TE AROHA. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Waikato Times, Volume XVI, Issue 1384, 17 May 1881, Page 2

TE AROHA. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Thk battery shows inexorably where the gold lies, and where the mistake lie=! of rushing 1 off on a wrong track, and how a careful start p<ivs better eveu if it is sower and more expensive. Indeed it seems to be gene* ally admitted now that a great fault in the working of some claims here has been the empljvmenfc of men in management of insufficient experience, who have wasted time and money in wrong starts and unnecesary labor. It is beginning 1 now to be owned tlwt. it would pay better for two or three claims to combine to secure the services of a thoroughly skilled manager, with a high salary, to see what work ought to be done and that it is efficiently done at the lowest price, than for each to pay an inferior workman, who has less knowledge of mining or the proper prices of labor. It is beginning to be perceived that contract work, when carefully defined and precisely measured, is better than the employment of labor at weekly

wages. The Claims. The Waitoa claim, belonging to what was formerly the Waitoa Prospecting Association, but now to be called the Waitoa Goldmining Company, is a wellworked claim, over 300 feet of driving having been effected. They have now discharged all wages men, and have advertised for contracts for a drive of 100 feet. They have had a very good prospect from 101b. of stone from the reef, showing at the rate of an ounce to the tou. The Bonanza claim ia one of which great expectations were entertained, and it is generally considered a pity that it is not being worked, as there is a sum of about £80 in hand for working purposes, and the reef is said to be one of the best on the field. The only drive done is about 20ft. in length. The claim adjoins the ProsEectors, from which such favorable results aye been obtained in the crushing.

The Roads. Loud as well as deep are the complaints of the whole of the dwellers in Te A roha at the neglect of our roads, or rather at the utter want of roads on this side of the river. I saw all hands, including the manager, of one of our claims working hard fast week to make themselves a road along what is supposed to be the main road line. They have made and laid down four culverts and two bridges, and with the value of the time given must have gone to an expense of 6ver £20.

The Aroha Block. The first of the Grant; and Foster settlers who are expected to ma<«e To Aroha one of the best farmed districts in New Zealand has arrived from Auckland, where his family are residing, and gone up to look at his property of 1000 acres to-day. Mr E. F. Roche will commence his improvements at once, and in a few months will have got his fencing done and a handsome residence completed. Let us hope that he .and his confreres will find every reason to rejoice in their change from England to New Zealand. |

The Battery. The returns of the work done by the battery show that the Our Boys' claim is not; one of the prize-winners, only about ddwts. to the 3 ions being shown. The Moonlight is just about about finishing off, ana will show about 6, or 7dwi3. to ,t)ie ton, i The Shotover is also jiist finished and shows about half-an-oiihce to the ; tcm,— (Jjlay ? lBth), s ";'/',, s -' '

as its quqta, tpwards th^upporfc of ' an An j gl^oap ! *,cler^i|,a^»/or {'tfaaj^pjtge and, Tapß^V on con^ib^f that , thY beadquarfcoru of the' parjsh 1)6 at ' Roxburgh, ' '