THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9188, 18 October 1888, Page 6

THE GOLDFIELDS.

[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Thames, Wednesday. Cambria.— ttsaal fortnightly cleaningup and retorting took, place to-day for the moderate return of 58oz 7dwb melted gold, the result of 72 loads of quartz crushed. There is nothing fresh to report from the mine. Trenton.—The hard rock in the bottom of the shaft still continues, and but slow progress is being made in sinking. Saxon.The gold obtained from the retorting yesterday (2500z) was reduced on melting to 2530z sdwt, the product of 292 loads of quartz, not 281 loads as mentioned by me yesterday. Mata District. — Mr. Fraser'a new battery had a trial run on Friday last, and everything was found to work admirably. The battery itself is now ready to commence crushing at once, but it will take another fortnight yet to complete the road across the range from the battery to Birch and Baker's claim, where a supply of quartz is ready for removal. It is probable, however, a crushing will be treated soon of some low grade quartz, in order to wear the roughness off the pans, and get them into order for a better grade of quartz. Tararu Creek.— As wired by me last evening, the Lourie brothers, of Waiomo fame, have discovered a gold-bearing leader at the head of the Tararu Creek, in the vicinity of the old Vulcan, Scandinavian, and Celt claims. The leader found has been traced by them for several hundred feet, and exposed to view by a series of trenches, in all of which the "eader averages about three inches in thickness and yields fair prospects of gold on being crushed with the pestle and mortar, whilst they h:./e selected about 40 pounds of picked stone, and deposited them in the Bank ol' NewZealand for safe keeping. On this line of leader they have pegged out five men's ground, and just below the old Vulcan have pegged out four more men's ground upon another leader which they think will turn out well. Another party has pegged out a claim of three men s ground adjoining the first mentioned, and it is likely other parties will be on the ground soon.

MINE managers; reports. Cambbia.—The rise at No. 4 level is up a height of 41 feet. The No. 1 leader is about 12 inches in thickness. There is good mineral through the quartz. The leader that the rise was carried up on from No. 4 level is about 6 inches in thickness. Colours of gold were seen through the quartz when breaking down the leader. The winze on the No. 6 and cross leaders below No. 3 is down a depth of 37 feet. The main reef having been met with in the winze, will now be sunk on to No. 4 level. The men aire now rising for a sixth stone on the No. 7 leader. Gold was seen freely through the quartz when breaking down the leader. There is a leader about 3 inches in thickness coming in in this stope underlying to the eastward, and will junction with the No. 7 leader about the top of this stope. Gold was seen freely through the quartz when breaking it down. The fourth stope east on the main reef over Mo. 3 level is along 17 feet. Dabs and colours of gold were seen through the quartz when breaking down the hangingwall portion of the reef. The leading stope east on the main reef and hangingwall leaders is along 30 feet. Dabs and colours of gold were seen in the quartz when breaking down the hangingwall portion of the main reef. Gold was also seen when breaking down the hangingwall leader. The second stope west on the hangingwall leader is along 82 feet. Gold was seen freely through the quartz when breaking down the leader. Thirty-seven loads of guartz have been crushed during the wSek tor the return of Ilsozs of amalgam. The battery is now running two shifts, 10 head on companv's dirt, and 10 head on public crushing, five loads of tailings have been put through the berdans during the week for the return of lOozs lOdwts of amalgam. The battery and winding-engine are in good working, order. The mine manager wired yesterday 72 loads quartz crushed for nOozs gold." Saxon.— No. 5 level fair progress has been made during the week, 21 feet having been driven, making a total of 331 feet from the shaft. The country is much kindlier and better working ground, so that, better progress may now be expected. None of the reef has "been broken down since my last; there are now about'34feet stripped, and I intend to continue stripping the reef at least till the drive is up to the point under the \Kjnze coming from No. 4 level to meet this from INo. 4 level : The winze being sunk made with V? No " 5 A . fair at ? rfc bis been of 15 feJ, . , ? s "»"jrk. it is now down a depth footwall of u lB ' 8 a^Bo being sunk on the the reef in sight .Snot [o break down the quartz till the connection is made between this level and No. 5. At No. 3 level the leading stope lias now been carried up to the boundary. The 2nd, 3rd, 4th, sth, 6th, and 7th are all in progress : in the three first mentioned the reef at present is exceedingly small, but notwithstanding it is necessary to keep them fullv manned, as I fee! sure it will again widen out; in these three stopes six men are employed in each shift, or 18 in all, but on account of the smallness of the reef they have ptoduced but little quartz during the week. The sth, 6th, and 7th stopes are turning out large quantities of fair grade quartz, the reef m these stopes averaging from two to three feelin thickness, and a few pounds of picked stone are occasionally bagged. As per wire on 13th instant, thirty pounds picked stone saved from 7th stope. Hangingwall Reef: Three stopes are in progress— 6th, and 7th. The 4th stope has been carried home in a line with the face of No. 3 drive. The reef in these stopes will average two feet in thickness, and fair crushing quartz is being obtained, with a little picked stone occasionally ; the reef is heavily mineralised. No. 1 Footwall Leader : There is very little change to report from here ; this leader still averages about six inches in thickness, and shows a little gold at each breaking down, but no picked stone has been saved this week. The battery has been working five days, one day beiug lost through a breakage of the water-race main pipe. The quartz crushed during the week was 134 loads, for 4470z. amalgam ; quartz crushed during previous week, 158 loads, for 3750z. amalgam ; total for fortnight, 292 loads, for 822 oz. amalgam, which I retorted to-day for a yield of 2560z. retorted gold. Picked stone on hand, 1051b.