THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9287, 24 August 1893, Page 3

THE GOLDFIELDS.

[by telegraph.—own correspondent.] Thames, Wednesday. SnAßEMarkict.—Alburnia, buyers 4a 3d"; Cambria, sellers 2s, buyers la 6d ; Calliope, sellers 5(1, buyers 4d ; Hazolbank, sellers 2s 10d, buyers 2d 8d ; May Queen, sales 4s Id, sellers 4s ; Moanataiari, sellers 3s 3d ; Orlando, buyers ll£d ; Saxon, sellers Is yd. Victoria.Owing to the Cambria battery being otherwise engaged, crushing for this company will not be commenced until to-morrow morning. There is nothing now in the mine.

May Queen. —There is little fresh to report from this mine. Winding operations were resumed this morning after the stoppage for the annual boiler inspection. The reef in the eastern drive at No. 3 level is rather smaller than it has been for some time pant, bub the reef going west continues about IS inches in thickness, and still shows strong colours of gold. Hazelbank.—The prospects in Darby's leader, both at the No. 2 intermediate workings and at No. 1 level, are of a very encouraging character, and although but little picked stone has been obtained for several days past, still gold has been seen very freely in the quartz broken, and it is no doubt a. good class of crushing dirt. The annual inspection of • the winding-, engine boiler was completed this afternoon, and several repairs effected, and the winding of dirt from the mine will be resumed to-morrow evening. Alburnia.The eastern drive ab the 70 feet level is now being pushed ahead with three shifts, but so far there is no improvement in the reef, which is fully seven feet in thickness, and appears to bo still opening out. Stripping the footwall branch in the No. 6 stope upon Dixon's reef west of the winze is now in progress, and a breaking down at that point will probably eventuate to-morrow. It is not likely there will be another breaking down of Dixon's roef in No. G stopo east of the winze before Friday next. The manager informs me that the amalgam accrued up to yesterday's cleaning up amounts to 7290z, of which 3020z have accumulated during the week then ending.

MINE MANAGER'S REPORTS. May Qceen'. —The eastern drive has been extended 14 feet for the week. The reef in the face is small, only ten inches. It looks very well, full of silica, and showing gold when taken down. The drive going northwest, on the north-west lode, has been extended 12 feet for the week. Here the reef is IS inches ; the hangingwall portion shows gold pretty freely. The leading stop© over this drive is pretty close up. The reef here is '20 inches, and shows gold pretty freely when broken down; a few pounds of picked stone were saved from here and the drive through the week. In the loading stope going east the reef has been pinched, but is now opening out again and looks lairly well. Gold was seen in the quartz, when breaking down. The second stope is close on the junction with the north-west lode; here the reef is 15 inches, and looks very well, with gold distributer! pretty well through the quartz, and a few picked stone came to hand from here during the week. The third stope is now approaching the splice where the gold first made. The fourth stope is still in the white quartz; the reef here is a good size, and shows a little improvement in the quartz. The fifth stope is now being squared up on the eastern break. The reef here is split up and requires careful picking over. No cold was seen on the break in this stope. The drive west of the winze has been holed through to the crosscut driven to the right of the main drive. Here the reef is very small, but carrying silica and good minerals. The leading stope is being carried along so as to put in timbers. Here the reef is small, eight inches. No gold has'been seen in this stope for the week. The reef in the third stope is knocked about by the iulluence of the big flinty. In this stope there is a large quantity of good mineral. The fourth stope is in the big flinty. Here there is a large quantity of crushing dirt heavily charged with mineral. It shapes fairly well at the battery. The fifth stope is just started from the winze. The reef hero is small and white. This is not clear from the influence of the flinty. lam still crushing with ten heads at the Cambria battery. There are 240 ounces of amalgam on hand. Nr.w Amjuhnia.The eastern drive at the 70-feet level during the past week has been extended a further distance of 12 feet. The reef continues about seven feet in thickness, but so far there is little improvement. A soft head crossed the drive a few feet back from the present face ; this head was similar to that met with in the fifth stope or intermediate level running immediately over the 70feet level, and I was then in hopes that a similar class of ore would most likely be met with as soon as the head was cut through, but so far there is no appearance of improvement making.down to this level. In the No. 6 stope, 30 feet over the eastern drive and at a point 45 feet east of winze, the reef still continues to turn out a fair class of payable I ore, carrying large quantities of copper and iron pyrites, and frequently a few pounds of picked stone are obtained, as advised by wire, on the 18th inst. 20 pounds, and to-day 00 pounds, in all 50 pounds I from this stope tor the week. Stopes going west on the main reef: —No. 6 stope : The reef in this averages about _ three feet in thickness, and is of a heavy mineralized character, yielding at the battery about loss .to the load. The intermediate drive going west on the footwall branch of Dixon. reef: This has been driven a farther distance of 12 feet. The reef averages about 10 inches in thickness, and gold ia freely seen through the quartz at each breaking down ; this drive is now on a line with the No. 5 stope. I intend now to discontinue this for the -present, and bring forward the No. 6 stope. The battery has been fully employed during the week crushing as usual with 22 stamps, 8 hours; and the eight berdans and two pans working the 24 hours. Amalgam for the week From berdans and pans, .3020z; total on hand, 7290z. Picked stone on hand, 501b. Oblanuo.—Good progress is being made with the low level drives, 20 feet being driven during the past week. The ground is almost as good as could be desired, and of a most favourable description for gold, and I am pleased to say that to-day we have seen several colours of gold in breaking down the reef, and I am in hopes that this will lead to something good.