THE BATTERY.

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 34, 26 January 1884, Page 2

THE BATTERY.

Til X roar of stampers i^as yet unheard at Yv'aiorongomai, but the 12 bordans arc grinding away, four each for the New Find, Premier, and Colonist. The tailings are shaping as well as ever. The enlargement of the battery for the ii«jw berduns has boon completed and the berdans will shortly bo in position. If arrangements can bo made for working* the tramway crushing will in all probability be resumed next week. The tailings question is still in a l< status quo ;" wo think the battery owners and the mine directors would be consuming their respective interests by agreeing to a general charge covering the crushing and treatment of the tailings. Tenders will be opened to-day for the erection of the tailings plant and the tailings flume. The battery proprietors provide the timber, the tenders being for labor only. The building will be 80ft x 40ft, with lb' foot stud, and roofed with iron. The plant when complete will comprise four lows of berdans, 17 in a row — (58. Only two rows, that is 34 berdans, will be placed for tho present. The motive power will be supplied by a hurdy-gurdy turbine similar to that in use at Bull's battery, Thames. This will ba worked by the water from the battery tail-race. The tailings will be sluiced from the battery to the tailing plant and deposited in pits between tiie berdans. It i.s estimated that 5 sluice-lnvids will be sufficient to work the berdaus, but 15 sluice-heads are available.

Murders by South Sea Islanders continue to be reported from Queensland. One of tl.ein recently attacked u boy wilh un axe and nearly s>«\eivd hit> bend from bis bodj'