TE AROHA. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Waikato Times, Volume XVI, Issue 1377, 30 April 1881, Page 2

TE AROHA. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Rumour with one of its many tongues has been bragging of gi'e.it diseovoiies of qnavfcz worth two ounces to the ton at Waihi, fiud the immediate erection of a battery, and the formation of roads by the County Council for the conveyance of the stuff to the machinery. The Shotover of thi- place also will, according 1 to one of the daily whimpers that are poured into the ears of confiding listeners, if the preliminary tests of the battery are favorable, put up a battery of its own. These are the sort of specula! ions that force a young goldfield like Te Aroha ahead, and it ib only to be hoped that; the many tongued anthoress of gossip is correct m this instance.

Entertainments. There seems to be an outbreak of reckless dissatisfaction all of a sudden here that is working out in the shape of amateur concerts and dances of unexampled ferocity in all dhections. Last night Paeroa bioke out with a concert in aid of the Roman Cathulic Church at which the principal performers were the Misses Me Ilhone the Misses Marney, Miss Swarm, Mr Charles Brown, of The Star, and Mr Reed. It was, lam informed, a complete success, and was followed by a dance that was not suppressed till half-past five this morning. This evening Waihou will have an amateur concert to furnish the balance of the cost of a porch for the school-house : the sum of £10 being required to make up the amount, and there is very little doubt that that amount or double if necessary will be forthcoming. The settlers here are people who take a thing of this kind up with a will — and anything that may be wanting in musical skill will certainly be more than made up by earnestness, and the dancing will be a work that will be kept up till the sun rises over the hills. The Mines. The Napier Claim is one on which a lot of good hard work has been done by good practical diggers, and the stuff that has been got out ready for the battery looks as promising as any I have come across in Te ■* roha, and I should not be surprised to hear good accouuts of it on trial. There is a drive of 40 feet on the lower level through a 9ft. reef, and on the upper level there is a very fine show. There is a splendid working country, and the Napier could alone turn out enough to keep the battery going if the reef on the upper level turns out all that is anticipated by the working owners, J. Beattie and Co. The reef seems to be a pure quartz in an easily worked sandstone country. The Moonlight, the adjoining claim, had a good find last week, and on the occasion of my visit I saw a very good prospect that will pay a large dividend if the supply keeps up its promise. The creek that finds its way down the guliy on this spot looks a likely place to afford ! some of our speculators a pleasant sur- ! priae before the last is heard of it. ! The Battery. The battery has been working with more or less effect all the week, though it is to some extent in want of water, and has been unable to use all its power. A lot of five tons, sent by the Tui Claim, has been finished off, and has returned 15dwts., though it was only sent in as a start for the machinery, and was hardly expected to make any profit at all. Some of the quartz sent down by the Prospectors is in the battery and waiting for the rain to be finished and thoroughlg tested, but I have the^ authority of the battery manager for saying that it will turn out at the rate of 2oza. to the ton.— April . 28th. ■ ■