THE CENTRAL GOLDFIELD.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3790, 19 February 1881, Page 2

THE CENTRAL GOLDFIELD.

At various times during the past decade, vague rumours have reached the denizens of the more civilised portions of the colony regarding the existence of rich deposits of gold in the central portion of the north Island, between tLe Te Aroha mountaiu and the source of the Waugaaui river. Stories have been told of pakehaMaories enduring untold-of hardships and dangers while in quest of the precious metal in these iiax-clad solitudes peopled only by natives, with primitive fear and distrust of the . white race. Several are said to have t'ouud gold in quantities and quite recently a story went the rounds of the colonial press concerning the discovery of a man named Moffat, who was reported to have a small crushing battery at work in the primeval waste of Tuhua, a district in the Upper Wanganui, and there is a native residing here who was informed by Moffat he had got gold in the Mokau river south of Kawhia. Messrs Cookson, (now at the Thames), Buckland and others have also been prospecting, and though but little is known of the result of their travels, enough has leaked out to ,lead to the assumption that gold exists. " J iSdigfeWerahiko, the prospector of the Aroha, and who has travelled over the island from one end to the other informs us that Tuhua has every appearance of being a goldfield. Quartz reefs are to be met with in every direction. He was not able to prospect owing to the espionage of the natives. Thoroughly impressed with the idea of the existence of gold, he quite recently made the following proposal to the Eingites—That he should be | allowed to prospect the district, and in return would instruct the natives in the art of mining for gold. Should he discover anything, he would require the services of two white men to work a battery. The proposal was very favorably entertained by a large section^of the Hauhaus, and Werehiko has been invited to attend the great Maori meeting at Hikurangi to be held next month, when his proposal will come under discussion, aud no doubt be decided on, "Hone is one of the shrewdest aud most intelligent natives we have ever came across, and y in addition, is a first class prospector, combiniug with the necessary knowledge, indomitable pluck and endurance. We feel certain if "Johnny "has his request granted, that he will render a good account of himself. Tuhua is but a days' journey from Taupo, but the country is very mountainous. <