THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9335, 19 October 1893, Page 6

THE GOLDFIELDS.

(BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] ' ;.. Thames, Wodnesday. Sharemarket.— sales . 3s sd; Cambria, sellers Is 6d ; Calliope, sellers sd; Hazelbank, sellers 2s 3d ; May Queen, sellers Is lOd, buyers Is 6d ; Moanataiari, sellers 3s 3d ; Orlando, sellers Bd. May Queen.—The amalgam accruing from 82 loads of quartz crushed since the last monthly clean up, on the 9th inst., was bo-day retorted for a return of 670z 18dwt melted gold. Crushing on behalf of the company is now suspended.

DEEP LEVEL GOLD PROSPECTING. , [BY TELEGRAPH. OWN CORRESPONDENT.] • ' '•- Wellington, Wednesday. . The Government propose to ask the Queensland Government for the temporary, services of Mr. R. Jack, the Governmenb Geologist of that colony, in examining and reporting upon the deep levels of the West Coast', Thames,* and Otago Goldfields. Mr. Jack is said to-be an expert of European reputation, who has had large experience in connection with theGympie Goldfields, bhe Charters Towers ; mines (in granite), and other deep level mining enterprises. MINE MANAGERS' REPORTS. , Hazelbank.—ln carrying « along the leading stope eastward on Darby's leader, at the No. ' 2 intermediate ' level, we find the lead that'we had driven on for about 30 feet back from the face of the drive has only been a dropper, and the main lead is in the hangingingwall of this; consequently, driving has now been commenced on this one. It is a little split up at present, but, as it is driven upon, it, will come together again. A little gold, has been seen in the quartz, and the country, is all that can be desired. The lead-ing-stope westward of the winze has been, carried forward to the face of the drive. The lead is underlying very flat, and, apparently,, has been thrown into the footwall; but, from . what we can see, it will again take its' regular underlie in the next stope. In the drive 1 On Darby's leader at No. 1 level the > lead will average six inches in thickness. -The quartz still contains a good deal of silica, amongst which gold has been frequently seen. Sloping operations on the back of this level are proceeding as usual. In the leading stope there is nothing new of any importance since my last. In the second stope the lead continues to look well,although it is somewhat split up. Most of the veins are carrying a little gold, and in all there are about 15 inches of crushing dirt, but as the quartz and mullock has to be) shot down together it' requires careful selection before it is sent to the battery. Ten pounds of picked stone were obtained from here during the week. The fourth stope on the cross reef above the No. 2 intermediate is being carried along eastward from the winze. A little of the quartz has been broken down, and alrhough no gold has beeu seed the reef is more compact than since stoping was commenced. There is nothing new to report from the reef in the rise at No. 3 level. Crushing will be commenced about Tuesday next.

New Moanataiari.— start was made during the week to drive on a orosslead which was intersected in the drive driven from the Mo. 1 level of the Caledonian shaft to connect with the 150-foot level. The quartz in this lode is of a very white description, aud contains almost no mineral. A few colours of gold, however, have been seen, aud I think the quality of the stone will improve as the drive advances, for we should get into a better class of country goiug eastward, and the lead which the drive was carried in on in the Hazelbank Company's ground should be met with in about 20 or 30 feet. Driving has also been commenced on a lode which was intersected in the south crosscut and driven on eastward for a distance of 130 feet by Mr. Comer. This lode is a very compact body of stone, averaging two feet'in thickness, and there has been no work done on it further than the driving of the level. In the face where the drive stopped there is a soft clay seam dropping down vertically from the hangingwall on to the reef which has broken it up, and the formation of the lode at present consists of a soft puggy clay. This may carry along for some distance, but there is no doubt the quartz will make again all right. The cleaning -up and repairing of the level on No. 9 roef back towards the shaft will be gone on with as opportunity affords for hauling the mullock. I have also made a start to re-open the old Hope tunnel leading from the winding engine on the surface to the shaft. The latter will not require a great ileal of repair; and, should we be fortunate enough to meet with payable quartz, the hauling could be done as heretofore through our own workings. Rather poor grade quartz has been comiug to hand from the Golden Age footwall lead in the stopes above the Point Russell level this week, but to clay about 7lb or Blb of picked stone were got in the top stope, near the junction of the big reef. The surface dirt is shaping a little better again, 3loz of amalgam having been obtained from 250 tons treated. There have also been 50 tons of quartz crushed for 230z of amalgam.

Cambria.— section, No. 2 level: The prospects being met within the winze on Wo. 1 leader are so far very encouraging. The quartz broken during the week has shown gold freely, and has also yielded a few pounds of picked stone. The cross reef in the drive from the winze below No. 3 level continues to be of a rubbly nature, carrying some very good mineral, and has also a favourable appearance for gold. Darwin section, No. 3 level : The quartz being broken from No. 1 leader in the winze continues to look well, and also shows gold. The leader is still in two branches, which are coming together as they go down. The work of stoping on the leaders and main reef above this level is proceeding as usual. There is, however, nothing of importance to report. A supply of quartz of a fair grade is still being won from them. No. 6 and the cross leader below No. 3 level continue to yield a supply of fair crushing dirt. Crushing for the company is proceeding with five head of stampers. The battery and winding engine are in good working order.

Calliope.—During the past week a rise has been carried up on No. 2 reef for a disstance of six feet, and a leading stope started east, which is now along five feet. The reef has been taken down, and will average six inches thick. It showed colours of gold. The quartz is of a kindly nature, and carries a good deal of dark mineral with it. I think it would be advisable to crush a trial parcel from it, say four loads, to test its value. I shall have that quantity about the end of next week. The surveyor has not yet defined the boundary, but I expect him to do so early next week. The crushing of eight loads from the winze produced Boz sdwt of melted gold. Gentles and party crushed four loads for Boz 13dwt melted gold, and as this did not give them £1 per week they declined to pay percentage.

_ New Fearnought.—We broke through into the surface formation last Tuesday. We then cut a drain, to take away the surface water, put in some atull pieces at the bottom of the drive, and started to stone, but there are about nine feet of a surface formation, Dy which the reef is cut off. We had a good solid sandstone all the length of the drive, before this was met with. The reef is two feet thick in the stope. I saw several stones with gold in, but no picked stone. We started to stope, this morning, from a rise Mr. Howse put up (rise, just one stope high). We are working each end of the stope, so, by the end of this week, we will be ready to start to sink the winze. Our. top paddock is about full. We have seven loads of quartz on hand, which we shall get down to the lower paddock as soon as the weather clears. Lonk Hand.—A crushing of four loads of quartz taken from the Manchester reef above the intermediate level, was completed at Bull's Battery on Friday last, for the return of sdwt melted gold, which proved nonpayable. Consequently stoping operations have been suspended for the present. Dives section : The contractors are making fair progress with the extension ot the crosscut which is being driven upon the course of Styak's flinty, it having been advanced a distance of 19 feet during the week, which makes a total distance of 89 feet driven from the Occidental tunnel. lam pleased to say that the hard ground which the contractors have had to contend with for some time past, has now disappeared altogether, and a much more favourable class of sandstone is now being penetrated. The flinty, which still looks well, is not quite so thick in the present face, as formerly, but still continues to carry some first-class mineral. During the former part of the week it was split up into two separate parts, one of which was striking away to the left, but it is now bearing around to its usual course.

May Queen.— eastern drive on No. 4 lode has been at a standstill this week. The Nos. 1, 2,3, and 4 stopes over this drive are all squared up to the pinch. The No. '6tope looks fairly well; the reef is fully 18 inches. The No. 6 stope is just started, and looks well; gold is seen in the quartz and a few stones selected on Saturday. The scopes on the north-west lode are 1, 2, 3, aud 4, which are all squared up to the low-grade ore. The No. 5 stope looks fairly well; the reef is fully 15 inches. No. 6 stope is just taken off from the rise. • Here the reef is 20 inches, and gold is seen occasionally in the quartz. The rise close to the junction is now up 59 feet from the back of No. 3 level, and we calculate 20 feet more will hole through to No. 2 level. ' The reef is 15 inches in the rise, and looks fairly well; gold is seen occasionally.

The sixth stope «ast of winze is getting close up to the eastern break: here the reef is \£ inches. • The quartz looks pretty well, but no gold has been seen. The fifth stope west of winze" is not yet up to the rise ;/ here the lode has improved a litfclo, and is now eight inches, and showing | colours of gold, a . l »* No. 6 stope is here close up. to the "inty, and the. quartz disturbed showing excellent minerals, but no gold. The rise on the middle break is scarcely up; aboutsixfeet see these two places holed through ; the lode in the rise is knocked about, and when through shall be able to tell more about.it. The leading stope on No. 2 lode is being opened up at both ends of (the rise, and timbers being put in. The reef in these stones is from 12 to 15 inches, carrying some nice minerals, but no gold has been seen. Ihe rise on this lode has been risen four feet for the week, and fully nine feet long, but no quartz taken down. Reduced hands as per wire; cleauing up all quartz to-day, which will be put through the battery before cleaning up. I have retained six men to push the rise through as speedily as possible, and as the • drives were both idle on the No. 4 and north-west lodes I thought it advisable to call tenders for driving 50 feet in < each > drive while the rise was being pushed through. I expect the dirt will be , through by Wednesday, when gleaning up will take place. Trenton section The drive in the hangingwall lode is now in 20 feet from the Saxon boundary. We are only carrying the hangingwall portion of the reef. The remainder will be taken down when the drive is through. The country is a tight sandstone, but good for gold. There is splendid mineral in the quartz, but no gold ,has been seen. Eight or ten days should see this drive holed through. The tributers in the Saxon section are all busy, hoping to meet with something like Clar kin's success.