INTER-PROVINCIAL.

Southland Times, Issue 1173, 29 November 1869, Page 3

INTER-PROVINCIAL.

The Wellington quirtz has turned out auriferous after all. The following letter in reference to it has been received from Auckland : — " I have had, in accordance with my promise, the three samples of quartz from Makara tested by Mr Spencer, analytical chemist, Grahams* town. I was informed by parties conversant with such matters that to have the samples crushed at any battery would be no test at all, as sufficient care is not used to remove all remains of previous crushings, and that there is always some gold remaining. I can vouch for the care and skill used in this case. Mr Spencer informs me that gold is found in each sample, but not in payable quantities. The following is the result of the analysis : — Upper Drive, 1 dwt 4 grs per ton ; Lower Drive, 2dwt 8 grs per ton ; Lower Shaft, 3dwt 13grs per ton. I think the result proving that it is a gold-bearing quartz should encourage the shareholders to more carefully examine the leaders and reefs, as judging from what I see at the Thames, rich leaders may be cut and not; noticed, especially by parties not thor mghly conversant with quartz mining. As I was leaving Grahamstown on Saturday, I met the assistant who had performed the operation of crushing", &c, and he told me the return from crushing of the upper drive quartz was* over ten pennyweights to the ton. I cannot understand the dis crepancy between the verbal report of the assistant and the written one of Mr Spencer. I will, however, go to the Thames again to elucidate the matter." Information has since been received that the assistant was in error in stating that ten pennyweights were obtained from the crushing in the upper drive, and that the first statement was strictly correct. The following item of gold news is also from Wellington: — Among the many parties) burrowing for gold at Terawiti we learn today, on what we believe to be indisputable authority, that gold in quartz has been struck by the Berkshire claimworkers at a depth of seventy feet. Specimens have been brought up to town containing gold, and the proprietors of the claim are sanguine as to the auriferous character of the reef on which they have struck.

There is no item of special importance from Hawke's Bay. The following is the latest information about Te Kooti : — The story told about Te Kooti being shot in the pah at Mohaka is not altogether fiction. He was fired at, as described, but the bullet passed through his clothes. When he landed first, he was attended by 162 men, escapees from the Chatham Islands. Of that number 91 have been killed, or died of their wounds, leaving ouly 72 of the prisoners alive. Unfortunately, the greatest scoundrels seem to have e^ciped. Tamihana Teketeke, the murderer of Hartnett at Waitangi ; Mike, of Tongoio ; Tahau, one of the murdei-ers of Major Biggs ; and Baker, the half caste, being still alive, and ready for any devilment. A few Uriweras remain with Te Kooti, but all other tribes have left him, and his followers are not supposed to exceed 100 altogether. They are believed to be at Waipapa, near the Wanganui river. The statement that Te Kooti lost two fingers and a thumb in the last engagement is verified ; and it is also stated, on the authority of Te Hell Heu, that he has in his possession a gold watch, part of the plunder taken from the house of Major Biggs. The following is signifi t. cin — Among other signs of the footing we are gradually obtaining in the centre of the island, we learn that arrangements have been made by the G-overnment agent for the building of two large whale boats at Tokano, to be used on the Taupo Lake, for assisting in the transport of food, and, if necessary, for conveying the forces from one part of thejLake district to another. The arrival in Napier of the first prepared flax in quantity is thus chronicled : We are happy to have to announce the first arrival in Napier of flax, manufactured in the district. Yesterday a load arrived from the mills of Messrs Nelson. We doubt not it will quickly be followed by many other loads, and that this is but the dawn of a new and brighter era for the province. The alleged discovery of gold-bearing qnartz at Kaimanawa is not borne out. Dr Hector has reported, in reference to the specimens lately brought in by the exploring parties fitted out from Wanganui, to the effect that there is no trace of gold to be found in them. The overseer of the party sent^out by the directors of the Hawke's B.iy Gold Miuing Company thus reports uader date Nov. 3.—" We have prospected the Tararua thoroughly, without finding any indication of gold. We have now moved camp to the source of the Rangitikei, where we find the primitive rocks take a favorable change."