THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8471, 23 January 1891, Page 6

THE GOLDFIELDS.

[from our own correspondent.] Thames, Thursday. JUNCTION.—The sandstone country meb with a few days ago in the crosscub from the northern side of the Moanataiari tunnel, has again been replaced by a tightish blue rock. Ib does nob, however, appear to be quite so hard as the last bar penetrated. Warden's Court.—The usual fortnightly sitting was held this morning, and the following business transacted : The application of John Wilson, for a license for the Turu claim Tararu Creek, was granted, and three months' protection was granted to J. Madden and R. Foster for their respective claims, and two months to C. MoWilliame for the Kenilworth Licensed Holding, bhellback Creek. A machine site was also granted to the Cassel Gold Extraction Co., at Karangahake. The following applications were adjourned till the 19th of February :— T. H. Russell, special claim and three water races, at Waitekauri; R. Herivel, Wellington special claim, Thames ; Woodstock United, surplus ground, Karangahake; John Wilson, machine sUe and water race, Tararu ; Crawford's G.M. Co., water race, Thames; Joseph Dunn, mullock tip ; A. Casrells, water race, Ohinemuri ; John Bowler, wire tramway, Tararu. A plaint lodged by W. JSicholl against Thomas McDonough, for forfeiture of The Quayle licensed holding, Marototo, on the ground of non-working, was adjourned till February sth, and a plaint laid by J. R. Hunter for alleged surplus ground held by the Alfred G.M. Co., Moanataiari Creek, was adjourned till the 19th of February. Moanataiaki. —The south drive upon the course of the cross leader at the 100-feet level has now been advanced a distance of about 50 feet from the footwall lode. On Saturday last a new quartz body made its appearance in the left nand side of the drive near the floor, which on being developed has been found to be about a foot in width, and composed of a darker class of quartz than that of the flat lode met with further back. This new reef runs across the drive at a long angle, with a dip of about six inches in a foot, so that it will be carried on the right hand side of the drive a further distance of six or seven feet before it pets clear of the cross leader and makes away into the country. Shortly after the reef was meb with a soft head of country made its appearance, and passed through it gome two or three feet above the floor of the drive, but the reef made again all right on the top of this, and although no picked stone has been secured, colours of gold have been seen pretty freely in the quartz broken. Several nice-looking quartz veins, however, on its hangingwall side, have yielded a few pounds of nice stone. The country in the face is a splendid class of sandstone, interlaced with quartz veins, in all of which a little gold is seen, which necessitates the saving of most of the dirb broken for crushing dirt, only the rough pieces of clean mullock being thrown away. What appears to be the wall of another quartz body has been touched near the lioor, bub this, at the time of my visit this morning, had not been penetrabed into. The new reef mentioned above, however, will probably prove to be the western continuation of the quartz body which was met with in the eastern drive upon the footwall lode some bime ago, and which had the effecb of throwing the latter body much more to the left of the course it previously ran, and thereby causing an earlier junction with the Reuben Parr reef than was ab that time anticipated. Further developments laber on, however, will prove the correctness of this theory. The flat lode in the south drive is now clear of the top of the drive, but a few feet back from the face it appears to strike through the cross leader and continue on its ordinary course. To prove whether such is the case, Mr. Clark intends shortly to drive westward upon the leader from which he obtained "201b of picked stone on Tuesday week last, which will enable him to also ascertain whether the flat lode does make clear of the cross leader. Tho rise upon the flat lode, which is being put up with a view of connecting with the stopes upon the footwall lode, is up a height of aboub 10 feeb. The sandstone is full of quartz stringers and black mineral seams, so that bhe whole of the dirb has to be saved for crushing purposes. A little picked stone is frequently obtained from these leaders, and colours of gold are also seen freely in the flat lode whenever quartz is broken from it, but none has been broken for two or three days past. The western drive upon the footwall reef has been at a standstill all the week, bub the sbopes overhaul are kepb manned, and a large quantity of crushing dirt is coming to hand. Several pounds of picked stone have been obtained from these stopes of late, chiefly, however, from small stringers in bobh walls of the reef, 101b being obtained from the second .stope yesterday. In the eastern drive the f:ice has been kept continuously manned. Here the reef is from 4 to 5 feet in thickness, but has not shown much gold lately. Some nice-looking veins of quartz appear to be striking off into the left-hand side of this drive near the face, and these the manager intends following shortly, with the object of ascertaining whether they will eventually burn oub to be the continuation of the footwall reef, which latterly has been running in conjunction with the Reuben Parr reef. By following these leaders a point will be reached directly underneath a winze which was sunk upon a couple of rich gold-bearing leaders below the Point Russell level, and probably they will be intersected aleo. If this supposition turns out to be correct connection with the winze can and most probably will be effected by putting up a ri.so some 30 or 40 feet. The stopes upon the footwall reef over the easbern drive are yielding their usual quota of crushing dirt, gold being freely seen, with occasional small parcels of picked stone. The winze upon bhe foobwall lode below the floor of the 100-feet level, westward of the junction of tho Reuben Parr reef, is down a depth of about SO feet, and is passing through an excellent sandstone country. The winze is on the hangingwall side of the reef, which is only broken into at intervals, in order to ensure its being correctly followed. Wherever it has been touched strong colours of gold have been seen, and yesterday a pound or bwo of picked stone was obtained from a small hangingwall stringer. The rise from bhe 200> feeb level, to connect with this winze, is up a height of 35 feet, and is coming up in exactly the same class of country. No quartz is being broken at this point, bub bhe wall of bhe reef is being followed, which is on the foobwall side of the rise. The repairs to the Point Russell level are now completed, and everything is again in good working order. This level, however, is chiefly used in connection with the bringing in of bhe timber from bhe surface which is used in securing bhe workings ab the 100-feeb level. The bimber is at present passed down through the old tributers' winze, bub Mr. Clarke is now having a chamber cut out with the view of pinking another winze, which will connecb wibh the western drive upon the footwall reef, at the 100 feeb level, about 120 feet in from the junction with the Reuben Parr reef. By so doing some 500 or 600 feet of trucking over a difficult road will be done away with, and better ventilation also obtained for the workings below. At bhe battery 25 head of stampers are employed 16 hours per diem on company's dirt, and five head on tributers' dirt. A cleaning-up will bake place ab the end of the month, when a good return will, no doubt, be obtained.

[BY TELEGRAPH.— OWN CORRESPONDENTS.] Thames, Thursday. Shakkmaket.—Cambria, 3s, sellers 3s 3d, buyers 3s ; Flying Cloud, 4d, sellers 5d ; May Queen, sellers os ; Moanataiari, 13s 6d, sellers 13s 3d; Norfolk, sellers Is 10d: Orlando, sellers Is Id ; Trenton, 3s, 3s 2d, sellers 3s 3d; Victoria, sellers Is 10d; Junction, 9d, buyers Bd. May Queen. —Seven tenders were received this afternoon for driving the proposed new crosscut drive, a distance of 235 feet, the prices per foot being as follows :— J. Thomas, 11s 4d; VV. Johnston, lls 9d ;W. Steer, 12s 3d; J. Heenan, 12s 5d ; J. Dare, 12s 6d ; W. Robinson, 13s 6d ; J. Casey, 19s 6d, They are to be forwarded to the directors. Cambria Company's! Battery.—At the Borough Council meeting to-night a letter was read from Mr. R. McDonald Scotfc asking , permission to extend the battery building beyond the company's allotment on to the borough property, in case it was decided to increase the present -stamper power. The letter was referred to the General Purposes Committee.

MIME MANAGERS , Alfred.— Intermediate level: The driv on the reef going east of winze is now in \l feet from winze. The reef at this point aver ages 18 inches in thickness. It i 8 n ' in good, compact form, and is looking We » Colours and dabs of gold are seen thron»b the stone; and where they are strik ping to-day there is a little gold showinn- £ the top of the level, and it promises to°i m prove as the drive goes ahead. There are two shifts engaged in this drive. Coin™ west from the winze, one shift ia engaged in taking along the leading stope." The reef here is fully 3 ieefc_ thick ; but I WoulfJ rather see it half that size, as the quartz i* of a better quality when about 15 to ig inches in thickness. However, it may much less at the next breaking down There has not been much quartz broken from here yet, owing to the hangings getting weak. When starting to stope, I had to take the men from here to secure it which occupied two days. It is now com'. pleted, and I will at once start Btopino again. The quartz looks well, and I have hopes of getting plenty of good crushing dirt from this block.

Cakbine (Kuaotunu). —The show of gold in the leader at the low level continues satisfactory. In breaking down this morn. ing very good prospects were got from the general stuff, and a few pounds of picked stone were also bagged. So far the vein seems very little interior to what it was J u the upper workings. Goldkn t Agk.—The winze sunk from the floor of No. 4 drive No. 1 level is now con. nected with the main winze that corammiicates with No. 2 level. This gives direct communication between the surface and No. '> level, a distance of 150 feet. This will now bs used as a pass for the crushing dirt from the surface workings. We are now strip. ping the cross reef ab the surface. This lode I propose to follow to its junction with the Golden Age reef. The contractors commenced work on No. 4 reef No. 2 level yesterday. Lone Hand.—As there is some likelihood of the break found about 25 feet back from the face of the low lerel tunnel not beim, No. 5 flinty the drive will be extended ffunu r n ther than intended before croescutting i n . to the hill. The country being now penetrated is of such a superior description o! sandstone that gold should be found in the level itself. Consols.—As the machinery is now well on the ground, and the contractor has made a start in its erection, instructions have been sent to Mr. John Gibbons, the superintending engineer, to furnish a report of the progress of the works weekly for publication and the information of the shareholder in the company.