THE GOLD FIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVII, Issue 5758, 1 May 1880, Page 5

THE GOLD FIELDS.

[prom our own correspondent.] . Thames, Friday. ■ Alburnia.—The rise from the 70-feet level on the Whan boundary having come, on-a nice body of quartz,, the manager has commenced stoping on it. The ntone when broken out show 3 good mineral indications, and a little gold has also been seen. It is very probable that this lode will lead up to the jump-up-leaders, which at one time yielded a considerable quantity of good picked stone. On the intermediate level, the western drive is being pushed home to the Whau boundary, as fast as the natnre of the country will allow. There are bnt a few feet more to drive. In the face, the lode shows a strong body of quartz; In the stopes over this drive, the foot-wall leader looks very well, and, .contains good mineral indications. In the stopes over the eastern drive on this level there is a fine healthylooking body of quartz, thickly impregnated with minerals of the best description. In the ' face of the stope, which is right over the face of the drive, -the lode has a really promising appearance, and at present there is" no signs of it pinching out as it did in the drive. Stoping operations on the footwall leader above the 70-feet level are being continued. There is very little alteration in the appearof the leader. The winze, which was being sunk fifty feet west of the main passes, is down forty feet, and the manager has started to open out at this depth toward the passes. It is proposed to drive right through to the pass, and so prove the lode between it and the winze. The drive is already in five feet, and is carrying in' a good, strong body of stone. The quartz has a somewhat favourable appearance, and occasionally a colour of gold is seen. The reef in the eastern stopes over the 70-feet level is looking really well. The leading stope has been carried forward to the face of the drive, and the second stope is now being brought along. In the face of tiis stope, which will be back from twentyi five to thirty feet down the face of the drive, the lode is three feet thick, and it has a very healthy appearance. Small parcels of good picked stone are occasionally obtained after breaking down. The drive on the hanging wall leader is being continued.' There is not much change in the appearance of this leader,, but the country has become much tighter, and consequently progress is rather slow. . The mineral indications in this leader still continue very good, and colours of gold are occasionally seen. On Dixon's lower level slow progress is being made with the east drive. Within the last day or -two, however, a change has taken place, and a strong body- of quartz has been met with, which may possibly lead on to easier country. The quartz is still low grade stuff, but now that a change has taken place, ah improvement -may be looked for ere long. The ontpnt of quartz from all parts of the mine at the present time is something considerable, and the battery is kept pretty full,: unfortunately, however, through the scarcity of water it cannot be kept constantly goiog. The general dirt that is now being put through k> showing up very well. New Whatj.—The' winze which is being sunk on the - Alburnia boundary, is down a depth of 44 feet from the tributer's level, or 40 feet'from the Alburnia-70-foot level. ; At present the winze is being sunk on the footwall portion of the lode, and the hangingwall portion is being left standing. jThe hanging-wall is by far the best portion of the lode,'and for the 10 or 15 feet of sinking a very promising looking body' of ( stone Itas been left all across the winze. No stone has 1 been obtained, but or fi are distributed all through J? BS h and there is no doubt thai; It really well.—The manager believes MWi .y b j arge - and, if that is the case quantity of the "bottom' of | the ;the yi ll ?®-: ' rise,. there is « "TP" -

.a connection. „is_jaide,_»-. hopper—will be erected 'at "the"bottom of the rise, and' tba whole of the lode shot down.- Good progress ia being made-with the Extension of the low leveL At present, the reef is only being stripped, and none of it is being taken down, and consequently-no thing can be said of its size and quality. The ereotion of hoppers and pasaes to the Sons of Freedom, tunnel is also making good headway.' : [by TELEGRAPH, ifEOM OWN COKBKSPOJfneST. J Thames. Friday. Gold Returns.— Hape Creek, 6oza. ldwt.; ditto, Petersen's tribnte, loz. 2dwts.; Kakanka claim, 2oza. 14dwts.': prosDectines. 4oza. I4dwta. . New Wiiaxj.—A hole was bored through from .the bottom of the winz9 to the.top of the risejtlns morning, and it is expected that connection will be fully made to-morrow. __ Caledonian.—-It is erpscted that the No. 3 level of this mine will be quite clear of wa k ,er on Monday next. ■ Hape Ckeek.—The proprietor •of this mine has crashed three loads of general staff for the return of 6ozs. ldwt of melted gold. Sharemarket.—'Sales : Alburnia 62s 6d " Whau. 4S< 6d to 495. Sellers: Alburnia, 63s 6d ; Whan, 50 ; Devon, 13s 6d; Karanui, SaCd, Qaeen of Branty, 7s 6d ; Caledonian, 3s 6d; Columbia, 2j GO. There are no baying quotations.