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Waikato Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2463, 24 April 1888, Page 2

Till, frequent discoveries of gold and silver bearing lodes now taking place on the Thames and Coromandel Peninsula continue to buoy up the hopes that are placed in a vigorous revival of our mining industries as the chief factor in restoring prosperity to the country. The success attending prospecting operations in the districtsurronndingthe Paeroaand Karangahake particularly has given a fresh fillip to mining enterprise and speculation. Foreign capital, from England and Australia, has, to an appreciable extent been inspired, with sufficient confi dence in the stability of our mines to embark in their development. There appears to be at the present time, more that at any previous period in the history of the Thames Goldfields, a possibility of extensive operations of a lasting character being carried on in numerous localities found to be rich in precious minerals. The great stumbling block to the progress of the fields has been the want of success in the treatment of sulphides and other refractory metals, and the adoption of the riglit description of amalgamation process, to save the large per centage of fine gold which has hitherto been lost. Experiments carried on from time to time for a number of years with latest improvements in mechanical appliances, , have now pretty well surmounted those difficulties. We have Molloy pans, and other gold saving processes, the introduction of which is probably destined to settle the question of the Thames-Te Aroha auriferous and argentiferous range being remunerative or not to capitalists. The tremendous excitement and delirium so recently observed in Australia over the magnificent silver discoveries at the Broken Hills we do not expect to sec reproduced here, nor would it be altogether desirable they should be. But as the value and richness of our mineral deposits continue to be proved and capital is stimulated in a healthy natural way to become invested in them, the benefits that will accrue to us as a community will be more widespread and productive of wider general good. It does appear like a curious commentary on the many favourable reports of the condition of the fields to observe large numbers of miuers abandoning the country and taking their departure for Australia. Such things, however, will always happen where there are so many restless spirits readily incited by glowing accounts from other fields to forsake one locality for another, at any cost. Though people may be leaving our shores because our present troubles and commercial depression weigh heavily on us, a turn in the Wheel of Fortune will better times back to us again, and we shall then see those same faces returning to New Zealand, accompanied probably by fresh ones. Misfortune cannot hang on to us for ever, and apart from the many physical advantages possessed by this colony, we firmly believe that its future prosperity will be equal to that of the other colonies, and that its recuperation is not far otf. The rekindled activity on the goldfields, and increasing enterprise in agricultural pursuits are encouraging iudioatious that the turn in the long lane has been reached.