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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 19, Issue 1445, 3 October 1872, Page 2

The Thames Advertiser, Sept. 27, sa y s ;—"ln connection with a crushing for the Flagship Tribute at Martinson's Little and Good battery, a circumstance has occurred which leads to the conclusion that a quantity of quicksilver has been stolen. There were in all 25 tons put through the mill, and from the show made by it on the plates and the berdans, the manager of the battery expected a yield of two or three ounces to the ton. To his surprise, however, when they came to clean up yesterday morning, it was found that about 901bs of quicksilver out of lOOlbs which had been used in the berdans, had vanished. Luckily the berdans had been roughly cleaned a few days ago, and the amalgam obtained, amounting to some 460z5., was safely placed away. A.s the result of what was left for cleaning up yesterday morning, a further parcel of about 33ozs of amalgam was obtained, and the whole of this was retorted yesterday in the presence of the directors of the company, yielding 22ozs 9dwts of gold. In consequence of the circumstance which had occurred, Mr Martinson had requested the attendance of the directors at the retorting. Information was ghen to the police, but we do not know that there is any clue to the perpetration ot the robbery. Mr Martinson asserts that he has lost fully 901 b« of quicksilver, and as this was known to be in a great degree charged with gold, there is no doubt the loss to the company is considerable. We hope the matter will not be allowed to rest here, but that it will be fully investigated. It would be a good thing to have the thief discovered, and made an example of. It will be seen from our advertising columns that a rewaid of £SO has been offered for information of the robberv."