THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8263, 23 May 1890, Page 6

THE GOLDFIELDS.

[BY TELEGRAPH.—OWK CORRESPONDENTS.] Thames, Thursday. Sharemarxbt. — Alburnia, sellers 4s ; Saxon, 6s; Trenton, sellers, 2s 6d; Orlando, sellers Is 6d ; Freedom, lOd. Moanataiari. —The rise above the main tunnel is up a height of 45 feet in firm sandstone country. The Reuben Parr reef in the western drive of the intermediate level is two feet thick, and colours of gold are seen at every breaking down. A crushing from the cross reef at the Cambria No. 3 level is now proceeding, but it is not shaping quite as well as prospects appear to warrant.

Lone Hand.—Colours of gold are seen freely in the quartz coming to hand from both drives on the Manchester reef at the low level. There is every prospect of a new reef in tho eastern drive functioning with the Manchester reef a few feet ahead of the present face. Tho crushing proceeding at Bull's battery is shaping for a payable return. An effort will be made to keep the buttery-employed for some considerable time.

Freedom. —The eastern drive upon the Twenty-third of June reef is in a distance of over 80 feet, and is passing through good sandstone country, intersected with numerous black mineral vein. A portion of the reef which ranges in thickness from 6 to 9 inches was broken down to-day, when colours of gold and nice mineral were seen distributed through the quartz. Ota.ua (Kuaotunu). — A parcol of about 25 tons of quartz from this mine has arrived here for treatment at the Moanataiari battery, and a further supply is expected to-morrow.

Orlando. —During the early part of the week the Bendigo reef in the contractor's drive was interfered with by a soft " head," which threw it into tho footwall side of the drive, and pinched it down to almost nothing. Since then it lias been driven upon for eight feet, and the reef has opened out to about two foet, and to-day colours of gold were seen when breaking down a portion. Norfolk.—Mr. James Thorburn having resigned the management, Mr. Edward Quinn has been appointed to that position. Thames School ok Minks.—At a meeting of the Thames School of Mines committee this evening to consider hat steps should be taken towards making good the damage sustained by yesterday's lire, it was decided to apply to the Government for assistance, as the £150 insurance does not half cover the loss sustained. A subcommittee was formed and empowered to make arrangements to continue all classes with as little delay as possible, and the matter of reconstructing the building was left over until the receipt of the insurance money. Warden's Court. - At a sitting of this Court to-day an application by R. McWilliams for a license for the old water holding, Whangamata, was adjourned to the 2t)th June ; protection was granted two private claim-holders, and an application by Thos. M. Glasgow for permission to use the Una tunnel for the purpose of working the Oriental claim therefrom was dismissed.

KUAOTUNU. [FROM OOK OWN TORRES POXDENTS.] Try Flukh.The reef has been cut in the low level, but the hangingwall lias not yet been reached. In appearance, it is much the same as the bottom of the winre, and prospects about the same. A few days should see connection established between the level and winze, which wiil make a large block of really rich ore available for treatment. Owing to the bad state of the roads, the timber for the battery and tramway cannot be got on the ground, and this will delay the contractor, who would otherwise have been ready to make a start on the 24th instant.

Carbine.—Only two men aire at present employed in this mine driving on the reef at the top level. The reef maintains its size and general character except that the quartz is somewhat harder. Mariposa.— The drive has been extended a distance of ten feet, during the past week, making a total of 100 feet driven through a good sandstone country. Red Mercury.— Progress is somewhat slow in the low level owing to the tight nature of the country. The total distance driven is 66 feet. The class of country is however, good. Great Mercury.—Several reefs are being worked on, more or less. Some eight or nine feet have been driven on the Red Mercury reef, and the ore to grass is of good quality. A small leader commonly known as " the specimen leader" has been opened on a considerable distance in a good channel of country. The prospects of this mine are very favourable, and it should prove profitable when crushing power is available.

Lady Carringtox.—The shareholders who went to town about ten days ago for the avowed object of forming a company, have nob yet returned, and there is only one man engaged on the ground. This should prove a good mine when opened up, and its immediate proximity to a battery site should enable low grade ore to be treated profitably. Otama.—Some twenty tons of ore wore ."hipped on Saturday to the Thames ; the remainder, some thirty or forty ton?, is being convoyed to the beach by pack horses, a costly and tedious process, which only very rich ore will bear.

In another column will be found the prospectus of the Hazelbank licensed holding, situate in the Kurunui Hill, Moanatairi Creek, Thames Goldfields, of which Mr. F. A. White is secretary. It comprises 22 men's ground, and the following gold producing mines : — Hazelbank. Kelly's, Belfast, Poverty and Charlston. The whole of the funds derived from the sale of shares (less expenses of sale) are to be expended in the erection of a battery and in developing the resources of the mine. There are 170 shares in the holding, 70 of which are offered to the public at £30 a share—£lo on application, £10 on allotment, and £10 within three months from date of application. Applications, will be received on or before the 31st instant.

MINE MANAGER'S REPORT. Dives.—Since my hist report I have started driving on the No. 3 leader, but very little has been done, as the men were taken away to attend at the battery, so that there will not be any quartz broken down here until the end of the week. Intermediate level westward : The reef has been broken down for a length of ten feet, and is about four inches thick. Colours of gold were seen in the general dirt. Leading stone : The reef has been stripped for a length of six feet, but not yet broken down. No. 2 stope : The reef has been broken down for a length of ten feet, and averages about eighteen inches in size, and colours of gold are occasionally seen. Eastward : The reef in the drive has been broken down for a length of eight feet, and is a nice compact body of stone, carrying good mineral. Leading stope : The reef has been broken down about the same distance, and is looking very well, and shows some good mineral. No. 2 stope : The reef is stripped for a length of five or six feet, but not yet broken down. Main reef : This is a fine body of stone, about four feet thick, carrying good minerals, and a little gold was seen when breaking down on Saturday. A trial parcel is being put through the battery, and will be finished on Thursday.