THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9025, 11 April 1888, Page 5

THE GOLDFIELDS.

[BY TELEGRAPH.OWN CORRESPONDENTS.] . Thames, Tuesday. Sharemarket: Cambria, sellers 8s 9d, buyers 8s 4d; Manukau Is lid, sellers 2s, buyers Is lOd; Moanataiari, buyers 10s; Saxon, sellers 4s 6d, buyers 3s 9d; Paroquet, buyers 4s 6d. The necessary arrangements for a trial of Molloy's system of extracting gold from auriferous ores are expected to be completed by Thursday. New Manukau.—Some excellent crushing stuff has been obtained from the stopes on No. 5 lode above No. 3 level lately. The dirt from Mulligan's leader, is also good. The monthly retorting yielded 71oz 13dwt melted gold from 26 tons general dirt and a . parcel of picked stone. P. Maxwell's tender has been accepted by the Waihi Gold Mining Company for conveying the Dart engine boiler and pumping plant to Waihi. Some difficulty is being experienced by Harris and party, the contractors for removing the pump rods from the Dart shaft, the' water being very troublesome. Te Aroha, Tuesday. A number of forfeited Waiorongomai claims were sold at the Warden's office today. The Empire, Golden Gate, Three Fools, Waiorongomai, and Provincial Amalgamated, all formerly the property of the Waiorongomai Company, were purchased by Mr. H. H. Adams at £2 2s each, for Mr. W. R. Wilson's company. The Werahiko No. 2 was also bought by Mr. Adams at the same figure. Much higher prices were expected, but when the sale took place there was no competition. Mr. G. Wilson was entertained at a banquet at the Club Hotel last night, on the occasion of his leaving for the Thames to enter upon the duties of his new office as Mining Inspector. A large number of friends were present, and the affair passed off with great <$clat. Mr. Wilson left today for the Thames. PROSPECTING AT ROTORUA. Mr. E. B. Walker, of Monavale, returned home from a prospecting tour on Saturday, and left again yesterday morning. He has found traces of gold in many parts of the country he has been in, but speaks with great reserve, and declines to say if he has struck a patch or not. He must, however, think he is on tho right track, or he would not be away again so quickly. [from our own correspondent.] Coromandel, Tuesday. The Kapanga mine has been steadily developed by Captain Hodge, who has, since taking charge, obtained about 3000oz of gold, principally from Scotty's leader, though the Kapanga reef has produced some rich stone, and is looking well for a big haul at any time. The vigorous work done by the English Company who own this property has given a decidedly favourable. impression as to the existence of gold at depth on the Coromandel field. Captain Hodge believes that very deep mining will be done in this district, as the kindly soft channel of sandstone which carries the reefs is such that lodes would live in it to any depth,—and in all probability make stronger at depth, as in the case of the Kapanga reefs, which were two or three inches thick on the surface, and are in places two and three feet wide at the low level. This characteristic is also noticeable j in the Coromandel companies' reefs, where, ' on the surface, the Green Harp reef was as thin as the blade of a knife in some parts, but widened out in the lower workings to twenty inches and two feet. Coromandel Co. 's (Late Union Beach). —This mine is the second being worked under the management of the lucky Captain Hodge, whose success in working the abandoned Kapanga leaves little doubt that his explorations under the old Union Beach runs of gold will bo attended with sensational results. It is well known that over £80,000 worth of gold was taken out of this ground within 180 feet of the surface, and Captain Hodge is going to solve the following problem If a block of such extent nejir the surface produced the gold mentioned, what will the next block of similar class and extent produce The solution lies' in the breaking out of the ground, and for years past miners have longed to see it done. The difficulty has been to find the capital to erect the required machinery and sink a now main shaft. The machinery is now in position on the ground, and the sinking of the shaft has so far proceeded satisfactorily, that it is now down 80 feet below the old workings. This shaft is going down in a central position in a direction nearer to the Australian Gold Freehold than the old Union Beach shaft, which was sunk at high-water mark on the beach. The central position chosen will command a I number of gold-bearing reefs which interr sect this rich belt of country, but the manager does not -intend to open out until the 5 shaft is deepened another eighty feet, givt, ing a similar-sized block on the rich reefs 3 worked out by Hannay with such pro--5 table results. It is such a permanent class of mining operations in this and the Kapanga mines that will prove the nucleus of a prosperous reefing industry at 3 Coromandel. Most people doubted the 5 wisdom of renewing operations in the Ka- ' panga mine, but the Coromandel Company ' are certain of getting gold as they near the J floor of the hundrea-and-eighty-feet level ' driven from the old shaft.

Australian Gold Freehold.This property, recently acquired by purchase, adjoins the Courthouse, Coromandel, and comprises all the flat land in private hands available for mining between the Government Offices, and the Golconda, and Coromandel Company's mines, a narrow strip of Government land. only separating these mines and the Freehold. ' Vigorous work has been done during the past few days, to decide the question as to the nature of the flat, and if any likely-looking reefs could be traced into the ground. Mr. Witheford desiring to take advantage of the dry weather put on eight or nine men, who were successful in finding two strong lodes, on the south or Coromandel Company's side of the property, which showed dish prospects. A third leader was found on the north-east side, next the Pukepoto block, but no trace of gold was seen though the stone was carefully crushed in a pestle and mortar. Portions of the reefs were forwarded to Auckland by Mr. Pierre Lynch, who assisted greatly in prosecuting the search for leaders on this freehold, which until now belonged to Mr. John Lynch, In one portion of the ground the remains of a Maori were found, and strong colours of gold were obtainable in a gravelly seam on which the skeleton lay. Goloonda Claim. —Anderson, the tributer, has driven a level 350 feet to get under his old? shoot of gold. It" will be remembered that Anderson obtained £1200 worth of gold by his * own exertions in eight months of last year. He is expecting hourly to strike the reef. Several English experts are inspecting properties in Coromandel with a view to recommending their purchase.

MINE MANAGERS' REPORTS. ! Cambria.—The crosscut at No. 4 level is now in a distance of 281 feet from the shaft. This crosscut is still going through nice-look-ing sandstone ' country. The winze on the main reef below No. 3 level is down a depth of 32 feet. There is splendid looking country on the hangingwall of the reef. Colours of gold were seen through the quartz when breaking down the hangingwall portion of the reef. When breaking down the mam reef in the drive on the western side of the break on Friday last 51bs of picked stone came to hand. I have started the men to rise on the main reef on the western side of the break. The leading stope west on No. 7 leader is along 52 feet. The leader in the face of this stope is about 4 inches in thickness. Gold was seen freely through the quartz, when breaking down the leader. The ninth stope east on No. 1 leader is along 14, feet. In the face of the stope the leader is about 18 inches in thickness. Colours of gold were seen through the quartz when breaking down the leader. The tenth stope west on No. 1 leader is along 24 feet. The leader in the face of this stope is about 2 feet in thickness. Gold was seen through the quartz when breaking down the leader. The eleventh stope west on No. 6 leader is along 6 feet. Gold was seen freely through the quartz when breaking down the leader. The winze on the new leader is now down a depth of 32 feet. The leader in the bottom of the winze is about 5 inches in thickness. Gold was seen freely through the quartz when breaking down the leader. 76 loads of quartz have been crushed during the week for the return of 2200zs of amalgam. Tailings from berdans yielded lljozs of amalgam in addition. Trenton. tender of Mr. John McDermott, at £92, for removing machinery and placing the 25 h. p. engine in position on the brace of the company's shaft, was accepted

yesterday. Its acceptance was wired at once to the mine manager. The contract includes everything also to work the engine for, 24 hours after all is completed.' The contract will be pushed on with vigour, and as little time as possible allowed to elapse, so as to resume the sinking of the shaft. As the mullock tip is ample for years, shareholders can congratulate themselves on not having to pay for the cartage of mullock as was the case at the Saxon. New Manukac.—The mine is still looking well, and about 101b of picked stone were saved from the stopes on No. 5 lode last week, and gold left shows in the back of stope. No change in Mulligan's leader since last week. Have not yet holed through to winze. Cleaning up to-day; will retort tomorrow. The manager telegraphed yesterday : " Return, 71oz 13dwt melted gold." Saxon. —The footwall portion of the hangingwall reef has been followed a few feet, and has opened out to a mass of stringers all more or less gold-bearing, and a few stones are occasionally saved from the general dirt. In" the winze the reef looks very well and shows gold freely. In the stopes above No. 3 a little gold is showing, and the country is still slightly broken in the back stope. Amalgam in hand to date, 14360z 15dwts.