THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5413, 24 March 1879, Page 3

THE GOLDFIELDS.

[FROM OUR OW.V CORRESPONDENT. J

Thames, Saturday. Kukanui.—The principal operations in this mine are being carried on between the battery and Shotover levels. The block of ground openod up by the winze connecting these two levels is •being stoped out. To facilitate the work, about half-way down the winze an intermediate level has been driven both east and west on the course of the lode. In some of the stopes, especially those to the eastward of the winze, the lode is well-defined, but it is not very large. Good blocki of quartz are, however, occasionally mot with. On the battery level, driving on the course of the lode has been suspended, as also sinking the winze below this level. On the Shotover level, the westdrivo has been extended some distance, but unfortunately the lode has pinched up small, and is somewhat disturbed. It was at one time expected the lode would improve in this direction, but these hopes have been blighted to a considerable extent. The battery, which has beeu standing for a day or two, is nearly full of crushing dirt, and will be started again on Monday motniag. Although, in sinking the winze, excellent prospects were obtained from small parcels of stone, still the general crushing does not come up to expectations. The reef seems to be very patchy, and the quality of the quartz varies very much. Some days the crushing will shew up exceedingly well, and at other times it falls off so much that it is scarcely payable.

Curb. — Operations on the No. 6 lode have been suspended until the quartz which has already been obtained from it has been crushed and some idea of its value arrired at. The parcel on hand will be put through, the battery during the early part of next week. Towards the Red Queen boundary the lode appears to be of better quality than it is ia the opposite direction. The winze oo Gilmourns leader is being continued, and good prospects are met with. It is intended to sink this winze to the level of the No. 3 level, aad then connect by means of a short drive. The distance to drive will be about 40 feet. This will open up & considerable block of ground, from which the company may expeot to obtain some good quartz. Old Golden Calf.—The prospects on the low level of this mine have considerably improved during the last day or twe. The drive or the course of the lode has been extended some distance, and in the face the lode itself has opened out, and it is now about 4 feet thick, and shews good strong colours of the precious metal. In breaking-down on Friday some good specimens and picked stone were obtained. The quartz has a very encouraging appoarance, and is thickly impregnated with good mineral iudications. The great difficulty the manager has to contend with is the want of air, owing to the distance the face ef the drive is from the shaft. As soon as possible connection will be made with the upper works by means of a winze, and better ventilation will thus be provided. A winze has been sunk some considerable depth from the floor of the level above, but owing to the influx of water, the men had to stop work. Since the low level drive got under this, the water has been slowly draining off, but it 13 not all out yet. From the bottom of the winze to the low level there i 3 a distance of 70 feet to penetrate, and as this will have to be carried on under great difficulties, it will be some time before it is accomplished. There are about 2Q tons of general dirt on hand, and the manager iuteuds to forward this to the battery shortly.

Caledonian*.—Brownlee and party, who are tributing ia this mine, have fiaiahel a crushing of general dirt, for the return of 23ozs. Gdwts. malted gold.

Golden* Crown - . — Cameron and party, who have the whole of this mine on tribute, have completed their first crushing, for the return of 43dz?, lOlwts. melted gold. The stutf crushed wa3 obtained above the Beach level.

Crown Pktn'CESs — Graham and party, tributers in this mine, have finished a crushing of 22 loads general dirt, for the reburn of 23ozs. 3dwt3. gold.

Since the pump has been stopped, the manager of the Moanataiari mine has besn in the habit of ascertaining the rate at which the water is rising, by sounding the shuft every Saturday morniog. Lnat Saturday, on the men appointed proceeding to do the work, they were asked by some one, supposed to be connected with the Caledonian mine, what business it was of theirs, and they replied that they had been sent, as usual, by the manager of the Moanataiari iniue. This morning, however, on arriving at the shaft they found it was securely locked, and consequently they could not ascertain the depth of water in the shaft. The information has been obtained on behalf of the directors of the Moanataiari company, and, of course, this week they will have to go without it. At the time of the last sounding, the water was rising at the rate of 1G feet per week, and it was supposed that by to-day it would be up to the 400-feet level. The action of the Caledonian people in this matter is considered somewhat strange. Coroma.ndel, Saturday. Mayfield.—Driving both ways on leader. A few pounda specimens in haud. Oak.—Suspended operations, pending repairs to the tramway. Bismarck.—Driving on main lode, which looks fir&t-rate. Premier.—Have obtained a few pounda of good fctone to-day. Start crushing on Monday.

GOLD RETURN'S FOR THE WEEK. 0z divt.gr. Moanataiari, K> lie's tribute .. «. 10 IS 12 Ditto, Moyle's tribute .. .. 19 15 0 Ditto, Williams's tribute .. .. 55 2 0 Ditto, Whisker's tribute .. .. 5 0 0 Ditto, Truscott's tribute .. .. 14 0 Ditto, Buckley's tribute .. .. 33 17 0 Alburnia, Scott's tribute 57 13 0 Ditto, Towers's tribute .. .. .. 14 19 0 Ditto, George's tribute 5 17 0 West Coast, Smith's tribute 8 7 0 Watchman, Hunter's tribute .. .. 77 13 0 Caledonian, Brownlee'a tribute .. .. 23 6 0 Golden Crown, Cameron's tribute .. .. 43 10 0 Kuranui, Williams's tribute .. .. .. *2 5 0 Crown E'rioceas, Grah\m's tribute .. .. 23 3 0 Ditto, Hale's tribute .. .. 4 0 0 Piako, Nooma's tribute .. .. .. 8 10 0 Queeu of Beauty, Wilson's tribute .. .. 5 3 0 Joktr 9 17 0 Little Bendigo 15 11 0 Last Chmce .. .. .. .. .. 2 13 0 Little 2: iuy £0 0 0 Total 447 7 12 [by telegraph, our ows correspondent.] Thames, Saturday. GOLD RETURN'S. Oz.dwt.gr. Alburnia, George's tribute 5 17 0 Caledonian, Brownlee's tribute ... 23 C 0 Golden Crown, Cameron's tribute... 43 10 0 Crown Princess, Graham's tribute 23 3 0 Little Sissy Claim ... ... ... 20 0 0 Total 115 16 0