THE AUCKLAND GOLDFIELDS.

Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 2012, 16 October 1869, Page 2

THE AUCKLAND GOLDFIELDS.

The following article is from the K. Z. Herald of the 23th nit. In our summary for la?t month wo had to speak of the continued progress of our goldfield, a :d of the scope for capital and the demand for la' or found not only in connectiiin with it but in this Province generally. We have to rep at the tale, and there will be occasion to do so, in all probability, for a considerable time to come. There has been a great deal of effective work done >n the goldfield during the last mon hj both as regards erecting inichinTy and the better working of claims, the remit of wiiich will be sen ibly felt in the future. The progress of the field has been naturally slow, for wo bad little skilled labor to work effectively in obtaining the aurfemus quartz from the ranges of hills which form the goldfi Id. We were unskilled in the manufacturing of suitable machinery, and troubled with a scepticism of the reality of the goldfield. But time has wrought wonderful changes. We have had a period of over-spe-culation, now followed by a depression in the share markets, but we expect matters will now gradually assume a healthier tone. In the midst of this we are constantly having a considerable influx of practical men and capitalists from the Australian goldfields, who tell ns <aat there is nothing like the Thames, either for richness or extent, in any part of Austraia There, a few pennyweights to the ton of qnvrtz yield dividends. At the Thames, in more claims than one, ounces of gold to the pound weight of stone are constantly obtained From the claims already opened, as they become more skil fully and better worked, the yield of gold will be something exceedingly great. We may mention he l e that the dividends paid by the Long Drsvo Company since the 20th June last amount to L 24 per scrip, on each of which scrips the sura of L 3 5s 8d only has been paid up VV’e need add nothing t > this statement as to the profitableness and richness of this claim. Let us take the working of one ma-hiue for a twelvemonth though during four months of that time it was not working move than half time—it is called Souter’s battery—and we shall find that the total quantity nf stone crushed for a twelve months was 27,485 ozs. S dwts. 14 grs., or 1 ton 5 cwt. 1 gr. 18 dwts. of gold. It will bo seen that the average yield of the atone was very high, marly t-n ounces of co'd for every ton of stone crushed at that machine. There nee Is n« argument to show that the sixty claims which sent the above stone to bo crushed must have some very rich quartz in them —rich enough to make handsome fortunes for the fortunate owners under proper management. There are over five hudred gold mining companies at the Thames goldfield, and a considerable number not as yet formed into companies, and it is believed that our previous statements will be literally verified—namely, that there is scarcely a single claim on the Thames wlgich will not pay for working under proper management, while very many will at once yield magnificent returns, and others will do so in course of time. It is clear from these facts that we not only hare room for a large addition to our population. but profitable employment to offer them, as also for any capital they may have. Without, a gre >t influx of labor and capital our progress iu the development of onr golden treasures, will be but comparatively slow. Looking at the exports and imports of the colony for the quarter ending June last, and at tnc corresponding quarter in 1868, wc find ample proof of the steady progress of this province and of our goldfield. Thus the total exports from Auckland for the June quarter in 1868 were L 75.332, while for the same period in 1869 they amounted to L 163,170, or two and one-sixth times more in the letter than in the former quarter. The gold exported for the June quarter, 1869 amount to 29,480 ounces, valued at L 85,421, which is one and one-sixth more than our total exports for the corresponding

quarter of 1 SOS. This at oucc proves that although wo have not made that progress which some of on the spot think we ought to have done, yet we are steadily advancing, and it will be in a far different ratio in the future than it has been in the past. The increasing supply of firs -class machinery, and the amalgamation of claims and of companies, will cause a great deal more quartz (o be crushed, and increase largely the yield of the precious metal.