MINING.

Evening Star, Issue 14627, 25 July 1911, Page 8

MINING.

A Bomewibat important report was received to-day from the manager of tho Saxon mine, Thames, says Friday's Auckland 'Star.' It read as follows :—"I was down the Saxon shaft yesterday as far as the No." 4 level. We dropped a line down to the bottom with a piece of wood attached, and measured the distance. We were within sft of the bottom, and the board came up perfectly dry. I am of opinion that there is no water in tlio bottom; also that No. 6 level is now clear of water." If it proves to be correct that the Saxon shaft is now dear of water, it is very important, as owing to the small amount of water that has been coming from the face of tho crosscut at I,oooft it was feared there was still a hard bar ahead to be penetrated. If, however, tho Saxon shaft has been drained, it should point to the nearness of much better country. As far as the Saxon Company are concerned, if the No. 6 level has been unwatered, there is nothing now to prevent work being resumed in that mine.

- As the majority of the directors of the Hercules Company are said to be opposed to the proposal, it is not likely that tho amalgamation with the Primrose Company will be carried into effect. Since the company resumed sending out ore, tho manager has experienced great difficulty in obtaining sufficient men for the mine. Plenty of labor is said to be available, but the men make the excuse that the climatic conditions at Mount Read are too severe.—Hohart ' Mercury.' One of the problems that the Government of New South Wales are trying to solve is that of securing within the Commonwealth the treatment of crude ores instead of their being shipped to Europe to be smelted. A deputation of smelting and refining companies has directed the attention of the Minister of Railways of the State (Mr Carmichtiel) to the subject. They ask that a, sliding scale of freight shall be adopted to enable Australian companies to get the ore oomreyed to tho smelters at a low railway freight. It was asserted that at present 9-10ths of the copper output of New South Walts was shipped to foreign countries to bo refined, although the work could be performed as efficiently in Australia as abroad. The Sulphide Corporation stated that although the rates charged to the ore seller had been reduced by 50 per cent., still the receipts had been dcreased by over 50 per cent. In addition, it is understood that an agitation is being quietly fostered for the imposition of an export duty on crude sulphides sent hence to the Continent. This duty would tell on Broken Hill companies especially, as in all the contracts entered into for the sale of ore to the European smelter it is especially stipulated that the mines shall bear any export duty. If such a dutv be imp'osed, then in the case of the lead sulphides there can be little doubt that the lead could be smelted in Australia without much preliminary trouble other than that involved in the erection of the necessary furnaces. It is different with the zinc. The Proprietary have started on that industry, but it is impossible that it could for years overtake the zinc export trade of the Barrier, even if it desired so to do. The result of an export duty, therefore, on zinc would be to penalise the companies that now ship concentrates on -a large scale. Everyone wishes to sea industry thrive in Australia, but they cannot desire that that shall he done at great loss to the Broken Hill companies.—Exchange. The Rising Sun dredge worked 132 hours last week. The ground continues deep, but the bottom is expected to rise shortly. The machinery is running well. At the Nokomai claim water has been short all the week, at No. 1 only five heads being delivered at tho claim. Sluicing off top material has been done to a depth of 25ft. The dam ran out on Tuesday, and on Friday a start was made at No. 2, but the dam was not full, and was shut down on Saturday. However, the manager expected to resume with a full dam yesterday. There had been rain showers on Sunday night, and snow was visible on tho hills.

The master of the Mystery Flat dredge reports that last week the ground proved to havo been previously worked, so he turned the dredge in order to reach a piece of solid ground towards the gully. This caused a good deal of trouble and loss of time, but at tho end of the week everything was going well. The general manager at Island Block reports: —During the present week we have had the most severe frost of the season. Tho Humes are almost ice-bound, but the water is still coming through sufficientlv to keep going. The wash looks well, and carries good prospects. So far only a short length of tho cut back from the elevator has been bottomed. The bottom, which is of modoratoly hard schist, having dipped away into what appears to be an extensive gutter, tho depth and dimensions of which we have not ascertained, it will probably bo necessary either to put in a second elevator or remove the present one to enable tho wash to be got out of it. The wash holds good as far down as wo havo been able to go with the elevator at its present level. All the wash off tho higher side of the paddock will be treated before an alteration is made to the elevator.

Tho main parts of the Morgan suction dredge, such as the diving gear, electrical plant, oil engine, and other miscellaneous fittings, have arrived from Clyde. They will be disposed of by tho liquidator in due course.

The Karauuni dredge had a good run la-t week. The reason for the returu being smaller is accounted for in the statement that I lie dredge did not get ovor so much bottom as in the previous week. Tho ground is getting a little deeper in the middle of the cut and on tho inside, otherwise the face remains tho same. There is no alteration in prospects so far. The marter of tho Good Chance dredge reports that he arrived at tho irorked ground on Monday (17th inst.). The dredge was then shifted up to the deep ground, and dredging operations started on Friday forenoon (21st inst.). Daring the stoppago some repairs were effected. THE SHARE MARKET. DUNEDIN EXCHANGE. .Sale on 'Change :--N.Z. Drug, 50s. Sales reported: Waini, 63«; Rise and Shine, 57s 9d. Quotations: —Dredging.— Blaekwater (paid)—Sel 10/. Electric—Buv" 2/o. (iokk-n Bed—Buv 14,'. Hartley and Riley—Buy 11', sel 15/. Kopuiai—Sel 15/. Mystery Fiat—Sel 6/6. No Town Creek —Buy 5/6. Sailors Bend*—Sel s'. —Quartz. — Consolidated Golduelds—Sel 20 6. KuTanui Caledonian—Buv I'2, .-el 1.'4. May Queen—Buy 2/2, sel 2 4J,. New Svlvia—Buy s'B, sel 3 11. Old Hauraki—Sel 2,3. Talisman Consolidated—Buv 50 0, sel 513. Saxon—Buy 2/6 J. «sl 2/9. Wyitangi—Buv 3'2, eel 3.6. Waini—Buy 6.1/9. Waihi Grand Junction—Buv 26/9, sel 27/3. Tasmanian Copper—Buy 5/9. —lnvostment6. National Bank of New Zealand—Sel £47. National Insurance Co.—Buy 36.'. Union Steam Ship Co.—SeJ 42/3. Westport Coal Co.—Sel 29/9. Donaghv's Rope and Twin© (new issue) — Buy 2./, sel 2/6 p. Milburn Lime and Cement (£1) —Buv 40'. sel 405. Mosgiel Woollen Factory—Sel 20/6. N.Z. Drug Co., Ltd. (£2)—Buv 49 9, sel 50/6. N.Z. Paper Mills—Buy 21/. sel 21/6. N.Z. Consolidated Dental—Sel 22/6. Whitcombe and Tombs—Buy 130/. Auckland Gae—Buy 71/. Christchurch Gas—Buy 195/.