THE GOLDFIELDS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 80, 2 April 1908, Page 3

THE GOLDFIELDS.

STTAffTTVfA^K'FT Business on the Exchange showed an improvement to-day, and ii would seem as if the bottom of the depression haa passed away with the end. of the financial year and bank balancing. Waihi shares have again advanced a little, sales being made up to £9 10/3. Waihi Grand Junctions recovered a little, shares changing hands at 34/, while Consolidateds sold at 1/5 and 1/(5, and Extendeds at 3/10. N.Z. Crowns declined a little, being sold down to 7/7, and Talismans changed hands at 53/6. Transactions also took place in Tairua Broken Hills at 3/(5, and Golden Beits at 2/. More business was also done to-da-y in low-priced mining shares. Investment stocks were firm at iate rates, the only sale reported being Standard Insurance at 227.

ROYAL OAK.

The manager telegraphed to-day: '"20 pounds of picked stone from the cross leader."' WAIHI GRAND JUXCTIOX. The following is the manager's report of the work done in the Grand Junction mine for the four weeks ending 22nd of February. 190S:— No. i level: Tlie drive east on the Martha, lode is in 56ti feet. The reef 011 the average has been of low grade. There is a small seam in the footwall which sometimes carries values ranging from 12/6 to £2 17/6. The hanging-wall portion of this reef is practically barren. The drive east on No. 2 Lodckis in b's7 feet. The reef has been of low grade, and has now pinched up to a smal! seam. The- crosscut shows a good class of country, but nothing of importance has been discovered. The cross-cut from the main shaft is in good firm class of country. A contract is being let to extend this drive 500 feet. The stopes at Xo. 1 level on the Martha lode west, produced for the month, from (5 feet 3 inches, 225 tons of ore. These stopes are opening up very satisfactorily, and should produce a large tonnage. No. 2 lode is about 4 feet wide, and carries some very good ore. The Martha lode at No. 3 level produces 9 feet 3 inches of milling ore, some Ob'U Lons of ore being won. Assays show a little improvement as compared with the last period. No. 2 lode at this level is 10 feet in width, but the ore taken for milling is only six feet. The ore produced was 724 tons, and assays showed an improvement on the last period. At No. -t levpl the Martha lode cast of the crosscut is 11 feet in width, and of this 7 feet 6 inches is milling ore. The stopes show great improvement as compared with last period. The amount of ore produced was 234 tons. The Martha lode west of the crosscut is nine feet in width, five feet being taken for milling, producing 752 tons. These stopes are showing a falling off. the ore being of low grade. A crosscut was put in towards the hanging wall at a point 24 feet of the No. 2 rise, and a seam of good ore was met with, which will be followed up. The average width of No. •2 lode was 10 feet, of which 4 feet f> inches was taken out, producing 415 tons. The installation of the electric pump for sinking the main shaft is now nearly completed, and the manager is hopeful of now being able to go ahead with, the sinking. The tonnage crushed for the period was 3527 tons. Tlie tube mills were able to reduce 147 tons of ore per. day. Numerous additions and alterations have been made Co the reduction plant, all of which tend to reduce labour and improve the extraction. At the power station everything is running satisfactorily. KOMATA REEFS RETURN. £3027 FOR TILK MX)NTH. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) WAIHI, this day. The Komata reefs return for the iiiuiilh was £3027 from 2100 tons of. ore treated. This brings up the total output to C 250.451. Previous returns are: — From 1000. to December, l'.HsT £2Tr5,4.")4 0 0 February. 1!HIS. 2100 tons .. _i'7.S 0 0 March, ZIW lons :5.027 0 0 Total to Date £iSO.4SI 0 0

WAIOTAHI RETCRX.

Tlip return from the Waiotahi mine; for March was £ 1773 from 449 tons of ore. To December, i:h>7 £(>40.49<> 12 0 January. 1908, 4.".2 tons .... I.tWO 13 <» February. 432 tuns 1,945 3 3 ilarch, -HI) ions 1, f|3 100 Total £045,518 4 2 iTotal Dividends to date ..£304,800 0 0 MINE MANAGERS" REPORTS. Reliance.—The youth crosscut is in 29ft A break was met with in the face, which rather disordered thereof, but the manager hopes to pick It up again in a few feet of driving. Golden Cross.—The timbers have been placed in positioti in the western crosscut, in the uuugingwall of the Golden Crass lode, v large formation is exposed, 12ft in thickness. The values arc poor but the lode matter is gold-bearing. The distance between the two lodes is ;S3ft As ventilation is bad at ihis level, very little sampling of the lode has been done. A length of 20t"t has been sampled along the back of the level, going south from the winze on the Golden Cross lode. The value was 16/1 per ton. but at this point the country and reef :irc disturbed. Kupowai.—ln the leading stone on the new reef, the ore is very hard! but still carries a little gold on the hanging wall. A trial crushing will be made. Mclsaacs' leader still carries a little gold, but prospects very irregularly. The battery started with one shift on Wednesday week. About 13 ions have been crushed, aud l"ozs of hot water amalgam secured from the plates. Most of the dirt was taken from the old stopes below Mrlsaaiw - workings. It will leave a small profit over crushing expenses. Some of the dirt had to be got our of the mine. and. being gold-bearing, was put through the battery. Talma Broken Hills.—The winze has been cleaned to the bottom (85ft). and also the drive on the reef to the face (TOfn. Driving northward from this winze has been resumed. In the main low level the quartz gave a fair dish prospect of gold. There is every possibility of the loader opening out and improving in value, as the country is all that could be desired. No. 1 reef north lias opened out to 15 inches, but the values are still low. Masuet. — In the drive north the main reef averages 18 inches in thickness, carries Brst-class minerals, aud at last breakingdown a few colours of gold were seen. The country is a most congenial class of andesite reek. The reef in the rise is a fine solid body of stone, carrying excellent mineral indications, favourable to jrold beinp; obtained any brenkins-down. The quartz is also of a kindly character. Tokatea.— Kelly's loader looks well, but shows no improvement as regards its gold contents. In the rise. Wood's leader is improving in appearance. As the tributers winze was flooded last week, another leader is being prospected till the water drains away. Ready Bullion. —The level has been timbered up to the face, and six feet driven. Another 40ft should reach the solid. The dirt coming from the drive shows loose gold in the dish.

Southern Qneen.—Althongh picked stone ~n;as not secured last breaking down, still nice strong dabs of gold were seen in one end of the rise. The reef looks very promising, and is in excellent country. There are about 20Ibs of fair stone on hand. The manager intends to have a trial crushing, which should prove payable, and, if it does, then this block, which is about 200 ft, will be stoped our. Waitangi. —The following are assay results, from general ore taken from the footwall of the main reef. 2ft wide, at a point •>ift west of the main crosscut:—Gold, 16 grains; silver, 15 dwts 20 grs.; value per tou, 4/3