AUCKLAND.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 32, 2 September 1871, Page 2

AUCKLAND.

MINING AJSD NATIVE NEWS." By the arrival of the s.s. Wanganui, from Manukau via Wanganui, we have Auckland files to the 9olh inst., from which we make the following extracts: — COKOMASDEL. The Coromandel correspondent of the "Herald," writing on the 24th, reports as foilows : The crushing for the Tokatea, at the New Zealand and Whakaroa battery, was completed yesterday, _ and has resulted in the splendid yield of 3750 ounces of gold from 349 tons of stone. This is the best crushing which has yet taken place from this mine ; but the next has every appearance of being still better, as every day a considerable quantity of specimens are taken out, and some of them very rich. The men are on gold the whole length of the leader, and the permanence of the mine seems now to be placed beyond a doubt.

The crushing for the Conquering Hero, at the Nil Desperandum, gave the very handsome return of ozs. of gold from 6£ tons of stone, or nearly 4 ozs. to the ton, and this exclusive of a few very rich specimens, which were not crushed. A company has now taken up this ground, and men are at work taking out more stone from the present drive ; but as soon as directors can be elected, it is intended to erect machinery on the ground, and sink on the present run of gold, and there is no doubt but that large dividends may be anticipated from this mine, which has now been worked a long time, and has paid the shareholders well. The " Herald" remarks :—Those who have perused our Coromandel correspondent's letters of late cannot fail to have been impressed with a conviction that the field, concerning which he writes, is fast assuming an importance which can no longer be denied to it. The magnificent result of the Tokatea crushing, as detailed in our correspondent's letter of to-day, will astonish many who have rather been inclined to point the finger of distrust and scorn at Coromandel, as a district which has failed in its promises. It has now become perfectly and undeniably evident that Coromandel, like the Thames field but a very short time since, only requires machinery and capital to rival the Thames in its results. A district which can boast of a mine turning out 3750 ounces of gold from 349 tons of stone is surely worthy of the attention of our capitalists. THE LONG DRIVE COMPANY. The annual meeting of this company, which has lately been little heard of, was held on the 24th inst., when the following report from the mine manager was read :—" During the past twelve months 3,170 tons have been raised and crushed, for a yield of 8,476 ozs. 8 dwts. retorted gold, being an average of 2 ozs. 18 dwts. 11 grs. per ton. The yield for the past two months has not been up to the former average, but a great deal of prospecting work has been done lately in the south end of the mine, where a strong cross-leader has been met and opened up, showing gold on various levels. On this and also on the Duke's leader, below the beach level, I feel confident of having profitable work for several months. With the view of opening up a new block on the Long Drive rich specimen leader, I have lately ascertained that with our present gear we shall be able to keep the water under. I propose, therefore, to have this work done at once, and confidently look forward to a repetition of our former results." The directors, in their report, say : " Although the returns of the past year have not been as large as the year previous, the directors see no cause to believe that plenty of payable ground does not remain. The working of the mine has been retarded by difficulties that are only just now being surmounted." THE CALEDONIAN AND MOANATAIRI. A Grnhamstown telegram in the " Herald" of the 25th, gives the following report of these and other claims : II a.m.—The Moanatairi have taken oui 1 cwt. of specimens since my last despatch. No 9 reef shows gold in all the stopes over 100 ,feet long. The Nonpariel have taken out 801bs of specimens during the night, with 130 ounces of hard amalgam for one day's run with ten heads. 9 p.m.—The body of stone in the Caledonian, cut about

six feet to S.E. of the chamber, appears to be a large body of bard white chrystalised quartz. • What it is, no one definitely knows, but as for its being the main reef it is hardly possible, as the latter should be forty feet in the opposite direction. It may be the specimen leader, which is gradually widening out as sunk upon, or some lode heretofore unseen in the mine. The Poverty and Charleston crushing is not looking so well as usual. The Twenty. third of June have broken through with the air shaft, and the good specimens are being taken from the old leader. The Moanatairi have another fine lot of specimens this afternoon. THE ALLEGED MURDER AT OHINEMURI. Mr Puckey, native agent, and Mr Sub Inspector Bullen returned from Ohinemuri, whither they had gone to investigate the statements that had been made as to the murder of a native woman. It appears from the statement of Te Whanau, the husband of the deceased Matonu, that when the latter returned to his hut about sundown, he found his wife crouching by the fire, terribly cut on the face, head, neck, and shoulders. So"me of the wounds were long cuts as if by a sharp implement; other wounds are described as being round, and of such a form that it is difficult to think of any weapon which could have caused them. When asked who had inflicted the wounds, the deceased replied that she did not know; that the only person she had seen was a boy named Heta, who had come to fetchsomegum belonging to Te Hauhau. Some time after, she was sitting at the door, looking into the hut, putting gum in a basket, and whilst in that position she was struck from behind. She lingered all that night, and died next morning. Both Heta and Te Whanau declare that they were never near deceased's hut, and their statements are borne out by other natives. The whole affair is very mysterious. It is difficult to conceive that deceased could not see the person who struck her so many blows, when she was able to come from the door to the fireplace, and sit down for so long. On the other hand, it is difficult to believe that the wounds were inflicted by deceased herself.—" Advertiser," August 24.