feet of stones and boulders from the bed of the stream, before they reach the bottom whereon the gold is found deposited, generally in small narrow runs. When it is remembered that all this " stuff" has to be lifted through six feet of water, brought on deck, and then sluiced away into the stream again, an idea may be formed of the difficulties attendant on dredging. If the experimental steam dredge proves the success the constructor anticipates, nearly all these difficulties will be overcome.

The ' Bess News' says there is very little new to report. The claims at Redman's, Donoghue's, and Clearwater, are turning out fairly. Wilson's claim, at Donoghue's, promises to yield again as well as ever. Shares in this claim are reported to have risen as high as £3OO last week. A waggon-load of Chinamen lately arrived in Ross, and are said to be the advance-guard of a body 200 strong. Some of the arrivals proceeded up the Totara, probably to see what show there is in that locality for them. Others are in treaty for the purchase of claims near Ross. They don't " savey" deep-sinking, but go in for ground-sluicing. The Morning Star Company has Beventy-two men employed in their shaft.

The Excelsior Company is getting very good returns, the yield from the two shifts being 30ozs per day. From Mr Warden Rogers's report on the Orepuki and Longwood Goldfields, we learn that at Orepuki there are 129 European and 13 Chinese miners engaged; at Campbelltown and Bushey Point, 18 Europeans; and at Longwood, 8 Europeans and 4 Chinese. There are six square miles of auriferous ground worked upon at Orepuki; 15 miles of ocean beach at Campbelltown and Bushey Point; and one square mile at Longwood. At Orepuki there are 46 water-races, 60 tail-races, and 24 dams. The rate of wages at Orepuki is £3 per week, with rations. During the month of March a Company, with a capital of £50,000, in £1 shares, entitled, "The New Zealand Real Property and Goldmining Investment Company," "was registered in London. The latest accounts of the South African diamond fields are not so favourable, the ' Cape Argus,' in its issue of March sth, saya : —" The finds of diamonds are sensibly decreasing, and it is considered that the discovery of any more rich fields is improbable. The reported discovery of a diamond weighing 1100 carats is now found to be a hoax. Accidents are frequent at the Fields, and in several instances lives have been lost." The same journal says that " the reports of the gold discoveries at Marabastadt are said to be much exaggerated. Another new rush, called James's Kopje, has turned out a complete failure.