THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume X, Issue 2829, 21 February 1873, Page 3

THE GOLDFIELDS.

[PEOM OTTB OWN CORRESPONDENTS.!

; •' Thames, Thursday. AIBIOJM CoarPANT. — The telegram of last night.'respoctihg , the intersection of a strong leader in • the- main cro.'s-cut, ISS feet level, turns [out to be incorrect. As yet there aro no futher signs of a lode thaln mere black streaks of mullock. These streaks of mullock I look upon as indications of the close proximity of a leader or body of quartz, but it is possible that tho company will n«ver see it iu their ground l —at tiny rate, at this level, as they are now 490 feet in, or within 3ix feet of the boundary. The influx of water, I understand, is very great, but this cornea from tho open fissures, in the ground,, and is so great that the engine has to be driven at preat speed, and yet can only keep tho water down 26 feefbelow the level, so that the iniprresioa made upon the water from the shaft is nil. The high speed at which tho engino has been driven tho last fbw hours has absorbed the whole of tho fresh water iu reserve on tho promises for the purpose of feeding tho boiler, and steps aro now boing taken for a supply of sea water from tho Princo Alfred roeervoir, so that the boiler hereafter, when driven at a great speod, will not fall short.'.'

Golden Crown.—During the past month tho tributers of this company have been beholden for their largo yields principally.to a now leader that Btrikes out of tho footwall of the tribute lode, and this afternoon I had an opportunity of inspecting tho same. It is a- vein fully fourteen inches wide, close to whero it junctions with the tribute lode in the stopes back of the company's level, and strikes directly E. or into tho hanging-wall of the No. 3 reef. The lino or strike of this leader is very limited, not over 45 feet from the junction with, the tribute leader, before it strikes into the hanging-wall of tho No. 2 reef, and the height cf backs upon it from the 100-feet level is supposed to give over 120 feet. It appears to be very rich, for it has now been followed with a temporary drive in tho stopes for 26 feet, and carries good gold. Thia afternoon- I. saw fully 15 lbs. of good picked stone brought down with one ehot, tho whole of which "came fi'sm' tho footwall, which latter portion is a dense mass of coppor and other mineral?, tho gold being impregnated with the base metals, and very similar in constitution to what the Cure used to get. Where they are now working i 3 about 50 feet above the 100feet level, and a cross-cut has gone in and intersected the leader there, but found it rather broken, but notwithstanding, very rich. The main tribute lender going south is very large, - but deteriorates very, much in quality in . direction. The company's operations are principally couSued to etopiag, driving, and sinking upon the main tribute leader, in tho intermediate level, where there is a lodo averging three feet wide, the quality of which is computed to be worth about three-quarters of an ounce per ton. The manager has also commenced to drive for the tributers' now vein, and hopes to havo it in hand within the :u-xt ten days. It is supposed that where this new tribute veiu joins the No. 3 lode, in the 100-feet level, is exactly where the Manukau Company got such rich yields from the No. 2 lode, which they sloped a few feet above where tho junction should be, and lo3t the gold, while the Crowu sank immediately under tho patch of the .Manukau, and their efforts were also unrewarded.

Otago.—There is very little to report from this mine, the only operations now in hand being the. sending up of u rise close to the Golden Calf boundary, -whera a. lode is showing about 2 feet 6 inches wide, with the color of gold occasionally.

Golden , Cali\ —Crushiug for this company still proceeds at tho Tramway battery, where sis heads are engaged by the company. The character of'the stuiV is the saiue a 9 eont down in tho Jatter part of last crushing, viz., that section of ground near to tho Otago Company's boundary ; and so long as the presont show—worth about three-quarters of au ounce per ton—can bo maintained, then crushing will be continued.'

CoROHiXDEt, "Wednesday

A visit to the 'Zokatea range .yesterday disclosed the fac-t that there is nothiug at all new to report of any moment. Tho general appearance of the Tokatca- mine continues gojd, and the crushing goii\g on lire shaping, verv well. The Royal Oak tiro about to knock down a lot of leader to-day, when gold will probably be obtained. The Van are working away on the lode, without any change up to the present, ( thc country s'.ill being good round the reef. From the Harbour View there is nothing fresh, work going on a3 usual. The big tfinnel goes in rather slowly, again the ground being very been for some little distance. The started yesterday , to get their quart* down, but to-duy it is raining very heavily, so that no work will be possible on this road.