PUHIPUHI SILVER FIELD

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 465, 23 April 1890, Page 6

PUHIPUHI SILVER FIELD

PROGRESS OF THE AIR-LINE ROUTE. FIVE MORE SURVEYS COMPLETED. (“Northern Advocate.”) Mr D. C. Wilson (County Council engineer), who started early last week to cut the air-line route to Puhipuhi for which the people of Whangarei county find the money, returned to the township on Saturday last on a flying visit. He reports that the work of cutting the road is progressing very satisfactorily indeed, and that both European and Maori settlers and miners are cheerfully helping it on. Four miles of it have already been cut, and a further extent of two miles has been explored and blazed ready for cutting. On Monday week, the 31st ult , a party of eight Maoris started cutting the road from the turn off at Eru Nehua's, and in 2-£ days cut two miles of it. The distance is shortened by fully six miles, and the road will remain as one of the most important public works dono in the county for many years past. There is no doubt whatever that it will be the recognised means of access to the Puhipuhi, and in winter time, when other routes are flooded, it will be simply invaluable. From the Wairiki it follows the same range by an easy grade right up to the table-land upon which the Prospectors’ and other mines are situated. The Kamo Company intend to cut a branch track from their mine to junction with it. The entire distance from the turn - oil from the Main North Road at Eru Nehua’s to tho Prospectors’ mine will only be nine miles, and it is expected to be fully completed in less than a fortnight from Monday last. As an instance of the esprit do corps with which the work has been taken up on all sides, it may be stated that one of the settlers who gave his labour came from so far afield as Maungatapere. Owing to the non-arrival of Wednesday’s steamer with the Warden, the Warden’s Court fixed for that day could not be held, and the Registrar therefore telegraphed to Auckland, suggesting the expediency of postponing till the 24th the cases which had been fixed for the 9th. The Warden replied, approving of the suggestion and the, postponement has been made accordingly. Good progress has been made with the surveys of the various licensed holdings which abut upon the Prospectors’ mine. Mr Andrew Wilson has now completed the surveys of the Kamo, Ophir and Christey’s. The last mentioned holding overlaps some six acres of the Ophir Co., while the Kamo Co.’s ground is uncontested. Mr Lindsay Jackson has similarly laid off the No. 2 Co.’s mine and theTupono, both of which are undisputed and he is now at work upon No. 3 Co. at the Waiiiki. Further inspiriting news is to hand from the Prospectors’ mine and from No. 2 Co., on its northern boundary. The Prospectors have now carried their low level drive to a point at which they have cut No. 3 reef (their richest lode), where ic was a width of seven feet and shows silver right through the body of the stone. One of" the working shareholders is willing to wager that not a pound of the stone can be taken out that does not show silver. N 0.2 Company have now opened up three lodes, one of which has the splendid width of 12 feet, and carries the silver right through. The stone is so soft that it can be shovelled out. The reefs in the Prospectors’ and No. 2 Co.’s mines have a general trend of 10 points either west or east of north, and therefore should strike right through the Taumatahinau block. On Thursday, Mr J. Morrison received intelligence from the Thames School of Mines that a small parcel of stone, which he had broken from the cap of the seven foot lone in the No. 2 Company’s ground, had yielded an assay at the rate of 194 oz of silver to the ton, which is at the value of £3O per ton. If the mere cap of tho lode produces such a handsome result the inner body of stone may be safely reckoned on to turn out at least twice as rich. The parcel sent to the School of Mines presented the precious metal in the forma of ruby silver and silver glance. Mr J. P. Tucker, who returned from Puhipuhi early this week, informs us that at the Prospectors’ claim work is proceeding very satisfactorily. The adit level which is being put in to cut the No. 3 silver lode (under the winze). had been driven 95 feet, at which point a large lode was struck. At the time of Mr Tucker’s visit, the lode had been cut into 7 feet, but had not been penetrated. This lode was showing silver right through from wall to wall, and appeared to be of a rich character. A large new reef has also been opened up above the big blue reef. The ore from this lode also shows silver of a rich character, similar in appearance to that got from the winze on No. 3 lode. ... , , The Waipu people have cut in for a deal at Puhipuhi. ' They formed a company of 20 £5 shares and the requisite £IOO was immediately subscribed, and Messrs Sutherland and McMillan (two old Thames miners) were sent out to prospect . for ground. They have located a good, piece and application will be made for it in due course. Dr. Montaine is one of the shareholders and Mr Brooks (the Waipu Central schoolmaster) is the secretary.