OUR GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume VI, Issue 1753, 5 July 1869, Page 6

OUR GOLDFIELDS.

EXPORT OF GOLD. —SHIPPED PER PEKCI" FOR LONDON. HAKE OF AUSTRALASIA. 3 boxes ; value, £ ',130 ; 3.1290z5. 19dwts. 12grs.; amount of duty, £128 Ms. lid. UNION BANK OF AUSTRALIA. G boxes; value. £17,916; 0,5150z5. 7dwts. amount of duty, £'SM Bs. sd. BANK OF NEW ZEALAND. 3 boxes ; value, £11,200; 3,451'0z5. 3dwts. 12grs. ; amount of duty, £132 7s. lid. Tot.-si value, £11,510; total 3mount of duty, £1,375 lis. 3d. GOLD SHIPMENTS FROM THAMES. On the 15th ult. 1,0200zs of gold arrived in Auckland from the Shotover claim (Hunt's). The Tnion Bank shipped 3000 ounces of cold from the Thames on the 2Gth ult- The Bank of New Zealand shipped 3000 ounces. The week before the same amount hud been shipped by the sair.o bauk. The Bank of Australasia shipped 3-135 ounces of gold. Altogether about 10 000 ounces were received in Auckland during the week ending the 2Gth ultimo.

THE LOWS- DKIVE. (>ne of the richest specimens erer taken from the Thames gol.iGeld is a piece of quartz exactly In.], lbs. weiuht, taken from the lode now being worked in the Long Drive claim. It is broken in two pieces, and presents the appearance of stone completely saturafed through and through with gold. The amount of gold contained in these two pieces of stone has been estimated by the principle discovered by Archimedes, or, as it is best known by the term specific gravity, and is found to be just 3G ounces. "We have thus stone, and in no small quantity, yielding some 00 per cent, of gold. We should be sorry to see such stone broken up for the sake of the gold contained in it, and would recommend that it be sent, as found, to England, where it will be an object of no iitlle admiration and interest, as coming from the claim into which the Duke of Edinburgh has so recently bought a large interest. Early when the Thames goldfield was opened, the Lung Drive was commenced. For somo time the original shareholders worked industriously along, but no return awarded them. 1 hey drove far into the hill side, and at last struck quartz in which a little gold could be seen, hut very little. .Still the claim continued to be worked, though by a different part}-, and still returned little, while others ahout it, more recently opened, gave good dividends. At last the lode was struck; shares not worth £'5 rose to £50, and a claim which for eighteen months struggled hard to hold its wa3% can now boast of being second to none ac the Thames, and even to surpass Hunt's claim itself. It was at this price that the Duke of Edinburgh bought in. lie has left here but n short time, nnd shares have risen from £'5 to £'150, with an upward tendency. The company have declared hitherto weekly dividends of £'l per scrip (1,200). THE LONG DKIVE SPECIMENS. Another specimen crushing from this truly wonderful mine was finished at an early hour yesterday morning, and the retorting was completed during the day, giving a yield of MOOozs tidwts of retorted gold, which was deposited in the Bank of r>'cw Zealand, and will be melted and assayed to-day. This magnificent return was the result of a crushing of 4391bs of stone, and is at the rate of nearly 3ozs Bdwls to the pound. It is estimated that about 24 ounces more will be obtained from the cleaning up, nnd a small portion of amalgam which yet remains to he retorted. It is scarcely n fortnight since the result of the last specimen crushing, amounting to 1810 ounces, was deposited; and the previous cru'hiugs have been of the game rich character, so that we may with the greatest safety aflirra that the quantity of stone crushed has given a larger percentage of gold than any other mine in the- world. The leaders never

looked better than they do at present; in fact, they appear to be nothing else but specimens, and resemble a thick vein of gold, especially in the drive on the old leader. In the drive from the shaft sunk on the beach tunnel, the leader is also turning out v splendid stone, and all* the workings may be said to contribute a fair proportion to tho general yield. The large crushing at the Hauraki battery is comparatively of a very rich description, and quantities of amalgam havo already accumulated from the plates. We have been informed by tho manager that it is probable another specimen crushing will bo commenced in the course of a week. The gold was deposited yesterday in three pieces, as follows : —No. 1 weighed 2730zs lOdwts ; No. 2, Cs7ozs 6dwts; and No. 3, 5430z5. There was also looso gold weighing 16ozs lOdwts, making a total of HOOozs Cdwts, of which the value, at tho usual average, would be about £3912. — Advertiser, June 24. THF. LmKO DiUVE OLATSr. Through tho oourtcsv of Mr. Muir, tho rrmrmgor of th» T.ong Drive claim, wu have been plarcd in a position to show the amount of (.old which hm been yielded from this surprising cliiim einco April lust up lo thci 2G"h instant, amounting: in all to the magnificent return of (3,375 ounces 7 dwts. 18 grains of mcttiMl gold, of which tho value, duty paid, amounts to the good round sum of £1G,735 7b IOJd. The yiulo dining this period >» noc nt H " of an eICC P" tionol character, n* will ho shown by the returns for tho preceding months. Most of tint, gold bus been tho result of specimens, for (here has not yet been anvthing like a general crushing, tho ground not being sufficiently opened up to commence stoping, nlthuugb, from tho preparation* which aro hojnK novr made under tho abla management of Mr. Muir, thero will bo no difficulty in keoping from 12 to 20 bead of tdarr.pera constantly employed for this claim alone. At present tho ground is b ing cut into blocks f'jr this very purpose ; find, before long, tho yields from Ibis wonderful claim will eclipso anything ever heard on tho Victorian geldfields in their palmiest days. We certainly arujiutified in saying that for tho quantity of stuff crushed the yield has boon greater than nnv ef the reefs in Australia ever produced. In giving Jata for the roturnfl of gold it ia necessary to givo iOir.o idea of tho amount of stuff put through tho batteries ; but when wo remind our renders that the Long Drive crushing, u« a rulo. have born counted in pounds weight instead of tons, they will agree with us that tho yield has not been excelled in any i.nrt of the world. During this present month of June, tho amount of gold deposited by lhi£ißßnugor of tho claim has been no less than 3.5980z5. Bdwts. of melted gold. Mid of this quantity 3,311 ozs. 14dwls. have been tho result of two small lota of specimens not w.-ighinu, all told, abnvo Bcwt. ; tho remaining 2SuVzs. Hdwtn is tho re.-ult of a cleaning up from u crushing at present going- on at the Uauraki battery of the inferior stuff from this clnim. Tho first general crushing from this mino averaged 15ozs. to the ton, and since then the leaders, in place of gradually losing their auriferous character and descending from oz-i. to dwts., aro getting riuher and richer tho moro thoy aro developed. As a proof of this, we were yesterday >hown a l:irgo box-full of tpeciinens containing at least 3cwt. nf stone, calculated to yield from 2\ to 3ozs. to the pound ; and this, although it was only on the 23rd inst. that l,471o«. and 14-dwts. were banked as the result of the hut Bpecimen crushing. Another of these wonderful crushings is to take place on Monday neit, when tho result is not expected to bo less than 2,0000z5. We merely give theso facts and figures to show that the Thames goldfleld po*ec«BCs " something like a claim," which is not only able to hold it* own, but even to excel anything yet shpwn in Victoria. Tho claim is at proaent being cut up in blocks for future sloping. In tho main drive thero are two winzes Bunk to u depth ot _9i) feet, and a rise of 65 teet on the leaders, which have maintained their rich character in every part in which they havo been opened. Another has been sunk to a depth of 53 feet, and a second riee of 35 feet on different parts of tho same leader. A drive is being put in from Iho last winze to square off a separate block for stoping. Another drive is to bo entered from the 90-feet level for tho same purpose. 1 The leader opened in the shaft on tho beach tunnel has been followed in two drives 84 feet and 91 feet respectively. Winzes havo also been put down on it in several places. The lead'rent at the end of the beach tunnel has also beei followed in a branch drive" 92 tee' in length. It is intended by tbe manager that when the claim ia in prop-r trim I for blocking out, all the quartz will he tnkon out through the beach tnunel, which, for this purpose, will bo connected with the other workings, and thus save all winding up, as. this is tho lowest level yet opened in the mino. It is also intended t'.i farther proi-pect the claim in direction of tho All Nations leader, nud tj drive through to the Charleston boundary. Iho working of this mine reflects the grca'.est credit mi tho skill of the m-innger, who has overlooked nothing likely It lit-nefit the mine, and a! the ramo timo make CTorything thoroughly secure.

SOMETHING LIKE A CLAIM. Such is tho heading given by a contom; orory t" nn extract fn>m Mr. It. Br 'Ugh Smyth's wurkon '' Thi> UolJfields nf Victoria." the extract has ro!'or»:nco to omi of the lijheHt claims, probubly the- vc.-y richest r>f that colony, which is cited as aomelhim; BBtonishiuE in the annals of Roll-mining in that colony. Tho clai:'.i is undoubtedly n very rich one, call-d tho Morning rjtar Projecting Clam, but with all its bas'cd wealth, we havo no diUic-ilty in pointing to more thin ono claim of <qual and oven greater richness on tho goldfield at our very doors. Tho following it ttie extract alluded to : — "ihe cUim was taken up in May, I R 6I, undor the by-laws, but subsequently under lease, nnd, including the Garden '• laim, the prospectors hold an urea of aero* ono rood two 'their first crushing in August, 18G2, produced £054S 18i. They were after that idle until Muy, 1863, partly through want of water, and partly through tho necessity of constructing now races. The Inrgei-t yield producod in ten days was £40,000 worth of gold, when the stamps were found t./ bo moving in a Bolid bed of arji:i]g un. The dividend in Julv, 1805 (inclusive), £91,816 Gs. lOd. ; from July 31, ISGS, to .T'iuo 30, ISGG, £21,551 S«. 9d. ; toth! of min.. to October 31,180(5, j21G8.441 Bs. 11.1." Whilst admitling tho oxtreuio nclmesi. of tho ground i:: question u reference to our mining column* from timo to timo will show that wo have :io difficulty in citing instances of ground much victer, und producing u much larger quantity of the precious metal in u tur chortor spacu <>f time. It is i.ot yet tv;o years since this field was discovered, und wo have already several cUims in fall operation which excel by far tho crack cldm of an Australian goldfield. Unfortunately the abovo extract leaves us in doubt a* to tho number of stampers employed, or tho amount of stuff crushod, which would enable us to contrast it with eomo of our own mines. It merely states that during a poriod commencing in Mot, ISGI, in which tho mine was taken up, to August, ISG2, tho gild taken from tho mine, produced £fi,518 18s, a:id that tho total produce nf the mine for a period of over five years amounted to £168,441 8s lid, leaving us completely in tho dink as to the power required to convert the quartz into thin money. The yield from the Shotover claim during the first twclro months oftor it was token amounted to no loss than 25,000 ounces of gold, although far morn than half that period thcro was no better machinery to be had thin a em ill hand berdan, capable, of reducing I cwt. per day, and an occasional crushing at tho Bix-starr.per machine, erocted by .V.ossis. Kruscr and Tinne, at thefoot oftho Kuranui Crook, and sineo purchased by tho Kuranui Company. Aftorwar Is, when tho Goldllnder machine win btartcd on tho claim, tho first cixteen hours' crushing yielded 1,500 ozs, and tho first week gavo about 5,0000zs of gold, i-hortly after an accident happened to tho machine, which stopped it for upwards of a month, and even when it was in working ordor no more than four stampers could be kopt employed, owing to tho want of water, so that tho quantity of etuff crushed to produco this gold was really vory Braall, rind represents only four or five months' work for a 4-stampor battery. Although tho umount of gold produced during tho first twelve months does no; exceed £(55,G25 st»r]!ii(r, it is more thnn twnlvo times tho amount producod in the samo poriod by tho celebrated Morning t-'t.n ; bo.-ido*, tho Shotover claim has oonlirueil to send away steady roturns of l.GOOozs. per fortnight sirco th>i increased Biipply of water hus been available, and wo confidently expect that tha neit yearly roturn will ho snperior to oven tho won dcrful Horning Star of Victoria. Tho yield from the Shotover claim during tho first twelvo months, with all the drawbacks abovo noted, was approaching half

the total produce of the Morning Star far five yeari. That is the money value—of conrie, quite a fair method of comparison, but one in which we hare to produce a far greater amount of gold in order to make any show.— Advertiser. THE WASTE OF GOLD AT TEE THAMES. As an instance of how large the waste of gold may be nt the Thames, we may mention the following facts, in connection with the working of GoodaH's battery. Mr. Goodall has taken great care to make the machinery he uses as perfect in its working as possible, adding additional contrivances to tho ordinary methods employed for saving the gold. Fifty-five tons of the average run of stone were crushed from tho Golden Crown at Goodall's battery during the week ending the 19th of Juno, which yielded -103 ounces of gold. Of this quantity the gold caught on the ripple tables, the same as those ordinarily used at most machines, was 2300z, but after passing these tables the tp.ilings were made to pass over shaking tables—an extraordinary process, designod by Mr. Goodall. Here an additional 112 ounces were obtainod. Lastly, the tail'ngs were put through Wheeler's improved pans, and 88 more ounces were obtained. Thus, by the ordinary process this stone would have only yielded 230 ounces ; by the appliance of additional precautions, the yield was nearly doubled, or nearly four ounces to the ton saved. THE ALL NAIIONS CLAIM. On Friday a full original share (representing COO scrip) in this claim changed hands for the handsome sum of £12,000, or £20 per scrip. This interest belonged to Mr. T. G. Tanton, and the sale was effected through Messrs. Clark and Co., sharebrokers. The claim consists of 5,400 scrip shares. A large parcel of the scrip was bought on Friday by a Melbourne capitalist at £23 17s 6d per scrip.

CUUSHINGS FROM CLAIMS. The crushing of the Long Drive claim specimens was finished recently, and from 439 lbs. of stone the handsome yield of 1,490 ozs. 6 dwts. of gold was obtained. A further yield of 24 ozs. was expected after everything was cleaned up. A small parcel of 600 lbs. of stone from the celebrated Long Drive, was crushed and retorted at the Bank of New Zealand (Thames), on the 10th ult., and yielded 1840 ozs. smelted gold. At the battery of tho Thames Quartz Crushing Company 400 tons from the Shotover yielded about 3 ozs. to the ton. The stuff crushed was what had been in the early days of the claim thrown into the bed of the creek to make up the ground! Arrangements have been made for a further crushing of 2000 tons. 4001bs. of specimens from the All Nations, crushed at the Kurunui 1-stamper, yielded 423 ozs. Fifty tons Golden Crown stuff crushed at Goodall's battery in the week ending 19th ult., yielded 531 ozs. A quantity of amalgam from stone crushed for the Golden Crown when retorted on the 26th ult. yielded loj lbs. of gold. The City of Glasgow's recent specimen crushing at the Kurunui 1-stamper, yielded 800 ozs. of amalpam, making in all 1500 ozs. of amalgam from 45 tons of stono. Two-hundred tons at tho Wild Missouri, has been crushed at their own battery with a yield of 800 ozs. retorted gold. The usual fortnightly crushing of tho Deep Lead resulting in 200 ozs. of gold. About twenty tons from the Shamrock, crushed at the Una battery, yielded some 300 ozs. of gold. The late crushing of the Manukau claim yielded 422 ozs. A crushing of eighteen tons from the Waitemata at the Waiotahi G.M. Co's battery, yielded 630 ozs. of amalgam. Four lbs. specimens from the Nil Desperandum, gave 131 ozs. of gold. 42 tons of stone from the Bendigo Independent, crushed at the Pioneer battery, yielded 46ozs. 50 tons from the Vale of Avoca, crushed at Weston's battery, yielded 10-1 ozs. 20 tons from the Waitemata, crushed at the Waiotahi battery, yielded 100 ozs. The crushing for Dixon's claim at Bleazard's battery is yielding most satisfactorily. The month's crushing is expected to reach 500 ounces. 42 tons from the royalty, at the Una battery, yielded 68 ozs.; 29 tons from the Shamrock OSozs., from specimens, and 318 ozs. from the general stuff. 20 tons from the Shooting Star, crushed at the Middle Star machine, yielded 91ozs. Ten tons from tho Black Keef, yielded one ounce to the ton. At Goodall's battery, five tons from the Great Republic yielded 35 ozs. A small crushing from the Panmure claim recently, yielded 11 ozs. 13 tons of stuff from Messenger's claim, crushed at the Waiotahi Gold Mining Oo.'s battery, on tho loth ult., yielded 221 ozs. retorted cold. The Pride of Jvarakahave crushed 431 tons, which realised 8G ozs., worth £2 lis Id. per oa., giving a return of £221 odd. After payment of expenses, shareholders received a dividend of £22 Si 4d per share. 10.1 lbs. of stone crushed for the A delaide claim at the Homeward Bound battery, yielded 10 ozs. 19 dwts., which realised £3 3s. per oz. 30 lbs. of specimens from the Piikehinatl, crushed at Jhe Victoria battery, produced 96 ozs. of squeezed amalgam. At the lute crushing of the Junction claim no dividend was declared, but the surplus of £200 after all expenses were paid, was carried to credit for the future workiug expenses. A ton of quartz crushed from the WlidU claim on the 26th ult, at the Kuranui battery yielded :{" ozs. of gold. The City of Glasgow claim is making splendid returns at the Kurniitii battery, up to the 2Sth ult. 435 ounces of amalgam had been lilted, and the plates are cleaned down every 12 hours. 20 tons of qiinrlz from the Tweedside claim, crushed at the llape Gold Mining Co.'s battery, yielded 35 oz*. 30 tons of stone from the Golden Hill claim, crushed at Souter's battery, yielded 33 ozs. The Tramway Battery, engaged for n fortnight on stuff from Tookey's claim, yielded 350 oz.-.. Three days crushing of Golden Crown stuff at Goodall's Princo Alfred Battery yielded 159 ounces. 10 tons of stuff from the Pukehinau claim, crushed at the Victoria Battery, yielded 53 ozs. At the Tramway battery on the 2nd ult., 180 lbs of specimens from tho Shamrock, yielded 65 ozs. of smelted gold. At Goodall's battery for the week ending the sth ult.: Golden Crown, 50 tons, I'M ozs. gold ; Castle und Galatea, 14 tons, 2-1 ozs.

At Souter's battery the Harp of Kriu put through 35 tons, yielding 75 ozs. of gold. At Greenway's machine 20 tons from the Wheel of Fortune yielded 15 ozs. of gold. On the 10th ult. 100 ozs. came down to Sliortland from a claim at Puriri. At the Victoria battery 100 tons from the claim of the Moanatairi Company yielded 22S ozs. At the Homeward Bound machine 120 tons of their own quartz recently yielded 130 ozs. retorted i;o!d. On the 12th ult. a party of specimens from the Alanukau claim, crushed at Souter's battery, yielded 238 ozs. at the Tramway battery stuff from Tookey's claim yielded 783 ozs. of squeezed amalgam in one day's crushing.

The Moanataiari Company lately receivi-l 185 ounces as the result of a crushing of stuil" from their claim at the Victoria battery. 90 tons of stuff have been crushed at £-.<• Victoria battery for the Eureka. From the sho«of amalgam it is calculated to yield whm retorted about 4 ozs. to the ton. _ A recent crushing for the United Company, at the Waiotahi, Gold Mining Co.'s battery, yielded 43 ozs. 30 tons from the Royal Blue, crushed at the Whau battery, yielded gold to the amount of £55 15s lid. A. quantity of amalgam from the Golden Crown crushed at the Prince Alfred, when retorted on the Ist inst, yielded 232 ozs. of gold, as two and a half day's crushing. At the Tramway battery, 167 ions were crushed in June yielding 417 ozs. of gold, Talue £1,094 12s 6d. At the Victoria battery the stone crushed for the month of June was 391 tons, yielded 822 ozs. of gold at £2,157 15s. At the Prince Alfred battery (G-oodaU's), 227 tons -were crushed in June yielding 863 ozs., value, £2,265 7s 6d. SHAKE SALES. A quarter share in the All Nations sold lately for £500. A quarter equal share in the Junction sold for £350. An original full share in the All Nations on the 2nd inst., sold for £12,000. I "We understand that Mr. Hunt has sold a large portion of his interest ia the celebrated Shotover claim, the company being the purchasers. Mr. Hunt, we believe, contemplates visiting England. Six shares in the Golden Grown claim changed hands some short time back at £1000 a share. Mr. Neville Walker was the seller, and Mr. J. C. Taylor was, we believe, the buyer. A full share in Kelly's cfciim was purchased recently by Mr. John W. Pearse, mining agent, Grahamstown, for £1,00), on account of Auckland capitalists, with the view of forming the claim into a company. We understand that a share in the City of Glasgow claim, rest the Long Drive, which has lately opened on some very rich stone, changed hands recently for £1000. A quarter share in the City of Glasgow was sold on the Ist inst. for £900 ex dividends. A working half-share in the City of Glasgow was sold on the 12th ult. for £1000. Mr. .Robert Moore, one of the original shareholders in Dixon's No. 1 claim, disposed of his interest recently, amounting to 150 scrip, or a half original share, for the sum of £1,200, being at the sate of £8 per scrip. An interest in the Shamrock was sold recently at the rate of £1,200 per share. The eighth of a share in the John O'Groat's claim sold lately for £150. A quarter-equal in the Golden Gate, sold recently for £200. A half-equal share in the Mount Eden changed hands lately for £500. The Thames Gold Mining Company have purchased the President Lincoln claim at £350 per full share. The five hundred shares in the Dawn of Hope claim (Thames), reserved for allocation at Wellington, have all been taken up in that city. It is stated that the claimholders in the Manukau claim have netted over £4000 in dividends.

Building sites in Grahamstown appear to be advancing in value. Messrs. Skene and Jackson sold two allotments in Albert-street recently for £350 bonus for the unexpired lease ol 21 years. The Bank of New Zealand are about to erect new offices at the Thames, the present building being quite inadequate for the increasing business. ThoTapu Gold M-r.ir.;; Company haveerected one of Schiele's turbine wheels at their battery at Tapu, with fifteen stampers, and capable of driving as many more if necessary. The Long Drive specimens sold lately by Messrs. Cochrane and son, fetched the following prices:—Mo. 1, gross weight, 80 ozs., contents, 21 ozs. gold, £62 10s.; No. 2. gross weight, 68 ozs., contents, 20 ozt. gold, £54 10s. The larger of the two specimens from the Long Drive claim, weighing 80oz., containing 21oz. gold, and sold by Messrs. Cochrane and Son for £62 10s., is on its way up to Sydney and Melbourne, Mr. J. F. Clarke having taken it with him in the s.s. Hero, A better and more convincing proof of the richness of our diggings could hardly have been afforded to the colonists on the other side.

GOLD FEOM THE BAT OF ISLANDS. The result of n crushing of a parcel of quartz, forwarded to the Thames from the Bay of Islands, is very satisfactory. The Kuranui battery crushed between three and four hundred weighs of stone from the Bay on Saturday, which gave au average yield of over 2-V ozs. to the ton. GOLD AT CIIAMBEiiLIN'S ISLAND. A ton of stuff from Chamberlain's Island yielded Gl dwts. of gold. GOLD AT MANGA WAI. Four cwt. of quartz from Mangawai was crushed recentlv at the Kuranui battery, and yielded two dwts. of gold. Tin; stone exists in great quantity at Mangawai; and there being water power convenient, it is thought that very poor quartz would pay. GOLD AT WATTAKEREI. Auriferous quartz has been discovered in several blocks hi the Waitakerei dist ict, and a party is at present engaged in prospecting and testing the reel already opened. MILITARY AND NAVAL. The following is the disposition of th e Australian squadron, if.M.S. Challenger, a* Wellington: H.M.S. Virago, at Tauranga; JI.M.S". Blanche, Auckland; H.M.S. IJosario, Sydney. A ninriii<* belonging ro H.M.S. Blanche was recently drowned at Wellington during her stay there. The officers and men have subscribed a sum of money for the purpose of erecting a suitable tablet to his memory. ('upturn Young (lSth .Royal Irish), has been appointed A.D.C to His Excellency the Govcr--6n the 21st nit., eighteen rank and file of the lSth Royal Irish, were Teattested for periods extending from ten to thirteen years. A soldier of the lSth, named .VicAunally, and his little boy. were drowned on the 22ud ult., at Napier, "through the upsetting of a boat. McAnnallv leaves a wife and four children, the youngest being only six months old. A subscription has been raised bv the detachment stationed there for ihe benefit of the family. VOLUNTEER INTELLIGENCE. At a recent meeting of the Tapu "Bine Volunteers the following officers were elected by the corps:—Mr. John Kelly to be Captain; K. M. Hawkes. Lieutenant; — Murphy', Ensign ; and S. Dunn, Hon. Secre\Ve learn that a challenge rifie match at 300, 400. and 500 yards range, for £5 a-side.reiniuns to be accepted by the 2nd Company Hauruki A'olunteers, having been forwarded by their brother volunteers the Thames Rifle Hangers. The firing is to be conducted by ten men .rom each company to come off at the new target, ground.

WAB. ITEMS. Mr. Cracroft Wilson, C. 8., has tabled e resolution in the Assembly proposing a plan for j the suppression of the rebellion, viz., the employment of one British and two Ghoorla regiments, the colony to repay principal and interest, when the war is finished, in a saries of instalments extending over a number of years. A return laid upon the table of the Housa of Assembly by the Defence Minister shows that 136 officers end 3,264 rank and file were on the muster rolls of his department in April last, of which force some 1100 were Maoris belonging to the various Native contingents. A return recently laid upon the table of the House of Eepresentatives by the Defence Minister shows the strength of the Volunteer Force in New Zealand in March last:—Cavalry —North Island, 733; Middle Island, 99. Artillery—North Island, 53; Middle Island, 306. Engineers—North Island, 46; Middle Island, 44. Kifle Volunteers—North Island, 1,765 ; Middle Island, 1,803. Cadets—North. Island, 109 ; Middle Island, 400. Naval Volunteers—North Island, 115; iJiddle Island, 100. Total strength—s,s73. Corporal Clarke, No. 8 Division Armed Constabulary, committed suicide, on the 30th May, at Fort Alfred, while in a state of temporary insanity. NATIVE INTELLIGENCE. The result of the recent overtures by the Government to the King party has been that Tawhiao and the leading chiefs utterly refused to come down to Ngaruawahia. or to see Prince or Governor. Some hundreds of natives had been fed by the Government at Ngaruawatiiafor a fortnight in order that they might be enabled to assist at the anticipated conference. These at last dispersed; a party of ' friendly" natives, have since, however, sone up to the King with a present of 1200 dried sharks, and having a pretty good idea as to what would best warm the ' cockles' of the royal heart, they exchanged the last few bags of the Government flour for rum before crossing the Aukati! Mr. J. C. Firth went up witli two interpreters and a newspaper reporter to induce the Kingites to come down, but signally failed. He, however, extracted from them the terms on which they would be pleased to make peace with the Governor: —lst. The surrender of Waikato. 2nd. The recognition of the King. 3rd. All fighting to cease throughout the island. 4th. An amnesty to all the rebels, murderers included ! On the 17th ult., there was a large gathering of N gatiporous, at a feast given in celebration of the completion of a very large pah. Several Kuropeans were invited, and all the friendly natives around were present. The pah has been erected for defensive purposes, and as a refuge in case of a raid being made by the Hauhaus.

A native named Henare Kana, missing at Napier from the 8:h ult., liad been subsequently found dead in a swamp where he had been bogged. The natives had got an absurd rumour amongst them that a vHte man had threatened his life, so it is as t--»11 that the mystery has been solved. The St. Kilda recently took 104 jNgatiporous from the East Const, with their wives and families. They are going to occupy the Waitotara Block ar Patea. The Wellington Independents-Ays -. —" It is said that three Hau'.taus taken with arms in their hands at Napier, jre to be brought down here and tried under the Treason Felony Act, 1868, on the Ist of Septembernext, the venue having been changed from iN'apiei. Two insurgent Hauhaus will be brought from Wanganui, to be also tried under the same Act and at the same time." ACCIDENTS. A landslip occurred at the Thames recently causing the death of Mrs. Mary Gordon and infant, and John JVlcLeod. An inquest was held on the 2nd''inst. by Dr. Philson, on view of tb« body of Gavin Somervillc, who was found hanging to a tree, quite dead, in a field :it Ihumatao, near Otahuhu. The deceased was only 28 years of age. lie had been in a melancholic state for nearly a year. The unfortunate man hung himself with a piece of flax. The jury found a verdict of temporary insanity. A little boy named Edward Costello was severely burnt at Tapu, on the 26th nit. He had been playing about the fire when his pinafore ignited and he was soon in a blaze. Some bystanders extinguished the blaze, but the poor little fellow in a short succumbed to the injuries he had received. A sad boat accident happened at the Bay of Tsladds on the 17th ult. A boat with two halfcastesand threenatives, laden with kaurigum.left Kerikeri for Kussell When off the Broughton shoal the boat capsized in a squall. They righted the boat, cut adrift the sails, and got in again. Intimately three of the party died with cold and exhaustion. One of the drowned W3s a young halt-caste named George :-toryman; Hone Waka, grandson of Eruera. Patuone. and nephew of the famous Tamati Waka Kene. Another native drowned was a brother-in-law of Hone Waka. The saved were Davis Strongman (halfcaste,! and a native named Pani. FIKE. Major Wiley's residence at the " Falls,' Mauku, was recently destroyed by fire. Major Wiiiey estimates his loss at from £1500 to £2000. It ira> insured £700 in the New Zealand Insurance Company, and the furniture £200 in the Koyal. all the" valuables were destroyed, books, medals, plate, articles of vcrtu. The Gravlinc cutter was lost recently off the I Wairoa. Hawke's Bay. in a southerly gale, all on board perished. The loss to the Wairoa storekeepers amounts to from £700 to £800. The name of th? master was Andrew Schon; mate Gustavas ifeicliardt. Captain Schon is the third brother of that family, who has been drowned off that coast. The flax trade is rapidly growing into importance, mills are iroitist up in nearly all the out settlements. The parcels sent to auction have been sold at very satisfactory rates. The first quarter of last year the flax export was £1600 ; first quarter of 1569 is £7,700. The Civil Sittings of the Supreme Court commenced on the lUh ult. The following cases were tried:—Marsden v. McCaul, action to recover £2:35. dieted to be due to plaintiff as the profits of an alleged joint purchase of land defendant pleaded denial, and set ..;>'. The jury gave a verdict for plaintiff on tie first issue, £'60. ; n the second (the set off), for defendant to the amount of £S9 17s. Hoberton v. Alorrin—This case involved the point as to when goods sold at auction vest in purchaser. The issues were numerous ; on one of them the jury awarded to the plaintiff £500. The above verdict created at first some surprise. iS'obody but those learned in the law appeared to understand it. It was equivalent to a verdict for the defendant on a most important issue ; but the finding preventing any speculation on that score, defendant's counsel at'lenzth arose and claimed a verdict ior the defendant, and save notice to move to enter tho verdict accordingly. Hall v. Heir — ''heatrical "starring," claim for damage £600, on account of alleged' breach of an agreement. A o-reat amount of evidence was taken as to Theatrical custom and usage, which was of the usual conflicting character. The jury retained a verdict for the plaintiff for £150. In all probability the case wi'.l be the subject of a new trial. J- S. Macfarlane v. Dargnville (manager of I'nion Bank). —'Ciiis was an action to recover damages, laid at £5,l»00, for refusal of defendant to deliver up a bill of lading, whereby plaintiffs business, standing, and reputation were injured. 'The juvv returned a. vevdict for plaintiff, damages "forty billing*. A rule nisi for a new ' trial has since been granted.