THE KURANUI HILL. — POVERTY AND CHARLESTON COMPANY.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXV, Issue 3750, 26 July 1869, Page 4

THE KURANUI HILL. — POVERTY AND CHARLESTON COMPANY.

Or all the localities in this goldfield there ia nono t\ at can compare for wealth to tho hill between the Moacataiari and Kuraaui. It is possible that there may be other parts as prolific in yield of the noble metal as this, but they have yet to be discovered and developed, or rather to be discovered by their development. The hill may be said to be flanked on tho one side by the wonderful Hunt's Claim, and on the other by the truly Golden Crown, and between these lie the claims that hare produced within the last few months richer quarfcz than the world has yet seen, and the yield of which, we are sure, is but beginning. It is on this hill ibat the first systematic attempt on this held to trace the leaders has been made by Mr. Fail bum, with what success as to direction yet? remains to be seeu. There can b» do doubt, however, that these veins of gold pass through the entire hill. TherB is no break or dyke to intercept or change their course, and the fact that they are worked at the one end by the Long Drive and City of Glasgow, and at the other by the Moanataiari Company, makes the intervening claims certain ol pelting quantities of the precious metal. But these have not beon left to this merely, but their finds have been in about exact proportion to the extent to which their minea have been developed. Wo ha\e al eady described in detail the position and workings of the Golden Crown and Tookey's, and, taking the next in order, we come to iho Poverty and Charleston Amalgamated Company. These claims have lately been amalgamated and formed into a company, with a capital of £40,000, and comprise, all told, about 13 men's ground. The yields from the claims taken separately have been vary satisfactory. The Charleston, in which there is a fine lode, averaging two feet in thickness throughout, has given a steady yield of Soz. to the ton. 'Jhe erußhings from the Poverty Lava been more varied, eometimeß giving as high as 1 602,, and at others ioz. or Soz. One omsuing ouly has given less than this, and th*fc va* causfd by having a quantity of sandstone and ofcbec d^bm mixed with the stone. From both mineff upwards fif 2,000dZ. of gold have been produced— » most satisfactory return for the work wbifib, has beau performed. The Poverty, for a lont: time aft-r first being taken up, suffered the usual tate 1 of clrtims worked by new chums, and, although gold, was struck in its earlier stage, ib was not worked with auy vigour until it was formed into a c>>rnpauy, whon a new state of things commenced, and the mine a«»umed a different appeaiauce under t'.e management of Mr. Henry Campbell Since then a tremeudous lot of driviug has bten performed. The fiist wrrk was a drive which was put in to a length of 100 feet a* a piospocting drive, near the top of the hii). Shortly after commencing this dri /a a leader was cut and gold struck. A winze wa» then put down to a depth of about 60 feet, good gold having been found all the way ; at tbafc depth, however, it fcuddeuly changed its dip, and was followed no further. The main working drive ol the clams was then put in at a lower level, the anme fiom which the men are now working, and fronu this a perfect network of drives and winzes have been carried on in various directions. This drive is now canied to a length of 200 fetfc, and is within about 25 feet of the Charleston boundary, And 60 of tbt reef of that claim to which it is iuteuded to carry the dri re. Aba distance of 70 feet gold was struck in two small leiuieis which were struck through, and the drive carded on. Another leader was met with further id, on which a winze was put down to a depth of 20 feet, and cairied the leader almost; in to the Long Dave Claim. At this level a diive was then run to a length of 30 feet along tho boundary, and a rise taken on it, which carried the leader back av;ain to the winze. These winzes have since beeu filled up, and the diive carried on in another direction, and at a distance of 200 feet from the mouth. Two other leaders, each varying from 3 to 10 inches, were found. The'-e lodes, when first cur, were within about 2 feet of each other, but in place of joining became further separated as they were followed down r until at the bottom of the winKe they are about 15 fee!; apart. Stone for cru^iing is vow bein^ talseu ->ut 161 feet from the suiface. A number of T drives have from time to time been earned on from the main level. One was put in to a length of about 80feet to communicate with the winze, which had been put down from the first working for tte purpose of q tfcmg a supply of air. Another was put in to & 1 ngtb of 60 feet towards Tookey's boundary, for the pin pose of prospecting that part of the clairu. Only one lender was cut. in this drive. A connecting drive fiom No. 1 to tho present workings baa aiao been put in. A mam drive will h a . earned through to the Chin lestou reef, and Rive a level for atoping in botb clajirs fully 260 feet fiom the suifaae. Tho drive is now in 220 feet, and has cut two leaders not tried — one of thuui is ficm two to three feeb thick ; th^ other is smaller, and more broken. The wot kings of ths Charleston are simple*, and more easily described. 'I hey comist of a single siiatt sunk to a depth of 100 feet, in which the It ade»" for which this claim is celebrated was cut ft !• >s been followed in drives to a length of about 70 feet. Of com se thu diive tiom the Poverty will enuiely supersede these when it reaches tli3 reef. Alt') ethei, the coiupuiy's ground couipi i-.es a most de^r'tbl'* s-pot, aud there is no doubt a greater inquiry after liitdifi-ti in consequence. When fully open d up tho mine will doubtless turn oufc a fib neighbour for the Long .Jrive and Cifcy of G-laygow