THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 6570, 7 December 1882, Page 5

THE GOLDFIELDS.

[from que own correspondent.] Thames, Wednesday. Pbinck Imperial.—As the prospects and workings of this mine are engaging a considerable amount of. public attention, it will be interesting to many to know the amount of work done and the extent of the blocks to work out. All the present workings are confined to the No. 2 reef, No. 4 level. The drive west or seaward has now been carried up to the Southern Cross boundary,.a distance of 230 feet. This portion of the mine has been divided into two sections, designated No. 1 and No. 2 sections west. No. 1 section extends from the shaft to the break, a distance of 114 feet, and No. 2 section is from the break to the Southern Cross boundary. In No. 1 section west two stopes have been worked out from end to end, and the third stope nearly so. The fourth stope is just commenced. As each of these stopes are 5 feet in height and the drive 6 feet, it shows that 21 feet in height of the reef has been worked out from the shaft to the break, which still leaves SO feet in height of the reef to -work ont before the No. 3 level is reached. I may add that 30 feet in length of the reef, has been underhand stoped from this level to a depth of 25 feet. The presence of gold in more or less quantities is of daily occurrence in this section. No. 2 section, west : The short stope to allow of timber being put in to form the root of the drive has been carried forward to within 30 feet of the boundary, and the leading stope to within 60 feet of the boundary. No. 2 stope has been extended to with : n about 20 feet of the face of the leading stope, or 40 feet from the break which was the starting point. A few pounds of picked stone and specimens are obtained from these stopes daily, but not in sufficiently large quantities to report. The drive on the reef east or hillwards has been extended about 140 feet. This has also been divided iute two sections, No. 1 east being from the shaft to the winze, sunk from No. 3 level, a distance of 100 feet, and No. 2 section east, from the winze eastward. No. 1 section east: Two stopes have been worked out in this section, and the third stope will be started very shortly. With the exception of a little underhand stoping done from No. 3 level, the reef is intact to that level. In No. 2 section east, the drive has been extended between 40 and 50 feet, and a leading stope is being carried on after it. At the point where the winze fomes down a leader branches off into the footwall, which will no doubt eventually turn out to be the Beach leader. Gold has been met with at almost every breaking down of the both in the drive and stopes east of the shaft. Owing to the extreme heat and muggy weather experienced lately, the air in this portion of the mine has been somewhat light, owing to the presence of gas, and work in the eastern end has had to be stopped occasionally in consequence of it, but this has now been

obviated by the mauager building a furnace in No. 1 level at the bottom of the air shaft which, when lit, causes a strong upcast; and as the doors at the entrance of Nos. 1, 2, and 3 levels are closed the air rushes down the main shaft, through the workings and thence up the various winzes to No. 1 level. The work of sinking the shaft by wages men is proceeding rapidly, S feet having alresdy been sunk. This will be timbered up and tenders called during the week to continue i' the work to a depth of 90 or 100 feet. The crosscut towards the Mariner's reef has been I started at a point about 30 feet west of the break, and has been put in 10 feet. Tenders will be called for continuing this crosscut at I the beginning of next week. It is expected I that 100 feet of driving will cut the reeL I Crushing is beiugproceeded with, 12 head e£ I stampers going full time, and the dirt sonI tinues to shape well. I Southern Cross.—The drive on tbs reef; I at No. 4 level has been extended over 12. feet, I west from the winze, and upwards of 201bs. I of picked stone and specimens have been 1 obtained during yesterday and to-day. Gold I is showing for about two f«et, in length in I the roof of the drive near the- winze, and is I also showing in the floor next to the face. J The reef here, though only about a foot in | width, contains splendid copper minerals and I I other good indications, and looks exceed--1 ingly well for making good gold. * I Old Caledonian. —The cross-cut tqw&rds • the Bed Queen. sfcaft, ijt No. I ter«l, U mow

in a distance of about 200 feet from the drive J or No. 1 reef, Otago section. It is estimated I that another 40 feet will have to he driven before the leaders coming up from the \\ aiotahi are met with. As the contractors proceed with this cross-cut, the class ot couutrj is improving, which bodes well tor the quality of any reef that may be cut. The work of cleaning out the old No. 1 drive, No 1 level, towards the Otago section, is proceeding but slowly, owing to tho drive being filled up with timber as well as mullock. The only localities from which quartz is being broken out for crushing are in the stopes on No. 1 reef, above No. 1 level, and the stopes on the specimen leader above No. 2 level. Colours of gold are occasionally seen in the former, the reef being about 5 feet in width, but the manager is only taking out the footwall portion. Gold i 3 frequently seen in the specimen leader. The winze on this lead is now down 30 feet. A little water is oozing in from the footwall, which makes sinking rather dirty work. The manager expects to start crushing next week. Waijtahi.—Tho monthly cleaning up took place today, and resulted in the satisfactory return of 2Soozs. Sdwts. of incited gold, for which '100 tons of general dirt were put through. [BY TELEGRAPH. OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

Thames, Wednesday evening. Bright Smile.—ln breaking down the reef to-day SOlbs. of specimens were obtained, leaving a show of gold still in the face. Sharemarkbt.- -Sales : Trince Imperial, 36s 6d, 375, SGs ; Southern Cross, '21s, "20s ; Bright Smile, -2s. Sellers : Deep Level, 3s ; Kuranui Hill, 0s ; Prince Imperial, :>,s; Caledonian, 10s b*d. Buyers : Bright Smile, 2s.

Qcebn" or Beauty Extended. —The miDe manager, under date December 4, reports as follows :—I have the honour to submit to you the following report on your mine : Owing to the sultry state of the atmosphere lately the contractors in the Bird in Hand crosscut have not been able to keep steady at their work, having lost two or three shifts last week. The country continues favourable for driving, although not so good as it lias been, as it is more jointly than formerly. The distance driven during the fortnight is 36 feet, makiug a total of 102 feet in from the chamber. The drive on reef at No. i) west has been extended 13 feet during the fortuight, leaving 7 feet to drive to complete the contract. The reef is makiug smaller again, being about b" feet wide. The best portion of the reef only is being sent to the battery. The stopes in No. i are looking well, and turning out some good mineralised quartz. The reef is 3 feet thick. During the last week the shift employed at the Piako shaft have been putting in extra bearers between the sets that were first put in. This was necessary on account of the stuff settling in the winding shaft. They are now employed clearing out at No. .">, which will be finished in two days, when the plunger workings ami the main rods will bo seat up. Several pipes (.">) hav* been sent up lately all in good sound condition. The quartz from the No. 9 stopes is showing a better yield in the battery since last cleaning up. No. 7 stopes about the same.

Success (Coromandkl). —The mine manager (Mr. P. Reid), under date of the 4th ins:., reports as follows —I have got up the height of another stope, aud commenced stoping towards the rise. The ground in this part of the mine has been broken and Bplit up with striugers, but the top oi this stope is greatly improved. The walls and the reef are more regular, and have the appearance of making gold sooner than what it did in the stopes below. In the rise there has been but little gold seen, owing to a break in the hangingwall, but the ground is full of mineral, and likely-looking for gold at anv moment.