COROMANDEL.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 181, 8 May 1872, Page 3

COROMANDEL.

The correspondent of the Cross, writing on Monday', just before the departure of the Royal Alfred, states that some nice specimens were taken out of the Golden Pah claim, one of the first claims on the beach under leases. A correspondent writes : “At the Working Miners’ claim the bottom drive is extended some 25 feet on the course of the reef, which is about two feet in breadth, consisting of a soft casing mixed with rubble quarto ; both compositions mixed with and containing an average show of gold. The directors have made a sixpenny call to enable the company to open out a large block of ground, and to lay clown a tram-line to one of the nearest batteries ; as they anticipate, after a few weeks, to be able to keep ten stampers continually at work.—At Whakaroa claim surveys have just been completed by' Mr Stevens, and the claim inspected by Mr Edward Thomas, of the Thames, with the view of bringing in a deep drive to unwater 40 feet of known payable ground, to block out at once. —At Golden Point the manager, Mr 11. Thode, has commenced a new drive, on a small spur adjoining the Driving Creek, where they anticipate meeting some very rich leaders known to be dipping into the old Kapanga mine.—Operations on a large scale have been commenced by' Captain Thomas for the future development of the Kapanga mine. He informs ine that large logs, LSin. square, are now ready for the purpose of constructing the surface sets of frames for the engine-shaft, which wiil be commenced as soon as the timber can be carried on the spot. Various other preliminary works are in course of operation, and material purchased for houses, offices, tables, &e. A branch line of tramway has been laid out by the District Engineer, who is at all times ready to lend his assistance in furthering the interests of mining works. This line will he connected from the Government line direct to the works in operation, for bringing coals, wool, and other materials and machinery that will shortly' he brought on the ground. These various works, which Captain Thomas is most energetically' pushing ahead, have given the greatest impetus to all the surrounding companies adjoining the Kapanga lease. —The Green Harp claim seems to he still overwhelmed with water, so that little else can be done than bail out flic mine. Powerful and efficient pumping, with winding machinery, is irnlisp',usable at this mine as soon as possible.—At the Goleonda preparations to commence blocking out in the lower drives will he proceeded with immediately, and it is rumoured the company’s battery will be ready' for crushing in a few days.—The surrounding claims in this neighbourhood are kept steadily at work ; their managers seem to have much faith in the great future of this locality.—The Golden Pah are adding a little stuff to their paddock. —The Neptune seem hard at work, and no stuff coining to light, from the quantity of dirt that can he seen in the paddocks. • From the gold-producing claims I should estimate there may i.-e about 150 tons ready for crushing, which the Now Zealand Company's Battery will crush in one week. Much activity prevails at the Court-house Creek section of tie; field, and manyr very’ promising young claims are being daily prospected in this favourite locality,”

THE COROMAN DEL FORESHORE. Mu James Mackay, junr., writes a long letter to the Herald yesterday on this subject, upon which be is well informed. He says :—Some consideration should bo shown to those who have expanded both time and labour in testing the nature of the ground. The persons who have expended time and money in prospecting tho ground are not the trespassers, Messrs Howe, Shcchy, Fitzgerald, Sullivan, and Glceson, hut the shareholders in the Coromadel Beach Gold Mining Company, who have expended nearly £7OO in working the foreshore lands, the subject of tho above action. The gold at Kcven’s Point and that neighbourhood, and on the foreshore, was discovered by Dir James McGregor, who, with Messrs McTavish, Woollams, myself, and others, then took up and worked tho Golden Pah claim and the foreshore. Tho Green Harp shareholders did not at that time hold any claim, either on the main land or the foreshore, * nor did they commence operations until after wo had been some months at work on the ground. Yv« applied to the Superintendent for leave to occupy the foreshore, and lie said “he could give ns no valid title, but icould not interfere with us.” In consequence of this we proceeded to cut an open trench along the foreshore from the point north of tiie Coromandel wharf in front of. the Golden Pah, and what are now the Venus an 1 Green Harp claims, ending a few chains beyond the southern boundary of Wynvardton. We erected a puddling machine, and put down a number of paddocks on the fiat opposite to the Golden Pali and Venus claims, from which wo obtained seventy tons of crushing stuff. These operations cost us upwards of £4OO. Subsequently, on the Green Harp turning ouL rich, we took up one man's ground between the western boundary of that claim and high-water mark, which wo called the “ Lothian Claim.” On this ve sunk a shaft and drove 100 feet under (lie bqpeh, at an expense of £285. In consequence of tho great ilow of water we were compelled to desist from working until such time as we could procure suitable pumping machinery, and we obtained protection for the Lothian for three months, in order to ' enable ns to make the necessary arrangements. Before the expiration of that period wo were in a position to recommence work, and sent a man to do some preliminary operations near the shaft on the Lothian claim, when he was unceremoniously turned off the ground by tho Green Harp shareholders, who then proceeded to peg out the foreshore, and hold possession in despite of our protests against them. We commenced an action in the Warden’s Court, in the name of Mr Douglas (one of our present shareholders) for the recovery of the Lothian claim, in which case a judgment has since been obtained in favour of the plaintiff (Mr Douglas). At the same time we applied to the (Superintendent for authority to occupy and mine on forty acres of the foreshore. Through the Commissioner of Crown Lands we received permission to occupy thirty acres, and notice from the Commissioner of Crown Lands was served on the jumpers to desist from occupying lands below high water mark of Coromandel Harbour. On the 19th March we tried to occupy the laud, when our men were forcibly prevented from working. We could have opposed force to force, and might have been as well able to hold our own as the jumpers, but having the right on our side, we preferred abiding by the law to decide our claims to the ground. As tiie laud in dispute is not within tho limits of the proclaimed mining district, we could not proceed in the Warden’s Court, hence the case had to be taken into the Supreme Court in the name of the Commissioner of Crown Lands.