THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7602, 3 April 1886, Page 6

THE GOLDFIELDS.

fJBT TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Thames, Friday evening. Shabkmakkkt.— Cambria, buyers 14a ; Moanataiari, sellers 12a, buyers lis ; Silverton, 3a sd, 3s 6d, sellers Ss 9d ; Woodstock, sailers 2a. A parcel of four tons from Comes' olaim (Tui Creek) proved worth loz 6dwts 3grs gold, 36o«8 lldwts 17gr8 silver—value £12 Is per ton. Comes says the average of the last two lot» will leave a profit of about £4 10* a ton. Moanataiari.— winze on the Darwin reef is down about 65 feet, and the manager reports that some strong colours of gold were seen to-day. Saxon. —Crashing has been commenced at the Imperial battery. New Shamrock.—The winze on the lode has now attained » good depth, and on Saturday last a pound and a-half of beautiful specimens were obtained, whioh, on •xhibition at the company's office, were greatly admired. The lode » two and a-half to three feet wide, and is in the best class of country for gold. A crushing to test its quality is being got out as speedily as possible. The country in this vicinity is drained by the big tunnel from the Moanataiari, and no difficulty is anticipated with water. The lode is intact under foot. Blanche.—The company has bought the Young Sidney claim, which insures the Blanche a continuation of the Shamrock lode through the claim. On or before the 12th instant the Young Sydney will be taken over, when operations of a systematic character will be inaugurated, and the claim brought to the front. Darwin.—On Thursday more gold was obtained in the hangingwall lode, No. 2 level. The specimens previously obtained are very good. The lode is well defined, is in excellent country, and the manager states he will be greatly disappointed if something is not struck before long, as there are all the indications to warrant a change of luck. Cambria.—The cross reef in intermediate west, which is not yet intersected, haß as favourable an appearance and the country is similar exactly to where the cross reef shed its best gold overhead, the quarts being mineralised, that driving towards the main reef should disclose the shot of gold. VISIT TO THE SMELTING FURNACE. [BT telegraph.—own correspondent.] Thames, Friday evening.

To-day, a number of Auckland gentlemen visited the furnace, by invitation of Mr. LaMonte.. After their curiosity had been gratified, and full explanations afforded, the party adjourned to the Theatre Royal Hotel, where they were joined by a considerable number of the leading Thames citizens. All were entertained by Mr. LaMonte right royally, host Symington supplying the viands. All the tables in the commodious dlningroom were crowded with friends. After justice had been done to the repast, one or two toasts were drunk, the sailing of the steamer not allowing of much speechmaking. The Mayor (Colonel Fraser) said we had looked forward some time ago for the furnace to do us great good, and he was now quite satisfied it would do all we had expeoted. It was evident they could separate the silver and gold from fractious ore, and the matter now resolved itself into a question of expense. He believed that in twelve months the mines in the upper country would be the leading dividend • paying mines,

Mr. LaMonte, in replying to the toast of hi» health, complimented Messrs. Steam, Lane, Harris, Jones, and staff, upon the interest they had taken in making the furnace a success, having co-operated heartily night and day to that end. He felt they had done good work, and overcome creat difficulties. The classes of ore were difficult to deal with, and the fluxes were poor. The first two weeks had been expensive, but the last two were much less. Several upcountry mines were willing to pay a little more if need be, but not to allow the company an enormous profit, though, of course, reasonable interest would not be objected to. He thought they were willing to meet the miners in as fair a way as the miners were ready to meet them. He thought this little furaace would be the beginning of great things. At first they had difficulties everywhere. They had great difficulties on the other side. Now there were thirteen furnaces running in Australia, with exceedingly gratifying success. The furnace was now opening out new fields. As an example, stuff had been brought to this furnace which at the battery did not yield more than four to eight pennyweights, yet at the furnace gave eight and twelve pounds a ton. As the prospectors go on different ores are coming to the furnaoe. Thus the galena ores at the Tui creek gave advantages in two ways. They afforded lead as flux, and a valuable product. The district had a payable class of ores, and even if they had to pay four pounds the result would be the same. At the steamer three hearty cheers were given for Mr. LaMonte. , RICH GOLD DISCOVERY. [«X TELEGRAPH. — OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Coromandki*, Friday, Messrs. Sutherland and Kelly, the assisted prospectors, struck very rich gold in the Waikoromiko Creek yesterday.