THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XI, Issue 3824, 13 February 1874, Page 3

THE GOLDFIELDS.

[jPBOir OTJB OWN COBIitESPONDENTS.]" TniiiES, Thursday. Goidkk Calp. —Last night, aud again to-day, some very nice prospects were obtained from the Juet in Time lode, at the 200-feet level. The reef at this level has been followed to the north of the shaft for 75 feet, and averages 2i feet in width. In constitution it is the most peculiar of any lode on the field, being nothing more nor lees than stiff pipeclay, with little or no quartz, but well defined between two good walls. The gold is very course, flossy, and Bhowj, bnt at the same time -when panned off gives out free gold. It is similar to the ten tons recently crushed, which yielded 2£ ozs. per ton ; am 1 , "there is every hope that the present paddock of dirt will yield equally as well aa the trial parcel. Beyond the present northern face some loose, friable quartz should make, if it is a continuation of the eame channel of lode, ond here a good patch of gold-bearing country is expected to be met with. The whole of the ground to the north of the ehaft, 200 feet in length, has been sloped out above the 150-feet level in early days, so that on this side, with the exception of a small section, the company from this level have about 60 feet of ground overhead. South of the shaft the lode is intact to the surface, and as they bave 140 feet in length, the company have avast extent of lode above the 200-feet level. In the 250-feet level the lode is within n very few feet of being intersected, and at any moment it may be to hand. The total depth of the shaft is 292 feet, and it is intended to sink another 58 feet before opening out to intersect the Central Italy lodes, at a depth of about 130 feet bolow the old workings. There is about 40 tone of stone in the paddock, and it is intended to commence crushing permanently with five stampers, to be further increased when the lode is to hand in the 250-feet level.

Italian. —Yesterday the manager was successful in tapping a lode at a depth of 00 feet from tho surface, in an old shaft, belonging to the Central Italy Company. The sinkers hare cut through fully two feet, and have not yet got the bottom wall, so that there ia every appearance of it being a strong body of stone. There is a great deal of mundic in the stone and what is a lying on the surface hae a very favourable appearance. The position of the shaft is juet inside the Central Italy ground, so that what the'eotnpany possess of the reef is a great length and the whole of the cap, but very little, in depth. It is intended t> | t»st eomo of the stone, but at the same lime the sinking of tho shaft, will be continued, Sotrni Bbitish Association:—The sinking of tho winze below the adit level, upon No. 1 lode, is progressing apace, and a depth of 27 feet wns measured this morning. The width of the lode has averaged five feet; but at present a portion of it has gone into the hanging-wall, leaving a "horse" that is dividing the lode. The stono therefrom is of a solid blue character, heavily impregnated with iron pyrites and other metals ; and the indications for gold being preseu! are very plenaing. It is intended also to eink upon No. 2 lode ; and for this purpose a chamber is being cut out. This lode is very similar to that of No. 1 in constitution, but has more of an underlie, while an average of 2\ feet is seen in tho level. It m&y probably increase in size by sinking, as the No. 1 did, tho latter averaging two to three feet in Iho level, and a few feet below opened out to five feet. The entire length of tho tunnel is 1700 feet, but it is discontinued, as it broke into alluvial or made ground. In order to prospect the remaining portion of tho ground lying to tho east, or beyond tho tunnel, and which ground is thought to bo the best, a Bhaft will be sunk at a convenient place, and a drive weat, towards but beneath the tunnel, each level to communicate with tho other by sending up a riee or a drive, while in the oppoeite diiection tho outside or east boundary will be reached as soon as possible.