LATEST FROM THE THAMES

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 430, 16 December 1868, Page 2

LATEST FROM THE THAMES

By the arrival of the steamer John Penn, we have Auckland papers to the Bth inst. The accounts with regard to the opening of the Upper Thames are still prospective, and, judging from the numbers returning by each trip of the Penn, they do not seem to be much relied upon by the miners. The statement of the local papers is that there is a growing tendency on the part of the Upper Thames natives to open the district for mining purposes ; that the matter is now only a work of time; and that no doubt at the great meeting of natives which will be held before Christmas the negotiations will be satisfactorily concluded.

An increasing quantity of gold continues to be received in Auckland. Eleven hundred ounces were brought up on November 30 from the Thames, and lodged in the Bank of New Zealand ; loOOoz for the Bank of Australasia ; and 2100oz of gold were brought up from Shortland on November 28 by Mr Grant, of the Union Bank. By experiments made in Sydney, it appears also that the Thames gold contains a large proportion of silver. 87oz of gold, from one of the noted claims at the Thames, was placed in the hands of Miller, to be experimented upon for the extraction of silver. The yield proved to be 31'6Soz of fine silver and 54 - 03oz of fine gold, containing 995 parts of gold in 1000. The difference in the gross weight, before and after the operation——is partly due to a slight loss of silver during the process (subsequently recoverable), and partly to baser metals originally contained in the gold and removed during the refining. Several new batterries were being erected—one of sixteen stampers on the Duke of Edinburgh claim, one of twenty stampers for the Kurania Company, and a ten stamper for Mr Partington. A second newspaper had made its appearance at the Thames during the week, under the title of the Times, and Thames Miner's Advocate. It is the paper started by Mr Shaw, of Hokitika, and it is likely to prove a formidable opponent to the Advertiser.

Some painful accideuts had occurred. James Donnelly was injured in a drive by an explosion of powder, and Henry Woodham had his leg broken by a fall of stuff. A Defence Committee had been formed at Shortland, and they wrote to the General Government Agent at Aucklaud, asking for a supply of arms and ammunition. A reply was received, stating that steps had been taken by the Government for the formation of a Volunteer Corps at the Thames, and therefore declining to recognise the movement of which the Defence Committee are the representatives. The last news from the "Waikato was calculated to allay any apprehension. The Auckland \Pimch contains the following as the prospectus of the " Diddleum Gold Mining Company :" —" Capital— £8,000,000 in shares of £lO each, and as much more as conveniently can be raised. Directors— Baron Munshansen, Captain Seedy, Duke Humphry, and H. Walker, Esq., with power to add to their number. Solicitors—Messrs Grab-it and Hook-it. Bankers The South Whales.—The object of this Company is to afford a splendid opportunity for new arrivals to indiscriminately invest.

Mr Walker has invested all his rolling stock-in-trade, and expects a very good 'planV shortly. The property consists of auriferous expectations. There has already been much underground work accomplished, and a well-defined reef haa been discovered for the shareholders to strike upon. A collection of postage stamps to form a battery has been secured, and if everything prospers a quantity of quartz will speedily be amalgamated with the consent of the Directors.—Hookein Snivey, Secretary."