THE MAEREWHENUA GOLDFIELDS.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume IX, Issue 497, 23 January 1879, Page 3

THE MAEREWHENUA GOLDFIELDS.

Professor TJlrich's visit to Livingstone will be of marked benefit to'these goldfields, for not only does he consider them of vast importance, but he boldly asserts that.Victoria!"with allher wealth of auriferous ground,..cannot produce such another for richness and extent, the one thing lacking being waer.r With ah abundant supply of this precious commodityithe ftiaerewhenua auriferons area is capable of supporting a very -large digging population, and, if in would, even with its' present limited supply of water, create a heavy-rush. The difference of results to miners on the present Victorian diggings on the Maerewhenua are very marked. . ;■ On the one hand, the Victorian is well contented with from 30s. to 40s. pe.r week, while on the other the Maerewhenuan makes at least £6, and sometimes as high as £9.

Water is worth £2 per Government head, and scarce at that, showing the utility .and profit of wacer-races where gold is concerned. The gold lies in three distinct deposits, one of which extends for miles around. These form the main gold-bearing wash dirts for driving levels, but more or less of the metal is diffused throughput the whole strata, from the tussocksi_to the bed reef, and, of course; is highly payable under the hydraulic system of working. That portion of the goldfield about to" He sold by the Government was proved to be exceedingly auriferous, one mining party having acknowledged to have made upon it £IOOO during the past year. Others_who are engaged in working on this part of the field are preparing to obtain jiron piping to concentrate their", hydraulic- pressure,: and thus give them additional power at; less water expense. Altogether, Professor TJlrich's inspection and. report of this goldfield is highly satisfactory, and be the means.:of. inspiring our commercial community with sufficient confidence to, justify them in assisting tho miners to| obtain a further supply of water, which: can be had to the extent of-eight Governs ment hfads from the Otekaike river, thefirst and second, rights, io. which have", been applied for, arid are now under pro-; -taction. The distance this race wouldhaveUp be brought would be about twenty 1 miles ;"the cost, including maintenance for three years, about £10,000; and the level above the workings 300 feet. The quantity of water thus brought in to the reservoir would give a steady average of twHrify-four Government heads a day,, 7 and would probably pay a company hand-; some dividends for many years to come; for., their enterprise in bringing it in.i The reservoir, -found-to*be-most : suitahlel for-the of water-is a very simple| afiair, and. easily' constructed;"--being"] scooped out' ,yf''fchr- , claV"*"formation hji • '! ',-«■''•*"»••>'•- ' * ' ■■ ■. i

means of the hydraulic branch pipe~-=Hi!^-

erally by concentrated water power being

directed upon it. find fin-ins a nm.it impervious and wcli-pnddlod pond, cnstiiig' i little or noMiing. Wkter delivered from such a hish level by means of iron mains to fao' HrfFerent claim's ' would • give dn enormous pressure, ajid-thus e.nable.the miner to work at a comparatively low figure,' ' while. ' the shareholders in the supply would riet larger returns. —' N. O. Times." ■ -