THE THAMES GOLDFIELD. A RETROSPECTIVE GLANCE. (Written specially for the Aroha and Ohinemuri News.) [Continued from last issue.]

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 284, 25 July 1888, Page 2

THE THAMES GOLDFIELD. A RETROSPECTIVE GLANCE. (Written specially for the Aroha and Ohinemuri News.) [Continued from last issue.]

Thames, July 14. After the excitement regarding Hunt'? rich Find had subsided, good yields of gold came to hand from several mines, but nothing of a very startling nature. Some agitation for a series of tramways for the conveyance of quartz from the mines to the batteries had been carried ! on, and as a result the Moanatairi tramway was constructed by tho Provincial Government, and opened for traffic on the 17th of June, 1809 ; but, strange to say, with all the repoitod thousands of tons of low grade quartz which were to be transferred to the batteries by its aid, only a few claimholders availed themselves of the lino — in fact, for tl c first three months only 733 tons of quartz were sent down by it. The advantag3s and cheapness of the tramway system were soon discovered, however, by the miners, and the construction of the Waiotahi and Tararu tramways soon followed ; the cost of these lines, including the Moanatairi, being estimated at about £84,000. They were worked by Government — the Tararu till C'th July, 1870, and tha Warotahi until 24th April, 1871, when they were leased, which was found to enable their being more advantageously woiked than under tho old system. But about this time, when mining matters wer-y somewhat depressed, the lich gold btrfore alluded to was struck in the Manukau mine, which was then a private claim ; and the same shot of gold was soon intersected by the Golden Crown Co,, iit a depth of about 100 ft from the top of the hill, or some 50ft above high water mark, the first crushing yielding an average of 50ozs per ton. The iuh of gold assumed a more defined appearance than in the Mannkau, and the richest portion of the reef lay in a block about 70ft in depth by -10ft in width. At some 50ft below low water mark the shot of gold broke, and all tiaces of it were lost for a time ; but it had not run out, though from some cause or other it had jumped -lOt't to the noithward. From this lon el it was followed on the underlie a further depth of 45ft to the boundary of (ho Cale lonian Co., and carried rich gold tluoughout, the average at this point being fiom 11 to 12ozs per ton. As the result of the splendid returns then obtained, this com pany — the Golden Crown — paid a total of .£200,000 in dividends in one year. Towards the end of iB6O the same lich run of gold Nvas discovered in the everfamous Caledonian mine, at a distance of about 15ft from the Golden Crown boundary, and at a greater depth of 30ft, or at a level of some 80ft below high water mark. Then commenced the most exciting era in connection with this goldfield ; and thosii then resident here will ever remember the intense excitement which prevailed — -when dividends at the rate of £1 per share a day were paid to shareholders for some time. For the two years ending 3 1st July, 1572, dividends amounting to £198 per share had been dishibuted, making the total sum disbursed for thatpeiiod £5159,710, though fuithergocd dividends wore paid for some time afterwards. But, as I have said, the gold was met with 15ft from the Golden Ciown boundaiy : and although the first crushings were not so good as those which followed, tlu'y were really handsome. The golden belt was only about 15ft in "nidth, but about 90ft below high water mailc the shot of gold widened out, and covered a space 30ft in width, and it Was here that the richest golden srone ever known was found. At a depth of 170 ft below the sea level the quartz again became somewhat poor and all trace of tho rich' deposit which had been so long followed, was lost, while watei also seriously impeded operat : ons. During the month of January, 1872, it was calculated that 0832 tons of quart 7, were crushed f0i11,8650z gold, while in February the returns amounted t030,7490z gold fioin 7074 tons of quartz ; but in March of the same year, 879 tons of quartz yielded the enormous return of 45,2000z gold* The following are some of tho best returns So far as I have been able to ascertain from newspaper files of those days :— BO tons, 509Gozs gold ;80 tons 77790zs ; 115 tons, 09,5GGozs. I think j that from this your readers will be able to form an idea of the immense richness of this mine, the principal gold from which was obtained from the No. 1 reef and the specimen leader No. 1 Quartz was scarcely visible in the reef, which was almost solid gold in places. But I shall Hot wdary your rdade\s with a lengthy and detailed account of the operations then carried on in the mine, suffice it to say that the largest fortnightly yield was 25,0000zs geld, and the greatest dividend for a similar perod, £27. The amount of quartz put through the battery wag considerable, the company employing as many as 70 head of stampers* Shares rose quickly, until on the 15th June, 1871, they reached £175, and on the 2 1st 'June were sold as high as £212, but on the 28th they began to fall in price, and on tho 10th July were at £110, from Ihich figure they gradually receded. This will give some idea of the richness of tho mine, which can be better imagined than described. (To he continued*)