OHINEMURI.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2721, 19 December 1889, Page 2

OHINEMURI.

Accident.— Captain Coward, manager of the Crown mine, Karangahake, was very nearly losing his life on Saturday last in the works attached to the mine. As lie was passing a shaft, which was revolving rapidly, he was caught by the coat tail and drawn to the shaft, very narrowly escaping being dashed to death. Fortunately, however, when he reached the shaft his coat gave way, and he escaped with a violent shaking and some bad bruises. GitATiNGS.—The gratings ordered from Europe for the Lamberton grinding mills having now arrived, the mill is full steam ahead, and a large quantity of the Crown dut hits been put through. ' Important Dkcision.—The Warden gave a most popular decision when he stated at the List Warden's Court that he intended, alier Christmas, to make a clean sweep of ill the large holdings and claims not sufficiently uKinned. Indeed it is high time something was done. Thero have been :l.«ims held here, to my own knowledge, lor three and four years, and not a stroke done ou them. In some instances the holders of the licenses have never even seen the claims they own. At Waitfikauri, the ie«t mine in the whole of that district, which once returned £80,000 worth of gold, has been allowed to stind for over two years. The reason for this protection, which was posted iu a tunnel on the claim, was " owing to the drought in New South Wales, and the collapse of the Victorian laud bomi." And for this tiiost excellent reason, the large area in the mine was dosed against buna fide prospectors for iiver two years. The Adeline, at Karangahake, is another case in point, and there are many others. Spouting.—Ohinemuri is getting quite a spurting community. N"t a week passes but there are sports and races of one sort or another. Several mutches between local ponies are pending for large amounts, and these will most likely come oft' at the hack and pony meeting on January 29th. This will undoubtedly be a most successful meeting . Pdhipuhi.— Mr Rhodes, of the Bank of N"«w Zβ iland, Paeroa, is awav on a visit to Pnhipuhi with Mr Inspector Wilson, of the Mines Department. As Mr Rhodes has acquired a very respectable insight into metallurgical matters during the past few years, his opinion on the new field will be worth hearing. Without pretending to have any knowledge of the held, I would venture a-n opinion that much too much stress is being laid on the assays which have been taken, [f it is assays that are required, there are scores, nay hundreds, of reefs here that are utterly useless so far as regards their payability, which will assay as well or better than those at Puhipuhi, It seems to me that more should oe done with the goldfields we have, instead of endeavouring to boom others which, prima ficic, are no better, and most likely not so good, and not at all opened up.