COROMANDEL.

Auckland Star, Volume II, Issue 474, 18 July 1871, Page 2

COROMANDEL.

July 15. Fhv, crushing for the Eoyal Oak is, I am glad to say, turning out quite equal to the expectations of the shareholders. Up to yesterday, 15 tons hnd been crushed, and from the plates alone 165 ozs. of retorted gold had been taken and lodged in the New Zealand Bank. This is exclusive of what may be found in the stamper boxes when the- general cleaning up takes place. The Oak has about 100 tons in the paddock, and if it all averages at this rate, the shareholders will have a very handsome dividend to receive.

Another week has passed, and the tramway is not yet open for traffic. The delay has been very injurious to tho mining interest, but the weather has been in a great measure the cause of the delay. The last six weoks has been an unintsrrupted series of wet days, with scarcelj an interval of 8 fine one.

The New Zealand Company are preparing to place a bridge across the creek to join on to the Government tramway, and by the end of next week I expect to find this battery in full and constant work.

The Nil Desperandum battery is idle, and willbesoforsometime. The proprietors contend that if the Government make a charge for the conveyance of quartz to the mills, they are bound to deliver it, and not stop on the road and compel the mill owners to take delivery on the side of the road. There is a good deal of truth and reason in the argument, and the Government should give it some attention. Besides, the shareholders in this battery are all poor but industrious men, and have not the means of building a bridge and branch tramway, and tho Government should give them some help to enable them to carry out a work without which they will be completely ■hut up. The crushing for the Golden Belt at tho Matawai machine has come to an abrupt conclusion, from the sheer impossibility of getting tho stuff carted. Mr. Lynch carted 16 tons about six weeks ago, and then knocked off until the Tokutea wai finished. He then carted about 30 tons more, and knocked off again to cart for. the Eoyal Oak. Tho manager, after waiting the whole of the week for the teams to come out, without their making an appearance, determined to clean up, and leave the balance until a more auspicious occasion. There still remains to be crushed between 20 and 30 tons of tho best part of the stone. The result from that crushed has been 47 ozs. 11 dwts. retorted gold, including a small quantity from the poor stuff put through to ciran the plates. Tho result baa not been according to expectations, as it was expected to run at least 2 ozs. to the ton, and has barely yielded 1 or. Still, this is payable, as there is a large body of stone, and were carting and machine powor more readily available such a yield would give large dividends. Mr. Pidgeon, who has been for the last fifteen months manager of the Golden Belt, has been compelled to resign through ill health, to tho great regret of all the shareholders. He has carried on the management of the mine in the face of great difficulties, and has proved that there is a handsome return to bo obtained for a small outlay of capital. His successor, I believe, will be Mr. Harkins, an active and able manager, and well known on the Thames.—" Herald's" Correspondent.