AN IMPARTIAL VIEW OF THE THAMES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume V, Issue 1309, 27 January 1868, Page 3

AN IMPARTIAL VIEW OF THE THAMES.

The following opinion on the Thames goldfield, forwarded to us by a gentleman who lately spent some little time there, and whose practical knowledge of the Australian gold-fields—though himself no longer a miner—will prove interesting not only to our readers here but elsewhere.

Nothing strikes one so forcibly on visiting tlie Thames Gold-fields, as the difl'erence between them and other diggings. On other fields, more especially alluvial, you may see nothing but calico shanties, but all driving a very brisk trade both day and night—constant arrivals pouring in, increasing the lively and business-like appearance of the township. How different the Thames diggings—a place of only five or six months' standing, the calico shanty is the exception, and the wooden erection is the rule. The trading part of the community not nearly so busy, and from the nature of the working, tilings very dull apparently; only walk a very short distance from Shortland into the bush in any direction on the eastern side of the Kuranui creek, and then may be seen whether the Thames' diggings are not as busy and as lively as auy other; the diggers seem bent on having the gold out of the hills, and all, as a rule, are most sanguine of the result of the labor. The claims generally seem to be worked in a systematic manner, with the exception of one or two, where the men are very good at digging but rather poor hands at quartz reeling, simply because it is evident to any experienced miner it is their first appearance in that character. There is no doubt that many of the claim-holders at present labour under great difficulties, some not knowing the proper way to work their claims, (and unfortunately for themselves these men won't be told, even by one of their own party, although he may have more practical knowledge than they) others from the want of roads to the machine, and the few machines that are already erected, although there are others going up which will, to a certain extent, get. over the latter difficulty. There is very little doubt that the Thames' gold-fields will last for years, and aflbrd many a poor man a decent reward for his labor, and there is no reason to doubt but the reefing country will in time extend as far as the Tapu Creek and so on to Goromandel, all the reefs appear to hear 3'.ast or a little East by !North-east, and if the- ground had been thoroughly prosspected a little further on beyond Shellback, which it has not, there is every reason to believe that gocd leaders are to be found there. The ground has only been scratched in the neighbourhood, and everybody can hardly expect to drop across a Hunt's, or a Barry's, or a Tookey's claim. To prospect that ground a thorough good trial is necessary, not only a week but a montli, and a largo amount of determination, and perseverance. "Why should not as good a country be further eastward of Shellback as ou the other side ? Simply the ground has not been tried; there, is as good a line of ranges, to all appearance, as nearer Shoitland; but because the ground has merely been tickled, it is hardly to be expected it is going to laugh with gold. There are a few places only where men have tried the ground, driven, perhaps., n few feet, found nothing, and of course immediately proclaimed there was no good in trying that. How often have diggers, quartz miners especially, worked patiently on for years, End then ultimately struck something that has repaid them fourfold. .No doubt when the excitement of selling out of this and buying into

that is over, men will form themselves into companies, both for the purpose of prospecting and ako for working the different claims. This method will have ono advantage, everybody in the claim will not be master, and the chances are that the best man will be put in that position, and each shareholder as well as the manager will get more by it, a little less time will then bo wasted in cracking specimens and arguing with each other when they will go to the town; more work will bo done, and the reefs be much more quickly developed, and miners, storekeepers, publicans, and gold buyers will bo all tho more pleased both with themselves and with each other.