TE AROHA.

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1845, 3 May 1884, Page 2

TE AROHA.

[FHOM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Tk Auoha, Wednesday. The retoiting of the amalgam obtained from the month'-* crushing at the battery for the two principal claims was finished to-day, and the following aretheieturns :—: — Colonist, 288 ounces retorted gold. New Find, 350 ounces ictorted q )ld. The retain given for the New Find is only appioximate, as the correct figures are not yet to hand, but the quantity stated will be within a few ounces of the actual yield. Although the gross amount is below the monthly average, it does not imply a falling off in the quality of the quartz that has bicn crushed. In proportion to the quantity of stuff treated the returns are quite as good as in previous months, the sole cause of the reduced yield being the shoit supply of water, which has necessitated the hanging up of some of the stampers, or the only other alternative of working the full number at very slow speed. The above figures include the gold from the tailings tieated with the new plant, but the amount has not been largely augmented thereby, as comparatively little woik has yet been done with the recently erected giinding machineiy. What has been done, however, is sufficient to prove that the tailings contain a large percentage of gold, as the following returns will show. Foi the first two days' grinding the quantity of amalgam obtained (squeezed in cold water) was as follows :—: — New Find (IG berdans) 74ozs. Colonist (1(5 berdans) 35ozs. This amalgam will probably yield about one-si\th gold, making, in the case of the New Find, a return of 12 ounces for two dayb' work, being at the l ate of 30 ounces per week. From this it will be seen that when the whole (14 berdans are erect^l and kept steadily going, the new tailinctr plant will prove an important factor in/swelling the gold leturns of the field. v " A very dastaidly action, wheieby some destruction of property and a possible loss of life might have been incurred, was perpotiated on the county tramway on Monday night or eaily on Tuesday morning. Some miscreant, who could only have been actuated by the most malicious motives, cut two of the strands of the wire lope by which the loaded trucks are loweied on the self-acting grade above the battery. As the lcmainmg strand would in all probability lioao pai ted with the stiain of a full waggon the consequences can be readily imagined. The ti uck would have rushed with lightning speed down this steep incline, at the bottom of winch is a nanow cutting, wheie almost ccitain would have awaited anyone who chanced to be in attendance. Happily the injury to the rope was noticed by one of the men before the day's work was commenced, and thus the piemeditated evil consequences were a\erted. It is sinceiely to be hoped that the cowardy perpetrator of the deed will be discovered, and that the severest punishment allowed by the law will be meted out to him. Divers have been at woik for some time cleaning out the cofferdam for the outer pier of the new lailway bridge over the Waihou, and a fair haid bottom has been reached. The Resident Engineer visited the works the other day and seemed to be satisfied that the foundation was sound. The filling in of the concrete v\ ill therefore iioi\ be proceeded with and pushed on as rapidly as possible, but it is to b3 feared that other delays will aiise and that our patience will be sorely tried before we see the ii on horse careonng along on this side of the river. Messis Hunt and White are making good use of the fine weather in pushing on the fuimation of the line. A large number of men are employed at different places and a considerable portion of it commencing from this end has already been dressed. Before the winter fairly sets in most of the heavy work will in all probability be completed.