MINING NEWS

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15249, 12 March 1913, Page 5

MINING NEWS

THAMES DEEP LEVELS. PROPOSED DEVIATION. A MMrrrNa of the Thames Deep Levels Board was held yesterday afternoon in the office of the local secretary (Mr. J. B. Sheath), to consider the advisability of deflecting the course of the IOOOfb level so as to clear the danger of coming into contact with the Moanataiari slide. The members of the board present, and the companies they represent were :—Messrs. C. Hudson (Waiotahi), H. Gilfillan (Kur-anui-Caledonian, Graves Aickin (Victoria), P. M. Kingswell (Saxon), and A. Bruce (representing the Government): The May Queen Company was not represented. Mr. Hudson presided-. A telegram of apology was read Mr. T. W. Rhodes, M.P. (the board's new' chairman) t regretting his inability to attend. Mr. E. H. Taylor (late chairman of the board) was acoarded a vote of thanks for his past services. Mr. P. M. Kingswell was welcomed to the board as a new member. The chairman (Mr. Hudson), in introducing the subject of the proposed deviation of the 1000 ft level said that he had recently discussed the matter with several officials connected with the levels, < and they all agreed that it would be suicidal to continue on the present course of the main crosscut. He was informed unofficially by Mr. Bennie, Inspector of Mines, that the Government , subsidy of £1000 would be withheld if the present course was continued. The Waiotahi Company wished to put down a bore from the bottom of its shaft to the 1000 ft level, and would accordingly require the use of the diamond drill. Mr. Warne (the board's superintendent) could not get any contractor to undertake the work of rising from the deep levels to the shaft as the workmen would be like rats in a trap. The advantage of a deviation from a point in the viotoria crosscut opposite the Waiotahi shaft, to a point about 60ft seaward of the Kuranui-Caledonian would largely affect that company, as if it was arranged, .the company would probably make use of the Waiotahi shaft ss a means of exit. If it was decided to divert, it would be necessary to have an agreement signed by each company interested. Mr. Gilfillan, on behalf of the KuranuiCaledonian Company was agreeable to the plan of a crosscut from below the Waiotahi to beneath the Caledonian, as proposed by the advisory committee. The company's manager had gone into the mat-ter-thoroughly as a member of the advisory committee, 'and was strongly in favour of this course, as being most, advantageous to his company and the board. Mr. Gilfillan suggested that the size of the diverted crosscut should be the same as that of the Victoria subsidiary crosscut, as there would be only one company using it, viz., the Kuranui-Caledonian. This ■would help to conserve the funds and' reduce the cost of completing the work. The recommendation of the advisory committee was put to the meeting, and unanimously carried. :It was to the effect that the present course of the main crosscut be stopped, and that a tunnel of the same dimensions as the Victoria subsidiary crosscut be driven from a point below the Waiotahi shaft to a point seaward of the Kuranui-Caledonian, and that the signatures of the various companies be obtained on a deed of agreement. There chairman said he felt Bare there would be no dissent as the work had the support of prominent officials connected with the deep levels. Had the advisory committee's counsel to deviate some months ago been followed* the present trouble would have been avoided, and several thousands of pounds saved. Mr. Kingswell suggested that, provided the expense was not very great it might be a good scheme to connect pipes to the valve in the faoe of the main drive. He considered there would be sufficient pressure of water in the Moanataiari slide to force the gas and water to the surface. The secretary w&s instructed to apply to Mr. Wanie for a report on the possibility of this scheme. . It was decided to remove the diamond drill to the Waiotahi shaft, and sink a bore from the bottom of the shaft to the Victoria subsidaiy crosscut beneath. As the board is short of funds, it was also decided to ask Mr.. Rhodes to telegraph to the Government for the subsidy of £1000,, which as yet has not been paid. The loss in carbons by deficiency caused by breakages, etc., whilst drilling 128 ft in the face of the main crosscut amounted

' to £147 13s 6dj more than £1 per foot. i ; OCCIDENTAL. | The manager of the Occidental Consoli- ' dated mine, Thames, reporting for the past week, states that in the stop© over | the low level the reef and country are more favourable, the latter carrying good mineral seams. In the south face of the "70ft level the quartz broken shows some good dabs of gold. The flinty crosscut at the No. 4 level has been driven to 80ft from the starting point. The last few' feet . show a better class of country, with seve- ' ral quartz stringers passing through it. 1 In the stope over the 70ft level the reef remains the same as usual in appearance. . From the quartz broken for the week 101b >of picked stone was obtained. Up to Saturday the manager had on hand 1201b of picked stone and about 30 loads of 1 general ore. . MONOWAI. Driving north on the reef at the No. 2 level of the Monowai mine, Waiomo, is still being continued. The manager states that the reef, which waa somewhat disturbed, has now opened out to a nice compact body of ore about 3ft in width, 1 and has every appearance of becoming : wider as the drive advances. The coun- ' try encasing the lode is all that - could be " desired for carrying values. The strip- ' ping of the old No. 2 level is now com--1 plefce, and the ore is being dumped down ' the pass to the No. 3 level. A start was ! to be made yesterday to drive a crosscut I into the hangingwall of the reef at the ' No. 4 level, to try and locate the run of [ ore being worked in the upper leveL Most • of the timber has been cut for the con- ' struction of the quartz shoot, and a start [ will be made on it this week. i ' ' — - [ WATCHMAN. The manager of the Watchman mine, > Thames, reports that the. balance of the > ore to complete the 1000-ton parcel has 1 been delivered to the battery, and consequently no quartz ha® been broken out of the mine. The only work in hand fa the driving of the tunnel to deviate a portion I of the Sunbeam level, which is in a bad state of repair and too small in dimensions to allow a horse to pass through in I, drawing trucks. The Royal Charter level ! v is also being widened and repaired. i — —— —— I KURANUI. During the past week the magazine drive in the Kuranui mine, Thames, has been extended an additional 7ft. The ! country continues favourable, and a little water is still issuing from the face. The crosscut hillward of the Oddfellows reef has been continued and is still penetrat--1 irig a good class of country. NOTES. . The men at the Dixon's Consolidated mine, Thames, have been employed for t the past week in prospecting oil the sur- - face and cutting through several reefs run- ' ning through a good class of country. ' Driving off the straight course to clear > the run at the low level in the Dominion ' mine, Karangahake, has been in hand dur- ' ing the past week and good progress has i been made. In the Victoria crosscut at the 1000 ft level, Thames, the superintendent reports ' a small reef- formation running in almost 1 the same direction as the crosscut.