A VISIT TO TAPU.

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

A VISIT TO TAPU.

(E7 OtTR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.)

The Tapu district, which haa occupied a foremoab position on our peninsula aa a gold producer, is situated between the Thames and Coromandel. The character and formation of tho country rock at Tapu is chiefly andesite, similar to that at tho Thamns, with slate beds outcropping in various places. I must aay that t ho slate formation here is the trueat of any I have seen on the peninsula, and is espaciai y noticeable in the Little Jessie anno. Now, the results attendant upon tho working of this claim must go far to upset any theoiies regarding the non-auriferous, or," at least, uon-productive, character of the Blate country, for here we have large and continuous reefs of a slate nature themselves from which thousands of ounces of gold have been won, while at the time of my visit 1 saw specimens of elate actually containing the precioua metal. it is generally considered that towards the head of tho Tapu creek, in tho vicinity of the Mahara Royal, the future greatness of the district) will lie, it being hold- that the lodes there are of larger sire, more continuous, and therefore to be depended upon, while the country does nob appear to have suffered so much from disrupting influences. TiiUE BRITON This mine is eituaied immediately ;at the entrance to the Tapu Uieek ■on the south side, the frontage extending down to tho township. The claim is now under oiler, on the English market, and it is believed will be successful floated. The ground v managed by Mr F. Stephens, of Tapu, but beyond a little prospecting work nothing of a permanent naturo has yet been done. , NEWLY'S FIIEEtIOLD. Immediately opposite the True Briton on the north side of the creak ia situated this freehold block. It consists of 100 acres and belongs to Captain Newly, an oid Tapu resident. It adjoins Campbell's freehold and tho Little Jessie on the east, Bennett's on the north, Union Jack on the south, and True Briton on the aouffh eaat. The block includes within its lines the famous Nob. 1 and 2 gullies, which contained the celebrated Great Republic, Little Republic, Great Mogul, Centennial and many other claims, all of which were gold producer* and widely known in early days. Negotiation' are, 1 believe, now pending for the flotation of the property in England. SHERIDAN. This mine was latterly the cause of considerable excitement and epeculation, and it was generally thought—well, ib is difficult to say, what hopes were cherished by the Auckland people, but the shares dropped rapidly in value, so ib natu.rji.lly follows that something more tharf o 4ne ounce bo the ton oub of a bulk parcel was expected. Now, all things considered, 1 Bee no reason for this lack of confidence. Poa.-ibly ib was anticipated the picked stone would yield a larger return, bub an ounce per ton from a 6ft • reef easily mined «nd worth £3 10s per