KARAKA GOLDFIELD. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIV, Issue 3354, 16 April 1868, Page 3

KARAKA GOLDFIELD. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT. )

Shobhakd, April 13, 11 p.m. The steamers ' Tauranga and • Enterprise' have just arrived, and are returning without delay to convey the miners who could not take passage for Shortland to appear on their claims at 8 a.m. to-morrow. The intelligence from Sydney and the Middle Island has caused much exoitement* Expressions of indignation are freely uttered through the town at the attempt to perpetrate another attack on the life of the Duke of Edinburgh, and the Fenian riots atHokitika. Having only arrived myself from the Tapu Creek within the last hours, and on account of the hurried departure of the steamers, I have barely time to oommunicate that a rush has taken place there on to the ground behind the township. The prospect is good, and, from what I have heard there, flic prospectors anticipate another Qainn and Cashell's return from their claim. The town, although it was a holiday, was deserted, the claimholders working their claims as usual. Two tons of quartz and mallook were conveyed from the Bluenose Claim on the Tapu to Scanlan's machine, whinh realised 7oz. : this is a return that must be satisfactory. The ground is easily worked, and the auartz may be orushed by a hand stamper.

April 14. In a few hurried lines written late last night, I intimated that new ground had been opened in the Ticinity of the township on the Tapu flat. As the diicovery of gold in this locality is fraught with much importance to the prosperity of the place in a business view, I shall not be trespassing on the patience of your r&aders by detailing the circumstances attending this new rash. Every one who has risited the Tapu Creek should know the small waterfall behind the British Hotel, as it i 3 the only place where a natural shower-bath could be had during the summer. A fortunate idea occurred to a prospector that there might be gold in the bank. After washing a dishful of the rubble several specks were obtained, and further in a leader was struck, showing gold in the stone. The prospector, wishing his friends to participate in the discovery, pegged off his claim on the quiet at 3 a.m. on the morning of the 13th. When ifc w«« known in the township that a prospecting claim had been marked, every miner turned outand pegged off ground. When I left there yesterday the new rush was the only subject of conversation. During my short stay at Tapu I observed thtt throughout the working hours the town was deserted. Every man who could handle a pick and shovel was on his claim, and this too on Eaiter Monday, a holiday, when all claims were protected by the Warden. Messrs. Quinn and Cashell hold their place in the front rank, and deservedly so. The gold in their claim is abundant, and likely to be permanent. Mr. Quinn is especially to be congratulated on bis success. Heis the of minor's right No. 3, issued by Mr. Mabkay early in- Atfgust last ; since when I have /known ' him ''•to be indefatigable in his endeavours to obtain a share of the gold got *in the Kar*ka field. After six months' labour; ''he proceeded to tbe Tapu, where he met with the success his perseverance entitled him to. I record this instance as one of many that have come under my notice since the opening of the Thames goldfield. I could enumerate cases where men lived on tea and biscuit for months, and who were ultimatelyrewarded ; whilst others were lucky enongh to discover gold the first day they went out. As it was in Shortland, so also in Tapu, the want of machinery is the general compliant. Mclsaac's and CasheU's are the onlytwo claims that have a Berdan. This hand engine \* Very suitable for testing small parcels of quartz, and also for extracting gold from specimens, but large quantities must be crushed by steam power. At present there is a large quantity of quartz lying on the ground, which, if machinery were on the spot, could be converted into bullion. The *hareholders in the Bluenose Claim freighted a boat 1 with two tons of quartz, ;which was j conveyed to Bhorfcland and crushed at Soanlans battery, producing seVen ounces in all. This would be a satisfactory return if the stone were crushed ©n the ground, but when the cost of carriage, transport, and crushinghai to be accounted for, it does not pay. I have been told.that money is invested by Auckland speculators in the purchase of sleeping half-shares • it would be more profitable if those gentlemen placed money in machinery. Ihe investment would be better employed id this manner than by Ikying it out In the spurs, where the stone must be stacked until appliances are on the ground to<separate<. the .gold. It might as wellbem.the ground for all it is worth to the purchasers. The seller, as a working man, cannot afford to lay out 'money, afia he naturally looks to men of capital togivehimthe'meanSof realising the value of his claim, for which he does not grumble to pay at the rate of 30s. per ten.- In the vicinity of the gold- 1 bearing quartz claims labour is profitably employed in surfacing and sluicing. Grounduhai lately been taken possession of from the original holders, who worked it for a reef, and is now worked as alluvial. As 'much as four ounces of gold in detached pieces of quartz have been got in this way. Whetherthis is quite legitimate oriiot, the Warden must decide. A Government officer is wanted there, were lie only to issue miners' rights. Complaints are "expressed that the distance between the Tapu and Shortland, , where the Warden's Court is held, is too for for miners .to carry their disputes to. It may be premature to establish * Warden's Court here now, but iv a few months, or even weeks, it will be

nectary. The only grumblers tt«« the tradespeople. Miners are working on credit but wlen thewmti' that are now felt shall have been supplied, I look for a satisfactory issue to all connected with the Tapu goldfield. lg I have juit been informed, through a reliable source, that some ground on Carfxe Wb range has yielded as much as Boz. of gold to 'the dish u Old miners may read this with some doubt ; but when I state that the casing on the eastward «de of the leader has all the characteristics of the wash dirt found on an alluvial bottom, they will understand it. The two tons sent from the Bluenoae Claim consifted of «o(t rubble, which could have been crushed by a wooden stamper. I was shown last night a port on of quartz taken from Mulligan's No. 1 claim, which on the surface had no auriferous indication, but when broken up exhibited thin leaves of gold passing through it , as a specimen it is very curious. Ten tons of quartz crushed from this claim realised 138 ounces of gold. Gold-bearing claims are being opened up on the Upper Moanataiari ; and I venture to say that from TooWs claim, at the mouth of this creek, to three miles up the country is auriferous. The Carpenters Claim, which was marked out about three months ago, led to the taking up of several good claims in that locality. I need not particularise the names of the various claims, as they are well known to Auokland readers. Before closing my letter, I haveto reportthat a few of the inhabitants met last evening at Captain Butt s hotel, with the intention, 1 believe, of eliciting public feeling concerning the attempted assassination ,of his ftoyal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh. On -the motion of Mr. J. Brown, seconded by Dr. Sam, Dr. Lethbridge took the chair. After reading the advertisement in the Tliames Advertiser convening the meeting, the Chairman invited those present to address the meeting. Looking over my notes, I can only find that a desultory conversation passed between several gentlemen, the subject of which was quite irrelevant to the object of the meeting. It was ultimately moved by Mr. Perrier that Messrs. BrowD, Eyre, Dr. Sam, Mr. Baillie, and the mover be appointed a<» a deputation to wait upon Mr. Mackay, and inform him that resolutions would be framed at a forthcoming meeting, to be addressed to the Duke of Edinburgh. A vote of thanks having been moved to the chairman, the meeting separated. I may add that the mining population were engaged at work on their claims, and were not represented.