LATEST THAMES NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume VII, Issue 1902, 19 February 1870, Page 5

LATEST THAMES NEWS.

EICH STRIKE OF GOLD

POINT RUSSELL.

fPBOM OTTO OWN COBBESPOKDENT.) Friday, 6 p.m. Tn my report of this company's ground on Tuesday, it was stated that they expected to reach the reef in. a few more feet of driving, and it is with great satisfaction that I have to intimate to your readers that this has been accomplished with results which the most sanguine of the shareholders never expected. Karly this morning a sliofc was fired and brought down a portion of the face of the reef. When the smoke cleared away a sight met the eyes of the miners which they little anticipated, la the words cf one: "It was more like a jeweller's shop than anything he ever saw," the whole face of the reef being impregnated with gold. On examining the debris, 40 lbs. of rich specimens were picked up and taken charge of by Mr. Wm. Howe, jun., the manager. The stone is now lying at the company's office, and is exceedingly rich; wherever broke, the gold it found running through. On proceeding to the claim, and looking at the face of the reef in many places it is distinctly seen in long Veins. If several more shows like this could be obtained, it would do the eyes of the Auckland scrip holders a power of good, and the Thames would look more beautiful to them ♦.ban ever it has done since the earliest days of its infancy.

THE CURE. This ground still continues to turn out magnificent stone, specimens being taken out by every shift, another bag of rich ones being sent down to the office this morning. On examining the stuff now coining up the shaft and being stacked for crushing, rich stone can be easily picked OHt; and in many claims I have seen stone of far less value out and stowed away as specimens. So soon as a quantity is got out it will be put through the machine, and the returns cannof fail being magnificent.

MANUKAU. By the courtesy of the manager, I was allowed to inspect the workings of this justly celebrated daim, which as most of your readers are aware, is situated on the Golden Crown spur, and peg and peg with this first of golden mines. A winze is dowm close on the lon , boundary for 120 feet; in the sinking of this a large amount of quartz lias been taken out, wliich gave those magnificent returns published some time ago. At the bottom of this a drive has been made on the course of the leader towards the Cure, and it is close up to their ground ; air pipes having been put through which ventilates both the companies' workings, The reef in this drive runs from four to eight feet, which in this levelgis worked on a square block to the surface, and found to be of a brown colour, requiring blasting. The timbering of this ground is of a very subsantial character, and the manner in which it is secured reflects great credit upon the manager. At the end of the level another winze is sunk for fifty feet, but on attempting to descend was interrupted by the foul air which had accumulated. Therefore had no opportunity of seeing the leader at a lower depth, but understand it is of a different colour and gets thicker. Looking at the way in which the leader runs, those claims who have ground on the spur of the hill should take heart like the Cure, persevere, and the reward is sure to be theirs.

JUNCTION GOLD MINING COMPANY. The retorting for this company took place at the Kuranui battery, this afternoon, and for the forty five tons of stuff put through, it has yielded the very handsome weight of 75 J oz*. of retorted gold, or about 1 oz. 13 dwt. 8 gr. to the ton.

RED, WHITK, AM) BLUE. The crushing for this company is now taking place at the Moanatairi Ooihpany's machine. 100 tons is the quantity intended to be pat through. On examination of the plates I find it looking very well.

OTAGO GOLD MINING COMPANY. A meeting of shareholders was held today, at Messrs. llaughton and Broad's office ; Mr. W. ft owe in the chair. Mr. Gribble resigned his seat as director, and Mr. E. Thomas was elected in his place. It was also proposed and carried unanimously, that a call of 2s. 6d. per share should be made.

The Flying Cloud Gold Mining Company, Madman's Gully, got about 15 lbs. of very rich stone yesterday in a shaft they are sinking on their old leader.

POINT RUSSELL.—NEW FIND.

(l-HOll A GOHKESPONDENT.) A fine reef has been cut in the bottom level, it is that of the Dawn of Hope I believe. This morning about 40 lbs. of specimens were taken out of it, and gold is visible in tho face of the reef which looks very promising. It is expected that this will prore an important discovery, and lead to something good. It is reported that .this claim and the Dawn of Hope are to be amalgamated.

[l?EOM THE "THAMES ADVJ3ETISEB."]

THE WAIOTAHI COMPANY.

For the past four days this company's battery Las not been crushing, but this idleness was not caused by any fulling off in the supply of stone from the mines that keep the machine employed, but simply that it was necessary to coase working while the connections between the new battery of i 'c-hcad that has just been erected and the (I plant were being completed. The latter will resume operations to-day on the Manukau st 'iff, the crushing for which has been delayec. in eon Bcquenea of the additions and alterutii .3 that have been going forward. We arc :!ad to perceive tlmfc the Wuiotalii Comp iy are about erecting n pair of Brown aivi Staniield's concentrators in connection with their battery, and judging by the cL.iracter for efficiency which they have earned f>n the Victorian fields, we have no hesitation in saying that they will be found of iniim- .30 advantage on this field. The guarantee • capacity of each machine is five tons in '. .ventyfour hours, or about the usual quantity crushed in a five-stamper battery. l.u the Victorian goldfields those machines a. o now coming into gemral use, and we hope they will be found equally useful here. The enterprise of the Waiotahi Company in introducing those machines is worthy of commendation, and wo hope they may prove useful for the purposes lor which thoy were intended. The company's ow mine is also being pushed forward with considerable briskness, and aeontract is about to be taken for driving on the leader that was cut through bo me time ago in the shaft. A parcel of 50 or 60 tons will be taken out and crushed as a trial as soon as pos-

sible. It is believed that it will prove payable, for gold has been found in eome of the stone, ant) somo of the small stringers that run into it are found to be very rich. The company have lately amalgamated with the United Co.'s ground, and it is intended shortly to have a trial crushing from the reef. We understand this part of the mine will be let on tribute if tho trial turns out payable.

[ THE MARINERS' BEEF. J The manager of tho Mariners' Reef ha* lost no time in preparing auother parcel of stone for the mill, and a crushing will be commenced to-day at the flauraki battery. We are glad to learn that there has lately been much improvement in the prospects of the mine, and the fine leader of t'ie Beach claim in particular is giving very encouraging prospects. The manner in which the mine is now opened up admits of larger quantities of j stone being taken out than formerly, and it is intended to have more frequent crushings.

THE UNITED SERVICE. A parcel of 10 tons, as a trial crushing from the United Service, is now going on at Souter's buttery. This company has a battery on their own ground, and will, we presume, start it to work if the present lot looks pnyablo Tlrre are soveral fine lodes openei in the company's ground, and the prospect, of the mine have been at all times considered good.

THE THRIEVE CASTLE. Since work was resumed iu this claim, considerable progress has been made, and three shifts are kept at work. 'Die shaft that was put down to prospect for the YVuitcmuta reef is now down 130 feet, and it is expected that the reef will be met with at a further deplli of 30 feet.