Gold=fields Intelligence.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume XIII, Issue 573, 30 April 1868, Page 3

Gold=fields Intelligence.

THE THAMES GOLD-FIELDS

April 23. Mb Justice Mooee at the complimentary dinner the other day, was disgusted at the quantity of civilisation ha found amongst us. lam disgusted at never having much ill-success at the diggings to record, it is always the same, people will find gold; and, as usual, I must relate the good luck which has attended the efforts of many parties. In the next claim to the Carpenters, on the Moanatairi, they have struck a leader from which I saw a very rich specimen. A man who has been prospecting at the head of the Waiotabi, brought down 1 cwt. of stone, and got 7 ozs. of retorted gold from it. lu the next claim to Barry’s, ou the Kurauui, a party had been working, without even color being got, I believe, for a good many months ; they registered, and having left off for a while, returned to the pick and shovel a few days since, and they have met their reward, at 125 feet down their shaft they have struck gold heatily. From the Puriri, too, comes good news, no less than five claims are getting the right stuff, and some of the miners have brought up their wives and families, ami are settling down regularly. Stay, after all I have one piece of ill-luck to record, and I am not glad at having to do so. Mr. Goodall has lost 50 tons of coal, which was on the ground for his crushing machine ; it was carried away in the recent floods.

The Maoris wish to lease more land to the pakehas, ami the first korero on the subject was held at Tararu Poim to-day, that being the laud in question. In consequence of this, Mr Mackay was absent aii day, and Mr Bail lie being at the Tapu, the Warden’s Court was postponed. Mr Mackay left tonight for Auckland in the cutter Emma, in order, I believe, to proceed to the Waikato with the Governor. The deputation (there have been so many', that I hardly know which), met to-day, and resolved to meet their appointors on Monday next. They have nothing to report, save the non-acconaplishmeni' of any thing in the way of road-making; but it is stated that they purpose advising a most judicious course to the inhabitants of the district, and that is to establish a county of Shortland.

April 24. An epidemic in the shape of a rash desire lor public meetings has broken out amongst us, and the number ol assemblies of wisdom has become so large, that one’s ideas about them are apt to get confused. It is line to this. I suppose, that a distinguished public character was last night heard to mutter in his sleep, “ Unless, your Honour, we get a wharf, light-house, and a lifeboat, (with a rocket apparatus) at the Bobbie Burns claim, and a permanent road across the mud flats, Shortland Town is drowned.” Though we may joke on ibis subject, however, it is none the less a matter for the most serious consideration. The roads are at pregent simply frightful, and the want of proper wharf accommodation is severely felt; this latter is, I believe, to be remedied by the construction of a wharf under a Local Board. But as to the roads, it is evident that the townspeople and miners will have to make thera themselves, or suffer all the present inconvenience, and much more in the future. With our large contribution to the support of Government, this appears, and is, very hard, but there really seems no help whatever for it.

Despite the wet, there is some good mining news. The Fear Naught, nest the Waterfall, have struck rich stone, 34 feet down their shaft. The Rising Sun are also turning out very rich quartz. The Point -in - View have crushed 5 tons at Frazers and got 120 ozs. of amalgam ; they had previously picked out the specimens, and obtained 15 ozs. of gold from them ; the stone, too, was not roasted, which diminished the wi , ■ vud jxciu. j-iiicc iiew itiaculues are to go up, one on the Shell Back. From the Puriri, news has come that another party have struck a gold-bear-iuo leader. (From the Correspondent of the New Zealand Herald.) His TTnnnr nn,! * 1,11 icturned here last evening from Tapu Creek, whither he had proceeded on the previous uay, Mr Warden Baillie accompanied his Honor,

My usual round of the various machines yesterday did not furnish me with any very new or startling imformrtion. The Kuranui battery was busy at the 6-stampcr with stuff out of' Barry’s (the company's) Claim, which was said to be turning out better than usual. The l-stamper was busy with a lot of stuff from Lung & Co,’s on the Karaka Hill. GooJall’s was crushing I for the Poverty claim, which poor lot is giving its usual 10 or 12 ounces tuj the ton, and Graham’s had a lot from the Long Drive, The general report is satisfactory. The Kurauui Company are busy levelling some ground at the mouth of the Creek, for their! new 50-stamper battery, and they have! already got a good sized warehouse or! fitting shop up and almost completed.! Clark and Kersteia’s machine up the) Moanataira is rapidly advancing to-| wards completion. In the Karaka' Creek the claim-holders are making aj road as far up as Hubert Scott’s claim) —a thing that was much wanted, as! nearly every one that I have had the honor of taking up to that part of the field has assured me that he would never again so far trespass upon my| kiudness as to ask me to do him a like: favor a second time. 1

A meeting was held yesterday of I those interested in the result of the; late deputation to his Honor anentthe! wharf and the roads, and it was deter-, mined to call a public meeting at the! Theatre for Monday next, to again \ consider the matter. The Waiotahij Flat people have called a meeting for; to-night to receive the report of their deputation ; but, as the result of the interview with his honor is pretty fullyknown, I may say that they declare their determination to have a wharf; and Mr McNeill, who offered to construct the one at the Kaueranga landing, is here at the special invitation ot some of (he inhabitants to give his opinion on the site and other matters connected with the Waiotahi Wharf. The Thames Crushing Company have ■dlered the claim holders in the Moanauiira to construct a tramway along the creek to the machine, the claim-holders giving the necessary labour, and receiving credit for its value when they send stuff to the machine to be crushed. The project is very favourably received.

I am authorised to state that the ; Presbyteriau Church now in course o! > erection is expected to be open on Sunday week for public worship. The opening of the Church will be followed i uy a soiree, and the proprietors of the i steamers will, it is understood, offer I specially liberal terms to visitors from , Auckland. . I was reminded yesterday that I had not reported the loss of a sum of Ll 4 ; from the tent of Mr Leaning in the ■ Waiotahi Creek. The robbery was; committed some days ago. I had alsoj forgotten to report that some one with-i . oat due respect for a peany-a liner had stolen all my cooking traps, not even , leaving me a “ billy.” (From the Thames Advertiser, 23rd April.) Mr Commissioner Mackay r was called ' upon to attend a meeting of the Ngati- , poura tribe, held at Tararua, yesterday. There was a large gathering of the tribes, together with others attracted by the nature of the meeting, which was found to have reference to the leasing of lands. The Ngatipoura, it is well known, are owners of much auriferous ■ ground, not only in the Shortland district, but for miles beyond, and it is a 1 source of satisfaction to find overtures for its disposal emanating from them. ■ There was, of course, plenty of speech- ' ifyiug, and many professions of loyalty. The result will, doubtless, be a satis* factory arrangement between the Go- " vernment and the natives for the leasing - of much valuable country beyond this 1 township. With this view Mr Mackay 1 returned to town immediately at the ■ close of the korero, and left for Auck- * land in the Government cutter Emma. We understand the new Presbyterian Church will be opened on Sunday j week, and the opening soiree will take ■ place on the following Tuesday. A ; number of gentlemen from Auckland will take part in the public meeting, and some of the principal vocalists are ‘ expected to give their services on the occasion.

An accident occurred to a miner named Burns yesterday, in consequence Oi tne giving way Oi the earth near the entrance to a new drive. Burns was working in the drive when The earth fell upon him, and caused severe injuries to his shoulder and side.

TAPU CEEEJL A gentleman from Tapu Creek in» forms us that a new rush took place at davlicr*'* 1 muiu.ng. to a creek near the one known as the Blue Nose Creek. A party of men slept on the ground, and commenced pegging Ou. the ciaiuis at daylight, The new ground opened on the previous Monday, known as the Full Moon Claim, was expected to turn out very satisfactorily. —Thames Advertiser.