THE AUCKLAND GOLDFIELDS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 438, 9 October 1869, Page 2

THE AUCKLAND GOLDFIELDS.

The following article is from the Herald of Sept. 29:— la our Summary for last month we had to speak of the continued progress of our goldfield and of the scope for capital, and the demand for labour, found not only in connection with it, but in this province generally. .We have to repeat the the ta'e, and there will be. occasion to do so, in all probability, for a considerable time to come. There has been a great deal of effective work done on the goldfield during the last month both as regards erecting machinery and the better working of claims, the results of which will be sensibly felt in the future. The progress of the field has been naturally slow, for we had little skilled labour to work effectively in obtaining the auriferous quartz from the ranges of hills which form.;the goldfleld. We were unskilled in . the .manufacturing of suitable machinery, and troubled with a scepticism of the reality of the goldfield. But time has wrought : wonderful changes. We have had a period of over-speculation, now followed by a depression in the share markets, but we expect matters will now gradually assume a healthier tone. In the tnidst of this we are constantly having a considerable influx of practical men and capitalists from the Australian goldflelds, who tell us .that there is nothing like the Thames, either for richness or extent, in any part of Australia. There, a few pennyweights to the ton of quartz yield dividends. At the Thames, in more claims than one, ounces of gold to the pound weight of stone are constantly obtained. From the claims already opened, as they become more skilfully and better worked, the yield of gold will be something exceedingly great. . ,We may mention here thai the dividends paid by the Dong Drive Company since the 2Oth June last amount to ,£24 per scrip, on each of which scrips the sum of -£3 5s 8d only has been paid up. We need add nothing to this statement as to the profitableness and richness of this claim. Let us take the working of one machine for a twelve month, though during four months of that time it was not working more than half time— it is called Souter's battery — and we shall find that the total quantity of stone crushed for a twelve months was 2,765 tons 8 cwts., comprising quartz from sixty different claims, the yield of gold from this quantity is 27,486 ozs. 8 dwts. 14 grs., or 1 ton 5 cwt. 1 gr. 18 dwts. of gold. It will be seen that the average yield of the stone was very high, nearly ten ounces of gold for every ton of • stone crushed at that machine. There needs no argument to show that the sixty claims which sent the above atone to be crushed must have some very, rich quartz in them— rich enough to make handsome fortunes for the fortunate owners under proper management. There are. over five hundred gold mining companies at the Thames goldfield, and ft considerable number of claims not as yet formed into companies, and it is believed that our previous statements will be literally verified — namely, that there is scarcely a single claim on the Thames which will not pay for working under proper management, while very many will . at once yield magnificent returns, and others will do so in course of time. It is clear from these facts that we not only have room for a large addition to our population, but profitable employment to offer them, as also for any capital they may have. Without a great influx of labour and capital our progress in the development of our golden treasures, will be but comparativelyslow. Quartz-mining requires skill, labour, and capital. Extensive machinery is essential, and it is clear that an enormous amount of machinery, is required' to crush the quartz from the hundreds of claims in which gold is found. And we are gradually, though slowly, receiving additions both to our population and to the capital to be invested in the goldfield. Each vessel which . arrives in harbour either from the other parts of the colony or from Australia brings a mixed number of passengers, including the practical digger and the capitalist, but the supply is very far short of the demand and of the requirements of the field. ; ' ; But there is another and practically different field — though the one is simply a continuation of the other, notwithstanding that they are miles apart — namely Coromandel which is now proved to be exceedingly valuable in gold deposits, and of very great extent. Rich reefs have been there discovered, and gold found in various parts of the ranges' miles apart. Their bearings have been, traced, and found to invariably run N.N.W." throughout the whole of the districts > A 1 large area has been already taken up, and it we can get sufficient labour and capital the yield of gold from these diggings before, another year passes over will be very great. Many mistakes at the Thames will be avoided there, and less labour and money wasted through ill-dir«cted efforts. But it is apparently very probable that the precieus metal will be found not only throughout the Coromandei peninsula,- but' onward through native ground to Taurangt, and so the entire range

of hills prove auriferous and find profitable labpur for rery many thousands of people, and cause more than one populous town to be erected where now the land has no inhabitants, just indeed as it has done at the Thames.. . . Looking at the exports and imports of the colony for the quarter ending June last, and at the corresponding quarter in 1868, we find ample proof of the steady progress of this province and of our goldfield. Thus the total exports from Auckland for the June quarter in" 1868 were £75,332, while for the same period in 1869 they amounted to £163,170, or two and one-sixth times more in the latter than in the former quarter. The gold exported for the Jnne quarter, 1869, amounted to 29,480 ounces, valued at £85,421, which is one and one-sixth more than our total exports for the corresponding quarter of 1863. This at once proves that although we have not made that progress which some of us on the spot think we ought to have done, yet we are ateadily advancing, and it will bs in a far different ratio in the future than it has been in the past. The increasing supply of firstclass machinery, and the amalgamation of claims and of companies, will cause a great deal more quartz to be crushed, and increase largely the yield of the precious metal. -; We have thus stated a few plain facts to ahow that we have room on our goldfields which have at present been proved for a very large number of people, and for the profitable investment of a large amount of capital. AH may not be so fortunate as to obtain claims like those whose fabulous richness have astonished so. many ; but wlrla there are some such ex remeiy valuable prizes, there are, we verily believe, f ew.or no real blanks. But so far as regards that aspect of the question which points to Auckland as. being a very attractive -field for the emigrant, be ha labourer or capitalist, we have to point out that while the goldfield draws men from other occupations of every character and class, thus leaving numerous gaps to be filled up, it at the same time causes a very great amcuut of increased lsbour and business in every department of labour and every business. It is useless, therefore, to specify any class of people who could find an Italian climate, abundant work, cheap living, and every.prospect of advancement in this Britain of the South. But we may state that mining managers of skill and experience are greatly required; men who really understand mining work. The usual result of a goldfield is seen here in the scarcity of domestic servants. Ordinarily our female population is much less than our male, and bo there ia not that supply of fetnule servants which is required ;. but as good times at home cause an increased number of marriages, among the people, so the good times which make many a «f lucky, digger," increase the number of marriages with us, and diminish the number of young girls who would otherwise be domestic servants. Current wages of twelve or fifteen shillings a week for ordinary servants fail to call forth anything like an adequate supply. ."Wei .are, of course, at the antipodes. With us we have a large deficiency of the softer sex, and payment for their services is high, while in England they are at a discount and in excess of what is required, and are as a rule wretchedly paid for their labour.