COROMANDEL.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVII, Issue 1778, 14 October 1862, Page 3

COROMANDEL.

[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] f October 3rd. The Victoria claim is getting now auriferous - quattz — nobody, however, knows what the ' peculiar formation of it is. Inglis and Co., in i No. 16, are continuing their magnificent pros- | peels; there is no doubt now tbat they either ; are on a reef or not very distant from one; a j couple of days will decide tbe matter, and then i all partizans of Coromandel may snap their fingers atthe world of wavreers and revilers still; obstinately adverse to our interests heie. { Some " scouting" parties from Otago and? Melbourne have made their first appearance' here already, and it will not be long now before a determined crowd will rush the patrimony ofl Auckland. " \ Mr. Edward Wood has struck auriferous'quartz in the shaft in his quariz claim. The/ formation is probably only a leader, but under the present circumstances it is a very favorable symptom. — Southern Cross. The New Zealander of tbe 4lh inst. thus summarises the mining and other intelligences From Coromandel the news is such as has; surpassed the expectation of tbe most sanguine* Quartz reefs and leaders are however the sole feature of tbis gold-field. From one claim int. the Driving Creek no less than 231bs. of pare 1 . gold, extracted from the quartz by means of a small Burdan machine, was sent down to Auckland in the Tasmanian Maid, on the 27th uit. while the same party had an empty porter cask and a flour bag filled with specimens of nearly the same amount of richness (20 per cent, of gold and upwards) taken from the leader — one piece of about 10 lbs. weight nearly all gold, being reserved to be sent down to town for exhibition. Nor is this the only paying cfciim although as yet the richest ; the reef claims are as much prized as ever. Three new large companies have been formed and registered under the " Joint Stock Companies Act" ; tbe one the Kapanga Company, in 56 shares of £50 each, working claim No. I South on Keven's reef, the other " The Auckland Gold Mining and Quartz Crushing Company," in 20 shares of £100 each. Machinery for the latter company is daily expected ; one of the reefs on Preece's Point being the proposed scene of operations. The third company is •* the United Gold Mining Compauy," capital £1,200 in 12 shares. The machinery for Keven's Company arrived from Sydney by tbe Kate, and in another six weeks will be at work. We have wondered all along that the Melbourne aud Syduey owners of plants of tbis nature have not seen the wisdom of speculating in the Coromandel gold-fields by sending the necessary machinery, togetber with a few hands accustomed to quartz-reefiug. Coromandel is one net work of reefs, and iv numbers of instances the claims may be worked by water power. Machinery to a very large extent will be received during the next tbree or four months, and we confidently predict that before the summer is over there will be upon the Coromandel gold-field a fixed working population of no inconsiderable amount. A public meeting to organise a fund for alleviating the distress of the suffering operatives iv Lancashire aud other parts of Britain was held on the night of the 26tb, in the Brunswick Hall, the Chief Justice (Sir G. A. Aruey) in the chair, — a large working committee was named and over £500 subscribed at once. A draft for between £500 and £600 was remitted by the Lord Ashley via Sydney on the 30th uit., aud it is inteuded to receive subscriptions and make remittances monthly so long as the urgency of the distress renders assistance necessary. A general feeling of enthusiasm exists in favor of the undertaking and we are happy to see that Auckland, as far as its ability goes will be not one whit behind auy other portion of the Empire in its expressions of commiseration aud substantial sympathy with those of their fellow-countrymen at borne who may suffer indirectly by the present struggle in America. The resignation of the Superintendent of of Auckland, Mr. John Williamson, the details of which we published some time ago bas. been, held under consideration until the arrival of the Governor, at Auckland. The Nem Zealander says : " According to tbe Constitution Act, no vacancy—in case of the resignation of his office by a Superintendent — can exist until such re-, signation has been accepted by the Governor Mr. Williamson's resignation not haviug been accepted, he remains in office for the present. The followiug correspondence whicb bas been placed at our disposal will show the position in which the matter stands at this moment : — Auckland, Sept. 24th, 1862. Sir, — I have the honor to tender, for your Excellency's acceptance, nay resignation of the office of Superintendent of the Province of Auckland. I have the honor to be, Sir, Your Excellency's most obedient humble servant, J. Williamson. His Excellency, the Governor of New Zoaland.

Colonial Secretary's Office,' Auckland, Sept. 30th. 1862. Sir, — In reference to your letter of the 24th inst., addressed to His Excellency the Governor, resigning your office of Superintendent of the Province of Auckland, I have the honor to inform you that your resignation has been submitted for acceptance to his Excellency the Deputy Governor, who will not, however take action himself, but will refer the letter in question for the considerstion of His Excellency the Governor when he arrives in Auckland. I have, &c, (Signed) Reader vVood, For the Colonial Secretary, John Williamson, Esq., &c, &c, &c, Mr. Joseph Newman, the Provincial Auditor, is already iv tbe field, as a candidate for the olfice, and has issued an address to the electors. The same journal however remarks — "It appears to us, however, that there exists a special difficulty for Mi. Newman as a candidate for office, in the fact that he now holds the office of Provincial Auditor. The " Provincial Act, 1861," under which Mr. Newman was appointed, enacts — "That no Auditor shall be capable of holding " any office under or entering into any contract " with the Provincial Government, or of being " elected a Member of the Provincial Council "or Superintendent of the Province in which "he holds office, and eveiy such election or '' contract shall be null and void." Tbe matter thus remains in statu quo, until | Sir George Grey's arrival.