OUR UNDEVELOPED GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 8948, 12 January 1888, Page 3

OUR UNDEVELOPED GOLDFIELDS.

TO THK EDITOR. Sib, —Numbers of persona residing in this province are dissatisfied witli t> <r ;;oldfields and wish to travel to pasture t■ **}', Here we have abo it one million k; <.»f a proclaimed mining district, extending frr.-ji Cape Colville in the north to the southern end of Te Aroha block, a distance of nearly one hundred miles. The East Coast is separated from the Hauraki Golf and Thames River by a range of rough broken hills. We hear from time to time that gold has been found at Puriri, Hikutaia, Waiomo, Whangsmata, and elsewhere, and people inquire where are these places ? I therefore, purpose in this letter to indicate as far as my knowledge extends, all the places withinthatterritory where gold has been found or mining operations have been conducted under the three heads following Western, Central, and Eastern. Nearest to Cape Colville on the western aide is Cabbage Bay, next Paora's Creek, then Tokatea Range, Te Tiki, Mahakirau, Manaia, Waikawau, Te Mata, Tapu Creek, Waiomo, Te Puru. Tarara. Thames proper (extending to the Kauaaranga River), Puriri, Hikutaia, Komata, Karangahake, Te Tui, Te Aroha (inoluding Waiorongomai). In the central division may be classed Owharoa, Waitekauri, Waihi, and Neavesville. On the eastern aide of the dividing range proceeding northward, Waihi proper, Homango, Wharikirauponga, Whangamata, Wharekawa, Tairua, Te Karo, Whenuakite, Mercury Bay, Wharekaho, Whangapoua, Kennedy Bay, Matamataharakeke, Waikauae, and Tangiaro. Let any person take sheet three of the Survey Department's map of that portion of the Auckland provincial district which includes nearly the whole of the places abovementioned, and can he, considering there are not more (if near) 5000 miners in all this oountry, honestly say that it has been thoroughly prospeoted or mined on. Nothing of the kind; it has been hardly scratched. It has a great future before it. We have energy to go into a number of ventures—stud, frozen meat, agricultural, and innumerable other com. panies, but we cannot develop the wealth which is at our doors, or get ourselves out of the old groove of battery processes, eto. If we could import one hundred Josiah Firths, we would see the difference, but we lack men with industry and energy oombiued. Then again our method of taking up and holding auriferous areas is defective, and unsatisfactory, and drives away capital which would other wise be devoted to mining pursuits. We send men to our Parliament to represent us and our interests, and they succeed in letting the South get a vote of £21,000 and the North nil for goldfields. Why did they not stonewall the Southern subsidy until justice was done to the North I am, Ac., James Ma ok ay.