The Te Aroha Goldfield.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3694, 27 October 1880, Page 2

The Te Aroha Goldfield.

Mr Warden Kenrick and Mr Land Purchase Commissioner G. T. Wilkimon, and staff returned to town last evening from Te Aroha, to which place they pro* ceeded on Saturday last for the purpose of making arrangements with the native owners of the land in the vicinity of the reported goldfield. On Monday morning Mr Kenrick visited the prospectors claim accompanied by Mr Wilkinson, Hone and Mr Porter, Hone acting aa guide. In the first hole into the hill the party were shown a leader tix inches thick in which no gold was visible. The lower drive was then visited, but no gold was Been there either. Neither of these cuttings are any distance into the hill. Hone informed the Warden that he had seen gold in the leader, and subsequently showed him a stone showing auriferous specks. Mr Kenrick found surface stones showing gold, and he brought down about 201bs weight with him. He is of opinion that payable leaders will be discovered in the hill, but nothing yet discovered can justify a rush. A parcel of quartz from Hone leader will be tried today. Mr Kenrick concludes his report, of which the above is an abstract, as follows:-—As at present it is not possible to protect miners outside the goldfield in claims, the only remedy for the enforced idleness of the men on the ground would appear to be to throw the field open under the Ooldmining Districts' Act. The miners themselves, at a meeting they held, gave this as their opinion. The only fear is that if this is done undue .expectation's may be raised. I can only reiterate my opinion that there is sufficient known to encourage prospecting and that those who go there must go with that intention only. Should the Government decide to throw the ground open, ample notice will be publicly given of their intention, and of the date fixed for the opening. Miners' rights will also be issued prior to the opening, so that all may start equal. Notice has already been given that the Government will not recognise any lease or agreement entered into with the natives. No rights or claims, in fact, will be recognised except those of the prospectors, and, at present, Hone Wharekino and party are the. only claimants in that capacity. . CBUSHING THE STONE. ■ ' The cwt. of stone brought down by Messrs McGuire and Moore for a test was crushed at the Herald battery this morning. It was simply pounded fine in the one stamper and afterwards treated with silver in the berdans. Mr A. Porter has in his possession, the best stone we have seen from the Te Aroha, one or two of the specimens showing very large patches of gold. The stones, however, have evidently been on the surface of the ground for years, and are such as might be picked in any of the creeks on this goldfield. Later. As we were going to press, Mr McGuire informs us that the return from the test will not be to hand till late this evening. A large return is not anticipated as none of the stone crushed showed gold. The news by the Memsahib which reached here this afternoon from Te Aroha is that several bucketfuls of surface stone was picked up yesterday, all showing gold.