VALUABLE FIND AT TE AROHA.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 121, 26 September 1885, Page 2

VALUABLE FIND AT TE AROHA.

Thr sensation of the week in mining matters here hus been the discovery of a large reef, supposed to contain the precious m<tals iv highly payable qnantitv, at the summit of the main range near the heatl of tae Tui Creek. Jt wus whispered about early in the week that n\\ important find had been m.ule, and the appearance in the township of an old prospector and former resident here, tended to confirm the belief, but it was not till Wednesday evening that the precise locality became generally known The discovcitra had then completed the pegging of the ground and, having uiven tiie necessary notice of marking out, were less reticent regarding the whereabouts of the teef, and the prospects they had obtained. On Tuurs iay inuming several of our * own folk starte I off iv search, and after a i oiness h.l arduous journey succeeded in finding the spot. The position, as stated above, is at the head cf the watershed into the Tui Creek, and about two miles north of the trig station on Te Aroba mountain. After dropping upon the reef no difficulty is found in tracing it, for in places it stands up prominently above the surface to a height of 10 or 12 feet, and is only partially hidden by the timber and the dense undergrowth in its neighbour hood. From the top of the range, near, to which is the northern boundary of the prospectors* claims, it can he followed for hundreds of yards southward, varying in width from six to ten feet, au>! presenting everywhere admirable facili ties for economical working. Here anil there throughout this length the lode lias been broken into, and in almost every place it shows stone of a mosl kindly character, and in leed nothing at all approaching it in promis ng appearance nud previously been found on thi-» side of the range. vluch of the quartz ; closely resembles the best of the goldbeaiiug stone found in the Colonist mine, and other portions of it bear a similarity to the stuff obtained in some of the richer silver lodes at Karan^ahake. There is every probability that the reef will be found to contain both of the preciotis metals iv paying quantity. Of its actual value nothing as yet is absolutely known, :urthei than that the few samples of the stone which have been tested by competent ass»yers, have give most satisfactory results. Prom information afforded by one of the owners we learn that one sample yielded bullion to the amount of fifty seven ounces per ton, while from another silver at the rate of over fifty, and gold exceeding seven ounces per ton were obtained One test of an exceptionally rich looking piece of stone gave bullion amounting to more than liOoz, but that, of course, cannot be accepted as any criterion by which to estimate the value of the lode. Should the average yield, I however, apj -roach any way near even to the poorer tests the fortunate shareholders will have reason to congratulate themselves on acquiring possession of a magnificent property. The c.iief, and indeed the only, drawback to the work ins* of the ground is its present almost inexees i«l % position. Access to it c n now only be g.iined by climbing one oi tiie long an 1 difficult spurs on the west side of the range. The most practicable of these is the one on the north si te of the Tni Creek, where there is a good bridle track to the Maori clearing on the edge of the bush. From thence the jonrney must be continued on foot and some idea of the nature of the country to be travelled over may be gathered fronrthe fact that though the distance from the township to the prospectors' claim is only some 3 or 4 miles, it tak«s fully two hours to accomplish the ascent. Over this track everything required for the working of the claims (of ■ wnich some ten or twelve have been taken up) will have to be carried, ami, under such. con litions, if is impossible to conduct operations satisfactorily. Mr Clem Comes (a late resident amongst us), is the prospector and fortunate finder! of the newly opened reef, the discovery of which is likely to further, to a very large extent, the prosperity of this township, and we are sure every one will be pleased to know that his energy and purserver a nee are likely to bring him a rich rjeward'.' Besides Mr Gomes, those who have been mosb conspiuaousin the new rush 1 are — Messrs John Chambers (Auckland!), J. E. Banks anil, D. H, } B tyMpn ( Thames) These gentlemen spent all Wednesday and Thursday; oiijWgj < du)m,leav;ing IV Aroha again oa yesterday morning* Mr Chambers took wiUi'hiui .jk box ot Stoiui 'obuiiuuj from .JLfferout jjartb of Uio reef ,

-^7 x-» rr^ for tins purpdfce of filmier which wilM>e dune^'fefc theV|ijian»v% ihid also in Stick l*ut 3. ','i -This f party p<ig^e4 off the first foilf claims, also n WHter^rade on the Tui Creek, ami appear to have the fullest confidence that this new dij-** CQvwyVill I'rove of very great value ; iil> fact all practical men in mining matters who have seen the reef, speak of it as being of most promising upMearance both for gold and silver.