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New Zealander, Volume XVII, Issue 1629, 27 November 1861, Page 6

Hauauru, RangihoVo, Mdreana, >' Wiremu Hopihada, Hera, , Hohua, Hoani, Iharaira, Weterc, Raugi Kauwau, Anarua, Rutuhau. Witnesses to the signatures, G. A. New Zealand, William Martin, Thomas Lanfear. Witness to marks and signatures, John G. Johnston, Interpreter. Coromandel Harbour, 30th November, 1852. Note.—-The foregoing arrangements include the consent of three tribes, and comprise about sixteen square miles, or 10,000 Farther Guarantee in respect to the Natives who have agreed to lease their land to Government: — In addition to the terms of the agreement or lease drawn up and signed on the 19th of November, 1852, I guarantee that a fund shall be created by a Tax of two shillings on every License, for the purpose of paying (independent of the rent thus agreed upon) and for rewarding the native owners for their faith and confidence in the Government, as well as recompensing them fur any damage, annoyance, or inconvenience they may experience from Kuropeans while digging on their lands. R. 11. Wynyard, Lieut.-Governor.

Copy oj a letter from Mr. Brackenbury, late Gold Commissioner in Victoria, to the Chief Commissioner. Auckland, November 9th, 18G1. Sir. —In compliance with your request, I have the honor to forward you a Report of that portion of the Coromandel gold country supposed to be auriferous, and to append some remarks as to the present condition and future prospects of the Gold Fields. On my arrival at Coromandel, I proceeded to examine the external features of the country, and was much struck with the resemblance , which it bears to some of the most highly auriferous land in Victoria and New South Wales. I first visited a creek North of and near to Roe's mill, and found a few persons at work there. Upon enquiry, I ascertained that they were getting gold in very small quantities. A specimen was shown to me ; it was taken from the bed of the creek, and was of a heavy, shotty character, very similar in its nature and appealance to the gold found at Creswick's creek, and in the bed of the Yarra Yarra river, at Anderson's creek, in Victoria. I saw another specimen taken from the alluvial sinkings in the same direction. It was of a good colour and fair average weight, and resembled the gold found on the surface at Castlemaino and Ballaarat. I next looked at some gold crushed by hand from a few pounds of quartz taken from a reef on the top of the ranges North of Ring's mill. The reef extends thence to Koputauaki, and its width varies from 3to 12 feet. As yet, only a small portion of the cap of the reef has been prospected, the casing of which has yielded at the rate of 6 'six) ounces to the ton. I was unable to judge accurately of the quality of the gold, as from the defective nature of the materiel for amalgamating and retorting, a large proportion of quicksilver remained with the gold. It was, however, the largest specimen that I saw, and sufficiently proves that the country is auriferous. Three years ago some natives obtained 50 (fifty) ounces of gold at Koputauaki. The site of an old claim above Ring's mill, formerly worked by Mr. Hugh Coolahan, has not been prospected beyond the places where gold was found nine years ago. The number of miners at work on the Coromaudel gold fields, as far as I could ascertain, did not exceed forty-live on my arrival, and this number was diminished by nearly one half before I left. Having now given you a detail of facts, I proceed to offer a few remarks, which I trust may prove useful in enabling intending miners to form a just opinion with reference to the capabilities of the Coromandel country as a gold field. The conditions of success in the developenient of the resources of a country, are sufficient and persevering labour. Ihese conditions Coromandel has certainly not enjoyed, for which many reasons may be assigned, amongst which the following are some of the most powerful. Ist. Coromandel is too near the city, and being easily accessible in little more than half a day, prospectors, if not immediately fortunate, can without difficulty return. Whereas, were the gold fields situated at a greator distance, the expense of getting to them, and the difficulty of returning, would deter miners from leaving them until they had given them, as it is termed, a " fair trial." 2. With few exceptions hitherto, the class of persons who have gone to Coromandel has not been one calculated fairly to determine the question as to the real nature of its capabilities as a payable gold-producing country. At least eight-tenths of the first prospectors have been men utterly ignorant of mining pursuits and boys unaccustomed to hard work, and who, not working, evince a want of the spirit of enterprise and perseverance without which no partial discovery of gold has ever yet been worked to a practical and successful issue. 3. The Government hitherto has not given any assurance to parties wishing to prospect the Coromandel country, that they will be permitted to carry on their operations without interruption from the Native proprietors of the land. 4. Miners in Victoria and New South Wales have so often been u, by what are commonly called " storekeeper's rushes," as evidenced by the Port Curtis and other swindles, that without some positive guarantee from responsible and reliable authority that gold does exist, they would bo very cautious in incurring the expense and losing the time necessary for a voyage, whose only probable results would be disappointment and serious loss. These and many more arguments might be adduced as reasons why the Coromandel and this brings me to another point for your consideration. In Victoria it i<; the object of the Government to encourage in every legitimate way flie poareb. for gold, knowing, aithey do, that