THE GOLDFIELDS OF THE COLONY.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 250, 14 November 1872, Page 5

THE GOLDFIELDS OF THE COLONY.

By the medium of the Warden's reports which have been published in our columns lately, our readers have betn made acquainted with the coudition of the mining industry in this Province. It will have been noticed that they speak of a healthy and increasingly prosperous condition of things ; ami we are jjl&d to observe that from Nelson, the West Coast, and. Auckland, accounts coin* of au equally encouraging nature. Trial crushiugs f i om the reefs as the Lyell and Inangahua have taken place, with the following splendid results :—

Stone Yield Claim crushed, of gold. Tons. Ounces. Little "Wonder, the Lyell ... 85 850 Mace's, Inangahua 280 600 United Band of Hope, Inanga-

mia 31i 41J Intelligence has also reached Nelson that the manager of the Alpine claim, which ie adjoining that of the Little Wonder, at the Lyell, has discovered stone which "ia expected to turn out twelve ounces of gold to the ton." Many settlers are of opinion that if the railway (which appears, at last, likely to I c commenced) was pushed through to the West Coast, such an extent of auriferous country would be developed, and become workable by a large mining population, that any Government would be amply repaid by an increased revenue for proceeding with the undertaking. The l-yell district-gives an example of rich mineral wealth lying dormant for years, owing to a want of capital and a cheap and easy communication with the centres of population and the markets. Since the commencement of this year to thu 30th September, 82,91)9 ounces 5 dwts of gold were exported from Hokitik», and of this quantity 24,503 ounces 14 dwts was the produce of Kelson Province, having been shipped from Westport to Hokitika. The Auckland goldfields continue to give an average yield. On Octobers, the s.s. Alexandra took from Auckland 6,438 ounces of t^old ; and scarcely an Australian-bound steamer or Knglish ship leaves that port without having some gold as part of its f'Oigiit, The third annual meeting of that far-tamed mine, the Ualedonian, was held at the Thames recently, when " the Secretary stated that the quantity of quartz raised and crushed duriug the year had been 15,777 tons, which yielded 73,7320z5. of gold, or at the i ate of 4ozj. 14dwt. 15gr. per ton. The amount paid in dividends during the year was L 154 440, or at the rate of L 54 per share ; tbiis completing a payment to shareholders of LI 9B 10s per Ll2 share, or a total distributed in dividends during the last two years of L 569.710." During tne four weeks ending October 9, that mine yielded 3,3170zs of melted gold.