THE GOLD FIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8681, 25 September 1891, Page 6

THE GOLD FIELDS.

[BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT,] Thames, Thursday. Calliope.—A crushing of 20 loads goneral dirt and 201b picked stono was completed for this company to-day for 340z lldwt molted gold, which was worth £2 17s per ounce.

Cambria Battery.—The erection of one of Mr. J. C. Fraser's grinding and amalgamating pans in this company's battery has so far. progressed that a tritil run of the pan was made to-day, and it was found to work very smoothly. It will be,, another day or two, however, before a start will bo made to grind tailings. Moanataiari. — The drive upon the Golden Age reef at the 100 feet level has been at a standstill during the week, in order to bring along the leading stope, so that the drive can be timbered before bringing in the pipes for the compressed air and water to work tho rock drill. _ The reef in tho back of tho drive is divided into two portions, each being about: eighteen inchos in thickness with four or" five feet of sandstono between, intermixed with small stringers of quartz, the largest portion of which is saved for crushing dirt. Some strong blotches of gold have been seen lately in the hangingwall portion of the reef, which is at present looking very promising, and to-day three or four pounds of fair picked stone were obtained. In tho faco of the second stope tho reef is rather mullocky at present, but tho whole of the formation is saved, as it is full of gritty quartz. In tho third stope, however, the reef is four or five feet in thickness, and is yielding somo very fair crushing dirt. Altogether a length of over 130 feet is now being stopod out, and the quartz coming to hand is of a payable quality. The flat lode in the stopes above the intermediate is looking very well, and shows gold freely, its thickness averaging fully 15 inches. A very fair grado of quartz is also coming to hand from the stopes upon the footwall and Reuben Parr reef in tho same intermediate stopes. No quartz has been,broken in the western intermediate'drive during tho past day or two, but the reef, which previously was inclined to be somewhat split into a number of stringers, appears to be making more compact again. The eastern intermediate drive from tho No. 2 winze upon tho footwall reef has been carried along about 25 feet. At this point a clay head crosses and cuts thequartz out, which same feature occurred in the drive above, but the reef makes all right again a feet ahead. The manager intends, however, to beat out this block for tho length mentioned up to the level above for the present, and consequently has just started the second slope. The reef is about 15 inches in thickness, and has shown good colours of gold. The quartz coming to hand from the main footwall reef above the 100 feet level is at present rather low grade, but. a few colours of gold - are seen in tlio stringers on the walls of the reef. A little quartz of a better quality, however, is coming to hand from the drive upon the cross leader put in from No. 8 stope. This leader is about nine inches in thickness, and shows colours of gold freely. The Unicorn level is now cleaned out and repaired to the top of the winze upon the specimen leader, and to-day the men were engaged in erecting a windlass previous to starting to clean out the winze preparatory to commencing to sink. At the battery 25 head of stampers have been at work on Cocks' dirt up to to-day, but these were reduced to 20 head this morning. Coro.uandel, Thursday. Scotty's crushed 20 pounds of specimens, getting 250z gold. The general stuff is shaping better. Mr. Wilson, Mining Inspector, has obtained some good stone and ordinary as samples of thcdistrict,and is also endeavouring to get somo rich stono from the Success.

North Kavanoa.—The main tunnel is going through good country. Kapanoa, it is rumoured, is going to erect a larger plant at once, and sink deeper. Cokomaxdel.—TheMlnspector visited tho" mine, with which he is pleased. The country is very good, and the machinery works well.

LUCKY HIT G.M. CO. An extraordinary general meeting of the shareholders in this company was called for yesterday afternoon, in the office of the secretary, Mr. B. Gilmer, but a sufficient number were not present to form quorum. Those who did attend had a conversation upon the prospects of the mine, strong dissatisfaction being expressed with regard to the manner in which it had been worked. Several shareholders expressed the opinion that the company ought to bo wound up, and the property sold, but ultimately it was agreed, although of course no formal motion could bo adopted, that the directors should make a further call of a halfpenny to pay liabilities and further test tho mine. Mr. Edwin Harrow began to read a resolution he had prepared, condemnatory of mining companies and mine managers generally, the effect being that the gentlemen present dispersed with unwonted celerity.

MINE MANAGERS' REPORTS. New Alburnia.—Battery level: There is no change to report from Dixon's reef. There being at present only a small staff of men employed in these stopes, the supply of quartz from here is rather limited. VVliau level: Footwall leader Since passing through a small break which was met with in this drive about 30 feet back from the, present face, the country lias not been so favourable to good progress being made, the present face being a network of small quartz stringers and bright mineral se;wis. The leader continues to look promising, gold being seen in the quartz at each breaking down up to the present face. Another 25 feet of driving will finish the present contract. The leading stope on this leader from bottom of winze has been carried along a distance of .SO feet, and the drive securely timbered. The quartz stripped in this stope was shot down during the week ; strong colours of gold were seen through the general dirt, while a few pounds of picked stone were also selected. The pass and shoot at bottom of winze will be finished to-day, when a No. 2 stope will be started. North Star.—The local directors and myself have been lately investigating some reports which were current of very rich gold being found ill the early days within the North Star boundaries, and wo have now satisfied ourselves that these reports are of such importance as to warrant the company extending their operations in the direction of reefs and leaders in which these finds were made. In order to show clearly the position of the various lodes, and the amount of work which will be necessary to develop them, I have had a survey made of their positions, and they are now placed on your plans. As this work will be merely a continuation of our present operations, it will not alter in any way our system of working, and will only give us something more encouraging to drive for. That this information is reliable we have proved from different sources, and all the accounts agree as to the richness of the finds obtained. Mv operations last week in the intermediate level were stripping and breaking down quartz. The reef is nicely mineralised and four to six inches thick. The contractors are getting on rather slow they only drove '20 feet for the fortnight. Dare, the tributer, crushed thiee loads for the good return of 21 ounces of gold. Norfolk.—During the past week the low level has been extended a further distance of 11 feet. The country in the face is still very tight; there has been more heads crossing the face than usual, and I ain expecting to meet with better ground every shift. °