THE THAMES GOLDFIELD

Southland Times, Issue 1081, 30 December 1868, Page 3

THE THAMES GOLDFIELD

(From the ' Thames Advertiser,' Dec. 16.) Between thirty and forty men were at work yesterday repairing the road up the Moanataiari Creek, as far as the Dawn of Hope Claim. Tliis is a work that was very much wanted, as the reads were perfectly impassable. The whole of the mining operations in this district, with few exceptions, are confined to two spurs, the Prospectors' spur and Perseverance spur. The party working the Prospectors' Claim are busily employed putting in a drive from their lowest level to cut the fine reef which is exposed overhead, and from which such flne prospects, have been taken. The next claim to the Prosspectors' is the Alliance Claim, in which the same reef is also opened. Some splendid prospects have been got — a dishful, beaten up with the head of a pick, yields about four dwts. of coarse, rich gold. .A shaft is puPdown in one part of the claim to a depth of fifty-two feet, in which two leaders are carried down, from both of which excellent prospects have been obtained. Next in order on the same spur is the Queen of the South Claim. A fine leader was cut yesterday in a slaft ; the leader is only four inches thick, and some good prospects have already been obtained. The Merry Bank and the Bengal Claims have amalgamated for the purpose of thoroughly working their ground. One leader about a foot thick, and in which color has been seen, has already been cut in a shaft which is sunk to a depth of 30 feet on the boundary of the Mariner's Eeet Claim. The West Coast Claim still continues to get out some very rich stone. We have been shown nearly lewt. of specimens taken out of a leader ; some were very rich. Altogether, about 15 tons of stone have already-baen.. taken out of it. The shareholders of the Lucky Hit Claim have made arrangements for the delivery of 11 head of stampers from the foundry of Messrs Langlands and Co., of Melbourne, by the 15th .pf February next, and another contract "has been accepted for the erection of the same on the ground. ; The Monarch Claim took out a parcel of superior looking stone yesterday, and ifc is intended to eruch 5 tons at GKbbons's machine in a week or two, -which will have to be packed from the claim. Shaves in this promising claim have risei from £80 to £150 within a few weeks, owing to the sepcimen stone taken out of the ground. The shareholders of the Young American Claim took out between 70 and 801 b. weight of specimens from their leader yesterday forenoon, and on Friday last took out a block of stone as large as a bucket, in which great patches of gold were visible. This is, perhaps, the largest specimen yet .taken out of any claim on the Thames. We have been informed that £1,500 has been refused for an equal half share in this claim. Another leader was opened yesterday in the Long Drive Claim, which will pay \ well following although it is v a small one. j