a—3

66

stream, hence the rich ground where the lead widens out at the foot of the gorge in the Hibernian Claim, but no doubt a portion of the latter claim will be in the same gorge or gutter. The following is a list of the principal claims working from shafts on the field : —

All the claims mentioned in the above list, with the exception of Davis and Carr's, were flooded out from Christmas up to the time of my visit, owing to the influx of water in the creek during rainy weather, some of them being only pumped out so as to enable the men to go to work on the day of my arrival. Duncan's Gully. Gold was found in Duncan's Gully by Messrs. E. Marks, F. Henderson, W. Carr, C. Beckett, and W. Allnutt, on the 13th of February last, when they got 2oz. 16dwt. The gold resembles that found in Mahakipawa Creek, being of a heavy character. One piece was loz., another lldwt., and one piece 7dwt. in weight. The gully runs up to a narrow saddle, on the other side of which is the left branch of Mahakipawa Creek. This branch was prospected at the commencement of the field, but as the ground was deep and wet very little work was actually done to prove whether there was payable gold or not. Duncan's Gully was prospected at the same time, and nothing at that time found to justify the belief that payable gold would be got. It was only after the Mahakipawa Creek began to get worked out that another attempt was made to prospect the gully; and this time they have been successful in finding what is considered payable wash-drift. The Prospectors' claim is situate in the valley of Duncan's Gully, about three miles up from the road leading from the Grove to Mahakipawa, or about three and a half miles from Anikiwa Jetty. The present road goes through Mr. Duncan's freehold, branching off the main road at his woolshed. At the time of my visit, the 26th of February last, the following claims were taken up and work commenced :— Above the Prospectors' Claim. Below Prospectors' Claim. Oliver and party ... ... ... 3 men Benton and party ... ... ... 6 men Nelson and party ... ... ... 5 „ Barry and party ... ... ... 5 „ Draper and party ... ... ... 3 „ Mclntyre and party ... ... 5 „ O'Malley and party ... ... 6 „ Oliver and party ... ... ... 6 „ Luben and party ... ... ... 8 „ Boss and party ... ... ... 4 „ Mason and party ... ... ... 6 „ McMillan and party ... ... 10 „ Prospectors ... ... ... 5 „ Cavanah and party ... ... 3 „ Total, about ... ... 77 „ The ground of the Prospectors' Claim is 27ft. in depth; they have brought up a tailrace to drain the ground to a depth of 24ft., and intend to drive at this level up the gully, when they expect to soon be able to get on the bottom. The formation of the surrounding country and character of the wash-drift resemble that in the vicinity of Mahakipawa, being the old quartzose schist formation found in Otago. There is little doubt but that some of the claims that have been taken up will be abandoned, as the whole of the ground below the prospectors will be deep and wet, requiring machinery to work them ; and, indeed, it is likely that the water may be too great to allow the shaft being bottomed by manual labour. There is no doubt, from the character of the gold, that some good claims will be found, and this discovery will be an incentive to other gullies being prospected in the same locality. The workings in this gully are easy of access as compared with Mahakipawa when it was discovered, but before much work is done here some expenditure will have to be made in making a passable track up the gully, so that men can get their provisions and tools packed up. All the claims taken up at the time of my visit were on Crown lands, but if gold is traced down the creek, as it likely will be, it will go into Mr. Duncan's freehold. The prospector's claim is about one mile and a quarter up the gully or creek from the freehold land. Mr. Duncan has got business sites surveyed on a low terrace where the gully joins the flat, and several of them were applied for at the time of my visit. The present outlet through Mr. Duncan's land is only on sufferance. There is no road, and as soon as any vehicles begin to travel it will soon cut up into a quagmire, especially in wet weather. From the place where the township is laid off to the workings is, however, the worst part of the road, and something should be done to this part at an early date. All that is required at present is

Name of Claim. Number of Men employed in j each Claim, j Name of Claim. Number of Men employed in each Claim. On Mr Cullen's Freehold. On Crown Lands — Greek. Alice Fell Golden Gate British Empire ... King Solomon ... Hibernian Nelson and Johnston's Luckey Hit Davis and Carr's (sluicing claim) ... 1 ) 6 4 10 10 8 4 4 Te Oriori Downie's Mistake Never Surrender Long time Just in Time ... Boys' Own Golden Hope ... Wairarapa Open workings in creek, about 4 3 4 8 6 5 4 6 30 Total, about ... 116