THE MAHIKAPAWA GOLDFIELD.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 316, 14 November 1888, Page 6

THE MAHIKAPAWA [Mahakipawa] GOLDFIELD.

Ax old Thames man has just returned from a trip to tho Mahikapawa [Mahakipawa] Goldfields. He went via Picton, that being, in his opinion, the easiest routs. A little steamer took him for a shilling to the Groves, about eight miles from Picton and at the head of Queen Charlotte's Sound. The remainder of the journey to the Held can be done by coach for Is 6cl, so that the whole journey from Picton to the fiekl can be done for 2s 6d. The distance from Queen Charlotte's Sound to Cullenvillo is about five miles. The writer describes tho field as follows : — From the head of Queen Charlotte Sound to the head of Pelorus Sound is only three miles, and is all a flab between the hills. About half-way on this flat you turn to the left up another flat, and this is the lead through which the gold-bearing lead is expected to run. I reached the Held on a Saturday at noon and tound that all work was suspended, and, like the man who knocked oil work to carry bricks, there was the lucky digger (Maori and European) indulging in quoits and skittles, shooting galleries, etc., to hip heart's content. That there is a lot of gold being got there no one can doubt. I was shown several large lumps, the largest being 3oz ; but pieces as big as 260z have been got there. Nearly all the claims at the head of the creek are getting gold. The lead there is narrow and consequently shallow sinking, and may be called the poor man's portion of the field ; but lower down where the riat commences and widens out, little 01 nothing has been done, so that the Hat may be taken as improved. I think that payable gold must be found all down this flat for at least 1^ miles, for the reason that where such coarse gold is got up the creek there must be also gold further down the lead. One party have sunk the shaft 25ft on the flat and weie driven out by water. They are now about to eiect a pumping engine to enable them to bottom. I don't think thisflatwillbe worked until large companies take it in hand, as the sinking will be at least 70 to 100 ft, and the ground will want both timbering and pumping, as the bottom will be only reached at about low water level in the sounds. This flat is the private property of Cullen (a farmer) and others, and a large portion of it is let at a monthly rental per acre. The whole country is pegged off, and two old miners (acquaintances of mine) from the Thames complain bitterly of the way the country is locked up by shepherders, etc. Reefs have been found at the head of the creek, and all sorts of rumours are afloat as to their richness, but from what I can learn nothing has beon done io prove them yet beyond what a Thames miner w ould call a little scratching. I did not visit the reefs, as my time would not permit of it. I believe good reefs will be found, at> I was -hown a 3oz specimen which came from an alluvial claim, and appears as if it had at tome time become debatched from a reef, it was more gold than stone, and this is not exaggeration. Mahikapawa [Mahakipawa] will never be what is known as "a poor man's field '' for the reasons given above, but I believe it will be a good gold field for \ ears. The tow nship Cullen ville is about 600 or 700 in population. The rush is going off, and those who rushed there without any object are returning now to their homes. It is hard to estimate, but) I don't think there are more than 100 getting payable gold ; others aie prospecting and shepherding. The township is what you may call ''all over the shop." Most of the buildings are of a temporary character. Litchfield's general store and Mrs Dicksons hotel (the only one) are the best buildings, namely, rough planks and corrugated non. The widow Dicksons pub is the best gold mine in the district. She only wants €2,000 to sell, and £1.850 of that may be said to be purely goodwill, and has accumulated within four or five months, because the buildings are not woith £150. All the trades are represented there. The Cap and Jacket Variety Company (Miss Amy Vaughan and Co. ), who "' did "' the North a few months ago, are playing to fair houses theie in a chens tent. It you want to do a good turn, advi&e people in the North not to come here, because capital is wanted to work the field, and they would do better to come here 12 months hence than now. The Waikakaho field is similar to the other, but is not of such extent nor i& it so rich. I think almost nothing has been done there yet and the population is very much smaller. The field is situated in a gully and creek on the Blenheim side of the range, just on the ridge of the mountain between the two fields. Many think the Mahikapawa [Mahakipawa] gold came from reefs on the Waikakaho side.