THE AUCKLAND GOLDFIELDS.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2526, 22 March 1871, Page 2

THE AUCKLAND GOLDFIELDS.

Foremost in the list of claims paying good dividends stands the Caledonian, than which perhaps there is no richer mine in the world. Taken up among the first claims on the field, as ten men’s ground, it has been worked perscvcringly for three years and ahalf, and only during the last month has its richness—though all along believed in- been made manifest. The claim was formed into a c unpnny about the same time ns others were, since then the Young American, four men’s ground, has been amalgamated with it. The entire area of the company’s property is now about five acres. During the time ofgits working gold was met with here and there, but it was on the 28th January last that the lich lode was struck. Up to that date the mine had stood the company in the sum of nearly 120,000 for 2A yeax-s’ expenses, to say nothing of the cost to original shareholders. Since then the Caledonian has yielded its golden treasures without stint; indeed to such an extent that Hunt’s in its palmiest days, with a return of 10,000 ozs. for a month, the Golden Crown and Long Drive, pale beside it. The total yield of gold for January from this claim was 2,441 ozs. from 850 tons of stone ; for February, from a like quantity of stone, 10,895 ozs. These handsome returns have enabled the directors to pay dividends within thirty days, amounting to L 55,780, there being 2300 shares in tlic company, whilst a balance willremsin in hand of something near L7OOO. The mine, too, continues richer than ever, and it is difficult to form any estimate as to the quantity of valuable stone yet to be got out. Shares, which during the last week in January, might have been purchased r adily at LlO to Llo, are no'*, to be had at LIOS. The amounts paid in dividends by the three leading claims, since January last, are as folloAvs : —• to m . rt S iC -2 5 A 5 y si oj hj < Caledonian ... 2800 £l2 £2B £05,780 Thames ... 0000 10 £Bl2sGd 21.750 Golden Crown 102 1000 £4O 7,080