OUR GOLDFIELDS

Auckland Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 19, 23 January 1896, Page 9

OUR GOLDFIELDS

(CONTINUED from PAGE SJ

Wathi Monument.—Tho north crosscut has been advanced 20ft. There is a elighb change in the present face, a litble sandstone showing. Excelsior.—During bhe pasb fortnight wo havo kept the men trenching on the surface eoufeh of the drive for the purpose of locating the reef. The is plenby of gold bearing quartz to be found, bub the surface is boo deep for trenching to advanbage. The manager has, therefore, decided to drive west toward tho United boundary.

M^ritana.—A distance ot 19ft haa been driven, making a total of 60ft. During the last two shifta a noticeable improvement has taken place in the nature of the country. Tho ground in the face comprises a soft sandsbone of a kindly nabure, with quartz veins crossing the drive. In No. 2 proipocbing drive a distance of 20fb has been driven.

Stanley.— Tho contractors for low level are making fair headway. The counbry is very tight ab present. Have started the level.aboub 30ft on the footwall side of the outcrop.

Golden Fleece.—The crosscub has been extended a furbher distance of 13ft. The country passed through is of a favourable nature, and several quartz veins have been cut through. A good deal of water is coming from the faco, which loads the manager to think that the reef is close ab hand. A man trenching has found another large reef, which is thought to be tho Sb. Patrick. A prospecting drive is to be started on ib.

Golden Point.—The main shafb has been sunk a further depth of 14 feet, making 70 feet in all. The country is hard and tighb, but I an.: in hopns of a change shortly. It would ba desirable to have the Sheridan lode located. The strike of bhis reel is north and south, and should traverse our property slightly bo the easb of our present shaft. Tho Golden Poinb reef is wesbward of bho shafb and underlying bowards bho oast, so by having these lodes in hand and running through a golden channel of country, the prospects of meeting with good results are rery promising, especially when we are aware of the amount of gold won from thia section by the original proprietors.

WOODSTOCK,

An oxfcraordinary general meeting of shareholders of the Woodstock United Gold and Silver Mining Company (Limited) was held this morning at bho Company's office, New Zealand Insurance Buildings. Mr \Y. Gorria presided. Tha Chairman said tho o&ject of the meeting was to wind up tho Company. This was a necessary procedure in order to sell the mino and property to the Woodstock Company. Ho, therefore, moved '* thab the Company be wound up voluntarily." Mr Soymour Thome Goorge said he would like to know when the new shares aro to be issued ? The Chairman said that by tho end of this month there would be an issuo of old and new shares. Mr D. G. MacDonnell, Secretary, explained that thia would be impossible. However, everything would be ready for tho Frisco mail alter nexb. Mr Seymour Thome George said he had sold shares in London six months ago, and he had not yeb been able to deliver them, It was a serious matter. Mr F. Hull asked if there would be any such embargo in placing tho shares on the Home markeb as that which existed in the Waitekauri. In tho case of the Waitekauri the shares had to remain for throe months on the London register after their removal from bho Auckland register before they could be dealb with. Tho Chairman said there would be no difficulty in dealing with tho shares either here or in London, There was no embargo of thab nature, so far as he know. Mr Seymour Thome George •• Did not Messrs Rothwell and Byles tell the directors they would have a free hand ? The Chairman : Yes, that 13 so. Mr Hull said it was satisfactory to know thia. Ib would make the shares more valuable. The following resolutions were then moved by the Chairman and agreed to : — 1. That the Company ho wound-up voluntarily. 2. That Dennis Gilmoro MacDonald be appointed Liquidator for tho purpose of such winding up. AID TO MINING. The speech delivered by Mr J. McGowan, M.H.R., at Kuaotunu, traversed to a certain extent the points roferred to in his address at Coromandel, which has already been published. There wore, however, special reforonces to local mining matters which will be road with interest. Speaking of the Kauri Timber Company, Mr McGowan said ib came undor the Mining Act. If the Kauri Company took up a portion of timber land for mining they should bo compelled to throw open a part for prospecting purpose.-. This being an important point he requested the Minister for Mines to take a note of it. Men bad, ho know, been prospecting for year?, and had traced gold for miles, bub on whose land they had no ii;ca, and when intending to work tho same thoy discovered they were on private land. In irmall area?, say 100 miles, provision should be made to compel owners of largo blocks of auriferous land to dag their points, so as to enablo men to know what land they were on. Ho instanced prospectors working for yearo, existing on biscuits and tea, and on finding gold they were not allowed to take tho land up. He trusted this stato of afiairs would be rectified. Mr McGowan also said later on thab he would try to geb the Government to assist sbill further in giving aid to the goldfields, _ He asserted thab whenever assistance in this respect had been given bho Govornmenb never maclo a singlo bad investment, and the Governmenb would havo to do it. Ho recommended thab a geological survey should bo made giving the character ot each district., so as to enablo miners to have an idea of the formation of the country. He also thought) thab the water power of the peninsula should be protected and secured for goklmining purposes, so as to prevent wealthy syndicates securing water and then re-selling it aba large percentage of profit, and certainly the most valuable power should be secured for electricity. In answer to questions, Mr McGowan said he did nob think it righb for bhe Government to give freeholds on goldhelds. A vote oi thanks and confidence was accorded Mr McGowan boforo the meeting closed.