OUR MINES.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3927, 30 July 1881, Page 2

OUR MINES.

Summary of the Week.

The return from the district of Waitekauri, referred to' in last week's issue, has more than come up to expectation, its favorite mine of that name. —the Waitekauri—being the locale of the great strike of the precious metal. Messrs Butler, Goonan and Co., the fortunate tributers, have succeeded in opening out as rich a^patch as we have had occasion to report on for a good while past. On Tuesday evfcujng we were enabled to publish the e*l-K.aordinary return, being 2iosozs lOdwts gold, which, on being melted on Wednesday last, was reduced to 20710zs ]7dwts. The assay by Mr Heron also proved it to be of the exoellent value of £3 Os (id, which was paid for it at the bank, the sum, according to the above figures, totting up to the respectable amount of £6267 6s 6d—not a bad result for 180 tons of stuff and six months' work. We understand they hold the tribute at 15 per cent. Tue stone was not picked, as is the case in a good many instances, but, we hear, was taken as it came from the reef, and sent -to the mill—therefore more remarkable the result, proving the lodo to be one of the richest throughout yet come upon. A. gentleman who knows well the spot says he will not be surprised if the lucky tributers take out IQ.QOOoas out of their block, and yet this district was considered to be " cooked " —to use a mining parlance—a good while ago, the old Waite- ! kauri Company losing heart, and giving up their mine and battery to the mortgagees, instead of " stumping up" a paltry call or two and energetically prosindications were good, having had some pecting the ground. la their case the good crushings, out of which the old company paid one or two dividends, and the inference being that where there was sucti good gold more might be found if prospected spiritedly. The company allowed a fine property to slip out of their hands, and it was left to the almost penniless tributer, after doing a.n untold " pensher" of months and months, to unearth, its hiddeu treasures. The example of dogged perseverance in this instance is worthy of being followed, and would lead in a good many cases, if not to such brilliant results, at least to a satisfactory one to those concerned. Tue above find will give a great impetus to the mining industry in this qnarter.and we hear ground is already being pegged off in close ! proximity to the " strike," and shares are eagerly sought after—in fact, in the I coming spring we shall not be surpised to hear of the district being rushed again, and getting a thorough overhaul. The auriferous belt between Waitekauri, Owharoa and Waihe is now fully established, and we predict that the gold returns from these localities in a few months hence will be heavier than we have had to chronicle fo,r fflany years past. The ri^g of preparation, and the quiet confidence of all who seem to know anything about these localities, betoken the coming of a brighter future than '■some croakers will give credit for. We sincerely hope it will be the ease, as it will redound to the benefit of the district ia more ways than one—settling a large population m the interior, having the Ihaiues as a base of operations to .supply their wants. The next thing that has occupied the attention of those who feel au iutorest

in mining matters during the week has been the great mining " spec " that is about to be undertaken in the Waiotahi Creek, now being nursed and looked after for the promoters by Mr J. W. Walk'r, of the Kuranui. The company will be floated in London, and with the reliable data to go before the English investing public, and with such good authorities to rely on, the venture will be eagerly taken up. If the proposals are carried out, and a railway made to truck the stuff to the numerous batteries on the flat—such as the Caledonian and the great 40 stamper Piako battery—the undertaking will be a grand success. Low grade dirt which will pay to treat in a large scale and systematically, not to mention rich patches that must eventually be come upon in the course of operations, will return satisfactory dividends to investing shareholders. It will be only in tbe way proposed by Mr Walker that the Upper mines far up the creek will be made to pay handsomely. When it is remembered that the famous Clunes Coy., at Ballarat, Victoria, were paying dividends on three pennyweights to the ton —is it not reasonable to suppose we ought to make 6dwts do the same in our case, if only gone into wholesale instead of the sickly piece-meal work of small holders, who find it useless to send their stuff to the mill unless they can get 12 or lodwts to the load. MessraJ Cooper and Beeche (two English gentle-^: men who have visited the Thames) we hear are the prime movers in this matter, and will report in conjunction with.our.. > worthy townsman, Mr Walker. - From the Alburnia manager's, report yesterday, nothing as yet has turned up of any importance in that favorite mine. The various works in progress are being steadily pushed ahead, and any day may improve its stock—as it has repeatedly done before now. In the Moanatairi, we - hear there was a great improvement in the stuff coming to hand, and we are sorry if the directors still adhere to their d3termination to stop work except in the case of tributers of the mine. To-day, it is said, the company cease operations. The effects of the late flood are still manifest, the batteries not being at work for want of water, the Queen of Beauty Company in particular, being a great sufferer, as the pump has been idle ever since, and the water consequently has gained back upon them. However, we hear that a day or so will finish the repairs to the race, and restore the water. In many other parts of the district the floods also have placed impediments in the way of tributers, so consequently our gold returns have been much less than usual In our Ist and 4th pages will be found an interesting article on the Diamond Diggings of South Africa, which may furnish some useful hints to our miners.