THE WEEK.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2075, 28 August 1875, Page 2

THE WEEK.

In most quartz mining districts the; winter season is the busiest. This is; especially the case with districts where: there is no regular water supply, as the; rainfall helps to keep batteries going that; are idle during the dry season from lack, of the necessary water supply, if from noj other cause. This was the experience of; the Thames for several years, and that: too when the roads were in a very primitive state—when tramways were not in operation, or but to a limited extent. It can scarcely be said to be the case this year, although the water supply is better than it used to be, and the roads are much improved. Two large batteries have had their stampers hung up tor many months. One^ the Caledonian, was certainly not inte nded for public crushing, and the output of dirt from the company's mine-has not been sufficient to warant the manager's using the battery belonging to the mine. ! The other battery—the Imperial Crown ■ —was for a long time employed—profitably, it is presumed—in crushing.for public companies, but some months have elapsed since it was at work. These facts, together with the additional fact that there are several large mills up the creek unemployed, suggest that the available crushing power...of the Thames is more than equal to its requirements, or that there is t a great want of fapilities for con-, keying'crushing stuff to the,"mills. "THe latter is most probably the case. But from whatever cause, it will not be denied that mining operations are not ai brisk as they should be at this season of the year, considering the altered circumstances of the district. By this time, after eight years of steady labor, the operations ought to have assumed greater proportions. Some people profess to account for the state of things by referring to the roads, which in many. directions are not what they should "be. If good roads would —and who doubts it?—extend mining operations of a productive character; the money required to carry out such extension would be well laid out. It is as well to keep this before the public. Good roads must be made if the district is to progress. The whole peninsula should be permeated with, roads; and tracks in order that enterprise may spread, and the circle" within which systematic mining is carried on be extended.; Of items " the week " has not been prolific. The Queen of Beauty has - paid another handsome dividend to the shareholders, and crushinga .'keep up to the average yield—the reefs maintain theirj colossal proportions! .On the same line and in company the Bright Smile hashad a good cleaning up—the first since crush-: ing was begun at the hew lattery. . It will perhaps/be some time before this company takes its place amongst the dividend paying mines, in view of the long spell of expensive labor and large outlay for machinery, but when once a beginning has been made the. welcome dividends should be steady, as few mines; possess more perfect appliances for raising! and crushing the-stuff than the Bright Smile. The Queen of the May has become possessed of winding plant, the erection of which will be proceeded' with immediately. This step has been resolved upon in consequence of a misunderstanding between the City of London and the Queen of May; about winding. The latter are fortunate, however, in having secured such a plant as that of the Central Italy. They will be independent of their neighbor, and the value of the mine will be enhanced by the fact that they are .not dependent upon a neighbor for lifting their quartz. Some little stir has been caused by -the richness of the Union Beach stuff at Coromandel (formerly the Green Harp of noted fame), shares having advanced seventy-five per cent. The local sharemarket has not been much affected by the rich finds—nor indeed by anything else, for every kind" of stock nearly has been stagnated— Tairua claims being almost amongst the unmentionables. A.revival is devoutly to be"'wished. .There is nothing fresh from Ohinemuri. The contractor for timber required at Waitekauri advertises for sawyers, and no doubt the required number will soon be on,the, ground to push forward the work. At Karangahake an amalgamation has been effected between the Prospectors and the All Nations, and the preliminary steps have been taken for erection of machinery. If anything can retrieve the, declining fortunes of Ohinemuri, which has hitherto so grievously disappointed expectations —it will be the co-operation of labor and capital, to develope the resources of the district. It is evident that so far as prospected no very rich deposits exist, so that capital must be called in to aid in the work of winning the gold from its ore. . ,