OHINEMURI GOLDFIELD. [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2142, 1 April 1886, Page 2

OHINEMURI GOLDFIELD. [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

WaihiPaeroa, Tuesday. This part of the goldtield is now going ahead by leaps and bounds. No leas than seven new claims have been taken up during the last three or four months. Not only have they been taken up but they are being worked with every prospect, in moat cases, of a successful issue. The Silverton mine has taken premier position, and there have been several skirmishes inside and outside the law, recently, in order to gain possession of land which might or might not contain a continuation of the Silverton reef. This much coveted reef is supposed not to run in a direct course, and as a 'consequence ground all round has been taken up, much of course to the enhancement of the county fund account if of nothing else. Mr Lockwood, of the Yellow Jacket and Alpha claims, is supposed to have the reef in one of his two claims. In the Silverton itself things are looking A.l. The winze is down about 03 feet on the cross lode, where it is being broken out on the hanging wall side. During the last fortnight every shift has produced several pounds of genuine specimens that will probably be worth '^oz to the pound,' or possibly more. The general dirt is also of vci y good quality. The low level tunnel is being extended by contract. A week should intersect the winze, which furnishes the contract. Ykllow Jacket. — Manager reports driving through purple sandstone country indicative of, and favourable for, both auriferous and argentiferous quartz, in order to cut the reef, which is already in 35 feet; another 40 feet should bring the reef to hand. Gut two feet of leader during the week ; assayed 96 ozs bullion to the ton, 94 ozs of silver, and 2 ozs of gold. Hero.—The reef in thia claim, which is one of the new ones just mentioned favour* ably, is outcropping on the surfaced 'and a low level tunnel is being put in to intersect the reef. Work is being carried on both in prospecting and winning quartz in the Union, Martha, Nil Desperandum, Eclipse, Silver Eagle, Silver City, Rosemont, and Amaranth. Prospecting is alsu. being carried on all over the East Coast from Hikutaia and Whangatnata to Katikati. Good reports continue to be received from Tarakawai, where the Dinars have been rewarded by the discovery of a very rich reef.

Karangahako. Woodstock.— The reef in both the intermediate and low levels is looking tip-top. A tremendous lot of quartz is ready for the smelter as soon as that tardy apparatus ii prepared to receive it. The droppers and platform are loaded. All the first cargo of iron ore (49 tons) for fluxing per Rose has been carted from Paeroa, and a second cargo of 50 tons is eh route. ~ I am informed by an expert in smelting that the Woodstock ore is likely to prove very refractory in the furnace, and will therefore need much more flux than is usually required — probably two tons of iron ore to one ton of quartz. Thia will prove very expensive, and while the ore has to be brought from Knmo as it is at present, there will not be a great margin of profit over the battery process. However, even if it only produces one shilling per ton more nett value, let us have the furnace by all manner of means. Kenilwobth. — Last week a crushing of 13 tons general dirt at the battery yielded 17oz. retorted gold. Five tons refuse dirt gave 2oz. at the smelter. Adeline.— Mr Hall is putting in a lovr level tunnel under the intermediate level to a point beneath where the £90 per ton stuff was won. It is expected that quartz of equal value will be obtained there.

General News. For once the redoubtable G. T. Wilkinson has been unsuccessful in his dealings with the nntives. Mr Witherby, chief purveyor for the Thames- Waikato Railway line has been compelled to pall up his pegs and strike a new line for the railway to pass through, the natives asaerting that the first line went through a portion of their tapu. It is rumoured that a too close adherence to the truth is not a failing of this particular hapu, and that the tapu exist?' merely in their imagination. [The deviation of the line is what Mr Wilkinson arranged to have done.— Et>.] Mr Montgomery, upon whom the mantle of Professor Black, at least in his. capacity of lecturer, has not fallen, arrived here during the week with about two tons of appliances, in order to establish a KarangA hake branch School of Mines. He will probably go on to Ti» Aroh* and Waiorongot raai at the beginning of May. Mr Grace's advent is eagerly looked for. That gentleman is remarkably popular fur an absentee representative, and it is a pity that he should loss any of hts popularity for tho sake of a brief visit.