MINING NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13727, 18 April 1908, Page 3

MINING NEWS.

OLD HACRAKX

On* Thursday the manager of the Old Hanrail mine telegraphed stating that h« bad secured Tib of picked stun* from Jjegffr * reef at the 220 ft !«p»«l and the «*<*|» at the 160 ft level. Gold wi= shoving at *« IWffc level. The message added that the manager tad holed through to Bunker* No. 3 lev*! (from the 220 ft level*, and that the new reef at the 300 ft level looked well for gold. Later ; in the day a second wire was received from ' the manager, stating that 80) of specimens i had been obtained from tJwi -top* on Legged i reef at the 160 ft level, and that gold wad i showing. ___, „ TANGIARO. j I PRFJKCKS POINT MINK ACQVIRED..

At, an extraordinary n«*etiag "* d«a»«lioI" ders in the. Tangiaro Hold Mining Company and the Preeee's Point Syndicate, held on Thursday. Mr. (i. 1.. Peaooeke presiding, an offer for the acquirement by tho company <»l the syndicate's property at Coromandel wat acceptod. The Chairman explained that from Ihe very {beginning the company's property 'at Port Charles appeared to have been a prospecting proposition. It had been found to be unpayable, and the directors therefore decided, on the advice of Mr. A. T. Firth, to close it down. About £300 or £400 of shareholders' money was in hand, and this it, was proposed should be devoted towards testing the Preece's Point property. He read Mr. Firth's I report on the question, which stated that tho j mine referred to consisted of 100 aire* lwlow high-water mark, together with 23 acres leasehold, situated on high ground—in all, 123 acres. The area included the claim formerly known a.* the Golden Shore, which was worked during 1896, and a shaft sunk to a depth of 150 ft. with a certain amount ot driving done upon the lode. These workings were now full of water, but a portion of tho ore broken out was still lying on the. surface, approxiuiatey about 20 tons, worth £1 17s 6d per ton. Specimen stone was also got. from this shaft from time to time. The above workings are on the northern end of the property. On the south side of tho point a cross reef was discovered several months ago, from 4in to 2ft wide. From this reef, immediately below high-water mark, stone carrying from 2cz to 4|oz of bullion to tho pound was obtained; but, owing to these workings filling with sand at each high tide, work Was discontinued. Some 20ft to the north-east of this rich strike there was an old prospecting; shaft down 57ft, which was now full of water. On December 21 last, the syndicate holding the Preece's Point claim had the shaft unwatered, but the holidays were close I at hand, and, the men refusing to work durj ing this period, tho shaft again filled with j fresh water. The shaft was sunk during the Maori war, and, as ho was informed by old j residents of Coromandel, on payable ore; j but, owing to the want of appliances for dealing with the water, the shaft was abandoned. During the past month tho syndicate made a successful application to the trustees of tho 23 acres of church property, and a lease was granted for a term of five years, with the right -of renewal, thus placing the syndicate in a position to at once commence operations. Prior to the granting of this lease to the syndicate Mr. Firth had recti I mended the closing down of the company's j mine at Port Charles, and had approached the syndicate with the object of obtaining the right to recommend same to the Tangiaro Gold Mining Company. These negotiations had so far been successful, inasmuch as the directors of both company and syndicate were agreeable to an acquirement of tho latter'* property by the former. Should the Tangiaro Cold Mining Company finally decide to take over the Preece's Point property, ! Mr. Firth would recommend the immediate unwatering of the prospecting shaft referred to, and the projection of a crosscut seawards, j with the object of intersecting the reef (from ! which the specimen stone was obtained on ' the surface), and thereafter to drive east and \ west upon it to prove its value at a depth of 57ft below the surface. A scheme for the future working of the mine could then be decided, upon. He aided that ho had no hesitation in recommending this property, as there were abundant indications of gold in the reefs, of which a considerable number existed on the property. The beach Band and mud also carried considerable evidences of gold. r I he Chairman .said that the money in hand would suffice to test the Preece's Point , property, and determine whether or no it > would bo worth while making a. call to provide for its further development. The syndicate was prepared to accept 30,000 2s snares, paid up to Is, in payment for its) property. It was therefore proposed to increase the capita! of the Tangiaro Company from £10,000 to £11,000 by the creation of an additional 20,000 shares of 2s each. He then moved in this direction, explaining that Tangiaro shares were only paid up to M, and consequently the syndicate would not ho liable for calls until Is had been paid up on Tangiaro shares. Tho motion was carried.

THE KUAOTUNU FIELD. Further evidences ore forthcoming to show that active mining on the Kuaotuuu field is about to bo revived. Tho Waitaia mine, which has been closed down for about two year.-:, lias boon purchased by a local syndicate, who intend to actively develop the property very shortly. This mine, from 1891 to 1906, yielded an output of £26,404. . A company is also in course of formation. to acquire tho Maoriland and Black Jack claims (100 acres), at Kuaotumi. The latter was formerly worked for a short period, and a crushing of 21Si tons gave a return of £752. The intention is to put in a. low level, which should cut the reef in about; 200 ft, and render available a largo block. Another claim to be reopened before long is situated between Kuaotunu and Opitonui. ft is to bo put under development as the New Beresford. Some old claims at Kuaotunu proper have also been recently pegged out. SOUTHERN QUEEN. The Southern Queen Gold Mining Company have crushed 12 load* of ore for a return of 54<>z of retorted gold. NOTES. Kelly's leader in the drive in (he Tbkatea mine is now from. 2ft to 3fr. wide, and tho manager reports that the country look* promising for gold. The, rise is now draining the water from the workings overhead. The manager of the Temple Bar mine telegraphed on Thursday stating that in the drive west from the bottom of the winze the reef Inad opened out to 2ft, and that strong dabs of gold were showing in, tho stone. The water in the Phoenix mini* is now down to 2ft below the back of the 40ft level in the shaft. The poppet head has been repaired, and the old drive has, been securely timbered. The contractor i* making good progress with the road from the beach to tho mine. In the east drive on the Rocky (Point reef in the May Queen Extended mine the quarts veins give a fair prospect of gold, and occasionally strong colours are vLsible. Tho lode, the manager states, has the appearance of a strong body divided into veins. It will, no doubt, come together. The quartz i.-i being saved for crushing. la crosscutting io intersect No. 3 reef from the bottom of Hansen's very hard rock was met with about the point where the lode should be met with. Work here is now confined to driving each front trio winze on Hansen's reef, fcsfc down. The quartz, verv strong in mineral, i- being saved for crushing. The manager of the Victoria mine l reports that in the stope on the lead above No. 2 the quartz shows colours and (tabs of gold freely. A start has lx*'n made to extend the west drive on the eour-o of the lead at •this level. The country has improved. The withholding of protection from the Waitaia (odd Mines, limited, Kuaotunu. was requested by Mr. William Eddowes, who stated (say- the New Zealand Mine* Record) that prior to the application being made to the Warden tho attorneys of the company bad promised to grant a 5 per cent, tribute, provided the application for protection was not objected to, but they had since broken that promise. Mr. Kddowes has been informed that as the application for protection had been granted before his letter had been received it was too late to interfere in the matter.