THE NORTHERN GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9271, 5 August 1893, Page 5

THE NORTHERN GOLDFIELDS.

[BY TELEGRAPH.— SI'KCIAL CORRKSPONDKNT.]

Wklun'otom, Friday. The report of Mr. If. A. Gordon, F.L.S., inspecting engineer, upon tho goldfields of New Zealand, and the roads, water-races, mining machinery, and other works connected with mining, is a most voluminous affair, making a bulky volume of several hundred pages. For the main part ib is taken up with a bare recital of the state of things existing. No subsidy lias as yet been paid to tin; prospecting associations of he Thames, the Miners' Association of which has recently discovered an auriferous lode considered payable for working. Under the heading of the Thames the report points out that there is a very large loss in bullion from the present method of extraction. As totho Thames School of Instruction he reports most satisfactory progress. Valuable statistics are given of tho various tests made. The total sum paid towards tho Schools of Mines during the year ISO 2-3 way £982. Of the Great Barrier, the report states that there arc good indications that a payable lode may bo found. In the Thames district there seemed to be a general depression in mining last year. As to boring, that is said to be undoubtedly the cheapest form in the first instance, but nothing was certain as to the correct result. Tho mine managers advocated the sinking of a shaft, say '2000 feet, at a cost of about £ 100,000, and the report goes on to say that, notwithstanding the large outlay, there is every probability of it being a profitable mining venture, seeing the large quantities of rich ore that have been taken out of tho upper levels. The following table shows the number of acres held in claims and licensed holdings in the Thames district ; the number of wages men and tributers employed ; the quantity of quartz crushed, and tho yield of gold and bullion therefrom :—Area, lOl.'ia lr lOp; wages men, 4'2.'> ; tributers, 253 ; quartz crushed for owners, 2.1,106 tons llcwfc '231b; mullock, '21,10(5 tons; gold obtained, 1!),.'?'250z lolwt ; for tributers, quartz crushed, 13,02.1 tons ; gold obtained, 7">'llo/. l'2dwt; tailings, quantity treated, 11),, tons ; gold obtained, 44750z l'2dwt. Taking tho whole of the mining operations in the North Island last year, the value of its gold and bullion was £1.'!,,'12.'i more than for tho year previous. Coromandel has increased by 7t>'2oz ; Ohinemuri, 700oz; and Waiorongomai, 1 Hi)ox ; value in bullion and ore sold, £'2!),0!)0, while the Thames decreased 40,'100/, ; valuo of bullion and ore sold, £">(i92. Thus while there had been a decrease in the actual quantity of free gold obtained to tho extent of '28730z 13dwt., there had been an increase of tho value of £29,090. By referring to the table in which the estimated value of gold is given for 1892 and 189,'5, it is observed that the value last year was £1.1,708 less than for the former one.