THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13286, 19 September 1906, Page 5

THE GOLDFIELDS.

WAIOTAHI.

PICKED STONE FROM No. 4 STOPE.

The secretary of the Waiotahi Gold Mining Company (Mr. G. S. Kissling) received the following telegram from the mine manager yesterday: —" Selected ' 1501b picked stone from fourth stope, east of No. 1 winze,; at No. 5 level." .' ' j

The weekly report of the mine manager on development operations is as follows :"■—

No. 6 level: The Mary Ann shaft having been completed to this level, driving eastward on the main reef has been resumed. A leading stope has also been started on Hie main, reef from the No. 1 or first winze sunk. I am now.putting in a crosscut from the main shaft to pick up the main reef west, and a distance of 14ft has been driven- Cure reef—Driving west is being continued and the drive is now in 120 ft.from the crosscut. The reef in the face is still split up, and, although we have seen no gold, the quartz is improving in appearance. The leading stope east of the crosscut has been carried a distance of 64ft, No. 5 level: Driving east, on the main reef is still in progress. The reef in the face, is still split up, and occasionally good colours of gold are seen in the footwall portion. 'This face is now in a distance of 222 ft from the winze. As it will be necessary to get a rise through to No. 4 level tor the purpose of carrying off the water, I have started to drive east in the footw*ll of the main reef. This drive is being driven on a small leader from 2in to 6in in thickness, in which we have seen a few nice colours of gold. About 40ft of driving will bring us to the point, where wo intend to rise. In the crosscut from tho main shaft, no further quartz having been met with that could be part of the main reef, I have "stopped this work for a time and started to drive west on the hangingwall portion of the reef. A distance of 12ft has been- driven, and so far there is no change to report. The crosscut from the Mary Ann shaft to intersect the Cure reef is in 89ft. The leading stope east of No. 1 winze has now been carried for a distance of 119 ft and is yielding a good quantity of crushing dirt.' From the back of. this stop© I have started to put up another rise in the footwall portion, 46ft east of the No. 3 winze, for the purpose of following the reef and proving where it comes through to the No. 4 level. The leading stopo west of the rise has been carried along for 70ft and the second stope for 28ft. In the fourth •tope east of. No. 1 winze work has been con-' fined to squaring up the footwall portion, and where a small mineral seam came into the reef 401b of picked stone were secured. . No. 4 level: As we have so far not met with any quartz in the north-east drive I have decided to stop this until the rise is through from No. 5 level, so as to enable us to locate the position of the reef at this level. Tho »topes above the level are being pushed on west of No. 1 winze and are still producing a good quantity of fair crushing dirt.

WAIHI CONSOLIDATED. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Waihi, Tuesday. The staff of the Wailii Consolidated mine is busily engaged building in the additional boiler, and it is quite probable that it will be steaming by the beginning of next month. In the meantime every expedition is being used in installing the new pump at the 250 ft lodgment. The, pipe fittings are being carried down. the shaft, and it is probable this work will be : completed this week. THAMES SCHOOL OF MINES. , [by telegraph.— own correspondent.] , Thames, Tuesday. The monthly meeting of the Thames School of Mines Council was hold last evening, Mr. G. S. Clark (president) in the.chair, A letter was read from the secretary of the. Waihi School of Mines stating that the Waihi council had decided to apply to the Minister for Mines for an extra electrical instructor (on the grounds that one instructor was not sufficient to" give the necessary instruction to the four schools), and asking the Thames council to .support, thoir petition. It was resolved that if tho Minister refer*, the matter to tho Thames council they will recommend that the petition be granted. The Under-Secretary for Mines wrote notifying the council that tho annual grant of £150 had been authorised and the sum; of £75. passed for payment., . A communication' was .received from the Mines Department stating that certain recommendations-.re-ceived from the annual conference of directors'of schools of ' mines with relation to, alteration of syllabus .of ■classes'' had been,, adopted, including* practical ' examinations . in assaying, bullion assaying, and chemistry,'' and junior papers in mining, pumping, haul•iug. and winding, v ventilation, surveying, •metallurgy,..and- drawing. ■* The report stated' "that during the vacation the director and' 'Mr. Given had collected a large number of rock arid mineral specimens for the museum, /that Mr. T. P. Moody,/ of Hikurangi, had donated a box of specimens from:,his mine, and that Mr. R. W. Powell, of Tararu, had donated a number of valuable' scientific books-to the institution.- Mr. Powell stated that as ho was leaving the Thames district shortly ho was obliged to resign his seat as vice-president of the council. It was resolved .that Mr. Powell be granted three months' leave- of absence. THAMES WARDEN'S COURT. . [my TELEGRAPH.OWN correspondent.] Thames, Tuesday. At the fortnightly sitting of the Thames Warden's Court to-day the following applications were dealt with:—Champion Mines', Ltd., for a license for the Champion West special claim at Neavesville. Granted. F. Stone, for license for tho Uzailla special claim, Tairua. Granted. ,T. M. Loughlin, for six months' protection for the Waipuru special claim, Puru. Granted to December 31. Agnes Graham Trowcrs, for permission to work the Creek and Tararu special claims at Tararu with four men each for six months. Mr. Clendon appeared for the applicant and stated that since this application was made an alteration had taken place in tho ownership, of .the. mines, and a new manager had been appointed, who had sent Home certain recommendations as to the future working of the mine. He would ask the. Warden to grant 1* days' absolute protection instead of the reduction asked for, ponding the receipt of instructions from the Home office as to future operations. Fourteen days' protection granted. Champion Mines, Ltd., for six months' protection for tho Day Dawn special claim. Neavesville. Granted. Champion Mines, Ltd., for permission to work the Champion, special claim with four men for six months. Granted. Plaint by. M. J. Bain against. W. G. Webb for the forfeiture of tho New Tairua special claim on the grounds that the mine had not been worked for the period of nine months. Mr. Miller appeared for the applicant, and Mr. Clendon for the defendant. Forfeiture was decreed with costs.

MINE MANAGERS' REPORTS. Southern Queen (September 15): Since I (J. w. O'Sullivan) took charge of the. mine 6ft havr been driven on the Blue reef and the reef broken down (or that, distance. Colours of gold were seen in the quartz, and from a small stringer on the bangingwall side of the, reef we (rot a few pieces of stone phowing nice gold. The reel in the face, of the drive look* well for picked stone being met with nt any breaking down, and the country is excellent. The. drive should hole through into the winze sunk on the reef from No. 1 level at any time now (if the winze, is deep enough), and a good payable block of ground should then be available for sloping out. • Waitangi (September 15): Driving has been continued on the foot wall of the reef in the eastern drive and gold has been seen at every breaking down, also good minerals. The low level drive has been extended 7ft, making 13ft, and the country is of a good description for gold.

Halcyon (September .15): .The reef at the. low level litis been broken down for 25ft in length. The lodo is 18in thick and is encased in country which has splendid indications for gold. Colours of gold have been seen in the breaking down. About 10 loads ; of quartz have been broken down for the week.

New Occidental (September 15): The drive on the reef formation has been advanced Bft' for the week and the formation is still 18in in thickness, made up of small quartz leaders and sandstone intermixed. The quartz is of a favourable description, carrying an excellent class of minerals, and during the week a small leader about liin in thickness came in on the footwall side of the drive. This leader, which is of kindly appearance, should Junction with the reef formation a few feet ahead. The country on both sides of the reef formation is all that could be wished for.

Waihi Extended (September 15) Since starting the contractors have sunk the main shaft a further 15ft in good country and the contract has been let for the sinking, of the No. 1 winze a further 75ft. This will take us on to the back of No. 4 level. ""•- I have had a few holes put in the leader in No. 2 level and broken the reef for 3ft below the level. Some of the stone lias been sent to the School of Mines to be assayed and results will be forwarded. Portions of "the stone look fairly well. The track or formation of the lode is 2ft wide in the bottom, intermixed with quartz and country. I do not expect very much from it at this point, but will sink a few feet further on it, as I think it well worth testing.

Trafalgar (September 15): 1 am now engaged opening a drive westward on the Shamrock reef, the winze having been put in order. About 15ft of driving will bring us under .where the gold was "met with on the floor of the level. At the low level N0.*.2 stope on the harjglngwall branch leader has been carried along 15ft. eastward of the junction. A portion has been broken down. The leader varies from 3in to 12in in width and allows colours of gold freely.

Vanguard (September 17): Alter the contractors had driven about. 12ft past where the first quart/, was met with in the low level crosscut (after passing through the- main slide) they met a long ; flovv of water. To my niiu'd, this proves that, we are close to a. strong lode, which will most likely be' the St. Hippo reef. 'From the indications met with, when this lode comes to be opened up it will most likely prove to he a uichiy-muicialiftoU gold-bearing reel,