42 
Mines and Mineral Statistics. 
soon -worked over and produced a considerable quantity of gold* 
The next is Copper Gully, on which a good deal of work was- 
done, but the amount of gold was not so great as in the others.^ 
All these leads have been abandoned for a time, but there is 
no doubt several of them will be reworked and with good results. 
The reason of their abandonment was gold having been struck in 
Gum Plat, another gully on the same side of the range. A¥hen 
this gully was opened there was but a small mining population on 
the field, and the whole of the miners betook themselves to the 
new rush, where nearly all of them have remained ever since ; 
the newcomers finding they could not get in on Gum Flat, did 
not care to set in to old ground of whicli they knew nothing, 
consequently left. 
Gum Flat was opened iqnvards of three years ago ; the gold 
was first struck in a gully leading thereto, at a depth of 30 feet ; 
from thence it was -traced dovui the flat on which there were 
several rich claims ; Livemore and party had the best, some of their 
Avashings going as high as 4 ozs. to the load, the depth varied 
from 30 to 50 feet, it Avas then for a time considered almost 
AAmrked out, Avhen a party tried to sink through the false bottom 
on Avhich the gold had been got, at a depth of about 00 feet, 
came upon a A^ein of Avasli almost perpendicular or dipping 
slightly like a reef, and on tins A'ein (which has been traced 
through nine claims) has the principal work been done for 
alluvial during the past year. 
Hicks and party’s claim is supposed to be the best at pres^nt. 
This claim is somewhat differeu-fc from the others ; besides having 
the vein or lode, the same as the others, they have a flat bottom, 
at aboxit 100 feet, OA'er their entire claim, Avhich yields well ; and 
on this flat bottom tliey have been at Avork during the past year. 
Their best Avashing Avas 1 oz. to the load. 
Another very important claim is O’Honald and party’s. This 
claim, although not so i*ich in gold as Hicks’s, pays almost as 
Avell, tlie vein being Avide and easily Avorked. 
IMaekey aoid party’s claim is the oldest claim on the flat. It 
has been Avorked by the present shareholders for upwards of three 
years, during Avhich time it has paid from £3 to £7 per Aveek per 
man. They worked it all over at about 45 feet deep, and noAv have 
commenced on the vein, Avhich promises to pay them equally Avell. 
Odgen and party’s claim has been more difficult to AVOrk than 
the others, the ground being harder and the A'ein narroAver, and 
pitching about from side to side, making it difficult to follow. 
Tliey have, however, persevered, and followed it dowm from 90 to 
24(j feet. This claim has paid well ; and at their present depth 
the prospects are much better than they have been. This is the 
greatest depth to Avhich the vein has been traced in any of the 
claims. 
