THE AUCKLAND GOLDFIELDS

Tuapeka Times, Volume I, Issue 27, 15 August 1868, Page 3

THE AUCKLAND GOLDFIELDS

(From the " Southern Cross," August 1.)

Hunt's new battery, "The Goldfinder," was started on July 20, about noon, and fully realised the expectations of its owners with regard to its working capabilities. Owing, however, to the small supply of water on the ground, it was found that, for the present, only four out of the twelve head of stampers could be used at once. After crushing for a short time, the amalgam was found to form so fast that the next set of four stampers were thus used alternately, as it was found impossible to keep one set continually going on account of the enormous quantity of amalgam which was deposited. At eisfht o'clock this morning the whole battery was cleaned up, and the extraordinary yield of 1,5000z. of retorted gold was the result of the first crushing in this battery, the time taken to crush the stone producing this rich yield being only sixteen hours. The stuff passed through consisted of specimens ' mixed with vie ordinary kind of stone. It is estimated that by the end of the week the proceeds of the crushing will exceed 5,0000z. It is in contemplation to sink the well to double its depth, in order to ensure a Tegular supply of water, as it is the want of tßis valuable element which forms the only drawback* everything else connected with the machinery giving perfect satisfaction. The battery consists of three tables, with four head of stampers to each table. The- stampers' weigh 6301 b. each, and have a lift of ten inches. The recent crushing of Tookey r s quartz at Goodall's battery fully realised the most sanguine expectations. The result turned out to be 4joz., giving 81oz. for the eighteen tons of stuff passed tlirough the battery. The Golden Crown, late Williamson's, has also turned out remarkably rich. The weight of amalgam from the plates above, after little more than eight hours' crushing, amounted to 201 b. There are yet fifteen tons to go through, besides 2cwt. to 3cwt. of specimens. The name of this claim is very appropriate ; it is one of the richest on the ground, and shares will, consequently, reach a high figure.

Mr. Hunt came up to Auckland on June 25, from the Thames, and lodged 5,2070z. of gold in the Union Bank, as part of the result of one week's crushing. Besides this there yet remain over 2,0000z., which have been retorted, but required to be smelted — so that the total yield of Hunt's claim from .one week's crushing is between 7,000 and B,oooozs. Mr. Hunt may now safely congratulate himself upon having won his bet of LIOO, that the yield of gold from the claim would be 10,000oz. within one month from the commencement of crushing * operations. As the quartz in the claim can be got out with sufficient rapidity to keep the machine going, the yield must prove amazingly large, and 20,0000z. is more likely to be the result of the month's crushing than the number wagered. The Golden Crown Claim is expected to turn out over l,ooooz. from sixteen tons of stone, and a large number of other claims are yielding splendid returns. When the requirements of the Thames goldfield in the way of machinery have been adequately supplie I, and the extensive network of known auriferous quartz veins has been developed — not to speak of the discoveries made day by day, and the probability of numerous others being met with — the returns from the Auckland goldfields must astonish the civilised world. The Duke of Edinburgh also brought up a parcel containing 400oz.

Mr. Hunt, who came up from Shortland by tho s.s. Duke of Edinburgh on July 30, brought up eight ingots, estimated to contain about 3,5000z. of gold ; thus, together with the 7,2070z. already received, bringing the total quantity of gold produced from Hunt's claim- during less than a fortnight to 10,7070z. A Mr. Jones who also came up in the Tauranga, brought up about l,ooooz. Both parcels Tvere lodged in the Union Bank.

A small sample of likely-looking quartz, containing a speck of gold, wat shown to us"on Thursday, July % said to have bean brought to town by au influential native from the Lower Wairoa, Tamaki. . . -, , !~' On -July I **" war were shown two speci- ! men* of- golden quart*, J which, without exception, were the very richest wo have yet seen from that district. In the largest specimen, weighing perhaps three ounoes, there cannot be leas than two ounces of gold— indeed we. $tmk ire ire qoder ths wuk. a&es •*•

put it down at this. There ii a vein of gold about half-an-inch wido tunning through it, which looks like a gold bar; and there are also two or three smaller veins equally rich. The smaller specimen weighed about two ounces, and contained fully an ounce and a-half of gold. A sample of tuartz was brought down to Shortland from Puriri on July 7, from tho Golden Crown Reef, to be tested. The assay return given by tho Union Bank was 4oz. 13dwt. to the ton.

We were shown on July 6 a beautiful specimen of golden quartz by Alfred •Buckland, Esq., which was received by Joseph Banks, Esq., from a party at Whangape, Hokianga. That the specimen was genuine, we can vouch, it being — although but a small on« — thickly Studded with gold of a very superior character — far richer, indeed, than any we have seen from the Thames district. The specimen waa about the size of a small hazel nut, and had the appearance of being freshly broken from a leader. It was not in the least waterworn, and thequartz was of a white crystalline character, the gold standing out in relief upon the quartz, and it was estimated by those who had the pleasure of seeing it that it would fetch fully L 4 the ounce. The steamer Star of the South, which; arrived from Tauranga on July 6, brought several pieces of quartz, gathered by som© of the passengers who went ashore at Port Charles while the vessel was lying at anchor there. The quartz was taken from the face of a hill looking towards the beach, and has been pronounced by a competent judge to be impregnated with, gold.

From the various quarters from which within the last few weeks there have been reports of gold discoveries, specimens of stone are still occasionally coming to * town, which have been tested by Mi. South, the assayer for the Bank of New Zealand. From Hokianga two or three specimens have been tested, in all of which gold has been found, but not, webelieve, in quantity sufficient to be " pay— t able." The more leisurely prospecting,, however, which we believe is going oorn r will probably produce better specimenathan have as yet been forwarded to the Bank for assay ; and, indeed, the latest accounts fro in the Bay of Islands inform us that an excellent prospect has been obtained near_ Whangape. From stone= found at the Wairoa (Hauraki), gold liasbeen obtained, but not in any considerable quantity. Mr. A, Kennedy, general manager of the Bank of New Zealand, informs us that several of the We3t Coast men who have been working lately air Kennedy's Bay have brought up some excellent gold, — amongst it one half-ounce nugget. The gold is all of very fine quality, 22| carat, worth L 3 18s. an oz. The Kapanga Claim at Coromandel is alsoyielding steadily. On the 11th July 70oz. were brought up, and on the 11th of June 2660z. were received by the treasurer.

The influx of diggers from the; Southern ports, and 1 more especially f roim the West Coast, does not in any degreediminish. Scarcely from Napier even* does a steamer arrive without an accession of from twelve to thirty souls to the • mining population of the Thames goldfields, and the Province of Canterbury .has already begun to. send forth its contingent of gold-seekers-The number of minors' rights issued for the Thames Goldfield on the 13th of July v*aa no less than 7,550. OnSaurday, July 18, gold was struck on the Monarch Claim, Moanataiari Creek, and an excellent sackful of samples sent down to Shortland Town. The s.s. Halcyon, which arrived from the Thames on July 18, brought up 1,5000z. of gold, on account of the Bank of New Zealand. We were shown on July 21, by Capt. Percival, a piece of quartz which has been just brought from Rangiriri. The gold was plainly visible, in considerable proportion, and a ton of stone anything like the specimen would produce a most plentiful yield. The result of the crushing; of the ton of stone taken from the prospectors' claim will be known in a few days. Within the last few weeks there have been various rumors of goid-impregnated quartz having been found at Whangape, in the Hokianga district. On July 23> ; Tuoho, who come from Hokianga, called I at our office, accompanied by Mr. C. 0. | Davis, and showed us a piece of rich j quartz from Whangape. The name of the precise place from which the quartz was obtained is Pukeannahu, and it is stated that there is a great amount of quartz in the vicinity. Whangapo is about twenty-five miles from the heads of the Hokianga river, but is mnch nearer to other points on the river, where roads strike from the Bay of Islands. The export of gold through the Customs office at Shortland from the 15th to the 30th June amounted to 2,2190z. ; but this is no criterion of the total export, owing to the practice of sending the gold through private hands to the banks in Auckland. Two of the richest claim* on the field are also unrepresented. The j amount given is principally from the I Manukau Claim. The manager of the Union Bank of Australia was the bearer of a parcel of 900oz. of gold to Auckland I last week.

We have been informed on reliable au--

thority that 6n July 18 a half equal shire changed hands in the Albumia for L 450.

The Gibraltar Claim, Tapu Creek, '■ which ia situated at th# head of No. 2 gully, is turning out very satisfactorily. Gold was struck about two months ago, five days after two of the party had abandoned the claim, and their places had been supplied by paid labor, furnished by the remaining two shareholders. A shaft had then been put in to a depth of thirty ieet, but it t has since been carried forty- : five feet deeper, and some specimens taken out. A. drive, has also. been put | into th» hill 120 feet, and the shaft ia< ; carried from thence. L2OO was obtained for a share in the Gibraltar Claim last ! week.

The Little Britain Claim, Moanataiari, have struck gold on their ground, and turned out aome splendid specimens. Several fresh leaders have been.Atruek^ but the specimens exhibited were taken ,- out of a fresh working conuiMnced at the l tfxtrlmfe boundary, of, the ,«!aim<..3n»c< leader Is consequently believed to run the. | fall extent of the ground. The claim has, only been taken up six wefelcs, and we be- > lieve 1^2,000 hae beea offered tor a aii«» woA xnustfu.