THE LONG DRIVE AGAIN.

Wanganui Herald, Volume III, Issue 642, 2 September 1869, Page 2

THE LONG DRIVE AGAIN.

Lately there has been a certain amount of somewhat unusual quietness with regard to the Long Drive claim, because there have not been so many specimen crushings as were usual, and without taking the trouble to find out the cause, many persons jumped to the conclusion that there were no more to be had. The fallacy of this opinion was exemplified yesterday morning, when some of the richest, and certainly the most extraordinary specimens yet obtained from this leader, or indeed any other here, turned out One of those, of extraordinary size and value, was depositedyesterday morning in the Bank of New Zealand, where it attracted great attention, and in fact caused a perfect rush of men, women, and children to the spot, all anxious to catch a glimpse of the great specimen, and for this purpose the bank officials, with a praiseworthy desire to satisfy this laudable curiosity, had the stone exposed to view opposite the open window of the melting house, labelled with the weight of the stone, and the amount of gold it contained. The stone weighed 431b5., and on being tested by Mr Smith, bank assayer, was found to contain 117ozs. lOdwts. of gold, or at the rate of 2ozs. Hdwts. to the pound. The stone itself—a j large block—displays very little gold, except in patches on the surface, but on breaking off a small piece the richness of the specimen was at once discernible, for-the gold is so evenly and so richly distributed through it, that it is difficult to perceive the quartz of which the stone is composed. The gold is of a very coarse heavy looking character. At the same time that this specimen was obtained, a number of others of very extraordinary richness were obtained; in fact, this one, rich as it really is, is more remarkable for its great size than for its richnes, for many of the others bear proportionately a. larger amount of the precious metal. SeveraL^entlemen who inspected the great^Pfcimen yesterday expressed an opinion that it would be a pity to have the stone broken or crushed, but recommended that it should be forwarded to Australia for exhibition. If sent there, it will doubtless astonish some of those smart Ballarat brokers who try to throw cold water on this gold field, for the oldest among them will fail to recollect the time when such stones as this were produced in the Austx-alian colonies, and certainly not

amongst the Ballavat' reefsT- But the greaj,t feature of this claim is, the production of stones as rich .or even richer than this one, which is not by any means of an exceptional character, but from the frequency of the occurrence they have become so common that they almost fail to interest any but those personally concerned. —Thames Advertiser, Aug. 23.