AUCKLAND GOLDFIELDS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 158, 13 November 1868, Page 3

AUCKLAND GOLDFIELDS.

♦ The correspondent of the Otago Daily Times, writing from Short land on Oct. 31, says: — There a*e a number of companies already formed, and in the process of formation. I am glad to say that machinery without end is beinir manufactured in Sydney for thigoldfield. We havd had somewhat finer weather during the past fortnight, and the qMartz is rapidly being brought down from tbe various claims. There have been somo very good cmshinirs since I last wrote, and am-ingst tbe number, are the following:— 'lhe tiolden Crown, rdtuated «>n the dividing ridge between the Moanuttni and Waiotahi . 'reeks. t rmerly known as Williamson's Prnspeutiiig Claim, ha* recently completed a crushing at Sourer's buttery of 97 tons, with a sph*n<lid yield of 2524 ounces, or a trifle over 2*"o'-*8 to the ton. There are some rather interesting.- particulars relative to this claim that I m<y as well mention. In the first i lace, the ground was wor- ed for something like eleven months b'fore anything ut all was got ot it, when lo and behold ! the Manukau's reef was one day struck, and the shares from being absolutely valueless, are now worth ihoiuands. Both Williamson, the prospector, and his colleague, C. F, Mitchell, no longer belong to the claim, the latter having parted with his interest sum < month* back, for a£s .note. I know of. out* uf tbe pret-ent. shareholders who bought an interest in the same claim some time ago for £38, and ince gold was struck he has paid something like ten times that amount for a further and still smaller interest. The same lucky sliHrehoMer haa, I believe, already received about .6900 in dividends. The claim is one of wonderful rii-lines*, and the stone now being got out surpasses in quality any previously obtained. Something like 40 tons weekly is procurable, and the fhireholders have engaged one of the batteries at Souter'-i machine for their sole use. I think: I before told you that this much me has Chilian mills attached to it, ani is found to answer admirably in every resDect. 'I he Karaka hill, lam glad to 8; y, bids fair before long to thoroughly prove all Ihavewritt.n in its favour.. Ihe Prince of Wales claim, on the very summit of it, overlooki g the town, struck a very rich leader about three weeks ago, seven tons of whi<-h were crtiched during last week at Gibboii's machine, the result tei:gßsoz $ Iwt, nr something over 12oz to the ton. Ibis is the best crin-hing that has ever ben obtained tn in this locality 'Ihe same battery is now.engaped cru-liiiig for the (lead V entre him Lord Nt.li.oii chums, <>n the s>tnie hill, hii<l toiu present appearance., there is every reason to • expect a sninfact'-ry -esuit "f nome thing like 3oz to the tv —a yiel I that will pay admirably. The foregoing an- mily two or three amongst a nuiubi-r of cr. things that bave recently been made, and nr* , I think, amply sufficient to satisfy yoir readt-rs thut we really have some gold here notwithstanding the hitherto smallness.of the returns, which I think will be" found now to increase very rapidly. '1 here is no denying the fact that as far as the province of Auckland i. concerned, this field is under a cloud at the present moment. Eveiybody who could promptly raise the money to do so purchased right and left when the diggings flrst broke out, with the expectation of obtaining a very speedy return for their outUy. They quite' forgot the. fact that the Thames is a reefing; not an alluvial field ; in fact, the majority knew nothing at all about mining matters when they purchased, and consequently, in many instances, burnt their fingers. At the present time, if you offer a man in Auckland a share for sale, he : looks upon yoa as a swindler, and characterises the whole body o, miners as a lazy, loafiug, good-for-nothing lot. j