A VISITOR'S OPINIONS.

Thames Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 8605, 9 March 1897, Page 4

A VISITOR'S OPINIONS.

Mr Cecil' Hartridge, a representative of London capitalists who has been in the colony for the past two months or more; left Auckland for Home via Pydney yesterday. Previoue^o hja departure he gave a Herald reporter his of the prospects of the industry, and the outlook of some of the properties. Referring to local mines he said:—"My visit to the Komata district was of a very pleasing character. Through the coiUpSfivtrf- Mr Melville 1 was permitted togo down the Kuranui-Cale-donian, 'aiiaV'wtts much pleased with the manner in whichVthe work is being carried on there. theiice wo went to the Komata Reefs property to which I must give the preference of any I had the -pleasure of seeing. There is an enormous body of ore, the reefs are wide, 1 and development work is going on on a large scale. The battery is now in course of erection, and, probably before the Ist June, a commencement will be made to treat the ore^ and the battery', which is of the tery latest pattern, is bein£ constructed by the engineers who put up the Woodstock battery. It has been unfortunate for this company that the means of access to the mine has been co bad, but Captain ArgallhaB 1 taken steps to have this remedied. I have no doubt the development work going on in the adjoining property, the Komata Queen, in which the two main lodes from the Komata Reefs are being worked upon, will prove of a satisfactory nature. The Tararu Creek also is a mine of very great promise."