HAUBAKI GOLD-FIELDS.
[FROM OTJE OWN CORRESPONDENT.]
Building is still going on, although perhapß not quite so briskly as a few weeks ago. Carpenters appear to be fully employed. Ordinary laborers and miners are in quite sufficient supply to meet the demand, and conse quently wages are a shade lower in some instances than a month ago. Then, men talked of an advance in pay, and in some instances left their billets on refusal; now, men are plenty, employment not so. Our export has been miserably small for the two quarters now past,—ridiculously so in comparison with the glowing accounts aiven in the Auckland and Shortland press. An export short of 10,000ozs. per month for the past six months does not prove that this is an average paying field. Ten months ago I expressed an opinion that we ought to, and should export 20,0000z5. per month throughout the year. That was a moderate estimate, much below what the provincial press had predicted; but unless the current quarter yields considerably more than any previous one we shall fall a long way short of that amount. Why is this ? Firstly, the famous Shotover claim has not been yielding much the six months; secondly, the Golden Crown has like wise not swelled the returns so much as on some former occasions ; lastly, a very large amount of ground is lying idle, and several of the batteries ditto. The Long Drive has taken the lead the last two months, the yield from it being, I believe over 6,0000zs in that time. The Qolden Crown Company have, however, got a mill of their own at work now, with twenty stampers, so it is probable there will be some gold got from thence during the current quarter. As I have frequently stated, the number of claims that are really paying is but very small. Company floating has had its day, and run its course. It has done a deal of harm more ways than one. So many bubbles have been blown that one effect will be to render it extremely difficult for a company with a bona fide goud prospect to raise any capital in the most legitimate manner, by obtaining help and cash from the public. Scrip in even the best claims is very difficult of sale, and in the in ferior or unproved ones it is not marketable at any price. Shotover scrip can be bought at about one-eighth oi its original nominal price, (and may possibly be dear enough at that, as that represents a rate of about <£7,000 for each original share); and Long Drives at half what they were saleable at two months ago. Some of the " purchasers of three months" ago must have burnt their fingers to a fiue tune. Golden Crown's scrip (nominally .£1,000) has been quoted as sold at .£1,700. If that was a bona fide sale, the buyer had no lack of courage, as the claim will have to yield over ,£330,000 worth of gold, say nearly 140,0000z5, before the plucky buyer will receive his own again,
The existing leasing regulations are doing a great injury, in locking U p hundreds of acres, there being no prac, tical compulsory working. New arrivals cannot find vacant ground, while hundreds of acres are lying unworked. There has been somewhat of a rush to the Goromandel district, or rather to the watershed range dividing the Goromandel and Kennedy's Bay dis. tricts. Some discoveries in the ridge have caused the rush. Hundreds of men crossed the same ridge to and from the Kennedy's Bay district in 1868, your correspondent among the num. ber; and the track had been well known and frequented by people con, nected with the timber stations fop several years past; so that the very ground on which the prospectors' claim, is situated was well known. The Maori name of that part of the range is "Tokatea."
The Superintendency election is causing no little excitement. Messrs Williamson and Gillies are now the only candidates, and there is likely to be a close contest. With regard to Mr Ellis, who has retired, I would say that he had no chauce, although the, most fluent speaker of the three original candidates^—viz , Williamson, Pollen, and Ellis. If he would offer his services as a provincial or general legislator I would wish him success; and then the public would have an op. portunity of proving and rightly vain. ing his abilities, which they have not had hitherto.
There has been again some talk of opening up Ohinemud, as was the casa at this time last year, and probably the immediate result will be, as then, postponement. That event may, how : ever, come at any time, when the lords of the soil take that notion. Until then all attempts to induce them ara. in my opinion useless —-or, worse s likely to retard it. Mr James Mackay, once the idol of the whole field, and especially of the whole press, has lately been the suta ject of considerable (and unfavorable) comment both bere and in Auckland. The real explanation of this is to be found in the fact that he has taken an active part on Dr. Pollen's committeeand as the press of the Province (witU but one exception) is favorable to the re election of the present Superinten-. dent, any man who is prominent in opposition is at once a marked man, at whom any fellow may cast dirt. As I have on previous occasions given uiy opinion of Mr Mackay, it is unnecessary to do it again at length ; but when I could have pointed out errors in his conduct, the press was closed against vne (practically if not nominally), as I have reason to believe not one journal in the Province would allow (at thai; time) any unfavorable criticism on hi in to see the light; so now that he is out of Government employ I may say that while I disapproved of his actions in s, few instances, I know of no Government official here who has done his duty so well and so faithfully on the whole ; and a friendly criticism on his errors or mistakes when he was the popular man would have been both to, his and the public advantage. Hence I cannot sympathise with or approve the conduct oX the journals that now abuse him.
One thing that occurred in this Province some time ago I have never yet seen alluded to in print, viz., the receipt of an anonymous letter containing a caution or yarning (by inference a threat) by Mr J, C. Firth after he had publicly challenged the conduct of the Superintendent at the banquet here on last St. Patrick's day. In my opinion the public interest would have been served by the immediate publication of the letter, rather than by its supression. Where is our boasted freedom of speech if &. man who opposes disaffection and disloyalty is immediately threatened with violence and outrage ? Similarly, at a meeting here a fortnight ago, a man got up to ask a question of Mr Wil* liamson, and before he could put it, one of Mr W.'s supporters hit straight out at him! After all, the question when put was easily answered, and could not have done Mr W. any political injury; but after that exhibition,: no other person attempted to ask any] questions. All the journals but onftf omitted that part of the play, and asi serted that the resolution of confidence! was carried unanimously, whereas J| heard several calls to the chairman m put the negative, which he did not {tyj
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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 14, Issue 732, 4 November 1869, Page 2
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1,267HAUBAKI GOLD-FIELDS. Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 14, Issue 732, 4 November 1869, Page 2
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