MINING MEETING.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 27, 29 July 1871, Page 6

MINING MEETING.

A meeting of the Raker’s Hill Goldmining Company was held on Monday night last at Donnecker’s Hotel at eight o’clock, Mr Baird in the chair. In explanation of the charge that the last meeting was an ill-conducted one the chairman said he was sorry to say that the charge was true. He, of course, was responsible to some extent lor the conduct of the meeting and he wished to say that the circumstances which gave rise to what took place were exceptional and unavoidable. After the reading of the minutes of the last meeting, the chairman stated that in compliance with the resolution passed at the last meeting Messrs Plimmer, Cooper, Bennett, and himself had waited on the directors of the Quartz Crushing Company at Makara, for the purpose of endeavoring to come to terms for the purchase of their machine, and as the result of their interview, he read to the meeting the proposal made by Mr Toxward on behalf of that company, which stated that they would sell the

machine for £4OO cash, the machine to bo delivered at Makara ; or for £SOO, on the following terms :—£275 cash ; two bills for £75, one payable at three, and the other at six months; and 100 paid up shares in the Baker’s Hill Company. The consideration of this matter was delayed, and the Chairman then said that as the previous, meeting of the company was adjourned for the purpose of testing five tons of stuff to give an idea of the company’s prospects, the directors had sent that quantity to Makara to be crushed. After some considerable difficulty the crushing commenced on Monday, and finished on Thursday. He was sorry to say that the result was very unsatisfactory the amalgam only weighing about half an ounce, the retorted gold Lorn which was an almost infinitestimal quantity. To what cause to attribute the unfavorable result he did nob know, but as there were several shareholders in the room who were present when the stuff was being put through the machine he would like them to state to the meeting what their opinions were. The meeting came fully prepared to hear some report from Mr Haynes, under whose superintendence the crashing <Dok place, but he was not present, nor was there any explanation of his absence. These were points he would leave to the meeting to discuss. Mr Bennett said he went out to Makara at the request of the directors to be present at the cleaning up of the crushing. He arrived early iu the morning, but found that Haynes had commenced cleaning up- He (Mr Bennett) did part of the washing, but considered the method adopted by Haynes anything but right.. The ripples were lined with copper, and it was almost impossible to get the quicksilver out of the ripples. Another thing he had never seen done before was cleaning up with brushes. After all this cleaning up was finished he got a small quantity of stuff, and put it through the chamois leather, taking the amalgam home with some quicksilver. After the crushing of the five tons he thought the gold had escaped, and he therefore took home a quantity of amalgam, but the result of his retorting was very small in one case, and in another he got nothing more than the color. Mr Bennett said his belief was that the gold had escaped with the tailings. Mr Shaw, who went out to see the crushing, said he noticed that the pitch of the sluice boxes was not sufficiently clear, and that they were not working well, but he certainly saw gold in the first ripples, and also lying along the scoop. Mr Baird said it appeared to be very plain, from what had been stated to the meeting, that the crushing bad been improperly conducted, and he was not at all surprised at the result. A desultory discussion then took place on the question whether it would be advisable to pass the stuff through the sluice boxes again, but from the opinion expressed by some of the shareholders, the present whereabouts of the tailings did not seem very clear, some of the shareholders being of opinion that they had not been taken care of, and had been washed away. The discussion of this matter, was dropped after a general expression of opinion anything but flattering to Mr Hayues, one member charitably suggesting that he might have intentionally produced such an unfavorable result for the purpose of buying up the shares of the company. However, it seemed pretty clear from what transpired at the meeting, that some tampering with the machine had taken place during the crushing, Mr Cooper stating that Haynes had found a quantity of quicksilver all over the boxes one morning. A shareholder said he went out to the claim early, one morning, and noticed a similar circumstance. He asked Mr Haynes how that was, and he said some one must have been there during the night. However, as the Secretary of the Company had requested Mr Haynes to send in a written report of the crashing, and he had not done so,, his conduct was not at all satisfactory to the meeting. Mr Sidey asked if the directors were prepared to recommend the purchase of any machinery. Mr Baird said the directors had discussed the matter, but it would be necessary to dispose of shares for the purpose of carrying on the works, as he was quite confident as to the value of the claim. Mr I. Plimmer suggested that the shares held in reserve should be offered to the present shareholders at £2 10s each. He thought if they offered the Quartz Crushing Company something like £3OO for their machine on bills it would be accepted. Ultimately a motion was passed that the reserve shares held by the company be sold to present shareholders at £2 10s each, the time during which they would have power to purchase being subject to what arrangements the directors may make with Mr Mills for the purchase of the machine, he having seized for money owing. The meeting then broke up, the Chairman announcing that the next meeting would be called by advertisement as soon as an arrangement for the purchase of the machine or otherwise was come to.