THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XII, Issue 4400, 20 December 1875, Page 3

THE GOLDFIELDS.

[I'RQM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.] Thames, Sunday. MoiVATAlKl.—Retorting for this company resulted in 30S ozs. retorted gold, the produce of 670 tons, or a fortnight's work with 30 head stampers at their mi"., the remaining 10 head being engaged in crushing small lots for the public. The large quantity of L tone put through necessarily involves the employment of a. large staff, both in winning quartz and in preparatory work for socuiuig a continuous supply. The chief and best sources of supply are from No. 2 and Heldt's reef. The latter has improved slightly, while the former has given a fair quantity of specimens, making the fortnight's return one of profit upon operations. Watchman. —The tributers, Thomas and and party, being unable to convey their general tonnage to the battery, owing to the collapse of the Moanatairi tramway—(sever.-,I others are in the same fix)—carried down their picked stuff, S5 lbs., to Spencer and Hall's single stamper, where they rea l: ..cd on crushing 2S ozs. 6 dwts. gold. Dauntless and Sink-to-Rise,—The tributers, Johnson and party, succeeded ii obtaining G5 lba. rich stone, which, on crushing, realised 30 ozs. gold. The Shah.—This claim, formerly part of the North Star, Te Papa Gully, has been taken up lately by Agnew and party, who have succeeded in obtaining two loads crushing stuff, which on being treated at the old Bright Sinile Battery yielded 2 ozs. 10 dw is. retorted gold. Albion.—Poverty and Charleston tribute worked by Northey and party have crushed at the Prince Alfred b-ttery 35 tons for the poorest return experienced for a leng time, 15 ozs. of gold being the yield. South Devon. —The tributers, Noble aud party, have crushed a small parcel of 5 tons at the Tramway battery, for the satisfactory return of 9 ozs. 12 dwts. of gold.

OiUNEiiUEi, Friday. There is good news. Quite a rush from Maekaytown lias taken place within the last few days, to a spot about three miles off, on the course of the road as laid off towards the Waitekauri; and the opinion of aJI who have visited the place concur in declaring it the best shew that has occurred in the country for a long time. The prospectors have named their claim the Smile of Fortune ; they have at present four reefs exposed, varying from 10 feet 'nide to 2 feet, the whole of t'ao reefs carry gold, but the smalle. ones are the best. Excellent prospects can be obtained from the loose dirt and from the stone by panning off and breaking up in a mortar- The claim is well situated and the reefs available at once, only requiring machinery to turn them to profit. Offers for the erection of batteries have already been made. The prospectors have applied for a machine site and water-race, a plentifiul supply of which can be obtained from the Teari Creek, a tributary flowing into the Ohinemuri on its southern bank. The prospectors have been in the locality aome four months, and have done a large amount of work ; now there are one hundred men on the ground pegging off fresh claims in the vicinity, and others are trying to lop off portions from the prospectors' claim. Several of our Thames people have been up to take stock of the new ground, and have returned with a very high opinion of the value of the new find.

A report is brought down that Archie McLiver, who left the Ivarangahake Spur with provisions for a party of diggers towards Rotokuhu, had delivered the goods and started back; not arriving on Friday night, anxiety has been felt at his absence, the distance being only one and a-half mile, and no sign of his turning up by Saturday noon, a search party has been instituted, as it is feared McLiver has met with some accident in the bush.

GOLD RETURNS Fob the Week ended December 18. Name of Company. o •§ jj Golden Age (Quaelly's tribute) 20 8 0 Golden Ige (Beehive tribute) .. .. 6 7 0 Kert, "White and Bluo (CampbeJl's tribute) 24 6 0 Crown Princess 133 0 g Golden Harp 13 4 0 Long Drive 248 0 0 Windsor Castle (Cooney's tribute}-. .. 68 12 0 Albion (Poverty and Charleston tribute).. 15 0 © Moanatairi 308 0 0 Messenger's (Gillon'a tribute) .. 22 7 0 Messenger's (Kerr's tribute) 2 8 0 2 10 0 Southi Devon 9 12 0 Watchman ,, ,, , t i( 2g (j q Dauntless and Sink to Else (Johnson's (Uibuto) ... ... 38 0 0 Total •• 038 4 0