THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10116, 27 April 1896, Page 3

THE GOLDFIELDS.

[BT MLiemPM.-OWN COBRESPOKDKNTe.J Thames, Saturday. Sharemarket. — Alburnia, buyers sa; Broken Hill, sellers Iβ; Bunker's Hill, sales 7b. 7d; Cambria, buyers Is 5d ; Cardigan, sales U 4d ; Golden Point), buyers Iβ 9d; Moanataiari Extended, sales sd; sellers, 6d; Moanataiari, sellers 12s; Mew Whau, sellers lOd, buyers 9d; Scandinatian, sellers 8d ; Sheridan, buyers 7d; Try Fluke, sales 7s lOd j Victoria, buyers 3s 3d j Waihi Monument/, sellers 6d; Zealandia, sellers 9d. Adklaidk.—The contractors for sinking the main shaft below tlio adit) level have now made a fair commencement) with the work nnd sunk a depth of six feet during the week. The country is pretty fair sandstone, but shoots tolora'bly well. Paeroa, Saturday. Favona-Brilliant.—Operations in the drive have been suspended for the present, pending the completion of all matters connected with the acquisition of the property by the English company.. Grand Junction.—On Saturday last the required pump was put down again, when it was found that since the suspension of operation!) the water had made 150 feel in the shaft. A start was once more made, but matters were again brought) to a standstill, owing to leakage in tho column. This was caused by one of the packing rings bursting away. The escape water being forced on to the exhaust pipe resulted in the condensing of the steam. Everything, i, however, had been put in order by Monday ! morning. In 'I , " ~«»t Her.tiou of the property ttie drive has now been carried in over 130 feet, the same class of blue country being met. At the commencement of this week a trench was commenced, and, as it is being carried alone in a south-westerly direction, ib is expected that ib wiil intersect the Welcome lode, provided, of course, that the desired ore bedy lives near the surface.

KotUATA Reefs.—ArgalPs lode is still being driven on north, and the reef has now been proved for a length of 35 feet. Lately, however, the ore body has decreased in size, and today it had narrowed down to about four feet. Notwithstanding this, however, the quartz is of most promising description, and good dish prospects can be obtained. Driving south on the same lode ie also being prosecuted, the two faces being about 220 foeb apart. In this section of the property, the formation shows to a width of 10 feet, though only about five feet is being carried along in the drive. The quartz broken out here is also kindly and prospects well when subjected to pieh tests. With a view to intersecting Lavington's and the Black Reefs as quickly ae possible it was decided to advance the crosscut with dispatch, and consequently a contract was lately leb to Dillon and party for 100 feet of driving. The contractors, however, had nob gone very far when the first lode came to hand, the ore body having been intersected on Thursday, a little sooner than anticipated. It is a fine body of stone, and promises to be of good dimensions, it already having been penetrated eight feet without any sign of the footwall. The quartz is nicely honeycombed, and carries a high percentage of manganese, while very fair prospects can be obtained in the dish. The new development is one of considerable importance to the company, and the result of operations on this and Argall's lode, two comparative strangers, will be lookud forward to with interest. At all events the .company can look a long way ahead, and there is no doubt they will be able to win enough quartz to keep the battery, when it ie erected, employed for a very long period indeed. With regard to the Black reef, this should be to hand in another 50 feet of driving, that is according to a rough survey. The construction of the waterrace is proceeding satisfactorily, while as regards road leading to the property the County Council have now nine men working on the No. 1 section. It is a pity, however, that the ho, 2 section is not also undertaken and thus allow the company to transport the machinery, requisite for the new plant, as soon as soon as possible to the destined sits. That the company has a big future before it is undoubted, especially when big lodes have already been intersected and proved to be/gold.boarine;. Victoria.—Cleaning up and retorting for this company, after crushing between 150 nnd 160 loads of quartz, will take place at Bull's battery on Monday. A very fair return ie anticipated. N'kw SrEciAL Claims.—A large number of applications are still being lodged at the local Warden's, office for special claims at Tairua and Whangamata. Scarcely a day passes without two or three, and sometimes more applications come in from those districts.

Sorplus Ground.—An Interesting point cropped up at the Wardem'ts Court yesterday in connection with fchei application for the Lomas special claim at Tararu. It appears that tho Vulcan Extended special clnim was granted at Tararu Creak some time age, and the ;urplu« was awarded by plaint to Mr. James Darrow, who pegeed ib out and applied for it as the Lomas special claim. This application clashed with the Eclipse and Golden Stair appliCfttionß, which apparently included the same ground, and which, ib was alleged, had been pegged out before the Lomas. Mr. Miller said that owing to the surplus having been previously granted, the fact that the Golden Stair and Eclipse were prior to the Lomas in their pegging would avail nothing. Mr. Clendon did not admit Mr. Miller's statement of the facts, and the case wits adjourned. Watkb Bights.—ln dealing with an application for a water right yesterday afternoon, the Warden (Mr. H. Eyre Kenny) stated that he intended to be very careful in future in granting such rights, as certain rumours had reached him which indicated that in eome instances these rights were being taken up purely for speculative purposes by people who had no ground for utilising suchrights. He should also consider whether it was advisable or not to protect water rights where there was no holding held in connection with it, as an enterprising syndicate might take up water rights all over tho goldfields and form a great monopoly which would be exceedingly injurious to mining interests. Later on the point cropped up as to which water right should have the pre Terence in the event of two or more being granted in the same locality. On reference to the Act the Warden ruled that priority was reckoned, not from the issue of licenses, but from the date of lodging the applications at the Warden's office.

Purd Consolidated.—lb will be remembered that on different occasions pieces of quartz hare been found on the surface of this mine, which on being tested gave excellent aasay values, but tho locality of the. reef from which the quartz was originally shed could not be traced. For eome time past the manager, Mr. C. McWilliam?, has beon devoting considerable attention to the finding of this body of quartz, and at last his efforts hare been rewarded. During the last couple of weeks uenching works on the surface have been carried on, and these have culminated in the discovery of a reef, fully six feet in thickness, running parallel with the Kimu reef, and at a distance of about 200 feet in the hangingwall country of tho last mentioned body. The discovery, however, has been made some 600 or 700 foot north of the poinb whero the works are in progress upon the Kimu reef, and is situated in what is known as the Rueeell section. The reef is a fine- ■ looking body of quartz, of a rusty brown character, and although no gold is visible in the quartz, still on pounding it very fair dish prospects are obtainable. Steps are mow to be taken for more thoroughly developing the discovery, and should ib maintain its present encouraging feature?, ii will, no doubt, prove a valuable acquisition to tho company. It may be mentioned that the new low level that is now being driven to intersect the Rimu reef can also bo utilised for intersecting the newlydiacorered body, by continuing its extension beyocid the point where the Rimu roe! will be met with. This low level crosscut has been advanced a distance of 15 feet during the past week through a good class of I country. The south drive on the Rimu reef has also been continued as usual, and the reef has maintained both its average size and quality. MINE MANAGERS' HEPORTS. Progress • Castle Rock (Ooromandel, April 23).— Stope from the rise going nouth : The reef here looks about the same, no material change having taken place. Pr/RD Consoudatud (Puru).—The mine manager telegraphed on Saturday'.—Discovered new reef six feet thick; gratifying results dish prospects.: parallel to body of Rimu reef.

ENGLISH-OWNED MINES A!S COROMANDEL. IMPORTANT STATISTICS. CAPITAL INVESTED AND OPERATIONS IN PROGRESS. Wβ are indebted to Captain Hodge, of Coromandel, for very important statistical information in regard to the seven' important mines at Coromandel of which he has charge, and which he represents on behalf of the English companies who own them. These statistics cannot fail to be of deep interest at present, when it is seen that these seven mines represent a total capital stock of 3,120,000 shares, or £615,000, of which no less a sum than £191,000 is working capital. THE HAURAKI G.M.CO., LIMITED. This company has been formed in London with a capital of £40,000 in 320,000 shares of 2s Bd each, and with a working capital of £16,250 for the development of the Hauraki mine at Coromandel. The company is at present engaged fixing a plunger lift from the 220-feet level to the surface preparatory to sinking for the 300-feet level. The following is a summary of the gold returns for the 13 lunar months, ending 14th December, 1895. Total gold won for the year, 35,1060s Bdwts.

Total quartz crushed 1611 tons. Total picked stone specimens, 14,8501b, or 6 tons 13owt. 1 quarter 2611b. Average price of gold per oz £3 Is 4d, Average yield of gold per ton of quartz, 20oz 9dwt 7gr. Total value of gold, £101,54418s 2d. Tributers' gold returns ending 2nd August, 1895: —

Quartz crushed, -i 7$ tons. Picked stone crushed, 764 fib. Totil gold produced, 26300z 19dwt 12gr. Total value, £8087 19s Bd. Gold returns from 14th December, 1895 to 4th April :-

Tons. lb. oa. ilwt. £ id 11th January .. 278 V2M 1094 2 5,105 9 6 Bth February ...316 m\ 2059 7 8,312 7 S 7th March .. 840 860J 2398 13 7,336 10 10 4th April .. 3SO 703 2119 Iβ 6,486 5 2

Totals .. ISU 3196 8271 18 £25,238 12 8 The work done in the company's mine for the 13 lunar months eudiug 14th December 1895, are as follow:—Shaft sunk, 73 feet; crosscuts driven, 1461 feet 6 inches; driven on lodea, etc., 1820 feet 6 inches; winzos, 345 feet; rises, 199 feet 6 inches; stoping, 2305 feet6inches; levels, etc., cleared, 200 feet: total, 6405 feet.

SCOTTV'S HADRAKI G.M. CO. (LIMITED). This company has a capital of £100,000, in 400,000 shares of 5s each, the working capital being £36,000. The following developments have beon carried out diu-infi the past 12 months:— Sinking Hodge's shaft 325 feet, brace level, to shaft. 32 feet; crosscut west from brace level, 70 feet; drive north from brace level crosscut, 29 feet; ditto, south, 30 feet; drive south from 300-fe«t level, 10 feet; ditto north, 50 feet; 2 chambers, 300-feet Uvel, 12 feet by 10 feet; 1 chamber, Corby level, 12 by 10 feet; Corby level, crosscut 162 teet: Corby level, cleared north 70 feet: fGolden Point level, chamber 12 feet by 10 feet; Golden Point level, crosucut 160 feet; North drive Golden Point crosscut 145 feet, West Golden Point, level 75 feet; stoping on Scotyy's reef, 55 feet long 12 feet high; driving north Golden Poiut level 66 feet; crosscut east of Snowden winze, 69 feet; driving south from crosscut in Snowden winze, 43 feet, ditto north 30 feet; driving north on Flying Cloud lode, battery section 121 feet; clearing Golden Point adit levels, 835 feet, west level in Golden Point 164 feet.

This company has equipped the mine with winding aud pumping machinery, and the general developments are now being pro;eeded with on No. 3 and Scotty a reels at the t()0 feet, the Corby, the Golden Point, and ;ho battery levels.

NEW HAURAKI GOLD PROPERTIES (LIMITED). The capital of this company is £100,000, in 400,000 allures of 5s each, and the working capital is £45,000. The total development of the property since tho 25th of July, 1895, to the 13th April, 1896, are as follow :-Deep level crosscut, 422 feet; deep level east and west, 167 feet; Michol'e deep crosscut, 145 feet; Prospecting No, 1 crosscut, 43 feet; ditto No. 2,17 feet; Queen crosscut, 70 feet; winze south, Tokatea reef, 4 feet. SUCCESS GOLD MINES, LIMITED. This company has a capital of £50,000 in 400,000 shares of 2s lid each, and the workin" capital is £20,000. The machinery, consisting of engines, Pulton wheel, 10 head of stampers, buildings, hoppers, wire tramways, and plant complete, has been ordered, and is being delivered to this company. The cost will be over £4000. The dsvelopmonte from August 1, 1895, to April 13, 1896, are an follow:—James reef: Drives, 620 feet; rises, 183 feet; winzes, 31 feet; crosscuts, 93 foet 6 inches. Success No. 2 reef: Drives, 44 feet; crosscut, 7 feet. Bennett's level: Drives, 295 feet; orosscut, 150 feet. Big reef crosscut: Rise, 24 feet; winze, 70feel; crosscuts, 328 feet. KATHLEEN OOLD MINE, LIMITED. The capital of this company is £75,000 in 600,000 shares of 53 6d each, and the working capital is £25,000. Pumping, and winding engines, pitwork, patent cages, and a thorough machinery equipment, to cost over £7000, has been ordered and it being built and supplied for this company. At this mine since work was started early in March a permanent engin.6 shaft has been sunk 100 feet by tho aid of a temporary pumping and winding plant, while the permanent plant ordered is being built. A permanent poppet head has been erected, and about 100 feet of trestlework erected at the top brace for tips away front the shaft, and smith's and engineer's shops and a manager's office have been erected on the mine. Ten reefs traverse near the site of the shaft known as Hartridge's. The bedrock was reached at 100 feet from the surface, and various classes of clay—blue and yellow—and gravel beds were sunk through. Decomposed wood and various mussel beds were encountered in a muddy formation. A few days ago on the shelf of rock etones of quartz carrying strong blotches of gold were discovered, which, from their appearance and the fact tint they are little watcrworn, could not have travelled far, hence the probability ot & reef close at hand carrying free gold. TOKATJSA OF HAORAKI (LIMITKD). The capital ot this company is £150,000 in 60,000 shares of 5a each; working capital, £25,000. The portable engine belonging to this company has been thoroughly renovated, also the air-compressor and air-pipes have been laid from the mouth of No. 7 level to the Disposed site for sinking a shaft. A large chamber to receive the necessary air-winch and pumping ge&r is nearly completed, and the machinery has been delivered. Three hnudred and sixty-one tone of Newcastle coal have also been delivered on the mine. This outlay is being expended to demonstrate the value of the mam Tokatea reef below No. 7 level before we determine to erect a permanent and substantial plant, and seeing that the sea level is over 800 feet below the No. 7 level, I think there is a brilliant future before the Tokatea aud Royal Oak companies. The 15-stamp battery has been thoroughly overhauled and now foundations laid, and it will soon bo ready for emergency to deal with periodical crushinge for both companies. , | The following is tho work done in this mine from August, 1895, to 31st March, 1896: —Urosscuttiug in ccmntry rock 618 fenc, driving on reefs 475 feet, stoping 78 feet, sinking a winze 50 feet, and cutting chamber for engine to sink below Ho. 7 level 30 by 27 by 14 feet. The ore treated at the mill was five tons and 80 pounds of picked stone for 340z sdwt 12gr retorted gold.

ROYAL OAK OF HAUBAKI, LIMITED. The capital of this company is £100,000 in 400,000 shares of 5s caoh; working capital, £25,000. ' ■ ■ ' The following works have been carried out i since work was initiated by this company: In No. 3 Royal Oak level: Drivinp on No. 1 lode 151 feet, sinking 25 feet, rising 77 feet, sloping 60 feet, re-timbering levels 80 feet. Intermediate level above No. 3 Royal Oak : Driving on No. 1 lode 186 feet, cutting through big reef 28 feet. In No. 3 Royal Oak level on No. 2 reef: Driving on No. 2 reef 63 feet, sinking 30 feet, stoping 30 feet, re-timbering level 15 feet, tramways re-laid 150 feet. ,iNo. 5 level: Re-oponing and timbering No. slevel for 1100 feet, driving crosscut from No. 5 level towards No. 1 reef below Royal Oak No. 3 level 71 feet,' tramways, laid in No. 5 level 120 feet. No. 6 level: Clearing of debris, repairing and re-timber-ing level 1500 feet, driving south-east on No. lreef 20 feet, stoping,north- on No. 1 reef 30 feet, tramways laid 800 feet. No. 7 level! Driven north-west from bottom of i winze Bank 50 feet below the No. 7 level 82 feet driven on No. 7 level north-west on. left-hand or main portion of Tokatea reef 36 feet timbering No. 7 ; level 100 feet. Three reefs have been worked—Nos. 1 and 2 Royal: Oak and main Tokatea; tramways laid /iOO feet; over half«a-mile of tramrow lias been cut, and new steel rails laid to the bush for timber. ■'.■--".••"■ jej'/y'- •... '..: v ; Five tons of quartz raised from below the No. 7 level with 721b of picked stone selected in breaking the ore gave 41oz 17dwt of reI torted gold. * (It may be mentioned that the No. 7 level mentioned is the No. 7 level of-the Tokatea of H&uraki mine.) , ; ;,; i ...,, Captain Hodge adds, we have accumulated a good stock of mining timber at the various levels, and the mines generally, we getting into working order. .* v v - - .

DKVELOPEMEifT SUMMAB* 208 THE SEVEN MINES. The following is a summary of the developments in the seven mines referred to :— Shafts sunk... .„ .), 596 feet Crosscuts driven 4001 feet Reefs driven ■ 4495 feeb Winzes ... 545 feet Rises.... 485 feet Stoping 2615 feet Levels cleared ... ... 4064 .feet Chambers cut 6 Tramways laid 1370 fees CAPITAL. The total capital of the seven companies is £615,000 in 3,120,000 shares, and a working capital of £191,250. ' PEttSONS EMPLOYED. . The average number of persons employed in the seven companies' properties are as , follow :— Hauraki G.M. Co 170 Seotty'a Hauraki G.M. Co. ... 50 New Houraki G.P. - ... 35 Success G.M. Co. 30 Tokatea of Hauraki 40 Royal Oak of Hauraki ... , M 40 Kathleen , 35 Total ... ... 400 NEW ALBURNIA. ALLOTMENT OF SHARES. A cablegram has been received stating that the New Alburnia shares have gone successfully to allotment, and that the £8000, balance of the £10,000 cash to be paid to local shareholders, will be remitted in a few days. WAIHLSILYERTON. It is rumoured that the Waihi-Silvorton crushing is resulting in a return, valued at between £4 and £5 per ton. MR. ZIMAN'S ACQUISITIONS. Amongst the passengers by the mail steamer Alameda on Saturday was Mr. P. L. Foster, chief consulting engineer of the companies formed by Mr. Ziman. Mr. Foster, who remains in Auckland for a lew days, states that for the present their attention will be devoted principally to the South Island, machinery for purposes of development of the properties would first be goue in for on a large scale, arid that works of development would be pushed forward as rapidly as Eossible. As to the feeling in London, when e was there in February last, it was very favourable indeed to New Zealand gold mining, ami his opinion, was that a great deal of attention would be bestowed upon it, for there was little opportunity, now, comparatively speaking, iu South Africa, MAY QUBEN. It is stated that a cablegram has been received to the effect that the flotation of the May Queen is being successfully carried on, no doubt being fck as to the result. AUCKLAND SHAREMARKET. There were on Saturday, in the Auckland sliaremarket, a large number of buyers, considerably over 80, and in some lines excellent business was done. There was strong inquiry f»r investment stocks, though the only sales were in Hikurangi coals at 9s. Hazelbanks saw good business at from 4s to 4s 3d, with a drop, however, at the close. May Queens were firm after sales at 7s lid. The only transfers in the Kuaotnmi list were in Jirrjitcrs at 'M B<l. Little was done in regard to the Upper Thames list, and the exchanges made were confined to low priced stocks. There were offers, however, for Wixubtocks at 20s; for Waitekauris at 955; for Wfiihi Silvertons at 71s: for Talismans at 9s Cd; for Otvharoas at 3s; and others. Sovereigns were dealt iq at Is 6d and Is 7d, closing hard. Bunker's Hilla were done at 7s 3d and 7s 6d. ; GENERAL MINING ITEMS. Mr. Percy Tarbutt, son of the chairman of the South African Consolidated Goldfields Company, arrived by the mail steamer on Saturday, on a visit to the New Zealand goldfields. Mr. Tarbutt is accompanied by Mr. E. Janson, a mining engineer. After a brief visit to the South both gentlemen will return to Auckland and go through our goldfields. The following was posted on Saturday in the Exchange :—Anrora, fire assay of sample of stone, made by Mr. Kitchener Wilson ; gold, 6oz 2dwt 20gr, £24 11s 9d; silver. 3oz 15<hvt 19ftr, 7s 7d; total value, £24183 lid. On Saturday a notice confirmatory of the intelligence published in the Herald was posted as follows: — Hauraki North : A proposal has been made to purchase the above company's mine. Negotiations are proceeding. Nothing as yet concluded.

SOUTHERN MINING. [BY TELEGRAPH.— PRESS ASSOCIATION.] HoKiTIKA, Saturday. A special claim, of 100 acres, marked out on the south side of the Waikonui River, contains a reef 15 feet 6 inches, some tests of which have given over two ounces to the ton. Some excitement has been caused iu the district by the discovery. The directors of the Greenstone Sluicing Company have been approached in reference to selling their property for flotation in London. The directors have replied that they are prepared to recommend the shareholders to sell for £12,000 cash. Inveroarqill, Saturday. A representative of South African capitalists has arranged to take up three claims on the beaches at Waipapa and vVaikoa, on which his principals are prepared to spend £120,000 in thoroughly testing the ground by the cyanide process.