WOODSTOCK.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 64, 17 March 1898, Page 7

WOODSTOCK.

This mine continues to produce a large supply of crushing dirt, though, during the past month, owing to the necessary delay in converting the battery from the dry to the wet system of crushing, and also to the serious shortage of the water supply for motive purposes, only a small tonnage of ore has been treated. At the battery this week 20 head of stampers are running constantly wet crushing, and the whole of the machinery, including tke new wheel elevator, is working satisfactorily. Arrangements are now under way for extending the vat accommodation, to provide for the increased out put of ore which is certain to follow when the whole 40 stampers are at work wet crushing. The dry season should shortly be at an end now. This summer has proved conclusively that the supply of water in our rivers at this time of year is altogether inadequate to meet the demands now made apon it by the various batteries. A scheme for the conservation of water during the winter months, similar to that in vogue in certain parts of Tasmania, has been suggested by one of our mine managers, and provided the different companies would co-operate in carrying it out, such a scheme could certainly be effected, and that too at no enormous cost, whilst the advantage of having a sufficiency of water for motive power the whole year round instead of going short or making up the shortage by steam would be very great indeed. At the Woodstock mine, No. 2 level, the lode is 5 feet wide, and the whole of the ore is of payable quality. At the No. 3 level the Hauraki lode is 2ft 6in thick and the

ore being won is all fairly high grade. At the No. 4 level the Woodstock reef is from 2ft 6in to 3ft 6in thick, and of payable quality. South of the rise the lode is at present about 5 feet wide, but will shortly widen out in the stopes to 11 or 12 feet, as it did in the stopes above. The ore at this end is of comparatively higb grade.