THE ALLEGED GOLDFIELD AT THE THAMES.

West Coast Times, Issue 594, 20 August 1867, Page 4

THE ALLEGED GOLDFIELD AT THE THAMES.

We take the following from the " Southern Cross" of the 12th inst. : —

Shortland Town, Aug. 8.

The only subject of interest I have to communicate is the energy and steadiness with which the Government party and those sinking on the flats are pursuing their work. The shafts are necessarily very large, entailing more labor than I have seen on any other diggings. As yet, at a depth of 16 feet, the water has not been very troublesome, but the large boulders, in some instances weighing over a ton each, take considerable time in the raising; however, when out of the hole, it is gratifying to find how much deeper it is. Much speculation is expressed as to the depth at which the bottom will be reached. Heavy windlasses are now over every hole on the flat, and sanguine hopes are entertained that the bed-rock will be uncovered before the end of the week. There are about 160 miners and 30 traders on the field. Of the former, 100 are doing steady work, whilst the others are moving about prospecting with the tin dish, and watching those who are down the shafts.

The report that was current at the date of my last letter, of the prospect that was taken out of the Waiotahi from a dishful of stuff, I have no possible means of confirming. I can vouch for this much, that one of the party who were at work there stated, in the presence of a visitor from Auckland, who was examining the pennyweight the natives washed from one load, that he got quite as much in one dish. It is quite possible, but every dish will not be the same. The question of opening the Waiotahi and the Upper Thames will be discussed at a meeting to be held on the 12th inst., at which it is expected there will be a large assembly of natives. One more creek to the south has been added by the Commissioner to the Karaka field. Mr Eyre is surveying the site of the township. Business allotments have a frontage of thirty feet, for which a rent will have to be paid at the rate of 6s per foot per annum — the first quarter to be paid in advance. Corner allotments will be let at 12s per foot. Business licenses will have to be paid for also. I have nothing else to communicate, except that provisious are abundant; heavy rope is scarce ; a few oil-can buckets would sell. I koj>e to send you a more interesting letter shortly.

August 9.

No claim has yet been bottomed, but all are going down as fast as ever they can. The deepest hole yet is nineteen feet. There can be no bottom now until to-morrow night, if then.

Stores are abundant ; we have five.

The party who found the 3dwt claim on the "VVaiotahi made an attempt to get there this morning, but were met by the police and sent back.

Mr Henry Keesing, jun., has just come in with a specimen of quartz and gold found this morning while he was prospecting in company with Messrs Woodham and Robinson. Mr Keesing is going by the vessel by which I send this despatch, and promises to show the specimen in Auckland.

[We have seen the small f specimen of gold and quartz obtained by Mr Keesing, which is said to be the best found there. It is so small as really to be hardlj' worth mention, but proves the justice of our previous remarks. The Thames Goldfield does not He on the Karaka or Waiotahi Creek. — Ed. "D.S.C.'H

August 10, 1 p.m. There is no news of any special importance since I wrote yesterday. We are all on the gui vive to find the gold and hear of the first find ; but a round of the claims shows the bottoms to be as distant as ever. The deepest claim is twenty to twenty- two feet, through blue clay — that shows well in mmmg — but in this case there is again only "the color." There are now, including thirty-two arrived yesterday per Catherine and Sydney, about 260 persons on the field ; not more than sixty are at work. Pitch-and-toss is a great institution, and nearly everybody is waiting for everyoue else to find gold. •I fear you will have to exercise a little patience in Auckland. Ido not think there will be a bottom under sixty feet, and it has taken all this week to sink twenty feet, many of the claims putting on a night shift to keep the water under, the usual allowance in some of the claims being five buckets of water to one of stuff sent to grass.

Both the Government prospecting party and Smallman's are working steadily, and are still in good hope. Most classes of goods more than abundant, and but very small demand.

(From another Correspondent.)

Kauaeranga, August 10. Sluicing has commenced on that portion of the ground on the south bank of the Karaka Creek, situate above where it enters into what is known here as the flat, and, though I have not ascertained what are the results of the work done from* the quantities of rubble put through the sluice box, I can form a very fair estimate. The Maoris whose claim I have seen worked, and witnessed the gold taken from one load, produced one pennyweight from one load. From that I should infer that Europeans, with there experience elsewhere and the greater energy brought into action, could produce as much if not more. The claims below the ground where the Maoris are sluicing are being tested. Every inch from two feet below the surface to a depth of 24 feet, which is the lowest that has yet been attained, shows several specks of gold. The men at work in these claims are confident of finding gold on the bottom. If they do not meet with success they will prove whether gold lies on the bed rock in that part of the flat within 50 to 60 feet in from the creek. The water is rather troublesome, but with continual labor night and day, which

the miners in three or four claims intend prosecuting, the water may be kept down. To prove the fact of gold on the bottom will do much to develop the Thames goldfields^ in Kauaeranga. It has been known for two years that the upper ground would pay for sluicing or working through a torn. Miners at a distance, when they heard that the bottom of a shaft produced an ounce of gold, would understand that the field was more certain of richer finds, and would not grumble should they not find every claim payable. A report is current that an auriferous quartz reef has been discovered, whether in the proscribed ground or not I do not know. The hour is late at which I write. I made enquiry at the Commissioner's office, if any application had been made to grant mining on a quartz reef, and was answered in the negative. That a reef has been discovered is quite possible, the gold distributed over the oountry partaking of the character of that which has recently fallen in the vicinity of a quartz reef. ( -

I shall learn more of' this important rumor — which I must receive but as such at present — and communicate with you when I do so. The weather ia very severe.

Sunday Morning, Aug. 11.

I have seen a piece of quartz taken from a leader on the surface, close to the Karaka Creek, thickly impregnated •with gold. To-morrow claims will be pegged out, but except prospecting for the run of the leader, no co-operative work will be done. The claims now being put down on the flat may cut it as it crosses the creek where they are worked.