Gold Mining in the Transvaal.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 162, 24 July 1886, Page 10

Gold Mining in the Transvaal.

A Rich Country Practically Locked ujpw An old miner who has had extensive ex-, I perience ' on the Thames, the Otago, and; West Coast gold-fields, writes as follows to a friend from De Kaap Goldfielcls, Transt vaal, South Africa. His letter will doubtless? be read with interest by all interested in mining ; — Barberton, 12th May, 1889, I Do Kaap Goldflelds, ; ' • . Transvaal, S. Africa. Disar Friend,— l am in- receipt of yours o£ 22nd January last with a very extensive budget of news of the. old place, which gave me great, pleasure in perusing. As for your remarks on! New Zealand itself, it is undergoing the period!cal check so necessary to lasting, prosperityThis country is suffering in a like degree, and t. think to a greater extent, and with greater frequency than- New Zealand. There is onlyone interest to be considered here, namely, the trading or : ; commercial in terest. There have? been enormb.'.s, fortunes realised here by tha many — far beyond what we hear of in the other, colonies. All whites are traders with the Kaffirs. Any farming that is do-ie here is not? worthy of the name. Industries are not thought of, as every man wants to go home every year' or two. This is a splendid country, weir watered and grass d, but stock of no sort dohero through disease of some sort or other. But there are no remedies applied to combat the. evils which I believe to be curable, Dutch is the language spoken,- and all business is transacted by the Government. This is my second visit to Africa in connection with the goldfields. In '84 I spent fouc. months ; this time I have been six months, and. will.be some months yet. They are very good fields so far as prov.oru We have just finished a crushing of 270 tons*' which will run near eight ounces to tho ton.* But there are a great many things not worth looking at. . • Mining is altogether different here— enormous' rich properties according to vendors' aecotmt ; and they wish the public to participate at once. , In the old fields, 100 miles f rom -here,- which I; went to in 'SI, there was nothing but piird. swindling. Companies were floated of mostly quarter-million up to seven millions ; so theyicould expect nothing else but failure. Where I am now is in 24 degrees north latitude, and about 120 'miles north of Lorens© Marques, a Portuguese possession on the ISasfc Coast of Africa, which is the principal port proceeding here. But it ia only safe to travel from J^une to November— it being very unhealthy in the other months— from this place. • - Barberton altitude, 3,100 feet, is healthy with* care, but a great many deaths take place, I think, as much from the mode of living as anything else, •as a • good ■ many white men live upon maize meal, and consume a good deal of bad spMts. . Thero are very few genuine diggers hero» Kaffir labour, is used in everything, for which they.gdt£l per -month and meal. It is good; labour at tho price when properly directed. The Boers of this country have a way of dealing with natives peculiarly their own. K they fail to pay taxes, a commando is raised at once, which is sent against thenv and alt. their stock of cattle is taken away, sufficient to, pay all trouble, expense, and something more.. If Ipiis had remained a British colony, it would have been a splendid place, with a good future before it. [The governing people, of the country are very ignorant, . and : easily led astray by scheming men, which 1 has nerely ruined tha country;. ■ , • •■ „ ■ If you could give me an account of the" La. Monte process of treating quartz at the -Thames,. I would be exceedingly obliged. "We have to pay.£l a month here, -to government, besides other duties proportionately high. Some think, it is with aview to keep: away, tho .mining classfrom the country, as the -Boers are afraid of too many coming here. . But it is not anything liko ' as rioh as the Thames was in; early -times,' and. has been in operation now oyer.two years. , Mar r ohinery is expensive, and hard to -got on to thei, field. • I ! enjoy' good \healfch if I keep oh the high.' ground aitd away from the sea coast. : : w : ':;' >2 In,^ Russia r it; ianever^askedi', 1 What'sia ss; napie,?H^ it is ; taken for*^r^njtedjtibatlt'fe^ 'th^; ;^ole;alphafceii,^^^f^r^i : '^'^ : i: ~. , ; -i * {?";r;V