Nenthorn - The Flow of Gold - part 2, boom becomes bust.

INTERPROVINCIAL

By Electric Telegraph.

Charles Freeman, an old and respected resident of Invercargill, committed suicide by hanging himself in an outhouse. Deceased, who was a wealthy man, was active and robust, and seemed a most unlikely man to commit suicide. He had, however, lost money lately by bad speculations, including Nenthorn shares.  -Mount Ida Chronicle, 20/3/1890.

The remains of the Consolidated Battery.  This would be covered by a large corrugated iron shed.

CONSOLIDATED BATTERY. The "Nenthorn Recorder" of March 8 says of this work:— "This battery, which was expected to be in full swing some months ago, is not yet in working order. Unforeseen obstacles, which the engineer in charge fully explains in a letter which appears in another column, caused the delay." The obstacles specified in the letter above referred to, and which appears in the paper over the signature of "F. Petersen," are as follow: The difficult and most expensive site chosen, and started by others, before his arrival; incomplete ordering of the plant, which caused a lot of extra work; plans had to be made for the completion of machinery; an economical steam engine had to be designed; and all this had to be ordered from Dunedin makers, who were all busy and required lengthy time for execution of orders; also delay had occurred with the battery building, and with cartage at Dunback.

The above formidable list of causes of delay has been given to show that a remark made in the Mount Ida Chronicle of a fortnight ago was considered by the writer to be "personal and impertinent," and could " only spring either from ignorance of the facts or from personal enmity." Now, I hasten to assure Mr Petersen that however ignorant of facts "your own" may be, of however ill-chosen the language in which the supposed facts may be expressed, there is not one vestige of personal animosity against him in existence in the mind of your correspondent, who simply does his duty in his humble capacity to the best of his ability and according to his lights. Those lights may be dim; anyway, they do not show the same reflections in the mind of "your own" that Mr. Petersen claims they have impressed upon his. To his mind more prospecting is not required at Nenthorn, because there are already too many claims in existence, and because of the want of capital to develop them whilst to my mind it seems as we wanted a few claims opened which would pay their own way, and perhaps contribute something towards trying the more difficult ones. Perhaps Mr. Petersen despairs of finding such claims, but "your own" does not. What is to hinder working men from opening up payable quartz any more than other claims? Could not working miners and storekeepers have opened the Eureka, Zealandia, Victoria and Croesus for themselves as well and as easily as they have done for other people? For I claim that the working miners have to open such claims, with the assistance of their storekeepers. The men are soon discharged when the proprietors, or their "managements", conclude that their work won't pay. This coud be established by unlimited evidence. There is a large tract of country through which quartz veins are known to pass in Central Otago, of which Nenthorn is but a very small part; and if working miners form prospecting associations there is a good chance of their opening up some reefs of such a character as will repay all efforts made in locating and exploiting them. And when a good reef is found and proved, it w ill be easy to find money and machinery in Otago, without crossing the Pacific Ocean and losing a whole season for what could be had in a few weeks, with every facility for duplication and extension or repairs of any kind, backed by a thorough knowledge of how to surmount local difficulties and adaptation to local requirements. 

Re the charge of impertinence made against "your own," I have to plead "Not Guilty" Seeing that a number of shareholders have had to part with their scrip in a concern simply through the delay which has taken place m the battery, after having contributed very respectably to the purchase and erection , I think I have been slow and apathetic in the remarks which I have made re the works in connection with the Consolidated battery. One thing is certain: it has already crushed some of the shareholders out of the list before it was nearly ready to crush the quartz from the mine, for which purpose the confiding contributors took up the scrip and paid the calls. Mr. Petersen claims that the machine is the best of appliances, and will prove the very best in reducing quantity and producing quality. Well, if it ultimately proves to be so good, the writer of these notes, in witness thereto, will have great pleasure in stating as much; and the sooner I get an opportunity of expressing an opinion on this point the better I shall be pleased. Meantime, I cannot regret the remarks which have given Mr. Petersen an opportunity of explaining the causes which have resulted in so much delay and produced so much hardship to those who appeared to deserve a better fate, and who had no opportunity of knowing to whom or to what they owed their misery.  -Mount Ida Chronicle, 15/3/1890.

Part of the haul road to the Consolidated Battery.  The cutting of the rock and the building up of the road would have added to the expense and the location of the Battery did not repay the added difficulty.

Charles Freeman, an old and respected resident of Invercargill, committed suicide by hanging himself in an outhouse. Deceased, who was a wealthy man, was active and robust, and seemed a most unlikely man to commit suicide. He had, however, lost money lately by bad speculations, including Nenthorn shares.  -Mount Ida Chronicle , 22/3/1890.

A little boy passing along by the gully between the Croesus mine and the township last Sunday morning (says the Nenthorn Recorder) picked up a pennyweight piece of gold, and on looking about he discovered a number of quartz fragments thickly impregnated with the precious metal. A party of over a dozen soon joined the child, and to the great astonishment of all, everyone on the scene was picking up nice little specimens, being strewn over acres of the gully; and along the adjoining spur. Whether the specimens came from a reef further up the hill or were for some unknown reason strewn about is not known. If crushed all the pieces would produce fully 2oz of gold.  -Otago Daily Times, 24/3/1890.

Notices under the Bankruptcy Act

IN BANKRUPTCY. Estate WM. E. GRIFFEN. Hotelkeeper and Storekeeper, Nenthorn. 

TENDERS, 

TENDERS will be received at my office up to noon of THURSDAY, the 27th inst., for the following:— 

1. First-class Hotel, Store, and Stables at Nenthorn.

2. Furniture, Effects, and Stock in Hotel at Nenthorn.

3. Stock-in-Trade in Store at Nenthorn, consisting of Grocery.,Ironmongery, Drapery, Explosives, Wines, Spirits, etc. 

4. Stock-in-Trade of Grocery, Ironmongery, Drapery, Horse and Cart, etc., at Macraes. 

5. Equity of Redemption of Land, Stores, and Stables at Macraes. Amount of debt, L167 12s 2d. 

Tenders will be received for the whole or in lots. Stock sheets and conditions can be seen at my office. 

A deposit of 10 per cent. must accompany each tender. 

The highest or any tender not necessarily accepted. 

JAMES ASHCROFT, Official Assignee, Dunedin, 19th March, 1890.   Evening Star, 24/3/1890.

NENTHORN.

(From Our Own Correspondent). April 14, 1890. The general outlook at Nenthorn is not so bright just now as a newspaper correspondent could wish. The temporary stoppage of the Blue Slate Company's works and also of the Prospectors has thrown a cloud over the place which is rather depressing to the business portion of the community especially. I use the word "temporary" because I am hopeful that the claims will not be allowed to stand idle altogether, although the present shareholders seem to have suffered from exhaustion of patience, if not of means. Many a mine has been left like them, and yet turned up a splendid claim. There is one near Orange, in New South Wales, which has been left idle for many years, but has been started by fresh shareholders recently, and it is turning out stone of phenomenal richness, some of it going as high as ten thousand (10,000) ounces to the ton, and any amount of stone reported to go from 50 to 60 ounces to the ton. Of course I do not mean to say that such a case as the one quitted is much of a guarantee for the ultimata success of the Blue Slate or Prospectors, but it is one of many cases which could be quoted to show that whereever a good strong quartz lode is got which is once proved to carry good prospects of gold, it is it likely place to find somo more, even in Otago, or any other country. Now, the work done in the claims mentioned only goes to show that they are gold-bearing lodes at or near I the surface. What they may contain at lower levels remains to be tried yet, and I trust they will be tried by some party who will not expect them to pay by expending all the available power ot the company on the surface or within hand windlass distance of it. The shareholders of both claims have shown a respectable amount of willingness and perseverence, and every one seems to sympathise with their want of success; but still, I think, the claims are worthy of a more extended trial, and I hope to see them get it.

The school building is advancing toward completion, so far as to form a conspicuous object on the crown of the spur on the north side of the township, and it is likely soon to be ready for its numerous occupants. The Victoria Company are likely to have the whim ready for work in about a week's time, judging by the speed with which the contractor is getting on with the work. In the Eureka work is being pushed on vigorously, and very good prospects are reported.  -Mount Ida Chronicle, 17/4/1890.

Two of the reefing companies at Nenthorn that were started with so much laudation and promise have suspended operations, the shareholders wisely believing that there is not much fun in digging a hole for no other purpose than to be able to look down it.  -North Otago Times, 21/4/1890

NENTHORN.

(From Our Own Correspondent),

April 21, 1890. "Heavy gold found in the Blue Slate claim! They're busy bagging specimens! "Such has been the address of the "man-in-the-street" during the past week, whilst on Saturday the same reliable individual was heard shouting the news: "Seventy ounces for 36 hours crushing." "Seventy ounces of what?" says a voice. "Why, seventy ounces of amalgam," answers No. 1. "Well, well! I heard the Blue Slate had ceased operations and sacked all hands, and how then can they have got any stone at all?" "No, they did not cease operations, neither did they sack all hands; they kept on three men, and this is the result of it." "Well, well! Dear me!" says No. 2, "they are a faint hearted lot of blunderers, but I am glad they have got the gold."

The "Recorder" of Saturday last says: "Probably the best block of stone yet discovered in the Blue Slate mine was found during the week. A few hands got out several tons, which were immediately carted to the battery and reduced, with cheering results. It is yet probable that the company will be reward for their labor and expense. The absurdity of leaving off work before giving a fair trial is here clearly demonstrated." "Our batteries" says the same authority, "such as are in working order, are, with the exception of the Blue Slate plant, standing idle. What will be the result when the Consolidated and Public batteries are ready for work, which is not likely to take long now?" Oh, that dreadful sign of interrogation; it really seems to reverse the inferred hope of those batteries being finished at a reasonably short time — even now, with April nearly past. Well, time will tell. 

The Prospectors' claim is let on tribute. It is understood that the proprietary take 50 per cent. of the gold and furnish timber and rolling stock and crush the stone, the tributors getting 50 per cent. for their labor. I wish the undertaking every success; it is an honest effort on the part of both parties to adjust themselves to mutually bear burdens and share profits, and is likely to be followed by imitators ere long.   Mount Ida Chronicle, 24/4/1890.

In an article on company promoting, the Tuapeka Times says: — " A sad-faced speculator, whom we met the other day, informed us that Dunedin has lately lost as much money on the Nenthorn field, as it did a few years ago at the time of the West Coast invasion. Possibly this was an exaggeration, but money has been freely lost there, and it certainly is greatly to be regretted that the investing public do not take as much trouble to spot a good thing in companies as they do to spot a good thing on the totalisator. There is more intelligence displayed in connection with the investment of £150 on the Dunedin Cup than in £10,000 speculated in mining. We honestly believe that our goldfields afford a grand field for the prudent application of capital, that they are practically undeveloped, and when properly worked will yield a return that will astonish the world. At the same time we know they afford a magnificent field for any unscrupulous scoundrel who has enough brains to use judiciously the tools that lie ready to his hand in any large centre. We desire to speak plainly on this matter. We hold the man who carelessly lends his name to a prospectus, with the object of inducing investment in a concern of which he knows nothing, and for the future of which he cares nothing, so long as he can get anything for his paid-up shares (which have been given him), as a common thief. He is, indeed, worse than an ordinary thief, because he does not discriminate in his thieving. Few members of the criminal class would rob a widow of her little store, but your professional promoter gathers them all in. There is no mistake about this aspect of companymongering. and it accounts in a large measure for the overloading of ventures so often adversely commented upon.  -Otago Witness, 24/4/1890.

Mt. Ida Chronicle AND ST. BATHANS WEEKLY NEWS NASEBY, THURSDAY, MAY 15, 1890 THE NENTHORN MINES.

In a brief paragraph in our last issue we referred to a very severe criticism which had appeared in a Dunedin paper with reference to the management of the Nenthorn mines, and which we agreed was by no means undeserved. The principal trouble at Nenthorn is the secrecy which is maintained with regard to the real position and prospects of the various mines, and the extraordinary family likeness which exists between the inspired paragraphs sent out about each and all of them. In spite of the total collapse of the almost unprecedented excitement of last year, we are among those who still believe that excitement was at the time to a very large extent genuine on the part of claimholders. We are satisfied that there existed on the Nenthorn field and around it an amount of real confidence in the excellence and permanence of the goldbearing reefs such as has rarely been established in so short a time on an entirely new field. No doubt there were some old hands, well instructed in the notorious slipperiness of goldbearing quartz, who were ready enough to take advantage of the enthusiasm of new arrivals and of the excitement caused by the constant reports of rich crushings from unpicked stone, and who took up claims for the sole purpose of getting paid to go out of them. But on the whole there was less of that sort of thing than is usual under the circumstances; and as a compensation there was, as we have said, a quite unusual amount of downright genuine confidence and enthusiasm. Moreover, it was, or seemed to be, very fairly founded. So far as the ground was tested by trial crushings, reef after reef shewed a far more than payable yield; and, small as the reefs in general were, their richness, near the surface at any rate, made their cross measurement a matter of secondary importance so long as there was good reason to believe that they persisted to a satisfactory degree in depth. The very existence of the Nenthorn township as it stands to-day, erected as it was in the depth of an unusually severe winter and amid the most trying conditions as to communication and supply, is a sufficient proof of the confidence of many old miners and business men in the future of the field. That confidence, it is of no use to deny, has long since disappeared; and its disappearance, rapid as it has been, was long preceded by the total vanishing of all belief in the place on the part of the investing public. It is many months since a Nenthorn share in any one of the forty or fifty claims still nominally occupied could be given away for more than the worth of an old song. The Stock Exchange gradually ceased to quote them, and our advertisement columns began instead to afford a weekly indication of what holders themselves thought of many of them. The present position of matters could not possibly be worse. The only claims in actual work on the field, and which were certainly deemed to be among the very best of all the mines, are confessedly in a bad way. The Blue Slate, long considered the premier prize of Nenthorn, has crushed six hundred tons of presumably its best stone — barring small pockets here and there — for a yield barely sufficient to pay the cost of running the battery, without counting the expense of raising the stone from the mine at all. It actually went into liquidation; though its course in that direction was temporarily arrested by a rich find of a few tons which, according to our correspondent's last advices, has not been maintained. The Prospectors — Macmillan's original find, and a mine that gave the most wonderful returns at its trial crushings — threw up the sponge long ago so far as its proprietors were concerned; though the company has not, naturally enough, declined to afford tributors an opportunity of making what they can out of it for themselves and the owners. The Croesus, which we believe has actually obtained about £4000 worth of gold,continues to yield nothing but calls, and from the first has given hardly any information to the public except stories of broken machinery or deficient power or insufficient pumps or something of the kind, coupled with golden but vague promises for the immediate future. These are the only three mines which have actually been in operation, and the above are the actual results up to date. It is absurd to pretend to invite public confidence upon such data. Our Dunedin contemporary assails the management, which we agree has been in most cases simply pitiable, but what is the use of the best management if the crushings do not turn out the gold? We have hardly heard a complaint of the management of the Blue Slate and Prospectors, which were never floated on the open market, and are believed to have been fairly tried, with reasonable regard to economy of working, upon the average stone of those mines. What is really wanted now is some good ground for believing, either that these three companies in reality got gold in payable quantities and only failed through extravagance and mismanagement, or that if they did not there is tangible reason to believe that other claims will. It is absurd to abuse, for instance, the Blue Slate Company for cowardice and want of enterprise because after crushing 600 tons they went straight into liquidation rather than go on. The person who undertakes to bestow such abuse must also undertake to convince reasonable men that those 600 tons were far poorer in gold than the average of the remainder of the company's reef. Who can possibly undertake to do so? And if this cannot be done, it is to the credit of the Blue Slate directors that they frankly stated the facts, refused to "kid on" their shareholders for the sake of their own fees and pickings, and quietly "chucked," as the miner's phrase goes, rather than keep up a disastrous pretence. What our Nenthorn friends have to remember is that pluck and enterprise are occasionally exhibited as creditably in the direction of facing an unpleasant truth as in that of tackling a difficult and obscure enterprise at the first. The future of Nenthorn depends, first and foremost, upon the reefs there turning out at least double as well as hitherto, and secondly upon an entire absence, of concealment on the part of directors and managers as to the real truth of these matters. Unless both these things come about, Nenthorn will be deserted by the end of the present year.  -Mount Ida Chronicle, 15/5/1890.

The Consolidated Battery Board are cutting a water race from the Croesus gully to the battery, in order to secure a good supply of the precious fluid. The battery itself is drawing near completion, and will probably be in full swing by the end of the month.  -Otago Witness, 15/5/1890.

Local and General Intelligence

We learn from the "Recorder" that Robert Brunton (son of Mrs Brunton, of Lawrence), who was employed in the Prospectors' mine, Nenthorn, had a narrow escape from being crushed to death by a fall of rock last Monday evening. He was working in a drive on the 40ft level, when a stay gave way between him and the entrance, and to escape being buried alive he rushed for the tunnel month but failed to get clear altogether. He was caught by some falling rock, and partially buried for fully five minutes, when he was relieved by a fellow workman, who was stoping on a higher level at the time, of the occurrence. Brunton's injuries are in no way serious, but the experience was of a very unpleasant nature.  -Tuapeka Times, 21/5/1890.

PASSING NOTES.

"A bit of a boom in Waipori dredging shares" is the latest phenomenon reported in mining stocks. I quote the exact words in which the fact is stated by the Star. This "bit of a boom" seems to have been started by the exhibiting in a Dunedin shop window of 77oz of gold obtained during the last month by the Upper Waipori Company's dredge. Rather a slender foundation for a "boom," little or big. This time last year another shop window displayed a cake of 177oz, or thereabouts, got from the Croesus mine, Nenthorn. We were then rejoicing in the excitement of a boom in Nenthorn quartz claims. How much gold has come from Nenthorn since? The question is a painful one, and I forbear to press it. Nenthorn mining, so far, has been all promises and no performance, all calls and no dividends. Better things, no doubt, are to be hoped from Waipori dredging — from dredging and sluicing generally. One Roxburgh company affords a shining example of success. But until the dozen or two of similar companies in which capital is sunk begin to succeed in like manner we don't want any more. Yet the Star goes on to say "two new companies were placed on the market this morning, and we are informed that by 4.30 nearly the whole of the capital of each had been subscribed." This feverish haste to put money into new companies savours more of gambling than of healthy enterprise. Why can't we wait till gold returns begin to come in from some of the others? I admit that I don't wait myself — this kind of fever when it comes is epidemic; almost everybody catches it. But we ought to wait. The experience of mining investors hitherto has generally been a melancholy exemplification of the line — Man never is, but always to be, blest. No more companies at present, if you please! Send us some dividends instead.  -Otago Witness, 22/5/1890.

A correspondent from Nenthorn favors us with the following as being his view of that field. There is very little news here to relate. The Nenthorn boom has collapsed some little time back, but there is every prospect of it reviving once more in the near future. The prospects in the various mines that have been opened are, with one or two exceptions, very good indeed, and promise a successful future. Of course they are not all genuine at Nenthorn, but there is enough genuine venture on the field to warrant the belief that Nenthorn will be able to give an account of itself for many years to come. A great drawback to this field is the scarcity of persons who take an interest in goldmining. There are very few, in fact none at all, such persons on the Nenthorn goldfield. The population is made up of butchers, storekeepers, hotelkeepers, bootmakers, and legal managers to the various companies. There is no person here that is fit to give an impetus to the mining industry. They are all hangers-on and trust for a living to the weakness of the poor miner, who is always prone to be generous with his earnings. I only trust that Nenthorn will come down still lower than what it is at present, in order that those people will have to abandon the place and let others have a chance of assisting the field to its proper sphere in the mining industry. Until the present population is forced, through poverty to leave the place, it will be impossible for the field to take a boom. I trust the exodus is near at hand, and I am almost certain it is.   -Dunstan Times, 23/5/1890.

Mining

The Nenthorn Recorder reports that the last wash up from the Blue Slate mine was so poor as to bring all work on the property to a standstill. From about 30 tons of the best ore that could be obtained, a return of 21oz of amalgam was obtained. The last cake weighs 98 1/2oz retorted gold, obtained from about 250 tons of ore taken from choice blocks of the reef. The greater bulk of this stone was crushed some time ago, and the result in amalgam allowed to stand over until the last few tons were reduced. It is said that the Prospectors mine is giving evidence of a prosperous future. The present crushing, however, will not, according to reports, give anything beyond ordinary wages to the tributers.  -Otago Daily Times, 27/5/1890.

Crushing battery foundations.  From its location, my guess would be that it was the Croesus Comapny's battery.

NENTHORN.

(From Our Correspondent. ) ~ June 9th, 1890. The starting of the Public Battery to-day to crush the Surprise stone is a matter well worthy of observation by any or every person who takes notice of the difference which characterises the management of private and public concerns. 

In the too notorious case of the Consolidated Battery, which has been over six months in course of erection and is still unfinished, we have no parallel comparison by which to show the enormity of the waste of time indulged in, but in the case of this Huntington mill we have two others of exactly the same pattern erected on the field by private enterprise. One took two weeks to erect and the other three weeks; and now we have a third one which has been over three months in erection. The only difference which exists to account for the delay lies entirely in the management. The Public Battery Company management has taken over four times as long as private management took to do the same work. The old taunt used against office-hunters under the Government, known as the "Government stroke," was never better earned anywhere than by the cases of the erection of these two batteries at Nenthorn. The loss of gold has been generally considered as very heavy in the case of the other two Huntington mills which have been running here, but the Public Battery has added three berdans to their gold-saving plant, and under experienced management, which I believe the battery owners have, the experience ought to be far more satisfactory. 

Of the Consolidated Battery, I can only say that no one here believes it possible to nominate any date when it will start to work so as to crush the Victoria Stone, which has been patiently waiting for its completion for six months now. Practical men are disgusted with what can be seen and understood. The ore-bin and shoot for feeding the stone crusher and battery, and even the coal shoot, is, as an automatically-working machine, thoroughly unworkable; and if simple things like those are so wide of the mark, what wonder if people doubt the correctness of the more complicated machinery? Still it is rumored that the machinery will be ready in a very short time from this date, and if it is, and it works all right, it will be the finest piece of work as a l0-head battery that I have ever seen. I have purposely desisted writing anything about this battery because of the explanation given by the battery manager some three months ago as to the unlooked-for delays and hindrances which had been forced upon him, and which his directors seem to accept as satisfactorily explicable of the delay; and if the shareholders support the directors of course my opinion is uncalled for. My opinion, however, is that the management of public concerns do not compare favorably with private ones, and I claim these Nenthorn batteries as a case in point. The Surprise is reported to be looking well, and good results are expected from the stone now submitted to the stampers. 

The Croesus Company have struck gold in the 100ft level, and good stone from a strong reef continues to come from the shaft, which is going down ahead of the low level face, so this claim is improving rapidly. 

The main shaft of the Eureka is finished to the 100ft. level, and tenders are invited to sink it to a total depth of 200 ft. Work in the mine is being prosecuted vigorously. The Eureka main shaft is the third shaft which has been sunk on this field to a depth of 100ft., and it seems as though it would be the only one this season to try to reach 200 feet. A correspondent asks why shareholders at Nenthorn are afraid to go down and prove their claims? Well, I can only answer that I suppose they are afraid of sinking too deep into their pockets, so they don't sink at all - in an Australian sense.

The formation of a Miners' Union is spoken of here by a good many miners, but as far as I can learn no steps have yet been taken to bring the movement to a practical issue, although a leader appeared on the subject in last week's issue of the "Nenthorn Recorder."  -Mount Ida Chronicle, 12/6/1890.

Above the possible Croesus Battery, a holding dam for water from the race.  This would allow the water to accumulate overnight for more work during the day.

Another view of the battery foundations, taken while climbing up to the dam.

Although Nenthorn's fortunes may have been in  decline by mid-1890, the annual meeting of the Licensing Committee reveals the number of hotels in Nenthorn - Commercial, William Dowling; St Bathans Patrick Talty; Shamrock, Charles Swanson; Miner's Arms, Henry A Wick; Nenthorn, Thomas Gilchrist; Reefers' Club, Nicholas Malony; Golden Crown, Patrick Ryan.

CROESUS GOLD MINE. TO THE EDITOR.

Sir,— I in due course received a copy of the balance sheet to be presented to the shareholders of the Croesus mine, at Nenthorn, on Saturday next, and as I cannot attend the meeting I take this opportunity of expressing my views about it. I see there is an overdraft due to the Bank of New Zealand amounting to £2013 ls ld ($380,315 today - GBC) — which it would take about 5d per share all round to wipe out —under the head of "expenditure"; £1696 7s 7d ($341,178)  is charged to "battery account," including wages, maintenance, &c. Why are wages and maintenance not given separately, so that capital expenditure stands on its own legs? Directors' fees amount to £196 18s ($39,641). I do not think directors ought to work for nothing — especially when their management results in a profit mine account, including wages, maintenance, etc. It seems that about £2700  ($543,307) of gold had been go out of the mine, and although the report states that the quartz was barren, one is left in doubt as to whether the remark applies to the 17ft west or to the 19ft east, or to both. If any part of that stone were of good quality, surely it ought to have been got out to keep down the overdraft, for the uninitiated now discover that the mine belongs to the Bank of New Zealand. I think it was exceedingly unfortunate that the directors did not apparently take proper advice about the getting of good and sufficient machinery, once and for all, instead of working with make-shifts, proper winding and pumping gear, a small compound condensing engine for the battery capable of driving say 10 or 15 head of stamps, which could have been added as required. High-pressure engines, with boilers exposed to the atmosphere, are out of the question, with coals at between £3 and £4 per ton.

I protest against working this mine, except for profit; and it seems to me as if there has been a lot of money uselessly thrown away by adopting a make-shift policy, which has ended in the mine practically becoming the bank's property. 

Hereafter I trust care will be taken to ensure directors holding a larger interest in the concern while they remain directors — say 1000 shares at least. The shareholders have been kept ignorant that they owed £2000. Have any of the directors recently cleared out, knowing this was owing? I know of one company managed by directors who drew fees, and — remarkable as it may seem, it is yet true —they held no interest as shareholders in the company. 

I have just received a letter from another shareholder, an experienced miner, who justly complains, "When they were on a good payable shoot of gold, why did they not follow it and keep the battery going?" A change of directors is in my opinion necessary. I want nothing to do with the directorate, but I shall be glad to see some practical men in the directorate, as unless there is a change I feel confident mere stupid pig-headedness will not alter matters for the better.

—I am, etc,. Eight Hundred Shares.  -Otago Daily Times, 12/6/1890.

Victoria Q M Co. (excerpt from annual meeting)

The report submitted by the directors was as follows:- " It is to be regretted so many delays have been experienced in getting the crushing plant into working order — delays which at the outset were quite uuforseen, and a number of which were caused by the impossibility during Exhibition time of  getting the subsidiary engineering and iron work completed in reasonable time. Other delays have been caused by the difficulty experienced in getting carriers to cart heavy pieces of machinery from Dunback, and, when carted, in landing them on the site. Now, however, everything is almost completed, and it is expected that the mill will be running before the date of the annual meeting. This company's stone will be first treated, and from the reports of the mine manager thereon should yield good returns. Taking all things into consideration, your directors are of opinion that the results of the exploitation of the company's claim are fully up to expectations, and that in a very short time work will be so far advanced that there will be no difficulty experienced in getting out regular and steady crushings giving good yields of gold.

The Chairman, in moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet, referred to the very satisfactory condition and prospects of the mine, and explained several items of the balance-sheet. In reply to questions, he stated that he did not think the battery site was the best that could have been chosen to suit the convenience of the Victoria Company, but as the Nenthorn Consolidated and Break o' Day Companies (who were partners with the Victoria in the battery) had decided in favor of the present site, the directors had no alternative but to accept it. In the event of the Break o' Day Company being unable to meet its share of the liability, he thought the matter would end by the Victoria Company having to purchase a full half interest in the battery, which would be a very good investment. The directors were of opinion that the value placed on the stone at grass was the very lowest at which it could be estimated — an ounce to the ton. Mr. Barron referred in very complimentary terms to the manner in which the business of the company had been transacted by both the mine and legal managers, and thought the company was to be congratulated upon the possession of such efficient officers.  -Mount Ida Chronicle, 19/6/1890.

NOTES FROM NENTHORN.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

At a public meeting held in Maloney's hall last Saturday evening, a Miners' Union was formed and officers appointed. Perhaps of the many varieties of industry which are now united for mutual guidance and defence, the gold-miner may be thought to be amongst the most incongruous — erratic to a proverb, independent to a fault, it is certainly quite a novelty to see the gold-miner joining in the great labor movements now so general over the extent of Anglo-Saxon colonisation. If mining is to be conducted on the lines of public companies, of course the social position of the practical miner must change to that of a wages man, in which case a Union is quite a necessity, and the incongruity vanishes; and it certainly seems as though all gold-mining in this part of the country was destined to be so conducted. However, the miners of Nenthorn are (so far as I know) the first gold-miners who have thought it necessary to join in the mutual protection provisions adopted by other branches of industry.  -Mount Ida Chronicle, 19/6/1890.

Mining Notes
Nenthorn Consolidated Co

"It will be remembered that arrangements had been made, as referred to in our December report, for the erection of a 10-head stamper battery with all the latest approved adjuncts, such as ore crushers, ore feeders, frue vanners, grinding and amalgamating pans and settlers. In this expenditure we are joined by the Victoria and Break o' Day Companies. This plant has been erected on our property in a gorge between two lines of reef. Serious but unavoidable delay in the completion of this plant and the necessary buildings has done great harm to the companies more particularly interested, as well as to the field generally, but we trust shortly to see it fairly started to work. The choice of site has added materially to the cost of its erection, and has been the primary cause of the delay in getting everything in working order. The site chosen for the battery, as previously stated, is between two well-defined reefs, both of which showed excellent prospects in the face at the time; and as these reefs were to be worked by adits or tunnels, it appeared to us that the site so chosen was advantageous to this company. Unfortunately, as these adits were driven under contract about 100 ft into the hill, the reefs, although continuing to be well-defined, ceased to contain gold in payable quantities. It was not deemed advisable at that time to continue driving, as a large amount of money was required to meet the cost of the battery, consequently these underground operations were suspended, and the work of bringing in the head-race and making roads proceeded with. Further prospecting has, however, since been gone on with, with results not altogether satisfactory, as more particularly shown by our mine manager's report. Although the results so far are not encouraging, yet we are of opinion that with so large an area of ground as is contained in the company's claims, and so many reefs showing gold on the surface, we should not be downcast or despondent at our want of success in getting payable stone at the outset; but trust that, by continuing a systematic course of prospecting, payable gold-bearing stone will yet be found. And with a battery at our door capable of treating large quantities of stone at a minimum of cost, even poor stone may be made to pay We would also point out that our third share in the battery will in itself give good interest on the outlay, and if treated as a public battery and kept constantly going, dividends may be expected sufficient to induce shareholders, even without the aid of our own stone, to find that they hold an interest in a very good property. In submitting this report we have endeavored to show the true position of affairs, and to place shareholders in possession of the same information regarding the property as ourselves."

The report and balance sheet as read, were adopted, on the motion of the Chairman, seconded by Mr. Jackson. - Messrs. Hosie, Ryan, Laverty, Brown, Nuding, Will and R. Inder were appointed the board of directors for the ensuing year. Messrs Schoen and Wilson were re-elected auditors.

It was moved by Mr Jackson, seconded by Mr. Poulson, and carried :—That.travelling expenses be allowed directors residing at a distance—the rate to be 1s per mile one way only. A vote of thanks to the chair terminated the proceedings.

The mine manager reports for the month ending June 19th:— "I have baled out the 44ft. shaft in the west claim, and sunk it to a further depth of 15ft. When starting there was only a trace of the reef, but we have now a reef varying from a. few inches to a foot in width, the quantity of gold increasing as sinking proceeds. By going down till a depth of 100 ft is attained, or till such time as water proves troublesome, and then driving to the west, we might be able to compete with some of the best claims on the field at present. My reason for saying this is that I have been all the time, taking out stone on the west to a depth of about 10ft., and there is still a very strong reef with very little water to contend with. I have taken out about seven or eight tons of payable stone myself during the past fortnight, and the same shoot still continues. This is the reef from which the trial crushing was sent to Melbourne which gave a yield of loz. 13dwt. to the ton. There is altogether about 100 tons of stone to grass, which at the lowest estimate should produce l0 dwts. of gold per ton. There is also a large quantity of payable stone in sight. If the stone at grass was crushed it would give the property a name better than it has at present, but I still think it will speak for itself."

The directors have struck a 3d call, and in a memo accompanying the call notice state that their object is not to dishearten but to reduce the company's liabilities, and to save monthly calls of 1d each, which cost as much to collect as a 3d call, and tend to annoy many shareholders, while in making a 3d call it will not be necessary to make further calls for at least three months, if then.   -Mount Ida Chronicle, 3/7/1890.

NENTHORN

(From Our Own Correspondent)

The following is a copy of a circular which has been circulated throughout the Nenthorn goldfield during the past week: Nenthorn, June 26th, 1890. To Manager, etc.— Sir, — Please take notice that on and after the first of July, under the existing rules of the Nenthorn Miners' Union, none but union men shall be employed in any of the claims or batteries. And further that there shall be a fixed pay-day, at the outside limit of one month; and that all arrears of pay or wages shall be paid on or before the 15th of July. And note further that in no case shall more than three days' grace be allowed to any company. A similar note has been forwarded to all other claims and batteries.

(Signed by the President and Secretary of the Nenthorn Miners' Union.)

I have no doubt, sir, that the train of thought indicated in your leader of June 23th would have embraced some other views of the situation than those touched upon had you but a copy of the foregoing circular at the time that leader was penned. However, knowing that "this correspondence must be limited," I just beg your indulgence of enough space to immortalise my sincere wish: That the N.M.U., or some other happy concatination (a very good word when the stress is laid on the cat), may result in the happy eventuality of "all arrears of pay or wages being paid by" well, say, an early date. Whilst on this subject, it might be as well to state that newspaper correspondents are hopeful that a Correspondents' Union might result in shorter hours and more pay, with travelling allowance both ways, as the directors say, and the usual goldfields scale as allowed by Government payments to be made not later — ah! well; leave out the date till the formation of the Newspaper Correspondent's Union.

The Consolidated battery is reported to have "got steam up" on Saturday, but it is still uncertain when they will start to crush the stone which lies patiently awaiting their tardy advance. Report says that, as far as the trial went, "everything went-first-rate." I sincerely hope it may do so when real work commences, as it is to be hoped it will before long. The Croesus is in a bad fix, for about one fifth of its scrip is advertised for sale for non-payment of calls, and one very noticeable feature of the advertisement is that the names of delinquent shareholders are withheld; so the public cannot judge whether the shares belong to promoters or not. The contractors for the Eureka main shaft have not started work yet because there is no timber on the ground.  -Mount Ida Chronicle, 10/7/1890.


Notes from Nenthorn

Consolidated Battery.— This wonderful structure — so much grumbled at, so much written down in all quarters — has, in spite of croakers who maintained that it never would work, at last disappointed some and pleased others by showing that it will work, and work well, too. On Saturday a preliminary trial took place, and everything worked smoothly and well. All credit to Mr Peterson, who has overcome all difficulties and erected a plant for ore crushing second to none in the Australian colonies, and on a spot more accessible by wings than human feet. The Nenthorn engineers seem to have an almost fatal felicity for choosing the most out of the way places for erecting their crushing plant. 

Mat Craig's stone is now being crushed at the public battery (another luxury), and the plates are looking well. The amount to be crushed amounts to 100 tons, and is expected to go an ounce to the ton. Cakes of gold are not such rarities as they were, even though they are small.  -Otago Witness, 10/7/1890.

NENTHORN.

(From Our Own Correspondent. ) ~~ July 14, 1890. 

The starting of the long-expected Consolidated battery is the moat engrossing topic of the time at Nenthorn. Over and over again dates have been fixed for the starting of this groat work since last February, at which date it was confidently thought on the arrival of the engineer the machinery would be ready to operate on any stone which might be available for reduction; but, as far as can be judged, it is yet impossible to fix a date when the machine can be said to be in full working order. The "Nenthorn Recorder" of Saturday last stated "the battery will start crushing on Monday next" (meaning, I suppose, to-day). How it will get on many are anxiously waiting to see. The same authority says that the engine has been tried with every satisfaction to the owners and makers. I sincerely hope to have the pleasure of reporting the battery to be operating satisfactorily on stone ere long. Surely when the engineer once thinks it possible to go ahead it will not take much to remove unforeseen obstacles. In the meantime the delays are producing the most disastrous effects on the interested companies in particular and on the field in general, for it is keeping back the realisation of the profits of something like 1000 tons of payable ore, which now awaits reduction by the mill so soon us it can be got ready to operate on it. 

The Victoria Co. were putting out some nice-looking stone on Saturday from the drive at the low level. They will probably be ready to commence stoping from that level at an early date, when a good quantity of stone will be raised in a comparatively short time. 

Mat Craig's crushing is said to be giving good promises of a satisfactory yield, as far as appearances at the battery go. The gold in the stone is said to be very fine. I sincerely trust they will get well paid for their pluck and perseverance. 

Mr. Hughes' report of the Consolidated as published is somewhat reassuring after the long weary waiting which shareholders in that property have experienced. I have not, however, heard of any fresh developments; it is, in fact, rather too soon to expect them. 

Arrears of wages seem to be a growing quantity at Nenthorn just now, and in last week's notes I enclosed a copy of a circular issued by the newly-formed Miner's Union which dealt with the question from their point of view. Now I will ask you, sir, if you will kindly publish clause 86 of the Mines Act, 1886, which reads as follows : If any person being the holder of a miner's right shall hire himself for wages to an employer, the right to hold and occupy any claim by virtue of such miner's right and to therein shall be vested in such employer. In the event of non-payment of such wages, any person so employed will have a lien upon the claim whereon he has been employed to the extent of the amount of due to him, such sum not exceeding six months' wages; and, until the said lien be satisfied, the person so working as wages-man shall be deemed to be in possession of the said claim until the wages are paid and the said lien fully satisfied; and the wages-man shall, within seven days after ceasing to work in the claim, register such lien in the Warden's Court in the district in which the claim is situated. The publication of the above may satisfy the unionists that miners have redress if they like to take advantage of it.  -Mount Ida Chronicle, 19/7/1890.

One person for whom the flow of gold took a special route was a Mr Norman, professional share broker.  His career as an agent of many mining companies is here shown to be a less than fully honest one.

A judgment of importance to company promoters and shareholders was delivered by Mr Justice Williams in Chambers, in Dunedin, the case being a summons to remove the name of J. R. Clements from a list of shareholders of the Nenthorn Consolidated Company. The facts were that Mr Norman, the legal manager, was employed to float the shares, for which he was to receive £375 and pay all expenses himself. He inserted in the Daily Times what purported to be a prospectus of the company. If a person took shares on the faith of the material representations contained in this prospectus, and such representations turned out to be untrue, clearly, his Honour said, the person who was misled had a right to rescind the contract. Norman was an agent of the company, and if he induced persons to take shares by representations which were in fact untrue, the company could not take advantage of his misstatements and hold persons to their bargains. The prospectus issued in the Times stated explicitly that the sum of £2000 capital to be called up was to be devoted solely to be exploitation of the company's claims, and no one reading it could for a moment conclude that £375 was to be paid to Norman. The payment was, in fact, promotion money, and the prospectus stated that no promotion money was to be paid. The question then was whether anything had happened to deprive Clements of his right to rescind. His Honour said it appeared that since Clements had known about the £375 he had paid two calls. Promptitude was especially necessary in mining ventures, where values are subject to sudden and great fluctuations. In the present case he thought Clements too late.  -West Coast Times, 21/7/1890.

Reading between the lines, as I am sure contemporary readers did, I assume that Mr Clements was aware of the flow of gold to Mr Norman when he added his small stream to the company's amount.  However, for some reason, Mr Clements wanted out of the Consolidated Co.  But he had already paid extra cash to the company for the calls on his shares.

A year on from the beginnings of Nenthorn as a town comes this snapshot of the place from the point of view of "a complete novice in quartz."

NENTHORN GOLDFIELDS.

Sir, —Having lately paid a visit to this much maligned locality, I have thought that perhaps my impressions of the place might not be uninteresting to such of your readers as may have invested in the quartz boom of a year ago. I will preface my remarks by saying that my trip to Nenthorn was in no way connected with mining matters; that I am a complete novice in quartz; and that any opinions which I may express are not my own, but the opinions of men of practical experience, who have been on the field since it was first opened — men who have risked their all in the development of the reefs, and who still cling to the idea that Nenthorn will yet come to the front, and that her present deplorable condition has been brought about by over speculation, mismanagement, etc. 

Out of the many promising ventures registered on this field only about half-a dozen were in actual work at the time of my visit. Until very lately there were no facilities for testing quartz except in small quantities. Now, however, this want is being overcome. The Public Battery is completed, and kept steadily going, but it will take a long time to overtake the reduction of the quantity of stone which has accumulated during the period of its erection. I am informed that without exception all the parcels of stone which have been crushed since the battery started have turned out highly payable —and that fact ought to go a long way in redeeming the credit of Nenthorn as a payable field. The Consolidated battery is all but finished. This, by all accounts, has been a most expensive affair, and considerable unforeseen delays have occurred in its erection. It is, however, the most complete battery on the field, and contains all the latest improvements for saving gold. The Consolidated battery will start with stone from the Victoria mine; about 250 tons are lying ready at the battery, and over that quantity in the paddocks at the mine. This stone is expected to crush well, and Victoria shares will again boom. Through the kindness and courtesy of Mr A. Cameron, mine manager, I was shown through the underground workings in the Victoria. At the 80ft level, where they were driving at the time of my visit, there is a well defined reef of about 2ft in width carrying good gold in places, and the whole of which Mr Cameron informs me will crush a good average. All the work yet done in the mine has been simply preparatory, and it will take years to take out the stone already in sight. 

The Croesus battery is kept steadily going with stone from the Croesus mine, every ounce of which has proved payable. It is, however, now generally admitted that the loading on the Croesus, Victoria, and other companies first floated, has been many times too heavy, and that dividends cannot be expected under present circumstances. At the same time, were they in the hands of working men, excellent returns would be obtained. A complete system of reconstruction and sacrifice will have to be resorted to before the dividend paying stage is reached. There are two other batteries on the field — the Prospectors and Blue Slate; both are in private hands, and have only lately been erected. 

Nenthorn township is a wonderful place for its age, and is far ahead of the requirements of the place. The main street has at least twice the number of buildings as Clyde, and (the hotels and banks especially) are all well and substantially built and furnished. In the meantime, owing to the non-facilities for crushing quartz, money is scarce, and a great many of the residents have to live, like the camel, on their hump. Some, I daresay, have very little hump left, and it will soon be a matter of the “survival of the fittest” — the loafers and hangers-on will have to "bundle and go.” The next few months will prove the fate of Nenthorn, and it is to be hoped that a better state of affairs will prevail. It is generally thought that the mines in course of time will fall largely into the hands of working men. The quartz is there in reefs innumerable, and the gold in the quartz. It is doubtful if the richest of the reefs has yet been found. The surface of the country is covered everywhere by a deep layer of rich black loam, and, except on the bare points of certain spurs, the outcrop of the reef is concealed, and has to be sunk for. Many rich reefs will yet be found where least expected.

Tramp. - Alexandra South, 21 July, 1890,    -Dunstan Times, 25/7/1890.

MINING NOTES.

THE CROESUS COMPANY, NENTHORN. 

We are informed that at a meeting of directors of the Croesus Consolidated Company (Limited), held at Nenthorn on the 26th July, it was reported that a careful inspection, of the mine, battery, and all the company's works had been made by the directors, and considerable alterations and reductions made in the cost of crushing the company's stone. The mine is being properly and conveniently opened up for economical and expeditious work. The reef, from 20in. to 24in. in width, is showing gold freely. A great change in the company's affairs for the better may be relied on before the end of the present year, but shareholders must be prepared to meet the present financial difficulties by paying the bank its demanded overdraft. The mine manager (Mr. Moyle) reports that future prospects are very encouraging. He has started stoping in the bottom level east and west of the winze, and the first stope is now taken out. The passes and shoots are now formed, so that he will be able to keep the battery going in future with the present staff. A stope has been opened midway down the winze, and in a week or so all the stopes will be in full swing. The stone is improving, and gold is now to be seen in it, so that in future it should come up to average yields. Work on that level going west had to be stopped, as the men were hindering each other, but in the coming month two men will be put to work in the drive. He has confidence that there is better stone ahead; and that when connected with the western winze a large body of payable stone will be opened. All work on the surface has been stopped, so that there will be no windlass work, and by the present method of working stone will be got out at a much cheaper rate than in the past. The engine and machinery are working well.  -M , 31/7/1890.

For the benefit of readers;

Adit: horizontal tunnel of a mine.

Shaft: vertical tunnel of a mine.

Stope: a step cut out of the side of and adit to remove material.

Winze: a sloping length of tunnel communicating between two levels but not rising to the surface of a mine.

And, now, from Mr Clement, a reply...

Nenthorn Consolidated Quartz Mining Company.

TO THE EDITOR. SIR, -In connection with your remarks upon this case I should like to draw the attention of persons interested in mining stock to one point that has escaped comment. The learned judge holds that if a shareholder pays a call after the discovery of what he conceives to be a fraudulent representation in the prospectus he disentitles himself to relief. On the other hand, our Mining Act provides for a very summary forfeiture of shares if a call is not paid. The true reason for my paying the calls was to avoid this liability to forfeiture until the right to relief could be determined, and the necessity for so doing is shown by the fact that while the proceedings were pending a call was made, and, as I could not pay it, notice of forfeiture was actually given me before the judge pronounced his decision. So that if you pay your calls you forfeit your right to relief, and if you do not pay your calls your shares are forfeited, and if unsuccessful in your suit you will find yourself at the end despoiled of all your interest in the company. This is a pretty dilemma to be in, and illustrates very forcibly how much the law is justified in calling itself "the perfection of reason." 

The public will no doubt have taken note that this company was floated by a gentleman who advertises his "phenomenal success" in that line, and when another prospectus comes out under his auspices will be prepared to scan it with a due degree of caution.

— I am, &c, J. R. Clement.   -Otago Witness, 31/7/1890.

IN BANKRUPTCY. 

IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF THE OTAGO GOLDFIELDS 

(Being a Local Court of Bankruptcy), Holden at Oamaru. 

In the matter of "The Bankruptcy Act 1883" and Amendments thereof, and of the Bankruptcy of JOHN LAVERTY, of Hyde and Nenthorn, Hotelkeeper and Storekeeper. 

The abovenamed Debtor having this day filed a PETITION to be ADJUDGED a BANKRUPT, I hereby SUMMON the FIRST GENERAL MEETING of CREDITORS to be held at my Office, No. 12 Rattray street, Dunedin, on WEDNESDAY, the 6th day of August 1890, at the hour of 3 p.m. 

JAMES ASHCROFT, Official Assignee. Dunedin, 30th July 1890.  -Otago Daily Times, 31/7/1890.

At last for the investors in Nenthorn quartz, a glimmer of hope.  The Consolidated Battery, after so long, is returning gold.

NENTHORN.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) Notwithstanding all that has been said re the unworkable state of the Consolidated battery, it is a fact that it is going at last, and that the stone in the paddock is slowly getting crushed; and if it is fortunate in getting on without breakages there will soon be a few hundred tons of stone got through the stamper boxes. I suppose, it must be considerably over twelve months since the order was sent to San Francisco for this machine, and it is just now ready for work, as far as the stamper, tables, boilers, engine and machinery in front of the stampers are concerned; but, owing to the angles at which they are set, everything behind the stamper-box seems to be at fault. What should move by force of gravity has to be shifted by hand labour. This may be corrected in time, but it will entail considerable expense. After so much disappointment, it is a pleasure to know that the machine is at last capable of crushing the stone which is waiting for it, and which will in all probability yield enough gold to set many persons free who are in bonds at present. 

There is some talk of the Public Battery Company making some additions to their machinery which will enable them to reduce the price of crushing to 15s per ton. If this were done it would greatly encourage tributors and prospectors. 

The Jacob is let on tribute to Messrs. Owen Barkley and party, and good things are expected from their operations. The Eureka is having a crushing put through the public battery, and no doubt another cake of gold will soon be obtained which will be the first of several likely to be reported, from this claim during the spring and summer.

I have not been able to learn the result of the Gladstone crushing yet, but I hear that the stone sent to the battery was a mixed lot. The tributors are on some good stone just now, from which a better crushing may be expected when it is sent to the battery. The Golden Chariot is reported to be let on tribute to Mr. McConnell. The Croesus cleaned up after a small crushing of 30 tons, and obtained about one ounce per ton. Present prospects in the mine are reported as very good.  -Mount Ida Chronicle, 2/8/1890.

And, from another source, a hint of what goes on behind the scenes.

It is quite probable that the Consolidated Company's battery — or what is locally known as the "baby," — will do very good work when a deal of alterations are made in the plant. The grade of the ore paddock is not sufficient to allow the quartz to slide to the ore crusher, and from the ore crusher the quartz has to be shovelled into the feeders, and from the feeders it has to be shovelled into the battery, and I was almost going to say that it had to be shovelled from the stamps on to the plates, but that would be an unpardonable untruth, and I refrain from speaking untruths of my neighbour's property, however many my neighbour may be pleased to tell of it himself.  -Otago Witness, 7/8/1890.

Meetings of Creditors

Re John Laverty. A meeting of the creditors in the estate of John Laverty, hotelkeeper and storekeeper, of Hyde and Nenthorn, was held at the official assignee's office yesterday afternoon. There were about 20 creditors present, and Mr J. F. M. Fraser appeared to represent the interests of the bankrupt. 

Bankrupt's statement showed his liabilities to be £5739 8s 2d; ($1,127,724 today - GBC) assets, £3787 Os 9d; ($744,164) deficiency, £1952 7s 5d. ($383,577) The following is a list of unsecured creditors:— Skelton, Frostich, and Co (Christchurch) £21; .R T Wheeler and Co, £6 6s; J M Jones and Co, £27; B Wilson and Co, £119; Butterworth Brothers, £90 ; J Edmond, £45; Tapper and Co, £22; Baxter and Co, £80; Sargood, Son, and Ewen, £55; Hudson and Co, £8 10s; Farmers' Agency Company, £118; Liggins and Gibson, £27; W Guthrie and Co, £32; H and S Inder (Naseby), £30; J Mitchell, £23; J Jordan (Dunback), £11; W Gregg and Co, £34; P Harrington (Ophir), £207; M Fagan, £45; Low and Co, £20; Dunedin Brewery Company, £40; Thomson and Co, £60; Speight and Co, £40; McGavin and Co, £50; Wilson and Co (Naseby), £20; Benjamin and Co. £3 10s; M Joel, £37; R Healey (Hyde), £60; — Smithson, £12; — Harris, £8 10s; D J Coy, £5; Herbert, Haynes, and Co, £10; Nelson, Moate, and Co, £15; Otago Daily Times, £5; — Sullivan (wages due),  £50;- Gilchrist (wages due), £40; Beattie and McKenzie (Nenthorn), £52; Public Opinion, 13s 6d; Mercantile and Bankruptcy Gazette, £6 6s; 0 S Hay (Macraes), £18; John Elliott, £10; A McIntosh. £2 10s; Mills, Dick, and Co, £13 2s 8d; Owen Laverty (Hyde), wages due, £160; A McPhee, £5; Mrs Johnson, £5; — Hosie (Naseby), £3 10s; — Kingsland (Invercargill), £2 10s; J Hoolihy, £13 10s; total, £1759 8s 2d. The following is a list of secured creditors:— The Colonial Bank of New Zealand (Palmerston), amount of debt, £1950; security, £1960. The Equitable Investment Company of New Zealand (Limited), amount of debt, £160; security, £12 10s. Thomas Gilchrist (Nenthorn), amount of debt, £50; security, £50. New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Company, amount of debt, £70; security, £229 10s. The statement showed also the following liabilities not already scheduled:— Bank of New Zealand (joint guarantee with Messrs Maloney, Burman, Cogan, Smith, and McGregor), £550; Bank of New South Wales (joint guarantee with other directors), £1200; total, £1750. The real estate consisted of sections in Rock and Pillar district, containing 486 acres; premises at Hyde and Nenthorn, and sbares in the Croesus, Consolidated, Mount Highlay, and Golden Quarry Gold Mining Companies; also live stock, valued at £229 10s;— total, £2392. The assets consisted of stock-in-trade at Hyde and Nenthorn, £388 0s 6d; book debts, £861; furniture, £146 0s 33: and the abovementioned real estate, amounting in total to £3787 0s 9d. 

The Assignee explained that he had received valuations from two independent sources, and probably the statement would have to be amended. He had also a long report from Mr Low dealing with the Hyde property, and a short report from Nenthorn. Mr Laverty's son had put in a claim for wages, but he had told bankrupt that unless the creditors made a special order the claim could not be allowed. There was a difference of about £200 between the statements furnished by Mr Low and Mr Jones, chiefly in the book debts, and in such a case unfortunately the lower estimate was more likely to be correct.

Mr Fraser said that the bankrupt had offered £500 for the Hyde property, and he thought the creditors could not do better than accept the offer. He would also suggest that supervisors should be appointed. 

Mr Wilson proposed that the offer of bankrupt should be accepted if he undertook to pay the Loan and Mercantile Company. 

Mr Ross said he objected on principle. 

It was resolved to appoint Messrs Jones and T Culling supervisors in the estate under the act. 

The Official Assignee suggested that the Hyde property should be realised as soon as possible, but that the Nenthorn property should be nursed for some time. 

Mr Wilson thought the farm should be sold by auction, and the hotel by tender. 

On the motion of Messrs Ross and Baxter, it was resolved to call for tenders as soon as possible for the whole of the assets in separate lots, and the assignee was authorised to guarantee the Loan and Mercantile Agency Company the amount of their claim, about £70. 

Mr Wilson proposed — "That Mr J. M. Jones' expenses, amounting to £21, be passed for payment as preferential." 

Mr Ross seconded the motion, which was carried. 

Mr Fraser suggested that proceedings in the bankruptcy should be removed to the Dunedin court. 

On. the motion of Messrs Jones and Ross, it was resolved to have the proceedings removed to Dunedin. 

Mr Fraser asked if the bankrupt was to get any allowance. 

Dr Wilson moved— "That bankrupt get £2 per week and his keep." 

Mr Fraser refused to accept that amount. 

On the motion of Mr Baxter, it was resolved to allow bankrupt £4 a week for three weeks. 

The meeting was then adjourned.  -Otago Witness, 7/8/1890.

Local and General

The "Nenthorn Recorder" of last week is very rough on the Consolidated battery. If the facts are as stated, it is high time the shareholders moved in the matter and asked for an explanation from those responsible for this shameful state of affairs. The "Recorder" says:— "This battery has been going for the last week regularly, arid is well worthy of inspection, and we shall recommend any Dunedin or outside shareholder to pay it a visit — not that he may gaze on a monument of skill, but that he may have some idea of how it is possible to squander shareholders' money. For a greater mass of blunders surely was never heaped together before. Nothing seems right. There is no system, no design in anything; stays and timber seem to have been put in wherever a vacancy occurred, or wherever there was a possibility of putting it. We noticed six men and a boy at work at one time. The material has to be handled four or five times. The tables have a thick coating of sand on half of their surface, and it seems almost criminal that any manager should have the front to continue crushing in the present state they are in. We have no hesitation in saying that we believe this is far and away the worst gold saving plant on the field, three Frue concentrators are placed in position but are not working, so that after the halfcoated tables are passed there is no other chance of the gold being caught. There are some grinding and settling pans lying about, but no attempt is being made to fit them in position.  -Mount Ida Chronicle, 14/8/1890.

Notes upon the art of mining gold from the reefs of possible investors in the towns.

NEW ZEALAND MINING LEGISLATION. II.

Looking at and estimating the sums lost in mining is the popular gauge applied in determining its value or otherwise as an investment, but there is another phase to the subject. Metal mining, besides being the only source from which are derived the medium of negotiable wealth, which have become the talisman of our civilisation, has the quality of attracting population to outlying wildernesses, founding settlements, and compensating the pioneers by promises of dazzling rewards for the privations and hardships entailed. Thus has metalliferous mining a double claim upon the Government — first, as source of wealth, in the strictest sense of the term; and second, as a means of settlement in localities which, but for the metals they contain, would be left to the shepherd and his sheep for a long time to come.

It is this phase of mining that demands the most careful and fostering attention of the Government. Let us see how they have, and still are, going about the fostering of the goldfields, During the past two decades there have been a number of rushes to the quartz fields of Otago, every one of which was attended with a mania for company forming and floating, which may well be called a delirium. First there was the rush to Bendigo Gully, followed closely by that to the Carrick Range: then came several minor affairs at the Rock and Pillar and Rough Ridge; next the fever broke out at Macetown, at Longwood, Southland, at the Old Man Range in quick succession, and after a lull burst forth anew at Nenthorn, which as an excitement capped all its predecessors. Every one of these rushes lasted only so long as money was forthcoming to keep up the excitement in the share market, which was long after it had died at the scene of actual work. To the observer who has been allowed to take peeps behind the scenes, there is noticeable a plain development in the manner in which the excitement was worked up and the blaze fanned, and it must be admitted that the process of working a goldfield in the share market by company floating has attained the dignity of a fine art, having entirely outrun any corresponding development in the working of the mines themselves. The actual fact is that as activity in the share market increased real work at the mines decreased, until at the Nenthorn rush it was brought down to a minimum. If this development goes on it will not take many years ere our promoters and floaters of mining companies will have no need of a goldfield at all. Already mining companies have been floated in London as well as elsewhere which had no connection whatever with any goldfield or claim, and it is only a question of time when a prospectus will be sufficient for all the ends of vendors and promoters.

In the meantime it will be instructive to take a close look at affairs at Nenthorn, the latest development, as they were about 12 months ago. Although it is not yet so long ago this mining tragedy or travestie began to unravel itself that the leading feature should have been forgotten, yet for the purpose of these articles they require to be presented and examined in a light in which they do not appear either to the speculator or the general public, and seemingly not to our mining legislators, or whoever else may be responsible for the existing state of affairs, though these latter have no excuse for not knowing more about the effect of their legislation than appears to be the case. 

Probably at no time of the Nenthorn rush did the number of bona fide miners exceed 300, yet the number of claims marked out and shepherded cannot be estimated at less than 500, and it must be borne in mind that one-half of the miners on the field had no claims at all: they came, saw, and were dumbfounded, leaving in deep disgust after a few days' survey of the field. It may thus be said that the 500 claims marked out were held by 150 miners, or an average of more than three holdings of say 30 acres each per man! Out of the 500 claims the total applied for according to the provisions of the Mining Act did probably not quite tot up to 150, and these were mostly held by a local ring or two, and comprised all the choice and fancy ground upon the field, awarded to the industrious pegger-out in the munificent proportion of one 30-acre holding per man. 

As to the manner of the marking out, it showed plainly enough that the object of the holders of the claims was merely to possess a holding defined by four pegs and an equal number of trenches, somewhere, anywhere in fact, quite irrespective of the lines of any of the proved lodes, or whether the pegs included any quartz or not; while of the reason of the marking there never was any doubt in the minds of those who know the operations of "the four peg system." 

In this manner a whole gold field was monopolised by a ring, who, while not working any of the ground held themselves, prevented other miners who came to the field with the object of obtaining and working a claim from prospecting, and in more cases than one has the writer been an eye-witness to cases in which the working bee was threatened with violence if he persisted in trying some of the unworked ground, and in this proceeding the monopolists were admirably supported by the Goldfields Act now in force. Indeed, no piece of legislation could have been better framed for such an object, and people were not wanting to make the fullest use — or abuse — of the weaknesses of the act. The act provides that an area of 30 acres may be held as a licensed holding in one block, upon application to the warden being made in the prescribed form, and "that reasonable diligence must be used in lodging the application." Here was an opportunity of which the monopolists made full use. The nearest Warden's Court was at Naseby, and two days was deemed reasonable time for this diligence by the warden, so that all the claimholder had to do was to go the round of his holdings every alternate day, touch the pegs and renew the trenches to enable him to swear that he had marked it out that day, and this game was carried out until the working miner was disgusted and left the field, or the reason for the continuance of this new method of developing a goldfield was put a stop to by a glut in the sharemarket of holdings of this description. A few of the more tenacious held on in the hope that some of the claims legally applied for, and which stood some reasonable chance of success, might be thrown up, when the time came round for the survey, after which the grant would be either issued or refused, compelling the holders either to work or give up their claim to the holdings. After the lapse of about three months the surveyors appeared to bring about a crisis, as it was thought when lo! behold, some of the applications for some of the holdings referred to were withdrawn and fresh applications made upon the instant. By doing this the parties were able to hold their claims for another period of three months secure against all molestation, though they never looked near them for that time, at the low charge of £5, the amount of the deposit fee. This was a very valuable accommodation to the industrious share-bummer, by which he held a property valued in the share market from any sum up to £300 or £500, affording him ample time to expound the theory of how the Nenthorn reefs widened as they went down, or entrapping victims by any other means, That under such a state of affairs there was absolutely no work going on to prove the value of the field outside the few claims in actual operation will be easily understood; in fact, it was found in some instances that a shaft or two was a real hindrance to operations in the share market, and in several cases where they had improvidentially been sunk they were quietly filled up again; as, for instance, in the Eureka claim, which now, upon being properly worked, promises to turn out one of the best upon the field,

One would think that it does not require a Minister or inspector of mines, or goldfields' warden to see that such a system as here depicted is not very conducive to the development of a goldfield; yet this state of things was allowed to exist under their very noses, and the writer was one of a party who laid a plain statement of the existing state of affairs at Nenthorn before the then Minister of Mines, to which no reply was received until three months after its arrival at Wellington, when Mr Fergus, the present Minister of Mines, had taken office. How little his predecessor understood or probably cared about the development of the field may be seen from the fact that in answer to a petition for a telephone an old unused "lock-up" was sent per Yankee waggon, and resurrected as such at Nenthorn, and it may be added that the insult was deeply felt by the residents.  -Otago Witness, 14/8/1890.

Notes from Nenthorn.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) The Consolidated Company battery is not doing such good work as the public were told it would do when a start was made to treat the ore. It is the opinion of many men who are competent to judge such matters, that the machinery is about the best that could be procured, but serious defects exist in its mode of erection, and the present state of the plant clearly shows this to be the case. There are three concentrators set in position to catch the pyrites, but there might as well be three washing tubs in the same place for all the good the present concentrators can do under existing circumstances. I assert, without fear of contradiction, that under the existing system of working it is impossible that more than 10 per cent, of the gold can be saved. If the present state of affairs is not put a stop to, it is easy to predict the consequences that must inevitably follow such a loss of gold. 

The Eureka stone that is being treated at the public battery shows signs of an excellent yield. I have heard from a reliable source that 48oz of amalgam were taken off the plates alone for a run of eight hours. This is good news, but folk at Nenthom would scarcely wonder at it, as there always has been a hope of great returns from the Eureka. The washing up takes place about Tuesday, and it will be a fortnight or so before another start is made to crush stone, as some necessary works have to be carried on at the mine before stoping operations are begun. This mine will keep a battery working for about two months when once men begin to work in the stones. 

The Croesus mine is turning out some very fair stone, but not in sufficient quantities to keep the battery continually working. 

The Victoria is showing a very fair reef In the present face workings, and the walls are smooth and well defined. The stone prospects well. 

It seems as if some difficulty has cropped up regarding the sale of our township sections. Some person has written to headquarters asking that the sections be not sold, as it is known that auriferous lands adjoin the sections on the south side of the township. I remember that application was made for a license holding on the south side of the township, and immediately adjoining the sections, but Mr Warden Wood refused to grant the claim on the grounds that it would interfere with the township site; and now we have to deal with the matter in a new light, as it is evident the ground cannot be sold if it is known to be auriferous, and our present Minister of Lands made a promise to this effect not very long since. Gold has certainly been picked up in the vicinity of the township site, and it is well known that a line of reef takes its course immediately at the back of the sections on the south side of the main street. As matters are at present it might be best not to sell these sections for at least four or five years to come.  -Otago Witness, 14/8/1890.

BATTERY BOARD OF THE NENTHORN CONSOLIDATED, VICTORIA, AND BREAK 0' DAY Q.M. COMPANIES (LIMITED). 

APPLICATIONS are invited from competent men for the post of BATTERY MANAGER for the above Board's Crushing Mill. 

Letters of application, accompanied by testimonials, to be lodged with the Undersigned, at his Office, Earn Street, Naseby, not later than 8 p.m. on FRIDAY, 29th may. 

Salary: _L5 ($982)  per week. 

J. T. BROOKE HICKSON,  Secretary.  -Otago Daily Times, 21/8/1890.

Notes from Nenthorn. (DAILY TIMES CORRESPONDENT.)

Complications have arisen at almost every claim, and a general stoppage of all work upon the field seems to be the result. On the streets knots of idle men are seen discussing the situation or clamouring at the doors of of legal managers for payment of wages. Like all calamities the present has fallen suddenly, and men who a few days ago were hopeful are now in despair.

Croesus —This mine, after varying fortunes, has at last been compelled to cease active operations. The last crushing of some 200 tons of ore resulted in a return of 17dwts 18gr per ton — just sufficient to pay working expenses for the month. A meeting of directors was held on the 30th ult., and after due consideration it was deemed advisable to cease operations and call a general meeting of shareholders for the 27th inst. to consider the position. Some 66,000 shares have been forfeited, and are now for sale. There are now only about one-third of original shares held, and finding this the directors naturally concluded to shut down the mine. A few men are employed putting in timber where needed and getting all tools to the surface. This will take about two days, and after that the water will be allowed to rise and cover what was at one time thought to be a perfect Bonanza. Another nail in the coffin of New Zealand mining. 

Victoria. — No work is being done on this claim, nor have the men as yet been paid. I see a notice is posted calling for tenders for driving 100ft along the line of reef at the 100ft level. Under the circumstances this is somewhat strange. A deposit of 5 per cent. on each tender is asked. This condition completely debars anyone in Nenthorn from tendering, as the necessary 5 per cent, would be sought for in vain in empty pockets. 

Eureka.— This mine is still stoping, and I learn, with good results. This in the meantime seems to be the only prize out of so many blanks. The main shaft is now down 180ft, but as yet no reef has been met with. As the underlay is a steep one they may not even cut the reef before going 200ft. 

The Consolidated Battery is stopped in the meanwhile owing to a mishap to the boiler, the new manager, Mr Symes, took charge on Saturday last, and is washing up. The company appointed Mr Murray as temporary manager on the retirement of Mr Paterson, and he also applied for the position ot permanent manager. Why they did not appoint him is rather strange, as the battery cannot possibly run more than six weeks at most, owing to the small quantity of stone at grass. They might have left Mr Murray in charge, as he took the management in a critical moment and was also perfectly fitted for the position. 

Surprise.— This company are calling tenders for driving a tunnel 100 ft to catch the reef. This ought to be a good work, and make the working of the mine much cheaper. To sum up the field, it may be said that if no companies had been floated it might have been successful, but not otherwise. The proper way to have worked was by parties of working men, as then the expenses of legal managers, directors' fees, managers' salaries, &c, would all have been saved. As a working man's goldfield Nenthorn may yet be more prosperous than it ever has been. If a company could be floated at Home to acquire, say, four of the mines close together, such as the Croesus, Victoria, Blue Slate, and Golden Causeway, then they might be made to pay, as there would be the necessary capital to do all the dead work at first, not requiring the getting out of stone at a loss to carry on the mine. The shoots of gold from the Croesus run flat, and no doubt will be found in the Blue Slate at a greater depth.  -Otago Witness, 9/9/1890.

Local and General Intelligence

The Nenthorn correspondent of one of our contemporaries writes as follows: A more thorough collapse could not occur to any field than which has taken place here. It is not quite twelve months since I had the pleasure to report that the miners here had donned their working apparel and could be seen moving to their work in the orthodox manner and that the field would soon be tried. Now it appears, we are as far off as ever from the goal of our hopes. A few thousand pounds have been spent in machinery, a few more in roads and races, and a few hundreds in actual mining; and because the small amount of mining done will pay the whole concern has all terminated in a huge fizzle. I have been upon many quartz fields since the latter end of the "fifties," and this is certainly the greatest "South Sea Bubble" that it has been my lot to see. It aggravates the case very much to be obliged to confess that the prospects have been general and fairly good, and that they are yet rendered, by some inexplicable sleight of hand, no good whatever.  -Tuapeka Times, 13/9/1890.

MEETINGS OF CREDITORS.

Re Molony and Burman.

A meeting of creditors In the estate of Moloney and Burman, hotelkeepers, of Nenthorn, was held at the official asignee's office yesterday afternoon. Mr Callan appeared for the bankrupts, and there were nine creditors present.

The statement in the joint estate of Moloney and Burman showed the liabilities, of the firm to be £1446 4s 6d, ($290,971 today - GBC) and the assets £2113 5s; ($425,118) there being an apparent surplus of £667 0s 6d.  ($134,217)

The assets are as follow:- Stock-in-trade, £100; book debts, £447 2s 6d (estimated to produce £100); cash in hand, £4; furniture, £300; property, £1548 15s,

The following are the principal unsecured creditors:- McGavin and Co., £14 8s; D.I.C. Company, £10; W. Scoular and Co., £11 17s; Daily Times Newspaper Company, £3; Herald Newspaper Company, £3 10s; - Petrie, £8 17s; Law and Co., £29; P. Talty, £8 17s 8d; Reynolds and Co., £3:  Dresden Piano Company, £7 3s 7d; Neill and Co., £16 11s l0d; J. Hartstonge, £2 5s; J. Fleming, £3 7s 6d; Grey Valley Coal Company, £9 8s 11d; Miss A. Mclntosh, £9; Miss K. Minnsgill, £3 5s; Miss M. Johnson, £3 15s; Waikouaiti County Council, £3 10s 1d; J. B. Hickson, £3 9s 6d; Tapper and Co., £15; Speight and Co., £120; J. Mitchell, £113 11s 8d; W. G. Neill, £42; G. Botting, £20; D. Baxter and Co., £43 8a 6d; W. Lane and Co., £20; Thomson and Co., £48; O. J. Jamison, £10; Beatty and McKenzie, £96; W. Guthrie, £9 6s 6d; Bank of New Zealand, £703 15s.

The bankrupts' property consisted of a quantity of mining scrip, valued at £18 15s; The Reefers' Club Hotel, £1080; the Nenthorn Public Hall, £300; a saddler's shop at Nenthorn, £20; section 28, block 1, Nenthorn, £10; one-half of section 22, block 1, Nenthorn, and house, £120; — total estimated value, £1518 15s.

The Assignee said he had had a valuation sent to him by Mr Marryatt, who valued the stock at the hotel at £137 13s 3d; furniture at £212 6s 1d; buildings, £600; sundries, £18 15s; book debts, £506. The creditors were all pretty well aware that the state of things at Nenthorn had been such as to justify almost any disaster in the shape of failure. There were three considerable estates which he had on his hands, which were either wholly or partly mixed up with Nenthorn, and he was sorry to say that his experience of realisation there was anything but satisfactory. Things there seem to be getting worse every month.

Mr J. O. Burman, on being examined on oath, atated that he and Mr Moloney had been in the hotel at Nenthorn for about 18 months. He put about £500 or £600 into the business, but had drawn nothing out of it. He kept his family at his private house, and supported them apart from the hotel business, only getting a few things from the hotel. Mr Moloney was to put £50 into the business, but most of that sum was expended in travelling. Mr Neill advanced Mr Moloney £50, and Mr Speight also advanced him another £50. Mr Speight's bill was paid through the firm, and the other was paid through his (Mr Burman's) private account, but he got repaid by the firm afterwards. He attributed his failure to the falling off in business. In consequence of the non-success of the mines. The firm's largest takings in a week amounted to £118. Some weeks from £60 to £75 was taken, and lately the takings had been as low as from £10 to £15. 

Mr Baxter moved -"That the hotel business at Nenthorn be carried on for a month in charge of Mr Moloney at a salary of £2 a week and found.

Mr Tapper seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. 

Mr Tapper moved -"That Mr Burman be allowed £2 a week for a month on condition of his assisting the assignee in all matters connected with the estate." 

The motion was seconded by Mr Samson and carried nem. con. 

Mr Greenslade moved - "That the expenses incurred by Messrs Thomson and Greenslade in connection with the deed of assignment in accordance with arrangement of private meeting of creditors be paid preferentially but of the estate, after claims made preferential by the act, to an amount not exceeding £10."

Mr McGavin seconded the motion, which was carried. 

Mr Kitchen moved - "That the proceedings in the bankruptcy be transferred to Dunedin from the District Court of Oamaru and Timaru both in the case of Mr Burman and in that of Mr Moloney." 

Mr Greenslade seconded the motion, which was carried. The meeting then adjourned.  -Otago Witness, 25/9/1890.

MINING.

NENTHORN NOTES. 

(From Our Own Correspondent.) Croesus.—The tributers did not get this mine as notified, a hitch having occurred at the last moment. I hear the Bank of New Zealand was the cause of the agreement falling through, as they wish the company to go into liquidation. It certainly needs to go into something, as everyone is keeping clear of it. When the meeting of shareholders was called, not a single one appeared, and the meeting of directors, called for the following day, only saw the advent of three out of seven directors. 

Eureka.—This mine is still doing good work. During the week a patch of stone was struck at 70ft, and from this were got the richest specimens ever seen in Nenthorn. I saw a prospect crushed, 74oz of stone, in which there was 13dwt of gold. There is a rumour to the effect that the company having failed in the negotiations with the public battery, are going to get their stone crushed at the Croesus battery. The contract to drive 200ft along the line of reef has been let to Cogan and party, I think the price was somewhere about 12s per foot.

Gladstone —The tributers finding that the public battery is closed against crushing are going to send their stone, some 70 tons, to the Croesus battery, as they are wanting to prove the value of their work before proceeding to further expense.

Consolidated Battery.—This battery has again started crushing, the object being to get all the stone crushed and pay the wages, if possible. I think on the whole this has been the most unlucky project ever entered into, as just when the battery was ready to start it was found that the dam supplying the race had burst, and that it would take a fortnight to repair. The battery, however, can go on working, as the engine is able to pump the water for the tables from the creek, as was done before the race was constructed. 

Bonanza.—The foundation for this company's battery is almost finished. The most of the material is also on the ground. Before long we may expect to hear of some more 7oz to the ton. The company, I am Informed, has over 100 tons of stone at grass, and if that goes 7oz to the ton Nenthorn will scarcely be able to stand such an unparallelled success.  -Otago Daily Times, 8/10/1890.

LOCAL & GENERAL.

The "Nenthorn Recorder" ceased publication last Saturday.  -Mount Ida Chronicle, 18/10/1890.

Notwithstanding the large increase in Otago the increase for the whole of the colony is for the said quarter only a little over 10,000 ounces. It is much to be regretted that Nenthorn should have proved so great a disappointment. We notice that the official assignee, who is somewhat of an enthusiast in mining matters, said he was confident that the field would revive when the existing complications were got rid of. He added that the field had been totally mismanaged. Thi is very likely to have been the case, and we hope that the assignee's view of the case is not over-sanguine; but the conclusion on the whole would seem to be that gold mining is not likely for some years yet to make any great addition to the colonial exports. It is, all the same, a valuable industry, always full, too, of possibilities, and ought to be encouraged and promoted in every legitimate way. Pity that its worst enemies should be its so-called " promoters."  -North Otago Times, 21/10/1890.

Local and General

At the Supreme Court on Tuesday last a petition was made by Mr. Hosking to wind up the Croesus Consolidated Q.M.Company. — Granted accordingly; winding-up order to be served on Mr. Carlaw Smith. Re the Victoria Quartz Mining Company. — Motion to appoint liquidators (Mr. Hosking).—Mr. Rose appointed at 5 per cent, on amount recovered, security to be fixed by the Registrar. The same order as above was made in connection with the Break o' Day and the Nenthorn Consolidated Companies, also on the motion of Mr. Hosking.  -Mount Ida Chronicle, 23/10/1890.

Forgotten Nenthorn

Of this goldfield the correspondent of the O.D. Times says: — The field has now almost reached bed rock, there only being eight men at work - viz. , the contractors in the Eureka drive. Tributing has stopped everywhere, not so much on account of the unpayable nature of the reefs as the uncertainty of even being able to get stone crushed. The stoppage of the batteries has hastened in a great degree the almost final collapse. The last of the tributing parties, Gladstone, are now washing up, and expect to get fully loz per ton, a result which would pay very well if crushing power were easily obtainable. If outside capital does not now step in and endeavour to develop the field its fate is sealed for a long time to come. That it will ultimately be worked there is no question, as there is no doubt there are several reefs that will pay well when really worked as investments, and not for sharebroking purposes alone. The field from the beginning has been worked on this latter principle; for, take the Croesus, the premier claim, and what do we find? The oldest and most effete battery procurable is purchased, a battery which it was well known could not last more than a year, thus necessitating a new battery after that period. The power used was steam when water in plenty was available. A Pelton wheel was used with 40ft pressure, which was never meant to work under 100 ft pressure, and at the mine the same prodigal expenditure prevailed. As a further instance of extravagance the Victoria, Break o' Day, and Consolidated claims, not content with a battery purchased in Dunedin capable of doing all their work, must send to America for a crushing plant, which cost somewhere about L7000,  ($1,408,574 today - GBC) without first testing the reefs to see if such an expenditure was allowable. The result is well known — liquidation without one of the claims at least ever having a trial. The Public Battery is another example of the suicidal tendencies of the early promoters of Nenthorn. I claim that if the field had been opened by men who really wished to perform legitimate mining, and had the old proverb been held in view, "Creep before walking," we might have had fewer houses, in fact nothing in the shape of a township, but still a field that had a future to look forward to, and not a past to regret. 

The only bright spot in this dark picture is the Eureka. During the last week very good gold has been got in the drive proceeding along the line of reef from the bottom of the 200 ft. shaft. This proves that gold is to be found at a depth, in this claim at least, and I am quite sure in others as well if they had been equally well tested. The Eureka directors deserve all credit for the way they have worked this claim. Had all others been worked on the same principle Nenthorn would have been in a better position at the present time. The gold being found at 200 ft. I think, proves the value of the mine, and that value I should consider is almost doubled from this fact. Of course the failure of all the other claims will tend to depreciate the value of the Eureka, as I expect Nenthorn stinks in everybody's nostrils at the present, but let not this dishearten the Eureka shareholders, as I am quite certain that here is a good claim for a long time to come. The only thing now is to procure crushing power as soon as possible, as working from both levels there ought to be six months' crushing ahead.  -Southland Times, 23/10/1890.

Auctions

THURSDAY, 30th OCTOBER, At 12 o'clock sharp.

To Hotelkeepers, Farmers, and others. 

In the Bankrupt Estate of MOLONEY and BURMAN, Hotelkeepers, Nenthorn. 

JAMES SAMSON AND CO. have received instructions from the Official Assignee to sell by auction, on the premises, Nenthorn, 

The whole of the household furniture, stock-in-trade, bar fittings, and liquor stock in the above hotel, which contains 10 rooms and is well furnished throughout with every requisite required for a large country hotel. The whole is in good order and nearly new.

Luncheon provided. 

Posters will be distributed. 

THURSDAY, 30th OCTOBER, At 12 o'clock. 

To Hotelkeepers, Speculators, and others. 

Sale by Auction, on the Premises. 

MOLONEY AND BURMAN'S HOTEL, Nenthorn.

JAMES SAMSON AND CO. have received instructions from the Bank of New Zealand to sell by auction, All that parcel of land, being section 1, block 1, together with hotel, concert hall, and all buildings thereon, and known as the Nenthorn Hotel and Concert Hall.

Will be sold separately or in one lot. 

For full particulars, apply to THE AUCTIONEERS.

Sale will commence sharp at 12 o'clock.  -Evening Star, 27/10/1890.

General News

The Nenthorn boom is now thoroughly exploded, and, judging by the rate at which the derelict companies are being wound up, the number of disillusioned speculators must be unusually large. The amount of capital sunk on the field during the more excited period of the boom must have reached an enormous amount; and the question is into whose pockets did it go? It is now a fact well-enough known that the boom was worked and carefully nursed by a small but dangerously wide-awake number of gentlemen who figure very prominently from time to time in mining matters in Otago. The bulk of the money went into the pockets of this select circle; and though morally guilty of having deliberately swindled a number of their confiding fellow colonists, yet they are untouchable by the law, and will, no doubt, live to fly their kites with the same remunerative results many times again. There are now eight solitary men working in the fraudulent Eldorado, while the hotels and the stores and the banks, with their specially-constructed strong rooms to hold the fabulous wealth supposed to lie entombed somewhere in the field — all have disappeared with the same suddenness with which they came upon the scene. To show the blind faith that some deluded investors had in the ground, it need only be mentioned that one company, not content with such a battery as might be purchased in Dunedin must send to America for a crushing plant at a cost of £7000, and that without even testing the reefs to see if such an expenditure was allowable. While there are such people as this in the world no law that could be devised by man is capable of protecting them from the hawks.  -Tuapeka Times, 29/10/1890.

Notes from Nenthorn.

(Daily Times Correspondent.) There is no new development to mention. If anything, things are somewhat duller this week than when I last wrote. It is mooted that if the Croesus is put up to auction a small Dunedin syndicate are prepared to purchase. If this be so, it is hoped the liquidator will push on business as fast as possible, for, with the Croesus again working, we might be able to stem the tide of misfortune that is running so strong at present. If Dunedin men intend to purchase, I would advise them strongly to do so, as with judicious management and improved appliances the mine could be made to pay handsomely.

Bonanza.— Exactly 24 days from the time that this company started to take down the old Prospectors mill it was again in position seven miles from its original and, better still, is crushing stone. The mill has put through about 40 tons of stone, which promises not far from 3oz per ton. All credit is due to Mr Kitchener and his colleagues for the energy displayed. If half a dozen men like Mr Kitchener had come to the field in the first place it would not have been the failure it has proved itself. Mr Kitchener has, I am sure, lost as much money, if not more, than anyone else in the field, and he still perseveres. I hope his new venture turns out fully up to expectations, as he richly deserves the best of returns; There are 100 tons of stone to crush at present. If this goes 3oz, or even 2oz to the ton, who will say that Nenthorn is done. It has not made a start yet, in my opinion, and when it does I have no doubt several reefs will pay handsomely.

Gladstone. — The return from this mine was at the rate of 18dwt per ton, but this the tributers did not think good enough on account of the difficulty re crushing arrangements, and so have given it up and departed from the field altogether. 

Bonanza.— This company have the battery fixed, and intended starting crushing yesterday. I am informed they expect the stone to average 3oz per ton The battery shed is now in course of erection. 

Nenthorn is now almost deserted. I am sanguine enough, however, that as we shall shortly be able to start with a clean sheet, the place, under better management, will assume a more healthy and prosperous position.  -Otago Witness, 6/11/1890.

It is with regret we record the death of William Allan, eldest son of Mr John Allan, Springvale, which took place at the Naseby Hospital on Saturday last, at the early age of 19 years, after a short illness. Deceased served his apprenticeship at this office, and by his obliging and pleasant disposition was greatly respected by his fellow workmen and all those with whom he came in contact. On the completion of his apprenticeship deceased severed his connection with this office, and after a short trip from home with the intention of looking around him, he bought an interest in the newly-established paper at Nenthorn the Nenthorn Recorder. The paper had but a short life, and deceased had almost concluded arrangements with respect to the settling up, when he was seized with typhoid fever. His parents were led to believe — both from letters received from the lad himself and also from those who had charge of him —  that he was fast recovering from the fever, and that he would soon he able to he removed to Springvale. Both Dr Fletcher (of Middlemarch) and Dr Whitton (of Naseby) had been called in and both agreed that the attack was a very slight one, and that no danger need be apprehended. As time wore on, and he did not seem to improve, Dr Fletcher was again sent for, and he recommended his removal from Nenthorn — at the same time expressing a wish to be sent for as soon as his father arrived. His father arrived on Sunday, the 16th. Dr Fletcher had already been sent for. On Monday he wired that he would come on Tuesday; however, he did not come, and on Wednesday he wired: “Can t possibly come to-day”; and as the boy appeared to be getting weaker every day, his father obtained a covered express and in it poor Willie was brought to the Naseby Hospital on Thursday. But too late; a relapse of the fever had set in for some time, and he gradually got weaker and weaker, and expired on Saturday morning, at 7 o’clock. The body was interred in the Clyde Cemetery on Sunday afternoon, and was followed by a large concourse testifying to the esteem in which deceased had been held. Mr G. McNeill, Alexandra, read the last sad rites.   -Dunstan Times, 28/11/1890.

Obituary.— On Saturday, 22nd of last month, at the Naseby Hospital, William George, eldest son of Mr John Allan, of Springvale, Alexandra South, at the early age of 19 succumbed to an attack of typhoid fever, which he contracted at Nenthorn through drinking water from an old shaft that had been abandoned for some time. The water was apparently clear and fit for drinking, but its depth hid from view a mass of filth that lay at the bottom of the shaft. The young man, of course unaware of the presence of any poisonous matter, drank freely of the water, but some little time afterwards complained of nausea. A day or two after this, being confined to his bed, a physician was called in, who pronounced it to be an attack of typhoid fever. For three weeks the young man was confined to his bed, when his father came to Nenthorn and proceeded to carry him to the Naseby Hospital, where he was certain to receive the regular attendance of a physician. Before leaving Nenthorn the deceased, though weak, was apparently in good spirits and hopeful of a speedy recovery, but, unfortunately, upon reaching Naseby, a relapse of the fever set in, and upon Saturday morning, 22nd of November, at 7 o'clock, the young fellow passed away. The deceased had but a short time ago completed his term of apprenticeship in the Dunstan Times office, and upon severing his connection with that paper purchased a partnership in the Nenthorn Recorder, where he laboured assiduously to prolong the existence of that publication, until the failure of the greater number of the mining companies at Nenthorn brought about a state of things that made it impossible to carry on the local paper. During his stay at Nenthorn the deceased made for himself  many and sincere friends, all of whom regret the early decease of such a promising young fellow.  -Otago Witness, 4/12/1890.

The Courts To-day

Re Nicholas Moloney and James Charles Burman.—Mr Gallaway, who appeared in support of the motion, said that this was a failure caused through the collapse of Nenthom. The Assignee said that that was so. He believed that the hotel cost over L1,000 ($201,224 today - GBC) and was mortgaged to the bank, and that the bank had offered it for L230, ($46,281) and were unable to find a purchaser. That fact would give an idea of the collapse at Nenthorn. No doubt a substantial sum had been put into the business by one of the partners. His Honor said that the creditors recommended the discharge, and it seemed to be a case of misfortune. The order of discharge would be made in both cases.  -Evening Star, 8/12/1890.

NENTHORN NOTES.

(From Our Own Correspondent ) Both banks are now closed and the bankers gone. In the case of Mr McNeal, of the Colonial Bank, a farewell dinner was tendered to him prior to his departure at Maloney's Reefer Club Hotel. After justice had been done to the good things provided Mr Moloney proposed the health of Mr McNeal, wishing him success in his new sphere of operations, and also hoping that he would return on some future day when Nenthorn was again flourishing, and bring Mrs McNeal with him. Mr McNeal responded in a happy speech. Songs were given by Messrs Cook, McNeal, and Irving, a step dance by Mr Cogan, and alter wishing Mr McNeil bon voyage the company parted. Mr Cook, of the Bank of New Zealand, leaves this (Thursday) morning for Naseby, where the Nenthorn accounts have been transferred. The removal of the bank will be a severe drawback to the field. As far as mining Is concerned there is very little new.  -Otago Daily Times, 29/12/1890.

Mining

The highest tender received for the whole of the property of the Nenthorn Consolidated, Break o' Day, and Victoria Q M. Companies (Limited) was £760, ($152,930 today - GBC) the successful tenderers being Messrs James Mitchell and E. Inder, of Naseby. We (Mount Ida Chronicle) understand there was some hesitancy on the part of the liquidator in accepting such a low figure — as well there might be considering that the property must have cost about £10,000 ($2,012,249) but ultimately he decided to accept the tender. It is the intention of Messrs Mitchell and Inder to leave the machinery on the field for some time in the hope of Menthorn arising from its ashes, but if that hope remains unrealised at the end of a reasonable term they will dispose of the property elsewhere.   -Otago Daily Times, 2/2/1891.

Notes from Nenthorn. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Matters are assuming a little brighter aspect. I do not think there are now more than six men out of work, and they will soon be provided for; but let it not be understood that any more are wanted, not one for the present. The supply it in excess of the demand. 

The Eureka is now employing 24 men at the mine. Men have been put on to stope, to be in readiness to keep the battery going when it starts. The whip shaft is also being sunk, and I am informed by the mine manager that a leader has been struck in the passage, carrying good gold, that before was not known to exist. It is to be hoped it is permanent. The battery has as yet not started operations, the reason being the lowness of water in the creeks. I stated last week that a temporary dam was being built, but the battery manager informs me it is a permanent one, of good solid workmanship. He alto states that there is not enough water to run the tables for eight hours, so that the rain is looked for anxiously. There is now a Eureka mine and Eureka battery; it only wants water to see about dividends. When this happy consummation is brought about everyone in connection with this mine will have a pleasant time, from the chairman of directors to the boy that drives the whim. There is nothing so popular in the mining world as a dividend, in fact nothing succeeds like success. 

Bonanza.— This mine again washed up last week, and obtained about the usual cake, 153oz some dwts. It seems a splendid result, after all the painful failures of Nenthorn, to find a mine that can yield 150oz of gold per month, and from all appearances will continue to do so for many a year.

The Consolidated Battery, and all its accessory claims, only brought £700. From £10,000 to £760. What a descent in one short year! For ways that are dark, and for tricks that are vain the company promoter is peculiar, and the public as usual is a long suffering animal.

The school took up again yesterday. The number of pupils has fallen considerably since the breaking up, from about 36 to 20. I suppose the school will soon be in the hands of a female teacher, and not a man as at present.  -Otago Witness, 5/2/1891.

At the Oamaru District Court sittings a bankrupt had his certificate suspended for six months because it was shown that while his capital was about £280 he had possessed himself largely of Nenthorn mining shares, hoping to sell them before calls were made, but failing to do so filed. The judge held that this was hazardous speculation.  -West Coast Times, 9/2/1891.

MINING.

NENTHORN NOTES,

(From Our Own Correspondent.) An acquaintance of mine suggests that it was his satanic majesty who scattered the gold about the reefs at Nenthorn in suffcient quantities to make a town, but not to pay, thus following his usual course of leading men to ruin. The ruin of most of the men connected with Nenthorn has certainly been effected. It was quite refreshing last week to see nearly all the idle men employed in the Eureka mine, but owing to the lack of water, most of them were stopped on Saturday. Thanks to a splendid rain that fell last night, I think the men will all be started again very soon. It appears very strange that if the Eureka are in as good a position financially as is stated, they should be afraid to fully man the mine for more than a week if the battery is not crushing. The battery started crushing last week and was only able to run about eight hours when the water failed. I wish we could transport some of the North Isand's floods up here at present, as the water is so badly needed. The whip shaft at the Eureka has been sunk about 50ft, and a chamber cut at the bottom. Everything is ready now for driving to cut the reef preparatory to starting stoping. I see tenders are called for rising up 41ft from the bottom level.

Mr Fowler has started carting the Break o' Day stone to the Consolidated Battery. Mr Beatty with some workmen bave been affecting some changes at this battery lately. 

A meeting was held last evening, Mr Moloney being in the chair, to protest against the action of the Waste Land Board in granting to Messrs McRae and others the concession of using all the 800 acres originally granted to the miners for the killing of the rabbits. It was pointed out that if this was given effect to and the fencing proceeded with, no one would be able to keep a horse or cow. Then there is the danger to children and animals of the near proximity of the poisoned grain laid down for the rabbits. It was further shown that the rent charged for mining operations of 10s per acre was more than the squatter would pay in 21 years. One gentleman stated that he was in the fur trade and knew something about rabbits, said that there was no part in the district so free from rabbits as the ground above mentioned. He asserted that the rabbits were only made use of to gain possession of the land. A committee was appointed to draw up a letter to the chairman of the Waste Lands Board, and if this fails it was resolved to write to the Minister of Lands re the matter.  -Otago Daily Times, 18/2/1891.

Notes from Nenthorn. 

( FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

The Bonanza washed up again last week, and I believe got about the usual result. I hear the pyrites are very troublesome, being so plentiful sometimes that is almost impossible to save the free gold. Apart from the above defect, they are a pleasant enemy, as they are very rich, and will pay handsomely even to go to the expense of erecting a Leinkinbock table to clean them, and then either send them to Sandhurst or Fitzroy for future treatment. I recommend the above table to the owners as the best method in use for cleaning pyrites. 

Consolidated Battery.— Mr H. Symes, who was in charge of this battery formerly, has again been appointed to the position. His first act was to discharge all the men employed, and then engage others, who now occupy the battery benches. This action has been severely commented upon, as some of the men discharged have families, and all of them certainly needed work, and some of them were as qualified to manage the battery as Mr Symes himself. The stone is only turning out moderately well, and crushing can only be carried on less than 12 hours per day for lack of water.

Homeward Bound.— The crushing of this stone resulted in a return of about 23oz of gold from 20 tons of stone. Consequent upon this result, Messrs Cogan and Gill have been prospecting the mine, and, so far, tell me have scarcely obtained a colour. This shows how patchy Nenthorn is, and even the best miners are liable to be misled.

Eureka. — About this mine there is very little to report. Stoping is still being carried out, but everything is lifeless pending the battery being able to go on crushing steadily, as it cannot do at present for want of water. I see Mr Gillies is again in Nenthorn, and intends staying until Saturday. It is to be hoped that he drew the £350 lying to the credit of company, and brought it up to pay the men, as they are needing it. Given rain in flood quantities, I believe the Eureka might clear itself, and probably pay a dividend also.

Jacob. —The stone from this mine, taken out by Messrs McKay and Thomas, has just been carted to the Golden Point battery, at Macraes, when, as soon as some repairs have been done to the engine, its crushing will be proceeded with. It will require about an oz per ton to pay the expenses incurred — i.e., 9s 7d per ton for carting, and 12s 6d for crushing. How much it cost to raise I know not, but probably 20s per ton at the least. 

There are plenty of idle men about, but for this there is no reason, as there are plenty of abandoned claims, that I am sure would provide them with tucker, if not more.  -Otago Witness, 12/3/1891.

"a curse upon Nenthorn"

Mining

NENTHORN NOTES. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONPENT.) The want of water is being severely felt, the creeks being so low at the present time that the stock in the neighbourhood can consume all the water, leaving none for the batteries. It teems as if there were a curse upon Nenthorn, for after all the weary waiting for liquidation, the want of water now stops everything when we want it most to go ahead. I often wonder how the people carry on, as we have still a fair population, and all to be supported from one mine - i.e., the Eureka. This mine, I am informed, is looking much better than ever before. Gold has teen struck at a depth of 140ft to the westward, where, I think, it was not expected to be found, but why I cannot say, as I always reasoned that was the direction in which the shoots were dipping. The Eureka is no doubt a very good property, but I hardly think, as reported in Tuesday's Times, that there is between 600 and 700 tons of stone at grass. I should say between 200 or 400 would be nearer the mark. Stoping is still being carried on, but everything is lifeless pending the decision of the clerk of the weather, who seems to favour the farmer at present. The money to pay wages to the amount of L400 has been paid into the bank.

The Consolidated Battery is also stopped for want of water, though in receipt of drainage from a much larger area than the Eureka. 

The Bonanza, which has been able lo cirry on up till now, has succumbed to the leaden sky and blazing sun of the last few months. Rain, rain, rain is the cry of everyone, and it seems as far away as ever, though now and again black clouds appear as if to tantalise the rain-seekers. 

I have bean trying to find out during the last weak what is being done with the Croesus, but can get no satisfactory answer. Some people tell me that the company's title is what is causing the delay, but why this is so I fail to see, as none of the original owners are disputing the title. The sooner the mine is sold the better, as there are plenty prepared to buy it, and with the Eureka and Croesus both working, Nenthorn would still be a town, though of diminished proportions. Unless the Croesus is sold at once I would advise the Nenthorn people to petition the judge, and see what is causing the delay.   -Otago Daily Times, 13/3/1891.

Local and General

Messrs. Clement and Wilson, the original proprietors of the ill fated "Nenthorn Recorder," seem to be unfortunate in their newspaper ventures. They started a small paper at Geraldine at the beginning of the year as a bi-weekly, which after two or three issues was reduced to a weekly, and has now ceased publication.   -Mount Ida Chronicle, 21/3/1891.

Auctions

SATURDAY, 28th MARCH, 1891, At 2 o'clock,

JAMES SAMSON AND Co. J have received Instructions from the Official Assignee to sell by auction, 

A large iron store, known as Mr Silas Hoar's, Nenthorn, 

The sale will take place immediately after the sale of the furniture, stock, etc., at Moloney's Hotel.   -Evening Star, 23/3/1891.

Notes from Nenthorn. (From Our Own Correspondent.)

Nenthorn, that once was distinguished for the fabulous richness of its reefs, can now boast of another distinction, which, if not as valuable as the reefs, is at least permanent. I mean the wind, which, like the poor, is always with us. On Sunday last a simoom that would not have disgraced the Sahara desert, which we in our unromantic language call an equinoctial gale, raged continuously for four hours. During its progress the air was filled with flying kerosene tins, pieces of iron roofs of houses, and stones of hazel nut size. It was a dangerous proceeding to try and face the gale, which I think is well worthy to be christened a blizzard. 

Mining is at a standstill for lack of water. Consequent upon the gale of Sunday we had a splendid shower of rain, but not sufficient under the present tropical circumstances to do any good. What we want is a whole week of incessant rain.

The paid-off Eureka men have gone to Tasmania. There are still a few men employed at the mine. I am unable to state if the battery is working. If it is it will only be for a day or two. 

The Consolidated battery has been lying idle, but not on account of water, as the creek seems to have enough in it to do what is necessary. I think that the manager ought to bestir himself and see that no time is lost considering how scarce water is, and that there is more stone awaiting crushing than the Break-of-Day, which he ought to secure for his employers.

Nenthorn presents a very dilapidated appearance now. Its former glory has entirely departed. House after house has disappeared, until fully half are gone. The next removal to take place is that of the Reefers' Club Hotel, which is about to be shifted to Middlemarch, to the order of Messrs Flyn and Swanson, who are starting a house at the new field, which, I am sure, will be a success, as farming puts mining entirely in the background. By the judicious weeding of starvation all the pubs will soon have to shut up. It is, I suppose, a case of the survival of the fittest; but whoever survives will not wax fat or vain glorious, as the penury of the place will act as an antidote. A man would require to have everything in his own hands, from post office to public house, to make a decent living in Nenthorn at present. 

The weather still keeps very dry, and until the floods of the great deep burst forth there will be very little mining to chronicle. Nenthorn certainly is an unfortunate place, as no sooner has the forced idleness of liquidation and bankruptcy passed away than the want of water again brings everything to a standstill; and if the water does not come soon, I am afraid we will again require the services of another official liquidator — not through the effects of bad management, but for the lack of water. Wind we have in excess. Thursday night looked black enough for a thunderstorm, but if such happened it must have been in your more favoured locality. 

The Consolidated battery managed to get a few days' crushing, but is again stopped for want of water. All the piping in connection with the water races of this battery has been sold, and is being taken down preparatory to removing. 

The Eureka battery also had a few days' crushing, but is also stopped, which is almost ruinous at the present time, considering that the mine must be kept going to a certain extent, which must be paid for out of the shareholders' pockets instead of out of the mine, which is well able to pay expenses if crushing could be carried on continuously. The quality of stone being raised at present is very rich, and also very easily raised. The sale conducted by Mr Samson of the stock of Moloney's Hotel passed off very successfully, good prices being realised for most of the articles offered.  -Otago Witness, 2/4/1891.

Strath-Taieri  (excerpt)
Mr Oettli is making good progress with the removal of Mr Swanson's hotel and hall from Nenthorn, a large quantity of the material being already on the ground. The hall will be a great public convenience; but if placed too near the hotel it will not be much availed of, as a great many people will object to using it on that score. It would be far better if it were erected some distance away from the hotel, for then no one's scruples need be roused, and it would be the public boon that it ought to be.   -Otago Witness, 16/4/1891.

NENTHORN GOLD MINES.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —Nenthorn has gone down they say. That is a fact which anyone will be forced to admit if he visits the locality and talks to one or two of the people. On the opposite side of the street — for Nenthorn consists of but one street, with houses on both sides — are two banks, with barricades on the doors and windows; not far away are the offices of two stockbrokers, also closed; up the street a short distance is the office of the ‘Nenthorn Recorder’ — a newspaper which recorded the startling bits of news when the mushroom village was growing fast — with a copy of that paper pasted on the inside of the window; and close by are two restaurants, both closed, and a fairly good hotel, the proprietor of which is still there, but whose chief occupation is to toast his toes at the fire in that rather cold region. 

To say that such a village sprang up in two years — some say in only nine months — shows how things had been going ahead. But at the present moment it is at its worst, and with winter approaching. If you talk to the people, here is what one of them might say to you: “I had a home in Dunedin, but at the time of the rush here I removed my home, and now when there is nothing to do, if I were to remove it again, I don’t know where to remove it to.” That is something like the history of the coming of several of the people to Nenthorn — people who have all the appearance of being much above the ordinary navvy. 

Now, I am not astonished at what has befallen Nenthorn. Directors here and directors there; managers here and managers there; stockbrokers here and stockbrokers there bungled the whole concern. People say that Nenthorn was a swindle. There was no swindle about Nenthorn; the reef is there still, and the gold also. The fault lay in the management, or rather mismanagement. Instead of being called directors and managers, they ought to have been called misdirectors and mismanagers. By the time that these men and one or two stockbrokers were paid, there remained about as much for the miners as (one of fables relates) remained for the cats after the monkey divided the cheese among them —that was, almost nothing! For every ton of quartz crashed the yield of gold was sufficient to have paid everyone splendidly, if there had been proper management. 

It is all nonsense to talk of Nenthorn being down — down for ever. Nenthorn will get up again. Is there anyone so shortsighted as not to see that, in a locality where there is a reef from 1 to 1 1/2 feet wide, and with a depth that has not been reached; in fact, as a man said to me: “It is inexhaustible." It will yet go ahead, and that at no very distant date. But its “full speed ahead” will not mean much as long as the machinery is driven by an old fashioned engine, which consumes more coal in a short time than it is worth. Directors of the Croesus Quartz Mining Company, where are you? If you have not gone into a torpid state, like the lizards, at the approach of winter, let me whisper an advice into your ears; Why not let the machinery, which is standing idle and rusting, to, say, half a dozen respectable miners for a month at a moderate rent? There are half a dozen respectable men in Nenthorn who would be willing to do what I suggest — even more: if they were satisfied with their enterprise at the end of the first month, they would rent the machinery for a year, and ultimately be able to buy it altogether. I make this suggestion feeling assured, from Nenthorn’s past sad history, that only in the hands of practical men — that is, in the hands of respectable miners themselves — will the business become a success.

But here’s another advice: The machinery when new would cost about LI,000, and second-hand it would be worth only half price (L 500); hence it would not take a very wealthy man to purchase the whole concern and set things agoing again. Whatever may be the difficulties in connection with the setting up of “The Croesus Quartz Mining Company,” any plan would be better than the one adopted— namely, to let the machinery stand idle and go to ruin.

—I am, etc., A.M. Dunedin, May 6.  -Evening Star, 6/5/1891.

Introducing one Mr Leslie Norman, professional promoter and seller of mining shares.  A mining company, upon issuing of its shares, would make a present of a number of them to  a man like Mr Norman.  Mr Norman would sell the shares entrusted to him and had the option to sell his personal shares immediately or to promote the mine, watch share prices increase, and then, before the value of the mine suffered any unfortunate re-adjustment, sell.

We understand that a well-known sharebroker, who has from time to time figured prominently on certain mining companies that somehow never panned out very well, has within the last few days been missing from his favourite haunts in Dunedin, and not even his most confiding friends can throw any light on his whereabouts. Needless to say his unexpected exit from the scene of his labours has caused dismay in certain quarters, as he was a gentleman of a light temperament and luxurious tastes, and never allowed a company disappointment or the failure of a little scheme to spoil his digestion or blunt his faith in the verdancy of human nature. His mementoes to his friends are numerous, and consist principally of Nenthorn scrip.  -Tuapeka Times, 9/5/1891.

The same newspaper, not too long before, had referred to Mr Norman in more favourable terms...

Mr Leslie Norman, of Princes-street, Dunedin, formerly of Naseby and Nenthorn, undertakes the floating of legitimate mining companies. Mr Norman, who is a very shrewd business man, has been singularly fortunate in promoting a number of mining ventures with which he has been entrusted. We would direct special attention to his advertisement in another column.  -31/8/1889.

Local and General News

THE bulky little figure of Mr Leslie A. Norman (says the Dunedin correspondent of the "Taieri Advocate") is no longer seen in our midst. An anxious creditor issued a summons against him last week, but the bailiff brought it back with the ominous addenda — "Left the colony." His transactions in the Island Block Company were undoubtedly "shady," and after the big row at the shareholders' meeting in the Criterion Hotel it was evident that things had been made too hot for him. The hint then thrown out that he had made from £2000 to £3000 ($402,499-$603,674 today - GBC) out of the concern is now stated as a fact.  -Tuapeka Times, 16/5/1891.

News of the Day

The Decay of Nenthorn.—Nenthorn township which sprang up like a mushroom has wilted like one. On opposite sides of the street — for Nenthorn consists of but one street, with houses on both sides — are two banks, with barricades on the doors and windows; not far away are the offices of the two stockbrokers, also closed, up the street a short distance is the office of the Nenthorn Recorder — a newspaper which recorded the startling bits of news when the mushroom village was growing fast — with a copy of that paper pasted on the inside of the window; and close by are two restaurants, both closed, and a fairly good hotel, the proprietor of which is still there, but whose chief occupation is to toast his toes at the fire in that rather cold region.  -Press, 12/5/1891.

Leslie A. Norman, lately mining sharebroker, etc., at Dunedin, but now browsing at the Zeehan silver mines, Tasmania, poses in the Taieri Advocate of 11th instant, as an injured innocent. The burden of his letter is a "contemptible paragraph" of the Advocate's Dunedin correspondent, who stated that he made a profit of from £2000 to £3000 out of the Island Block Extended Gold Co., in spite of a public denial by him to the contrary; and he proposes the forfeit of £25 or more to the Dunedin Hospital by himself or the said correspondent whichever may be in error. Mr L. A. N. says, ''With the general statements I do not intend to deal, preferring rather that my solicitor should attend to them, and in reference to which you will hear at a later stage."   -Lake Wakatip Mail, 17/7/1891.


Local and General

Mr Leslie A. Norman, judging by his present location, and the pathetic tale he tells of his troubles, has latterly fallen on evil days. Last Saturday's "Daily Times" contains a communication from him dated from the hospital at Hobart, where he lies prostrate with fever, but still able very vehemently to inveigh against his enemies and protest against the assumption that the Island Block Extended Company was such a good thing to him as his enemies insinuated. Possibly enough there may be some exaggeration in some of the statements made in that connection; but, if so, his own conduct supplied the grounds for it, and justified much else of what was alleged against him. The existence of the letter he does not deny in which a proposal was made by allowing the company to go into liquidation to despoil the shareholders of their property. Yet he apparently defends the not very creditable project by saying that the same scheme was frequently discussed in his office as the only feasible way of saving the company — for the select ring of which, there is not the slightest doubt, Mr Norman was a very prominent figure. Rather a curious piece of causistry this; but apparently there is a sufficient gloss of morality about it to satisfy any qualms of conscience that Mr Norman may be troubled with in the intervals of what he calls the "poignant agonies of his malady." No doubt had the little game sketched out in the letter and discussed in Mr Leslie's office not miscarried, things would now be cheerier probably for Mr Norman, though the same could hardly be said for the shareholders.  -Tuapeka Times, 9/9/1891.

Our Melbourne Letter

Many of your readers may be interested to hear that Mr Leslie Norman, who figured conspicuously not so very long ago in the affairs of a certain mining company, whose property, I believe, is situated somewhere in your district, is still in the flesh, and as happy in the present and hopeful in the future as it is his wont to be. I met him here after his arrival from Tasmania, where he had a tough fight for his life, "but, as usual," said he, "I succeeded in carrying off the honours." He had a bad time of it in the hospital at Hobart, and suffered much, for his sins; but the world couldn't spare him just yet awhile, and he is still in the land of the living. He tried his luck at Zeehan, but gave it best after a few weeks. He had spotted a few good things there, but the infernal reports set afoot about him in Otago found their way over after him and nipped all his little projects in the bud. He assured me he was completely misunderstood by the people over your way. Instead of following him up with groundless charges and flinging abusive epithets after him, he asserts he deserved a statue in marble at the hands of the mining interests in Otago for the good he did. Were it not for him, he assured me, mines that are now working and companies that are paying big dividends would not have been heard of in the present generation. He had sacrificed the best part of his life building up and developing the mining industry of Otago, and what did he get for it? Nothing but abuse and vilification. I reminded him that the greatest benefactors the world yet had were similarly treated. "True, very true," remarked Mr Norman, sniffing consolation in the suggestion. "History," he added, "down to the present day is full of such cases. The best friend the world ever had was crucified." If ever fortune smiled on him over here, he assured me that he meant to go back and let the light of day in on the doings of some of his false friends on the Island Block Extended Company. He had saved that concern from ruin and bankruptcy half-a-dozen times over, and it was a bad day for the shareholders when he withdrew from its affairs. He knew all the men well in whose hands it was now, and he described them as being a lot of ninpompoops; men who knew next to nothing about conducting the affairs of such a company. After cruising round here for a few weeks, Mr Norman went to Broken Hill where he now is. He is the mining representative of the "Argus" at that important mining centre, and is, besides, said to be deep in mining transactions on his own account.  -Tuapeka Times, 17/4/1892.

Mr Leslie Norman, who is not quite unknown to fame in Otago mining circles, has been making trouble for himself at Broken Hill, where the great mining strike is now in full swing. A week or two ago he was chased for his life by an excited body of miners through the town, and only saved himself by taking shelter from his pursuers in the police camp. The cause of his unpopularity appears to be that he has been sending to the Melbourne and Adelaide papers statements reflecting on the men out on strike. The Broken Hill paper speaks of him as "a contemptible creature, who is poisoning with malignant ingenuity the minds of the public by lying or garbled reports," and warns the miners that the creature is shrieking for troops to terrorise and coerce them. At this rate there is a strong probability that Mr Norman may not after all, unless his proverbial good luck stands by him, pay that promised visit of his to Otago to hunt up the people who tried to blacken his character.  -Tuapeka Times, 30/7/1892.



Mr. Leslie Norman, whose name is not quite unknown to fame of a certain kind in mining circles in Otago, is at present sojourning at Broken Hill, N.S.W.; and, judging from the tenor of some communications we ("Tuapeka Times") have received from that quarter, he has succeeded in making things very sultry for himself. As mining representative of the Melbourne "Argus" and the Adelaide "Register," he appears to have written some things that were highly objectionable to the residents and calculated to injure the interests of the district. The local paper, the "Silver Age," deemed it necessary to take the matter up, and in an article headed "Incendiary Tactic," Mr. Norman and his alleged misrepresentations are dealt with in a very summary manner. If things keep warming up in this fashion, it wouldn't surprise us to see the ex-secretary of the Island Block Extended Co. once more breaking fresh ground, and, mayhap winging his way back to these peaceful shores. There is still a big heap of explanations awaiting him on this side of the water.  -Mount Ida Chronicle, 30/7/1892.


Mr Leslie Norman of blessed Nenthorn memory now blossoms forth on a West Australian goldmining prospectus as Mr L. A. Norman, A.M.I.M.E.  -Mount Ida Chronicle, 31/10/1895.

Money There.—Mr Leslie Norman, well known in Otago a few years ago as a mining speculator, is now at Coolgardie, W.A. He is reported to be making a cool £5000 ($972,639 today - GBC) a year out of various mining ventures. He, among other things, is consulting engineer to a big English mining syndicate from which he draws a fat salary.—Bruce Herald.  -Lake Country Press, 30/7/1896.

Back to the struggling - perhaps failing - mining town of Nenthorn.

Passing Notes (from the Otago Witness)

Scene: The snuggery of the village pub. Occasion: A free-and-easy to celebrate the improved prospects of mining, a telegram having been received during the day from a well known K.C.M.G. announcing his Honor's decision in the Break o' Day case. The company consists chiefly of certain promoters of the Nenthorn Reefs, locally known as the "Potters." After suitable libations, the Potter-in-chief takes up his parable somewhat as follows; 

Worshipful Brethren, —From this day the honoured name of "Potter" acquires a new significance. Have we not "dished" the B.N.Z. - New Zealand's greatest pawnbroker. That venerable institution poured out treasure from the fullness of its globo assets; to see, or, rather, let us see, if there was any golden quartz in Nenthorn. The bank was very kind. Its manner was not the ordinary manner of banks— it gave all; it took nothing; - no, not even a joint and several. A number of high-principled directors — myself among the number — with your full knowledge, overdrew the company's banking account, without saying to any of you; by your leave, or curse your soul, or observing any other civility. The result is that, although we have enjoyed all the benefit, it has been decided that we are subject to no responsibilities. In other words — Brother Potters — our game has been "heads we win, tails you lose." Thanks to the bank's money, we have had the chance of being made rich without any risk of being made poor — a thing quite unprecedented in the annals even of mining. For all these and manifold other blessings we have to thank —

But here I cut him short. We don't need to be told who it is that the "Potters" of Nenthorn or Naseby  have to thank." The devil looks after his own !

Talking of Nenthorn, I observe that the Eureka Company has had a crushing and a washing up: yield— 200oz of gold from 160 tons of stone. A two-line announcement in these terms appeared a week ago. Not a word of comment has followed — good or bad, though I see that "A Shareholder" offers in this morning's Times a subscription of 20s towards a fund for putting the company into liquidation.. Why is this? Here is a Nenthorn company that extracts £750 worth of gold out of 160 tons of quartz, yet the fact is passed over in silence as if it were an indiscretion that charity forbade the mention of. More than this, a shareholder writes to the papers indignantly demanding that the company be wound up. The facts are curious, but they may be explained. Nenthorn and Nenthorn reefs stink in the nostrils of the public. The mention of them is as smoke to the eyes, and as vinegar to the teeth. In our present state of mind it is impossible to believe that any good thing can come out of' Nenthorn. If 200oz of gold came out of Nenthorn last week, that gold is not as other gold. It is the money of the genii which will turn to withered leaves - more calls and liquidation notices. That's how we feel about it, I fancy, and the feeling is slightly irrational. You see we are just now in about the lowest deep of a mining "depression." It is the cold fit in alternation with the hot fit of two years ago, and the one extreme is as far from right reason as the other. I am not going to suggest that Nenthorn may turn up trumps yet,— far from it. I should expect that the leaders of Passing Notes would be ready to stone me. All the same, 200oz from one washing up is a somewhat impressive fact.  -Otago Daily Times, 15/8/1891.

MINING.

NOTES FROM NENTHORN. (FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.)

September 28. The cloud that has settled for some time over Nenthorn is lifting. The Surprise mine, which was sold by the bailiff some five months back for 25s, and sold next day for 60s to two miners, who have been working it successfully ever since, was sold by auction to-day to settle a dispute between the men, and realised £80. A Dunedin lady, whose name I am not authorised to give, was the purchaser, but it may be stated that, her agent was prepared to go a good bit over the sum mentioned if it had been necessary. Now that the ladies have taken Nenthorn in hand it ought to go ahead, and so it will if some enterprising parties put up some dams and crush by water. That will be the saviour of the field. 

The Croesus mine, which was sold by the liquidator the other week for an old song, is going ahead again, and under proper management will be a success. The Eureka Company crushed up last week a few tons of stone that was at grass, and which had been considered hardly worth crushing. It yielded about 15dwt to the ton — not so bad for poor stone. As I said in my last, Nenthorn will come to the front yet if properly handled.  -Otago Daily Times, 30/9/1891.

Despite losing the town's hall to Middlemarch, Nenthorn's social life was not lost...


Alice's Letter to her Readers

BALL AT NENTHORN. The bachelors and benedicts of Nenthorn gave an enjoyable ball on the 6th ult, in the printing office. The hall was tastefully decorated with evergreens and boxwood. The music was supplied by Messrs McKenzie (violin) and Baldwin (piano), and Mr G. Clark acted as M.C. I took notice of the ladies dresses, which I will try to describe :— Mrs Fowler, dark dress; Mrs Mills, grey tweed; Mrs McKie, large check; Mrs McKay, blue gingham; Mrs Morgan, pale blue; Misses McKay (3), white pink sashes; Miss J. Mills, white; Miss M. Celery, maroon; Miss McRae, maroon skirt, white bodice trimmed with maroon (this young lady in my opinion was belle of the ball); Miss McKie, dark skirt, white bodice, white sash; Miss Wicks, black, pink flowers; Miss Bothwick, white, short sleeves trimmed with pink, gloves and fan to match; Miss. V. Bradbrook, white maroon sash; Miss E Bradbrook, navy blue; Miss Ryan, black, pink ribbons and flowers; Miss M. Ryan, black, red ribbons and sash; Miss Talty, brown, pink ribbons; Miss Fowler, sage green skirt, white bodice; Miss Hanlin, white, pink ribbons. About 12 o'clock everybody partook of the good things, which were supplied by Mrs Mills. Dancing was kept up till 5 o'clock in the morning.— Rose.  -Otago Witness, 26/11/1891.


Commercial
Mining Notes

The purchasers of the Croesus mine, Nenthorn, are to-day in receipt of another cake of retorted gold weighing 63oz, from 80 tons of stone. The manager reports having come across a splendid body of stone when be was prospecting 100 ft west of the engine-house. He has sank on it 28ft. The reef is 18in wide, and shows splendid gold.  -Evening Star, 22/12/1891.

Mining

Nenthorn. 

The Eureka.—As I prognosticated some time ago this mine is on the verge of liquidation, and I believe the evil day has only been put off. At the last general meeting I hear that Mr A. Sligo the late manager, made an offer to take the mine on tribute and that the offer is likely to be accepted.  

Croesus. -Good stone is being taken out by the windlass shafts to the east of the main shaft. The stone is only being taken near the surface.  -Otago Daily Times, 25/3/1892.

Local and General

A cake of gold from the Surprise mine, Nenthorn, weighing 200oz, being the product of 69 tons of quartz, was brought to town last night. This is the largest return relative to the quantity, of quartz ever secured on the Nenthorn field, which, it is evident, is not yet so "played out" as some people imagine. Indeed, the quartz in the Surprise mine is reported to be improving in quality.—"Daily Times."  -Mount Ida Chronicle, 3/9/1892.

THE WEEK

A languid interest in the once booming Nenthorn field on the right side, and an active but hardly appreciative concern about it on the wrong one, has been aroused by the events of the week. The appearance in town of a 200oz cake from a neglected hole in "that accursed place" (we quote the regrettable language of Princes street) can have had few consolations for the unfortunate shareholders of the Nenthorn Consolidated Company and the other two concerns which it drags along with it before the courts. The exact nature of the connection between these three precious undertakings presents a mathematical problem as abstruse as the latest cable message about Lord Ripon's intentions, and as it has already set all the legal authorities by the ears we may be pardoned for refraining from providing a a solution. All that can be made out by the (fortunately) disinterested onlooker is that these three companies united to establish a Battery Board, which was intended to crash the golden quartz contributed by the various claims of the companies, but which, as a matter of fact (in default of getting any such quartz) has never crushed anything but the shareholders. This last operation it has performed with peculiar efficiency. It was complained of the battery actually erected on the ground that when it did crush it got no gold out of the material, but its powers of extracting the precious metal from its own shareholders seem to be of a peculiarly complete kind. On the whole, this affair seems to have been, if not the worst, at any rate the biggest swindle on the now notorious field. As usual, the punishment falls on the innocent, and what little indignation the despair of the luckless shareholders still leaves them capable of is bestowed not upon the original sinners but —singularly enough — on the unfortunate liquidator, who has no more to do with their troubles than the proprietor of the quicksilver mine from which their supplies of that (as it turned out) superfluous material were derived.  -Otago Witness, 8/9/1892.

Mining

Surprise.— The last crushing from this mine was not up to former results. About 15 men are employed at the mine. It is reported that the owners are negotiating for the purchase of the Croesus battery, now owned by Mr Wicks. This is now the only mine left at work at Nenthorn.  -Otago Witness, 19/1/1893.

Sales by Auction

AT NENTHORN, On FRIDAY, 7th APRIL, At 12 o'clock. 

VERTICAL D.C. STEAM ENGINE 

(with Winding and Pumping Gear), 

Five-horse Power Nominal, and works up to 15. 

IRON COTTAGE, IRON SHEDS. MINING PLANT AND TOOLS.

BLACKSMITH'S PLANT (complete). 

DM. SPEDDING will sell, at Nenthorn,on Friday, 7th April, at 12 o'clock, The whole of the Plant and Machinery of the Croesus Mine, comprising: '

Engine and gear, engine shed, small shed, cottage, 19 sheets iron, bellows, anvil, vyce, grindstone, shovels, picks, gads, saws, wrenches, iron trucks, wheelbarrow, retort, whim, poppet heads, wire rope, shear steel, hide of leather, oil, &c, &c. 

Without reserve.   -Otago Daily Times, 1/4/1893.

MINING.

OTAG0 NOTES. (From Our Own Correstondent.)

A small rush has taken place to Horse Flat owing to an old hatter getting a prospect of 4gr to the dish; but I am sorry to say that most of the holes put down close to the original finder have proved duffers, or too poor, to pay. The sinking is about 18ft to 20ft.

At Nenthorn there has been quite a stir over the striking of a rich patch by Holden on the old Consolidated lease. Even the local schoolmaster puts in his time getting quartz. I hear that Callery and party are on good gold, and that Holden is taking out stone that will go 5oz to the ton. This speaks well, and it is to be hoped it will last. It has induced others to prospect, and other good finds may result.

Surprise.— I have been informed by the owners that they do not wish any comments on the mine as it is a private property. 

Bonanza.—They are driving on the reef, and expect soon to be on the good shoot of stone and turning out big cakes. The mine is being properly opened up, and the low level tunnel, which has been a big undertaking, will well repay itself as it gives over 200 ft of backs.   -Otago Daily Times, 11/10/1893.

The St Bathans.  The first of Nenthorn seen by the inquisitive tourist.

The St. Bathans Hotel at Nenthorn was destroyed by fire at 1 a.m. on the 3th inst. The hotel was owned and occupied by Patrick Talty, and was insured for £300 in the Manchester Office.  -Evening Star, 10/3/1894.

Being no time traveller - except perhaps in my imagination - I cannot divine the reason for the fire at the St Bathans Hotel.  But I observe here that it was a common occurrence at the time for hotels which were not flourishing financially to suffer catastrophic fires.  Especially when they were insured.

St Bathans Hotel.

MINING.

NENTHORN. (From Our Own Correspondent.)

A good few old miners have left here for Coolgardie, Western Australia, and the place has almost a deserted appearance. Holden, who had a rich patch on the old Consolidated ground, has abandoned it as worked out. The Bonanza have almost connected their low-level drive with the surface. There has been a lot of work done in this mine, but the amount of payable stone discovered is not great. At Golden Point the battery is kept constantly going with satisfactory results. There has been an abundance of water this year for all mining purposes, but the yield of gold is not what was expected by a good deal. During the dry seasons the cry was, "Oh, we can get gold if only we had the water." Now that the water is at hand the gold is not. I hear very little about the Barewood reefs, and am disposed to think that if economically worked this is a good line of reef. The stone is a good average thickness, and the yield (from l0dwt to 15dwt) should certainly leave a good margin of profit. The water is a little troublesome, as no low level can be got, except at a very great expense, and bailing with a whip is certainly not the most economic way of keeping it down.  -Otago Daily Times, 6/4/1894.

Sales by Auction

FRIDAY, 22nd JUNE, At 2 o'clock. 

On the Premises, Nenthorn. 

MINING PLANT AND TOOLS. 
ENGINE AND BOILER, HUNTINGTON MILLS. 
BUILDINGS FOR REMOVAL. 

The Property of the Eureka Gold Mining Company (in liquidation). 

PARK, REYNOLDS, & CO. are instructed by the Liquidators to sell by auction, on the Premises, on above date: 

A very valuable and useful lot of Miners' Plant, Machinery, and Tools, as per catalogue, to be obtained on application.  

Intending purchasers can take 7 a.m. train to Middlemarch on Friday, 22nd June, and be in time for sale.  -Otago Daily Times, 9/6/1894.

MINING.

OTAGO CENTRAL MINING NOTES. (From Our Own Correspondent.)

Nenthorn. The last of the last public company on Nenthorn has disappeared in the sale of the Eureka Gold Mining Company, in liquidation. The sale took place on the premises on the 22nd, and was attended by about 20 persons, mostly those in the neighbourhood. The sale could not be said to be a success, as most of the heavy machinery, with the exception of the rockbreaker and one 5ft Huntington mill, which were purchased by Messrs W. and G. Donaldson to add to their plant at Golden Point, Macraes, remained unsold. I understand the engine and boiler are to be sent to Dunedin, as also the new Huntington mill, which was never erected. The mine was not offered for sale, but all the gearing, such as whims, poppetheads, trucks, &c, were disposed of for small sums. 

Mr Wicks, who erected a windmill to pump the Croesus mine, is waiting for wind now that the pump is in order, the previous gale having disabled it.

Holden is taking stone from a small reef on the south of the old Blue Slate. Another party is taking stone from the Jacob, and another from the Homeward Bound. As a rule these fossickers make a living and something more. Holden is reported to have cleared £600 ($117,170 today - GBC) in a few months, and this lucky find has induced more prospecting, and we may reasonably expect other rich patches to be found. The Bonanza is to be sold in a few days. This course has been resolved on by the majority of the shareholders, who are members of one family. This seems strange, as all the dead work has been done in the mine and the low level, which cost about £1500, is completed and the stone ready to come out.  -Otago Daily Times, 29/6/1894.

Mining
OTAGO CENTRAL MINING NEWS, (From Our Own Correspondent)

Nenthorn is having a share of the mining excitement that is abroad just now, and a considerable amount of old ground has been applied for. In some, cases litigation has been indulged in, and the unsuccessful applicant is, I believe, appealing against the verdict of the court. There are two parties on good stone, viz. Sligo (who is taking out some splendid stone from the old Prospectors claim) and Messrs Fowler (who are working to the west of the Blue Slate claim). With these exceptions, there is very little being done in the way of getting good stone. Messrs Mills had their dam carried away with the recent heavy rains. 

I understand that a water right has been applied for on the Taieri River, with the object of bringing cheap power to Nenthorn by means of electricity. The distance from the Taieri to Nenthorn is from 12 to 14 miles, so that the project, if carried out, will be no small undertaking.   -O, 19/8/1896.

NENTHORN MINING NOTES.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) October 19.— Peddie and party finished crushing last week. They put through 40 tons of stone for 30oz of gold — a very satisfactory result. They are now crushing for Benzie and Co. 

The Fowler Brothers are putting through a crushing of a hundred tons at the Surprise battery, which is expected to average about an ounce to the ton. Morgan Brothers finished last week a small crushing, which did not come up to expectations. It is strange that so many would-be mining experts in Otago seem to have the idea that the reefs at Nenthorn will never pay to work on a large scale. Last week your Macraes correspondent aired his opinions on this matter. He considers that there are too many quartz veins or leaders, which to a large extent have prevented the gold being concentrated into one or more reefs. I have had seven years' experience of the Nenthorn reefs, and have followed reefing as an occupation for more years than I care to count, and my experience is that these leaders act as feeders to the main lodes. Wherever they junction with the lode there will you find the richest stone.  -Otago Witness, 22/10/1896.

MINING AT NENTHORN. (From Our Own Correspondent.)

September 6.— The late rains have given an abundant supply of water, and the batteries are running full time. During last month Peddie and party crushed a small lot for themselves, which gave loz to the ton, and for other parties as follows :— 

Harcus Brothers, 19 tons stone for 8oz retorted gold. 

Mr J. Prattie, 12 tons for 12oz. 

Messrs McConnell and Wright, eight tons for 20oz.

Messrs McConnell and Mungovan, 12 tons for 12oz. 

Mr Beer, eight tons cement for 6 1/2oz. 

Mr M. Egan, 13 tons for 40oz.   -Otago Witness, 9/9/1897.

Mining

Several miners have abandoned Nenthorn, notably the Peddie brothers, who have sold their battery to Mr James Sligo, a returned successful miner from Western Australia, who is employing a considerable amount of labour in developing the Blue Slate reef.   -O, 1/4/1898.

MINING.

After the general depression in mining which has existed in this district for some time past it is gratifying to state that the prospects for the future of this field present brighter aspects, and are of a more encouraging nature than has hitherto prevailed. Crushing at Nenthorn, which was retarded and interfered with so long on account of the drought, is now in full swing, the batteries being kept going night and day. Several lots were crushed last week, the returns from lOdwt to 2oz.   -Mount Ida Chronicle, 5/8/1898.

Goldfields Report

At Nenthorn Messrs Sligo Brothers have had a good crushing, and are said to have struck a block of stone supposed to go from 5oz to 6oz to the ton. They expect about 50 tons of stone in the block. The battery is a ten-head stamper battery, driven by water-power. They have crushed for themselves 500 tons, yielding 339oz of gold: and for small parties 169 tons, yielding 263oz. Callery and Son are also reported to have had a good crushing, yielding about 104oz for six months' work, and are still on good stone. Council and party's crushing would appear not to have been so good, averaging about 1/2oz.  -M, 20/10/1899.

Letters From Little Folk

 Dear Dot,— There are such a lot of boys and girls writing to you that I should like to write too. My home is in a place called Nenthorn. I am having a holiday, and am staying with my sister at Middlemarch. I go to the Moonlight school, about two miles from home, and am in the Third Standard. Mr Borthwick is our teacher. There are three of us going to school — a twin sister in the same standard as I, and a brother in the Seventh Standard. The Strath-Taieri is looking very pretty just now. We have a black cat here, and its name is Taipo. He goes out every day to get a rabbit for himself, and after he has eaten it he lies in the window, where the sun shines. We have a pretty little bay foal; would you please give me a name for her?— Yours truly,

JESSIE McRAE (aged 10). Middlemarch, December 1. 

[As we hear so much about war nowadays, Jessie, I think you might call the foal General. —DOT.]   -Otago Witness, 14/12/1899.

Local and General

The application of John M. Griffin for confirmation of transfer of the Miners' Arms Hotel, Nenthorn, to James Glenn, which was also adjourned from the 5th inst., to enable a copy of objection by the police that since the granting of the temporary transfer to Glenn he had not resided on his licensed premises at Nenthorn, and had permitted an unauthorised person to conduct the business, was next considered. Both parties were called, but there was no appearance. Proof of service of the notice of objection was put in. The Chairman then refused the application, the consequence of which will be that the license reverts bank to Mr Griffin.  -Otago Witness, 19/12/1900.

Education Board (excerpt)

Forbury was granted £5 10s for repairs to fencing. 

It was agreed to fix up Albany street drains during the holidays. 

It was decided to call for alternative tenders for the sale of the Nenthorn School, and for its removal to Dunback.  -Evening Star, 27/11/1901.

Nenthorn teacher's house.  It is unclear where the school istself was.  The house stands a short distance from the town site, perhaps it and the school were located away from the noise of mining and quartz crushing.

Another view of the teacher's house.

MIDDLEMARCH

September 18 — Several weeks ago I read in the that Opitonui, once a busy mining centre now presents a scene of desolation, the principal buildings having been removed. The same may be said of the Nenthorn. A few weeks ago the last house remaining on the field was removed, and all that now remains is the old Croesus battery and shed. Though the Nenthorn was deemed a failure it is stated that £100,000 (about $19,000,000 today - GBC) worth of gold was taken from the field. At present, there is not a miner working there. In my opinion, however, good returns will some day be obtained in the country from Nenthorn to the Taieri River.   -Otago Witness, 20/9/1905.

Casualties

Our Palmerston correspondent states that an inquest on the body of Chas. W. Cowan, sheep farmer, of Nenthorn, who was found dead in an abandoned shaft, was held at Macrae's Flat on Friday before Mr. Wm. Donaldson. J.P., and a jury of six, of whom Mr J. W. Bell was chosen foreman. The evidence showed that the shaft into which the deceased had fallen was about 30ft or 40ft deep. His feet were embedded so firmly in the mud at the bottom of the shaft that he could not possibly have freed himself after falling in. The body, which was in an upright position, was not visible until some of the water had been baled out. One of the deceased's dogs returned home, but the other was found on a ledge just above the water into which his master had fallen. Frozen snow lay on the ground around the shaft. The jury returned a verdict that the deceased had been found drowned, but that there was no evidence to show how he got into the water.  -Otago Daily Times, 11/6/1906.

MacRaes Cemetery.

A correspondent writes: The hotel at Kokonga, which was destroyed by fire on the night of the 7th inst., was built originally on the Nenthorn goldfield in 1889. After it had outlived its usefulness there, it was shifted to Kokonga, where it has been ever since. This hotel has had several tenants but only one owner, Mr P Ryan; The same fate befell The Miners' Arms Hotel from the same place. Erected in the same year, and owned first by Mr W. E. Griffin, of Macraes Flat, who ran it through the boom time there. When the slump came he went bankrupt, and it was sold to Mr H. A. Wicks, who carried on the business for a time, and then the house was closed, and remained so till 1900 when it was bought by Mr James Glenn, and by him re-erected at the Wedderburn railway station. It was again shifted, first to Ida Valley railway station, where it was run first by James Glenn, and afterwards by Robt. Eady, who shifted it yet again to Omakau, where he carried on the hotel business until the house was burnt to the ground. The exact date of this occurrence I do not remember.  -Mount Ida Chronicle, 17/11/1911.

A COUNTRY WALK FROM HYDE TO PALMERSTON.  (excerpt)

By T. H. Thompson.

 A fog spread over it in the morning, but began to lift towards mid-day. When it was clearing we strolled about the commonage and were shown the locations of Moonlight and Nenthorn, in the distance. The latter place, we were informed, consists of a few small tenements and the ruins of others. It is hard to realise that there 21 years ago a rush took place at what the then Inspector of Mines considered was going to become another Thames goldfield and one of the richest refining districts in New Zealand.   -Otago Witness, 28/9/1920.

Nenthorn dawn.

The abandoned Nenthorn town site sits on the beautiful, rocky, tussocky Otago landscape.  Hot in summer sun, brutally unforgiving in a storm.  It is strange to walk the empty street and imagine it full of life, to think of dancing til dawn by lamplight on a rare occasion, to listen for the echoing cheers of miners when the 273 ounce weight of the first cake of Croesus gold was announced and the future of the town seemed assured.

For more images from Nenthorn: arrival, dawn, exploration, the road to the coast.

Part of the Nenthorn town site.  The tussock has yet to grow back on the thin soil.

A brief biography of Mr Leslie A Norman - sharebroker, mining company director and promoter, journalist, stretcher of truth.

Prominent among the boosters of the Nenthorn quartz mining boom was Mr Leslie A Norman.  Contemporary newspapers place him in Naseby in the late 1880s, perfectly positioned to take advantage of the Nenthorn discoveries, and acting as broker and secretary to the Otago Central Gold Mining Company.  In such capacity, he is referred to by the "Otago Witness" as "that choleric, Falstaffian, individual" after a strident letter in response to criticism.  He ceased to be broker and secretary to the company in 1886, after a court injunction was issued.  At about the same time he was adjudged bankrupt.

He continued promoting and selling shares through the 1880s and in March of 1889 Mr Norman could be found resident in the Criterion Hotel, Dunedin, offering "Shares in several of the principal and richest Quartz Reefs recently discovered on the Nenthorn Goldfield, Central Otago."  Two months later he was the Legal Manager of the Croesus Company.

Norman did well out of others' enthusiastic investments in the Nenthorn share trading but his downfall began from another mining operation.  An extraordinary meeting of the Island Block Extended Gold Mining Company, convened by shareholders and attended by the Press by vote of those shareholders, revealed that the company directors had announced that the company owed L4000 and that of that amount the directors of the company owed it, through unpaid calls on their shares, L1200.  A circular to shareholders, signed by Norman, was read to the meeting, the document calling upon shareholders to pay up on the calls made on them to avoid forfeit of their shares.  It was plain to some parties that the company's directors were expecting the shareholders to bear the burden of debt.  Norman was also accused of "dummyism" - the holding of shares through third parties.  After a frank and open exchange of views  between shareholders and directors, touching on the subjects of honesty and competence , a vote of "no confidence" was passed on all directors.

Not long after the collapse of the Nenthorn mining boom, in early May, 1891, the Tuapeka Times printed this ominous report: "We understand that a well-known sharebroker, who has from time to time figured prominently on certain mining companies that somehow never panned out very well, has within the last few days been missing from his favourite haunts in Dunedin, and not even his most confiding friends can throw any light on his whereabouts. Needless to say his unexpected exit from the scene of his labours has caused dismay in certain quarters, as he was a gentleman of a light temperament and luxurious tastes, and never allowed a company disappointment or the failure of a little scheme to spoil his digestion or blunt his faith in the verdancy of human nature. His mementoes to his friends are numerous, and consist principally of Nenthorn scrip."  Less than a year before, the Tuapeka Times had referred to Mr Norman as "a very shrewd business man, (who) has been singularly fortunate in promoting a number of mining ventures with which he has been entrusted."

"VERDANT:" green with vegetation; of the colour green; inexperienced, unsophisticated. - Dictionary.com.

A week later, the "Taieri Advocate" reported: "The bulky little figure of Mr Leslie A. Norman is no longer seen in our midst. An anxious creditor issued a summons against him last week, but the bailiff brought it back with the ominous addenda — 'Left the colony.' His transactions in the Island Block Company were undoubtedly 'shady,' and after the big row at the shareholders' meeting in the Criterion Hotel it was evident that things had been made too hot for him. The hint then thrown out that he had made from £2000 to £3000 out of the concern is now stated as a fact."

Two thousand pounds, today, is worth a shade over $400,000.

Where was the bulky figure of Mr Norman?  His figure might have become less bulky while he lay in a Hobart hospital, "prostrate with fever," after which he found his Tasmanian attempts to acquire wealth thwarted by his Otago reputation.  In Melbourne he remarked to a correspondent that he had spent the best part of his life making Otago mining successful, only to be rewarded with "nothing but abuse and vilification."

In the middle of 1894 he was mining correspondent at Broken Hill, Victoria, reporting to Melbourne and Adelaide and reported on by the local paper as "a contemptible creature, who is poisoning with malignant ingenuity the minds of the public by lying or garbled reports."  Such reports during a miners' strike led to him being chased through town by a crowd of aggrieved miners and having to take shelter in the nearby police camp.  The end of that year saw him start his own paper, "The Boomerang," which Otago commentators thought a very "suggestive" name.

Two year later, in 1896, Mr Norman is reported as making L5000 - nearly 1M dollars today - in Coolgardie, Western Australia, from "various mining ventures."  All seemed rosy for him, but fate caught up in a small way, with a ruling against him in the Supreme Court to the amount of L397 in favour of the Bank of NZ.  A minor setback, surely, for a man earning 5000 per year. A further minor setback occurred the following year with a similar amount claimed by the Bank of New South Wales.

At the turn of the century, however, Mr Leslie A Norman was in court again, summoned to account for non-payment of his wife's allowance, to the tune of L9 12s.  At this time he claimed poverty and lack of employment.  He admitted having cohabited with another woman for the previous two years but declined to answer further questions of that subject. 

In 1918 comes the news of the death of his wife and Norman is described as a journalist at that stage.  1923 sees him in court in Perth, Western Australia, charged with theft of a camera and lenses which had been entrusted to him for sale by the owner.  Norman pleaded guilty and was given three months.  The report of the wedding of his elder son, Mr Eric Leslie Norman, in 1936 described him as "the late Leslie A Norman."