COROMANDEL NEWS

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume IX, Issue 920, 23 February 1881, Page 2

COROMANDEL NEWS

(From the Coromandel Mail). Mr George McLeod, the successful pioneer of the Tokatea, has taken up a piece of ground at the Tiki, and is sanguine of soon meeting with the precious metal. Lately we have had several critical gentlemen in our midst regarding Tiki with suspicion, until they saw Sheehan’s party knocking out rich golden stone, and Tiernan’s throwing down still richer. On Thursday evening in the presence of Mi’ Wrigley, of Auckland, Tiernan’s took out over 251bs. weight of specimen stone, which would average at the very least half-an-ounce to the pound This party has at least 1 cwt. of such stone, in addition to nearly 2 cwt. more picked stone. A Thames man present while the last lot of specimens were knocked down, expressed his complete faith in the ultimate returns from this locality, and considered the Tiki claims to be on a rich run of gold. Messrs Blair and Boyd have agreed to crush for the Tiki claims at 20s per ton, inclusive of cartage from the mine. One of the first crushings will be for Messrs Harris and Tiernan, who have arranged to put through 100 tons as soon as the battery is ready. The Maories who got the haul of specimens near Major Green’s ground were taking their ease yesterday ; and when asked why they did not go to work, gave the candid reply that they were too lazy. While at it they work with the characteristic impulsiveness of their race ; but the slow process of tunnelling into the bowels of the earth is not the Maoris’ “ forte.” They would rather bask in the sunshine eating pi pis and peaches. The crushing of 1401bs of stone from the Corby (Mellsop’s Tribute) gave the magnificent return of 119 ounces melted gold. The encouraging news received from the managers of the Bismarck and Tokatea companies to the effect that the country in No. 7 level had changed from hard blue rock to white sandstone has caused a considerable enquiry for shales, and a number of small parcels have changed hands during the week. This good work was followed on Tuesday by the Tokotea reef being inter-

sected by the No. 7 tunnel about 70 feet within the Bismarck claim. The face of the tunnel has now advanced to a perpendicular with the old stope in the Bismarck shaft. The water may therefore be expected to drain very soon from the old workings. The Bismarck Company will then be in a position to resume operations and deepen the shaft to the level. The most important discovery yet made on the Tiki Goldfield, is by a man named Vozard, who has been prospecting on Government land beyond the present Tiki workings, in the direction of Castle Rock. He has had two tons of stuff crushed, which gave the magnificent yield of 22ozs. to the ton. The fact that the land on which the discovery has been made is Government land, gives special import to this test, because not only will the field be open on most reasonable terms, but it will give the district a stronger claim on the Government for the immediate construction of roads. There is also space for a large population. Miners may go on prospecting in this direction as far as they choose without fear of disturbance. When prospects are obtained warranting the expense they have only to peg out and apply to the warden for a license, which must be granted at a rental of £3 per acre.