THE WEEK.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2775, 5 January 1878, Page 2

THE WEEK.

I Towards the latter part of the week the | majority of the mines hare started work [and a*e going'ahead the same as before jthe holidays The protection order of the : Warden expired yesterday, but there are a number of small shareholders' and tri^ b.ufce parties who hare not yet completed. : their annual jollification. In consequence of this, as might be supposed; the gold returns are few in number, though the large, yield from the Alburma helps to make a : respectable total for the week. Apropos of the fine yield: from the Alburnia, _it may be mentioned, that it; has enabled the directors to declare a dividend of _6s per share, and, carry the sum of £1300 to the credit of the company besides. The financial position of the mine is good, and the prospects of it yielding well, during the present year are rery.promising. . The prospects of the. Waio-Karaka are, if anything, a little better, as the Queen of Beauty are working, on payable ore, and the. Queen of the May hare resumed operations; while those who .know by experience the benefits of the tributing system, will be glad to see a large portion of the Fiako about to be worked in that manner. Daring the week has been published a summary of the year's'gold returns. It shows the. total to be 128,407 ounoes —a monthly average of 10.7Q0ozs-r-as against 69,807 ounces for 1876, which,is an.increa«e for the year of 58,595 ounoes. It may be mentioned that this is an'in- I crease orer the y«ars '74 and 75, although perhapsnotsogreatasorer '76. The largest monthly return was 28,000 ounces during the month of March, at the period when the Moanatairi was at its best. When these figures are considered, even the veriest grumbler will admit that., the mining industry on the' Thames' has, during.the year 1877, been more successful than in sevoral of- the previous years, while good prospects for 1878, can confidently be looked forward to.