THE GOLD FIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XII, Issue 4375, 20 November 1875, Page 6

THE GOLD FIELDS.

[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] i Thames, Thursday. '" •rj NAp jfr. W.- Goldsworthy has been appointed mine manager,, and takes, charge Share Market..' — Sales :" Caledonian i double), £3, 17s 6d; City of London, £1 6s; Cure, 10s, 10s 3d. Sellers: , Caledonian (double), £4; City of London, £1 7s 6d; Cure, 10s Gd; Red Queen, 2s 2d; Old "Whaii, 3s 6d; Tairua, 12s 6<L Buyers : Cure, 9s Od ; Queen of the May, 10s; Moanatairi, 17s 6d. Mr. Edwin Binney sold by auction to-day 2157 forfeited shares in the Ajax Gold Mining Company. The price realised was 5d and lid, the bulk of the parcel going at 6d. It was stated that all calls on these shares to date were considered to be paid. . Friday. Tairua.—The fame of this locality has been centred in the Tairua Gold-mining Company's ground and its immediate vicinity. The evident presence of gold in the seams, and in a smaller degree in some of the rock, has induced a very great interest to be taken in the district, which, without further detail, may be set down as a most difficult bush country, rendering the formation of roads laborious and expensive. That an extraordinarily rich find of gold took place in the Tairua or Prospectors' claim is undeniable, causing their scrip to start off at an upset price of £2, and which was maintained for a considerable time. The large return of 40 to even 50 ozs. per ton, and later, at the rate of 10 ozs. to the ton, was deemed sufficient warrant to peg off the ground anywhere in the neighbourhood, and get a company floated. Some fifty of these have been thus formed, supposed to represent a million of capital to ivork the ground. Seven months have elapsed—What is the position of the Tairua Gold District? They are simply prospecting the ground, or rather only a few of the companies are represented on the' ground; they have not yet succeeded in obtaining possession of gold-bearing lodes to warrant calling up their capital, and capitalists cannot be induced to prospect the ground and find the means to work it afterwards. Gold-mining under favourable circumstances requires a large outlay, and quartz reefing at Tairua is no exception. The consequence is, * and will be, that the majority of the leases will lapse for want of means to carry them on, and those that manage to exist, need the strictest economy and the best management. There are' several places that will profitably employ a few men by working on very small veins and securing as much gold as to pay their way, but as a rule, there Is, with a few exceptions, nothing to warrant the expectations formed relative to the comparative wealth of the area by the '' prospects" continuously obtained and reported, by the dish or pestle and mortar process. Quartz reefing districts take time to develop, and Tairua as yet has only given indications of its wealth by the fortuitous rinding of a small but rich quantity of gold in the fissures and pockets of a net-work of conglomerate rock. This in the Prospectors' case was considered sufficient to erect a small battery to be driven by water power, of a light construction, but thought to be heavy enough to deal with the soft material holding the gold. They have been deceived. Not only is the water power short, the water-wheel ill-suited to the water, but the supply itself has run out, so far as the class of stuff for which the mill was erected is concerned, and in order to deal with the masses or rock containing gold the company have now in hand the construction of a legitimate battery, which is in a fair way of being completed some months hence. The Prospectors' and adjoining' claims have had their attention taken taken up in tracing and digging down for the run of gold found on and near the surface, but instead of finding a defined gold-bearing lode, it appears at present to lie between the rocks, and becomes pinched out of existence. No proper opening of the ground has taken place to demonstrate its character ; it may be very rich or other-

wise. Moanatairi. —The improvement as shewn in the battery bids fair to result in an increase upon previous yields. The crushing dirt obtained from the 70-feet level, under the old battery level, and of which there is now a block opened towards the north, is of considerable extent, and will probably furnish a continuation of good payable returns. Caxedonia>". —From the stopes, as well as the winze now worked on No. 5, good stone has been obtained, and a fair supply of specimens. A roadway is now being laid to connect with rise from 2so. 2 level, preventing interference with Cure workings. Driving on the new cross-lode has been taken by contract, and thrown up, and at the price is likely to be, till it gets into the range of price by competent miners. Coliban. —The result of the crushing at the Moanatairi mill from the new reef has been satisfactory, 13 tons yielding 16 ozs. 15 dwts. 12 grs. melted gold.

MONTHLY SUMMARY.

The general features of our goldfield during the past month have been gloomy, owing to so many of the miners being out of work, and the ranks of the unemployed being swelled by new chums, recent immigrants from England, who as a rule have to dispel the bright visions formed on coming to this country, by the stern reality that to obtain gold, gold ia needed, and that mere labour alone is not everything. Owing to the stopping of the Bright Smile pumps, many were thrown out of work, and the consequence is, that every description of mine work is cut down to the lowest possible price. One effect of this ifi, that many having knowledge of our localities, have chosen to prospeet old ground again, and are on the search for new leaders up our several creeks, that may not only afford present remuneration, but be the means of establishing new mining industries, and the employment of others. There is a case in point on the Karaka Creek, where, one man pegged off a piece of abandoned ground, found a small payable leader, took in a mate; enlarged the holding, then doubled the ground and men, sold out, took up adjoining ground, and is now working the same with fair profit, making ten men working as miners, besides the circle' of industry engaged in transmitting their labour into gold. There is ample room for many more of the same class, and the influence of each is considerable. Nothing of great, importance has transpired in the shape of gold finding; tho chief mines worked by companies or on tribute have yielded an average return; in some cases rather low, in others above the j estimate, so that during the month, dividends have been declared exceeding £4000. In the Waio-Karaka district, the Bright Smile is till in hands of the mortgagees, who have a? staff of men employed in securing the pro perty from the effect of the inflow of water, which is now about 120 feet in the shaft, and at a corresponding level in the workings of the Queen of and City of London, compelling both to abandon their lower workings, and open out intermediate ones ; these, however, have proved richer than expected, but under existing circumstances cannot expect to be continued long, as the water will assuredly, .drive them -out. The Queen of the May, now enlarged 'by 4)uying the area known formerly as the Queen of Thames ground, are not reefing at present, having all their attention taken up in sinking their shaft, which as yet is not down to the level (350 feet) already worked by them from the City of London shaft, and in preparing for the erection of their own winding gear. The City of £erk have also made a start, and in a short time will be in a position to add thenquota to the gold returns. In relation to the mines affected by the Bright Smile drainage, there has been a meeting, and certain fair, proposals submitted, the acceptance of which will determine the question, as-to whether, the pumps shall be worked by ah Association or otherwise. The'delegatesfrom the several Sbdw. m««£ to diacusfl tho topic, to-day.

.(F*jday,)'j atfd"lncase there is wisdom-enough •'. Uy close with'the-'propositiori;-' nothing is' ' wanted - but a eargo'of : coals and.a few men' ' to relieve the.diatiict, by piiinping-ont the water, and restore prosperity arid confidence. The new level of the Crown Princess has opened out well,'and gives promise of being superior to the .upper one.:' The New .Exchange is slowly moving,' but the Bird' in Hand is quiet,' the Prince Imperial tributers are working with and expect before long to give a good account of themselves. The Tookey remains in the hands of tributers, with but poor results, and the samemay be said of the Albion, the companyhaving lately ceased to employ on their own account, although their late crushings were payable. The Cure has maintained a very respectable position as a gold producer, and is still doing well. The Caledonian is working out their' portion of the Cure lode, having met with an entirely new reef; nearly 6 feet wide, and from which' an immense amount of stone will be raised; this, in addition to their other sources, should place this property in the van I of gold producers very soon. The Long Drive has rather fallen off this month, but the show remains good; facilities are now underweigh for opening up a lower level which are likely to be rewarded by continuing upon veins of gold-bearing lodes hitherto unavailable owing to gas. The Moanatairi has been behind in their returns, but a new block from the 70-feet level below the old mill, now opened, bids fair to supply stone that will materially alter the aspect of affairs for the better. The Alburnia Company are working a portion of their ground, and sending stone down to the flat for crushing, besides employing their own mill up the creek when there is sufficient water. They have also subdivided their area into three sections, Nos. 1, 2, 3, and have lot these in part to tributers, who have managed to do pretty well' as yet. The Coliban Company work their own ground, and are likely to do so with profit to themselves. The purchasers of the Middle Star have also had a favourable trial crushing, and have let a portion of the ground on tribute. The Golden Calf Company with difficulty keep their head above water, and persevere with a diligence that deserves to be rewarded by finding the shot of gold which by survey should now be within 25 feet of the face of their drive. The Cna Company are working and crushing on their own account, and are expected to stand out more prominently than of late. The several small companies on the Karaka and Te Papa gully have had -good returns, and most of the tributers have been enabled to hold their own. The Waiotahi Association have persistently stuck to their ground and will amid adverse circumstances, and are likely now to have better returns than formerly. The Pumping Association keep oh sinking through favourable ground; they are down G24 feet, and have met with veins of quartz, proved worth six pennyweights to the ton. These may increase in size and value. In the mean time every preparation is made and facilities secured for continuing the sinking as rapidly, as possible. The water has of late increased by one-fourth, but the pump is quite able to deal with it, and much more. The worst feature on the face of the Thames gold diggings is the condition of the Bright Smile, and if the meeting of delegates to consider the question can alter this, then we shall be in a fair way of resuming our cheerful aspect. Ohmemuri attracts considerable attention, milla are now going up at Karangaheke and Waitekuri, general prospecting going on, but no gold returns worth mentioning. At Tairua there are two batteries also in course of erection, one for the Tairua Company (in addition to the model they already tried to work with), and one for the Ajax Company. These will prove the field, or rather the rock, as there is plenty of prospects of gold to be obtained, but not in bulk for mill purposes, and they have been reported on too much. Coromandel has done well, so much so that the Union Beach Company have bought one of our best engines from Tararn, which will be forwarded there at once. The find at Tararu last month has not been followed up as it might have been, —the owners are slow, notwithstanding the stone gave 2 ounces to the ton, and doubtless would give the same result upon further operations, which may be expected shortly.