The Tairua Goldfield.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VIII, Issue 2023, 19 April 1875, Page 3

The Tairua Goldfield.

TEIAL CBTJSHINGS FBOM THE

PROSPECTORS' CLAIM. The parcels of stone brought down from the prospectors' claim in Tairua, to which reference was made in Saturday's issue, were treated on Saturday at Mr Quint's battery (the Willoughby-street Reduction Works, and from time to time during the day while the crushingg were going on, numerous visitors, all feeling a greater or less interest in the success of the enterprise, visited the battery, where every possible information was courteously afforded to them by Messrs Graham, Preece, and Neeves, who personally superintended the operations; The first trial was a small parcel of 161bs taken out ot a cement leader, which did not show gold except when pounded and washed. This produced loz 13dwts of amalgam, and the result must certainly be considered a most satisfactory one, and promised well for the other parcels which were for treatment. The main parcel weighed 5521b5. This was from the reef in the shaft, and was taken out by Mr Neeves in 4 hours. It included the whole of the stuff as taken out. There was no picking nor choosing. It was taken as it came, and may therefore be considered a fair test of the reef. This stuff showed very little gold. There were certainly no specimens, but on breaking up some of the pieces a little gold was visible. It, however, made a splendid show on the plates, and yielded 36ozs 14dwts of amalgam. The third lot was 35lbs of stuff from a mullocky leader a foot thick, which runs in at the back of the main reef. This stuff did not contain much stone, but, on the contrary, looked

more like surface soil. ■ This stuff yielded | 14dwts of amalgam. The retorting then took place, and the results were anxiously but confidently waited for, and the following were the results :— - ' oz. dwt. gr. No. I—l6llm --080 No 2-5521bs - - 13 0 0 Ho. 3-351bs - - 0 3 0 Total—6o3lba , - 13 11 0 The gold was all melted. When the announce'ment of the return was made in town, there was considerable excitement, which was further heightened towards the evening by the splendid reports which were brought in by parties who returned from the Dew field, Everyone confirmed previous reports. We may also add that the promptitude displayed by the prospectors in thus early furnishing trial crushings from the reefs which they have discovered was fully recognised, and contrasts unfavourable to Ohinemuri and the prospectors of Karangahake were drawn. Subsequent to the melting of the gold the shareholders held a meeting at the Pacific Hotel, at which all those chiefly interested were present. Mr Jackson, of Tairua, was in the chair. The shareholders were congratulated on the prospects of the mine, and a conversation took place as to the best and speediest method of getting machinery erected on the claim. It was, we understand, stated that the purchase of a small battery had been negotiated, It was then decided to form a company to work the ground, to be called the Tairua Gold Mining Company, to be registered under the Joint Stock Company Act of 1866. The capital fixed was £5,000, in 10,000 shares of 10s each, of which no part is paid up. Mr G. S. Graham was appointed secretary of the company, and a call was made to defray preliminary expenses. Mr J. B. Beeche was appointed mine manager, and was instructed, in the event of the Government not taking immediate steps to form the road, to start men to work to make a road by which the machinery could be brought up to the site. The meeting adjourned_ after the secretary had received instructions for calling the next meeting.