THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9144, 28 August 1888, Page 6

THE GOLDFIELDS.

[from our own correspondents.]

Thames, Monday. Saxon.—The contractors at No. 5 level have made much better progress this week, the country being nob nearly so tight as formerly. The lode, too, appears to have improved somewhat, showing colours of gold at every breaking-down and carrying an excellent class of mineral, whilst its size averages from a foot to fifteen inches. The various stopes above Nos. 3 and 4 levels have been manned as usual, but exhibit no apparent change in the nature and quality of the quartz coming to hand, being still of a payable grade. Cambria. —The crosscut at No. 4 level is in a distance of about 90 feet, and still passing through a good description of country. The flat leader which is being carried in appears to have improved in appearance of late, but no gold has been seen in it yet. At the intermediate level the leading stope on the hangingwall leader is at present standing in abeyance whilst the men are engaged in breaking out the hangingwall portion of the leader from the right hand side of the drive, the leader having split into two portions at this point. There is no change to report from the stopes on the hangingwall of the main reef or on No. 7 leader, above No. 3 level. The new winze on No. 6 leader below No. 3 level is down about 4 feet, only glow progress having been made as yet, the winze having been commenced between the timber supporting the old stopes above. Better progress will be made as soon as the winze is clear of this impediment. ! [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Thames, Monday. Saxon.—The specimens accumulated during the last two months were being treated at the Prince Imperial battery to-day, and retorting takes place to-morrow. Alburnia.—Crushing for this company commences to-morrow morning. About 20 loads general dirt and a cwt. of picked stone will be treated. Askham-Molloy. — These works commenced operations this morning on a large parcel of tailings, purchased from the Paroquet Company. A start was also made to erect a coffer dam on the foreshore allotment. MINE MANAGERS' REPORTS. Waihi G.M. Co.—The mine manager reports that he is pushing forward with all possible despatch the erection of the machinery, ana expects to finish by the end of September. The engine shaft is now down 71 feet from surface line. The only work done during the week in No. I level has been sinking the winze by three shifts (six men). The depth now is 74 feet, and the ore coming up is still first-class, the reef being about 18 inches wide. No. 2 level: Only two men are stoning here. The reef is five feet wide, and yielding hunches of rich rock. No. 3 level: Driving still continues north and south on the Union reef (two shifts). The north end is driven 38 and the south 85 feet from the crosscut. The reef is still large and rich in both ends. The special item to report this week is the finding of remarkably rich ore in No. 3 level. For some days he had suspected from the sound of the men in the winze, as well as from the underlay of their vein, that they were sinking on a branch more to the eastward than as shown on Mr. Bayldon's plan. On last Wednesday he started to rise on a leader in the crosscut 19 feet west of the Eosemont low level (No. 3). The first breaking down produced splendid ore, and disclosed the leader 15 to 18 inches wide. Two shifts are now rising and one driving on this lode; next week will make connection with the winze. There is no doubt a splendid | stretch of rich ground all the way from this drive upward to No. 1 level, namely, 92 feet, and also the assurance that on this vein, as on the Union lode, the value of the ore is greatest in the deepest levels. Goldwater (Whangamata).—Since taking over the management of the above claim, all hands have been employed taking down the bluff overhanging present works. It was necessary to do this, as the ground was loose, and liable to slip at any moment, carrying away a large portion of the reef, and it would also have been dangerous for the men when working below it. Now that this work is finished, I will keep one shift under hand stoping till I reach trie level of No. 1 drive. lam compelled to take the reef out in this way, so as to prevent it from falling over the cliffs. The other shift I will keep driving on the reef south of the crosscut. On examination of work done I find the main part of the reef has been left standing. I tapped it in ■ two places, and found it carrying payable ore. As soon as work in hand is completed, I will take the reef down. The work done on the reef is a drive 27 feet, and 28 feet of stoning on the footwall of the reef, and from which the ore sent to Auckland was taken. Judging from the small amount of work done, and the present appearance of the reef, I consider the mine looks well and payable, especially if a plant was on the ground to treat the ore, of which there is a large quantity, valued at £4 and i's per ton, which would not pay to ship away. As soon as the work now in hand is finished, and the reef in drive and stopes taken down, I will start driving to cut the reef at a lower level (about 10 feet driving will give about 40 feet backs). New Fearnought.—Having in my weekly reports given the work done for each week I will endeavour to give a brief outline of the amount of work done for the past two months. A winze has been sunk a distance of 13 feet on a stringer from 2 inches to 4 inches in width, it having showed gold for a depth of 10 feet, when a reef 2 feet in thickness was intersected. This having cut off the stringer, and a considerable stream of water issuing from the reef. I stopped sinking, and started to drive on the stringer from the winze, expecting it to make picked stone. By driving here found it to be the same stringer ay was intersected in the crosscut, driven on it from the crosscut for a distance of 20 feet. The drive on the reef is in 18 feet, and is going through a good class of country. The reel looks well, and shows excellent mineral. By driving on this reef for 50 feet it will junction with another, known as a cross reef or main reef. Operations are at present confined to extending the crosscut. My reason for recommending this work is as follows :— There are several leaders that ought to be intersected in another 30 to 40 feet of driving, good gold having been got in one of them in a higher level, where it junctioned with a slide. My intentions are to drive on these leaders to the slide, as I consider there is every likelihood of their making gold at a lower level. The crosscut continues to pass through an excellent class of country, although at present rather of a tightisli nature. The crosscut is in a distance of 44 feet from the main drive. '