THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XX, Issue 6827, 4 October 1883, Page 5

THE GOLDFIELDS.

The following mine manager's reports were received yesterday:— Navy (Te Aroha). —Since taking charge of the Navy, I, with two other meß, am prospecting on it. We are at present engaged in patting in a drive m the ground over where there is some loose gold in the gullies. lam in with drive over sixty feet. The surface is heavy and requires timber. Though gettiDg colours of gold, we have not met with anything payable yet.

Success.—l am happy to inform you that I have again met with some of the usual specimen gold in the rise, which looks well for r the future of your mine. When the rise is through, I shall drive on the reef here. At present the air is very light. From all appearance at present the first reef that was cut in thu level is the main one.

The Diamond (Te Aroha).—Since my last report of the 22nd inst., 1 have taken down the reef in the main drive. In breaking down the leaiier, I have Been some good coarse gold. The leader is looking much better, and is 18 inches wide in the face. The ground is very hard. In driving on the same reef to straighten the drive, we got about ten ponnds picked stone with good gold going through it.

Thk LsvEiiNESS (Waiorongomai).—Since my last report I have been engaged in trusselling across the county tramway from the face of the low-level tunnel to the mullock tip, which will be completed on the 3rd of October. The five-ton lot is now at the top of the battery grade, and would have been at the battery to-day but for the wet weather. Crushing will be commenced in a few days. Seymuob.—Sinco my report for the aunual me-tiug uur principal work has been in driving south of the cross-cut to strike the reef on the eastern side of the main slide. On the 27th a large quantity of water was Btruck, and in consequence we had to stop hoisting the water to the surface and start bailing at the adit chamber as the water was gaining on us; bufc it eased after 12 hours' hard bailing. Both rises are now comparatively dry. The rise on No. 1 was up clot>e on 40 feet and a nice body of quartz < about two feet continued the whole distance, when it was abruptly cut off and thrown into the footwall six feet, when it was discovered again. It has a much better appearance than anything I have seen since starting my mining operations in this mine. I think from the class of quaitz got in the rise on Saturday morning gold might be got with but little prospecting.

London.—The contractors have driven 21 feet for the week on No. 2 reef, No. 4 level. I might mention that where driving commenced the country was very broken, and two distinct lodes were in the face, the one on the footwall striking more easterly than the one on the hangingwall, which made me feel doubtful as to its being No. 2. But the branch leader in the Mariner Company's ground, which had crossed through from the hangingwall to footwall of No. 2 reef. I 'therefore thought it advisable to let Mr. Bayldon nuke a survey of Nos, 3 and 4 levels, and he finds thac the haQgiogwall lode is the No. 2, It was better to be positive before any distance was driven. 1 have had some of the iron rails at No. 3 level taken op and replaced with wooden ones, as this road will only be usedfor running timber in after No. 4 level is through, and the iron rails will be better for trucking over which will greatly facilitate the running to the shaft. The winze is down about 54 feet, and iu a splendid class of sandstone, intersected with a great number of black mineral veins. Re the telegram, 10'bs. picked stone, I had a small portion of the hangingwall of reef taken down below where the gold was seen before to satisfy myself as to the appearance of the reef, and I am pleased to Bay with the above result. There are also some good dabs of gold showing in the body of the reef atncng the mineral. The small veius in the hangingwall of reef are looking better the last few feet, some good dabs of gold being seen. On the whole, there is a decided improvement in the reef, and looks encouraging for the No. 4 level.' Habbaki —We crushed 75 tons last week, which gave 92 ounces of amalgam from table?, and 14 ouncea from berdans. It is not so much as we had the previous week, but there is a better show in the boxes for last week. I can see hard amalgam along the top part of lining all round the boxes. If the bottom part turns out according to it, we will have a very good return. I intend to clean up on Saturday, and retort on Monday next. In the sixth stope we can see gold in the reef.

ix- Time. —There in little to report on I wrote. The country in the north end has-been very contrary for thu week. The ground requires shooting in tho bottom of the drive. The top u that loose it requires false sets and f;.ce boards to keep it iu its place; therefore, little progrees has been made. Th« distance driven in this end is 10 fret for the week, or a total from flat sbeet, 74 feet. The leader luoks as well as ever. This week vvill bring us under oar shot of gold in the north end ; therefore, any Hay in future, we might come on gold. The south end, or uphill side, the drive has been extended a distance if 16 feet for the ! week. In sliding disturbed country, in the beginning of the week, we had a nice leader of blue quartz in hand ; two or three days ago it wai cut off by a .■■mall slide or mineral vein. We have no leader at present in tin

fact, but are driving along the course for the big slide, where I hope to pick up the shot of gold we had in the upper workings, which will be about 50 f< et from us yet. We have only three or four nays' coal in hand ; therefore you will require to sen>l us a cargo at once, if it is not on the way. LBY TKLEGKAPH.—OWN COBIIESPONDENT.I Thames, Wednesday evening. Sharemajmcrt.— Dart, sellers 3s ; Imperial, 33s 3d, ex div., buyers 335; New Find, 8s 9d, sellers 8s 9(1; Colonist, 7s, 7s 2d, buyers 7a; Canadian, buyers 2a 2d; Waiorongomai, aellurs Iβ 6d. Diiep Lkvbl Cross.—Tho leader in the winzg is about eight inches; gold was seen yesterday ; good country at 640 feet level. Koranui. — Survey discloses that the leader in Kelly's section is not identical with that in the Belfast drive. The faces of the two drives are opposite each other, and the manager has started to cross-cut to make connection. About ten feet will effect this. Impebial.- There is little doubt but that work will be resumed early ntxt week, probably Monday. The shaft is neatly finished, and the engine is on the gronnd. Small and Gordon, lessees of the Moauataiari tramway, took the wheels off soma of the trucks, and a deputation of miners waited on the County Council relative to the matter. A letter was received from the lessees resigning the lease because the Reuben Parr Company continued to tip mullock on the leserve. The Council resolved that as the lease stipulated that everything ehould be handed back in good order, that tbe lessees be compelled to comply with this condition.