HASTINGS (TAPU CREEK).

Auckland Star, Volume I, Issue 83, 14 April 1870, Page 2

HASTINGS (TAPU CREEK).

HEAVY FIND OF ALLUVIAL GOLD. April 12, 1870. Considerable excitement here in consequence of some reported heavy finds of alluvial gold up the Mata Creek, four or five miles up, in one of the tributaries to the main creek; '

Several of the old claims are again ab work, amongst others are the Californiau, Lady Bowen, the Star of the East, the Little Clara, and the Little Kepublic. Tho Fall Moon shaft is to bo sunk sixty feet deeper, and it is to be regretted that this undertaking was not commenced six months ago, as the wet season will very shortly come. on. Meantime, the creek has not been so low for several years as it is at present. Buckland's machine can only work with one battery, and the other machine above it has also to go very slowly, while the Q-olden Anchor experimental battery is not able to go at all.

The Tapu Grold Mining Company are crushing at present, and I hear that curing the winter they are going' to put some thousands of tons through the mill, cheap crushing being now the order of the. day,'mullocky stuff being' crushed at the rate of ten shillings per ton for a hundred tons, and coarser stuff for two shillings more per ton. '

The Golden Spur finished a crushing of 140 tons this morning, and, judging from appearances, it will be payable.

Some fifty men are up the creek gumdigging, and I hear tha.t_rnany of them inako excellent wages, the weather being highly favourable for that pursuit; although, 1 believe, it is the intention of n any,of them to man claims shortly, tho reduced rate of crushing giving inducements to do so.— Evening Mail, April 13. > ' i -.