MINING.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 167, 20 April 1871, Page 6

MINING.

QUEENSLAND,

The "Cleveland' Bay Express " of February 4, says: — " The Ravens wood escort, in charge of Mr. Hill, Clerk of Petty Sessions on the goldfield, arrived in town on Monday last, bringing 4,220 ounces — the largest amount whicsh has yet arrived in Townsvillc by a single escort. It was consigned as follows: — 3,132 ounces, Bank of New South Wales ; 1088 ounces, Joint Stock Bank." The gold was brought down in a- spring cart hired for the purpose, some portion of it being in very large pieces — too large to fit in a pack saddle. The escort returned on Wednesday with £500 in signed notes, the property of the Joint Stock Bank." The same paper has the following : — "The steamer, Black Diamond, which, left Townsville yesterday (Friday) for Brisbane, took some seventy Kanakas, whose period of service had expired, and who are returning home to the Islauds. These unfortunate victims to the slave-owning oppressors of Queensland looked remarkably fat and healthy. They possessed large quantities of luggage, consisting for the most part of boxes of the best approved and most handsome manfacture. Their clothing, too, was pretty fair for slaves, and the quantity of finery of various descriptions which they were taking home with them would have been sufficient to stock an ordinary sized store. The worst feature of the business, though, was the determination expressed by the majority of these homeward bound wanderers to renew their term of servitude as soon as possible after they had finished their visit to the islands.

New Zealand Gully. — The " Brisbane Courier," of Feb 18, says — Our correspondent, writing from these diggings on the 10th insfc., states that since his last — "Things are very quiet here. The Rob Roy lead is still going ahead, and there are about eight)' diggers at work on it. There is one store. Slau-ghter-yard Gully has been rushed for the third time, and at last payable gold has been found in it. Dr. Dawson is the prospector, and there are several good claims. The gold is coarse and waterworn. This rush has taken place opportunately, as Old New Zealand Gully is pietty well torn up. We manage somehow or other to keep our mining population, which as near as I can judge, comprises about 400 men. The reefs or leaders are not looking so well, with the exception of the Fiddler's, who is now carting off fifty tons of quartz, and I believe it will yield from 2 ozs. to 2-J- ozs. to the ton. The reef is from G inches to 16 inches thick. Thompson's reef, at Atherton's, is about the same thickness, but is expected to turn out 8 ozs. or 9 ozs. to tho ton. The leaders here would get a better trial but for the high price of crushing and carting the stone (£1 15s per ton)."

The success attendant upon the mining operations at the Thames goldfields is, we are glad to continuous and increasing. The world-famed Caledonian mine still yields its treasures unsparingly, the rich reward of three years' heavy labour and expense. During tho mouth of March the Company have lodged wiih the Bank no loss than 35.-J.530z. 19dwt. of melted gold, particulars as follow: — March 4th, 11,9580z. 2d\vt. (this was mentioned in our last) ; March 18th, 12,71 loz. 16dwt. ; March 31st, 13,78 ii0z, 17dwt. On Tuesday, a dividend of £12, the second within a month, was paid. Altogether up to the present date £47 per share on 2,860 shares have been paid since February Ist. This represents a total sum of £134,420 paid by ono mine in dividends, and out of it £20,000 only is capital returned. There is now on view at the Bank of New Zealand a specimen of the stone which is beingtaken out from this wonderful mine. It weights 1201 b., and is so rich in gold that its value is set down at £1,700 or £1,800. On Tuesday last over 7cwt. of rich stones were brought to surface. Some of them were of immense size. One huge block weighed over 2cwt., and was of such a rich character as to throw the last-men-tioned specimen entirely into the shade. At a rough calculation its value may be estimated at £3,000. In consequence of the stoppage of the pumps in the Tookey Company's mine, it was feared that the Caledoniau would be flooded, but we are glad to say that the company's own machinery is at present sufficient to keep the water clown. Concurrent wich this dividend in the Caledonian, the Thames Goldmining Company declare one of £2 per share on 6000 shares, giving a total of £12,000, The Nonpariel also comes forward with 7s. per scrip on 5700 shares, representing £2000 ; and the Long Drive pay to day £1 per share on 1200 shares. From the monthly returns from the machines, which, by-the-by, have all been employed during the past month, we find that there have been 8790 tons of stone crushed at the various batteries for a return of 45,200 ozs., or an average of about sozs. to the ton. This alone sjieaks well for the average of the field. Neither do we think it too much to say that in all likelihood there are many Caledonians, Golden Crowns, and Long Drives yet to be found in the auriferous peninsula of which the Thames goldfield proper forms but a small part. Whilst on this subject, we may mention that probably no long time will elapse ere the Upper Thames will be open to Europeans. This supposed El Dorado has

so long been looked forward to, and so often, according to the best authorities, been on the point of being opened up, that one gets to look with suspicion on any statement relative to it. But the question of ownership has been settled, as far as the Courts of law can settle it ; and the Te Aroha block, after an investigation which lasted over two months, has been adjudged to belong to the Ngatimaru tribe, natives of the Thames, who are, it is said, exceedingly anxious to turn it to some profitable use, and will be willing for mining to be carried on under certain conditions. — " Weekly News."