THE MAHAKIPAWA GOLDFIELDS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1808, 27 October 1888, Page 3

THE MAHAKIPAWA GOLDFIELDS.

A Tuapeka miner, just returned from the Mahakipawa diggings, supplies the Tuapeka Times with some notes of his experience of the field. He advises all intending to go to the field to Btay at home, and says:—" All likely and indeed a very large acreage of unlikely—ground is pegged out, both on the flat and up the creek; but it is only in the creek claims gold is being found, and there not in very large quantities, It is all quartz gold, and, though a good bit of work has been done on the flat, no alluvial metal haß been found. The creek claims are fully manned, and a quantity of stone is being stacked; but with all the talk of big findu, nuggets, and what not, I have the best assurance that even in the very best claims, taking them all round, the men have not averaged more than 50s a week for all the work they have done—and they have done a good deal. Some say the Maoris are getting gold, but no more than they can drink. The difficulty of getting at and working the creek claims is very great and trying, and if they do not turn out much better than they i are at present the greatest number of them will be abandoned before many weeks have elapsed. There is no doubting that there is good gold at Mahakipawa, but it is limited quantities, and considering its inaccessible- ! ness, I doubt very much if it will ever pay the present mode of working. It ia in no sense a poor man's diggings. Two or three companies may take up the creek claims, and with the assistance of plenty capital, unlimited enterprise and perseverance, make it pay dividends." He states that his party, composed of Otago miners, tried both the tecaces and the flat, but, meeting with no encouragement, left the field. ■