THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9238, 28 June 1893, Page 3

THE GOLDFIELDS.

[BT TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] .: - I,'""',/,.'." . /Thames, Tuesday. ' Sharemarket.— following are this afternoon's quotations :—Cambria, Bales 2s 6d, sellers 2s 7d; Calliope, sellers sd; Hazelbank, sellers 3s; Victoria, sellers Sd. Bio Pump.Owing to the increase of water in the May Queen mine, ib has been decided to resume ; pumping operations below the 400-feet level again for a while, consequently Mr. Phillips this afternoon connected with the 500-feeb "lift," and started pumping from the 500-feeb level shortly after four o'clock. May Queen.—The water in the shaft below No. 3 level has risen very quickly since yesterday, and to-day ib was nearly up to the flat-sheeb, bub as a start was ' made this afternoon to, pump below the 400-feeb level in the Big Pump shaft, ib is hoped no delay will occur in the operations that are now being conducted at the No. 3 level of this mine. Some nice gold was seen to-day in the quartz broken from the eastern drive. Alburnia. The manager to-day banked 1440zs lSdwfcs of melted gold as a partial result of crushing 160 loads of quartz from Dixon's reef, broken from the drives and stones at the 70-feet level. There are still on hand a considerable quantity of blanket tailings accumulated from the above crushing, the treatment of which is being proceeded with, and from which about 50ozs more of gold are expected to be obtained. It is now intended to go on with the series of test crushings from the same reef as mentioned in Monday's issue. The first parcel to be treated will be one broken from the back of the western drive, near the poinb where the gold was recently seen in the hangingwall portion, and after that a parcel from the second stope will be dealt with. A start was made to send down the firsb lob to-day, which will comprise from 14 to 15 loads of quartz. Waihi G. and S.M. Co.—The contract for sinking this company's new shaft in the Martha section of the mine, in order to prepare for opening up a new low level upon the Martha reef has been let to J. Wilson and party, the depth to bo sunk from the surface being 150 feet, and the contract price £2 16s 4d per foot. The contractors find timber, ladders, and everything in connection with putting the shaft into workable condition. A start has been made by the party to pub the shaft down, and thoy have already reached a depth of nearly 20 feet, the country being favourable for speedy progress. In order to facilitate the work, the contractors have let a contract) at the presenb low level for driving a crosscut about 40 feet in length, to reach the poinb where the shaft will pass down through, the object being to eventually conduct the work of sinking from that point, and thus save the necessity of hauling the dirt broken righb up to "the surface, which will be a great saving to them of both time and expense. Ib will take the firsb 50 feeb of sinking to reach the presenb low level, and the remaining 100 feet will be underneath that level. Good progress is being made with the experimental plant being pub up at the company's battery, in order to thoroughly tesb the capabilities of the cyanide process in treating the class of ore won from the mine, and ib is expected to bo in full operation some time next month. Operations in the mine upon the Martha reef are resulting in a splendid class of ore coming to hand, and there is every reason for believing that this month's return will be the largest ever yet obtained by the company.

WHANGAPOUA DISTRICT. Mining matters in the Whangapoua district in the neighbourhood of the Owera mine and battery would appear to be almost ab a standstill according to a statement made to a Herald reporter by Mr. T. Barron, the well-known prospector, who is at present carrying on some works in the claim known as the Golden Spur. Operations in all the other mines have been suspended, and the fine works, crushing plant, tramways, and appliances erected ab so much cost by the Owera Company are virtually left idle. In the Golden Spur, Mr. Barron and a couple of men are putting in a crosscut drive from a low level to cut and tesb a reef which was found on the surface, and which gave returns of an ounce to the ton. The crosscub which will intersect the reef at a depth which will give 100 feet of backs is now driven 75 feeb, and Mr. Barron expects to find the lode within 10 feeb of the present face, for there is a considerable discharge of water. The surrounding country is firm bub easily worked. It is to be hoped the reef when found will prove payable, for should the present venture prove successful ib will have the effecb of giving the district a fresh starb.