WESTPORT MINING NEWS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 866, 5 October 1888, Page 31

WESTPORT MINING NEWS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Westport, September 27. The Westport Coal Company’s weekly export returns continue to increase. South Pacific.—Mr Harper, representative engineer of the purchasers of the Ngakawau property, is expected from Wellington tomorrow. Bayfields Lease. A number of looal shareholders visited the ground this week, and express themselves highly satisfied with the results of the prospecting. VVork will be continued with the-object of stripping the seam. The license-holders intend applying immediately for a mineral lease of the gronnd, and steps will be taken in due course to have it worked in systematic manner. ALLUVIAL. Wareatea. —Work will be at once commenced. Arrangements are now being to start tho water raoe, and all plans will be here by the first boat. Fair Down. —Tenders are called for the construction of a dam to save the night water, the supply otherwise being insufficient. The recent cleaning up after a short period of washing produced a most satisfactory yield. The new dam will give four extra heads of water for eight hours’ washing. Fair Maid.—Good progress is being made with the contract for the construction of the dam and water raoes. Generally a good opinion is held of the property, and shares paid up to 10s are not purchaseable at 15s. It iB expected thas everything will be in trim for the commencement of sluicing operations in January' next. General.—Mace and, Bassett are rapidly Opening up their claim at Wilson's lead. Addisons.—Carmody and party at Addisons washed up last week. They seemed to be satisfied with the'return. McQuinn, who has purchased a beach lease at Totara River, Charleston, intends to put prospecting machinery to work on his claim. Beaconsfield. —Eighteea men are employed in three shifts sinking on the reef under contract. The reef continues 22ft 6in in width, unquestionably rich and solid, and carrying beautifully smooth walls, while the reef runs so nearly perpendicular that the underlie is imperceptible. The contractor seems in a fair way of going down another 10ft, and this, added to 30ft already sunk, should thoroughly prove the lode. Nile.—Crushing takes place immediately. The battery will not put through more than 25 tons per week, but the expenses will be light. Five head more of stampers will probably be added after the first crushing proves the value of the property. Great Republic.—Work in this mine at the present time is chiefly confined to prospecting. Mr Denniston let a contract for driving 100 ft, the shaft being down now 145 ft. They expeot to get the reef before the completion of the contract. An accident occurred at Cape Foulwlnd granite quarry at 4.30 this afternoon. Some stone, which had previously been sounded, came down unexpectedly. Three men were hurt—Sutherland was crashed in the abdomen, Cook had his leg bruised, and O’Neill his foot crashed.