PROSPECTING THE KING COUNTRY.

Western Star, Issue 1015, 13 January 1886, Page 4

PROSPECTING THE KING COUNTRY.

Warden Kenriek (Thames) and Mr "Wilkinson (Native agent) have been successful in completingarrrangemeuts with the Natives for prospecting the King country. There are to be six parlies!, consisting each of two Europeans and two Maoris. All are to share alike if gold is discovered. They will be entitled to the Government reward of £SOO, and each party may win thh reward provided their discovery is five miles from any other discovery of a new goldfield, and wi'l be entitled to a lease or claim the area of which is to be determined by the Governor. In Te Aroea the area allowed was five acres. The men have been selected by the Warden and are to go out at their own cost. lie has selected twelve good experienced prospectors, and he has fiifteen or twenty others on a supplementary list to fill vacancies. It may possibly happen that some of the twelve selected would not suit, as the Natives insisted that one at least of each party should be able to speak a little Maori; but this condition has been modified, provided one Maori in each party can speak English, and in each instance the Natives selected by the Native Committee possess this qualification. Several of those selected by the Native Committee are halfcastes. Two of the prospectors have been selected from Coromandel, two from Te Aroha, two from Waikato (old miners), and the remainder from the Thames. The country has been divided into six districts as follows: No. 1, Hauturatura; No. 2, Upper Mokau; No. 3, Taumarama; No. 4, Tuhua ; No. 5, Maraoa; and No. 6, Rangitoto. It is decided that all parties are to leave Mibakahi this day week. No. 1 party will make their district close to Otahanga, extending towards the west and south. No. 2 commences about twenty-five miles from Otarabanga, on the Waipora, working up towards Mokau. No 3 and 4 parties will take three days to reach their sections, which extend to Taupo, and are ivbout 50 or 60 miles from Otarabanga. No. 5 and 6 are each about 30 milea distant, and can be reached in a day. No. 1 party will comprise Paterson and Thomas, and the Native Committee have nominated Tookey, a half-caste, son of D. Tookey, one of the first prospectors of the Thames. No. 2 party will comprise Workman (formerly of the Thames) and Wilkinson. No. 3 party, Charles McLean (Thames) and Tupire Mere Mana. No. 4 party Sullivan (Thames) and Theodore Brown. No. 5 party, Griffiths (Waikato) and John Eeuton (Te Aroha). No. 6, two well-known Coromandel miners and the prospectors M'Sweeney and M'Donald. Warden Kenriek has received a communication from the Hon. Mr Larnach that the Government are prepared to grant a subsidy in accordance with the prospecting regulations —namely 7s 6d per man per week, provided a similar amount is contributed by the local body.