THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 8880, 17 May 1892, Page 6

THE GOLDFIELDS.

[by telegraph, OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Thames, Monday. Moanataiari.Cleaning up and retorting took place to-day, after crushing 505 tons of general dirt and 401bs of picked stone, with the result that the payable return of 192 ounces of melted gold was obtained.

Big Pump.The water in the pumping shaft is now within three feet of the 400 feet level, it having risen a height of 14 feet within the last 10 days, consequently it will be necessary to rosume pumping operations about the latter end of this week, or early next week. Alburkia. —A crushing of 15 loads of quartz broken from Noa. 1 and 2 leaders ab the Whau level was completed this afternoon for the moderate yield of 7oz I4dwb melted gold.

SUCCESS G.M. COMPANY. A meeting of shareholders in the Success G. M. Co. was held in the office of Mr. J. J. Macky, Victoria Arcade, yesterday afternoon, Colonel Burton presiding. The Chairman explained that the Success mine had been forfeited for non working, and the capital of the company was exhausted. He had proposed amalgamation with the Pride of Karaka G.M. Cc., but the shareholders of that company could not see their way to come to any arrangement. Objection was taken by those present to the conduct of some of the original members of the syndicate, who had escaped their liability to the company by refusing to pay their allotment money. Tho Chairman »aid the shareholders had to meet a deficit of £80 or thereabouts. On the motion of the Chairman, seconded by Mr. W. S. \Vilßoait was then resolved "That the Success G.M. Co. be voluntarily wound up." Mr. J.. J. Macky was appointed liquidator ab a remuneration of £5.

ALBURNIA G.M. CO. An extraordinary meeting of shareholders in tho Alburnia Goldmining Company was hold yesterday afternoon in the office of Mr. D G. MacDonnell, Insurance buildings. Mr. J. F. Clarke presided. The business of tho meeting was to eliminate a portion of the rules or articles of association, viz., clause 29, which provided for a payment of a fee of 2s 6d for transfers. The chairman explained the object of tho meeting, and Mr. George moved that the clause bo struck out. Mr. A. (>. flacky seconded the motion, and it was carried.

We understand that the Red M erc ury Gold Minintr Company has purchased the Kuaotuuu Quartz Crushing Company plant, which was sold at auction last week, and bought bv Messrs. Price Bros. The Red Mercury lias already paid about £1000 for crushing, and the directors think that with improved processes fully one-third of this expenditure can be saved. It is also thought that a considerably greater quantity of bullion will be saved. It is highly probable that Cass el's process will be adopted.

MINE MANAGERS' REPORTS. Mariposa (Kuaotunu).—There is little to report in the mine. I am driving north, and getting very good prospects. The reef is seven feet wide, and shows a little gold all through. The excavation is completed at the battery site, and the scow is expected every hour. Red .Mercury (Kuaotunu). —The Great Mercury Company has seven feet further to drive to the boundary on the western branch to come over our rise. As I am rising on the boundary, a few shifts ought to see the drive over the required distance. By the time I get the work 1 am at finished the drive will be over. The south main drive still carries a strong Ixxlv of quartz, and where the shots break the reef 1 can get gold. Pride of Karaka. -There is nothing fresh to report in the mine. Good progress has been made in sinking the winze. It has attained a depth of3o feet, and 1 hope by the end of next week to be able to start driving from the bottom of the winze to open up a block of ground. The little quartz that has been broken during the week is of a very promising appearance, showing some splendid mineral and a little gold. I intend pushing this work on with two shifts, so as to get a block of ground opened up as quick as possible. » 1 ky I'l.ukk (Kuaotunu). — During the week the reef in the slope at No, 3 level, about IX) feet north from our south boundary, has opened out to a fine looking lode, and is from 3 to 4 feet through, portions of which give very fair prospects. I am in hopes we shall here have a good payable block of ground, the whole of which is intact up to No. 2 level. At No. 2 level we are rising and sloping in the south block referred to in my report. The lode here is about 18 inches through, and continues to prospect very well. The north stupe and the winze that is being sunk from No. 2 to No. 3 level, have both been idle during this week. The men from here are at present tilling in from the surface. I expect the whole of the tilling in will be finished in a few days, when the winze and slope above referred to will be pushed on as usual. The crushing at the battery is showing for a payable return. We have on hand from the plate up to date .SOoozs of amalgam. Great Mkrcory (Kuaotunu). —During the week the drive on the lied Mercury, western branch north, has been extended—total from crosscut 42 feet north, and .'l2 feet south. The south drive is only six feet six inches from the Red Mercury boundary. The quartz is ten inches wide throughout this drive, and prospects fairly well. The drive in the eastern branch is eight feet into the Red Mercury's ground. The stopes on this level are turning out payable ore for the battery. The drive on the new lode is extended south six feet and north eight feet, but very poor in gold. No. 2 level : I have not done any work on this level during the week. Intermediate level : The drive south has been extended seven feet during the week. The quartz is one foot four inches wide, carrying a little gold. The main level drive south is extended eight feet. The quartz is three feet wide. The whole is good enough to send to the battery. The mine is looking very well throughout, and there will be no difficulty in getting a fair supply to keep the battery constantly going. Battery : 1 started the battery for good on Wednesday. Sylvia —For the week, the contractors in No. 3 level have driven 11 feet, making in all 71 feet. There is no change of any importance. The rise in the same level to connect with No. 2 is up 48 feet. The reef continues to be a well defined body of quartz three feet wide. The stopes in No. 2 block in the same level continue to produce ore of the same grade. In the eastern end of this block I am through to No. 2 level. In the western end there are 50 feet of backs to No. 2 level. This is the end of the block that has been producing most of the ore lately, I would recommend putting up a rise, or sinking midway between the riao now in progress from No. 3 level and the end of No. 2 block, the distance between those two points being 240 feet, and as I am getting soma firstclass ore directly over where this rise would be started in No. 2 level, I consider it advisable to either sink from No. 2 or rise from No. 3. This will necessitate putting on four men more. No. 2 level : There is a marked improvement in the stopes in the western end of this level. There is a small band of ore which I am now bagging. From assays made from this band of stone, it is worth over £100* per ton, although the quantity is limited at present. I am in hopes it will I lead to something good. It is a fac si milt of | the ore where our beat gold was got. The stapes in the eastern end in this level continue to produce ore of the same grade as usual. There is no noticeable change. Sii.vicrton (Waihi). — Work on the surface outcrop of the lode is still being continued with eight men, who are breaking out daily considerable quantities of ore, which should pay handsomely for grassing, transit, and treatment. Whenever the weather is not favourable for surface work all hands are employed in the stopes, whore gold is freely visible in some of the atone, and the general ore is of good quality. From all parts there is now paddoeked at the mine about 150 tons of ore, which is in process of being carted to the mill by two three-horse teams, and the contractor, Mr. McClennan, intends pushing on the work of transit as speedily as possible by the employment of additional teams, while the present spell of fine weather lasts. The contractor for the cutting has finished the work right up to the starting point of the low level, and this week some of the mine hands have been engaged in timbering and otherwise securing the banks, which showed signs of caving. Hazklbakk.—The intermediate level has been driven a distance of 20 feet this week. The country has been rather broken, but it is now more solid in the face. The leader is about six inches in thickness. The quartz contains nice mineral, and it appears to be improving as it is driven upon. Stoping is being continued on the foot wall leader at the intermediate level. It is about eight inches thick. Gold has been more freely seen through the quartz these last two days than it has since we commenced to work on it; also 41b of picked stone were obtained from it yesterday. I have removed some of the men from where they were working on the cross reef to a leader that strikes into the footwall of the main reef at No. 1 level 1 (known as Darby's), about 60 feet eastward of the crosscut. The leader varies from six to ten inches in thickness, and is carry

ing ft considerable quantity of mineral. Also gold was freely seen through the quartz in breaking it out to-day, and about 3lb of picked stone obtained. This leader looks very promising, and to all appearance a patch of gold may be got in it at any time. The crushing is not completed, but the quartz crushed has been very poor. Expect the tailings to be all through on Monday. Seeing that the stuff was not payable, I deemed it advisable to discontinue work on the cross reef, and the operations are now confined to driving the intermediate level, stoping on the footwall leader, and driving on Darby's leader at No. 1 level. As those places were stopped I found it necessary to discharge twelve men. Sixty loads of quartz have been crushed for 120oz amalgam in cold water; picked fltono will be put through on Monday. . — _______