TE AROHA. [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.]

Waikato Times, Volume XV, Issue 1321, 16 December 1880, Page 2

TE AROHA. [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.]

It is said th.it no news is good news, and ]f so, my present rupmt tnu-.fcbe considered a f.ivor lblu uuo. Thouira I have no rich finds to chronicle, yet tho many favorable iuduutiou-. that have beeu found during tho la^t few d.ty-> in VfLrioih pirts of the field have done much Lv establish confidence in the payaole n.ituicor the ground, and msjjuit~ed the miuei> tr» inoro active work iv opening out and thoroughly prospectiug their claims.. Ne a-ly every party who have hitherto been shepherding their ground have .started to work this week, and during the day the Township is deserted by all but business people. Prospeetiug is iilso going on for a considerable distance in the ranges, and from a gentleman who came over from X.itikati yesterday, I heard that p it-ties of men were out ten miles away. The claims that are principally attracting attention just now, are the Morning Stir, The Prospectors,' The Bonanza, The "W.ukato, The Don, The Grolden Anchor, and Tho Auckland, (Lipscy and party), a lately pegged out claim, who report a good prospect. A large number of the claims are taking out quartz for a trial crushing iv sufficient qu lutitie.i to afford a fair test of the {stone. Ths Bonanza has got good stone in a leader in their drive between thirty and forty ieet below tha Prospectors' workings, and are now engaged in getting out about two tons for a trial crushing. The Dou, owned by Cambridge men, is working three shifts a day, and making good headway. Yesterday, their drive being in about 25 feet, they came upon the cap of what is supposed to be a large reef, and started a drive at a low level to test it. The Waikato GLM. Co. started to work on Monday, Mr McLean being appointed mine manager; they are working on a leader which is supposed to be an offshoot from the main reef running from the Bonanza through their claim. The manager speaks in high terms of this claim, and intends to work two shifts as soon as the necessary tools arrive. The townshio is also beginning to progress, a number of buildings being in course of erection, and owing to the late heavy arrivals of timber the carpenters are kept working early and late. Messrs Farrell, Bros., of the Thames, have just started a large hotel, 60 by 29 feet for Mr Quintan of Paumure, and I have just seen the plans for an hotel to be built to the order of Mr Ray lies of the National, Cambridge. It will be a neat and commodious structure, 47 by 40. Many others of the Waikato and Thames business men are on the ground and intend to build as soon as the development of the field shall warrant them in doing so. Altogether I think the prospects very encouraging but must warn men without some money, that it is useless for them to come here at present; very little labor is being employed and a number of men have had to leave through want of means to hold out till gold is struck.

Goldex Anchor. — The thaieholder shave suuk a winz3 six feefc on their leader, and there te no alteration either iv the size oy

apparent richness of the stone. The show of gold in the loose rubble is excillent, and in the solid stone fine colors of the preoious metal arediscernable. Two nice looking stringers running with a lode were also found. Two men are engaged driving- on the other side of the hill. The drive is now in 13ft., and loose quartz with good dish prospects has appeared in the face. The drive should intersect the Golden Anchor leader in less than half a dozen feet. The country is excellent brown sandstone, closely resembling that found in the Kuranui Hill at the Thames. Yeaterday a start was made at erecting a smithy, bellews, anvil, etc., having arrived ou Saturday evening. Ihe trial crushing of l^cwt. forwarded to the Thames was crushed at the Alburnia battery on Friday last. Every precaution was taken to give it a genuine test, and the result watt Bdwta. llgrs. melted gold — a return highly satisfactory to the shareholders. It may not be uninteresting to note that this crushing gives the first dividend on the field, each full shareholder having had half a crown handed to him. The proprietors of th c steamers running here with a view to encouraging large trials, have offered to convey a parcel of 10 tons to the Thames at 2a 6d per ton, and the shareholders have decided to avail themselves of the offer before the holidaye. This will give a thorough good test, and if successful should materially increase the confidence in the stability of the field. Bonanza. — Stme excitement was caused yesterday afternoon on it becoming known that rich specimens had been obtained from the Bonanza. On making enquiries, we found such to be the fact, the atone having been obtained from the drive I thirty feet below the Pro.-pectors' workings, and on the same leader. The leader varies in size from three to six inches, and has an exceedingly likely appearance. This find is likely to have a hardening eifect on Bonanza stock. The gold is principally leafy and coarse, but colors also discernable in the stone. The weight was about six pounds. Morning Stab.— A large number of persons visited the drive yesterday, and all expressed themselves satisfied that the show was a genuine one. The reef at the part where the gold was obtained is two feet thick, six inches of which is quartz rubble, and which contains a large quantity of coarse loose gold, some of the fragments we have seen weighing about half a pennyweight. The sold portion of the lode shows colors of gold profusely, and the quartz broken all through yesterday looked excellent. United. — We learn that the manager of this mine has determined to suspend operations under the following circumstances : — The great bulk of the shareholders reside in Hamilton and Auckland, and of those who are here, no one has been authorised to transact any of the important arrangements proposed in connection with the mine. A meeting will consequently be held at Hamilton this week to con-ult the views of the shareholders, and it is not unlikely that one will also take place in Auckland. When all this is attended to, the holidays will be close at hand, and it is consequently intended that work will not be resumed till after Christmas. The manager has made application for a water race site, and an overshot wheel battery is spoken of already, Mr Gribble, considering that the prospects of the field warrant the introduction of motive power. Six claims have been pegged out alongside Catrans 1 , on the Omahu creek and yesterday morning work was started in all of them in real earnest. The area Oatran Bros, and party have taken up is five aoren in extent. The lode, which is fully '2h feet thick, has been cut in a trench, and alno in two drives a little above the creek level. The quartz is highly mineralised, and the proprietors believe that when cruHhed it will give a payable yield. A trial crushing is now being taken out. Goldkx Cbown. — The proprietors of this claim have started to drive for the Golden An lode, and it is not improbable that arrangements will be made with Chiistie and patty for putting in a joint low tunnel, from the lowest possible level without sinking below the flat. Thk Ro««e ok Denmark.— The shareholders are driving a prospecting tan Del, which is) now in 50 feet through good country. They have seen no quartz yot. Smile of Fortune. — This it* the claim immediately below the Morning Star, and from which excellent loose prospect are being obtainpd. The shareholderspurpose storting a tunnel below that in which they have been carrying on operat : ons, the ground there being rather broken, and tha lode continually ''jumping" about. Tb Aroha No. 1 South.— Mr Gavin, the manager, cut a leader in the lower drive yesterday. It is not yet known whether not this is the lode being searched for. The shareholders of the Young Colonial are putting in a prospecting drive. The shareholders of the Golden Eagle intend sending a trial crushing to the Thames shortly. Adams and party, of the Queen of Beauty, will send a crushing down of 5 tons at the end of the week. In the Sunbeam claim, adjoining the Morning Star, an auriferous leader was intersected yesterday, the quartz in which is of a character unlike any yet seen in this locality, the color being almost white. The country continues good. In the Stanley, six men3 l ground, situated below the Morning Star, a likely looking reef has been intersected, but its size has not yet been ascertained. It is running up the spur, right through the Smile of Fortune and Morning Star. The following additional notices of pegging out, have been lodged at the Warden's office: — Duke. — Eight men's ground, north east by Prince of * ales, south west by Oriental : John Adlam. Moonlight.— Fifteen men's ground, north west of Auckland claim: T. G. Sandes and party. Golden Cbown. — Three men's ground, north west of Golden Anchor and west of Magnet: A. Thomas. Violet. — Two men's ground, bounded east by Early Dawn : W. McLean. Cluves. — Fifteen men's ground, south of Morning Star: Kennedy Hill and party. Young Naval.— Five men's ground, on Wairongomai creek : A. Jamieson and party. The following claims ware registered on Saturday : — Low Level.— Two men's ground, north east from Prospectors' half a mile: Thomas Sproat and party. Lone Stab No. 2. — Two men's ground, bounded south by Sunbeam: R. Cromp* ton and party. — Miner.

A CERTAIN proportion of men in eaoh company in the German army have now been provided with short and handy hatchet-looking spades — a proof that the grand general Htaff under Marshal Count Moltke hew not omitted te profit by the pregnant lessons of Plevna. M. Mattbice Koechlkt, of Melhouse, although born deaf and dumb, has passed successfully his examinations for baccalaureat at Eonen. He was educated by M. Hugentobler, director of an inFtitution for the deaf and dumb. M. Koechlin is only 16 years old, and his wonderful success, in spite of such gre<tt natural disadvantages, has created quite a sensation.. •