THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XI, Issue 3993, 29 August 1874, Page 3

THE GOLDFIELDS.

[I\ROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Thames, Friday. Manuk.au.—Some magnificent general stone is being broken out of the lode hugging the north side of the slide, stone which in constitution f have never seen before equalled in the mine. A little gold can be seen in it here aud there, but my impression is that above the present stope a big pot of gold will be found, and that it will lead up to something very heavy. The lode is not quite so large against the slide as it is further away; but for density of base metals, sueli as copper and iron pyrites, it is much more heavily impregnated, consequently the stuff ought to crush much better. Stoping both hero and further north is in hand, and the supply of quartz is sullicient to employ the 17 stampers of the Tramway battery. As intimated last night, the rise from the main level holed through into the upper level, and in the course of a few days this rise will be available as a pass, and also to give ventilation to the upper level. The manager, I believe, will be in a position very shortly to employ more stampers than at present, which, 1 believe, it is his intention to to ; however, if it is not it ought to be, for when thorough communication is effected with the upper level, it would be no great tax upon the ability of any manager to keep 30 stampers going from such a'magnificent body of stone as this company have to operate upon. In the upper level, driving south on the footwall of the lode is proceeding, and there is every indication of this turning out a magnificent level, while oil the north side of the cross-cut operations are confined to squaring down the winze to the stopes below. The winzes that were commenced to be sunk below the main level, towards the Golden Crown boundary, have been at a standstill for some days past, but this afternoon contracts will be given for the extension of the sinking. In Xo. 2 winze, and towards which the C-olden Crown company are driving below, there is a magnificent body of stone, with a very clean footwall, and close to this wall is a magnificent layer of quartz, very heavily charged wish minerals, with occasional shows of gold in it. This winze is a good criterion of what the Golden Crown company should get in about twenty-six feet of driving. Ihere is a good collection of picked stone and s]>ecimens in hand, the large box being more than two-thirds full when I last saw it.

Ccke.—The manager broke thorough into the Manukau workings yesterday morning, and they are now proceeding to regulate their le\ cl to that of the Manukau Company, as it is intended to run the stud' through the north portion of the Manukau mine. The lode which the company followed into the Manukau is none other than the footwall portion of the Manukau lode, and will henceforth be known as No. 3 reef. The width ol the lode is not more than 21 inches, but with every tendency to gain strength upwards. The difference between this width and what it is in a great portion of the Manukau ground ia caused by the division where the hangingwall branch went into No. 2 lode just a little to the N. of where tile Manukau Company first struck it, and from that point it gradually decreased ill size as it approached the Cure. It is intended at once to rise upon this, and in n height of 25 to 30 feet join the No. 1 lode, and the two reefs may then form a strong, consolidated body of stone. No. 4 : or the Black Reef, situated 30 feet behind the footwall of No. 3 reef, has also been followed home to tiie Manukau boundary, the lode varying considerably in width, but an average of 15 inches may be relied upon. To the N. of the cross-cut it is opened to a small slide or fault, which was being pierced, and the lode is picked up, but in much harder ground, and the reef divided into several branches, when the manager ceased ; vu.'-iiijn for the pri - .nt. A rise was started t.i--L.y a little to south of the slide, and at not more tI'LE S feet above the drive there is fully 2 feet of stone, the constitution of which is unsurpassed iu the Manukau or any other mine, having those base metals in profusion which are considered a never-failing evidence of a rich gold-bearing lode. From the fail 1 L to the Manukau boundary there is about 70 feet of this lode opened, and every foot upwards gives them a larger area upon it, m consequence ot the slide falling back towards the lied Queen's ground. Tiie hangi I igwall, which is situated between No. 2 and No. 3 lodes, is a nice vein about (i inches wide, and from whence some very nicc picked stone occasionally comes. Tiie manager will be in a position very shortly to have trial crushings from ITc "and 4 lodes, most probably from the la ext week, and I feel satisfied that it _ .i-ovea good payable lode.

C olidan. —-The manager reports that the No. 1 reef driving north h'-s shewn a considerable amount of y " '"iring tile week, and that there is - r ( - of another good crushing .rtly, and less time occupied in bro- • j out than the last. The position of the - ..lipany up to today is very satisfactory, as j. understand that all debts were paid up to-day, and there remained a credit to the company of £255.