THE GOLD FIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8663, 4 September 1891, Page 5

THE GOLD FIELDS.

[BY TELEGRAPH.SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.] Thames, Thursday. Shaeemakket.—Consols, Is, Is Id, buyers Is ; Lone Hand, sellers Is (3d ; May Queen, j sellers 8s Moanatai iri, Is 9d, sellers 8? ; Albiirnia, sellers 2s 6d ; Orlando, seller? 9d; Saxon, sellers 6s 6d ; Victoria,' sellers Is ' 7(1 ; Waihi, sellers 19s. Waiotahi.—The monthly return of gold from this mine is 2380z from 180 tons quartz crushed from all mparts of the mine. . Gold Pokohasks. —The local branch- of the Bank of New Zealand purchased gold as follows during- the month of August : — Thames County, 898oz lSdwt ; Thames Borough, 7750z 19dwt ; Piako County, 185oz Sdwt; Ohinenmri County, 28oz Sdwt ; Whangarei, loz Sdwt : total, 18J90,s 18dwb. May' Queen. —A portion of the No. 4 lode in the eastern drive at the new No. 2 level was broken down today. The lode averted fully two feet and a-half in thickness, and colours of gold were seen pretty freely distributed through the quartz, besides which the mineral indications were also good. Splendid sandstone country encases the lode. Saxon. —irom a survey made by the company's surveyor to-day, it was ascertained thnb there remains from six to eight feet further driving to accomplish before reaching the No. 3 lode at the drainage crosscut from the Prince Imperial shaft, at which point connection will also be effected with the Saxon' No. 6 level. The ground being penetrated is very firm sandstone, but it is anticipated that the connection will be made by noon to-morrow. Moanataiari.—The special feature in connection with this mine at present is the winze which is being sunk from the 100fect level upon the junction of the cross lode and : flat lode. When the winze was first started Mr. Clark intended to sink upon the junction of the flat lode and vertical leader, but after sinking a foot or two it was found that by so doing it would require about 50 feet of driving to be done later on from the stopes upon the flab lode above the intermediate between the 100 and 200 feet levels in order to effect a connection with the same ; consequently it was determined to follow the junction of the flab and crosslodes, which will take the winze right through to the stopes, providing that the flab lode in the <U>pt)s is identical with the one the winze is upon, which there is every reason to believe it is. The winze is now down a depth of about ten feet in splendid country, full of veins, and the two reefs range from a foot to fifteen inches in thickness of solid quartz, but a : good deal of the casing is also being saved for crushing purposes along with the qunrtz. At the time of my visit to-day a little gold was showing in the winze, but nothing of any importance. The 501b of stone obtained yesterday, however, were shown me, and some of these were very good, the gold being of very rough nature and well embedded into the solid quartz. It is estimated that it will require 50 feet of sinking to connect with the stopes at the intermediate, and 'at the point where the connection should be efFected a few pounds of picked stone were obtained a day or two ago, tho reef at that- point being about 15 inches thick, which fact promises well for picked stone for the whole depth to be sunk. Operations upon the Golden Age reef are in full swing, the drive and three stopes being in progress, consequently a large tonnage of quartz is coming to hand, and a little gold is seen in some of the veins. During the last day or two one man has been employed in opening out upon the last lode intersected in the south drive beyond the Golden Age reef about 10 or 12 feet back from the face. It is surmised that this will turn out to bo the Dav n of Hope reef, as its underlie is the correct one for that body, but whether it is or is not, re mains to be proved. It is a promising looking body of quartz from two to three feet thick, and it carries a large quantity of antimony. Mr. Clark is also anxious,to proceed with the extension of the southern drive towards what is known as the Waiotahi big reef, which is about 350 feet ahead, and where the drive would intersect, it would bo 160 feet below the bed of the Waiotahi Creek. The importance of this work is at once seen, when it is made known that the whole belt of country lying between the Golden Age reef and the big reef mentioned, a distance of about4oofcet. is intact right up to the surface, and there is a great probability of other reefs being met with in between, which might turnout to be highly auriferous. The other works in the mine are progressing as usual, but there is nothing of special interest to note this week, with the exception that No. 9 stope upon the main footwall lode has now arrived overhead the point where the good show of mineral was met with in Nos. 7 and 8 stopes. So far, however, nothing rich has been obtained, but the reef is looking very promising. Warden's Court.—The following business was transacted by Warden Northcroft to-day:—Applications granted : W. .D. Tilsley, To Ao Mara ma, Komata ; A. Benihain, prospecting claim, Waitekauri ; G. Bull, machine site, Tapu ; J. McCombie, protection for four months for Waitete Nos. 1, 2, and 3 licensed holdings, Waihi ; L. Melhose, protection to work Gem Licensed Holding, Waiomo, with two men for three months, and three months' protection also for machine site and two water races ; Dives G.M. Co., permission to amalgamate Dives and Silver King licensed holdings, Una Hill. The applications for Cardigan special claim, Thames, and Mount Morgan, Surplus, and Mount Zeehan licensed holdings ao Waiomo, and a prospecting claim to LI. Walmsley, at Waihi, were adjourned until 17th iust. A large number of applications for occupation licenses were adjourned to Ist October, upon'' tho application of the Mining Inspector. The following licensed holdings were declared forfeited for non-compliance with tho regulations; Croesus, Lucky Hit, Martini, Hongkong, El Dorado, and Esmeralda, all situated in Karaka Creek district; Kaiser, Nymph, and Mermaid at L'araru ; Midas, Waiotahi Creek ; Nineteenth Century and Progress, at Whangainata; Kohinoor, Hape Creek, Waiomo, Puhoi Holdings, at Wniomo; Otunui and Hercules holdings, Otunui district. In the following instances fines were inflicted in lieu of forfeiture:—James Baggott, Shot over, Shellback Creek. Mr. Miller appeared for defendant. A fine of £5 was imposed, whereupon Mr. Miller applied that it should be made optional whether defendant forfeited the holding or paid the fine. Tho Warden reserved his decision until to-morrow to look up authorities on the subject. John Banbury, Silver King, Whangamata, fined 20s; John Phillips, Specimen Hill, Karangahake, fined 20s; RMc Williams, Goldwater, Whangamata, fined 20s; W. Clayton, Exchange, Shellback, fined 20s; Peter Harris, National, Shellback, fined 20s. The application for forfeiture of the Gladstone Claim, Waihi, was adjourned until October 1. An application for forfeiture of the Adeline Amalgamated Gold Mining Company Special claim, situated at Karangahake, was also made by the Mining Inspector, on the ground that the number of men required by the regulations had not been employed. After evidence had been taken to show that .only two wages men and two tributers had been employed in the mine during the last six manths, Mr. Miller, who appeared on behalf of the company, said that no doubt the mine would nave been worked much better if gold had been ; coming out of the ground, but the difficulty had arisen because some shareholders would not pay up their calls. The company was now being wound up, and it was desired that tho ground should not be forfeited, but sold for the benefit of those who had paid their calls. Mr. Miller then raised the point as to whether the claim could be forfeited even admitting for the sake of argument that the Warden had power to forfeit special claims, and contended that as a new license had not been issuedhence the previous forfeiture of a portion of the ground —this could not be done. The Warden commented upon the fact of the tributers being unable to obtain a written agreement from the company and the unfulfilled promises made re the low level tunnel when tho amalgamations were effected, and a special claim grunted by the Court. lie also mentioned that Mr. McDonald Scott had been written to for the old license so that a new one could be granted, and he had replied that the old one was in England. Ho would, however, like to look up the points of law raised, and consequently would reserve his decision until the 17th instant.