THE NORTH.

Hawke's Bay Weekly Times, Volume 2, Issue 82, 27 July 1868, Page 179

THE NORTH.

We extract the following from late Auckland files:

The newSjfrora the gold-fields continues of the same encouraging character which we have for some time had to note. In the Thames Advertiser, of the 11th July, we find that “Kelly’s Claim, Moanataiari crushed 7561 b, of specimen stone taken out of their claim at the Kuranui Company’s one-stainper machine, on Thursday, and the result was a yield of 4320 z. sdwt. retorted gold. The gold was deposited in one lump, as it was taken out of tho retort, at the Union Bank yesterday. This claim will crush nearly 130 tons of quartz, from which the above was taken, in a few weeks’ time.”

The s s. Ahuriri arrived at the Manukau on the 11th inst., without with about 60 diggers, mostly from Otago, and many more were expected to arrive in the Airedale and Wellington. The fact of diggers coming up from Otago shows that.a widespread interest is beginning to be felt in the Thames gold-fields, which, it is surmised, will ultimately lead to numbers.of diggers coming from every part of the Australian colonies.

The Daily Southern Cross, 13th July» states that at Kennedy’s Bay several parties were at work, and obtaining from £3 to £4 per week, and that some very encouraging samples had been discovered. With reference-to Mercury Bay, the same paper states that satisfactory results have attended the prospecting in that district, and the gold is said to be of a superior quality to that obtained at Kennedy’s Bay. Prospecting is also going on at Wairoa; several : auriferous specimens have been discovered, but nothing of a payable character.

With' reference to the recent exceedingly rich find on Hunt’s claim, the Southern Cross has the following : —“ The steamer Halcyon left for the Thames yesterday, having been chartered by Mr Hunt, in the absence of any steamers proceeding thither on Saturday. We understand that Mr Hunt was desirous of being present at an extensive crushing, which wa3 to commence at 12 o’clock this morning, of quartz obr taiued from his claim. We need ha;dli say that considerable interest is manifested in the result when the yield during the next twelve months is anticipated to amount to 15cwt of gold, of the approximate value of £57,480.” The Southern Cross says: —“An important meeting of settlers of the Port Albert district was held on Monday, the 29th ultimo, for the purpose of considering the desirability of e. tablishing local self-government for the out-districts. Over forty of the principal settlers of the district were present, and a memorial to the General Government, praying that provincial institutions may be abolished, and that local self-government for the out-districts may be substituted for them, was read and adopted.” Speaking of the great scarcity nf coals at Auckland, the Southern Cross remarks : “ There is at present a great scarcity of coal in the harbor, so much so that it can hardly bo got for the steamers plying to the Thames. With difficulty 40 tons were got for the Rangatira from the Lorenzo Sabiue, and the sailing of th.e steamer was delayed, owing partly to the fact that the men refused to work at the coaling unless they were paid extra. We hope that the Bay of Islands Coal Company will be able soon to put a sufficient supply in the market to prevent inconvenience to steamers, and to save us from importing from Australia.” The state of the poll for the election of a member to represent the district of Franklin in the House of Representatives was to have been declared at noon on the 13th inst. Mr Swan, of Shortland, was expected to be the chosen one.

The woman Margaret Clark, or Reynolds was brought before the Police Court on the 11th inst., and on the testimony of two medical gentleman, ordered to be confined in the Lunatic Asylum, as a person of -unsound mind, and liable to become dangerous to herself and others.