THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10424, 23 April 1897, Page 6

THE GOLDFIELDS.

AUCKLAND SHAREMARKET. There was again but little business done yesterday on the Sharemarket. Victorias were done at 2s 6d, olosiug firm, while New Zealand Talismans were exchanged at 15i, with sellers Iβ over that, and no buyers, Tandems were dealt in at 4d and 4id, with a tendency to harden. For Waiotahis, 40s was offered, but no sellers declared themselves.

ASSOCIATED STOCK AND MINING BROKERS. Business in the following was yesterday transacted by the above :—Kataka Queen, 4d; Scandinavian, 6id; Byron Bay, lid; Central, Is 4d; Waihi Extended, 6Sd Waitekauri King, 2Jd; Tandem, 4d, 4Jd; Sceptre, contributing, 6Jd.

MARCO POLO G.M. CO.' The Marco Polo and Marqueta, the amalgamation of which is now completed, comprises 200 acres, and is now being developed with the object of intersecting the Goldwater reef discovered some years bactaby Brogan and party. This reef is a large body nf ore 12 feet wide in the adjoining company's ground, the Prince Charlie, and within 100 feet of the Marco Polo .boundary, gave an assay value of £5 per ton. The main tunnel of the Marco Polo is in 125 feet, and according to the survey of the lode this should be in hand with about 30 feet more driving, and under where the lode has a 3tro«g outcrop, which can be traced for some distance on surface trending towards the Wharekeraupunga, in which the Royal Standard is situated. The mine is being developed by an English syndicate.

THE WIRES SPECIAL CLAIM. A meeting of subscribers for shares in the Wires special claim, Wuaugainata, was held yesterday at Mr. J. Barber's office, Victoria Arcade. Mr. J. C. Colbeck presided. It was resolved to form a no-liability company, with a capital of £6000, in 80,000 shares of is 6d each. Messrs. J. C. Colbeok, T. G. Tanton, Arthur Tooman, and C. H. Barber were appointed directors; the Bank of New Zealand, the bankers; Messrs. Beile and Beale, solicitors; and Mr. J. Barber legal manager.

GENERAL MINING ITEMS. Mr. James Shaw, ex-Mayor of Coolgardie, andoue of West Australia's representative milling men, is at present on a visit to Auckland. A parcel of stone specimens from several mines at the Thames, Te Aroha, aud Great Barrier has been forwarded to Professor Ulrich, of the Otago University, for examination.

Colonel Messurier, one of the London directors of the Waihi Consolidated and Royal Standard Companies, left for Waihi yesterday in company with Mr- Seymour Thorne George. The colonel will inspect the Waihi Consolidated property, aud then, accompauied by Mr. J. G. Ralph, will visit the Royal Standard property. Notices of ordinary and half-ysarly meetings of mining companies, and of sales ot forfeited shares appear in our advertising columns, THAMES SHAREMARKCT. Thames, Thursday. Club, sellers, 3d; Conservative, sellers 4d ; Darwin (contributing), sellers 3JJ; Grand Triple, sellers 3>l; Kuranui - Caledouian, sellers 5s Hit; Karaka Queen, sellers 6d, buyers 4d; King Solomon, sellers 2d ; Kuranui, sellers Is 3d; Mata Reefs, sellers 4d; Mcleaacs, sellers sil; Occidental, buyers ljd; Tararu Creek, sellers4s; Temple Bar, sellers 3d; Kaiser (contributing), sellers sd.

NEWS FROM THE MINES. [lY TELEGRAPH.— OWN CORKKSFONDENM.] Tiiamks, Thursday. SHERIDAN (TAFD). The low level crosscut in this mine has now advanced a distance of over 800 feet from the surface. A fair class of sandstone is being penetrated just now.

OCCIDENTAL. A crushing of eight loads of quartz from No. 1 leader was completed to-day, for the return of 17oz 15dwt of melted ((old, the total value of which was £47 12s 6d. The block upon tins leader is now wholly exhausted, so that operations in the mine are confined to the extension of the crosscut at the North Star low level for the purpose of intersecting the Loyalty Reef.

The crosscut which is being driven to intersect No. 2 reef is now iu a total distance of 50 feet,and 40 feet further (hiring is expected to gee the lode to hand at a point where about 80 feet of backs will be available. This ore body at its surface outcrop recently yielded by assay at the rate of about £2 per ton, and this coupled with the fact that a good class of country is being penetrated leads to the belief that payable ore will be found when the lode is intersected by the crosscut.

ULISSES (PORII), The prospecting works curried out upon this company's property have 80 far proved futile as regards the finding of payable gold. The outcrops of several flue-looking ore bodies have been discovered, but at these points the precious metal has not existed in payable quantity. It is now iutended to conduct prospecting operations upon a nicelooking reef about 3 feet thick in tho vicinity of the Salisbury section of the Puru Consolidated Company's property, and as a congenial class of sandstone euoases it the manager is hopeful of eventually meeting with something more encouraging than has so far resulted from the works accomplished. CoRDMAN'DEL, Thursday. TOKATEA CONSOLS.

This property was known as tho New Tokatea, until taken over by the present English Company. At present tho ground is being worked on three different levels, with more or less hopeful results. On tho low level on the east side a fine-looking reef, which frequently opens out to four feet wide, has been driven on for 600 feet. Colours ot gold were occasionally seen during the course of the Work. If the company possessed a battery, probably the whole of this reef would be put through. At present a small leader of about 6 inches in width is being worked upon, with a view to stoping out at least a 30-feet block, along which gold has been found. The country is permeated with arsenic in placet,—in fact in my experience the specimens of arsenic are the most remarkable for solidity that I have seen in any mine about here. HAURAKI NORTH. The following is the correot return of the Hauraki North crushing: — 288oz 7dwt, valued at £814 lie 7d, from 115 tons of ore, amongst which was a parcel of about) 20 tons of what was known to be inferior ore. The previous crushing at Mayne's battery, now known as Scotty's, produced 98oz8dwt, value £277332(1, from7s tons. Robinson'sorccruslier thus produced 2}oz per ton, and the ordinary crushing plant loz 6dwt. This proves that Hauraki North ore is improving. The mine is pumped dry, and regular shifts are now being put on. Mr. Steedman hopes to be in full working order to-morrow. Another crushing may be anticipated in the early future, providing a full staff of men is kept on,

Work on the Wynyardton with two men is painfully slow. An effort should be made to get a trial crushing through Hauraki North ore-reiuciu? plant. Paeroa, Thursday.

The crosscut in No. 3 section of this company's property is still being pushed vigorously ahead, and providing the lode in not dipping to the westward it should be intersected m about 30 feet of drivinjr. This reef, it may be mentioned, was cut at the surface in four different places, and proved to be from 10 feet to 14 feet wide. The prospects obtained were also of an encouraging nature, so that the company has every inducement to prosecute this work of crosscutting with vigour in order to secure the reef as quickly as possible, especially as the ore body pouesiei great possibilities. D/iving is also proceeding iu the Alpha section tor the purpose of intersecting a large lode unearthed at the surface. This adit has in its course revealed several good-looking lodes, the first one being met with at a point about 30 feet from the mouth of the crosscut. This was a black or manganese lode, and about 22 feet beyond that again, another quartz body, showing about two feet six inches of promising-looking stone waa also intersected, and then at a point about 120 feet from the mouth, was intersected the large lode knowu as the . Hopper or Crown lode. The crosscut is being still further advanced, and it is anticipated that another 120 feet of driving will see the No. 1 lode to hand. This reet has been already proved at the low level for a length of 280 feet, and a parcel treated at the Thames School of Mines yielded at the rate of £9 2s 6d per ton. It will, therefore, be seen that iu this lode the company possesses a good bullion-producer, and well justifies any expenditure in its systematic development. MINING ON THE KAURI TIMBER COMPANY'S PROPERTIES. [IT tIMGIAHI.—OWN OOUESrONDItfT.] ' TtUMu, Thursday.' Upm the inquiry being resumed this morning Mr. Tizard handed in the following list of names of claims that had been applied lot r-Ptfw Norbury, Bvtab*4 sod Cite-

paxi, both at Tairua: W. H. Churton, Persimon Nμ. 1.2, 3. situated at Waiwhawha; Samuel Hetheriugtou, Reliance, situated at Puru: John Stevenson, Rimutaka, Haurangi, Mungaroa, and Rnapebu, situated * Albert Brace said he was the applicant for the resumption of a block on the'west side of the Tairua river, being part ot Blocks No*. 1 2. 5. and 6 of Tairua Survey District; Block 5 and |part of Block 6, Whitiaoga Surrey District, Rangilwu Block, portions of blocks contained in Blocks Siw. 1, 2. 5, and 6, Tairua. He detailed at length the history of his applications, and his correspondence with the Minister of Mines in connection therewith. Mr. A. P. Harper appeared for Mr. Malcolm Alexander Bruce, an applicant for a prospecting license under the Mining; Act, 1896, for 1920 acres situated on the north-east of Gordon's prospecting area, being part of a timber lease of 36,000 acres. Mr. Harper eaid that notice had been ei«en to the Kauri Timber Company within the time appointed by the Act. No objection was made or lodged, but on each occasion on which his application was before the Court it wis adjourned. Mr. Harper also appeared ou behalf of Samuel Arthur, an applicant for a prospectins license at Tairua, and also concerning the Glen Tanner licensed holding, 10 acres (T. H, Harper), situated at Tsirua. Mr. Harper, at solicitor tor John Wilson, stated that Mr. Wilson wuan applicant for the New Ocean Beach special claim and the Young Chief special claim, at Boat Harbour, 100 acres each, objected to by the Kauri Timber Company. Mr, Harper, as solicitor for Charles Grosvenor, applicant for the Ocean Beach Extended special claim, stated the land was situated at Boat Harbour and was objected to by the Kauri Timber Company. Mr. Harper also appeared for William Cummins, who applied for the Rote of Allendale special claim, situated at Boat Harbour, which was also objected to by the Kauri Timber Company. Except for the objection by the Kauri Timber Company these applications were regular and the plans the reef had been lodged and the hearing had been adjourned from Coromandel to Thames until the 4th May, pending the settlement of the matter of the Kauri Company's leaaei. Albert Bruce, re-examined, said he desired to object to any claim being granted over portions of Block 1,2,5,6, Tairua District, excepting that the land should be resumed, surrendered, or determined, as specified in the Mining Act Amendment Act, 1896, and that in regard to the application ot Mr. Morrison for land at Tairua, Mr, Warden Kenny informed him that he received the application on the same day as his (Mr. Bruce's); that hie (Mr. Bruce's) was in proper order, but that the application of Mr. Morrison was not in order; that he land he (Mr. Morrison) wished resumed was not specified in clear enough terms to be dealt with, aud that no plan accompanied the application, whereas his (Mr. Bruce's) application was clearly defined, and there was a plan of the land he referred to accompanying the application, and that in consequence of his (Mr. Bruce's) application being in proper form, he (the Warden) was in a position to deal with it immediately, which he did by informing the Kauri Timber Company of the application. This was all the evidence taken to-day.

MINE MANAGERS' REPORTS. Benoiqo (Puru).—Low level to inteneot junction of Rupert reef hw been further extended 10 feet. King or Omaud (Omahu).-Driv« on No. 1 reef has been further advanced 8 feet. The footwall portion still carries loose gold. Have discovered Urge body of atone about 6 feet thick, which looks »ery favourable. . Oakley (April 21).—Country rock we are passing through is of splendid description. A further distance of 29 feet has been driven —total, 93 feet. Several small leaders of a promising character have been met with, Bio Reef (Te Puru, April 17).--Crosscut at creek hae advanced 53 feet. Have timbered the drive in Big Reef notion. Reef continues to prospect very well. Kurandi (Thames, April 17).— Country is still tight and progress slow. The reef in North drive is nine inches thick and heavily charged with minerals, and in solid drive reef is well defined vein of three inches. Omega (Waitekauri, April 20).-Low level has now bean extended 103 feot. A small clay hand has been running across the level, and the ground is much better. Drive going into the Alfred section has been extended 90 feet, and surface level is also being pushed ahead.

Observer (Tokatea, April 20).-Have cut the reel I have been driving for. It is eight inches wide. Will drive on it until country changes. Rachel (Kennedy's Bay, April 19).Ground is netting tighter, and any reefs cut in thin class of country should be more defined.

Mata Reefs (Thames, April 20).—Drive to cut the lode has been abandoned, the quality of the ore not giving inducements for doing further work there. A drive has been started to cut the reef at another point.

Salisbury (April 20).—Two more good workiug lodes nave been discovered in northern portion of claim. No. 2 is & Urge body of ore, fully aiz feet in width. As far as can be judged from appearance at ore on outcrop, it should be of very fair quality. No. 3 is a lode of about two feet in width, The reefs, if systematically worked, should prove payable. Sheridan (Tapu, April 19).-Extcnsion of low level crosscut pushed ahead, and country maintains its congenial nature for existence of gold-bearing lodes. Total length ot tunnel 815 feet.