UPPER THAMES GOLDFIELDS.

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 8, 28 July 1883, Page 2

UPPER THAMES GOLDFIELDS.

/ ¥ The following are extracts from/ttie Goldfields Report lately tabled in the House of Representatives : — Karangahake.— -This is a field which promises lo become a good mining district in the future. A large area of ground is taken up on mining claims, and gold is freely seen in the outcrops of the reef, but there haft been very little work done yet in any of the claims. The Thames County Council is at the present time constructing a road, which ia subsidised by Government, to connect the mines with a' small crushing battery at the junction of * the Ohinemuri river and the Whatawhata creek. When this is completed it will enable trial crushings to be made to test the value of the several claims, but before the field can be properly opened- up a larger crushing plant will haye 1 to-be erected, which will entail a large outlay of capital. This yield hangs >in- a$ great measure on the success of We *Tes[A'roha Goldfield. If that turns out according to expectations, there will be no difficulty in obtaining capital to open up the reef in this locality, but, on the other ,hand, if it is a failnre there will be little" prospect of this field being developed for a long timo. Even taking the most favourable view of the matter it will take fully two years before it is known whether this field is a permanent one or not. At Karangahak© a very large number of claims- have been taken up and licenses applied for during the year. Here the prospects of- the various mines on which any work has been done are very good. As at Te Aroha there is a great body of low grade quarts that, AVith cheap carnage "and" crushing, will undoubtedly prove payable. Some small riches leaders have also been opened up. The stone carries a very large percentage of silver ; as much as 300oz -to the ton has been the result of more'lhan one test. The value of the- gold is very low, ±,2 7s per oz. This district, like th,e Aroha, will be but slowly developed, the difficult nature of the country, combined with the large outlay J of snoney required to open the mines, build tramways, "anil erect batteries will all tend to retard its progress. ' I'have no hesitation in saying that I believe this portion of the fielj^wHll in the future afford employment for a large number of men, and prove to be a steady gold producer. I think there can be but little doubt that the reefs are a con r tinuation of those at the, Ah>Ka, and that the intervening country will in .the near future be occupied fforr r mining. Th« battery at present being put into working order will be of use t;> a. portion of the claim" only, the principil claim* I think will require a battery on tire WaitawhSti Oreek to finable them to crush at the Witihi. The year has been wasted through some mistakes h-iving been made in the levels of the watei^race and the consequent loss of power ro the turbine, • The mistake has proved a costly one to th© shareholders, who have been put to great expense in rectifying it. At the present time (May, '83) the battery is at work. The result of last year's work will therefore be to the credit of this year." Having fully described those mines in my previous report; I need yorilyt %oyt add that the very large quantity .rif stone, good water power, and the inexpensive nature of the workings should make even poor grade stuff payable. It is expected that this stone will run at least half an ounce to the ton. Should this portion of the yield prove payable 'and permanent, I anticipate that future prospecting will run the line of reefs ~f fora here to J^e Aroha, and still further in the direction. g£ ranga. The yield of gold l £rom'\€K£hj»rau. continues good, considering the small . number of claims being wojfke^. -„.. The Smile of Fortune Claim still continues to furnish the largest pbi:tion\o£^thev^old now in any part of the- district/ -'..', During the year ended the 31«fc March, , 1883, 56 cases have been disposed* of in the Warden's Court at Te-'Ai-plia ; 11$ . civil and 4z criminal cases in the Resident < Magistrate's Court ; 149 miner's rights have been issued ; 153 claims notified at pegged out ; 53 licensed holdings granted; 37 business licenses^ranted ; 151 business si teB granted ; 217 reside uce sites trr.uii ted; 725 registrations of various kinds el?ee<»d; 3 water-race rights granted.^ -, ,< v -

The. Dubho Despatches v± u They !|U us a certain metropolitan worthy, with \ more money than bruuiß,\who had, ,*fw*Ta\r wonder, the whole Uenoh to hiiuself •fqife T ,>'' mornin£,lookin£ down the sheet Jie;t<ftfdf ' to the attendant .trap.' 'V Gall'^ Kegim* yp Jouos." The bine .called tli« qhso' tSree^; .times, and a., dapper, v evident rearntest ' little fellew oame'up'.to l tlie'te.e;j il Wio are you ?" ssid the'J.P.^ EM please your Worship;" ;Bef ml?"* said .the magisirSte. f Tlie^ 4oiislfbJ^^ ' tempted to explain, but therbeaic ciit^hmi r.f short by ; saying/'' 'You fr called>lfuc|tKr^^ times, he dosien't -axtpear. Jo*^,' : yiu?r©.^ . discharged." ''The^Siyi^feMSiclW^ 1 sergeant carefully enters n\w? oase- :nov: - " The Queen againsi'Sd and - f \