TE AROHA AND WAIORONGOMAI. Progress of the Goldfield. (Continued.)

Waikato Times, Volume XX, Issue 1658, 20 February 1883, Page 4

TE AROHA AND WAIORONGOMAI. Progress of the Goldfield. (Continued.)

About a couple of miles further along the hill from Te Arolia in the thriving infant township of Wairiro'ngowiai, the town being called after tiie fine and serviceable stream , of water passing down the hills through the township to the Waihou river. Gold was first discovered in the hill at Waiorongomai about two years ago by the enterprising native prospector Hone Werabiko, and the prospect was subsequently made still more promising by numerous other discoveries of on equally' striking nature in the same vicinity. As the prospectors persevered, being warranted in their perseverance by the general appearance of the country, and other favourable indications of a unmistakeablc nature, their prospects of success became daily more promising until at last things assumed such a favourable aspect that men who had it in their power to develop the resources of the field by a liberal application of the necessary stimulants were not afraid to come to the front, though their assurances of success were more apparent than real, and risk their fortune on the result. On Hearing Waiorongomai from Te Aroha, the visitor may be over-impressed by the appearance of the township. At a distance it certainly lo'ooks a well laid out, and handsomely built township, in the streets of which pretentious buildings would be met with. However, this idea is likely to be somewhat disabused on entering the place. Nothing could be more like a mining township struggling in its youthful stages. The streets do not seem to have been laid out with much precision, and, with one or two exceptions, the buildings are all of a very primitive nature. The hotel is a very good building, as arc two of the stores, I notably that of Messrs Carr and Sons. At intervals throughout the fiat upon which the town is planted, the other buildings are scattered. Large signboards, over tenements exceedingly small in compniison, give the gcneial public to undei stand that "boots and shoes arc lepaircd on the shottest possible notice, and with despatch" ; that Peter Black " retails miner's outfits on easy terms" : that John White, wheelwright and caipcntcr, " executes orders with promptness and attention", together with numerous other accomodating intimations of a like character. A huge number of miners have taken up their residences both in the town and on the side of the hill, convenient to the claims in which they are engaged, but it may be said theie is almost an entire absence of the old stamp of miner characterestic of the early days of the Australian and New Zealand " diggings." But the greatest, we might say tin, feature of Waiorongomai, if not the whole goldfield generally, is Messrs Firth and Clarkes new battery and its contingent works. Heie we have an unmistakable indication of the confidence which men of experience and capital, the former as extensive as the latter, have in the prospeiity of the field. The indications of success have been so apparent, that the gentlemen above named have been w arr.inted in the expenditure of E20,000 of immediate capital, which it will be admitted on all hands js no small amount to invest in a speculation of this kind. And not only have the indications of success been of such a nature to warrant extensive private investment, but other woiks in connection with the mines which arc being can icd out by the Govcinmcnt and by the county represent an outlay of over £10,000 ; thus lepiesenting in all an expenditure of about £30,000 befoiethcie is any return whatever. Itinay lie reasonably asked, why .should outride capitalists be backward in investing their spaic capital in a field like Waiorongomai whcrobiich a liberal example ha.s been set by local capitalists ? Surely if local capitalists have such unbounded faith and confidence (and ,C 20,000 represents veiy gi eat confidence) in the field, and the piospccts have been sufficiently promising to satisfy them, those at a distance should be content with such a guaiantce. And already even the latter is becoming evident, tor no small amount offoieign capital has been invested in the various claims in shaies. To further assure our readcis ot the confidence w Inch men immediately connected with the field repose in their prospect we quote the following tact : — Our reporter was present the other day, dining his visit to the district, at a conversation which took place between a gentleman concerned in the welfare of the field with another whose mteiest lay m the same quarter, but who was more immediately concerned in the battery. The former bet the latter a wager of £10 that the new battery (40 head of stampers) would not crush out 2,000 ounces ot melted gold in 28 working days of 24 houis each day. The latter gentlemen readily took 'ip the bet. Another miner of experience almost from infancy standing by was willing to go halvos in the hot ; and if not this, to make another bet of a similar nature — that the battery would turn out 2000 ounces of melted gold in the specified tune. In fact on all hands we receive iissuiancos, and assurances of a very piactical nature, of the confidence which all concerned repose in the Waiorongomai finds. Licenses have been issued for no less than four new hotels, which, in addition to the one already elected, will make five ; and this on a field which has not properly been opened yet. The telegraph is about to be extended from Te Aroha, the necessary guarantee having been made to the Government by Mr J. C.Kirth, who has spared neither time nor capital in the opening of the field. This gentleman also, it may be stated, is about to connect his estate at Matawata with Waiorongomai by telephone, which, to a gentleman, interested as he is, should prove a great convenience. (To he Continued.)

M. Georges Ohxet promises to be the coming novelist in France. His first novel, "Serge Paninc," jHiblished last year, has reached its sercntieth thousand, while his recent work, " Le Maitre de Forges," now appears in its fifty-eighth dition, although it was issued only a few months ago. Tho first was very immoral, the second is objectionable only in the scene.