PUHIPUHI SILVER FIELD.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 458, 29 March 1890, Page 5

PUHIPUHI SILVER FIELD.

SEVEN FOOT LODE STRUCK. PROSPECTORS' CLAIM JUMPED. PROPOSED ROAD TO PUHIPUHL (“Northern Advocate.”) The adjourned meeting of the Puhipulii Prospecting Association took place at the office of the Secretary (Geo. Clark Walker) on Friday evening, 14th inst., Mr James Harrison in the chair. About 20 members were present, and a number were represented by proxy. After some discussion, it was agreed to form the Association into a company (limited) of 55,360 contributing shares £1 each, which means that the present interests of shareholders are to be multiplied by 20. The following directors were elected to act provisionally for the Company in conjunction with a legal manager to be appointed by them, who is to have his office, and therefore the office of the Company, in Auckland :—Messrs W. A. Carruth, W. E. Barton, J. Rolleston, H. R. Cooke, and J. Harrison. Mr C. Easterbrook Smith (manager of the mine) reported that the winze on No. 3 silver lode was down to a depth of 41 feet, and that the stone at the bottom was remarkably good. More men are now being put on and work is being pushed forward.

NO. 2 COMPANY. Mr N. Cleary, manager of No. 2 Company, stripped a seven foot silver-bearing lode on Wednesday, and Mr H. R. Holman brought in some of the ore to the Secretary, Mr W. B. Buckhurst. This lode is supposed to be the Prospectors’ richest reef. JUMPING OPERATIONS. On Saturday last the Prospectors’ Claim was jumped by two parties, who pegged off 30 aCres each of it. One of the “jumpers ” is Mr Henry Collins, of Hukerenui, lather of one of the original prospectors. He has a grievance against the Prospectors, the basis of which is that he was originally promised a share in the concern. This claim is resisted and repudiated by the-majority of those interested. It has not yet transpired who is at the head of the other jumping party. Their contention is that as the Government did not reserve to the Prospectors’ party any ground for a special claim they acted illegally in pegging off a larger area than 30 acres, and consequently laid themselves opened to be jumped. We understand that Mr Steadman has been retained to conduct the case for the jumpers in the Warden’s Court, and that Mr Carruth will act for the Prospectors. Collins, with grim irony, has named his claim “The Retribution.” FURTHER LITIGATION is also promised. The Comstock and Caberfeigh companies, whose ground overlaps, have not been able to settle terms of amalgamation, and the hatchet has been dug up again. Moreover, the luminary Company have pegged off a portion, if not the whole, of No. 3 Company’s ground on the Wairiki Stream, and the contest for this coveted 30-acre section will be fought out in the Warden’s Court by Mr Carruth on behalf of the No. 3, and Mr J. R. Reed, of Kawakawa, on behalf of the Luminary Company. The Ophir Silver Star, Nancy and Kamo also overlap, but the Kamo claim precedence over the others. WORKING BEE. The urgency of the need for a direct and convenient road into Puhipuhi which will thoroughly open the entire field, is so generally felt in Whangarei and contiguous districts, and the difficulty of moving a slothful Government to action in the matter so universally recognised,that the people have resolved to take time by the forelock, and by their own exertions and means carve out a route which will afford, at any rate, means of access during the coming winter. Ac cordingly, a Working Bee has been projected to make the road. Persons willing to assist—and who will not be ia a matter of such direct public benefit ?—may either directly contribute their labour or their cash, while further means of contribution will be afforded in the form of two concerts, the first of which takes place in Whangarei on Wednesday evening next, and the second in Kamo a week later. A PRIVATE ROAD,

M»‘ Ghas. Cowan has had a road cut at his own expense from Helena Bay to the Masthead, at which latter place he has established a store. Mr Cowan had a gang of seven men on this work and had nine miles of road to clear. The Government will not have cause in the future co tell our people to rely on a policy of self-reliance. EXPERT FROM SIDNEY.

Mr H. R. Cooke, of the Prospectors’ Association, has been informed by private wire from Auckland that an ex pert is coming over from Sydney to inspect their mine. He may probably arrive to-day or Wednesday next. A letter has also been received from Messrs Lockwood and Chappel.of Sydney, with reference to a new j: rocess of treating quartz which they have patented. They claim to be able with a plant which could be erected at a cost of about £6OO to reduce the stone for pan amalgamation in such a way that 85 per Cent of the silver could be saved and 99 odd per cent of gold. They had seen sotnfe samples of Puhipuhi quartz in Sydney, recognised theirriahnessandfeltcorifidentsuch stuff could be effectively reduced by their plant! No action has as yet been taken in referenbe to this letter. The patentees offer to treat some of the stone at a no'minal charge if a parcel is sent to’them. ; Thfe prospectors’ now' waht to fcnbw what they tvould have to pay ‘additional’foi‘ pan amalgamation, ' :, ' ,t »•* ' 1 ' -