Te Aroha AND Ohinemuri News AND UPPER THAMES ADVOCATE.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 418, 9 November 1889, Page 2

Te Aroha AND Ohinemuri News AND UPPER THAMES ADVOCATE.

' Thia above all — to thine own eolf bo true, And it must follow as the nighb the day Thou canst not then be false to any man.' Shaicespkark.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1839.

As will bo scoa by reference to another column, the smelting furnace at Waiorongomai, in connection with the Te Aroha Silver and Gold Mining Company's reduction works, has been, for a time ab least, shut down ; the Company's Manager, Mr John Tlowoll, and the Company's asssiyer. Mr J, G. Poagc, have left on their return to Australia, a large number of men have been discharged, and work in connection with the Company will for the present only be carried on in a comparatively small way, pending further instructions from the directors, whose hi'ad quarters are at Melbourne. Naturally much interest is evinced, more especially locally, as to what the upshot will be. There can be no doubt whatever that the results, so far, have been disappointing to the Company, on account of the scarcity of payable ore at present available. The ' croakers ' say the thing is a failure, of course adding force to their stUements by the customary " 1 knew it would bo so from the start." On the other hand there are not wanting sanguine ones amongst us who hold totally different views, and maintain the comparative stoppage is only temporary, and that woikwill shortly be proceeded with on a very large scale indeed. As a matter of fact both (hose statements aiemere surmises on the part of those who utter them. Nothing is, or can be, definitely known a3 yet with respect to (he future operalions of the Company, as the directors themselves have not yet decided upon

what course of action they will adopt ♦ but it will not be lon^ before the matter will be settled. Respecting the probable future operations of the Company, therefore, we can at present afford no definite information. The fact of tho matter is simp I}'1 }' this : Mining operations cannot be carried on by the Company satisfactorily, and on the large scale that was intended by this Company when they erected their red notion works, under existing eitcumstances, owing to an adequate supply of payable ore not being at present available. Again, the present system of transporting the quartz from the mines to the works, by means of the County tramway, is found far too expensive, both from actual cost of working the line by the system of self-acting grades, horse grades, etc , and also the cost of keeping the lino in repair ; whilst a great deal of handling is now unavoidable th.it under a different system could be dispensed with. Further, tho present tramway, even when worked up to its greatest capacity, is not capable of trailsportirg more than about half the |uantity of ore lhat the reduction works are equal to treating ; and tho WaiolMncfomai ores not being rich, makes it all the more necessary that large quantities be dealt with ; quantify being essential seeing richness in quality is wanting. The old system of working the mines by means of shoit crosscuts, tunnels, shoots, and branch tramlines, is too costly for the quantity of ore obtained. To satisfactorily rectify these matters involves a big question, would necessitate tho expenditure of a very large sum of money, and occupy a considerable time. Wo vmdei stand after making the necessary suiveys, and giving the matter great consideration, Mr llowell has expressed the opinion that to work the Waiorongomai goldfiold to the greatest advantage, and obtain lar^o supplies of quaitz at tho lowest possible ratp, it would be necessary to construct a main low level tunnel, from some point adjacent to the present battery, or s.iy at a depth of some 1,500 feet from the suiface. By this means all the existing known inns of gold (anl no doubt many runs of gold as yet unearthed), could be worked to a depth of from 1,200 Toot to 1,000 feet, at less than one half the cost per ton, at which ore can bo obtained nu lor the present costly system by gtound tramway, etc, and it is needless to a id in vastly mci eased quantities. It is scarcely nccossaiy to point out that w?re the cost of production greatly reduced, large quantities of low gra ie ore, that at present will not p,iy for sending down for tmatmcnf, could then be tieated at a profU. Wo are fully warranted in seating that, from the developments in t':c property so far, and the investigations made, thoie is good reason to assume that valuable bodies of ore would bo inteis^cfed at the depths indiiated. An 1, as a matter of fact, it is well-known th.it for several years (prior to their taking possession ), the Now Find portion of the Company's propeity produced a steady supply of ore of excellent quality. It is only fair to add, however, that the most valuable shoots of ore opened up in this mine ha 1 boon pretty thoroughly exhausted at the time the property was disposed of to the present owners, as was unfoitunately only too cleaily proved by subsequent woiking. With a Kir«?e main low level tuuiifl constructed, such at that suggested by Mr llowell, va?t quantities of ore could be broken out and trucked to the Batteiy at, as already stated, one half the present cost per ton jwhilj-tthoi'xistingßattery (of sixty stampers and twenty Fi no concentratoi s , is capable of ciushing and concentrating fully 100 tons of ore per day ; and only requires the attendance of two men and three boys p<r shift when al work. The constiuction of a main low level tunnel, such as that referred to, would be a big ntnlei taking for any company, involve tho expenditure of a very largo sum of money, and require pro bably at least a couple of years to complete, even with the aid of rock drills, as the distance to bo driven before arriving i\ J u a point underneath the existing known main shoots of ore, would bo about 10,000 feet ; although of course largo bodius of payable ore would probably be met with, and could be werked upon, long before the full distance referred to had been driven. We are not in a position to say what the estimated cost of tho work would be, we presume, however, by the time the tramway was laid down and equipped, and everything completed, it would amount to fully £40,000. We trust tho Company will decide to carry out this work, believing as we do it would lead to tho discorery of very valuable lodes,which there are goo 1 grounds for believing exist atlowerlevelSjbut which have not (anl never will be) nuoarthed by mere surface scratching (the lowest level having been only surk to thedopthofabout 400 feet), which is all that has ever yet been done on the field. Mr llowell, and also Mr P.uton (Manager of the Broken Hill Proprietory Company's mine, during his recent visit to To Aroha), have remarked upon tho exceptional natural facilities for cheap mining which exist at Waiorongomai and Te Aroha, from the elevationof the reefs. In thegroat majority of mining districts, the cost of raising the ore to the surface is a very heavy item ; Lut here no snch expenditure would be necessary. By means of a large low level tunnel, such as that referred to above, the cost of breaking down the ore and conveying in to the Battery would be reduced to a minimum. These gentlemen have also remark cl on the splendid natural facilities for mining which are present, with respect to fche .abundant water supply ; coal, wood, lime stone flux, etc., also being obtainable in any desired quantity, at cheap rates.

In another article, wo to day, refer nt soma longth to Llie Te Aroh.i S. an J G. M. Company's reduction works; ami the present position of affairs in connection therewith. No more complete combined reduction works are to be found South of the Line. The portion of tho plant erected by the Company since they purchased tho property, containing the latest improvements in gold ami silver saving appliances, has alone cost between £25,000 and .£30,000. The present plant is capable of treating gold, silver, lcail, and copper ores, both free milling and refractory. The erection of these reduction works is a mnttor of no mere local interest, but is of immense importance to the whole Colony. That knotty problem, " How best to deal with our refractory ores," has at length been satisfactorily solved, and ores of tho most difficult nature to treat, and ores altogether beyond the scope of any plant, previously erected in the Colony have at those works yielded to tho improved methods of treatment there in operation, as high as from 75 to 80 per cent of the fire assay value of most refractory ores being saved without smelting, and with smelting as high as 99 per con*-. The importance of having reduction works such as these in operation in New Zeal.md — not mere experimental test plants, but capable of treniing as much as 100 tons of qu n-fcji per day — cannot bo over estimated ; not alone proving a great boon to the locality in which they are situated, but to tho Colony as a whole, providing a ready money market for a1!a 1 ! ores, from wherever sent. Not only have the Company referred to erected a plant capable of treating all classes of ore, but they havo also demonstrated the valuo of concentrating ores, respecting which so much absurd prejudice exists on New Zealand goldfields. By this simple and cheap method of treatment, ores on any goltKiold, not amenable to ordinary battery treatment, can be reduced to almost any extent desired, and in their condensed form prove a most valuable product for disposal and treatment at reduction works such as we now refer to. And th*rc can bo no question if there is to be that revival in the mining industry in New Zealand we all wish to see brought about, old time prejulices will have to give way for t'.io introduction of machinery and appliances the result of modem scientific discoveries. Tn most other mining countries such a revolution has already taken place, and why has not such been the case in New Zealand also. The question is one of Cfieat moment, and deceives the most caieful con-Heration of the Government, and it is also to the interest of eveiy business man that sivh a backward state of affui'3 with rc^.ird to tho gold mining industry of New Zealand, should not continue Concentrating has many advantages to recommend its adoption wherever practicable. The necessary plant ig not expensive either as regards first cost, or when in operation. It can be attached and worked in connection with any ordinary stamper battery ; and the concentrates disposed of at central reductions works, such as those now established at Waiorongomai. The advantages to be gained by the adoption of such a course ouyht surely be patent to every unprejudiced person. And yet a jjreat and unaccountable dislike apparently exists, Lo make an}' depaituro frora the old method of treatment. We believe we are correct in stating that tho Manager of the Te Aroha S. and G. Mining Co. has on several occasions when at Thames, pointed out to mine managers and others there, tho many and great advantages derivable from concentrating, in fact offered to send a couple of concentrators to tho Thames I'or a time and supei intend their erection, so as to practically demonstrate the benefits derivable from their use ; but his offer was not accepted, so strongly rooted are old time prejudices against what some arc pleased to term " new fangled n )tions." It is a matter tho Mines Department should take in hand without delay. And referring to the Mines Department and the duties of Government, in connection with the developing oE tho gold mining industry of New Zealand, we are decidedly of opinion that, should the Te Aroha S. and G. Mining Company determine not to carry on the tunnel scheme (referred to iv another article in our columns to-day), and suspend operations, it will certainly be the duty of Government to make such arrangements as will provide against the works being removed or closed down. We believe as it became more widely known that at those works there was a cash market for all classes of refractory ores, conccntrnte3,etc, refractory or otherwise, ore would be forthcoming iv steadily increasing quantities from all parts of New Zealand, and probably from Australia also ; as it is a fact that neither in New South Wales or Sydney is there a combination reduction works where all descriptions of ore can bo disrosed of for cash and successfully treated. Whilst the distance to bo travelled would be no barrier, as ore coulJ be shipped from almost any port along the coast of New South Wales direct to Onehuuga and railed to Te- Aroha, for less money than it would cost to convey it to any general reduction works in Australia, So far tho Government have practically done nothing to encourage tho proprietors of the existing plant at Waiorongomai. These gentlemen have, in the most enterprising manner, alone and unaided, on the strength of representations made to them, invested (between the purchase'of tho mines and i old plant, and the erection of reduction! works) some £50,000, to £60,000 in the short space of about a year and a half,

in connection with mining industry of New Zealand. Ifc may not bo too late yet, however, for Government to come forward, and, in a practical way, show they recognise tho very valuable assistance those gentlemen have rendered in ihe development of the mining industry. Of course, until the line of action they intend to pursue in connection with their mining property at^ Waiorongomai lias been decided upon and made public, it would perhaps be premature to suggest in what way Government could best aid them in their efforts ; but there are various ways in which Government could render them very valuable assistance, and in so doing materially advance the mining industry of the Colony. The importance of testing the extent and richness of the Te ±V.roh a gold field, by means of a main "low level tunnel, such as that projected by tho Company referred to, can scarcely be Gver estimated. Should the expectations ("based on investigations already made) with respect to the value of the reefs at lower levels be realised, it would givo an impetus to mining generally, that would be felt far and wide. A mining property worked to its full capacity by men imbued with the enterprising spirit evinced by the proprietors of the Te Aroha S. and G. Mining Company, wonld give steady employment to a very large number of hands, create a large railway traffic, provide a ready maikct for produce of all descriptions, and benefit all classes. "When it is borne in mind the amount of money that has been spent by Government at the Thames, and on many other gold fields in the ColoHy in connection with tho mining industry, it is not too much to expect that such assistance, as might reasonably be asked, will be forthcoming, if sought lor. We hear agieat deal about Protection, and the developing of the natural resources of New Zealand from tho pro?'ont Government, and in the matter referred to wo trust they will bo con sistent, for it would be nothing short of a public calamity, and astanding disgrace to the Government, if, tt. rough lack of any assistance fiey could give, the reduction works at Waiorongo'nai were to he finally closed down, dismantled, and the plant sent out of the Colony.