THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8530, 2 April 1891, Page 3

THE GOLDFIELDS.

[by telegraph.—own correspondent], Thames, Wednesday. Biiaremarket. —Cambria, s^i 1 •- 3s 3d ; Caledonian (old issue), sell..- Is 6d; Consols, sellers Is 4d, buyers Is '2.1 ; Hazelbank (2a paid up), buyers Is 6d; Lone Hand, sellers 2s 6d ; May Queen, buyers 5s 9d ; Moanataiari, sellers 9s 6d, buyers' 9s; Alburnia, sellers 3s; Norfolk, sellers Is 6d ; Orlando, sellers lid; Victoria, sellers Is 6d ; Waihi, sellers 2Ss 6d. Moanataiari. —This company's monthly retort takes place in the morning, but only a moderate return is expected. May Queen. —A start is to ' be made tomorrow morning to prepare for sinking the winze on No. 4 footwall branch below No. 1 level. It will bo remembered that a good (Trade of quartz was taken from this leader when it was first driven on at No. 1 level, and also for several stopes above drive, but eventually it got poorer as the stopes were worked upwards. This leads to tho belief that better results will be obtained under foot. The new eastern drive towards the main break at No. 2 level is now in over 60 feet, and good country is still being cut. The crosscut at No. 1 level is still going through hard rock.

MINE MANAGERS' REPORTS. Owera (Whangapoua).On Saturday I managed to break through from our low level to the winze. For the last 25 feet in ttie drive we have driven alongside the reef and the best portion of tho present week will be occupied in taking down the reef and in securing the drive with timber. »1 have broken samples at various distances all along .where the reef is left standing, and some of these I send you by this mail. You , will probably see little or no gold until the ore is pounded and panned off. By this means, however, you will find it is of great value, and I am glad to say there seems abundance of it. From the winze alone there are over 60 tons on hand, 25 tons of which are bagged. Half of this is already at the lower, mill, and will be shipped to Auckland by a cutter which arrived this morning. The balance will reach the lower mill by end of this week and will follow to Auckland by next craft.

Flying Cloud.—We have risen 15 feet during the past week, making the total distance 51 feet from starting point. We are getting up now into a better class of goldbearing country from what we had when we started to rise. The country in the back of the rise at the present time is an excellent class of sandstone, well impregnated with mineral and quartz veins, which have shown a little gold in them for the last three or four feet, but not sufficient to warrant it to be payable as yet. We have not taken down any of the reef during the past week. Crackshot.—The minestill continues of the most promising character. I am of opinion that wo are about entering a new belt of country. H Hitherto the hanging and foot wall rocks have been rather tight on the floor of the drive, and a softer formation is taking place. What little we saw of the lode at the bottom looks well, carrying plenty of minerals. The stone saved since, gold was first seen is about five tons. Junction.The crosscut is now in a distance of 288' feet. The country is a little easier. There is water coming out from the heads during the last few days. I think we should soon be getting into better country. New Alburnia. — Battery _ level: The topes on Dixon's reef above this level have during the past week beon turning out a better class of ore, gold having been seen on several occasions. In the No. 5 stope there are now about 18 inches oi crushing dirt, which has a very promising appearance, being well mineralised, while the country on both walls of the reef is all that could be desired. In the No. 6 stope there is now a fine compact body of stone fully two feet in thickness, the quartz being thickly impregnated with bright minerals. There is also at present a great quantity of silica making its appearance in the reef, which is always considered excellent indication in this reef for good payable crushing dirt. During the past week a rise has been put up for a No. 7 stope, the country penetrated being a nice firm sandstone, with mineral seams again making their appearance in the country. The reef here on oeing shot down proved to be about 18 inches wide, of excellent looking crushing dirt, showing good colours of gold, while the different minerals are equal to any yet seen in this reef. On Friday last a start was made to sink a winze on the Success reef ■from the battery level, and considering the j fair prospects obtained from this reef at this i level both by tributers and the company a Eayable block should be opened up. While reaking a portion of the reef in the winze on Saturday a few pounds of fair picked stone were obtained. This winze will also afford I good ventilation through the centre of the ;block. A start will be made about Thursday |next to forward the qmrtz on hand to the battery. Mountain Flower.The eastern drive on the White Rose reef has been extended six feet, tho country has been rather tight during the latter part of the week, although a very good class of sandstone, it being intersected with mineral veins. The reef was broken down on Friday, and the appearance of the stone has improved, as there is more bright mineral, and blend contained in it, and colours of coarse gold were also seen. The reef is still about six inches wide. The drive on the specimen leader has also been extended about seven feet, through a very favourable class of country, colours of gold were seen when breaking down on Saturday, but no picked stone obtained for the week. I am rather surprised at not getting some, as the quartz contains a splendid* class of mineral, which usually accompany gold. The leader is somewhat larger, being about six inches wide in the face.

Freedom.— level: During the past week three men have been engaged opening out at the top of the rise 80 feet above this level in an easterly direction. Ten feet have been driven for the week. The country is favourable, and the reef has also a better appearance. In future reports I shall call this tho 80-feet level. Intermediate level: Sinking at this level is proceeding as usual, without any noticeable change cither in appearance of lode or country. Since last report colours of gold are seen every time the lode is broken down.

Saxon.—No. 6 level: The eastern and western drives on the No. 1 main reef at this level have been delayed the most of the week for the purpose of allowing the timber to be fixed and snoots and air and water pipes to be placed in position to allow the rock drill to be again used in these faces. This work has now been completed, and driving again resumed; also two stopes have been started, one on the west of winze and one on the east. As these works are now completed, I hope to be in a better position to send a larger supply of quartz to the. battery from this level. No. 2 reef: The drive on this reef at same (No. 6) level has been extended for a further distance of 18 feet for the week. This reef now averages two feet in thickness, carrying good minerals and occasionally a few pounds of picked stone are saved. It is running in a much better class of country for working. Other works in progress : Four stopes on the junction of Nos. 2 and 3 reef over No. 6 level; six stopes on the new reef over No. 5 level, also the drive on the No. 1 footwall leader at No. 3 level. There,is no change to report in any of the above stopes since" my last woek's report.

Carbine (kuaotunu).— Stopes on branch vein in No. '2level have yielded good crushing dirt. Some of the stuff from the leading stope south of the winze has given excellent prospects, and from the one above it a few pounds of picked stone weie got in the early part of the week. ! ( 'air headway is being made in driving on the reef in No. 3 level, but there is no change of any consequence to report. Some work is being done in exploring the ground on the east side of the main lode in No. 1 level. Two or three small leaders have there been cut, one of which shows a few colours of gold when tested in the mortar. A start will be made early next week to send stuff to the battery. Hongkong.—The country is still good, with nice mineral veins, but they are running with the leader instead of across. Dives.—There is no important change in the mine since my last report. Two stapes are still in progress above No. 2 level. The reet in the back stopo is about 15 inches in thickness, and has been broken down for a length of 11 feet. It carries excellent minerals. Good colours of gold are seen through the quartz, and during the week 9lbs of picked stone have been bagged from it. In the stope below 12 feet of the lode have been stripped and broken down here. There are from five to six inches of crushing dirt, in which colours of gold are seen, but no picked stone has been obtained from this stope for the week. The rise from No. 2 level has been advanced 10 feet for the week, or 29 feet from the back of the drive. The country through which the rise is going remains the same. A few more days will Complete this work, and give us better facilities for getting down mullock, and secure good ventilation. The crosscut on main flinty is still in very tight country, but has been extended eight feet for the week, or 419 feet in all. Carting to the battery was commenced to-day. There are 18 loads of general dirt and 351bs of picked stone on hand. j Success.—During the week a distance of | 16 feet has been . driven along the course of the No. 1 reef, cutting the main crosscut, ten feet having been driven on the western side, and six feet on the eastern aide. In the western side the reef is somewhat disturbed, caused by a clay head crossing the face, but it is again improving; in the eastern drive

the reef still continues its usual thickness, from 18 inches to two feet, and likewise carrying pome promising minerals and running in a good sandstone country. Victoria. — During the past week; the crosscut drive has been extended a further distance of 15 feet, making a total distance of 40 feet for the fortnight. The work has been much more tedious the past few days, owing to the hard nature of the quartz at present crossing the face. \ p Pride of Karaka. —The country still continues'very hard— eight feet having been driven for the week. r Otama (Kuaotunu). — mine manager telegraphed yesterday : — Started crushing yesterday. Dirt shaping well." Caledonian.—The drive on the hangingwall portion of the No. 2 reef at No. 2 level has been driven a total distance of 105 feet from the crosscut. This drive holed into a crosscut (that was put in by Capt. Richards) on Friday, so this has given this place ventilation. A rise is now being put up near tho face of tho drive on the reef. _ There is about 15 inches of quartz in the rise. Some of it is carrying rich mineral for gold, so that I am in hopes as it is risen upon it will improve. The No. 2 reef at No. 3 level is three feet in thickness in the drive that is "being extended eastward on it. There is a good deal of mineral in the quartz in places, but so far no gold has been seen. Two men have been taken from this drive for the purpose of cleaning out a pin "3 to get at the leader that has been successfully worked by Ryan and other tributers. In the course of a day or two the men will commence driving on this leader.

MXv Queen.lnstructions have been forwarded to sink a winze on I*l o. 4 footwall branch leader at No. 1 level on the specimen run of gold found in the drive and in stoping upwards. Along the whole line of the floor or the drive on the leader it was found intact. The winze will therefore prove how far it goes down, and the No. 2 level being now clear to the City of London shaft, the work can be done to advantage. It may bo remembered that the May Queen maiden crushing of 28 loads for the yield of 1590z ldwt gold came from this little leader.