THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8425, 28 November 1890, Page 6

THE GOLDFIELDS.

[BY TELEGRAPH.OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Thames, Thursday. Shaeemarket.Caledonian, sellers, 2s 3d ; Consols, sellers 9d ; May Queen, sellers 4s 6d ; Moanataiari, sellers 7s, buyers 6s 6d ; Alburnia, sellers 4s 3d ; Orlando, sellers Is, buyers 9d ; Saxon buyers, 4s ; Trenton sellers, 4a; Alfred, lOd ; sellers, lOd. Dives. —A return of 270z lOdwt gold was to-day banked, being the result of a crushing of 50 loads quartz. City ok Dunedin. — This company's crushing of 19 loads quartz was completed to-day, for lloz lSdwt gold, which realised 6ls per ounoe. May Queen. —No. 4 reef is nob yet to hand in the eastern drive, but a firmer class of country appears to be setting in. The manager is now getting the shaft ready for sulking for another level. Warden's Court. — A sitting of the Warden's Court was held to-day, when the following applications were granted : — Peter Harris, National; F. Creighton, Eminence; Richard Ross, Little Mabel; Thomas McDonough, Empire ; Jas. Senior, water-race. A large number of objections were adjourned tor production of necessary plans. In the case of J. E. Banks v. Henry Rabe, in which the Warden , reserved his decision from last Court day, the objection made by Mr. Rabe was sustained, with costs £10 2s. Trenton. six feet of the footwall lode are now stripped at No. 3 level, but stripping will probably be carried on until Saturday before another breaking down takes place. An erroneous impression appears to have got abroad with respect to tho .quantity of water issuing from the face of the drive recently driven upon No. 1 hangingwall reef. The real truth is that there is just sufficient wator to cause an inconvenience, but not enough to endanger the life of anyone working either in this or the Saxon mine. In order, however, to provide a better exit for the water than now prevails, it is probable that the directors of this company will be advised to extend a crosscut which the Saxon Coinpany drove some time ago at the Prince Imperial No. 6 lovel for tho purpose of draining their own No. 6 level. This would effect direct communication with the Big Pump shaft, and at once settle the difficulty of how to dispose of the water which is now so troublesome.

MIME MANAGERS' REPORTS. Dives. —The Pride of Karakarcef has been further broken down for a distance of eight feet. There is no change in its surroundings. The country is still very good, and colours of tine gold are occasionally seen in the quartz, while the mineral is of a first-class kind. No. stope shows the reef about eight inches in thickness, containing good mineral indications and a little gold, No. 5 stope has been commenced. In the stopes above No. '2 level the show has not been so good. The two leaders in the rise, No. 3 level, are now very near together. The crosscut on main flinty has been extended 17 feet for the week. This seam maintains its size and favourable appearance. Excelsior.—During the past week we have cleaned out and timbered "20 feet of the old tunnel, making a total of (30 feet since starting. Up to the present time we have found the ground very rotten and badly broken down, and in places filled with water and sediment. Saxon. —No. 6 level: The drive along the course of the No. 2 reef going east of the shaft has been driven a further distance of 22 feet, making a total of 470 feet, and leaving 72 feet still to be driven to reach the Mo. 1 break. The reef averages 18 inches in thickness, and is running in a splendid channel of country for gold. The drive on the No. 3 reef at the same level has also been pushed ahead, with the reef from two to three feet in thickness. Stopes : The Btopes in progress over No. 6 level are four in number—two west of junction, and two east. The No. 3 reef west of junction averages three feet in thickness, with a few pounds of picked stone frequently saved ; and the Mas. 2 and 3 cast of junction, where both reefs travel together, average from four to five feet, and upwards of llnb of picked stone has been saved from here. Mo. 5 level: The works in progress at this level are the drive on the reef going east of winze and the leading stope on same going east and west of winze. In the drive the reef still continues somewhat small, owing to the tight nature of the country it is traversing in. It averages about a foot in thickness, and of a rubbly nature. Stopes : The leading stope on same reef going west of winze. The reef here is fully two feet in thickness and looks very promising; a few pounds of good picked stone are frequently coming to hand from this. Also in the stope going west gold is frequently obtained. No. 4 level: The principal works carried on at this level are the stopes on the new reef and also the stopes on the No. 1 foot wall leader. In the new reef stopes there are five in progress. In all of these stopes the reef is looking promising, especially in the last two. They are carrying more bright mineral and antimony, also very frequently a few pounds of picked stone is saved. This, to all appearance, proves that this reef is improving as th- stopes are carried upwards, and will give sufficient inducement to open up the reef at the No. 3 loVel. Tho stopes on the No. 1 footwall leader : Four stopes are in progress. The leader varies in size from 9 to 15 inches, but little gold is being seen here ; still, the general quartz from these atopes shapes fairly well. On the eastern end of these stopes a rise has been connected with No. 3 level, which gives sufficient ventilation, and it is my intention shortly to start a cross-cut at the No. 3 level near the head of this rise to cut and open up another level on the new reef. Cleaning up and retorting for the fortnight took place to-day for a yield of '2410z retorted gold from 410 loads of general quartz and 251b of picked stone. Mount Edwards. —The winze has been carried down to the solid country, which was reached '25 feet from the level, and about four feet of the hangingwall leader has been stripped. This lode is about 12 inches in thickness, composed of a series of leaders, varying in size from five inches to one inch. Very little quartz has yet been broken, but gold has been seen in two or three of them. The hangingwall is a splendid class of sandstone, intersected by numerous mineral seams, and the quartz itself carries excellent mineral. My object at present is to strip the reef a further distance of 10 feet before breaking down, and then a drive of about 20 feet will carry us under the shot of gold so successfully worked by the late owners of the Little Maggie section of your mine. I should mention that the big reef is in the immediate footwall of the winze all the way down. Pride ok Karaka.—Low level: The contractors have extended the drive a further distance of 13 feet, making a total of 144 feet from mouth of tunnel. During the week a hard bar of countryabout, fourfeet thick, was met with, which accounts for the slow progress made, but a change for the better is coming in in the face. Top level : Since my last about live feet of the reef has been broken down. The.reef continues about the same as in my last .report, viz., 15 inches in thickness, with good strong colours of gold distributed through the stone. Little km,. Upper level : I would suggest that the level be pushed further ahead to prospect new country,with the object of getting into a better class of ground than at present showing in the end. Nkw Maxukau. —The last stope is now in hand, so I hope to get another little patch before this block is finished. No. 4 level: The new crosscut is now'in 30 feet, and the face of the drive is full of quartz yet, but no improvement in the stone yet. The reef is a large one, and the gas rather troublesome. The other prospecting drive is in good country for gold should a lode be met with. Victoria (Kuaotunu).—We have cut what I believe to be the reef at the low level. It varies in size from two feet to ten inches, and is better defined than in the upper levels, and we can get a, little gold by crushing and washing. Wc have driven about 32 feet on the reef, and the prospects seem to improve as we drive south on it. Maori Paii (Ivuaotunu).—We have been prospecting on the reef near the western boundary ; in several parts it gives encouraging prospects, is well defined with two good walls, and in a good class of country. We have done a good deal of surface prospecting, and can get a little gold in almost every leader and reef we have discovered ; in tome the prospects have been encouraging, but none of them could be considered payable. Nkw Fearnought.—The crosscut lately started by Mr. Moylc to intersect the Golden Star reef lias for the past week been extended ton feet. The country, which has hitherto been a little broken, is now in the face a nice compact white sandstone, and of a most

favourable "class for gold, should any leader be discovered in this channel of country. The Golden Star reef hat*, produced very good gold in the early days of this field, and from hearsay evidence, when intersected we should meet with success. Adeline Amalgamated. — Since my last report I have been engaged shifting the rails from the Josephine tunnel to lay in the Rose crosscut; and carrying out the visiting director's instructions, to start operations at the Rose lower crosscut. I have repaired the trestling across the county road, and am now engaged laying the tramway in the tunnel. I expect to have everything ready to make a start at he face by next Friday. The reef in the face of the drive is about six inches wide. I tried some prospects from it during the director's visit, which showed a few colours of coarse gold in each prospect. Souvenir.The mine manager telegraphed yesterday : — t( Banked 20oz lUdwt melted gold from 40 loads quartz." Consols. —A general meeting of shareholders of the Consols Gold Mining Company (Limited) was held yesterday in the large room of the Mew Zealand Insurance Buildings, Auckland, for the statutory purpose of electing directors. There was a legal quorum present. Mr. W. S. Wilson presided. The advertisement calling the meeting was read, and the previous general meeting's minutes were read and confirmed. On the motion of Mr. H. C. Bell, seconded by Mr. T. Kershaw, the provisional directors were reelected. It was mentioned at the meeting that the work of the company was fairly commenced, Mr. John Gibbons, of the Thames, having been appointed engineer to superintend the erection of a powerful plant on the brace of the shaft, and instructions given him to invite tenders to commence the necessary excavation for the engine and boiler without delay. All the other worn will be proceeded with as soon as possible, the pump, winding engine, boiler, and winding gear being ready. A vote of thanks to the chairman closed the proceedings.