TAIRUA GOLDFIELD.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VIII, Issue 2150, 17 September 1875, Page 3

TAIRUA GOLDFIELD.

START OP THE PROSPECTORS'

BATTER?. (fbom oub own cobbespondent.) Nevesvllle, Thursday, noon. Yestebday was a red-letter day in the history of this district, inasmuch as means were provided on the ground of deciding upon tho value of the lodes that* have been discovered on the field. There is always on a new field a little scepticism evinced as to tho worth o{ a lode that may have proved rich by being tested .afr a distance, as usually only,small-trial rots are sent away; but when a battery is on' the spot, and larger arid continuous-par-cels can bo crushed/the true value of the lodes aro then ascertained, and confidence established. Yesterday, by the opening of the prospectors' small battery of four stampers, an opportunity will arise of testing the numerous lodes that, to all appearances, promise to„provo Temunerative, and thus clear away, the'doubts that linger in maDy minds of the public and investors as to the bonafides of this district. Although the battery is the property of ono company, aud will after a few doys be taxed to its utmost in keeping pace with the output of -rich stuff, yet the directors of tho Tairua Company, awaro of the difficulties to be encountered by many companies in testing their lodes, will occasionally waive their own interests, and grant the use of the small mill for lots of five to ten tons, thus evincing" a most gratifying desire to further the development of the field. The locale of the battery is about balf-a-mile from the mine, adjacent to Nevcs's Creek, somo 400 feet' below the present workings, and, the transit of quartz there will in all probability be by means of a wire or wooden tramway, tho particular kind not yet been decided

upon', but will be in tho .course of a few days. The outlay for tho tramway in the first instance may be tolerably expensive, but a strong' permanent one at the outset will in the long run be found the okeapest„inasmuch as its route passes thorough', .sewral mines who can connect with it,.,-and thus it may; ultimately becomo ■'■ a source, of profit. The battery consists of four light stampers, weighing about <ljowt each, with a bordan, that will bo able to keep pace in treating the. .blanketings, &c, as they_ are made, by tys' stamps. : ;The motivo power is wafcri derived'from Neves's Creek, running alongside, but in order to get the required fall, it is tapped 650 feet higher up, and thenco conveyed by a'flume constructed to carry water for thrice the number of heads that havebeonerected. The wheel is 15 feet in diameter, with 34 feet breast, and the. smoothness with which it worked teatified-to tho care 'that Mr Jas. Somerville, the superintendent, had bestowed upon its construction, and not only it alone, but upon the whole battery. Itlwas understood in tho 1 dis-' trict that precisely at 12 tho start would be made, and at that hour the sun, which had been overshadowed all the morning, shone out beautifully, and tho .directors and visitors at onco made to the battery, where they were, mot by at least 100 peoplo, who, from their appearance, seemed highly interested in the day's •proceedings. Amongst those present wo noticed Messrs "VT. B. Jackson, G. S, Graham, Sully, directors; Cochrane, •Preece, Frew, of Auckland; Perry, Veitch, . Wickham, Frater, . Bayldon, Rowland others' from' tho Thames, while tho whole of tho local mine managers were also, present. Precisely, at 12 t Mr;W.B.Jackson, the chairman of the company, stepped close to tho fly.wheel, aud taking tho customary bottle of champagne, which was hung from the rafters, spoke very briefly., .Ho Said it w/is customary on occasions like' this for a lady to undertake tho ceremony of christening ; but, in this instance, their abseneo tfas unavoidable, as it was impossible, with the present state of the roads, for one to reach the place, or reside in tho neighbourhood, lie, however, hoped that their absence "would not. militate against the' success of tho little battery, which was tho, forerunner of a moro ■ extensive _ one, .At'this point "the wator was. turned on and away went the wheel round, the boltlo crashing fairly as tho speaker called outj " Recess to the Taicua Pioneer Battery'," which was responded to by most enthusiastic cheering on the part of those present, with'one cheer more for Mr Neves, the prospector. Tho directors-then invited the company prosent to luncheon at Hale's Bestaurant.at .3p.m.,Bfterwhichtho bulk of tho company dispersed. The directors and thoso interested financially in tho mine, however, took stock of the plant, and on tiroing_ 'the blows, it was found that 70 per miuute wero being made. Opinions were conflicting as to how long'it would tako ero a. show of amalgam could be seen on the plates, but these were sot at rest almost immediately, .for in ten minutes' from tho first blow of tho stampers'the mill was hung up, and a first-rato show was at once visible.

As.the hour for luncheon approached the neighbourhood of Hale's Restaurant was thronged, and amongst those present woro representatives from, the most distant parts of the field; in fact, the whole district were present, all tho mines having ceased work, the managers kindly granting a few hours'leave of~abscnco to the* raeD, in order that they might participate in the day's proceedings. Punctually at 3 o'clock the directors and distanfvisitors entered tho room, Mr Jackson taking the chair,'and.Mr G. S.Graham the vice. The Chairman, before opening the proceedings, called upon MrW.ltowo to ask a blessing, and the request was respondod to. Tho usual loyal, toasts-" Tho Queen," "His Excellency," and "The Superintendent"—were given | after which Mr Co'chrane, jun.,.proposed, "Success to tho Tairua Battery," to which Mr Graham responded. The Chairman then proposed'"'!ho Health of Mr Neves, tho Prospector," which wag drunk amid enthusiastic cheers, and "He's a Jolly Good Fellow." Mr .Sully proposed " -The Mining Interests," to which Mr Kowo-replied. Mr Beeclie proposed " Tho Visitors," and Mr Frew responded, and gave " Tho Directors of Tairua. Company." The Chairman replied. "The Ladies" was given by Mr Wm. Rowo, Bnd replied to by Mr Cochrane, jun. " The Health of Mr J. B. Beeohe," tho mine manager, wils proposed by Mr Cassidy; and "The Press," by Mr Proece. The latter ,wos responded to by 'the representative of this journal.