THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12916, 12 July 1905, Page 3

THE GOLDFIELDS.

THE HALF-YEAR'S GOLD OUTPUT.

A SATISFACTORY RETURN.

RECORD FOR- LAST THREE WEEKS.

Ihb gold returns for the Auckland district mines for the first half-year of 1905 have been completed, and, although the yield does not touch record, it is, nevertheless, a gratifying one, showing, as it does, an increase compared with the corresponding period of 1904. The total amount won for the half-yearly period just closed is £430,715 0s sd, as compared with £425,192 6s 4d for the first six months of 1904, an increase of £5522 14 Id. These figures include the Now Zealand Jrown Mines Gold Mining Company's return of £3371, which is given below, but does not appear in our Mining Summary news, the return having come to band too late last night for publication in the Summary. The inclusion of the Crown Mines' return in the three-weekly returns forms a record for that period for the Auckland district, bringing the amount won to £78,058 4s 2d, as against the previous best of £77,964 lis for the three weeks ending June 21, 1905. The increase is £93 13s 2d. NEW ZEALAND CROWN MINES, LIMITED. £3371 FROM 1610 TONS. TOTAL TO DATE, £594,224. During June the New Zealand Crown Mines, Limited, crushed and treated 1610 tons of ore, for a yield of bullion valued at £3371. The total amount won from the mine to date is £594,224, as shown in the following table of details: — Bullion obtained prior to 1896 £138,104 To December, 1898 ... 52,024 To December, 1899 71,636 To December, 1900 66,515 To December, 1901 68,073 To December, 1902 75,452 To December 1903 78,265 To December, 1904 ... 32,002 £582,071 Period endingFebruary 28, 1905, 2198 tons 3,957 May 31, 1905, 3942 tons 4,835 June 30, 1995, 1610 tons 3,371 Total to date ■ ...£594,224 [This return does not appear in our Mining Summary news, having come to hand too late last night.]

WAIHI G.M. CO. IMPORTANT LOW LEVEL DEVELOPMENTS. AN ENORMOUS REEF. It is satisfactory to know that the Wailii mine continues its wonderful development at every level opened up, and that the No. 7 level is even, better than the No. 6. The crosscut at the No. 7 level, from the No. 1 shaft through the. Welcome-Martha lode, has disclosed a reef 97ft in thickness. At No. 6 level it was only 81ft thick, thus showing an increase of 16ft in a depth of about 160 ft, between the two levels. Of the enormous thickness of vein at the No. 7 level, 70ft is composed of sulphides, assaying an average of 13dwt gold audi 2-I,ov, to 3oz of silver, say, about £3 per ton, a magnificent development. The auriferous portions are on the hangingwall centre, and footwall, separated by bands of low-grade rock, respectively 10ft or lift and 15ft or 16ft thick. This is, without doubt, a most important and gratifying development, showing, as it does, the maintenance of size and value as the mine is opened up at the lower levels. The Empire and Royal lodes at the same level axe also opening up thoroughly satisfactorily, sulphide ore of excellent and greater quantity than at the No. 6 level being developed as the drifts are advanced on each of the reefs,

MINE MANAGERS' REPORTS.' Wa.iotabi U. M. Co. (Thames, July 10): Sloping in the third elope above'the> No. 4 level going west lias continued, and from the hangingwall portion a good quantity of crushing dirt has come to Laud. During the past week a good deal of filling lias been run into the slopes, and rising from, the back of the third ?'ope is now in progress for the purpose 01 holing through to the No 2 winze for tilling purposes. The crosscut. in the No. 5 level is now in a distance of 169 ft, and the footwall of the main reef should shortly be to hand. There is, however, a distance of about 80ft to drive to reach the hangingwall. A good class of country continues to be met with. In the shaft we have evidently got through the hard bar, and consequently good progress has been made, the shaft being now down the required depth for the No. 6 level. As soon as the necessary timber is placed in position, excavating the No. 6 chamber will be commenced. In the crosscut from the Kuranui-Caledonia good progress is being made, the crosscut being now in a distance of 53ft. , T , Waihi Extended G.M. Co. (Waihi, July 8): The crosscut, is now in a total distance of 204 ft. On Friday a bead came across the face of the drive, which gave the appearance that a change was a,bout to take place. To ascertain what was behind this head, a hole was bored. When fired, it- was seen that there was a mixture of a little white quartz and soft country, which cave, to all appearance, the indications of a quartz bodv being near at hand. As the face of the drive had to be squared up to the 'bottom of the hole that had been fired, and some timber put in the drive further back, where the ground was falling down, before any further advancement could be made with the drive, nothing more has been discovered, or can be said, as to what this change is likely to be. Victoria G.M. Co. (Thames, July 10): The contractors continue to make excellent progress with the extension of the No. 4 level crosscut towards the Waiotalii reef, having' driven a further distance of 35ft for the week, making a total of 378 ft from the Victoria shaft. The country in the present face is a nice blocky sandstone, intermixed with mineral and silica veins. During the week we passed through a body of ore varying from lit to 2ft in thickness, its course being north and south, with an underlie west of nearly 2ft more. The ore body contains a little mineral, but on the whole, the quartz has rather a white appearance. Sloping operations on the j leader in the hangingwall of the Mariner j reef, No. I level, are still in progress. The country penetrated is a good class of ! sandstone congenial for gold, it being inter- ! laced with nice mineral and silica veins, j The leader, which averages about 4in in i thickness, continues to show nice colours I and dabs of gold when broken down, and | during the week a few nice pieces of i picked stone were selected from the gene- ! ral ore. When the preliminary _ works, which were commenced this morning, are completed, a start will be made to drive on the Victoria reef at the intermediate, above the No. 1 level east of the Victoria shaft, in order to test the value of the reef at this point. The reef in the present face is encased , in a good class of country, and contains mineral of a very favourable character. Golden Belt G.M. Co. (Puketui, July 8): The drive on the reef has been driven a distance, of 20ft during the past week. The reef lias turned to its proper course again, and to-day there is a change in the : face; the reef and country are getting • much harder. Good headway is being made, with the- battery. ; Maliara Royal G.M. Co. (Thames, July : 9): Operations in the stope over the bottom level have been continued on the Mahara Royal main reef. The ore is low i grade, but shows good gold occasionally. | Stoping above .the intermediate level is j being proceeded with on the Royal reef. The width of the reef here is about 6ft ! nd shows gold frequently in the ore taken out. May Queen Extended G.M. Co. (Thames, July 8) During the past week the No. 1 stope on No. 3 reef has been extended to the end of the ground. Nos. 2 and 3

stopes are being operated on. The shows an average width of 15in throug - out, and the ore coming to hand shows a few colours of gold. The reef in eac 1 stope is encased in a splendid class 01 coun try. No. 2 reef— 1 stope (west), Has been extended a distance of 15ft throug 1 the break in the back of the stope about 9in of quartz is showing. _ Crushing was started at the company's mill on Thursday last. Hauraki Freeholds G.M. Co. (Coromandel, July 8): Colours of gold have been seen in the quartz broken in the stopes on the Jones reef. This reef looks well, and measures 2ft between walls. J-lie winze has been sunk a further distance of 6ft, where the reef is lit wide. Dabs of gold were seen when breaking down the quartz to-day. A pal'eel of 12 tons of ore from all parts of the mine is in course of treatment, and cleaning up .will take place about next Vv ednesday. Bunker's Hill CI.M. Co. (Coromandel, July 8): Driving is still being extended in the crosscut at the adit level. A distance of lift has been driven for the week, making a total distance driven of 426 ft. The country is somewhat tight, but well mineralised, and pug seams have been frequently met with. WARDEN'S COURT. [by telegraph.—own correspondent.] Coromandel, Tuesday. A sitting of the Warden's Court was held this afternoon before Mr. R. 8. Bush, Warden, when the following applications were granted:—A. M. Thompson and J. JCraig, permission to work the Great Mercury special quartz claim, Kuaotunu, with two men for six months; R. Inglis,^surrender Aorere special quartz claim, Ivuaotunn ; W. Dick, protection foi six months for the Bismark Extended special quartz claim, Tokatea; Bunker's Hill Gold Mining Company, six months' protection for the Bunker's Hill Extended quartz claim, Kauri Block D. Murphy, surrender of residence site, Kopurukaitai; A, M. Thompson and J. J. Craig, six months' protection for Irene special quartz claim, Kuaotunu ; Mr. O'Connor, Punga special quartz claim, Kuaotunu; J. A. Soubritzky, six months' protection for Cousin Jack special quartz [claim, Matamataharakeke; A. R. H. Swindley, surrender of Little Hero special quartz claim; New Pour-in-Hand 1 Gold Mining Company, permission to work the New Four-in-Hand special quartz claim with four men for six months ; John Thwaites, surrender of Kia Ora special quartz claim; Albert Wharf, 30 totara trees, near Mercury Bay.