THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9404, 10 January 1894, Page 3

THE GOLDFIELDS.

[BY TELKGRAPH—OWN CORRESPONDENTS.] : -'y-,'r ' _ " Thames, Tuesday. :v Victoria.—The new crosscut) at the 300feet level haa been extended a distance of about 125 feet, which leaves ' about 25 feet further to go before the present contract is completed. A nice-looking leader, about six inches in thickness, and carrying a lot of silica, was intersected yesterday, bub no gold was seen. An excellent class of sandstone prevails. Waitkkauri.—The shareholders in the Welcome (Birnie's) licensed holding held a meeting on Saturday evening last, and decided to at once proceed with the erection of a five-stamper battery on the dry-crushing principle, with the view of treating their ore by the Cassel process. It was also decided to erect a kiln for roasting the ore on the same principle as adopted by the Waihi Company, and to connect the mine with the battery by means of an aerial tramway.' The prospects in the mine are said to be of a first-class character, and great results are expected from it when the reduction of the ore is commenced.

.;: MINE MANAGERS' REPORTS. Cambria.-!-Work at the mine and battery was resumed on Thursday last, the latter having undergone - a good overhaul. The winding.engine has also been put in good or v Driving on the mass of quartz veins at No. 2 level is being continued as usual. A fair supply of crushing dirt is being obtained from here, and occasionally some nice pieces of picked stone are saved. The quartz being broken from the main reef in the intermediate drive below No. 3 level still carries good mineral, and looks well for the occurrence of gold. The quartz coming to hand'from the different leaders in the stopea above No, 3 level continues to show gold, and is of a fair grade, especially that coming from No. 1 leader, which has yielded a little picked stone. Crushing for the company is in progress. May Queen section: The stopes going east from the junction are about the same as I reported in my last. A little gold is seen in breaking down the reef. The stopes on the north-west lode look rather poor; very little gold was seen during the week. In the stopes going west from junction to eastern break, a fair supply of crushing dirt is obtained, and a few colours of gold are seen in breaking down the reef. The stopes going east from winze to eastern break, the reef is small and very little gold seen. The stopes from the winze going west to centre break : The reef is small still; a few Sounds of stone came from here. Over this lock on : No. 2 level, I am informed good gold was got, so that I am in hopes of getting something better than has been got in this block so far. In the stopes going west from centre break to crosscut, a good supply of crushing dirt is coming to hand, and a few pounds of picked stone, about 151b being got tor the week. The leading stope going east from Moore's winze, is along 30 feet; the reef is small, about nine inches thick ; no gold was seen, still there is some nice mineral in the stone, and I think should improve a little higher up. A second stope was started this morning from winze, and in breaking down the reef this afternoon a few colours of gold were seen. At the Saxon the men started to-day to drive on the new lode at No. 6 level. This drive will be pushed ahead as fast as possible to tap the water and drain the May Queen section. The battery started this morning after having a thorough overhaul, and everything is working well. We have now one of the finest crushing plants on the field. The water is down in the May Queen shaft, 36 feet. l New Fearnought.— the Christmas holidays we have been employed enlarging the paddock, building shootj and laying truck road and flat-sheet. VV e should have finished that work on Saturday last, but owing to the rain two days in the week, we could not get on with outside work, so we were working in the drive. I expect to get everything finished by Wednesday, so that the four o'clock shift can start iu the drive. Our shoot is 109 feet long, 18in. by 12in., and we have 108 feet of truck road and the flatsheet laid; road laid up to the face of the drive. Our paddock will hold from 25 to 30 loads of quartz. We have not broke down the reef since last report; we have five feet stripped. The reef is showing 15 inches thick in the face at the last breaking down. The above work will cost a few pounds, but we shall convey our quartz direct from the face to the paddock on the county road in future, which will be a great saving to the company from what it was before the shoot was built. New Moanataiarl—Operations in the mine were commenced on Thursday last, and this morning a start was made with the battery after having undergone a thorough overhaul. Considerably more repairs had to be executed than I had anticipated. Two new spar wheels had to be cast and fitted on to the cam shaft, the old ones being cracked and unsafe for use. Advantage was taken during the holidays tore-line the pass leading from the luverness crosscut to the surface, and also repairing and re-timbering several places in the main tunnel. The following works underground are in operation :—Reopening the drive on No. 9 reef and driving on Kelly's lead on the 150-foot level, driving on the little specimen lead and tributers lead, 100-foot lovel.and stoning on the Golden Age footwall lode above the Point Russell level. From these latter workings there are a few pounds of picked stone being obtained. The surface workings were also started to-day, and we are now in a fair position to forward a good supply of crushing stuff to the battery if the weather keeps fine. Orlando.—The low level has been extended 15 feet during the week. The reef in the drive is well denned, and a strong large reef, with very favourable ground around it for gold. The winze is still going down very slowly, tWo of the men having given up the job, so now there are only four men in the winze. I will start the men to rise, who are working in the drive, as soon as I can get Mr. Adams to lay off the rise, but he has been away this week, but is expected home on Saturday, 6th, so I will try to see him and get started as soon as possible. Norfolk.—The rise from the Missouri level has been extended a further height of eight feet, making the total height of the rise 76 feet. The reef in the back of the rise is two feet in thickness, but is very tight to break at present; good strong colours of gold are seen when breaking the reef down. The drive west of the rise has been extended eight feet for the week, making the total distance driven from the rise 18 feet. The reef in the face is four feet in width, and is a nice compact lode. Though no gold is seen, there are some excellent mineral veins through the reef, and I will be very much disappointed if we do not soon see some gold. ■* Acme.The past week has been a broken one, only two men having been employed in the face for two and half shifts, during which time two feet six inches have been driven. The country in the face is close, hard sandstone, interlaced with small quartz veins, which contain a deal of mineral. The remaining portion of the time has been occupied in some necessary repairs. On Monday next two shifts will be employed, and I hope to be able to report the reel in another eight Or ten feet.

Victoria.— the. past week the contractors driving cross-cut at the 300 feet level have made fair progress; a good class of sandstone country being penetrated, and several small leaders cut varying from two to six inches in thickuess. At the 100 feet level, the northern cross-cut is being cleaned out, and re-laid down with rails,' timber, etc. This work I hope to have completed in a few days, when a start will be made to continue the cross-cut, and also to test some of the leaders already cut in this cross-cut.