THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9377, 29 May 1889, Page 5

THE GOLDFIELDS.

[from our own correspondent.]

Thames, Tuostiay. Tiiamks Mining and Prospecting Claim. —The contractors luave mow attained, a depth of oti feet with thitt-oompany's shaft, and have it timbered-to the bottom.

Lone Hand. —A start was made yesterday morning to push ahead the now low level, so that this work is now hi .full swing. The country being penetrated is an excellent description of sandstone. Crushing operations were commenced ab ."Bull's battery at three, o'clock this morning upon the quartz broken from the upper workings during the last four weeks.

May Queen.' —Tenders-are being invited, receivable up to noon.-of the 4th of June, for removing engine and winding gear, engine house, and pojjpet legs from the old Moauataiori Extended shaft site in the Waiotahi Creek, and re-erecting the same on this company's ground.

Saxon.—The fortnightly cleaning-up and retorting to-day produced the return of 4300/.. lldwfc. melted gold, for which 473 loads of general dirt.jytd 50 pounds of picked stone, obtained from all parts of the mine, were reduced. The eastern drive upon No. 1 reef at No. 5 lerel is now about "25 feet from No. 2 break. In the face the reef is about IS inches in tJiickness, but the country through whidh it is passing is very tight, and prevents very rapid progress being made. Colours of gold still continue to bo seen, especially in a vein on the footwall. The drive-on No. 2 reef at the same level is also pacing through rather tightcountry, twit the reef is now opened out to about two feet iii thickness, and colours of gold were seen at the last breaking down. The other works' in the mine are proceeding as usual, with do apparent change either way. At the lottery, the contractor for erecting an adc&iion to the building has nearly completed his job, and Messrs. Price Brothers will soosi be able to start erecting the additional t in head of stampers. Moanatajakj.—The desired connection between the 'winze sunk upon the hangingwall leader, below the Cambria No. 3 level and the rise now going up above the crosscut at No. 4 level, has not yet been effected, it being estimated that there is still about, three feet of i country between the two workings. Tins connection, however, will probably be ef beted to-morrow, and as soon as it is accomplished and the ends squared up, driving "uall bo commenced upon the leader, with the view of opening up a block for steering as speedily as possible. Yesterday tlier manager retorted the amalgam obtained from the treatment of 370 tons of surface dirt, when *2.'<oz 7dwt of gold wetse secured, which is barely payable. Th's battery is now at a standstill, to ]>er|mit the replacement of the old turbine hry a new Pelton wheel 6 feet 8 inches in diameter, just cast by Messrs. Price Bros. ; The manager calculates that this wheel will be capable of driving at least 30 head of stampers, independent of the berdann, and with this object- in view ten of the twenty head of stampers whieh have lain kilo for a long time past are being overhauled and repaired this week for the purpose of working them in conjunction with tfeie twenty that have been in use, which will ejive him thirty head to deal with. To work tiiae berdans a second and smaller Pelton wheel, 3 feet G inches in diameter, is being constructed, and this to be erected at a level) 9 feet higher than the berdans, which will enable the wa-ste water from the wheel to ba used for the purpose of supplying the stamper boxes, tables, and betdans, anil thus effect a saving in that direction,! inasmuch as the water used for those purposes in the past has been charged for independent of the motive supply. When these alterations are completed the company/ will be possessed of a battery second teoione on the field. [BY tw.kgraph.—own correspondent.] I Thames, Tuesday. SiiAitKMAKKET.Cambria, 3s, sellers 3s 3d, buyers 3s ; Manukau, Is sd, sellers Is 6d ; M.<j)anataiari, sellers '2s 6d ; Alburnia, 3s id, sellers 3s 5d ; Saxon, buyers 9s 6d ; Martha Extended (Waihi), 7d, buyers Gd ; May Queen, buyers, 7d.

Tre#;ton. —The contractors for driving the first 50l feet from the bottom of the shaft having nearly finished, tenders for a second 50 feet have been instructed to be called. As soon ai'i the tee drive in the upper level has been extended to the Saxon boundary, arid holed through for ventilation the rock borer will I*2 withdrawn and removed to the lower level, [where it will supersede the system of letting contracts, and hand labour, and continue jthe drive at a much quicker pace than at present.