OUR MINES.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3843, 23 April 1881, Page 2

OUR MINES.

This week is marked by an important event., viz., the starting of the Te Aroha battery, which takes place to-day. We sincerely trust that will prove a red letter one in the history of the North Island goldfields. The remunerativeness or other use of the Aroha is still a moot point, but a very few days now should allow us to obtain a pretty fair notion of its capacity as a gold producer. We hear nothing of Hone Werahiko's find, though there is every reason to believe that it is genuine. Other claims are reported to be on payable stone, but anticipations are unnecessary when a day or two will set all doubts at rest.

The recent discovery in the Alburnia which likewise affects the New Whau, together with an improvement in the prospects of the New North Devon leads us to hope that there are better days in store for the Pun ga Flat mines. They have not been very prosperous of late, the want of water greatly militating against large yields of gold. If all we hear is true, we will shortly have a coal mine opened in the vicinity of the Thames, which should at any rate save us from being entirely dependent on the water race.

Government prospecting parties are at work at Tapu and Puriri, but with what success we cannot ascertain. In the latter place, a considerable amount of capital was invested in the pre-Caledonian days, but without any adequate results, though a few rich but small leaders were found. We hope that the present operation will be crowned with success.