THE CHAFFINCH BOOM.

North Otago Times, 8 December 1910, Page 4

THE CHAFFINCH BOOM.

A message from Southern Cross to the Argus on November 24th said: During the last few days reports that wry rich ore had been found 011 the Chaffinch lease' were circulated, but doubts openly expressed regarding the genuineness of the, discovery became so pronounced that Mr H. Arthur, representative of the company, invited all the pressmen . in town to proceed to the Chaffinch and see for themselves. At noon a motor-car, carrying newspaper representatives, in company with Mr Arthur and Mr Charles De ' Rose, proceeded from Southern Cross to Chaffinch. Hundreds of men who bad examinr ed the lease without locating the rich ore which had caused so much discussion, joined the occupants of the car on their arrival at the Bullfinch township! Within the boundary of the Chaffinch, lease, Mr Arthur faced the crowd, and invited them to follow. "This way, gentlemen," he said, picking up a . pick and shovel from the camp, on . the lease, and proceeding towards the workings some two or three chains from tha •dividing line of the Chaflincli and Greenfinoh leases: Going resolutely to work with the pick, Mr Arthur broke down about a foot of ground', but yet nothing was seen. There were audible expressions of disapproval among the closely-packod crowd) looking intent-, into the workings. "This kills the boom," observed somebody sardonically. The next moment the pickpoint jarred on solid material, and out came lumps of lode matter, glittering with the precious metal. Stuff was flung up among the now excited onlookers, worth hundreds of ounces to the ton. One stone, weighing, about a pound,'looked equal to yielding 3oz or 4oz, The delverin the costeen worked on, revealing with every stroke more of the precious deposit. The vein was a small one, at the brow of the trench, but bad widened to a foot amongst the! rich-looking matter that covered the bottom of tlie costeen. Everybody was convinced that the Chaffinch find was not only >the richest find outside the "Bullfinch, but as rich ai anything discovered in the Bullfinch, although no one c a n speak as to its extent. Satisfied with' his work and the gold he had displayed to tin? critics, Mr Arthur emerged from the trench, and '■ was 'greeted with ringing 'cheers. A subsequent washing of a dish of loose matter shovelled from the bottom of the workings yielded , quite an ounce 1 of gold, apart from . several rough pieces picked out, during the panning off.