TE AROHA. [FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.] Tuesday Morning.

Waikato Times, Volume XV, Issue 1309, 18 November 1880, Page 2

TE AROHA. [FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.] Tuesday Morning.

In the prospectors' claim they arc still driving to catch the reef, some 60 feet below where the gold lies. They have not knocked down any more oi the leader, so that the hhow of gold remains unaltered. I fancy that Wiose working on the ground do not care to take out the gold until the ownership of the shares is determined properly, as there are many claims to an interest in the mine, and the taking away of the gold might complicate things. You may hear that what they have found is only a loose mass of stone, and that the lode has not been struck; but you can rely upon it that this is not the case. They have got the lode, and it is rich and well defined, lying in good country. These are the plain honest facts, neither more nor less than the truth. I see that Saturday's Herald is "staggered" at the news not having reached them via the Thames, and that they consequently ttrow a doubt on the truth of the news. I want to inform the Herald (if they are not already aware of the fact), that they can always get news from here through Hamilton in about one half the time they can via the Thames ; and through Hamilton must come all the passenger traffic, the journey being much shorter and far more comfortable by train and coach than by sea and then up the river in the little boats at present running. The report that £1000 had been asked by the natives is true, but Mr Wilkinson, the Government Agent, has been here, and, as far as Mokena's reserve —on which the prospectors' claim is situated — is concerned, all difficulty is at an end, as the old man will throw open the land for mining at once, there being only one dissentient out of the nine owners of the ground, and he is supposed to be under the influence of some "antiquated legal fossil " at the Thames, who, however, can do no harm, as this ninth shareholder will be simply ignored and work gone on with without his consent. Furthermore, Mokena has given the Government some land for a township, which will be laid out and leased on his behalf by the authorities. When this block is opened, the owners of the other lands are bound to follow suit, because the Maori never yet lived who could see his friends enjoying the good things provided for them and not have a " dig in " on his own account. You may rest assured that the money difficulty is at an end. The field will be proclaimed open as soon as all the details are completed, and this will take some few days to do. The Government have given instructions for the building of an office forthwith for the issuing of miners' rights, etc. This will be put up on the 20-acre reserve marked out round the Hot Springs. Visitors have been numerous here, and the accounts of some of them ascending the hill are glorious. It is all good for the Hot Springs Hotel, however, the number of "refreshers" after the trip being considerable. Rumors of all sorts of goldh'elds arc flying round, and you need not be surprised to hear that another gold-bearing field has been found ; but of course at present nothing whatever definite can be said. One thing I advise : be very carefvil as to any yarns told you unless you know well the source from which they spring. A meeting of the Waitoa Prospecting Association was held last evening ; particulars in my next.