THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume IX, Issue 2690, 11 September 1872, Page 3

THE GOLDFIELDS.

j>KOM OUll OWX CORRESPONDENTS.] THE THAMES. Tuesday, 4 p.m. Caledonian. — Tho following is the mine manager's report forwarded this morning, but since then an important feature has taken place, which will be recorded hereafter. " Thirteen cwt. of specimens have been broken out from tho Otago run ; the N. and S. No. 2 stopes looking well, also the hanging wall leader." This morning was the usual Press visiting day, and in accordance with such the various representatives took adrantage of it. The Otago stopes, back of the intermediate level, looked very well indeed, in factlhave not seen them looking so well before ; the two leaders that were uncovered on Friday, and gave out such rich stone in quantity, showed gold freely for a considerable distance up the face, while during our presence a shot was put in behind the bottom leader, and tho result was tho discovery of another fine vein of golden stone several inches in width, and since then I have heard that thero has been a good haul of rich stone therefrom. The cutting down of the rise from the bottom level immediately under the above stopes, shows a splendid body of rich golden stone, and the stuff that is coming from here is shaping first-class in the mill. In the bottom level the drive is being carricd on the specimen leader south of the old No. 2 winze, and there is a change for tho better. The leader, for a great distance, was little bettor than mullock in the drive, but now it is changed into a fine compact body of stone, close upon two foet wide, showing gold freely, whilo in tho stopes abovo tho same pleasing change is visible. On the main lodo the drive is progressing north, but there is nothing of importance to record from this end ; but in the No. 3 or new winze from this level down several feet, I think there is a marked change for the better in the constitution of the stone. Gold has been got several times close to tho hanging-wall, and now there is some softer and°peculiar stono coiuo in close to the upper part of the reef, and should they ba able to follow it down further several feet, I am inclined to think that gold will bo the result. In the No. 3 Btopes, north and south of the shaft, immediately below tho upper level, there is a fine body of stono visible and the quality of this cannot fail to be rich, in consequence of tho amount of specimen stone that is occasionally obtained from here. Tho hanging-wall leader, No. 1 level, going over tho old main run of gold, is turning out very well, being the most compact lode in the mine, averaging over two foet of crushing dirt, and not a shift comes off without a tale to tell of the rich quality of the footwall part. No. 3 leader in the new stope is tho most taking leader to the eye, and although so Bhowy in minerals, and also yielding well at the mill, yet it is inferior in quality to the hanging-wall leader. The rise going up towards the Cure, on the leader upon No. 2 lode, is up 53 feet, and here tho leader is better defined than hitherto, and the quality of it, so far as can bo judged, is about the same as when the trial was made. In tho new winze, bottom level, the stoppage of the United Pumping Association's engine, tl.o other day, has allowed the water to rise within a very few feet of the men ; but this wiil be jowered directly, as the company's own engine will resume pumping to-uighfe, the boilers having been repaired. The prospccts of the mine a« the present moment are iufinitely superior to what they have been since Captain Richards took charge. The whole force of the battery is employed, and also that of the tailing pans, and with this latter addition to the weekly yields, the shareholders can safely look forward to much larger dividends than have been current for many months. Cure. —There is no great change to report of this mine since yesterday, tho manager preparing to break down a lot more specimen stone during the next few hours, his intention being to get a» many in hand by to-morrow morning as possible, as it is intended to crusli the whole to-morrow at the Prince Alfred battery. The result of this will bo looked forward to with anxiety, but I have no doubt they will yield tolerably well, as there aro some very rich specimens amongst tlaem, but he would be a bold man at this early hour to attempt to estimate tho yield. Don Pedeo. —The crushing for this company at the Waiotahi battery has been proceeding sinco yesterday morning, and so far as the plate show is concerned, there is little to be said. This can be accounted for by the vast amount of sulphides that is in the stone, and which has a deleterious effect upon the silver, and therefore the berduns will give a true account of the value of the stone. That it will pay I verily believe, but not to tho extent that was expected, some goiug as far as 3 ozs. per ton.