45

C—s

Tinkee's District. Mountain Race Company. —This company has not heen so successful as in former years. They have been working what i 3 termed the old decomposed granite deposit, which rests at a high angle against the side of the range. Gold was discovered in this deposit a few years ago, but has never been worked to any extent. They got about 400oz. of gold during last year. Symes and Party. —This party of miners has been working on the same run of ground as the Mountain Eace Company, and obtained 200oz. of gold during the year. J. Ewing Claim.- —This is a claim between Symes and party and the Mountain Eace Company's ground. It was taken up by a miner named Eogarty, but no work has yet been done on the claim. Eecently Mr. Ewing purchased the claim, and is now constructing a high-level water-race from Thompson's Creek to work the ground. Undaunted Company. —This company has worked about an acre of ground, from which they obtained about 3,0000z. of gold, 800oz. being obtained last year. lam informed that shares in this company have recently been sold as high as £2,000. Matakinui Company. —This company has been engaged for the last fifteen months in bringing up a tail-race to work a deep run of ground where the Undaunted Company have recently boon getting so much gold. This is now almost completed, and they expect to get good returns daring the ensuing year. They have the best water-supply in this district, and have a special claim of twenty-five acres. B,eid and Party. —This party obtained 500oz. of gold for their year's work, which left them £1,100 profit. Several small parties are at work in this district, and all making fair wages. Although this is only a small field, it contains as rich alluvial auriferous ground as any in the colony. St. Bathan's Disteict. Vinegar Flat. —There are a few parties here doing very well. Watson and Thomas's claim pays about £8 a week per man. This is worked by a deep tail-race constructed up the flat. The value of this claim can be better realised when it is known that the yield of gold per acre is about 1,2000z. Davis and party's claim pays about £5 a week, and Morgan and party's about £4 a week, per man. The claims on the hill facing Vinegar Flat are doing very little, owing chiefly to the pottering system in which they are being worked. The ground requires to be washed away in a wholesale systematic manner before the claims will be made to give fair returns. Vinegar Hill. —The only party working on Vinegar Hill is John Ewing, who has been employing, on an average, nine wages-men throughout the year. Ho is one of the most energetic and enterprising men that follows up mining in the colony. He sometimes purchases mining properties, and gives a high price for the same, when the original proprietors could not make them pay expenses. This means that his whole mind is given to the most economical method whereby a large quantity of ground can be worked with little labour. A few years ago he purchased a miningclaim at St. Bathan's for £1,100, which almost ruined the original proprietors in working it, and after spending an additional £1,600 in plant, &c, he very soon got back the whole of his money. This same claim paid him last year a clear profit of £2,000. Mining is like every other industry: it requires skill and forethought, and a thorough knowledge of the system of working that is proposed to be introduced. And to any one who makes mining his special study, and has a thorough knowledge of the particular branch he wishes to engage in, there is not a safer investment in the colony; but those who enter into it blindfold and in a haphazard manner, are pretty certain to come to grief. It is the same with any other industry. Mining is not the only one whereby people lose their money. At Vinegar Hill Mr. Ewing was washing up at the time of my visit, and from the appearance of the gold in the boxes it is likely to give handsome returns. He was formerly working in deep, heavy ground, but some two years ago he purchased the adjoining claim, where the workings were shallow, for £2,000, and has since chiefly confined his operations to this ground, only working the deep faces in wet weather, when there was a plentiful supply of water. St. Balkan's. —There are a few of the claims still being worked on the level of the old tailingchannel, and some of them paying very well, but the best portion of the ground is below this level, and will have to be worked from the new tailings- or sludge-channel, which is estimated to take about three years yet to complete. Muddy Greek. —The construction of the Muddy Creek sludge-channel has been the means of the ground being worked to an extra depth of 45ft. The Scandinavian Company, which was one of the companies that constructed this channel, is now washing up after fifteen months' work, and the appearance of gold is so promising that shares have gone up from £9 to £20 each, and no sellers can be got at the latter figure. The United M. and E. Company, who are part proprietors in the same channel, have, during last year's work, been able to pay off liabilities amounting to £2,000, and declared dividends to the extent of £720. About twelve parties of miners who purchased water from these companies are also working into this channel, and doing very well. The Otago Company are also working into this channel; but although they have a water-supply of their own, consisting of about eight sluice-heads, they have not, as yet, been very successful with their venture. The Dunstan Creek Water-race Company have been constructing a tail-race for the last two years, and are now doing fairly well. Eagle and Gray have been working ground here for the last twenty-four years which has paid them well all the time. Blackstone Hill. —About twelve months ago there was a rush to a piece of ground situated near the foot of the range on the western side of the direct road from Hill's Creek to Black's, where about 400oz. of gold was obtained. There are still four parties at work here doing fairly well by sluicing the ground.