THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13392, 22 January 1907, Page 3

THE GOLDFIELDS.

WATCHMAN". [" BY l KI.M.'I! M'M. — OWN' <OIU<KSt'ONIIK N'T. Tiiamks, Monday. Th► Watchman Gold Mining Company's claim is situated to the north-west of the Shellback Creek, and adjoins the Waitangi and Bonanza claims. It is intended to open out on ami develop the reel's which outcrop on the surface, and from wiii< li fair acssty results have been obtained by the promoters in their prospecting woiks. TRAFALGAR. The chairman of directors (the Hon. W. McCnllough). who lately visited the Trafalgar mine, reports that the "double hopper is half-full of ore ready for the battery, and crushing will commence at. once. It is likely that- if the ore proves payable there will he nothing to prevent steady crushing from the Trafalgar reef, a.s a block of ore, 200 ft in length by 80ft in height, is ready for sloping, and the ore can be placed in the hopper at ;i trifling cost. Samples of the ore were submitted to the Thames School of Mines, and yielded at the rate of £5 15s per ton, while another sample, treated at the Rank of New Zealand, gave a return of over £15 per ton. If by battery treatment this ore gives even an ounce to the ton a. satisfactory profit will be netted. Work is also proceeding on the Shamrock lode, and as the mine is now well opened up. w'tli ore in large quantities to be won cheaply from the Trafalgar and Empire lodes, the chairman regards tin-' future prospects as encouraging, provided the ore obtained yields even moderate returns of gold.

WAIOTAHI. Tin* manager of the Waiotahi Gold Mining Company reports for the week as follows:— No. 6 level: Driving east on the footwall dropper is being continued, and the drive is in 153 ft. The reef is about sft in width, and continues to show colours of gold. The second stope above this level, oil the main reef, has been carried east of Xo. 1 winze for 291t, and west, for 19ft. Work on the Cure teef, and also on the north crosscut, has again been resumed. N'o. 5 level Driving eastward on the main reef is in progress, and the drive is now in 520 ft from No. 1 winze. The reef here is about Aft in width. Driving east on the footwall branch is also in hand, and the drive is in 157 ft. The reef here for the last few feet has been of a inullocky character. but is now making quartz again. In the drive west on the main reef front the north crosscut nothing has been done. The stupes above tins level east of No. 1 winze continue to produce a large quantity of crushing diit. The sixth stope west of Xo. 1 winze has been in progress, and is now nearly completed to N'o. 1 rise, and although no picked stone has been secured it hits produced a. good quality of crushing dirt. Xo. 4 level: In the north-east drive we have cut into the reef sft. but as yet there is no sign of the footwall. I lie quartz is of a kindly nature, and shows a little bright mineral. Driving west on the (..'lire reef is also in progress, and the drive is in 75ft front the crosscut. The reef here, which is about 15in in width, is improving in appearance. Ihe stopes above this level continue to yield a good supply of crushing dirt.

MOKWAI. [hy telegraph.—own corkx DKN'T. ] Cokoman'uki,, Monday. Mr. W. G. Martin, the well-known mine manager, has just returned from Mercury Bay. where lie has been inspecting the Moewai mine. He left, to-day by the Chelmsford for Auckland to report to the j owners of the property. DREDGING. [BY TELEGRAPH. — PRESS ASSOCIATION-, j Dr.NKiuN. '.Monday. During the week ended Monday, January 21, returns were reported' from 30 dredges on the. Outgo and Southland fields. The total yield was 7760z Bdwt 13gr, or an average of over 250z per dredge. MINK MANAGERS' REPORTS. j Kii i a illll (January 19): The drive on the Shot- • over leader his lieeri extended 6ft, making 34 ft driven on the leader north of t'lie shaft. The leader has opened out. to 6in wid» and is highly mineralised. The country is formed of sandstone interlaced with numerous mineral veins and of a favourable character tor gold. A crosscut has been started lo the west of The Hiotovcr leader at th" intermediate level to try and pick up th" ntopes on Hunt's reef. Two small stringers have lie/a met with alter going "it ill, being lm mid lii thick respectively. .and, though the country looks promising, no gold has been seen. Cleaning i up at the battery has not been finished, but the j st.uff from the old -topes is not- payable. A I parrel i.s being tried from the oki creek bed, ] just above the Shotover shaft, and a little cold ! is obtained with the di»li in most of it. | Hid llauraki (January 13): 'Hie heavy ruin j wade ii iieee.,v;iry to have the timlx-r in the I adit level replaced, but work on 'lie lead lias ; been resumed. I'ro.-peets ar-' still enemiraging. ■ While Lie.iking *1' >'a ii the lead in tie- rise yester- ' day colours and dabs of niee c.arse gold wi re ; fieely seen in the stone. Work on the bale can I l>e push.d on without further interruption. | New Dart January IKI - The drive has been extended ?.ZU. The country remains much about I the same, but it is a little easier to get through and more mineralised. lionanzp. (January 19): The drive has been extended 7ft. making a total distance of 34ft from i the entranee. The eountrv in the face is still j of a promising character. Two shills will lie put i on the face of the drive next week. May Quern Extended (January 19): Th" work ; "f cutting out. the chamber to sink on the Ade ; laide reef in the north end has been completed. ' A small branch vein is showing and carries j "tiiours of coarse gold Sinking will be carried ' on at, the junction if tins vein with the main j reef, which i* a strong bode of quartz. Work ' has T>eeri resumed on the Hneky Point reef west ! and v. ill be carried oil with one shift, of two men. j Kirikiri (January 19): Enough timber has been I cut to complete the north water-race contract. I Tie- Filly race was carried aw.iv in the recent I storm for a distance of 89ft. The Kalterv has I been given a run for a few hours and works i well.

Champion (January 19): The face :it the low level has lieen extended lift, The country is still of .: soft, and kindly nature. A distance el bft has lieeri driven on the new lode, 'lie' ore broken gives wna.ll dish project.--.

The postponed picnic in connection with the Devonpoi t Lodge of Druids will take place to morrow, lion will leave the wharf lit Imlf-paM nine a.m. and twenty minutes past. one (..in. The Itoad to Health: Paved with good digestion. Bragg's Vegetable Charcoal. Invaluable for indigestion, diarrhoea, fevers, etc. Powder, 2s. 4-j, 6s; biscuits, la, 2s, 4s; all chemists —Bragg, Wigmore-st., London, Eeij.