The Reported Gold Discovery at Hellyer's Creek. Auckland, May 12.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 154, 15 May 1886, Page 4

The Reported Gold Discovery at Hellyers Creek. Auckland, May 12.

Some twelve months ago we published an account of the discovery of gold in cement or sandstone at Hellyers Creek, and there were several subsequent references to the efforts that were made to test it. Some of the stuff was sent from this office to Mr J. A. Pond, provincial analyst, who stated that gold in minute quantities is very commonly found in the Waitemata, as well as over a large part of Waikato, but! he did not believe that the find was of commercial value. Mineis who visited the district nearly all ridiculed the idea that it was gold-bearing. Mr Simes, the owner of the land on which the seam of this gold bearing sandstone 300 or 400 feet thick is found, still believed that, judging from the return which is made to pay in the South, the Hellyers Creek deposits might be worked with a profit. He sent a small sample to Dr. Hector, who declared it unpayable. He has, however, Isince had a number of assays made, whioh yielded on an average about ioz. to the ton, while Mr. Malfroy, of Boss, who is experienced in cement workings, says thathalf a penny weight to the ton could be made pay. Three miners, Messrs Shakspeare, Wright, and Brown, have thought the prospects good enough to take up ground, and are tunnelling in the sandstone. They sent about four tons to the Onehunga Smelting Works, which failed to give any return, but the proprietors attribute the failure to a defect in the treatment. They are now taking out several tons of stuff to send , to the Thames. Some attempt seems to have been made during ( the last week or two to stir up a little excitement over the discovery, as if it were a new thing. There is no ground whatever for this. The samples takon out now will test the find, and until then it would be most unwise to venture upon any speculations in connection with the find. The geological formation of the district is such that miners visiting it have declared it unlikely to prove a payable goldfield. This however, Mr Sunos believes to be due to their want of acquaintance with cement working. Anyone familiar with' the occurrence of gold in cement, and the manner of working it, may be interested and profited by a visit lo Hellyers Creek, and will be doing a public service by plaoing his experii enqe at the disposal of the prospectors. -