OUR GOLDFIELDS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 161, 8 July 1895, Page 5

OUR GOLDFIELDS.

MINE MANAGERS' REPORTS.

HAoKAki No. 2.—The No. 1 drive, is in splendid country. Ifor gold. The No. 3 leader-has improved in size, and'prospects of gold were-got by mortar tests. The contractors will have the No. 2 drive through in four weeks. ' ) .'" *

' Find.—Good progress is being made with the prospecting; drive. The work has hitherto been rather; tedious owing to having to contend with old workings. The manager hopes soon to be into solid'country. They are 17 feeb from the eurface.:i Mr Gibbons hopes; to have the engine in working: order by the commencement of next Augusb. • Try Fluke.— S.toping on the main reef ab No. 4 level Try Fluke section.ihai been the main work done during the pasb week. The . reef varies from three to seven feet in the stopea, from-which a large quantity of pay-, able ore is selected for' crushing; No bra has been broken from the rise in, the Mariposa socbion this week, as when connection has been secured \it can be ■ handled with less expense. Stopingis proceeding north and south froni the main winze." The reef in the bottom.is not quite so big, but prospects about the same. Two men have started working in the, Venus section driving north at the intermediate level.' There are in hand: at the battery 760z3 of; amalgam from- the plates.; ■..'■■■■■ ,;■ *Kapai-Vermont. —The reef in the main level south -^continues 6fb thick, and fair prospects are obtained from the hangingwall portion. In the third stope sojith the reef is from sfb to 6ft thick; all payable ore. The intermediate; south is in 95ft/ from the rise. The reef is 2ft 6in thick, and all the ore obtained is of first-class quality, gbld being plainly visible throughout, and quite equal to any hitherto obtained. North"at the intermediate the reef . is 2ft thick, and all good quality. In the Btopes, the reefs vary from 4ft to Bft in thickness, all of which prospects well. A little stoping has been done in the extreme north end of the mine, and all the ore broVen oub goes to the mill. The manager considers that the prospects of the mine are* improving every day, when it is remembered tbab a great extent of golden ore is coming from the intermediate for a total distance of ab present 200fb,, during driving on which there nover was a break in the run. ~Golden Hill (Manaia),—Good progrees has been made with the drives north and south, the country being good sandstone through which a great number of black mineral seams are traversing. The reef in both faces has maintained its size. In the south the reef averages 18 inches of good crushing dirb through' which gold has been seen at each breaking down. In the north /■ tho reef is" S inches wide, of a more solid nature and very heavily mineralised. Here *" also the reef showed gold at several breaking downs. In the leading atope north, the reef is 10 inches, six of'which is dark blue solid.quartz and the remainder of a rubbly description. Both formations show gold freely and the solid quartz showed several pieces vvith strong dabs of coarse gc>ld. .In the leading stope north the, reef is 12 inches of solid quartz which shows a little gow. ;• :■;: :..-.;:■-. '' ■ ■." ..- ..,: Goldex Lead.—Three men have been engaged to . work. this . grtiund, and Mr James Allan was ■; appointed manager.! Good progress has been made clearing oub the low-level in order to cub the leader under the winze, which should be intersected ina'noth'er 30ft of driving., ■ ■ :',"• Waihi-Silverton. — The Crosscut! has been-' extended another 23ft,, making a', total of 70ft from the shaft. The ground, is good for driving, but has been a little tighter for the'lasY three'or 'f'puf "days. The manager does nob think this .tightness will continue. The winze is now down 64ft, and 10ft should reach^ the back of the, cYosscut. A little free gold, was seen when breaking the lode down. Enlarging the shafb is progressing satisfactorily, j The drive to the kiln is in 132 ft. Fair progress is being made with the works at the battery. ' ' . ■■:•' ' : ■ ■ , .

(CONTINUED ON.PAQE S.) °