THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9185, 27 April 1893, Page 6

THE GOLDFIELDS.

[BY TELEGRAPH.OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Thames, Wednesday. Shabkmarkkt. — Cambria, sales Is 4d, sellers Is 6d, buyers Is 2d ; Hazelbank, Bales 2s 3d, sellers 2a 4d, buyers 2s 2d; May Queen, aalos 3s 3d, sellers 3s 3d; Moanataiari, buyers 3s 9d ; Orlando, buyers 9d ; Saxon, sellers Bd.

North Star.—Crushing for this company is to bo commenced at Bull's battery to-morrow night. Albornia.Crushing with the stampers was concluded for this company at the Cambria battery this afternoon after passing about 60 loads quartz through, but it will take three or four days longer to put all the blanket tailings and headings through the berdans before the cleaning-up will take place. Six loads of quartz have been sent to the Norfolk battery at Tararu. There is nothing new at the mine. May Queen. —Driving east and west upon No. 4 lode at No. 3 level, and carrying the loading stopo along is now fairly under way. In the western drive a large flinty has just struck the reef and caused the latter to make a large " blow " of quartz carrying excellent mineral indications, but no gold has been seen so far. Colours of gold were seen in the quartz ab the last breaking down in the eastern drive, but here a small clay head has just come in and thrown the reef a little to the left. The reef in the loading stope is divided at presenb into two sections, with a band of mullock between, but altogether there are about 18 inches of crushing dirts coming to hand from this point. Up to this morning about 12 loads of quartz had been passed through the battery, and 32ozs hot-water squeezed amalgam had boon obtained therefrom. MINE MANAGERS' REPORTS. i Norfolk.— Missouri level has been i cleaned out a further ,distance of 40 feet, 1 making the total distance now cleaned out 300 feet. We passed through the broken ground on Thursday. The level as far as I can see is about three-parts full of sediment, but by the quantity of water we met when cutting through the rnn there must be a great deal of the level standing, and I hope very soon to be able to report having the whole of the level cleaned out. Lone Hand.—During the past week sinking operations at the intermediate level (No. 2) have been proceeded with. The winze which is being sunk upon the junction of the No. 1 leader with the No 5 break has now attained a depth of seven feet from the floor of the drive. The two breaks intersected at the intermediate level, which I referred to in my last report, have junctioned at a depth of about four feet underneath the floor of the level. The country encasing the leader for a distance of two feet on each side of the break is of a first-class description for gold. The leader, which was about an inch thick when sinking operations were commenced, and from which, during the latter part of the week we obtained about lib of picked stone, is now split up into several small threads of quartz. I intend to sink a few more feet, and if no improvement takes place, I shall then commence to stope out the ground opened up on both sides of the No. 1 winze.

Cambria. —At No. 2 level there is nothing fresh to report from the main reef. A supply of very fair crushing dirt is still being obtained from here. The leader being driven on in the footwall of the main reef above No. 3 level still averages about six inches in thickness. During the week eight or ten feet in length have been broken down. The quartz carries a quantity of bright mineral and blend, and looks very promising. A little cold continues to be seen in the quartz being broken from the main reef in the stopes on the eastern and western side of the cross leader, while a good supply of crushing dirt is also being obtained from here. Gold has been seen pretty freely through the quartz coming from No. 6 leader, and the two branch leaders. A few pounds of picked stone have also been obtained from them during the week. There is nothing fresh from the western branch of No. 7 leader. Intermediate drive below No. 3 level: Stoping on No. 6 leader above this level is in progress as usual. The quartz broken from here during the week has shown gold pretty freely, and several pieces of very fair picked stone have also been saved.

Victoria.—The drive at the 300 feet level has been driven a distance of 64 feet, and has now holed and connected with the old workings ou the same reef at this level; therefore all work has now been stopped at the 300 feet levl, and I have started two of these men at the 160 feet level to drive a crosscut to cut a reef about two feet thick that is running in the footwall of the hangingwall reef new being -worked at this level. This should be cut with about 15 feet of driving, and from all accouuts should be of some value to the company, especially as I am driving to cut it in the same channel of country that we are now getting the gold in on the nangingwall leader. In the stopes of the hangingwall leader a few pounds of picked stone are occasionally coming to hand, but the leader still continues somewhat small.

Red Merccry (Kuaotuuu).— There is a decided improvement in the Try Fluke reef. The reef is making again, and the dish prospects are better than they have been for some time.