THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9489, 19 April 1894, Page 3

THE GOLDFIELDS.

[by telegraph— own correspondent.] Thames, Wednesday. Orlando. — The tender of McMenamin and party, at 16s 5d per foot, has been accepted by the directors for the extension of their new intermediate level, a distance of 150 feeb. The contractors ha?e commenced operations.

May Queen.— quartz coming to hand from the stopes on No. 4 reef westward of Moore's winze at No. 3 level, continues to show gold pretty freely, and shapes for a fair return at the battery, bub in the drive going west the reef is still pinched, and composed principally of a clay formation. There is still a small portion of the last stope left to beat out on the same reef in the block near the centre break, and the quartz is of a good payable character. Very good progress is still being made by the contractors in the extension of the No. 6 level with the aid of the rock drill, and the winze upon Clarken's leader below No. 1 level is down a depth of about 30 feet. A trial crushing of five loads of quartz from this latter point is now being pub through the battery.

MINE MANAGERS' REPORTS. May Queen (April 16). —The drive going west from Moore's winze in now in 111 feet. The quartz are still of a rubby nature. The trial crushing of nine loads put through was worth 9dwt per load. This is encouraging to push the drive ahead, as there was payable quartz got in No. 2 level, about 80 feet ahead of our present face. The stopes coming west from Moore's winze still produce a few pounds of picked stone, the reef being one foot thick. The last stope being taken out west of winze to centre break is scarcely finished: this stope has produced a few pounds of picked stone. The small lead going off in the foot wall is now very small, still gold is seen, and a few pounds of picked stone selected. The winze being sunk at Saxon on Clarken's leader is down 26 feet, and the lode looks well, colours of gold seen, and nice mineral in the stone. The country is all that could be wished for gold, and if it lasts down to No. 2 level, I have no doubt of getting a payable block. The contractors are making good progress, having driven 74 feet since starting, Picked stone for week, 251b ; amalgam . for week, 140oz ; battery running one shift, 22 head for company and 10 head for tributers. New Alburnia (April 17).—The principal works carried on in the mine have been the extension of the drive on the course of workings on the Dixon reef, and this has been driven a further distance of 28 feet. < The most of the stuff coming from this drive is being saved and sent to the battery, which so far is of low grade, but will pay the expenses of crushing, tramway, etc. The battery has been working the past four days. One shift. Ten head for company, and ten for Foster and party. St. Hippo (April 17).—Low level: This drive has been extended a distance of 12 feet during the week. The reef, which has been somewhat pinched up of late, at present averages about 18 inches, the footwall portion being of solid quartz, while the hangingwail quartz is of a rubbly nature, having a favourable appearance for gold. The intermediate drive is now in a distance of ' 19 feet, in good country, and when breaking the reef good dabs of gold are seen well distributed through the quartz. There are about seven or eight loads of quartz on hand from here, I