THE THAMES GOLD FIELD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume V, Issue 1517, 5 October 1868, Page 3

THE THAMES GOLD FIELD.

HASTINGS. (feom oue own cobkesponbent.) October 4th. There has been no news stirring of particular importance during the past week, with, the exception of the Black Swan claim, situated about four miles up the creek, and known sis " the Prospectors'.' They have driven about 110 feet, and struck a capital leader, or reef, in which a considerable quantity of gold is distinctly visible. I have seen splendid specimens from thence, in which tho gold assumes a different form to any other I have seen here. Several claims have been marked out in that locality during the week, in addition to those which were taken up during the rush a few weeks since, on the occasion of their first finding gold. The Imperial Mint has also struck good payable; gold. This claim adjoins the Tapu Mint, and there appears every probability of it being equally rich. In the Golden Point claim they have beqn busily engaged in puddling their stuff, which is done in a long square trough, which is a great improvement upon the old tub system. Whilst puddling they found several splendid specimens, some of which were almost solid gold, in the form of nuggets adhering to pieces of quartz. The Tapu Gold-mining Company have also met with some very rich stuff; fifty tons of their surface leader (old stufF) has been crushed this week, and yielded 89 ounces of retorted gold. The Tapu Mint washed from a dish of stuff on Thursday about a sixpenny tin match box full of gold. The Yorkshire man's County Claim is again being worked; it is to be hoped that they will have better success in their search after Quia and Cashel's rich leaders than during their former occupancy of the claim. There is plenty of hard work before them, as the stone is very hard. The shareholders in the Southern Cross claim have had an extensive slip on to their now road, just above the Tapu Gold Mining Company's workings. Some idea may be formed of the. extent of it when a kauri tree, three feet in diameter, was carried bodily down with it, leaving it standing erect over the centre of the roadway. There was also another extensive slip about 100 feet above Messrs. Gibbons and Co.'s machine, nearly blocking up tho whole of the bed of the creek. Notwithstanding the inclemency of tho past week, we have had a good number of new arrivals, many of whom have found their way to the new ground up the creek. The Halcyon has conferred a great boon to this place by running regularly between here and Auckland. 1 do not doubt that she will make a good trade for herself, as both vessel and captain are well liked here, and our prospects are first-rate for a good summer's trade. I