MINING ITEMS.

Westport Times, Volume VI, Issue 1004, 13 September 1872, Page 2

MINING ITEMS.

The Inangahua ' Herald' of Saturday re-i ports that at Anderson's claim the maehin-i ery is completed, and if the company were' prepared, crushing could be commenced within a week. The machinery has been running on two occasions to test the fixings, and worked admirably. Competent opinion accords to this plant the first place of any yet erected, both as regards efficiency; completness of detail, and superior workmanship. No expense has been spared in obtaining a first-cla-a article, and the result is very creditable to the contractors and the Langland's Foundry Company who turned out the plant. On the ground all is activity; good progress has been made with the tramway, the whole of the line has been cleared, and nearly half laid. Men are now employed getting out stone, and the prospects of the company are most encouraging. In Westport £d lias been offered for sjrip, and refused, but large lots have changed hands at Reefton at a lower figure. Amongst the largest purchasers are Messrs Finlay and Cornfoot, who have bought between sixty and seventy scrip during the past month. Crushing will be commenced in little more than a fortnight, There is some likelihood of the same firm entering into arrangements for the erection of machinery on the reef at Rainy Creek. At the Energetic claim, Adam Smith's line, Inangahua, driving is being continued in the lower tunnel, and matters are wearing a very encouraging appearance. Two leaders have been struck, both containing gold, and they have every appearance of thickening into a large body of stone. The driying has been very hard and the rock is so firm that in many parts of the tunnel no timber is used. The leader in the eastern side carries the best gold. Nothing further has yet been done in the way of erecting machinery, owing to some looseness in the agreement between company and the Inangahua Company, which is now being constructed so as to impose more stringent conditions upon the Energetic Cempany. [ln addition to the aborc, the |Argus * says, we may add that information was received in town on Saturday from the manager that the two leaders ho was following were rapidly verging into one. He had every indication that In less than a fortnight he would strike the main reef, and steps must be immediately taken for the erection of machinery. One of these leaders is 3ft. 6in. thick, and fourteen tons of stone, richer than any yet seen in the district, has lately been taken out of the drive now being worked.] The * Ross News ' is informed that six more claims have bottomed on payable gold on the Aylmer—in some instances with 4ft. of wash-dirt. The lead appears to be well defined, and will, probably, be traced for a considerable distance to the northward. Many persons aae daily arriving, and the whole of that part of the district bids fair to get a good trial. The * West Coast Times' learns that the rush near Ogilvie's Halfway Honse on the southern side of the Hokitika river, in progressing very favorably. There are about twenty claims bottomed, and all of them are believed to be on payable wash. According to the prospects obtained, the range of • expectations as to result are very wide, the lowest being LB, and the highest L2O per man per week. These are only conjectures, as the men have to construct tail-races before they can proceol to wasli up. These will probably be completed in about six weeks, when a definite result of the work will be ascertained. It seems to be generally believed that the lead is a continuation of that running from the Hau Hau through

Brighton, and as tlw distance between the latter place and the new rush is from eight to ten miles, there is ground enough to give go3d work to over a thousand men. The establishment of Mining Associations, on the basis of these already prospering in Otsgo, is spreading. From the West Coast end North Island enquiries are being made for copies of Rules and Regulations, and as a sequence, the formation of kindred societies will follow. There is now little doubt of the practical usefulness of these associations. That some of them have already been of immense advantage to the districts in which they are established is patent. It is in contemplation to hold a meeting of delegates from the various associations in Otago at some central place within the province, during the ensuing sammer, when a basis of operations will be discussed; tending to concerted action on the part of the different societies. A party of seven men, who have been prospecting for gold in the Mackenzie country, have returned to Christchurch. They state that they made L 3 per week each, and that they have come to town to procure the means to make further researches.