THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6061, 21 April 1881, Page 6

THE GOLDFIELDS.

[from our own correspondent.] Graiiamstown - , Wednesday. Waiiii.—During the last few days but little news has come to hand from this district. In the prospectors claim the low-level drive on the hangingwall of the lode is being pushed through the lode, but so far the quartz has not been of so kindly a nature as that obtained in the upper workings on the footwall of the lode. On the hangingwall the quartz is much more solid and flinty than on the footwall, but notwithstanding this a small prospect of gold can almost invariably be got by pounding the stone and panning it off. It is intended to push the drive right through the reef for the purpose of testing the footwall at the lower level. In the present face, which is rather over 20 feet into the reef, there is a slight improvement in the appearance of the quartz. Nothing further lias been done with regard to the battery, the proprietors not being quite satisfied with the prospects obtained on the hangingwall of the lode. However, if encouraging indications are met with in going through the lode, and similar prospects obtained from the footwall to those obtainable in the upper workings, it is probable that an early start will be made towards erecting the battery. The proprietors of the Dulcibel claim, which adjoins the prospectors, have started to cross-cut the reef. Several trials of the quartz have been made, and similar prospects to those obtained from the drive along the footwall have been met with. In Jones's claim it is supposed the main reef has been cut through, but here it is only about 12 feet thick. The whole of this, from wall to wall, gives fair prospects of loose gold. A trial parcel from this claim is about to be forwarded to the Owharoa battery. It is a singular fact that at every point at which this lode has been cut prospects of loose gold can be obtained. The stone is perfectly free from mineral, and but for a peculiar sooty appearance observable in some places, it is quite white. The gold is very fine, and but for the total absence of mineral, would be difficult to save. The Comstock is the name given to a claim taken up by MeCombie and party, about a mile to the eastward of the prospectors. In this ground a lode similar in appearance to that referred to above has been cut. The prospects obtained from this lode are, if anything, more encouraging than those obtained from the former. The party have started to drive a cross cut for the purpose of intersecting it at a lower level. Owharoa.—-There are still a considerable number of men employed prospecting in this district, but as yet nothing very grand bas been met with. In the Radical, Campbell and party are working on No. 2 lode, the one from which their late excellent crushings were obtained. They are also prospecting on another leader, called No. 1, and hope shortly to be on a paj able block of ground. Urquhart and party, who haveibeen working in the Golden Hill claim, have just completed a crushing of 30 tons of general stuff for the return of 46ozs. lOdwts. of gold. Unfortunately thi3 return, although equal to an ounce and a-half to the ton, is not payable. This is owing to the loadear being so small that it is difficult to work it rapidly. Could it only be worked with ease, a return equal to the above would pay well. Besides these, fair prospects o£ gold have been got on several blocks of ground which are being prospected, but not in sufficient quantities to prove the lodes payable. In these outdistricts it is almost necessary that the parties working should obtain more than the average yield per ton, or else the men will not put up with the discomforts of rough living. [BT . TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Grauamstown, Wednesday. Gold Returns. —Alburnia tribute : McLiver, 3ozs. 12dwts. Moanataiari tributes : Ross. 3ozs. 13dwts. ; Robinson, 3ozs. 9dwts. New WHAtr.—The general crushing for this company at the Herald battery is showing up for a slight improvement. The managers of the following companies report : — New Golden Crown. —Battery level : On No. 1 reef the winze has been sunk to the 40-foot level, and timbered up. I have started the drive along the course of reef at this level, and ■will put the drive out as far as the slide before I continue the winze again, The reef here averages about two feet in thickness showing colours* of gold every breaking-down. The winze on No. 2 is down about 20 feet. Theleader liere is about 18 inches in thickness, and looks well, with a little gold occasionally, but the ground is very tight, and if it does not change soon 1 intend" to stop this winze, and start stoping on tlio same reef from the lOfr-feet level. 170-feet level : The contractors driving on main reef are making slow progress. The reef is still hard, and from 7 to 8 feet thick ; about 2 feet of the footwall portion of reef looks promising. Since starting, they have driven a distance of 28 feet.—T, *A. DITNI.OF. " New North Devon. —70-feet level: During tlio week a further distance of ,10 feet has been driven. The country has still the same appearance a> last reported, viz., stringers'sf quartz thickly intersecting the mullock, but no defined reef visible as yet. Stoping' lias been carried on as usual. The reef has become much tighter, and lias somewhat reduced in size, and consequently renders it more difficult to keep up a supply of crushing dirt. 160-feet level: Driving has still been continued, no chango to mention since last report. "We are now directly underneath the winze, partially sunk from the 70-feet level, so I purpose as soon as possible starting a ri«e to open up communication with winze, as I consider this will be the most judicious mode of working. "SVhau lovel: The men employed by tin Columbia and Devon yompanies are making good progress in repairing and cleaning up drive, and wi'l start driving tomorrow. Battery: Crushing has been continued at the Herald battery with ten head of stampers, but from the insufficient supply of water, and consequent continual stoppages, there seems no possibility of getting more than a limited supply of stuff through.—• John Wilcox. Luck's All.—No. 3 level: I have been stoping ancl timbering the drive during the past week. The reef still maintains its former character—viz., showy; 51bs of- specimens have been picked out. 1 have discontinued stoping for the present, and have again resumed driving, and commenccd rising towards No. ,2. level. No. 2 level: I have not a3 yet intersected the reef—the reason is it has taken a perpendicular courso in the stopes below; on that account wo shall have a few feet farther to drive.—S. Gribble. Golden Star.—"We have comple ed the road and formed "a paddock, for our quartz, and have now started driving again. I have placed tha mon on to continue the main tunnel further ahead, as both myself and the men are convinced that'another body of quartz is running parallel with the one that we have been following. We are fully convinced of this from the number of small stringers and the water that is issuing from the right hand aide of the drive, if so, it must be but a short distance away. Another object that we have in view by continuing the main drive is to cut what we call Rice's leader, from which good cnishings wero obtained, and the course of this main tunnel was directed to intersoctit.—l2. E. Edwards. Success (Coromandel).—Tho ground is still hard, which makes the reef small at present. I am expecting a change every foot I get ahead, as I am getting undor the soft ground in the level above, and where 1 got good prospects. During last week 1 have been getting good prospects, and to-day I got about six pounds of specimens, which make mo believe there is something better ahead. The Queen of England have made a start in No. 2 level. The roef is small, no gold, but some good-looking stone. For the future working of your mine I intend to continue this level, going north as far as possiblo, and the first soft ground I intend to put in a rise and start stoping ; or, if required for air, continue the rise through No. 3 lovel. X also intend to open out in the reef going south, as there is very good-looking stone. —Peter Heid. Kuhanci Hill.—Teutonic: The lode is steadily Improving as wo get up in the atope. The colour is changing from blue to brown, and at the battery the duly takings of amalgam are steadily increasing, although still far from rich. Poverty: The winze is being sunk in ordor to find the junction of Pearce's and the Duke's leader. Belfast: There is a slight improvement in the size and regularity of the lode seaward of the distributing clay band, and wo have seen a few colours of gold. We aro now near the' point at which I expected to find a junction of the veins wo Baw in the cross-cut with our main lode.—J. W. Walker. Southern Cross.—Specimon leader: Stoping i 3 still being continued, but the block of ground is nearly finished. As the last stope was rather poor, I shall leave a small portion of the block in, and repair the winze to enable us to resumo driving on the leador forty feet below the battery level, as we had very good gold on the lovel beforo wo commenccd stoping. There is a fair amount of crushing stuff coming from tlio No. 4 leader, but no gold is seen in

I the stone, and the crushing is not showing so well on the plates as it did last time. 100-feet level: The rise on the No. 3 lode is now up a distance of thirty feet. The stone is. full of mineral, but no gold has been seen. I have been unable to get the trial lots put through the battery. A crushing of about 36 loads is now proceeding, but I do not expect a large yield.—James Couits. Old Caledonian.—The reef intersected in crosscut, No. 1 level, is very hard and cross-grain stone, and very little headway has been made in consequence. The reef looks very well, and nearly all the minerals which indicate gold-bearing stone are contained in the portions which have been gone through, and the reef now in the face contains quantities of bright yellow mundic, antimony, and ruby silver, and as this No. 2 reef hangingwall generally carries the gold-bearing quartz in more or less quantities, we may look forward to brighter days. This reef is standing intact 150 feet in the Old Caledonian ground and in the whole of the Otago ground, and if payable ground should be met with in this or No. 1 reef, which is still in the hangingwall of No. 2, and runs the same distance without ever being seen at this level. There has been a great deal of misgiving and doubt about these reefs being there, which now and forever must be put at rest by their discovery. lam blasting down the No. 2 reef in winze No. 3 level; have not yet got the hangingwalL The reef looks very promising, and carries a quantity of heavy minerals. This reef and the country around it are of a most promising nature. As soon as the ha« o vn/-v\U is reached I shall have a trial crushing to ascertain whether it is payable. I am still clearing out Herival'g passes.—T. B. Hicks.