TELEGRAMS.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume III, Issue 257, 20 March 1875, Page 2

TELEGRAMS.

♦ OIIINEMURI. (Per Star Carrier Pigeon.) MACKAYTOWN. March 15. A large crowd went with Thorpe and party to their claim on Saturday afternoon, aud there was very nearly a row. They demanded of Thorpe to show gold. There was great excitement, the spectators increasing every moment- Stuff was raised out of the water and washed for the prospectors, but there was not much to show for it. The prospectors said that when they got the reef they would show gold, but the diggers W’antedan immediate show. A crowd collected round Thorpe and shouted and gesticulated in an excited manner. Thorpe took high ground and told them that the claim was his, and that they ha< no right on it, and if they did not clear off he would get fifty Maoris aud drive them off. This most imprudent speech roused their passions and incensed the disappointed diggers, who shook Thorpe and threatened him. Sub-Inspector Newell with a small force arrived on the spot in time to prevent a serious row. A largo number of miners have left the district. In Thorpe and party’s No. 2 claim, on the north side of the creek, a fair show of gold has been obtained. The prospectors at Kurangahake are putting in a tunnel to tap the water from the reef, and expect to be in by Wednesday. They are very sanguine. Mr. Wright, the surveyor, has inspected the coal seam here. There arc two seams overlying each other, fifty feet apart. The lower seam is 18 inches thick, and dips to the south at one foot in four. The other seam is from three to four feet thick. Wright and party built a fire of the coal found. It burned with a strong heat, and left very little ash. The largest seam is best in quality. They sunk a hole four feet deep and six feet long, from which they took out coal in largo lumps. Mi- Wright’s opinion is that it is the finest class of coal ever found in the North Island. Wright and Bayldon have commenced to survey a block of a mile square. The coal is only three miles from Paeroa. In the creek near to the coal was found shale, assimilating to kerosine shale, and on the surface of the water a little oil was found floating. It burned with a slight flame.