THE THAMES GOLDFIELD.

Tuapeka Times, Volume II, Issue 86, 2 October 1869, Page 5

THE THAMES GOLDFIELD.

(Frointhe "Southern Cross.")

The progress of the Thames G-olel-field may be, looked; act from two points, of view with results differing very materially, according to which point we t^q up. ThererQanrbe.. no .question at all of tne progress that' Has actually taken place during the last few months in the bona fide' development' of the goldfields. The discoveries have ,not been confined to any part of the field. The, Kuranui, hill-^as not fallen off; indeed, it has greatly increased in value during the period, but it is no r longer alone in its success. The whole' course of the Moauatyiirai Creek, , the Shellback, and the Waiotahi have been developing new leads of great richness almost- day by day. We might mention such claims as the Young American, the Castle and Galatea, the John, O'Groats, and the Shamrock ; but we are aware in" doing so Aye are, by comparison, casting a slur on the success of many claims which deserve, mention no less than these. The Karaka, Murphy's Hill, and the Hape Creek, again form something like a new goldfield, discovered within the last half year, with prospects hardly, if at all, less gratifying, than tfyose that attend, the older field of the Kuranui and its neighbourhood. To the bona fide and judicious speculator who is really taking part in the development of the field, and not. merely in the floating companies, we' feel sure that the Thames Goldfield holds out prospects second to no field in ,the Avorld ; bub. we candidly confess to feeling many misgivings, as to the ( future of not a few' of the' companies' now being floated. The " Thames Adveri iser " says : — " Our New Plymouth friends will be pleased to learn the result of a test of quartz brought up by Mr. Earley, a passenger in the Lord 'Ashley, from that province. The quariz w.ts obtained from the Kaitake range, Avhich is being prospected by means of subscriptions raised, for. that purpose among the inhabitants. The stone tested by the assayer of the Bank of New Zealand, Grahanistown, yesterday, weighed^ about- one pound and a half, and yielded, according to the assay note, at the rate of 2oz. ldwt. to the ton. The stone is said to be of a likely-looking character, and the sample submitted was thickly impregnated with sulphur. We may congratulate the people of Taranaki on the prospect, although the sample affords by no mean 3 a payable return." , Captain Macdonnell, who has been for some time prospecting in Wellington, has discovered- auriferous quartz in the Kaimiauwa ranges, at the head of the Wanganui river. Specimens •forwarded to the Superintendent of Wellington have' been analysed, ' Avith a highly satisfactory result. Mr. Skey, the Government -Analyst, ■* reported these samples as richly auriferous; another (white quartz) still more auriferous, the gold being crystaline, similar to the Thames gold. The reward for the discovery of a payable goldfield has been claitnec}. by the prospector.

The "Melbourne Argus" of the Vhh. insb. says .- — A new invention has just been patented which promises to greatly influence future sluicing operations in saving gold, tin ore| and precious stones, in the shape of a false bottom to sluices. The extreme^ sim- ( plicity of the new plan makes it easy j to describe. A board, tW width of the sluice used, and two . inches thick, \ is obliquely perforated with an augur ' at an angle of forty-five degrees against * or under' the stream. 7 The '-distance, between the holes is equal ,to the] diameter of the hole. The ' row of j holes are four or &ye inches apart from ■ centre 'to ce"iftre.~~A saw-cut is then made about a quarter of an inch from the upper part across each row of holes an inch deep, at exactly the same angle as the perforations., A, r-ipple in addition to the holes' is then formed between each row by adzing about one , inch from <the .next] £ow,. sloping the same to the bottom of the saw-cut. The secret -of- -the -invention— is-~here disclosed. Naturally, the heavy metal finds -its way. to :tb.er ü boiitoni of the material operated upon ; this falls over the ripples ,intp the holes, which, ' by their peculiar construction, cause a : |£ boiling " backwards in the nojes out of the power of tne ' stfreani, "while the , lighter dirt flows off with it. .The; efficieiicy- of these * false bottdmk fi^s' been testified to by* Mr. Witt, M.LJA. ' chairman of directors of the Kneebone Cqmpany^miney Ejdprad^wjljere; the. invention was brought to perfection,] and, where the effect of the ap-l paratus "above described is slaved- tbj amount to considerably over £2,000 aj year. The merit ££..tne|§ CC r ripples liesj in their extreme^smplicity, cheapness, j and effectual self-acting retention of] the valuable -pdrtidn^of that which] passes over them It is said that gold, |; tin ore,:oj,-geinft ojno&eaught can never < be washed away,- The inyentoris^Mr. S. Milligan, late manager of the Knee;bbne, Company, ; and a model of his! .patent' may ber seen. , at the .oflice off 'Messrs. Baillie 'and I , ' Butters, 1 Oollins-