MISCELLANEOUS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1875, 28 October 1887, Page 13

MISCELLANEOUS.

A piece of a block of stone sent down fcom Patetere to Auckland for building purposas was assayed, when the result was a yield of 3dwt Bgrs of gold and 2dwt of silver to the ton, valued at 12s per ton. This stone certainly was not salted, and it seems that a payable goldfield exists at Patetere. A party of St. Paulites recently returned from the Thunder Bay district, Ontario, Canada, give glowing accounts of the richness of the district. Their statements would seem almost incredible (says the St. Paul Pioneer Press) were they no}; fully verified by recent assays

made of specimens of silver rock which they brought with them. There are a number of payiag mines now in process of development, and no less thau £1,000,000 worth of ore is now in sight; in the district. Smelting ore running as high as £3400 to the ton is being taken out at the rate of £6000 per day. For the short time these mines have been in operation this is one of the most remarkable showings in the world. The prospectus of the Fair Maid and Gladstone Gold Mining Company, to work two special claims of 40 acres each at Addison's Flat, near Charleston, on the West Coast, appears this morning. The capital is £15,500 in 25,000 shares of 10s each, of which it is anticipated not more than 7s 6J per share will be called up. Mr J. A. Chapman and Mr W. Hay Dickson are the brokers. Some slight change has taken place in the disposal of the Blue Spur claims (says the Tuapeka Times), from which it is inferred that the matter has not yet been definitely settled. A cablegram was received by some of the local owners from Mr J.,C. Brown on Tuesday to the effect that he had " made a contract, salp, subject to two months' extension/ and asking to have the same confirmed. A miifitiliy of Owners will be held immediately to cousider the matter. The news from White's Reef is of a very cheering nature, and, according to the present prospects of the mine, good returns may bo expected for some time to oomi». The shaft (reports the Dunstan Times) has been sunk through to the main tunnel, and a considerable quantity of payable quartz exposed. la the intermediate level tho, loelo is from 18in to 2ftin thickness, and at the low level about 3ft, going into solid country to the west. The lode in the low level appears running in the direction of M'Kenna's reef, the stone being of a more solid nature than formerly, and showing gold freely, some of the specimens obtained being really good. About 150 tons of stone has been crushed from the upper level, which yielded 770z of amalgam from the top plate, which is estimated to be about one-third of the total quantity. The stone in the lowet level contains a large quantity of pyrites, and crushing 1 will not be commenced ou this until the arrival of the berdan, which is expected next week. This stone assayed over 4oz to the ton, and with the adoption of improved appliances for saving the gold should yield handsome returns. The Mount Ida Chronicle reports that latest advices from the Golden Gully Company's mine, Serpentine, are to the effect that the reef is improving both in size and quality. Water is making to such an extent as to be quite extraordinary, and over a sluice-head is now running out of the tunnel mouth. The work is being pushed ahead vigorously by the contractor, and there are strong reasons for believing that a good shoot of gold will presently be met with. In connection with the prospectus of the Fair Maid and Gladstone Gold Mining Company, of the 25,000 shares of 10s each only 10,000 are offered to the public. Mr J. A. Chapman reports he has received a telegram from Westporb saying that the Great Republic Company had crushed 140 tons of quartz for a return of 2600z of amalgam, from the plates only. An assay of stuff from Wilson's claim at Whangamata, Thames, was made at the Bank of New Zealand on Tuesday, and resulted in a yield of gold and silver of the value of £54 18s Id per ton. A ton of stuff from Fraser and Sons' yielded bullion worth Is 6d. Mr Cameron, proprietor of the Mabel mine, Tiu creek, Te Aroha, has entered into arrangements with the Bank of New Zealand to forward to Germany 15 tons of selected ore from that mine for treatment at Frieberg. It is reported that two prospectors, Baker and Birch, have discovered a reef at Mata creek, a few miles north of Grahamstown, Thames, and have obtained 15oz of loose gold. An " Oamaruvian ' gives his experience in the mail of a journey to the Croydon goldfield. After detailing the various incidents of the trip

from Brisbane to his destination, which cost him £13, he says :— " There is a plentiful supply of water to be obtained until within 25 miles of Croydon. I arrived at Croydon in good health. Croydon is a very extensive field, extending 40

miles north and south and 50 miles east and west ; and some very good yields have been obtained—notably the Croydon King mine, where 20oz to the ton have been the result. For a

new goldfield, it is very quiet. Oamaru has more life in it, dull as it is. Goods of every description are- very dear here. For instance : — Eggs, 5s a dozen ; drinks, Isa nobbier ; tobacco, Is a plug; board and lodgings, 30s to £2 per week, and so on. The water is very bad. Indeed, the quality of the water is reckoued to be the cause of the fever so prevalent here. I have met several Maorilanders here; in fact, one-half of the passengers on the boat were

from New Zealand. The blacks round Croydon are very dangerous, and it is not safe to venture out unless well armed ; though our party were not molested by them while coming through the bush. Croydon is a " canvas town " in every sense of the word, everything in the shape of buildings being of the roughest description. The population is reckoned to be about 8000 — mostly males. The cost of cartage from the port of Normanton to the field is £14 per ton ; and as the teamsters take from a fortnight to three weeks over the journey, goods are very tardy fn putting in an appearance. For four months of the year — during the rainy season — the roads (which are simply execrable at their best) are impassable. Therefore, nothing can go or come from November to March. Just

now (September) crushing operations are much delayed on account of the scarcity of water, and claimholdcrs are busily engaged in building

dams, in order to have a good supply on hand after the rainy season."

A private letter (says the Tuapeka Times) has been received from Mr Brown, dated London, 7th September, which gives pretty full particulars respecting the floating of theßlue Spur mines, and the final disposal of that concern. A syndicate (not that for which Mr Lonsbottom supplied the report) has arranged to purchase the properties, all of them at the prices arranged, the only condition being that to which the owners haye already absented by cable — two-thirds cash a.ml one-third shares. The syndicate, Mr Brown states, is composed of a few wealthy, substantial men — not speculators, but bona fide investors, who are going into the concern entirely on his (Mr Brown's) representations. Speaking of Mr Longbottom, Mr Brown says he was very much surprised to learn that that gentleman had stated that he (Mr B,rowa) had kept back the Waipori and Tuapeka, water -races, also the Tailings Company's ground, The statement is altogether untrue. The whole were included in his offer to the syndicate. Copies of the deeds were sent to Messrs Stewart, Holmes, and Denniston, solicitors, Dunedin, by the syndicate to ascertatn titles, &c, and it would be seen from these that the syn. iicate were in possession of copies of the i whole of the properties while Mr Longbottom was in New Zealand. This was a serious matter to him, and had put him back about three months. Fortunately, however, he had other friends at court, to whom he had successfully disposed of the property. He did not put down the profits, as stated by Mr Longbottom, at

£36,000, but at about half that sum per^nnum, under one good management.