THE WEEK.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2045, 24 July 1875, Page 2

THE WEEK.

The event of the treek par excellence has been the successful starting of the new battery belonging to the Bright' Smile Company, full particulars of which . hare already been published. The circumstances connected with this erent. were the more interesting from the fact that the whole of the work in connection with the battery has been turned out by local industry. The massire castings alone are something of which the Thames . may- well feel some pride in. The completion of this battery has demonstrated that the Thames foundries can successfully compete witb. larger, and older established works. Some day it is hoped . : that a battery equally large and powerful will be built in which even the .engines and boilers ..will be of.local make. The completion of the Bright Smile battery is an event of importance in another direction. It has, commenced to crush for •- company -with large reefs, the outputfrom which has been comparatively small for a long time. Now it will be necessary to keep up the supply, and the gold returns ought.soon to show an appreciable increase. With such perfect arrangements'for winding, pumping, and crushing, the Bright Smile- ought soon - to resume its old place as a premier mine. It possesses advantages almost superior to any other mine on the fieldj * in the way of completeness of arrangements. The water pumped from the mine is now utilised in the battery; the tram- v way connecting the landing plat at the shaft with the machine will obviate any expense in the way of carting; and a much smaller yield per ton should be payable. No expense has been spared in - perfecting arrangements, and. the general wish is that the expectations of the share- ; holders will be not only realised, but ex-. ceeded beyond what could' be hoped for by the most sanguine. At Ohinemuri nothing striking has occurred lately. The prospectors. have

been pushing on with.the work for-the erection of machinery, which when completed ought to alter the complexion of affairs round about Karanghake Hill. The Waitekauri claims have perfected "their arrangements for amalgamation and erection of machinery; and with the advent of spring the present state of comparative inactivity ought to give . place to one of bustle and healthy progression, exercising a Beneficial influence upon a district from which much was anticipated, but which has up to the present time—during nearly five months—fallen far short of what was expected. The Tairua claims and companies have many of them shown signs of activity. Prospecting work has been entered upon vigorously, and come of the larger areas are now. employing more hands than- they were actually required to put on by the , Mining Inspector. The difficulties which stand in the way of getting machinery on \ the ground are as great as ever. No practical steps "have been taken to remove . these difficulties, and, unless something be done at once, work must eventually be suspended, or carried on at a ruinously unprofitable rate. The prospects of the field are as good as ever, and every encouragement exists, but machinery is wanting. . The gold returns included in this week's table are below the average, but as several of the regular producers clean up to-day, their parcels will go towards swelling the next week's return. Included in the appended returns will be found an excellent yield from Coromandel, credited to the Union Beach specimens.