THE WHAREKERAUPUNGA DISTRICT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 22, 27 January 1897, Page 2

THE WHAREKERAUPUNGA DISTRICT.

NOTES ON PRINCIPAL CLAIMS,

(BY OUR OWN REPORTER.)

In last evening's iaeue T fully dealt with the London-owned Royal Standard property afc WharekeraupungH, find I will now refer to other pro perties in the district, tho majority of which I visited. TAVISTOCK. The Tavistock comprises 74 acres, and is situated north-east; of the Royal Standard, a good portion of the ground adjoining. This property will also have the benefit of tho Wharekeraupunga stream. Little has yet boen done in the way of development. A large number of reefs are outcropping, and one reef has been cut and trenched. I picked out several pieces of quartz from another reef ofltcropping on an old track, and gob good prospects. The property is, \ no doubt, a valuable one, and at the | present time it is in the bands of London I agents with a view to flotation whan a suitable opportunity presente itself. ROYAL STANDARD No. 1. • Another undeveloped property is tho Royal Standard No. 1, the property of Captain Hodge, which is alao in the hands of London agents. The area is 95 acres, and it is situated south of the Royal Standard. ROYAL STANDARD EXTENDED. This property ia 100 acres in area and adjoina the Royal Standard No. 1 and Fiery Cross. Some few months back Mr Arthur Dieseldorf, on behalf of bhe International Syndicate, Becured tho option of purchase and paid a deposit. Some prospecting work lias been done on the property. The option of purchase expires in threes months' time. . FIERY CROSS. A property in a.splendid position is the Fiery Cross, which bounds and lies S.E. of the Royal Standard. Id is predicted tfaab feho main reef of the districb goea through ib. Six men are employed and work in shifts. Mr H. J. Steedman is the mine manager, and in his company I inBj.mct.ed the workings. A main diive to gat the valuabla No. 2 reef in the Royal Standard has been pub in about 350 ft, The firsb lOOfb of country is brown sand•tone, and the remainder hard blue sandstone. Several quartz reefs were cut in the first 100 ft, when the country became hard. However, at the time of my visit on Friday morning lasb a favourable change came in. The ground was much softer, and charged with iron pyrites. At present operations on the mi»o are confined to this

drive. An eastern crosscut for prospecting was pub in 300 feet, bub nothing being discorered was discontinued. A surface level has also been cut on the south aide of the property to open up an outcrop. A little gold can bo got from the stone by pounding. In No. 1 level, driven about 90 feec, •everal leadors and stringers are to be seen in the stone. Three otheV crosscuts for prospecting have also been pub in. Under a big hill on the property (west) a crosscut was driven for 300 feet to test the country, but no quartz was cur. I can cay that operations on the mine have been and are being faithfully and honestly carried out, and it is to be hoped that the shareholders are recompensed by aome of the valuable reefs known to exiaC in the district being cub on the property. PRINCE OF WALES. Four men are working on the Prince of Wales, which adjoins the Fiery CrOßs and Tavistock. The area ia lOOacrea. Crosscuts are being put in easb and west to intersect the Tavietock and other reefs, while a drive has been put in 350 feet. At 300 feet loose quartz boulders were met, with. DEVON. On the Devon property, which adjoins the Prince of Wale-, three men are engaged. Two of the men are engaged driving a crosscut, which is in 100 ft. The third is "surface prospecting, and he has found loose auartz on she surface. SCEPTRE. A property with a splendid show ia the Sceptre, until lately developed by the Auckland Prospecting Association, bub now formed into a company. Io adjoins bhe north-east ot the Royal Standard property, and the work being done is under cho supervision of Mr J. H. Steedman. Four men are employed. A drive has been put in above the Wharukeraupunga Creek. Ab the time of my visib tha drive was in 130 ft, and ib is predicted that the Pvoyal Standard reef will be cub in aboub another 200lb of driving. A nice-looking Bix inch loader is showing in the face ot the drive, and the class of country being driven through is identical with that purls of the Royaf Standard which carriea the rich quartz. ROYAL SHIELD. Time did not permit me going over the Royal Shield, bub 1 rode over a small part of the property and saw a drive which ia being pub in close to the Wharekeraupunga creek. The drive is in 120fb in a good class of country, and a large body of likely lookine quartz is showing. Mr P*. ft. Buttle has charge of this property and he haa six men under him. The area is now 115 acres, and it adjoins the Royal Standard. MYRTLE. An undeveloped property in the Myrtle adjoins the Royal Shield. Ib ia in a good position. GOLDSTREAM. Four men are employed on the GoldRtream, which adjoins bhe Royal Standard No. 1 and Extended. The area is 100 acre?. Prospecting work has been done and two drives have been pub in iH different parts of the ground. Both are in about 90ft. One drive in in blue iandsbone country and che other in brown sandstone with stringers showing. ATLAS. The journey to reach the Atlaa would have taken considerable time, which was nob ab my disposal, but* I met Mr Speer, one of the directors of the Company, on his way to the ground on a visit of inspection. Subsequently I meb Mr J. C. Draffin, jun., the manager, who informed me thab seven men were employed by the Company. A lob of prospecting work had been done on the property, and a main level to intersect the Royal Standard and Kane's reef wae being put in. In No. 2 level a goldbearing reef, seven feot wide, had been cub, and in the same drive, 30 feet away, another reef had been cub, 1 foob 14 inches wide. It is predicted that this reef will make into seven feet. A shafb some distance to eastward of No, 2 level ia also being eunk.. A splendid description of blue sandstone country ia showing. WARWICK. This proporty comprises 100 acres and lies east of the Asia?. I was informed thab no work ia being done on ib, but ib ia in likely counbry. PARNASSUS. Two men are prospecting on thia ground. Ib adjoins the Warwick and haa an area of over 72 acres.

There are a large number of other claims pegged oub and named in tho districb, but go7ar a3l could learn no men are employed on them.