THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5396, 4 March 1879, Page 3

THE GOLDFIELDS.

[from oub own correspondent.] Cobomandel, Saturday. MONTHLY SUMMARY. New Golden Pah : After a very long delay and two or three hitches for want of certain parts of the pump, they got fairly to work a few days ago, and very quickly took out all tho water. The machinery works very smoothly, and no doubt will give satisfaction to the shareholders. The shaft has already been stripped and enlarged to the water level; this will now be continued to the bottom with the utmost despatch.—Union Beach : There an* some strange vagaries in connection with the management of this mine. Tenders were called at the new year for sinking a new shaft, but after an unaccountable delay the directors rejected all the tenders, and started to do the work themselves. Men were set.to excavate a site for machinery (making a deep cutting, a very doubtful proceeding, as the rains in winter may prove by heavy landslips, &c.), and after working some woeks, presto! change ! and the men are put to siukinga winze from tho 180-feet level on the cross reef, but with the water they are almost sure to have to contend with, it will be impossible for them to get any depth, and they will have to return to the shaft, or abandon the enterprise altogether. —Premier : It is pleasant to turn from the gros3 blundering in the Beach to this mine. During the past month the leader cut in the chamber has been followed both ways a considerable distance. In the west, end there is a splendid leader, averaging IS inches thick, highly mineralised, and a very good show of gold well distributed through it. A large quantity of good picked stone has already been taken out, and the appearance of the reef would lead one to expect a rich patch at any moment. In the east end the leader is not so promising as it was further back, but a few feet may alter all that. At a few feet further ahead the manager intends to rise and connect with a winze from the level above to ventilate the mine, and this wilt give a largo block to stope out. Payable gold is also got in this winze. A largo amount of quartz has accumulated on hand, and as soon as the connections are made, regular crushings will be had. The machinery is in splendid order, and wonderfully economical in the way of fuel. Only some GO tons of coal have been consumed since the start, about three months ago. The battery is being put in thorough repair, and will be ready to start at any time.—Kapanga : Unfortunately the work of re-forming the company in England was not started soon enough, and work in the mine has been suspended pending advices. It is hoped this will only bo temporary. —Corby : Preparations are being made in this mine for taking out large quantities of stuff. The manager is opening up a large section of the flat leader, which is first-class dirt, and has almost connected tho winze on No. 1 with the low level. A splendid body of stone has been carried down tins winze, aud a very largo supply of rich crushing material will be available from this source. Early in tho month an attempt was made to bail out and sink the winze on No. 2, but this was found impracticable, clearly shewing that the drive at the bottom has not been extended far enough to tap the leader. This drive has been suspended in tho meantime to enable all tho men to be concentrated on No. 1 and get it opened up.—Bright Smile : The tramway has at length been repaired to this mine, and a parcel of 20 tons is now crushing at the battery, and considering that it has been robbed of nearly all its specimens, it is shewing up remarkably well on tho tables. No doubt a number of men will be sefc to work and have regular crushings taken out in future. The leaders are rather small and the ground tight, but the average return has been very good.—Tokatoa : Mr. J. P. Hall, of tho Thames, took charge of the mine last week. No doubt, as soon as he can get the run of the ground, vigorous action will be taken to develop tho mine.—Bismarck : Tho work hitherto done in tho shaft has not quite come up to expectation. The leader has been cut and driven to tho junction with the main lode without the result anticipated. Gold has been got, but not in very large quantities at present. The main lode has been driven upon some distance, and looks remarkably well. From its appearance there must be gold in the neighbourhood.—Queen of the North : Th:s claim is turning out wonderfully rich for the lucky shareholders, Messrs. Blasch and Smith. Just before Christmas a crushing of about 2 tons was had from their new leader, as it is called, and yielded Gtozs. gold, anil since that time, although only one man has been working on it, they already have over 3Colbs. of rich picked stone in hand. The leader is about G inches, but swells out larger occasionally. The only work done on it; is to sink a winze about 50 feet, enter a drive 30, and two or three stopes are taken, and the whole of the quartz as yet taken out has averaged over 30ozs. per ton. A low level is now being put in T which will greatly facilitate the workings. There are also several other leaders in the ground that will pay well. Altogether, this is one of the best properties on the field. The following is the gold returns for the month : —Kapanga, 21ozs. lOdwts. ; Union Beach, lulozs. l.nlwts. ; Bright Smile, 320z9. ; Comet, 30ozs. ijdwts. ; Tokatea (Bannerman's tribute), GOozs. 12dwts. ; ditto (Hornibrook's tribute), ludwts. ; 1 sundries, 4ozs. ludwts. GOLD KETURX3FOR THE YVEKK Thames, Saturday. Oz (lsvt.gr. Moanatauri, James's tribute .. . • 222 0 0 Ditto, Hayes's tribute .. . • 0 16 0 Ditto, Jam°..Va tribute . .. 11 0 0 Ditto, Givin's tribute 37 0 0 Alburniti Compiny Gls 15 0 Ditto, Manu !'-< tribute . .. 21 3 0 Ditto, Mangan's tribute .. .. 59 15 0 Ditto, Bond's tribute .. .. 4 5 0 Oli Golden Calf Compiny 23 S 0 Old Whau, Wilcox's tribu'e .. .. 11 0 0 laverness. Grubb's tribute .. ~ .. 4t 10 0 vVatchman, Ha- t's tribute .. .. 4 '4 0 MOiSengeiV, Johnsoa'stribute .. 5 7 0 Kuranui, Cballi>'3 tribute .. .. .. 2 5 0 Ditto, Murphy\« tribute .. .. 2 C 0 Ditto, Petersen's tribute .. .. IS S 0 Crown Princess. Hale's tribute .. .. 14 0 0 Don Pedro, Roberts's tribute .. .. 40 G 0 Prince Imperial. Kiugsford's tribute .. 62 14 0 Queen of Beauty, Moore's tribute.. .. 10 12 0 Ditto, Wing-tte's tribute .. 30 12 0 Pi-tko. Wilton's tribute 25 0 0 Little Bnrtl.a S6O Second Try .. .. .. .. 070 Caroline.. .. .• «. .. •• 2 7 0 Lit*!e Catherine 3 3 0 Midday 10 2 0 Little 4 15 0 Clyde .. .. .. .. .. •• 170 Duke 2 0 0 Little Lizzie .. .. .. .. •• 313 0 Welcome Kxtendcd, Heitman's tribute .. 19 0 0 Total 1.340 1 0