THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XI, Issue 4044, 28 October 1874, Page 3

THE GOLDFIELDS.

[FROM Of I! OWX COKIIKSPOXDENTS.] Tiiamk?, Tuesday. Waiot.w!! A>'SOi —A further section of the 3 feet Idle v.-;is broken down this morning, and .still shews the- same quantity of gold as usual in these breaking downs. The lode for some distance back from the present f;.ce has been divided into three veins, covering a space of three feet and over, but it is becoming more compact and the whole are making into one. The ground a'"so is a little stiffer, hence the tendency to become more solid. A trial parcel from this lode is now passing through the mill, and although it has not run many hours, .yet there remains 110 doubt but the stuff is of a good payable quality. Goldkn Caw.—The new leader which was recently discovered in the 320-feot level from the engine-shaft, promises to turn out payable stone, as not a portion is broken without a fair show of gold. Although it does not average more than 9 inches in width, yet it is in good ground, and easily won. The leader itself is of the description called l'ubbly—that is, the quart/, very jointy, and breaking into .small pieces. A trial parcel of Si or 10 tons will shortly be sent into the mill. The drive towards the main lode is in a distance of OS feet from the chamber, with good ground, and about as much more driving should put them up to the reef. The Just-in-Time lode is in S-t feet, and will be carried 10 or 1.3 feet further, when cross-cutting for this will at once be undertaken, as the course of this lode is so very uncertain. Golden Ckown.—The slide was met with a day or two ago in the low level, at a distance of Si 2 feet from the bottom of the winze, or whencc they started to drive. Previous to reaching the slide the manager pierced into the lode, and found it to be four feet wide, and of an unpromising character, those minerals usually the forerunners of gold being wanting, and nothing but dark black mundic present. The manager is now driving on the course of the slide north, but at present there, is but little else than a conglomeration of broken quartz. City ok Yokk. — Since writing the paragraph as to how deep the company's shaft would have to be sunk to be equal to the City of London level, from whence the crushing came, 1 find that the manager has gone over the levels again, and that the shaft will only require to be sunk S4 feet further, and not 110 feet, as stated in yesterday's report. Loyalty.—Since the cleansing and reiimbering of the low level, an air shaft has been sunk between the two levels, for the purpose of ventilation. At the bottom of this shaft, when the drive broke into it some loose quartz was seen, which appeared to | have the formation of a lode. On opening out upon it for a few feet about is. E., it shewed two feet of stone, well-delined and with good walls. According to the plan, it is the main lode coming in from the Queen of May, but a few days more work will settle its identity. Couo.ma.vdll, Tuesday. There is very little mining news at the present time. The Union Beach continues to give good specimens daily, and the crushing of general stuff from the stopes and main drive on the black reef is keeping the battery employed ~y day. The drive on the black reef keeps the lode a good two feet in thickness as it is followed S.W., but in the N.E. direction the loae has become pinched up to about 6 inches. This is why the battery has only been kept working by day, instead of night

and day, during the present month of October, and that only 116 tons of stone were crushed in 17 working days. The manager is preparing to put a winze some 50 feet ahead of where the men are pushing on the face of the drive at the S.W. end, in order to keep the drive ventilated, as well as to enable the upper block to be stoped out. There is, however, an important work to be undertaken by the company, and the sooner it is set about the better, and that is to sink the shaft and put in another level. The machinery at present on the mine in the hands of the present experienced mine manager, Mr. Black, is quite adequate to the work of putting dowr. the shaft another 70 or SO feet, which will give a fine set of backs, both on the black reef and the old Green Harp reef. At that depth the former will, to judge from the manner in which it gradually increases from the top of the stopes (where it is only some 12 inches through to 'J4 inches oil the lloor of the drive), most probably at the second level develop itself into a four or fivefeet reef. Now is the proper time to commence putting down another level, while the mine is producing golden stone. The present level will be worked out in between three and four months' time, and by that time the shaft would be down and the lower level opened out upon ready to take up the running. If, on the other hand, the work is deferred until the gold is worked out of the present level, then the cost will have to be undertaken on calls, and if it once comes to that, good-by to the prosperity of the Union Beach for a season.

The Bismarck is advertising for tenders for the continuance of the Van level a distance of 100 feet. The Prido of Tokatea level is now in 09 feet. There is an appearance of softer country setting in. Mr. Tole has completed his survey of the Tairua, Mercury Bay. and Coroinandel track. From Tairua, through Mercury Bay to Corolnandel it is just 37 miics long, and will cost, it is estimated, about £2000. Some tine blocks of land belonging to the Provincial Government, suitable lor settlement, will be opened up by it. Eighteen intending tenderers for the Waverly tramway contract went over the ground yesterday with the district surveyor, Mr. G. B. Gatland. Mr. Frederick "Woollams is slowly recovering from a severe attack of low fever. A concert in aid of the funds of the English Church is fixed for the 12th proximo.