THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9076, 9 June 1888, Page 5

THE GOLDFIELDS.

[from our own correspondent.]

Thames, Friday. New Manukau. —A block of ground, thirty feet in length, having been opened up and timbered, on Mulligan's leader at No. 4 level, the manager has now commenced to carry a leading stope along, but the leader is a mere formation a3 yet, and will continue so for a height of two more stopes, until the bottom of the winze is met with which was sunk on the leader from No. 3 level, where it is more denned, and known to be payable. Stoping is proceeding as usual on No. 5 lode, which continues to yield good crushing dirt, bub is very in and out in its size, sometimes being quite a foot in thickness, and at other times three inches, the latter being the size at present. Nkw Prince Imperial.—The block of payable ground on the hangingwall leader between Nos. 1 and two levels, is now exhausted, and the men are now employed in rising for a stope on the same leader above No. 1 level. The leader shows a width of about six inches, in which colours of gold are to be found, but the block is decreasing in length as worked upwards, there being now a length of only 30 feet which is considered payable. Good progress is being made in sinking the winze on the same body below No. 2 level, a depth of 50 feet having now been attained. No gold has been seen, however, for the last 10 feet, whilst the leader itself now forms a rib of quartz about six inches thick on the back of No. 1 reef, which is a sort of "buck" reef. The tributers, Trembath and party, who are working a block of ground on a footwall branch of No. 3 reef at No. 4 level, have just completed a crushing of 13 loads quartz, for the excellent return of 33ozs 18dwts gold. Cambria.—The main reef in the crosscut at No. 4 level hae been pierced quite 15 feet near the top of the drive where it was first intersected, but as yet there is no sign of the hangingwall. Near the bottom of the drive it has only been cut into about four feet, which will in itself explain the very flat underlie which the reef carries. The quartz is of a very kindly and promising naturo for being gold-bearing, some blotches of nice mineral occasionally showing, with a fair quantity of silica, but not a colour of the precious metal has yefc been seen. As soon as the reef is pierced through it will be driven upon easterly to communicate with the winze coming down from No. 3 level, which is now almost down the requisite depth. The rise above No. 3 level is now up a height of about 53 feet, and at present about 4 feet of the hangingwall portion of the reef is being broken, which includes the two or three small leaders that have been met with in the course of rising, they having now dropped upon the wall of the main body. At the right hand end of the rise, the quartz ha 3 somewhat improved in appearance of late, showing more mineral and silica than previously, but at the Isffc end, the reef still remains rather hungry and barren in appearance. A rather important prospecting work is about to be undertaken by the manager, namely, the sinking of a winze on the hangingwall of the main reef from the intermediate level below No. 2 level down to No. 3 level. It will be remembered that some months ago when this intermediate level was opened up a splendid seam of mineral, about five inches in width, was met with, and was driven upon for a considerable distance, the manager and others being confident that it was the forerunner of a patch of gold, but in this they were doomed to disappointment. However, to further prospect this seam of mineral, a winze will be commenced upon it almost directly at a point where it was found at its best in driving upon it, there being a depth of between 50 and 60 feet down to No. 3 level, consequently plenty of room for a patch of gold to exist in. Stoping operations are being carried on as usual on Nos. 1, 6, and 7 leaders, as also upon the new leader between the latter two. On No. 1 leader two stopes are in progress, the quartz averaging in width from 15 to IS inches, and showing colours of gold freely. The leading stope on No. 6 is along about 20 feet, but the leader is very much split up, although colours of gold are occasionally seen in some of the veins. No. 7 leader is at present rather small, and hardly as good in quality as could be wished for, whilst the new leader averages about three inches in thickness, and shows strong colours of gold, but as yet no picked stone has come to hand from it.

Sayox.—During the past week the contractors at No. 5 level have been busily engaged in squaring up the chamber, timbering it, laying down the flat sheet, and laying the rails in the drive, consequently but little driving has been done. As soon as all the preliminaries are finished, however, driving ahead will be resumed, and the work pushed as quickly as possible. At No. 4 level the drive on the hangingwall reef has been suspended, it having been found that it had encroached nearly 10 feet into the Trenton company's mine. In the face the reef shows a width of from a foot to 15 inches, and contains more solid quartz than it did a few feet back. Above this level the operations are wholly confined to stoping, the reef averaging in size from 15 to 18 inches in thickness, and showing strong colours of gold throughout, whilst on Thursday 251bs of fair picked stone came to hand from No. 3 stope. On the footwall reef three stopes are in progress, but there is no apparent change in either the eize or the quality. Above No. 3 level three stopes are in hand, with quartz of the usual grade being broken from the reef, which averages about 2 feet in thickness. The top stope on No. 1 footwall leader having now attained a height equal to that of the floor of No. 3 level, a crosecut is to be commenced at once from this level to intersect it, which will enable it to be worked more advantageously than at present. This leader maintains a width of fully 8 inches, and has always yielded a good grade of quartz, so that there is every probability of its continuing so above No. 3 level, where it remains intact. Crushing operations are proceeding as usual, and on Thursday there was a total of 7390z amalgam in hand. Warden's Court.—At the adjourned sitting of the Warden's Court this morning, before Mr. Northcroft, the applications of Mr. T. A. Dunlop for the Sylvia, Seaver, and Hematite special claims, Tararu Creek, were granted, subject to the approval of the Minister of Mines. At the request of Mr. Stewart, who appeared for the applicant, the Warden consented to the three claims being included in one area.

MINE MANAGERS , REPORTS. Cambria.—Cleaning up and retorting for the fortnight took place yesterday for the following return:—l6l loads quartz crushed for 120ozs ; 15 loads tailings, 9oza : retorted gold, 1290z5; melted gold, lZ7oza 16dwts.