THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8469, 21 January 1891, Page 6

THE GOLDFIELDS.

I [BY TELRffRAPH. —OWN' COKRKSFOVDKNT.] Thames, Tuesday. Sharemarkkt.—Cambria,|buyere3s; Flying Cloud, sellers sd; May Queen, buyers 4s 3d; 14s, 13s 3d, sellers 11s, buyers 13s 6d; Orlundo, sellers Is Id ; Trenton, sellers 3s 6d; Victoria, la 9d, sellers Is lOd ; Thames Gas, 31s 6d. MINE MANAGERS' REPORTS. Trentox. —New lode. No. 5 level : Tho eastern drive has been extended 11 feet ono shift in the past week. The lode averages about nine inches in width. It is much more compact and promising for trold than it has been. The sandstone is also of a very congenial nature for gold, it being interlaced with nice mineral veins. The western drive at same level has been driven 10 feet, one shift, since my last. A marked improvement has taken place here, both in the character of the country and lode. We have not met with such excellent minerals for gold as was seen when breaking down last Saturday, since driving was commenced here. Footwall lode, below No. 4 level : Sloping is being carried on, but without any change to report during the past week. Stopes on hangingwall portion of footwall lode above the intermediate level: The necessary timbering up is completed here, and stuping is well in hand. The lode is from eight to 12 inches in width, and shows gold when broken. No. 3 level : An improvement has taken place here within the la.*t three feet of driving.. The country, which was rather unsettled, especially in the hangingwall, is now a very eolid fine sandstone rock, and the lode looks much better than it did. It will average about 10 inches in thickness. Tho leading stope above No. 3 level has been taken along '20 feet from the boundary. The lode is from 12 to 20 inches in width, and in breaking down we secured 181b of pickod stone, as per wire. JojfCTlOX.—The crosscut is now in a distance of 224 feet. The country is still favourable for the existence of reefs. There are mineral seams and quartz veins crossing through the country. I think reefs should soon be met wjith.

Flying Cloud.—lntermediate level: We have been engaged taking down the reef in the drive, and also the reef in tho stope. The reef in the drive is about 15 inched in width, being a little smaller than usual, and more of a compact body of stone, well impregnated with copper pyrites and antimony. No. 2 stope :We have carried along this stope abont ten feet during the paM, week ; the quartz is of an excellent description for golu. Owkra.—There are four men (two shifts) sinking, and I am pleased to say the ore continues of the width last reported—two to two and a half feet wide, and of real good quality. The reef is getting quite strong and always now shows a little gold by pounding. I quite expect a substantial improvement as we get forward. HoN'OKONO.—We havo got through that bar of reddish brown rock and have come on a nice grey sandstone which I think will carry us up to the le-ader. Norfolk.—The winze on the Californian reef has been sunk a depth of 20 feet. For this distance tho dirt coming to hand gives good average prospects for about an ounce to the load, and some of the stone shows gold freely. Amalgam from berdans for week lOoz 16dwt8.

Crackshot. —Very fair progress is being made with the development of the mine. The lode is eight inches wide. The hangingwall vein is some three inches wide of quartz and the footwall some two inches, the centre composed of rubby quartz, and the whole width containing plenty of minerals. Wo have some twenty feet to drive to reach our own boundary. FKKi-ruoM. —Low level: The rise is 22 feet above the back of the level. The country is of a first-class description for gold, and the lode maintains its size, being 12 inches wide. The mineral indication's are also of an excellent description. Upper level : During the past week a leading stope has been taken along the back of the drive on the footwall lode west of the crosscut for a length of 12 feet. The reef here is largo but not so compact as in the level, being split up into a series of veins. There are now seven or eight loads in the paddock, which I intend passing through the battery next week ; only a moderate return may be expected. Pinkire.—At 60 feet in the low level tunnel the lode for which this drive wive extended was met with. This lode appears to be one of the main Una Hill reefs. Where met with it is in -low ground and close to creek, consequently the lode in this po.si tion is but from three to four inches of solid quartz in the face now, containing some excellent minerals.

City of Dunkdik. —ln the mine two men are engaged ici stripping the Black reef and driving from the bop of the rife. The drive is now in 15 feet and will require to be driven a further distance of 10 feet so as to enable me to send down the surface quartz.

Pride of Kauaka.—l accepted Hardman's tender for driving 100 feet in the low level, and they started work last Monday night and continued up till Saturday ; night, and in consequence of a hard rib of ground coining across the face they were unable to make any progress, having only driven H)i feet for the week, so they have had to give it up. I don't think it would be advisable to let any contract at present as the country that the drive is passing through is of a very unsettled nature. Magnolia.—The lower level has been extended this week 11 feet, making a total of 806 feet. I wrote you in my Inst, that a lode came in from the westward. I have been keeping the drive 'i little westward for the whole of the week trying to get the footwall of it. I am into it about 8 feet, and the stone is very hard and heavily mineralised, and there is no sign of the footwall yet. No. 2 level : The winze is down a distance of 40 feet, and nothing fresh to report. Alkkku.—Two shifts are engaged driving on the leafier in ti.-* intermediate lecel going east;; the level is ?n 10 feet from the winze; the leader averages 8 inches, and although we are not getting picked stone gold is seen through the every breaking down. All the necessary repairs and alterations are completed, and the level connected with the now hopper. I have started two men to take along the loading stope going west from ■ bottom of the winze ; at this point the reef is '.i feet thick, and the indications for gold are really good. The dead work ho far as this level is concerned is finished, so that we have nothing to do but go ahead and break quart/. Lonk Hand —The main tunnel at the Ibw level has reached superior sandstone country. After 15 feet are driven further a crosscut will be ."farted into the hill to get under the rich gold found above, and if necessary a rise will bo pub up to reach the exact spot.