THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6099, 4 June 1881, Page 5

THE GOLDFIELDS.

Lfroji our own. correspondent.] Thames, Friday. Water Supply.—The long looked for rain has come at last, and during the last two days it has been falling steadily. It is to be hoped the supply will not fall short of the requirements again this season. Mqgfc of the batteries are again at work.

New Golden Crown. —This mine is now proving itself one of the most steady gold producers on the field. The operations iast month resulted in the excellent return of 3 - 22ozs. of melted gold, being obtained from 300 tons of quartz. The importance of this return can only be properly estimated when it ia taken into consideration that quartz which only yields Gdwts. per ton can be worked profitably. This is mainly owing to the excellent appliances the company have at command for treating the quartz when it is won from the mine, and the cheapness of the motive power by which the company's battery is worked. The mine itself continues to look well. • Many of the lodes in hand are of good size, and nearly all yield good average grade quartz, while from the excellent character of the ground richer patches may be discovered' at any time. An impression is abroad that the mine, at. any rate to the present depth of the shaft, was exhausted by the old company. This impression is erroneous, and for its size no mine on the field stands in a better position than the Golden Crown so far as unworked ground ia concerned. No better proof of this , can be given than the fact that the company within twelve months of starting work : paid a dividend out of gold won from what may be called the surface levels of the mine, that portion, in fa«t, which received the most attention from the old company. On. these very levels there, is ground now opened up which, at a rough estimate, willtake from 12 to 18 months to exhaust, if; not., longer. Below these levels again there are two others already opened up which have received little or no attention, upon which numerous leaders have been cut, which, will without doubt pay the present company handsomely to work out. ' '■/■■■

Waiotahi.—This mine has again produced a good return of gold. The quartz crushed during the month has mainly been obtained from the western block of, stopes on No. 4 lode, and the several leaders ou the hangingwall of this iode, and from the stopes on No. 5 lode. These stopes are. now well in hand, and for some months to come will continue to produce good grade crushing stuff. The quantity of. quartz crushed during last month was 220 tons, f rom which 2660z5. 3d\vts. of melted gold were obtained. ~ ..;•.-_ : . Queen of Beauty.—Operations in connection with the erection of boilers for the purpose of supplementing the present pumping machinery, with steam are being pushed ahead as rapidly aa possible.; The object.is to make provision as. far as possible, in the event of any accident occurring to the waterrace,for. keeping two .pumps constantly working. ;. • .-. -. ;,-. :: Columbia;— During .the last-few days a littlegold has been seen in both the theleaders which are being driven'upon inithe surface level in this mine. . The outside leaders,when first cut some nipntbis ago, , produced a few pounds of really excellent picked; stone from which a good average ; return .was obtained. This leader, however.is very small. The. inside leader is the larger of the two, and in this present face it is about a foot thick. Some portions of this leader have a promising appearance. • .;.,. .

[by telegraph.—own correspondent.] Coromandel, Friday. Blackmore's.—Rich gold is showing all up and down the large ' reef; five feet in breadth. The richest part is showing at the bottom of the face. • . :

Success.—The manager reports that about a pound weight was got yesterday. It is better distributed through the leader than formerly.

Tierstan's (Tiki). —Mr. Stodard received a telegram yesterday, which reads as follows: —"oOlba. picked stone from rise this week ; surface :drive lOlbs. stone ;' band of gold running through them." ;.-.-■