THE MINES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1653, 28 July 1883, Page 22

THE MINES.

Mining at Waikaia.

(Tuapeka Times Correspondent.)

The yield of gold for the season will not be up to the aveiage of past years, as this season has not been a favourable une for mining operations on account of freahois in the river, and some oi the claims have no< bi en opened up at all bince the last spring floods. Nevertheless there will be a few htavy parce a of gold, as some of tbe claims that have been wrought are very rich, several yielding up to 80oz io the paddock, the paddocks being about; sJUft square, and from 10 to 20ft deep ■ very good ground indeed.

I have before mentioned that the g' eater part of the gold ..btained by the Chinese goes to China, wriere the price outaiatd is much higher thun in iNew Zealand; ami here let me corri.ee an error that appeared in my last letter; in-tead of £& 7s per ounce it should have stited that the Chinese get 7b per ounce more for their gold in China than they do here— viz., £i 2s. Speaking of the price of gold, surely it is high time that the Government took the matter in hand, and tested the value of the gold from the various golufields. A.few days ago a miner took a parcel of gold from this pl.ee to Switzera, and at the bauk was told that the price was £3 8s per ounce (the gold was a good sauipie). Lu. kily, the man was not compelled to sell, -<r he w uld have been robbed of 7s Gd per ounce at the least ; for a parcel of gold was sent from here some time ago to the Melbourne Mint, and the return was £3 15s 9d, clear of all expenses.