STARTING OF THE BATTERY COMPANY'S BATTERY.

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 22, 3 November 1883, Page 2

STARTING OF THE BATTERY COMPANY'S BATTERY.

On Thursday ltv^t at 4.40 p.m, the first stamper fell on Werahiko quartz; before 5. o'clock the whole battery of 40 stampers was in full swing, working udmiiably. From time to time descriptions of 'the battery and tramway have appeared in the columns of this and other pupers, which renders it unnecessary, nt the present time- to give detailed particulars. We will endeavor. to give a short resume of the enormous works now in perfect working ordor. In the month of October, 1881, Hone Werahiko (the native prospector) discovered the Waiorongomai goldfield, lying at the back of the Aroha township, and distant about 3£ miles by the tiack to the Premier miue, the furthest Company nuw working on the field. At the time of the first discovery there were Ho tracks or roads, and it was a common thing when any one wished to visit the mine, to see them start out with three days provision tied on their back, having to camp out under the log of a tree for the night, using a large ptone for a pillow, and branches of trees for nhelter. Thanks to the hindMinir' and libenl trcitmunt of the Pisiko Count)' Council uti«i the Minister for Mm $s, ti-dny we h.ive good tracks and a tramway for the conveyance of qu irtz uu-quulled this aide of the line Having discovered the q »!d, tlio puoplu soon iound that was not all, a little something «'No whs required, before the (|ii irtz could be m-ide to return a profit ; that litre something clmj was capital to develope the roef>. Fortune Heutned tohiniie on u-*, a very few months elansed before cjpitalist«< in the tangible firm of Messrs Firth antl Clark ai rived on the Kcene. Tli n the-© gentlemen* th«»r ugh busin a knowledge and shrowdn^s, w.re not long in coding a legitiunitc! and proiitable investment ior theii loose cash. Anan&emontB Wt-re immediately entered into with the leading companies on the field, whereby the mines secured oru^hin^ power, and the energetic and plucky^ investors, aecurred a fair and reasonable interest in the large and auriferous reef's of thiK goldfield. Messrs Price Bros, of the Thames, tender for the erection of a 40 stamp mill was accepted, and within a few months fro the date of acceptance Aroha was entitled without fear of contradiction, to boast of one of the most complete and substantial batteries in the Australasian Colonies, fittod as it is with all the latest improvements and labour saving machinery, including self -feed era, and driven by water, po.ver/ The races for supplying the water for thd battery b^ing arc four miles in length, and cost about JE7OOO. The total cost of this magnificent plant, m-, eluding water-races, amounts in all to £20,00 i). Whil»< private capital was <ng.iged io the o.non^ou.i outlay above leirerred to, the Piako County Council, with the liberal assistance of tne Government, were constructing a tramway, a distal 1 ue of nearly three milpa, including fchrea »(ifacting grades, 1«B, 22, and 14 chai^a ?spectively, through a rough, mountains us, J thickly-wooded, and precipitous cow cry, the tot.il cost of which is £17,000. The tramway was planned and laid off b/ Mr JaB. Stewait, lato Government Engineer, tha contractors for the earthworks were Messrs Foughy and Darrow. Owing to pressure of business engagements, Mr Stewart was compelled to hand in his resignation, which was accepted by the County. Mr H. H. Adams was appointed to complete the line ; here it is only fair to giv« credit whore cieJit id due, in saying Mr Adiuns has done all that moital man can do, labouring under givat difficulties and diaadvautugjw, to complete tho worka, we are ouly doing our duty. The works tiro now complete, and reflect tiie greatest credit on Messrs Stewart and Adam*. The above undertaking is all in thorough working ontar, 300 tons of quartz in the-, hoppers, from five different claims, forty truck " loa-la of quartz being conveyed daily ovtfi the lin;; without any difficulty,

a battery capable of crushing forty truck load** in 24 hours, lar^o and highly? auriferous loads, easily quarried, the' confidence of capitalists and mining in veatorn, with the Rummer all before us, should make tho Upper Tlu&ncH Valloy tho m >*?t froHpercus district in New Zealand, and recoup the large outlay that has been bo pluckily and perseveringly invested from time to time.