THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XV, Issue 5310, 22 November 1878, Page 3

THE GOLDFIELDS.

[jROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Thames, Thursday. Alburnia.—Battery Level: Near the junction of the specimen leader with the Sons of Freedom lode on this level there aro a number of small leaders dropping into the latter, all of which carry gold. In working out these leaders a largo block of ground will havo to be taken out, but the manager is of opinion that it will pay well, as gold is frequently seen in the stone. At the top of the rise, which was put up about 12 feet by the late manager, there is a strong body o£ quartz which has a healthy appearance, and should yield a considerable amount of crushing dirt. The manager proposes, should the lode continue payable, to carry a rise righb through to the surface, a height of something 'over 100 feet. Beyond the junction, the level has been driren some distance on the hangingwall of the Bona of Freedom reef, but the quartz has been left standing. This is now being taken down, and occasional colours of the precious metal are seen in it. Since operations were started on this level, about lOOlbs. of specimens and picked stone hare been obtained. Whau Level : The drive west on the Sons of Freedom lode has been holed through to the main cross-cut, and all tke workings on and above this level are now well ventilated. From the stove 3 above this level a considerable tonnage of fair cruahing-dirt is "being turned out, that from the block towards the Devon boundary being the best. Seventy-feet Level : The stopes on this level are yielding good crushing dirt. Both tho country and the reef, however, are very hard and tight, and consequeutly the work progresses rather slowly. Colours of gold are occasionally seen in the stone after breaking down. In the face of the west drive the reef is split up, but what quartz is shewing looks well. The low-level passes have all been completed, and aro now in good working order. At the battery the general dirt is Bhaping for a better return than last month. An additional five head of stampers were started this morning, making twenty head in all crushing for tho company. McLean and party, tributers, have just completed a crushing of 15 tons, taken Irom the old stopes on the specimen leader, above the battery level, for tho excellent return of 31ozs. melted, gold. This is somewhat remarkable, as the stuff crushed was simply the mullock used to fill in the stopes with.