THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13192, 1 June 1906, Page 3

THE GOLDFIELDS.

WAIHI. DIVIDEND AND BONUS PAYABLE. The quarterly dividend of os and a bonus of 2s for 1905 year,' making in all 5s per share, is payable "to shareholders in the Waihi Gold Mining Company at the company's office, Shortland-street, to-day. : As the shares in the company number 500,000, the dividend and bonus will absorb £125,0000, and will raise the total amount distributed among shareholders in the shape of dividends, etc., to £2,202,895. ; " KOMATA REEFS. £3400 FROM 1720 TONS. '■ ;•- . ... TOTAL. TO DATE,. £198,295.During the four weeks ended May 19 the Komata Reefs Gold Mining Company crushed and treated 1720 tons of ore for a yield of bullion valued at £3400, the highest return for the present year. The total amount won from the mine to date-is £198.295, as shown iu the following table of details: — To December. 1900 ... .... ... £50,369 0 0 In 1201. 857i.i tons 11.092 0 0 In 1902, ia,S69 tons ... 27.085 0 0 In 1903. 14.730 tons ... ... ..." 37.157 0 0 In 19C4. 16,900 tons ... 34,430 0 0 In 1905 43.136 0 0 £183.269 0 0 Period ending— January 27, 19.6. 1150 tons ... £2,649 0 0 February 24, 1906. 1350 tons ... 2,896 0 Q March 24, 1906, 1010 tons ... 2.929 0 0 April 21, 1905, 1620 tons ... 3,152 0 0 May 19, 1906. 1720 tons 3.400 0 0 Total to dale - £198,295 0 0 Total dividends paid £26,664 0 0 WAIOTAHI. NEW QUAPTZ BODY AT No. 6 LEVEL.

[BY TELEGRAM.OWN CORRF-SrOMIENT.]

Thames, Thursday

At the No. 6 level of the Waiotahi mine, the drive back westward on the foot wall branch has now holed through into the main level about 20ft westward of the winze, and a start has been made to drive on another reef 'formation striking into the footwall further back, at about the point where the first branch was cut in the crosscut from the main drive. This formation, which is running well away into the footwall. is a good-looking body of quartz, about 18in in thickness, and appears to have struck out from the main reef. About 6ft hais been driven on it so far, and it is intended to continue the drive, as from the present appearance of the quartz it is -worth further development. Whether it will turn out to be of any importance or not can only be proved by further driving on it. : The branch is underlying the opposite way to the one previously driven on, and will-junc-tion with it underfoot, and the manager intends to sink a winze to intersect the junction of the two. In the eastern face of the main level the reef, which is still bearing round to the left, hand, is small and much broken up by the break, which is running along with it on the footwall side. In the face' of the drive westward of the crosscut on the main reef the quartz is also much broken up, no change having as yet taken place. The western drive on the Cine reef has been extended about 40ft from the crosscut, and has now broken into the crosscut driven from the footwall drive to the hangingwall branch'. ' The reef here.,- varies very much in size, being in some places 18iii in thickness,' and in" others .running down to a mere seam oi quarts. It shows colours of gold occasionally. : No. 5 level: At this level the eastern face on the main reef is still in progress, 'and the reef continues to hold ' its larg£L:siz ( produces a; large tonnage of payable "ore. This reef is also being driven on,westward of the crosscut, but" no improvement has yet taken place in the appearance of the quartz, which is about Bft in' .thickness. Above the level the stopes are at present suspended for filliug-in purposes, which is necessary to keep the ground safe. No. 4 level: At this level the eastern drive is being continued on the main reef, which ,is still of a promising nature, and a little gold has been seen in small stringers, running into the reef on the footwall side. Above this level st oping is proceeding as usual, and a fair amount of good crushing dirt is coming to hand from this block, the back of which is now up nearly halfway to the No. 3 level. The connection between this level and the Mary Ann shaft is now completed, as is also the tramway from the brace of the shaft to the big battery. The quartz from the level is now being conveyed to the battery through the shaft, which greatly relieves the pressure on the main Waiotahi shaft, and will enable the full force of 40 stampers in the big battery to be kept going, which was impossible with only the one shaft in use. Cleaning-tip and retorting for the month will take place to-morrow.

THAMES. ORE GIVES HIGH ASSAY VALUES. [jiY TELEGRAPH. —OWN' CORRESPONDENT,X Thames, Thursday. Development works in the Thames mine are being pushed on with all possible dispatch. The rise on the No. 1 lode lias now reached a, height of 55ft over the back of the drive, and the prospects met with so far are very encouraging. The loclo in the back of the rise maintains its size of about Ift. and the assays taken from i' show 'he r-s-e to be of high grade. This is iilso oha eft:" with the drive southward, in the face of which the lode is 18in in thickness, and also gives very good results by assay tests. There is now a, block of ground opened up of 80ft in length and over 60ft in height, and its size is being increased daily. So ■;••- the average value of the ore broken from this block is shown by assays -to be £35 per ton ;' this is taking the whole average from the. drive and rise. An regards i!. ■■■ question of. Irr-itrn-ent, recent experimes** with iue. ore ?ro ',:. show that there shr-i'ld not b«> as much ditfi.'UKty ;:,-". "as j.i a.::,l and 10 head hi s;anr in tS-e !Mo&!<at<f.i;iii baltt-ry are now being prepared for >t. It is expected that a start will be made to crush the ore accumulated in about a fortnight's time. NEW MAY QUEEN. [BY TELEGRAM.OWN" CORRESPONDENT.] Thames, Thursday. In the New May Queen mine driving and stuping operations on the block at No. 6 lfve' are proceeding as usual. In the eastern drive there is still a large body of rubbly quartz in the face, several feet in thickness. The continuation of the No. 4 lode has not yet been picked up in the footwa.ll, as v;a-s expected would be the case, and a crosscut is being commenced hi the fo-twall, about 20ft back from the face, to ascertain if the lode has been missed. At the western end of the block the drive on the fool wall branch is being continued, and this branch, which is about 6in in thickness, still continues to look well, and is producing a little picked stone. Above the level seven slopes are in progress for the whole length of the block, which is about 300 ft, and are producing a steady supply of payable ore. At No. 5 level the work of cleaning out the old drive has now been completed to the face, and a start has been made to drive on the No. 4 lode eastward. It is intended to continue this drive to cut the St Hippo reef. The No. 4 reef in the face is composed of several ribs of promis-ing-looking quartz, in all about lOin in •thickness PRIDE OF WAIHI. 'the ordinary general meeting of the Pride of Wailii Gold Mining Company, Limited, called for yesterday afternoon, lapsed for lack of a. quorum.' The directors' report states that two men are en-

gaged fossicking about on the property, in the hope that some leaders of quartz may be unearthed. This they considered t.ie beet and most advantageous way ofemploying the men at present, as the" operations in the Waihi- Extended mine' are not yet sufficiently far advanced to enable them to decide whether to continue sinking the present shaft, or commence a, new one. The cash .statement shows cash in bank and on hand amounting to £696 55.. ■ . - - .',' . . MINE MANAGERS' REPORTS. -. New Una (May 29)- St opinion the No. 4 'reel is m progress The- reef varies from 18in to 2ft in width and the quartz maintains its kindly appearance and carries a large percentage of mineral* The cutting out of the chamber preparatory t 0 sinking a winze on No. 3 reef has been completed, and stripping the reef on its .ootwall has, been commenced and is now down an. The quartz will be broken down when, a sufficient depth is attained to eriuble setsj of timber to be placed in position. Crushing -was commenced this morning at McGregor's batt'erv. Rising Sun (May 23): During the week there nai been a slight improvement in the country penetrated in the northern drive. The rock is boring much letter, and should this change continue better progress will be made 'there "is a mineral seam running with the reef, which, should have a good effect on it. The reef. 2ft* 6in wide and is again divided bv ribs of country : ; With improved cCtmtiy and a little more driving I Irave no doubt it will come together again. At' the south end fair progress continues to be made with the extension of the drive. The countrv encasing the reef is of a splendid class for gold'.. The reef, which has been somewhat, pinched for the. last few feet., is showing signs of opening out again. Fair prospects arc obtained bv pounding and dish te?ts. Omahu Mines (May 23): During the past week the drive in the main face ha-> been extended 7ft. making 24ft. from the dip. 'Hie No. 1 cross drive going north has been driven Bft, making 65ft. The reef here continues disturbed, but the footwnli portion still carries good payable ore. The No. 1 cross drive going south is now connected with the open cut on the surface, • 18ft having been driven to connect with the open cut, which is 33ft. This makes a tola! of 81ft from the main level to the mouth of the open cut. The. reef continues the whole distance. carrying payable ore - This section lias proved considerably r. ore ore than was of first expected, and there is every prospect of the reef still continuing to the south-west of the cut "across a flat spur.

Yesterday Mr. .1 Thornes sold by auction, at his mart. Queen-street, 250 foifcited shares in the Waihi Extended Gold Mining Company. Of these. 200 realised' os Scl per share and the remaining 50 brought 6s 6d per share.