A "HIGH" QUARTZ CLAIM.

Inangahua Times, Volume XI, Issue 1652, 13 January 1886, Page 2

A "HIGH " QUARTZ CLAIM.

(Rockhampton Morning Bulletin, De ceinber 21.) The wiutling up of the Golden Lode Gold mining Company, of Macftown, New Zealand, would be a matter of very little interest to Queensland readers, l.ut it is worthy of mention as the close of one of the most remarkable speculations known in these Colonies. The company was formed several years ago to work the reef on Advance P«>ak, one of the highest mountains in the district, and might probably have met with a certain measure of success had it not been for one unlucky drawback. The claim was situated on the very summit of the mountain, and as there is hardly sufficient fuoth.>ld for a goat on any part of the lease, it is unnecessary to say the company's surveyor found himself standing in slippery places. His work is generally believed to have been done by means of a telescope, the outline map prepared without any very close examination of the ground. Accuracy, however, was not required, for no Government offical or goldfield warden was ever adventurous enough to undertake the duty of check ing the survey. A month or two later a party of directors went up to Macetown to deside on the Vst place for

commencing operations, and on that day the trouMes of the company began

in earnest. A glance, at the location was quite sufficent for the majority. They saw all around the base of the mountain claims pegged out and above thefie rose a huge cliff of Advance P»*ak, grand and beautiful enough, hut looking very difficult indeed to ascend. BiH it was gratifying to know that this magnificent piece of scenery was the property of the company, even though the beanties of nature, when divided into 24,000 shares of £1 each (2<* 61 paid up), were quoted at a considerable discount on the Stock Exchange. Only one adventurous shareholder was Itold enough to advocate an ascent of the property, and the board immediately appointed him as a sub committee for exploring purposes. No salary was attached to the position, bnt i unaui mous vote of thanks was passed, and the directors took tnm atnutt at the

telescope to watch his progress. With a biave front, but with a sinking heart he started on his way, with an improved alpunstook to help hi* progress over the perpendicular wilderness in front Like the mountaiueer in the poem, his motto was " Excelsior," and his path was a l*ee-line for the clouds, t )i#nity soon gave way to necessity, and the adventurer was presently reduced to journeying on its hands and knees, clawing like a oat at every holdfast, no matter how slender; and wonder-

ing, itr the brief intervals when thought was possible,' h6W dividends could over come down wherp • share-

holder was nuable to g.-fc up . Two or three streams, or rather waterfalls were crossed sace<-ssfully ; a yo j,,g an a promising ava anehe was djrfjfid by a hair's breadth ; theua jiiveai'e landslip appeared, aud earned the spectator* best hat away into eternity, but still he went on. The Golden j>: M e «a* reached at last, and there be drove tlu sharp end of the alpenstock into the ground and paused for bmath. Then he felt the trusty staff Iwjinning to yield ; h« ntte ed the first pr*ye r that had passed his lips since he bocarae t» member of the Stock Exchange, and started off into sp*ce. Nearly a hundred yards wjre traversed before he agaiu touched term firma, then he rebounded heavily otf the Keep it Dirk Company's claim, grazed a machine site reservation Mow, and rolled over two mineral Uses and a prospecting area, bringing up at last in r.'Chinaman's water rase. He was picked out and conveyed with some diffienlty to Macetown. printing about as miserable an app-amnce. as a sub committee well could. Since these d*ya th« Golden Lode Company have m «t with nothing but disaster, which cuirainateg at last in liquidation ; and for any member of tie Alpine Club who wishes to devote himself $o gold-min-ing there is now a favourable opening at Advance Peak.