THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8361, 15 September 1890, Page 3

THE GOLDFIELDS.

[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

Thames, Saturday. Lone Hand. — The eastern drive at the low level baa now almost reached the point where No. 2 break is expected to be met with, consequently it should soon be to hand. The country still continues of a good description, and the reef, vhich is about nine inches thick, shows gold freely at every breaking down. When No. 2 break is reached a still further improvement is looked for, and the prospects are now all in favour of such being the result. Three stopes, Nos. 3, 4, and 5, are now in progress upon the reef on the westc.i side of the winze sunk .from the upper level. Here the reef varies from a foot to fifteen inches, and shows gold pretty freely, whilst the mineral indications are also very good. There is every reason to believe that the quartz coming to hand will prove of a very remunerative character. Moanataiari.—Now that the passes have been completed in the rise which connects the 100-feet level upon the Reuben Parr reef with the tunnel level, operations at the former level are now in full swing again. In the drive eastward the reef has opened out to over four feet, and colours of gold are seen in the quartz coming to hand. In the eastern drive upon the footwall branch what is believed to be the cross reef was met with in the early part of the week, bub its identity has not yet been fully proved. On the other side, however, the leader is now about 10 inches thick, and is looking very promising, colours and dabs of gold being freely seen in the quartz broken, whilst the country encasing the leader is a splendid sandstone formation. A considerable quantity of fair-grade quartz is coming to hand from the stopes upon the reef with occasional small lots of picked stone. Cambria.— start was made yesterday to clean cut an old pass upon the main reef above No. 2 level, with the view of carrying up a rise for prospecting purposes. The reef in this part of the mine has scarcely received any attention, and it is quite possible that not only may payable quartz be found in the reef itself, as between Nos. 2 and 3 levels, but that other important bodies may bo found dropping into it. It will take a day or two to get the work fairly started, as some timbering requires to be done before rising can be started. At No. 3 level the footwall branch of No. 7 leader is now being driven upon, and a good sample of quartz is coming to hand therefrom. Between Nos. 2 and 3 levels stoping is still proceeding upon two or three small leaders, and also upon the main reef, and colours of gold are seen freely in the quartz broken. At No. 4 level a block is being stoped upon No. 7 leader and its western branch. The quartz is of fair quality, but the ground is rather tight for working at present. Trenton.—The eastern drive upon the continuation of the hangingwall reef is still being continued ahead, and as the work advances the prospects appear to improve. The country being penetrated is of an excellent description, and the lode formation itself has opened out to 15 inches in width, and now carries more solid quartz than at any time since the junction with the footwall reef was passed, besides which the mineral indications are now of a very favourable character, and would lead one to expect to meet with gold at any moment, although none has yet been seen. In the prospecting drive near the Saxon boundary a nice looking leader is now being followed, which the manager believes to be a branch of the reef sought for. By following it the main body itself should soon be intersected, and as the country in this locality is of a right description there is every hope of payable quartz being found. Stoping upon the hangingwall reef has been suspended for the present, and the men removed to the stopes upon the footwall reef. It is probable that the manager will soon receive instructions to extend the main crosscut ahead a distance of 100 feet with a view of intersecting what is known as the "new reef" in the Saxon mine. In the latter mine this reef has lately been turning out a good class of dirt, and it has been driven upon to within a few feet of the Trenton mine, and should it continue its present course the company will have a length of about 800 feet to drive upon it. The work is one of considerable importance, and it is to be hoped it will soon bo undertaken. [BY TELEGRAPH.OWN CORRESPONDENTS.] Thames, Saturday. Sharemarket. — Consols, sellers 9d ; Dives, sellers 2s 4d ; Freedom, sellers Is 6d ; Golden Age, sellers Is ; May Queen, 13s, sellers 14s, buyers 13s ; Moanataiari, sellers 8s; Orlando, Is; Saxon, sellers 6s 3d ; Trenton, 2s 9d, buyers 2s 6d ; Victoria, sellers Is fid ; Hazelbank, Is 6d. Moanataiari. —In breaking portions of the footwall reef in the leading stope at 100 feet level this afternoon 251b of picked stone were obtained.

Magnolia.—During the week only eight feet have been driven through the reef intersected at the low level, which has proved so hard for penetrating that the contractors have thrown up their contract. The quartz is of a promising character, carrying nice minerals, but has shown no gold. A fresh contract will probably be let. A large strea i of water is still running away from the faoe and the winze at the upper level is now drained, so that the manager intends on Monday morning to start cleaning out and clearing that level with a view of resuming sinking operations.

Caledonian.—The crosscut at No. 1 level towards the Young American reef is in a distance of 30 feet, and passing through good country. Two feet back from the face a rubbly leader, eight inches thick, was intersected, and some colours of gold seen. It is intended to open out on this leader westward as soon as the crosscut is far enough ahead. A crushing of 25 loads of quartz from No. 1 leader has been completed for 18oz 3dwt melted gold. Saxon. —At No. 6 level the two reefs in the eastern drive have junctioned, and now form one body of quartz two feet thick. Good dabs of gold are to be seen at every breaking down. On Monday preparations are to be commenced for returning sinking the winze on No. 1 reef hillward of No. 1 break, which is already down 38 feet, and in which good gold was obtained up to the time of knocking off. The usual fortnightly retorting takes place on Tuesday. May Queen. —Owing to the wet weather j experienced during the week, the contractor for the erection of the hoppers and appurtenances was delayed a little with the work, and consequently it will take until the middle of next week to complete their). In the mine No. 4 reef in the eastern drive is looking well, and has a tendency to widen out. There is scarcely any doubt but what the quartz coming to hand is of good quality. The leading stope is being taken along as rapidly as possible and the drive timbered ready for permanent stoping operations. Hazelbank.—Mr. James Frater, one of the directors, visited this mine to-day in company with Mr. James Coutts, manager of the Caledoniar mine ; and, as a result of the inspection, Mr. Frater has requested Mr. Coutts to put on a couple of men on Monday morning next in the old stopes above No. 2 level upon the Young American reef, which block is well advanced. Up towards No. 1 level, where the reef is intact, it shows a thickness of about nine inches, and some quartz broken from ib today showed good strong colours of gold. The crosscut now being driven by the Caledonian Company at No. 1 level, for the purpose of intersecting the Young American reef, will.also be of advantage to this company, as it will intersect the reef near the boundary of both mines. GOLD MINING AT WHANGAPOUA. There has been a great amount of excitement lately over the new find in the Owera block, on the Kauri Timber Company's land, and distant about three miles from Lannigan's claim. The situation of this find is in a direct line between the latter claim and Kuaotunu, and about midway between the two. The principal claim at the new find is the Owera Gold Mining Company. They have a very finelooking reef about three feet across, and showing gold freely all through. There are now about a dozen claims taken up along the main line of reef. Mr. Combes, C.E., is the Kauri Timber Company's representative on the field, and he is busily employed with an assistant surveyor (Mr. A. B. Morrow) in surveying claims as they are allotted. The Kauri Company intend putting up a store near this new find without delay. Every day reports are coming to hand of new reefs being found along the line of country between Kuoatunu and the Owera. ;|

Lannioan's Claim.—Most of the machinery for the new battery has arrived, and Mr. Lanigan is pushing on with building and water-race. The 20 loads of quartz sent to the Thames turned out very satistactorily, being at the rate of 2oz to the load, and as there is plenty of the Bams class of ore the claim has a brilliant future before it. All that is wanted is the completion of the battery. Zealandia. — large reef three feet six inches wide was struck in this claim this week, showing good crold. This makes the third well-defined reel running through this ground, all of which give excellent dish prospects. The assay value of one of the reefs was at the rate of 7oz to the ton. The shareholders intend forming the claim into a company without delay.—[Own Correspondent]. [by telegraph.— association.] Reefton, Saturday. The following are the crushing returns for the week -.—Globe, 2280z of amalgam from 190 tons ; Welcome, 1950z amalgam from 35 tons; Treasurer, 113oz amalgam from 96 tons ; Alpine, 4020z amalgam from 270 tons ; Progress, 181oz amalgam for the week; Inkerman, llooz amalgam from 120 tone.