The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal and exact justice to all men, Of whatsocver state or persuasion, religious or political. SATURDAY, MARCH 10, 1888.

Waikato Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2444, 10 March 1888, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal and exact justice to all men, Of whatsocver state or persuasion, religious or political. SATURDAY, MARCH 10, 1888.

T.v the midst of the heavy black cloiul.s of depression overhanging tho colony and wliicli have so long cast a gloom over tlio industrial ont-i-gitis and cntorpi-ise of the people, thorn is one of lirighter ap|i!'iiiancß that sliofls a relleetiou of ljetter yiroim'so to this end of the colony. ;it least. The condition of things in Aue.klanfl, as revealed l>y the statcinentfl made liy ~Slv J. (J. ! (l irUi before tho Assessment Court, is far fioi:: ploa.snnt to cDiiteinpldte ; iiieii who OL'cii'j.iv the most prominent positions are mortgaged up to tin: hiit ,ind groaning undi.'i , the weight- of the I'ropert-y-ta.v which .swoops over {lie remnant of their resources in the worst moment of i-.lieir burdens. It v>.is also de-f-bireil, people are realising whalever ihev cm obtiiiu for their properties a-id li-a.ving the colituv. (.-ommer-L-i illy and financially ihe situation has become intensified, there is no doubt; indeed, it seems evident tlin.fr we have not yet arrived at the worse stage of the country's troubles,

ij ti less circumstances firise very .shnilly to stem the tido iind inspire its with new hopes. Tlii.s luippy intervention will probably be tViithcoming. in the Coronuindel Peninsula, where increased t'C ti\ity has been manifested in the mining industry. Some yetirs a sudden incpja-se in the yield of the Thames mines produeecd a revival in the trade and ]>io.s[K'iity of Auckland, which had fallen very low, in consequence of I lie removal of the st;.-it of Governmi'iit and thi> sta-i/nntion arising from native disturbances. Then; appears to bo a clear possibility that a similar reaction is about to set in from the mining distric's situate in the line of country from Corouiiindel to Te Arolui. The auriferous character of these localities lias drawn towards them greater interest on the part of capitalists in the Mother Country, who arc entering into extensive investments in mining ventures. The successful placing of the Maroloto and Waihi mines in the hands of British capitalists, who are at once proceeding to expend large sums of money on their development, is an augury of the best for the future progress of the districts. The stimulus given to the mining industry as a whole by the introduction of English capital for bond fidn and substantial utilisation in this manner is bound to be productive of the best results along the entire line of country opened up for mining purposes. The range of hills running in the direction we have named are proved to be rich in mineral deposits of various descriptions, and these have been simply awaiting sufficient capital and enterprise to dcvelope them in the most approved systematic method, with the use of the latest machinery and appliances for extracting the precious metals. More recent mechanical inventions in the treatment of ores and improvements in apparatus for saving the largest possible proportion of gold have also had a decided tendency to brighten the prospects of those who have hitherto despaired of making their mines yield payable results. Increased scientific knowledge, also, in the chemistry of minerals and in the process of reducing ores and extracting the refractory or base metals with the least possible cost has, at the same time, given material assistance towards developing our goldrields. Fresh discoveries of mineral lodes in the ranges, as for example, the finds recently made of silver and galena at the Tui, go to establish the fact that Nature has been lavish in storing away her treasures in those districts, and that all that is needed to turn them to profitable utility are the ingenuity and industry of enterprising human brains and hands to be brought to bear upon them with full force.

Hitherto there lias been a singular run of diflicultics and misadventures in the operations carried out on the line of mineral country from Corom.indel to Te .Aroha. Various attempts to work the stone in specially constructed reduction works have proved unsuccessful, and at the batteries erected at a great outlay of money, the amount of gold lost in t'ie tailings has been so enormous as to preclude the possibility of any satisfactory returns from the workings of the mines. This lias been particularly the case as regards Te Aroha. Nevertheless, it is our firm conviction that the Te Aroha range possesses immense wealth, and that when the hills have been thoroughly prospected and developed by means of abundant capital, it will be found not the least amongst our payable goldtields. The future of Te Aroha, together with the whole of the peninsula, is assured, time find money only being requin d to accomplish it. It may not be our good fortune to possess such plunnninal deposits as those lately brought to light in Australia, where they have found mountains saturated with gold or silver ; we cannot anticipate the boom of a Broken Hill or Mount Morgan to fall to our lot. But we do believe there are ample inducements in the rich mineral zone of the Coromandcl Peninsula, to attract foreign capital there for investment on a large and profitably scale, and that the continuance of such inflow of capital with the stimulus thereby given to our mining industry, a perceptible change for the better will come over the condition of things in this part of the colony, encouraging both to its permanent welfare and settlement.