THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12819, 20 March 1905, Page 3

THE GOLDFIELDS.

WAITAIA G.M. CO.

f [BY* TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] •:}. ■ COROMANDEL, Saturday. THE Waitaia Gold Mining Company /Kiiaotunu) have crushed 36 tons of ore for a yield of 30oz 3dwt of bullion from the plates and berdans, the result of eight days' operations. „ WAIIII GRAND JUNCTION G.M. CO. [by TKMX;RAI'It.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WALHI, Saturday. The excavation work at the Waihi Grand Junction Gold Mining Company's battery site has been brought ,to a standstill in consequence of the contractors giving up the contract. The bottom floor only remains to be finished, but the work is to be left in abeyance until the winter has passed, and in the. meantime the retaining walls and foundation for the buildings will be proceeded with. In fact, the erection of the Willis between the various floors has already been commenced. When the foundations have been completed the buildings will be commenced, and thus enable the bottom floor level excavations to be carried out under cover.' Underground work at the mine is proceeding expeditiously, and the drive on the lode at No. 3 level has beeh extended about 45ft from the crosscut, thus leaving the face to be advanced a further 35ft to reach a point under on© of the winzes sunk from the No. 2 level. Every effort is being made tn effect the connection as expeditiously as possible, in order that-good ventilation may be procured. This accomplished, the systematic development of the Nos. 1 and 2 reefs will he undertaken on a large scale, and this, of course, means the employment of a large mini Ivor of miners, as four faces will then be in operation at the one time. The reef being driven upon at present i.s improving on the easterly trend, though its exact value has not been determined by assay for some time past. Three winzes are also being sunk from No. 2 level. These are carried down from 80ft to 90ft on an average. and then, of course, as the No. 3 level comes along connections at stated intervals are effected between the two. These winzes will provide a basis for sloping later on, and generally speaking affairs are in a very forward state. WAIOTAHf G.M. CO. [BY TELEGRAPH. — CORRESPONDENT.] Titam, Satay. 11l the Waiotahi mine the country rock at the bottom of the shaft is still of a hard nature, and consequently rather .slow progress is being made with sinking. In the stopes on the reef above the level itlargo amount of ore is being broken, but work is still confined to the foot wall portion and centre of the reef, and none of the hangingwall has yet been, broken. This will, however, have to be broken within the next day or two, sis there is now a good long bench of it stripped, and it would be difficult to keep it standing much longer. The battery is working three shifts constantly, and the ore from the slopes is more than sufficient to keep it going. NEW ECLIPSE G.M. CO. MY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] THAMES, Saturday. The manager of the New Eclipse mine reports that during the past week operations in the stopes north of the winze have been continued. , The lode formation in No. 4 face has opened out to 6ft- in width, and gold has been seen on both footwall and hangiugwall. The average width of the lode through the stopes is 4ft- 6in, and the whole is being forwarded to the mill for treatment. The battery is running one shift, ' crashing ore from the workings mentioned, which is shaping for a payable return. NEW MOANATAIARI G.M. CO. [BY TELEGRAPH. — CORRESPONDENT,] THAMES, Saturday. The manager of the New Moanataiari mine reports that the diive to prove the nature of the country, and if possible to pick up the continuation of the reef eastward of the two breaks, has been advanced 30ft. The ground is a good deal firmer, hut not anything like the same description as that existing on the western side. Should no improvement take place hero within* the next few days, this work will be suspended until further developments are carried out on the lode. In the large block in hand above the longitudinal break, and westward of the right angle break, the contractors for the extension of the south-east prospecting drive, parallel with the Waiotahi boundary, have driven 10ft for the week. The ground has altered considerably during the past, few days, from a nice mild sandstone to a hard blue country. This class of country is not unfavourable, as it has it beneficial effect on any reef in its vicinity. All the failings accumulated from last crushing will be treated to-morrow, and the amalgam rc- ! torted on Monday. There may probably be another 15oz of gold from this. THAMES HAURAKI PUMP. [t'ltOlf OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Thames, Satuiday. The engineer in charge of the Thames Hauraki-.pump met with rather a pleasant surprise this morning. On examining the working of the pump before dropping the Cameron, it was found that the flow of water was unusually large, and on further investigation the conclusion was arrived ■at' that the plunger, which had been out of order ever since lie pump started working. had suddenly commenced to do its work, and has been working satisfactorily and steadily up to this afternoon. The amount of water now being lifted is quite double what it was previously, and it will not be necessary to go to the extra expense of working the Camerons, as had been intended. The latter had been all prepared for lowering into position, and, in fact, were at the collar of the shaft, and would have been lowered to-day. The water in the shaft has been reduced a depth of 40ft since starting three weeks ago. There is still a further depth of 200 ft of water to reduce before reaching the 650 ft level, and this depth should be reached within, the next two months. It is supposed now that the '.-au-se of the nonworking of the plunger in the past was that a chip of wood had got jammed in the valves, and the constant vibration of the machinery since has loosened it, and it has now floated away with the water, thus allowing the valves to work. Mr. T. A. Dunlop. the Government supervisor, gave his opinion from the first that the cause of the trouble was as stated. y NEW SAXON G.M. CO. [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Thames, Saturday. The manager of the New Sixon mine reports that the winze is now down 21ft. The reef has increased in size, and is about 6in wide. He has seen no gold for the last 6ft of sinking, but the ore looks veiy promising. A small seam of pug lias made on the footwall, and this is probably why no gold has been seen lately, but it appears to lie likely to die out again in a short distance, as" the firm sandstone is coming in again at the bottom. In the stopes the reef is looking fairly well, maintaining its regular size, and gold is seen at each ' breaking down. ' About 51b of picked stone have been selected during the week. NEW MAY QUEEN G.M. CO. [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Thames, Saturday.

The manager of the New May Queen mine reports that No. 3 level on the No. 4 lode is now repaired to the junction of the north-west lode. Here the level is broken down, and tc avoid the delay of picking it up he is driving on a small leader which shows a little gold. It is striking across tho corner of the junction, and will lead to t.'no north west lode a fewfeet further ahead. Prospecting No. 4 and the branch lodes has been in progress during the week, and th© Qua.i'z broken carries a favourable clash of .iiineral for gold.

1 ; OLD ALBURNIA G.M. CO. j [from oun OWN correspondent.] I ; ; V - '' ';?> Thames, Saturday. The main tunnel in* the Old Albumia mine lias been, extended a distance of 9ft for the week. This leaves another lift to drive to complete the contract, which was for 300 ft, and next week should finish this distance. The country'. in the face afc present is somewhat, broken with soft heads, and it is found accessary to put in timber to secure the ground.' SOUTHERN MINING. [BY TKT.KGKAI-H. — I'IU'.SS ASSOCIATION.] Dune din, Sunday. Dredging returns: Ma-sterton, 960z 8;l\vt: Junction Electric, 640z Bdwt; Lady Annie, 450■/. fidwi: Mystery Flat, 340z Bdwt; Muddy Ciwk, 31oz 2<hvt; Alexandra Lead, 31oz; Wainiuimi, 50oz lkhvt; Waikaia. 30oz: Electric 1.. 24 ox 17dwt; Lady Roxburgh. 240z 16dwt ; Charlton Creek, 20oz lStlwt : Dunstau Lead, 17oz sdwt! Garden Sully, 17oz ldwt; Ktlrick. l7oz; Inciulale, 16oz Bthvt : Nugent. Wood, 15oz 10(1 ; Uox 17dwt; Xeiv Perseverance, 50o•/. oclut : Sandy Point. 4607. 12<lwt ; Rise «uk! Shine 11., 59 7<hvt: Golden B«l, 350z; Rising Sun, 320z 6dwt : Royal Waimumu. oloz s<l\vt; Waikaka United, 290z 2dwt: Enterprise 11.. 28oz 4dwl 21gr; Punt. 250z 14dwt: Molyueaux Ivoliinoor, 250z B<hvt ; Rise iuklShine 11., 250z 4dwt.: Waikaka. Syndicate, 230z 14dwt; Waikaka United 11., 23<>z schvt; Enterprise 11., 220z Odwt 18gr; Waimumu Queen, 20oz Bd\vt ; Waikaka Queen, 20oz ldwt: Upper Waipori. 19oz 18d\vt: Loch Lomond, 180/,; Clutha River, 16oz lSclwt ; Waikaka, 16oz 14dwt; Matau, 16oz; Sheddon's Freehold. 15oz; Olrig, 14oz 17dwt; Gabriel i., 7oz. West Coast : Moonlight, Boz ldwt. The LadyMiiith Sluicing Company (Roxburgh) washed up for 1220z for 16 days.