THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9242, 20 December 1888, Page 6

THE GOLDFIELDS.

[from our own correspondents.] Thames, Wednesday. Saxox. —A breaking down of the reef ab No. 6 level took place yesterday with most encouraging results, colours of gold being freely seen in the quartz, whilst a little picked stone was also secured. A length of 22 feet was broken down. The reef narrowed in to about 12 inches in thickness at first, but before the face was reached it had widened out to about 3 feet. A fine class of sandstone prevails, and the reef carries some nice-looking mineral. Manukau. —Stoping is proceeding as usual upon Mulligan's leader above No. 4 level, with fair results. The leader varies in size from 6 to 9 inches, and looks remarkably well, colours of gold being frequently seen in the quartz. A crushing from this leader is now under course of treatment at tho Waiotahi company's battery. A small leader was recently met with in the stopes above the No. 2 level on the tributer's reef in the Waiotahi mine, which tho manager believes to bo the one he endeavoured to pick up a short time ago. The point of intersection is on the boundary of tho two mines, and Mr. Smith now intends to divert the former drive put in so as to cut it in this mine, which work is to bo started almost immediately. Where intersected in the Waiotahi mine the leader is heavily mineralised. Waiotahi.—ln the Mary Ann section of the mine tho manager has just succeeded in connecting his new level with the stopes worked upwards from the old No. 1 level by a party of tributers when this section was in possession of the Thames Golden Crown Company. Here there is a leader about eight inches in thickness, and in breaking some of the quartz yesterday colours of gold were seen, whilst it was also well mineralised, and carried a large quantity of silica. From its appearance tho manager is sanguine that he will soon bo acquiring an ample supply of payablo quartz, which will recoup him the outlay incurred in opening up this new low level. In tho Waiotahi section stoping is proceeding above both Nos. 3 and 4 levels upon the several lodes and leaders, and tho yield of amalgam at the battery still predicts tho usual payable return.

MINK MANAGERS' REPORTS.

Saxon.—No. 5 level: The drive here being driven along the course of the main reef has been extended during the week a farther distance of ±2 feet, making a total distance hill ward of the winze of 01) feet. The quartz stripped for the week, 22 feet, was broken down to-day. The first 10 feet the reef was hot more than 12 inches in thickness, but before breaking up to the face it again opened out, and is now fully three feet in thickness. Gold was freely seen, and a few picked stone was saved. The present face of the drive is now within 14 feet from No. 1 break, and I expect this will be met with about end of present week. No. 4 level : Preparations are beiiiH made to deepen the No. 1 winze hillward of No. 1 break at this level, so that the winze will be down by the time the No. 5 level is up to it, in order that the connection may be completed without delay. No. ',1 level: Drive on No. 1 footwall leader. This leader

still averages about eight inches in thickness, and the quartz broken down during the week shows colours of gold, and a few pounds of good [licked stone were saved from the drive. Thedrive above No. ',i going west in a line witli No. 10 stopo is progressing favourably and a distance of 20 feet has been driven for the week. Part of this distance the reof became well defined, heavily mineralised, and of a payable nature. The stopes in progross on the main footwall reef are five in number, Noa. 0, 7, .S, 9 and 10. The sixth is now up within a few feet of the boundary. The reef at this point is somewhat smaller than usual. In Nos. 7, 8 and i) the reef averages fully two feet in thickness, and they are turning out a splendid class of general crushing quartz. Although gold is frequently seen but few picked stone has boon saved. No. 10 stope : This at present is still near the junction of this and lmngingwall reef, and therefore the reef is much larger, being from three to four feet in thickness. Besides numerous small veins running between the two rovfs, occasionally picked atone has been obtained. Hangingwall reef: Two stopes are in progress. Nos. i) and 10. This reef still maintains its size and character, being about two feet in thickness, heavily mineralised, witli gold frequently seen, and turns out well at the battery. On this reef lam

also carrying on stopes from the back of No. ;} level, inside tin , point where the reef was split, up to the broken ground. This block is from 28 to ,S0 feet in length, and the quartz coining to hand from this is similar to that from Nos. !) and 10 stope*. Cleaning up and retorting took place on Suturday, the 15th instant, for a yield of 021 Joz melted gold from 47.") loads of general quartz and 130lb of picked stone. Tho full force of the battery is again employed fii'i time and the stull" going through is shaping for a yield equally as good as tho previous crushing. Picked stone on hand, '201b. New Ai.m-iixiA.—The fourth stope on hangingwall lode i.s now in hand, and has been extended 10 feet. After extending the third on footwall leader IS feet, 1 broke into old workings, the face of which seems to be slanting otl upwards, so that tho next stopes will ho longer as we rise. lam now carrying along the third stope on hangingwall leader. Tn both stopes on this leader the quartz shows gold freely, and Sib of picked stone have been secured during the week. The second stope has been beat out to the tributors' boundary (Foster's). I finished crushing 20 loads and 70ll> picked stone on Thursday last for 58oz gold. Tributera: Bridges and party crushed 12 loads from old specimen leader, Devon boundary, for 340z I'Jdwts ; Woods and [tarty have also crushed threo loads ami 401b picked stone for 2ooz retorted gold ; Jobo and party have on hand IS loads and 1501b picked stone. They intend to crush the picked stone and a portion of general dirt, as they could not get it all through before the holidays. Irwin and party have 17 loads and 4011) picked stone, but do not intend to crush at present; Hennessey and party are sending down quartz to-day—eight loads from the company's old stopes; Foster and party are crushing seven loads, and Climo and party 22 loads. I intend to stop work on Monday evening, and resume again on the 2nd of January.

CAMBRIA G.M. CO. The annual general meeting of shareholders of the Cambria Gold Mining Co. (Limited), was hold yesterday in the large room, New Zealand Insurance Buildings, Auckland. There was a good attendance of shareholders. Mr. James Dickey occupied the chair. The advertisement calling the meeting was read. The previous annual meeting's minute.'- wore read and confirmed. The directors and mine manager's reports and balance-sheet were read. On the motion of the chairman, seconded by Mr. James Reid, they were adopted, approved, and passed. Mr. J. Howard moved, and Mr. J. Jackson seconded, " That Mr. Thomas Morrin be re-elected a director, and that Mr. Henry Green bo elected a director in the room of Mr. Alexander Saunders," which was carried unanimously. On the motion of Mr. J. Reed, seconded by Mr. S. Turtle, Mr. T. A. Mcnzies was re-apnointod auditor of the company's accounts for the ensuing year. Mr. Green moved, soconded by Mr. W. S. Wilson, "That the property tax, license, rent, and all other charges paid to the Government be shown in future balancesheets." The motion was carried. A vote of thanks to the chairman closed the proceedings. Subjoined are the directors' and mine manager's reports :— DIRECTORS' KKI'OUT.

Your directors' have the honour to submit their annual report for the past year, ami balance-sheet. The summary of the latter in as follows :— Receipts.— balance on hand from last year, £500 12s; (told from 8088 loads of quartz and tailings, yielding 38720/. 7dwts, £10,82!) ltj.s Id ; public crushing, £131 Ins; Moanataiari extended machinery, half-interest .sold, £250 : total, £12,072 6s Id. DISBURSEMENTS. — Wages, Jt5252 14s; general charges, £2025 S» 10d ; battery charges, £15OS 14s 3d; iJig Pump purchamng contribution, £250 ; dividends, 19th and 20th, £2:235 ; cash balance in bank, £200 13s : total, £12,072 5s Id. The mine manager's report will be road, from which all the details ot tho mining operations carried on in the mine for the past year will be gathered. It is proposed to let on tribute portions of the mine which have boon worked by the company. For this your approval is requested. This meeting will have to appoint two directors. Messrs. Thomas Morrin and Henry Green are oligiblo, aud oiler themselves for election.

Mink Manager's Report.—l have the honour to submit the following annual report for the information of shareholders regarding the work done for tho past twelve months in your company's mine. No. 4 lovel: The principal work in progress at the date of my laet annual report was the putting in of tho drive at No. 4 level from the shaft, which at that date was in a distance of 92 feet. This drive was extended a further 347 feet, making a total of 439 feet, at which point the main reef was intersected. A drive was then started to communicate with the winze sunk on this lode from No. 3 level, which holed through in about 25 feet. During the progress of this drive, colours of gold were seon in the reef near where a break occurred. After having connected with the winze, a T drive was commonced, which was driven a distance of 80 feet, and in the course of its progress a stringer was cut, showing gold, and 31b of picked stone were obtained. Subsequently a rise was put up on this stringer, with the result that gold was seon all the way, but when a height of 30 feet had been attained, the No. 1 leader was met with and both carried up to. No. 3 level. Gold

was seen in both bodies of atone for tlio whole height. From the T tlrivo before mentioned, a crosscut was next started in a south-easterly direction, to hole through to the winze sunk on No. 7 leader from No. 3 level, and in its progress three small stringers were passed through, all showing colours of gold. In 106 feet the drive connected with the winze. An intermediate drive was recently started on the No. 1 leader, between Nob. 3 and 4 levelß, at a point 14 feet above the latter level. The dnvo, which is still proceeding, is now in a distance of 55 feet, and is penetrating a very favourable Channel of sandstone, while colours of gold are seen in the leader and also in the stringers on tho footwall. From the prospects met with in this intermediate drive, and the fact that gold was aeon all along; No. 3 lovel, I have every reason to believe that this will be a payable block whon stoping is commenced. A winze was sunk on No. <i leader, and after having attained a depth of 30 feet we came on to the main reef, which was also carried down on the winze to No. 4 level, and holed through to the crosscut. An intermediate levol was .started on this leader, and driven a distance of 12 feet. Colours of gold were seen, and a leading stopo is now being carried along, with payable results. .Since tho date of my last annual report a winze was sunk from No. 3 level on the main reef, to which the T drive holed through. Colours of cold were seen in the quartz part of the way down. No. 3 levol: The greater portion of tho quartz crushed on behalf of the rompany for the past year has been obtained fron. the stopes on Nos. 1, 4, 5, and 0 leaders, most of which have been taken out up to No. 2 love!, while a block was also stoped out on the main reef from No. 3 level up to the eastern intermediate level which proved remunerative. The No. 1, or hangingwall loader, which was carried up to No. 2 level in tho hangingwall of the main reef, has also been stoped out eastward up to No. 2 level. We are now stoping a block westward on tho hangingwall leader over tho intermediate levei, and colours of gold are freely seen distributed through the quartz when breaking down, and a few pounds of picked stone obtained occasionally, the quartz being payable. A rise was put up G3 feet on the main reef over No. 3 level, and colours of gold were seen in stringers on the hangingwall. Crushing : During the past year a total of 39170z sdwts of retorted gold has been obtained from your company's mine, made up as follows :-29D3 loads of quartz, 28S8OZ 18dwt gold ; 8011b of picked stone, <X)7oz Sdwfc : 249 loads of tailings, 141oz 2dwt. Battery : The company's 21stamper battery and 15 berdans are in good order ; also tho winding-engine.