MINING NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14940, 13 March 1912, Page 5

MINING NEWS.

THAMES DEEP LEVELS.

MEETING OF THE BOARD.

• A FURTHER TENDER LET. A meeting of the Thames Deep Levels Board was held yesterday in the office of the secretary (Mr. J. B. Sheath). ; There were present: The Rev. E. H. Taylor (chairman), Messrs. C. Hudson, H. | Gilfillan, jun., H. H. Adams, G. Aickin, A. Bruce, and J. Kneebone. A claim for £46, in respect of alleged loss through the flooding of tho works, was received from the contractors for tho Saxon crosscut. The claimants argued that the flooding prevented them from proceeding with their contract, and that it was duo to a defect in the pump. The Board's solicitor advised that the contractors had no legal claim. The Chairman said it was a matter of equity. Mr. Hudson moved, "That the claimants be informed that the Board could not recognise their claim." An amendment was moved by Mr. Bruce, referring tho matter to a committee for consideration of the question of effecting a compromise. Mr. Adams, in seconding the amendment, thought it was the duty of the Board to meet tho contractors in this matter. After discussion, tho amendment was carried. I Government Subsidy Required. A communication was received from the Under-Secretary for Mines in reply to the Board's application for the Government subsidy of £5000. This stated that, as I the whole of the £12,000 provided by tho contributing companies was not yet expended, there was no necessity for the payment of the Department's contribution. Tho secretary stated that when accounts to date were made up it would be shown that only about £2000 of the contributed total remained in hand. That being so, the Board decided to furnish a full statement to the Department, and again apply for the subsidy. Air Pipe Obstructed. The supervisor of the main crosscut, in a report dated March 10, stated that in the course of an examination he had discovered a serious obstruction to the main air pipe. A sheet of iron had been placed by some unknown person in such a way as to block the airway into the main tunnel for nearly two-thuds of tho area. Mr. Warne attended, and verbally confirmed his report. He said that, "in his opinion, the act was not one of malice, but probably was done with the idea of diverting the air into the Saxon subsidiary crosscut, the iron sheet projecting some way into the latter. If, however, that were the case, whoever placed the obstruction where it was found should have removed it afterwards,

The Board decided to empower Mr. Warn« to have repairs to the airway effected, and to take such steps as he might deem proper to prevent future interference with the air pipes. A Proposed Deviation. The supervisor brought up the question of tho further continuation of the main crosscut, tenders for which wero due to be considered. Ho said that the face would soon be dangerously . near the Moanataiari slide, and that for some distance the tunnel must necessarily run parallel thereto. Under the circumstances, he recommended that the crosscut should be deviated from its present course towards the Waiotahi shaft, and thence to the Kuranui-Caledonian. The extra distance entailed would be 80ft. Mr. Warne said the Government engineer also recommended the deviation. If it were to be done it must bo done from the present point. On the motion of Mr. Gilfillan, it was resolved to ask the companies concerned and the Government if they will agree to the deviation of the main crosscut, as recommended by the advisory board. Tenders for Another 1000 ft. The May Queen Gold Mining Company wrote asking the Board to commence the driving of its subsidiary crosscut in the Moanataiari ground hillward. The application was granted, and it was decided to call for tenders accordingly. The following tenders were opened for driving 500 ft and 1000 ft respectively in continuation of the main crosscut: Graham and party, £2 10s and £2 12s 6d per foot; Jas. Crosby, £2 10s and £2 15s. The following tendered for the 1000 ft distance only:W. H. Kemp and party, £2 18s 6d per foot; M. O'Brien and party, £2 12s 6d. It was decided to accept the tender of Graham and party for extending the crosscut 1000 ft, the Board reserving the right to alter the course of the tunnel, if necessary.

OLD HAURAKI.

RICH STONE OBTAINED. [BY TELEGRAPH.OWN CORRESPONDENT ] Coromandee, Tuesday. The picked stone being obtained from the face of the 300 ft level in the Old Hauraki mine is the richest yet obtained from the new reef, and is probably as rich as anything ever taken, out of the mine. The face is now well into the Union Beach section of the mine, and nearing the place where rich gold was obtained by the old Union Beach Company in the upper levels. '. . <« WAITAWHETA. The annual meeting" of the shareholders of tho Waitawheta Gold Prospecting Company was held at the office of the secretary (Mr. J. J. Macky) yesterday afternoon. Mr. H. C. Choyce (chairman) presided over, a large attendance. Tho directors' report and statement of accounts was presented and adopted. Tho retiring directors (Messrs. R. C. Carr and Owen Humphreys) were re-elected. Mr. J. A. Pond was unanimously elected managing director of the company, and Mr. A. E. Brown was elected to fill a vacancy on the board. Mr. D. B. McDonald was re-elected auditor. A unanimous vote of thanks was accorded the directors for their services. The meeting closed with a vote of thanks to the chairman. TELLURIDES PROPRIETARY. The extension of the low level crosscut in the Gordon section of tho Tellurides Proprietary property has been proceeded with as usual, and a very largo body of ore was met with as wired. The lode proves to be 7ft in thickness from wall to wall, and is, I am pleased to say (states the manager), in a well-defined state. Samples have been assayed from the hangingwall side of tho lode, but tho value was poor at that point. It will bo seen that the ore body is of large dimensions, and as a result I intend to sample it in sections both north and south of the level. By doing this I will be.able to furnish you with the true value of the ore. I can only say that, judging by the country in which the reef is encased, I have every reason to believe that good results will shortly be obtained. The main crosscut in the Volunteer section has been advanced Bft during the week, and the country remains just about the same as when last reported.

WAIOTAHI. The manager of the Waiotahi Gold Mining Compajay reports for the week as follows: Driving east on' the course of the footvrali dropper at No. 7 level has been

in progress, and is now in -a distance of 69ft from the crosscut, but so far we have not picked up tho = reef at the 1000 ft level. Work during the week has been confined to putting in necessary timber pending the letting of a further contract. 1 j " '■ "* NOTES. In the Silver Stream mine, Marototo, the country in the Queen drive is still (says the manager) composed of quartz, and is difficult to break. The total distance now advanced is 180 ft. The manager of the Rising Sun mine, Owharoa, reports that the low level tunnel has been extended a total of 1902 ft. The country continues to be favourable. The quartz leader is about 6in wide, and continues to show a light prospect of gold by mortar test. The manager of the Occidental mine, Thames, reports that the No. 2 reef in the south drive has been stripped for about 10ft during the week, but the quartz has not been broken down. The country encasing the reef is harder than usual, and is mixed with quartz stringers. A little work has been done in the stope, and the quartz obtained showed dabs of gold. Crushing is now proceeding at tho battery.

The manager of the Watchman mine, Thames, reporting for the week ending March 9, writes that the reef on No. 1 rise has become considerably smaller as tho rise has been advanced, but continues to show a little gold, and is encased in firm country. No. 2 rise has now been extended to a distance of 49ft. On the parallel reef, south face, a total of 127 ft has been driven. The quartz for tho last few feet has improved, the country becoming more solid, with numerous mineral seams, which show coarse gold in the stone. There is no change to report on the south-east crosscut, which is now in 475 ft, and an additional 12ft has been driven on tho west crosscut. Here the reef has widened to about sft, and the whole of tho or© is being saved for treatment. Crosscutting in a north-westerly direction has been done to prove tho value of the reef at the 570 ft mark. On the Sunbeam reef there is no change, the quartz being very hard to bore and bad to break.

At the Waihi Standard mine, Waihi, in the drive north, on the line of the Salisbury roof, the latter is more than the width of tho drive, which is being carried along on its footwall. The quartz (says tho manager) is to all appearance improving as the drive advances in this direction, a3 blue sulphide and other favourable mineral has been noticed. At the south end there is no change, except that the formation is somewhat narrower.

The manager of tho Golden Cross mine, Waitekauri, reports that a crosscut has been commenced in the footwall of the Golden Cross reef at the tramway level, and has been driven 10ft. Tho country is the best he has seen,' and at present is interlaced with quartz seams. As opening out from the Battery level is being commenced, the rise on* the leader is not being proceeded with for the time being. Tho last sample taken from it gave a value of £10 12s per ton.

The manager of the Dominion mine, Karangahake, reports that the cast low level has now been extended 662 ft, and hard country is still being penetrated, which is of a jointy nature, making progress somewhat easier. The country is now crossing tho face. A good flow of water is still issuing from tho face, and it is surmised that the hard bar of country which has been penetrated hitherto will shortly be passed.