THE MINES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XV, Issue 5063, 7 February 1878, Page 2

THE MINES.

Tue subjoined are weekly reports of the mine-managers : — Aluuknia Cojii'ANY.—l have the honour to report that in the drive west at the bottom of No. 1 winze good progress lias been made diu-ing the fortnight. The reef is two feet in width, and still shows gold. The country is of a kindly nature, being composed of white sandstone. Ko. 2 wiuze (intermediate specimen leader) : 1 am engaged stripping this leader, commencing at No. 1 winze, carrying another stope towards the Xo. 2 wißze where it junctions with the Sons of Freedom reef. Sons of Freedom reef : In the stopes cast and west the reef still looks -well, picked stone coming to hand ea«;h. day. Whau level (Sons of Freedom reef) : The west drive has now been extended from the junction of specimen leader about 150 feet. .A little gold is still showing in the face. The reef is of good size. I purpose commencing to sink another -winze in this drive at a point about 100 feet west from the No. 2, for the double purpose of testing the ground and ventilating th« level below. The east drive now measures 123 feet from the junction of specimen leader, leaving about 50 feet to the .North Devon boundary. The reef in the face is a little confused, being in broken couutry. >o change in the stopes above. Dixon's low level : The contractors have driven about 15. feet since recommencing work. No gold has been seen in the leader as yet. Sons of Freedom (main tunnel) : I have commenced to rise from the main tunnel to connect with the wiuze sunk from the 150 feet level. I have now on hand about Scwt. of picked stone and lOOlbs. of specimeus. Battery : There has been crushed during the month 120 tons of general stuff, 2.scwt. of picked stone, and GOOlbs. ef specimens, for the yield of 25S3ozs. lOdwts. of melted gold.—Samuel GuirsßLT:.

T\.kd Queex. —It will be in your recollection that in March last I had a crushing of 9S tons, yielding 1220z5., that was obtained a little below the head of 2s'o. 3 pass. I then reported that a horse of mullock had come in and split the reef in two, and materially altered the appearance of the same for the worse—in fact, after thi3, the two cvushiugs we had from the reef at this point were not payable. This portion of the ground was then temporarily abandoned, but at the beginning of the last mouth I started driving on the hanging-wall portion of the reef, but after driving fifteen feet the reef changed its appearance aud its course, running into the Caledonian, and as there were indications of the hoi'sc of mullock cutting out upwards, and the reef coming together again, I deemed it advisable to cease driving, and commence rising on the reef. lam now up twelve feet, ami the reef has coine together again, and forms a compact body of quartz, about four fec-t thick, aud at present the quartz looks very promising, being heaviiy charged with minerals, aud has other good indications which may lead me on to gold any day. I have to-day started driving on the foot-wall portion of the reef with the full force of men (C), and iE you can possibly raise funds to put this drive in 100 feet, I have very great iaith in obtaining payable gold again. The ten tons I have in the paddock since the early part of la3t month I will have crushed up this w.etk.— Henry -NlcCade.

Tookey Tribute Company.—l have the honour to submit the following report on your mine : —IOO-feet level: After getting a survey made from Tookey's engine shaft to where the Kuranui tribnters' reef is standing in Tookey's ground, I find there is solid quartz standing 150 feet west from the boundary. The leader runs nearly parallel with the Belfast reef, aud is on the uorth side of it; there does -jjot appear to be anything doue on this leader below the suiface levei. The readiest means of workir-jj it, will be to clean out the Belfast drive aud cross-cut into the leader at the eastern boundary line, which will place us ou the spot where the tribaters left off, and then drive back upon the leader. By this mraus we shall at once be placed upon the gold which the tributers wrought up to the boundary.. No. 1 reef, 400-feet level : On examining this reef where it was left off driving, I observed some colours of gold in a small vein, of quartz which dropped off the reef. There was a casiDg of 12 inchee thick, from which I collected 2001bs. weight, -which, when put through the berdan, yielded Idwt. gold. I have put on two men to follow up the vein to the reef, to see what it will make.—Gso. Kerr. Caledonian Company.—Driving in the intermediate level from the Otago long winze has be?n continued during the week—the lode in the face is over five feet in thickness and very solid. A few small blotches of gold with heavy mineral, similar to that worked in the level above, were showing for the first time at this level on Saturday. The face is now being ividened out with a view to taking out the quartz more easily. There is over twenty tons in the hoppers, selected from the intermediate and from the Otago No. 1 levels. The battery will start on Wednesday. I expect a poor return, as but little gold has been seen in the break; ing down. Upper Otago : The hanging-wall of the'western lode, about 50 feet from the Golden Calf boundary, carries about two fset of black mineralised stone. I have a small crushing from here ready fov tie battery; and am cutting through the lode with a view of proving the foot wall side. I have given, soma attention to the recent discovery in the Kurauui Hill I,'onipany's ground, but am of opinion that the find is on the Young American lode. X will consider the matter further and report in niy next. — Thomas James. %