THE THAMES DISTRICT.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume XII, Issue 514, 3 October 1867, Page 2

THE THAMES DISTRICT.

(From the Weekly Herald, Sept. 21.) 68 OZS. 16 DWT3. FROM! 6 CWT. QUARTZ. The gold from the 145 ounces of amalgam, the result of the crushing of 6 cwt. of quartz, from No. 1 Claim, Hunt’s reef, was retorted on Saturday, by Mr Hunt, and smelted into two bars by Mr Beck, jeweller, Queen-street. The amount of gold obtained was 58 ozs. 4 dwts., which, together with the 10 ozs. 12 dwts. obtained * by Mr Beck previously from a portion of this stone, makes altogether 63 ozs. 16 dwts. from 6 cwt. of stone. Mr Hunt has taken up the Berdan machinery to the Thames, and it will be set up on the claim, and kept constantly at work night and day. With the stone before them in this claim as it stands waiting to be knocked down, there is nothing to prevent this fortunate party from getting out 20 lb. weight of gold ready to send by the mail to the Sydney mint. Perhaps then many who sneer ,at the Thames will become converts. The result of this crushing stamps the value of this reef. The crushing of a few pounds’ weight might give an exceptional return, but this can scarcely be the case with some 6 cwt. of stone taken down hurriedly, as was that just crushed. The public of Auckland are much indebted to the energy and public spirit of Mr Beck for the settlement of this question—the value of Hunt and Company’s claim, a large amount of trouble, and some little expense, having been willingly borne by that gentleman for the sake of making fully known, and as quickly as possible, the value of the Thames goldfield.