THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9032, 19 April 1888, Page 5

THE GOLDFIELDS.

[by TELEGRAPH.—OWS CORRESPONDENT.] Thames, Wednesday. Cambria.— small leaders, about ah inch and a-half thick, were met with in the top of the rise on the main reef to No. 3 level this morning, and in breaking into them strong colours of gold were seen.

[from our own correspondents.] " OHINEMURI. Karangahake.—Woodstock.—Heitman and party, who a short time ago crushed 100 tons for 12i)oz gold, are now getting out another crushing. At first it seemed as though tho good stuff had run out, but after a little work ore as good or better than ever was grassed. The present face looks first-class, and the ore, carefully picked, should return about soz to the ton. It is stated that Mr. Argall, who came out from Home some time since to prospect and report on the Mammoth, and is now returning Home, will endeavour to place the Woodstock, with other local mines, on the English market. Kknilworth. — Moore and party are doing well still, and are on good assay dirt. No result has been received from the ore recently shipped to Frieburg from this mine.

Adeline, Diamond, Rose, and Dubbo.— I understand that arrangements are nearly complete for the amalgamation of these claims, together with the Josephine and Bonne Jeanne, and thoir floating as a large company. With such a splendid record as these mines have for the short period they have been worked, there should bo no difficulty in placing the combined property with satisfaction to the .shareholders. Crown. — Matters are in statu quo in this claim. There is not much work being done, although everything in the mine is in applepie order, under the. able supervision of Mr. G. N. McGruer. Mr. Argall has this mine in his hands for the London market.

Waihi G.M. Co.—The weather has been highly favourable for the transit _ ot the machinery from Paeroa to Waihi. The County Council have received a grant of £1*33 63 Sd from the Government to repair the roads and bridges en route, which is being done. There is likely to .be much delay in the erection of the plant, as there is much work to do in the way of excavation, foundations, &c. Most of the machinery is on the ground, and unless complications arise between the liquidator of tne Dart Company and Mr. Witheford (who has the plant of the Dart Company under offer), the pumping gear of the Dart mine on the Thames will be up in a few weeks. Mr. Walker is cutting down wages at Waihi, reducing carpenters' to Bs, and reducing labourers wages also. Waitkkauri.—There has been a considerable amount of pegging off here recently, Messrs. Bain, Butler, and party having a large slice pegged, and also Messrs. Witheford, John Ralph, and others. There are several reasons, one being that Mr. Kersey Cooper will shortly be expected, bearing the news that the Jubilee special claim has been duly floated at home. A cablegram from Mr. Kersey Cooper, who is now in London, is daily expected. Another reason for the rush that has set in is that several good pieces of stone have been grassed from one of the mines, and that the Sydney people have their eye on the district Marototo. —Matters are much the some as at last report nt the Prospectors' mine. At the Peel's Creek mines Mclsaacs and party have finished their track and resumed work in the mine, where they are breaking out a parcel for export Arizona.— the Arizona a winze is being sunk on the reef, and is now down some 14 feet. Some first-class ore is being broken out, prospects equal to five and sir ounces to the ton being taken from the hangingwall the whole way down. In both this mine and Mclsaacs the negotiations for sale have been somewhat hanging tire. Tci Creek.—Mr. C. A Cornes, manager of the Champion claim, just floated at Home, has received instructions to get a large parcel of ore ready for export. The Ohinemuri County Council have placed a small grant at the disposal of Mr. Cornes for the purpose of maintaining the road from the' mine, and the work of getting the stuff down will be immediately commenced. It is stated that this part of tho Ohinemuri County goldfield is shortly to bo cut off and absorbed into the Piako County. Warden's Court at Ohinemhri.Owing to the agitation lately set on foot far the constitution of a Warden's Court for Paeroa, it is likely that this desideratum, which is only justice to the place, will be granted. Under tho Local Bodies Finance ana Powers Act, 1885, the local authority may - by permission of the Govornor-in-Council, collect its own goldtields revenue, while the work of clerk to the Warden's Court can be performed by Constable Mitchell, the present clerk of tho R.M. Court, at a slight additional salary, say £20, which is all that the Department of Justice would be required to pay. The hall at present used for the P.M. Court could be used for the Warden's Court at 110 extra expense. The Hon. Mr. Fisher, who was interviewed on the matter, stated that ho would do his utmost to assist.

PROSPECTING AT THE RANGITOTO

RANGE. Mr. E. B. Walker and Mr. M. Edgar have been prospecting for gold in the Rangitoto Range, between To Kuiti and Lake Taupo. Mr. Edgar, it if said, obtained knowledge of a reef some years ago when visiting that part of the country. Ho has a piece of stone, from which beads of silver have been obtained by the blow-pipe. Mr. Edgar believes he has found a valuable reef.

The Thames Advertiser says : — Mr. Brodie, the County Chairman,, whose authority was opposed by that of Councillors Townsend and Walton in the matter of the water supply for experimental purposes at the Molloy reduction works, has stated his intention of resigning his position of County Chairman, unless the majority of the Council uphold his action in authorising the supply of water for the purposes alluded to. At tho next meeting of the County Council on the 2nd of next month, a lively time is looked forward to.

A Thames contemporary says :—Continued good reports keep reaching us from the Marototo district, and if all is true that we hear, that place is likely to prove a veritable El Dorado.

MINE MANAGERS' REPORTS. Cambria.—The crosscut at No. 4 level is now in a distance of '299 feet from the shaft. This crosscut is still going through a splondid class of sandstone country. The winze on the main reef is now down a depth of forty feet. There are about two feet of the hangingwall portion of the reef being carried down m the winze. There is some nice-looking mineral through the quartz. Colours of gold wore seen when breaking down the quartz. The rise on the main reef on the western side of the break is up a height of seven feet. There are about six inches of the hangingwall portion of the reef carrying good-looking mineral. The leading stope west on the No. 7 leader is along fifty-eight feet. The leader in the face of this stone is four 'inches in thickness. Dabs and colours of gold were seen through the quartz when breaking down the leader. - The second stope west on the No. 7 leader is along twenty feet. The leader in the face of this stope is four inches in thickness. Dabs and colours of gold were seen through the quartz when breaking down the leader. The ninth stope cast on No. 1 leader is along 25 feet. The leader in the face of this stope is about 12 inches in thickness. Colours of cold are being seen through the quartz when breaking down the leader. The tenth stopo west on No. 1 leader is along 40 feet. The leader in the face of this stope is about 18 inches in thickness. Colours of gold were seen through the quartz when breaking down the loader. The tenth stope on No. 4 and 5 leaders is along 10 feet. Gold is being seen freely through the quartz when breaking down the No. 4 leader. 151b picked stone came to hand from this stope on Saturday last. The eleventh stope west on No. 6 leader is along IS feet. The leader in the face of this stope is about five inches in thickness. Gold is being seen .freely through the quartz l when breaking down the leader. Seventy-eight loads of quartz have been crushed during the week for the return of 2350zs of amalgam and 14oz from berdans. Tho mine manager wired yesterday: " Dabs and colours of gold seen in two small stringers crossing top of rise on main reef." .

Saxon. drive on the hangingwall reef hits not been advanced much this week on account of the width of the face. The parts on each wall and that in the,centre of this face arc getting more compact, and. the space between each part in now . more mullocky. The leading and second, stopes havo been extended six feet. The reef is about IS inches, and shows gold occasionally. The fourth scope has been 1 advanced 10 feet,'

the reef about 18 inches, and a little gold is now showing in the face. The fifth stope on the footwall reef is 45 feet from the boundary, and the reef one foot in thickness. The sixth stope is 145 feet in from the rise; the seventh stope 90 feet and the eighth stope 41 feet in from rise. The reef in'these stopes is of a uniform thickness, 18 inches, and gold is seen in each. A ninth stone has been started. Seaward of rise the fifth stope is up to the break, and the sixth stope within 20 feet of it, with 18 inches of quartz, in which gold is freely seen. The same remarks apply to the seventh stope, which is in 35 feet from the rise. Sinking has been discontinued, and a crosscut has been started at No. 4 level towards the Hand of Friendship boundary. On the footwall leader another stopo has been started. The leader is still about four inches wide, and shows strong colours of gold. The crosscut at No. 3 level has been advanced eight feet during the week, and is in a splendid channel of country. Two stopes are in progress above this level, and a little gold is seen in breaking the reef. The picked stone has been put through the single stamper to-day. There were 1501b in all, and the return 2530z amalgam, making the full amount on hand 1888oz 15dwt. There will be about 90oz more from the plates at the Caledonian battery for the past week, which will be I cleaned and squeezed in time for the retort to-morrow morning. New Alburnia.—The drive east on No. 2 hangingwall lode, battery level, has been extended 6 feet for the week. The appearance of the lode in this drive is much the same as reported last week. The leading stope, however, shows a marked improvement. The quartz was broken down in this face to-day, and 6 pounds of picked stono were obtained. There is also a fair show of gold in the face of the stope. The leading stope west has been carried along a distance of 10 feet; gold was seen in breaking down the quartz. The second stopo has been started in the centre of the block, and the lode has been stripped for the length of 8 feet. This will be broken down to-morrow, and, from the indications showing, should produce some picked stone. There are now about ,12 loads of quartz and 43 pounds of picked stone on hand. Climo and party crushed, 11 loads for 9oz sdwt of gold. This crushing was taken from the first and second stopes on the Star of the South reef battery level; as the stopes are worked upwards much better dirt will be obtained. All the other tributers are breaking out crushing dirt.

New Manukait. —The mine is looking well; the No. 5 lode producing good payable dirt. I have penetrated through to the winze sunk on Mulligan's leader, so now have good air on this lode on the No. 4 level. A break is being driven to pick up small leaders in tho hangingwall of No. 5 lode, and to open up a block on Mulligan's leader west of the main crosscut. This drive might cut something new and good, crossing between No. 5 and Mulligan's.