COROMANDEL.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 87, 19 January 1872, Page 3

COROMANDEL.

DESTRUCTIVE BUSH FIRE.—PART OF GOVERNMENT TRAMWAY DESTROYED.—REPORTED BURNING OF STORES AND DWELLINGHOUSES ON THE TOKATEA SADDLE. (from our own correspondent.) Last Saturday, some person set fire to the forest near to the Government tramway, at Coromandel. This smouldered for a few days, but about noon, yesterday, the bush on both sides of the tramway caught fire, resulting in the destruction of two or three sections of the line. The fire was burning so fiercely as to cut of communication between the Upper Township and the claims on the range. A man who came in just before the Challenger left reported that Mr Luck’s store, on the saddle above the Harbour View claim, and several other buildings, bad been destroyed by fire ; also, that the women and children had been oompellcd to take refuge in the drives of the Tokatea mine. The fire is now spreading in a southerly direction, and is likely to do considerable damage to valuable timber and other property in the neighbourhood. We would certainly seriously recommend persons to be cautious in setting fire to bush or fern country at the present time, as the prolonged draught has dried the vegetation so much as to offer every facility for the spread of conflagration. Mr Hudson has purchased a large block of building ground a short way beyond the Church, on the Tiki road. Mr E. Thomas is at Coromandel with a view to a general inspection of flic mines, and intends stopping a week or ten days for the pm pose. Buildings arc being erected in all directions, and Coromandel shows every sign of prosperity and progress. The batteries arc badly supplied with water, and many lots of good mining stuff are held over in consequence. Two batteries are about to be erected on the Kennedy Bay side of the range. Captain Thomas lias leased the New Zealand Battery to the Tokatea GoldmiriiiigCompany, arid has commenced operations for the erection of a battery near to the Green Harp and Neptune Claims, on the beach. The Neptune Company held their general meeting on Monday last, and a very satisfactory report of the mine was laid before lbc shareholders. The present directors are Messrs Gibbons,.T.Maekay, J. Douglas, Wallace, and Regan. Several tons of quartz are now awaiting crushing at the Nil Desperandum Battery, which arc expected to yield from two to three ounces to the ton, which will place this claim in a prominent position, as the reef is four feet wide, and the facilities for working are not exceeded by any claim on the goldfield. The directors have had a mining survey made of their claim, and the result is satisfactory, the reef having been traced right through the whole lease. A low level was commenced to-day. The Green Harp continues to get out good stuff ; and the Wynyardton claims are getting gold in considerable quantities. Fity tons from the Golcondah are reported to have yielded 7Goz. of gold.