THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7774, 21 October 1886, Page 6

THE GOLDFIELDS.

[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Thames, Wednesday. Caledonian.l visited this mine this morn* ing. All hands are now concentrated at. No. 3 level. The crosscut to the reef followed a little leader or flinty up to the leaders in the winze. At the winze the footwall and hangingwall are practically together, there being but a little horse at one end. Altogether there are about 2£ feet of quartz. In breaking down last nignt some stone good enough to be classed as picked atone was obtained just above the roof of the drive. Breaking down a portion of the lode standing in the winze is now proceeding. When that is finished opening up in both directions will be commenced, and regular crushings may now be looked forward to. Further along stoping is proceeding on the supposed Young American lode. It averages six to eight inches, and colors of gold are seen. It seems to be running more than at first appeared with the boundary, which gives the Caledonian more of the lode. Four loads of disputed quartz at the boundary have been crushed, and are known to have yielded well, some say 3ozs to the load. A crushing of about fifty loads from Rickard's leader will be completed tomorrow. The manager estimates the return will average about the same as last month's. liAßSACH,—Nothing oan be said about this mine at present, as the men are engaged cleaning up where the old workings connect with the new. Moanataiari. — The lode proves very variable, some days it looks exceedingly well and crushes excellently, on others it is disappointing. Just now it is not so healthy as two days ago, Cambria.—The southern crosscut drive has now been extended 256 feet. The country still continues good in the drive. KarangahakkQctar zßeduction Works. —Everything is reported finished, and it is expected that a start will be made on Monday next. Trenton.— contractors have sunk 14 feet daring the last fortnight. The depth of the shaft is, therefore, 279 feet in all. The country has been harder for some time, which was considered an improvement, and now there is a change coming in in the bottom again. Ivanhoe (Karangahake). — During the past week we have made a paddock and striped Liddle's reef for a distance of 20 feet, from which we have broken out about eight tons of quartz that is showing gold freely. Judging from the gold seen in the stone, I should value it at from two to three ounces to the ton. The reef is in a good class of sandstone country and easily worked. By putting in a drive at the present workings it will give about 160 feet of baoks to work on in 100 feet of driving. As it will require a tram about 700 feet, to connect with the wire tram that leads to the battery, I am sending a parcel of 12 or 15 tons to the battery to ascertain its value. Saxon.— mine manager reports :— The footwall leader and No. 1 reef are both being stripped in the drive, and from present appearances they should junction again a few feet ahead ; here and in the stopes good colours of gold are seen, and a very favour* able class of mineral is contained in both leaders. In the winze, as no gold has been seen, sinking has been discontinued, and the ( men shifted to the stopes.

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