THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume X, Issue 2905, 21 May 1873, Page 3

THE GOLDFIELDS.

[raosi OTTB OWN COBBESPONDENTS.] Thames, Tuesday. The Caledonian. —This morning some fair picked stone, about I cwt., was broken out of the hanging wall leader, back of the 210 feet level, where the leader is about 9 inches to 12 inches wide, from whence the gold came. It is too early yet to speak of the probabilities of the week's yield, but judging from what is to hand this morning, there is every prospect of a moderate one. United Pumping Association. —Yesterday another length of column was added, and to-day the upper bucket is being renewed, so that actual sinking has not been renewed this week. These frequent stoppages are signs that good progress is being made in the sinking, for every nine feet sunk requires an additional length of colurnu. This stoppage in the bottom does not interfere with the Albion drive, as tho water from here is lifted from No. 1 cistern. The contractors will be at tho bottom sinking again before this is in the hands of the public. Nonpabeil.—There is nothing very brilliant to report just now from this mine, the alone that is being broken out not being of a very rich character. The output of quartz is from various leaders iu the 40-feet intermediate and bottom levels, and although it may crush us well as the usual average ot the general stuff, yet there is a paucity of picked slone or specimens. The cross-cut in the intermediate level, started with the intention of intersecting tho No. 2 lode, is in about 16 feet, but the ground is about the hardest that has been met with in tho mine, and aB there is over 40 feet more to drive, I am afraid thut some time will elapse before the lode is met with, without thero is a change in the nature of the ground. This work is of great importance, us the lode when tested by the winze, partly sunk from the adit lsvel, showed a nice soft "lode üboufc IS inches wide, containing uice gold. It is impossible tc sink tho winze on account of water, but as soon as the crosscut taps the lode, it will drain off, and sinking will again commence. Crushing will commence on Monday next.

Lincoln Castle and American Eagle.— The directors t- the above companies met last evening, with a view to arrange about amalgamation, and, after a lengthy consultation, terms were agreed upon, which now await the confirmation of the shareholders of the two companies. The terms are, that the American iiuglo receives 300 shares of £3 each (£2 3s lOd paid up), from tho Lincolu Castlo, out of a new issue of 900 that are about to be created. Tho amalgamation of tho two companies will crente one strong body, with a Cuo piece of ground, which, from its central position on the Sons of Freedom lode, should at no distant dr.y c<vu* forward to the front as a gold producer, although no immediate benefit will accrue to the Lincoln Castlo by tho present negotiations, as the Eagle ground is situated on the underlie of the lode, fully 150 feet below the Sons of Freedom tunnel. It is in the future that tho wisdom of the present step will be acknowledged, ns it will be an incentivo to the Lincoln Castle company to join any of its neighbours to bring in any further level below that of tho Sons of Freedom. The consolidated company will possess an average of 250 feet on the strike ofthe lode, with close upon 350 feetof bocks above the Sons of Freedom tunnel, and exactly the same below. Tho manager has received instructions that terms have been come to with the Sons of Freedom, as to the payment of the sum due for the onefourLli of the tunnel, and as these aro very favourable it is probable that the company will commence operations in the tunnel in a month or

tix weeks. Bendiqo Independent.—Tho crushing for the tribuler3 of this company is progressing very favourably at tho Waiotahi battery, where it is the intention to crush about 50 tons of stone. The show, so far, promises to give a yield of over one ounce to the ton. Kose and S'lambock. —The tributers of this company have commenced to crush, with ten heads, at the Ballarat and Clunos machine, a lot of stuff that has been obtained close to the surface, and thero is every prospect of a payable return. The company have at last commenced operations on tho Cariboo, or east side of Dixon's tunnel, and very shortly tomething tangible should be heard of, as it is on this portion of their ground that the hopes of the company rest. At a very early day, and whe.i a littlo progress has been mado in driving, I shall take the opportunity of paying a visit to the mine. Corom and el, Tuesday. ToKATEA.—On Saturday the battery manager lodged in the bunk 305 ounces of retorted gold, the result of the specimens and general plate amalgam cleaned dowu up to Friday. This makes about 460 ounces of gold lodged since the last monthly clean-up, and on Friday or Saturday next another general clean up will take place. Tho company's tributers had a crushing on Saturday of about 300 lbs. of picked stone and specimens, there being about 80 to 100 lbs. of very good stuff. Tho return is an excellent one, being 137 ounces, which gives a general average of 9 dwts. to the pound of stone. A paddoek of general dirt, lies at the mine, ready to be sent to the mill whenever such a step may be deemed advisable. llauuour View.—Crushing for this company was completed late on Saturday night, and yesterday everything was cleaned up, and the tailings treated in tho berdan. No retorting took place last night, but this morning tho return will be in. They had quite 300 ounces of amalgam on hand, so that a very fair return may be looked for. In all, 120 tons were put through. Sesterday morning tho tributers started crushing their stone, of which they have a good paddock on hand, t.nl which may bo expected to turn out well payable. Koyal Oak.—ln this mino they still continue to grass excellent stone, gold being visible every time quartz is broken down, — and they will soon have nearly, if not quite, 100 tons in the paddock, as they cannot yet gut crushing accommodation, tho Nil Despe-

l-atidum battery being fully employed ; und it is very probablo that t.hey will not bo able to go in next, as tho Tokatea stone is accumulating so mueli that the maunder will shortly be in want of extra crushing power. When they do crush, however, X look for a very good return all round. Beach.—Yesterday, about noon, tho Now Zealand battery on tho beach was started to work, and is now hard at it. The first stull' to be put through was a lot of rubbish lying about the battery, und this will probably be all through by this afternoon, when tho plates will be in a lit state to commence operations 011 tho mullock and stuff taken from the mud flat. If the latler stuff pays anything over tho expenses incurred for this crushing, the promoters may consider that they have dono very well, and will then have an incentive to push ahead if they are only treated liberally by the Beach Company. Excelsiob. —A small parcel of 4 ozs. 11 dwts. of gold was lodged in the bank on Saturday by tho Excelsior tributers, the result of a crushing of a small parcel of stone.