THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10408, 5 April 1897, Page 6

THE GOLDFIELDS.

AUCKLAND SHAREMARKET. Not a great amouut of business was done on Saturday in the sharemarket, though there was a good demand for investment stocks. South British Insurance and Devonport Ferry Company's shares were in demand at advanced rates. There were sales of Waihi Extendeds at 7d, buyers of Talismans offered 16s for Vermont* there were buyers at ss, and for Waitekauris at 755.

HAURAKI6.M.CO,

£3093 FROM 350 TONS.

During the four weeks just ended the Hauraki Gold Mining Company crushed and treated 350 tons for a yield of 1031oz 4dwt, valued approximately at £3093 12s. Last month 300 tons yielded £3990125.

SCOTTY'S HAURAKI. At Scotty's Hauraki 20 tons of ore were treated for 20oz gold, valued at £60.

STAFFA G.M. CO.

At a meeting of shareholders in the above syndicate held in Mr. William Elliot's office, Bank of New Zealand Buildings, Colonel Burton presided. It was resolved to form a company under the No Liability Act, with a capital of £5000. in 100,000 shares of Is each. Mr. Wm. Elliot was appointed legal manager, Colonel Burton, Messrs. D. G. MacDonnell, John Owen, Joseph Thornes, and Peter C. Hansen were elected directors, and Mr. Jackson Palmer solicitor. This company has been formed to work 150 acres of freehold on the Great Barrier Island, adjoining the lona Gold Mining Company's property. The lona reef, which is 4SJ tent thick, is said to traverse the ground and carries with it also the whole underlie. The whole of the capital was subscribed within three hours after the formation of the company.

THAMES SHAREMARKET. Thames, Saturday. Alburnia East, buyers 6d; Argosy, sellers Cd ; Broken Hill, sellers 8d : Club, sellers 3d; Conservative, sellers 3d ; Darwin (contributing), sellers sd ; Grand Triple, sellers 3d ; Kuranui-Caledonian, sellers ss; Karaka Queen, sellers sd, buyers 3d; Kuranni, sellers Is 3d ; Muta Reef, sellers 4d; Me Isaacs, sellers 4d; Moauataiari, sellers lis; Moanataiari Extended, sellers 3d; New Alburnia, sellers 4s 9d ; New Whan, sellers 7id, buyers 6d ; Nonpareil, sellers lid, buyers 9"l; Occidental, sellers i\i, buyers lsd: Tararu Creek, sellers 4s; Templo Bar, sellers 4d; Royal, sellers Is 6d; Kaiser (contributing), sellers sd : loua, sellers Is 9d; Knmata Queen, sellers 2s 6d; Welcome Find, sellers 2s 6d.

GENERAL MINING ITEMS. Four boxes of bullion, the result of Waitekauri Gold Mining Company's last monthly crushing, were brought into Paeroa on Saturday evening, and dispatched to Auckland by the Waimarie.

The mine manager of the Esperanza telegraphed, on Saturday :— Unearthed reef two places, about seven feet wide; will forward particulars." The half-yearly meetings of the Zion and Scandinavian Gold Mining Companies are called for April 13. A sale of forfeited shares in the Cadman Gold Mining Company is advertised for April 20.

NEWS FROM THE MINES. [from our own correspondents.] Thames, Saturday. SHERIDAN (TAPU). A rather tight class of country is at present being penetrated at the low level, consequently rather slower headway is being made than was previously the case.

CLUB (TAPU).

A new low level crosscut has been commenced in this mine, with the object of intersecting at a greater depth and in a more settled class of country, the reef upon which operations have be6n in progress at a higher level for some time past,

ENERGETIC (OMAIIO).

This company has commenced the driving of a crosscut for the purpose of intersecting its main reef at a lower level. An excellent class of sandstone country is being penetrated, and it it continues right on to the reef, it is anticipated that payable gold will be met with, for very fair prospects of free gold can be obtained from the reef at its surface outcrop.

ARGOSY (TARARO),

The drive northward upon thereef which is being opened up has latterly been passing through a somewhat tight class of country, which has had the effect of pinching the reef down to a thickness of about 6 inches. A length ot 273 feet has now been opened up on its course, and colours of gold seen in the quartz obtained for tho whole distance, whilst at one point an exceptionally good class of quartz was secured for a length of 40 feet. KAISER (TARARU). Very encouraging prospects continue to be met with in the drive west upon tho new reef, which body still maintains a thickness of about 2 feet. The ore of which it is composed is well charged with copper, galena, and other minerals, which makes it somewhat difficult to see the gold, bub a few colours have been seen during the week. At tho Alburnia battery crushing will probably be commenced on Monday. There are about 30 tons to put through, all ot which came from the new reef in the wostern drive at the top level.

ADELAIDE.

The development operations in this mine during the past week have beon carried on with very fair results, and the prospects generally are of an encouraging character. The main reef in the northern drive is now

opened up for a total length of 109 foetfrom the crosscut, and at the present time is about two feet in thickness. It is a nice

compact body of quartz, carrying favourable mineral indications, and during the week colours of gold have been seen in the quartz broken. A fair cla»s of crushing

dirt has also come to hand from the stopos above the drive, colours of gold having been seen at each breaking down. The yield of 630z 17dwt of melted gold, which was obtained on Monday last from a crushing of 54 loads of quartz broken from the reef referred to above, realised £2 18s lOd per ounce, or a total value of £187 16s fid, and is sufficient proof of the valuo of the reof, from which regular crushing* can henceforth be expected, as it is now well opened up. Driving upon the crossreef is also in progress at the same level. This latter body has narrowed down to about 15 inches in thickness, and carries very fair mineral indications, although as yet no gold has been seen in it. A trial crushing will, however, shortly be passed through the battery in order to ascertain its true value.

THAMES HACRAKI.

The fine weather experienced throughout the whole of the past week has enabled good headway to be made in connection with all tho excavation, con-

Crete foundaton?, and other works that are in course of procedure on the Queen of Beauty shaft site. In each instance splendid progress has been made, so that all the works are now well advanced, and should the dry weather continue it will nob be long before the erection of the new machinery can be commenced. A start was made during the week to erect the building for the winding and capstan machinery, and this iB now in a very forward state. Its dimensions arc 55ft by 25ft, with the Btuds 16ft in height. Excavating round the shaft was also commenced, preparatory to putting a concrete foundation around it for a depth of 18ft, in order to make it firm for the strain that will be brought to bear at this section of the shaft when the pumping machinery is in operation. At tho Deep Sinker section the water has been pumped out of the shaft and everything is now being gob in readiness for the resumption of sinking operations, which will be commenced with the Sunday night shift. The depth of this shaft at the present time is about lfilft. There is nothing fresh to report from the Deep Levels Consolidated section, as the only work in progress is the extension of the prospecting crosscut, which is still passing through a surface formation of country. SCHOOL OF MINES. Thames, Saturday. The experimental plant at this institution is being kept well employed with the treatment of trial parcels of ore that are coming in from all the mining centres. Mr. Allen, the director, informs me that he is at present treating a ton ot ore from the Great Harrier Gold mining Company's mine by the chlorination process, and a ton of ore from Marototo district is being put the cyanide vat. He also has on hand awaiting treatment a parcel of ore from another

mine at the Great Barrier Island, one from the Thames discriot, and one from a prospecting party at work at the Bay of Islands, besides an almost innumerable quantity of assays to make from small parcels of ore that are being brought daily to the school from all parts.

THAMES WARDEN'S OFFICE STATISTICS.

Thames, Saturday. Mr. James Jordan, Mining Registrar and clerk of the Warden's Court, has kindly supplied me with the following return for publication, which shows the business transacted in the Warden's Office, and in the Warden's Court of Thames for the quarter ended March 31 last :— Warden's Office : 173 miners' rights were issued, and 16 waterraces were registered. Miscellaneous registrations, including all dealings and transactions in miuing property, totalled 341, while 210 mining surveys were completed. The total number of applications received was 370, of which 31 lapsed or were withdrawn, 5 were objected to, and 305 were i granted. As regards mining leases, including special claims, licensed holdings, etc., 176 i were applied for during the quarter, as against 210 granted.' The Warden's Court ; sat on 8 days, IS cases being commenced, 2 discontinued, and 4 heard. Five disputed applications were heard, of which one was refused and four granted.' During the past week a sum of £49 was lodged as deposit money in the Warden's Office, being made up as follows : —One extended protection, £25 three additional deposits, £12; two special claims, £12. MINE MANAGERS' REPORTS. Albion (Whangamata). — Discovered several quartz outcrops on this property, and are now opening these out to ascertain size, quality, etc. Tile stone is of a very promising appearance. Zone (Whangainata).— No. 5 drive has been extended through highly mineralised sandstone. Have also found another reef two feet wide at outcrop, which I will report on later.

York (Whangamata). — We have been prospecting and trenching for further reefs during the past week, but so far nothing of importance has been met with. Wealth of Nations fKarmgaliake, April 2).—No. 3 trench has been extended a further distance of two chains and the western trench a distance of 2J chains. Nothing further of any importance. Kino ok Whangamata (Whangamata).— The crosscut: The country still continues a spleudid class of sandstone. Early in the week we cut a small leader six inches thick, and heavily mineralised. Herald (Whangamata).—Tunnel extended a total distance of 240 feet.

Aotea (Great Barrier, March 31) —Drive ; There is no change in the country. The Great Barrier Company have started men to work on the big reef, near the proposed site for our drive on that company's ground. Kaitoke (Great Barrier, March 31).— Have cut a trench 19ft long at the battery site, but I have failed to pick up any defined reef. There is any amount of quartz laying on the surface but it only goes down about a foot deep. Have discontinued work here and have started at the No. 1 drive. Am sending you a sample of stone from a small reef. ,

Plunger (Coromandel, March 31).—Crosscut ; The country we are now passing through is of a nice kindly nature. Princess (lvarangahake, March 31).— Low level: A good class of country is being penetrated ami a lot of manganese seams are now in the face.

Stanley (Karangahake, March 30),— continuing to drive the small crosscut off the drive at the bottom of the winze in order to | pick up the eastern portion of the Mammoth lode, which shows in the old level above to be heaved ten feet to the east. I expect to pick up the reef every shift. There can be no doubt as to its quality, as splendid prospects can be obtained from the floor of the old level above. Low level. The drive on the Mo. 2 reef: A decided change has come in the character of the country, also in the underlie of the lode. The class of country which is now being penetrated is of a more kindly description and more favourable for gold than any I have met with in the whole course of this level. The lode upon being tested continues to give fair results. Crosscut to cut the Mammoth lode: The country has also improved in this level and stringers of quartz are now being met with. STERLING (Karangahake).—Low level: The country continues favourable. I have tried prospects several times during the week from the seams crossing the drive, and got gold. This points to the reef when cut being of a payable nature. Mount Catherine.— a roof, and colours of gold of a very good class can be got by pounding. I am of opinion that in a few days, when we get into more solid country, the reef will improve. Elvira (Waikanae).—Started to sink on the new reef crossing the boundary of the Elvira and City of Melbourne. The quartz looks very well, and I obtained a few loose, coarse colours of gold on the surface. MATAURA(Waihi).— There is a leader about three or four inches wide running tho same course as the drive. It is nice looking stone, but it is not running the same course as the reef we are driving for.

MAlOßO(Coromandel).—The men have done a large amount of trenching and surface prospecting. The drive on the new reef in the

southern end of the ground: Reel is looking very well and carries some nice mineral at the same time being an east and west reef

it must run across any oilier lode formation in this end of the mine.

Victoria (Thames, March 29).-Not much change to mention. Driving east and west on the lender at the intermediate level is still

proceeding; most encouraging results in each of these facts. Tin ■•■ stupes are now in progress east of the winze, and one west. The ore from these stopes continues to show a little gold at each breaking down, and to yield frequently a few pounds of picked stone,