THE THAMES DISTRICT.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume XII, Issue 502, 22 August 1867, Page 1

THE THAMES DISTRICT.

THE KAUEEANGA GOLD-FIELD. IMPORTANT NEWS. DISCOVERY OP A RICH QUARTZ REEF. THE REEF RUSHED. [From the New Zealand Herald’s Correspondent.] August 13. I have already forwarded by the Pet a specimen of quartz found by Mr Messenger. I send you now by the Fairy a pretty large lot of quartz found on the surface of the reef mentioned in ray last, despatch as being so much talked about.

The reef was discovered on a small creek called the Kurunui, beyond the Waiotahi, and on the extreme limit of the land sold in the 7000 acres. There are no two persons holding a like opinion as to this quartz. On Saturday evening a rumor got abroad that a find had been come upon; there was something that would startle you in Auckland and make all our fortunes here. To-day,'although we are all in a most excited state, and the great bulk of the population is either going or has gone to the reef, yet quite as many declare it to be mica, niundie, or schist, as believe it to be gold. I send you a lot given to me by Mr Commissioner Mackay, and some pieces that I have myself tested with nitric acid and by roasting—tbe only tests we have here. If gold at all, it is of a very inferior quality, Owing to the weather we have bad since Saturday evening, all the shafts ■ire from 10 to 12 feet in water, and some of the claims cannot be baled out with buckets.

If these samples were banded to Mr Lynsar, of Albert-street, be would possibly test them. In any case we shall look with great anxiety for the result.

All the claims are taken up, as far us it is now possible to take them. At the time I close this despatch, three o’clock the steamer has not yet hove in sight. The native meeting which was to have come off to-day, has not taken place. The severity of the weather has prevented the whole of the natives arriving here. The meeting now stands postponed until fo moirow. [The quartz, as will be seen elsewhere, has been tested by Mr Beck, and proved to be auriferous; 1 oz. 8i dwts. of quartz yielding 6 grs. of gold. —Ed. N.Z.H.]

August 14. Having no later paper here than the 9th, up to the time I write— Tuesday, 3 p.m.—l am unable to say which of my despatches may have reached you. But supposing that you must now be aware that a rich quartz reef, extending for some three miles, lias been discovered, I proceed to state to-day’s proceedings. Early this morning I proceeded up the Kuranui Creek, and was fortunate enough to fall in with the original prospectors, and a party of Otago miners. The country itself is a “caution” to get through, most of the travelling having to be done through the bid of the creek, which is some what wet at this season of the year, or up the side of a range that you have to climb by holding on to anything you can catch hold of. One of our party, who was up the creek yes* terday, missed his footing, and went down the side of the range for twenty feet, when lie was brought up by falling into the creek. We bad no such misfortune to-day. On going to the place where the specimens which 1 sent you yesterday by the Fly had

been procured, I saw the stone taken from the side of the reef, and there could be no doubt that there it was—one great mass of quartz, making a beautiful waterfall. The claims start from this point, and extend for three miles. Our party then went up the creek, no very easy or pleasant job, although during all the terrible storm] of Saturday night up to midnight, men were here marking out claims and putting in pegs. Prospect alter prospect was tiled, and wc bad the advantage of two very good magnifying glasses. In each and every prospect

we got gold. I enclose one prospect • there can be iitiie doubt but that there is an alloy of silver—but all here have come to the conclusion that what we yesterday libelled by calling it mundic, or mica, or schist, is to-day gold—with, say, 20 per cent of alloy. ' The sluicing claims were only bailing out tins morning, no that X cannot give you any additional news. The excitement of yesterday has toned down, and the men arc going to work again with good heart.

Shortland Town is going a-bead with great rapidity, and wooden buildings are all the order of the day—-to-day—while yesterday canvas was quite good enough. I find that Mr Mackay has tested the supposed mundic while I have been away this morning, and that the stuff has stood all the tests. I presume you will have had the specimens tested by this time, as we are anxiouslylooking for the result. Weather fine. Blasting powder, driving tools, and license fees are in demand. The meeting has not come off to day. August 15. I send this by the Blue Belle, which leaves at high-water, or about 6 p.m. We bad a whole day of furious wind and rain yesterday. Nothing was or could be done- We had tents blown down, but none carried away. It was about as bad a day as ever I saw. To-day all hands are again at work, and three of the claims are sluicing, they are the Government prospecting party; Williamson and Smallmaif.-. party, and Dean's party. Williamson and Smallmau’s party are putting everything tiiat comes up the shaft through the boxes, and intend to find the bottom.

We were to have had the native korero to-day hut a pig belonging tv* the Maoris having been killed by two miners this morning, tbe proceedings at tbe Resident Magistrate’s Const - which I enclose in extensa —occupied the whole day and prevented the korero coming off. It will take place to-morruw.

Great sympathy is felt here for the two men Young and Craig convicted of killing the pig, and it is hoped something may be doue to mitigate their punishment. As 1 write the Sydney Pas arrived and the steamer is in sight, Monday's Herald has not reached here, and' I do not see in Tuesday’s which is to] hand by the Blue Beil. We louki anxiously to kuow what our great reef! is to turn out.

August 16. I wrote last night by the Blue Belli not anticipating that the steamer wonld have until the evening tide. As sue leaves this morning at 7 a.m., I merely add to my other despatch that all the prospects yesterday were better than any we have had yet. Some gold from Dean & Co’s claim was very good. l Barry & Go’s next claim to the! prospectors showed half an ounce to 3 lbs of quartz. THE KURUNUI REE V. [From the New Zealand Herald, 17th August.] I The intelligence brought up by the! Enterprise is not ouly encouraging, 1 but actually exciting. Some very va-| luable specimens were brought up yes-} terday by various parlies. One of the' prospecting party which found the reel, brought up between 81b. anil 91b. if: the quartz, nearly Gib. of which liasi .been left with us ou exhibition. It is] even richer in gold than the 2 poundS| smelled for us by Mr Beck from the] mine reef, and which produced at the! rate of :iBO ounces of gold to the ton! of quartz. I borne little account of the finding of 1 this reef and of its character may not be uninteresting to our readers. The fortunate party to whom belongs the credit of finding the reef consists ul four members, Messrs. J. E. White, Clarkson, Cobley, and Hunt. Cn Friday last one of their number came jin and informed his mates that he had found a decent prospect in the bottom of a blind gully. They proceeded forthwith to follow up the prospect, and having satisfied themselves that it Iwasgood, after a deliberation among [themselves, decided on pushing up the

creek in search of a letter prospect, iiiey iiud uol proceeded much lunsicr up the Led of the stream, when Mr White, who was leading up the creek, and who proposed pushing on a-head, was met by a barrier of stone, rising perpendicularly over their heads to the height of twelve, feet, and across the creek to either bank. Over the stone the water ran in a small fall. Looking at the stone they found it to be quartz, and climbing by the crevices to the top, stood upon the surface, when they found it to he nine feet across. They returned back again and re-examined the face of the stone. One of them then struck it with his pick, and the first Mow brought down a piece of stone, in which the gold was clearly visible. Satisfying themselves that this was no extraordinary sample of the reef, they started back to the township and sought Mr Ma'kay, who, having furnished them with their miners’ rights, proceeded back with them to the reef, and together with the Warden. Mr Bayley, saw their prospecting claim of 300 feet square marked ill. Further inspection satisfied the party that the reef or rock contained as many as lour distinct leaders, which commenced on the face at only au inch or two in thickness widened out within the reef ro us many feet, and rqually as rich in gold. Tnat night the ere k was rushed en masse. By candle light the hearings of the reef were taken, and the ground north-east and south-west was marked oil in chains.

Then began the dispute as to whether that which was iakeu for g<dd was really gold or mica. Opinions (littered. Some really thought it mica ; others pretended to do so, wishing to induce holders of claims to abandon the same as worthless. One man, anxious to put the metal to the test, brought down some quicksilver. The gold was placed upon it, but floated. It refused to amalgamate. The claimholders looked blue—'be sticklers for the mica theory were exultant. AC this critical juncture a man named Barry rushed out, and returned with a shovel, and placing some of the gold upon it, held both over a fire till the shovel was red hot. The gold thus treated was again placed in contact with the quicksilver, and lo I it no longer refused to amalgamate. The sulphur in connection with the gold, which the action of the heat had dispelled, had been the cause of its not amalgaling at first. We need not say that a general feeling of joy and satisfaction was felt at the result.

Oar correspondeut’s letter contains much interesting hiielligcnce. We are glad to say that Barry has a claim next to that of the prospecting party, ami still more so, that on trial 3 ib. weight of the stone yielded half an ounce of gold.

[From the Evening News, August 17.]

It is hardly necessary to say that tho excitement caused in Auckland by ilia good news received by the i'.uterp: ise yesterday was most intense, and that the very rich specimens of gold ia (piariz taken from tire Kurunui Beef, and exhibited in the window of the Evening News olli’e, formed the centre of attraction. Oar oilice was literally besieged, but. a dose inspection of the spe.imetis satisfied all who saw them ilan no mistake had been made. I’iie specimens were pronounced to be richer than any tiling that had previously been brought from the Thames. Bat these are only some of tile specimens brought up. Others eqndiy rich [have been sent or hr- ugiit up by some !of the fortunate claim holders. Tho !discovereis of the reef are Messrs jW..i;e, Olarksm, CobEy, ami llant.

W'UO itlil ilO lliiit 111 l'Il( UilUtTi rights and pegging out. their claims. At first a groat deal vl *i- -u >t was ex* pressed as to the teef king gohl bearing, many being of opi.a ui that

oiith'iin-f m-tfoml on the oUafU 11-C v.. * was only mica. GSit -moai tesrs at first supp rle.l this opinion, but further ' proved it to be g- id. Tne reef is Situated about one mile and a half 'from the lauding place. As soon as it was known taut the reef was really auriterous, claims were taken up with great rapidity. Oae of the claim* Holders, who did not go down to dig,

tnjfc was engaged upon a survey party, was so satisfied of its payableness that fee relinquished his engagement, and took up a claim at once. He was

guuseuue.juv ottered <£'3o to give li Up, Notwithstanding the favourable pews, w« would advise caution by not overcrowding rhe field. Tim reef has, \ve are iuiLr.u'il, been all taken, but where there is one there are likely to be many more, and we hope loom -Ei tor nil