WAITOA GOLDFIELD.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 7996, 14 October 1887, Page 2

WAITOA GOLDFIELD.

WAS NATURE ASSISTED ? The Star says — "The idea prevalent regarding the deposite is that it may prove payable, bnt that Bomo unknown person has been assisting nature with gold filings. "Whether or not such is the case it is of course hard to say. No doubt the fact of the returns from Mr. Smith's property being bo uniformly rich has aroused grave doubts in the minds of practical men. This is the more noticeable because everything discovered outside Mr. Smith's boundary shows inferior bullion, and a smaller quantity per ton. Thisbeing the ca&e, readers will form their own conclusion as to probable returns when the deposit is worked on a larger scale. It is not beyond tho bounds of possibility that Mr. Smith's land is richer than any adjoining property, as gold field experience teaches that one mine out ef many is rich, the adjoining mines are poor, and the majority barely pay working expenses on the best field. Nevertheless there are some who are satisfied that the returns from Smith as published in Christchurch are genuine, and will be borne out by future treatment of the stufE on the large scale indicated by the erection of a £4,000 plant. A Back marked 14 x, and which had contained a portion of the Waitoa stufl^ was brought and shaken out in an ordinary miner's pan. The dust, placed in the pan probably weighed 1 to l^lb. This was panned off,' and the result was a wonderful " prospect" of copper coloured gold. Mr. Fraser then provided a miscroscope and several coarse grains were placed on tbe slide. The gold thus examined resembled the colour of standard or coin gold, the particles were neither water- worn nor "sbotty," being, on the contrary, rough edged.

The Auckland Herald says — "Persons who havo lately viailed Taranaki say that the breakwater haß been much damaged lately, and that its very existence is threatened." It is a great pity persona don't confine themselves to speaking the truth. Tenders are called for earthwork and gravel at the new hospital. ( Pereono having any left-off clothes or household articles to spare will oblige by communicating with the Secretary of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, who will be glad to send for or receive them for a destitute family in the bush. Two brood mares and the well-known steeplechaser Omata, from Mr. Williamson's stables, Auckland, were landed at Waitara from the Gairloch on Friday morning, and brought into town at once. The animals were consigned to Mr. M. Cunningham. Omata is to take a spell of some months in Turanaki. The ball at the Freemasons' Hall, on Thursday night, was a great success, ns many as thirty couples duncing at one time. It did not break up till about three o'clock on Friday morning.