REEFTON MINING NEWS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 888, 8 March 1889, Page 22

REEFTON MINING NEWS.

(FROM OUR OAAUr CORRESPONUENT.) Reefton* March 1. Keep-it-Dark.—The monthly clearing up AVas completed on Saturday, Avhich resulted in 6600 z of gold from 180 tons of stone. A dividend of Is 6d has been declared. Globe. —The battery returns are 2050 z of amalgam from 190 tons stone. The mine manager reports for the month : On the 15th we broke, through from the Avest level to the Avinze, timbered up, and sent the stone down to be taken to the mine paddock. Will set to Avork to drive on the reef west after cross-cutting to the foot wall to prove it. The stopes on the main block are looking well, except in the east, Avhere the stone is someAvhat broken. The drive in No. 2 level going east is in good country. The Directors declared a dividend of 6d per share, payable on aud after Wednesday next. The concentrators have been delivered at the rvorks, and as the contract for the erection of the neiv machine house is hoav in hand no time Avill he lost in getting the concentrators into working order. Sir Francis Drake.—The result of the crushing for the week is 760 z amalgam. Venus Extended. —The mine manager reports —The reef in the intermediate at present is 2ft thick, and shows gold in breaking. The distance north of the main Avinze is 103 ft. There is no change in the stopes. The Avestern tunnel has been driven 6ft during the Aveek; length of tunnel, 84ft. Nil Desperandum. —The mine manager reports—There is no change in the south drive this Aveek. The reef in Caird’s winze is looking very Avell, being about 3ft wide, Avith another splice coming in on the foot Avail. I have holed to the rise in No. 5 level. The stone is striking away to the south. Gallant. —The mine manager reports — The reef is still keeping about the same. Avidth —about 2ft and going almost plomb doAvn the last 10ft. We sank Oft this week, making the total depth 91ft. Inkerman. —The mine manager reports —The drive north from the bottom of the winze has been driven 12ft since starting. The stone at present is 20in Avide and Avell defined, shoAving very fair gold. I have not done . anything in the new find since last Saturday. The contractor has completed the receiving paddock, and made a very good job of it. lam iioav filling it Avith quartz. The contractor for the aerial tramway started to run it on Friday last, and it goes splendidly, starting Avithout the least trouble. After running for a short time we had to make some alterations to the filling bucket, which does not empty into the line buckets properly. Finished the alterations and started it again, everything working well. It is the best finished and erected plant in the district, and the Anchor Foundry, Nelson, and Mr G. Black, the contractor, deserve the greatest credit for the way they have carried out the Avork. The directors met on Saturday evening and accepted the tender, of Mr Quin and party for working the mine, the price being as follows : —L3 10s per fathom for stoping, LI 7s per foot for driving levels and rising, and LI 10s per foot for sinking winzes, contractor finding everything and delivering quartz into the paddock. Golden Hill.—The mine manager reports :—“According to your instructions Ave have been trenching up the hill from the creek to the top drive, but found the surface too deep, so Ave then rose up to the surface from the roof of the drive on the top of the hill, and have logged it up about 10ft, ready for sinking, as that Avill give a good tip to the quartz. I tliink .it is the best and easiest plan to prove the reef. It Avill also show the deptli of the lode for future working, and aaull come in for a filling-in shaft or for air.

Progress. —The manager reports that the loav level has been extended 36ft sinee Kennedy and party started their contract. Outside Avork has been done on the tramway to the new paddock, and room is being made at the tunnel. Chance.—The prospects obtained last Aveek from this new find were of a most promising character, the reef becoming solid as it is sunk on, and shoAving very good gold. Fiery Cross.—The contractors for the Avinze have finished. The shaft contractors are getting • on slowly, OAving to the hardness of the ground. The tunnel contractors have finished their 100 ft, and have taken another extension, no reef having been met with yet. Tlie country is much more promising. Big River. —-The battery returns from this mine are—losoz of amalgam from 70 tons of stone. This is less than was expected. A gentleman who visited the

mine on Monday states that the reef is solid and good in the low level, with plenty of stone coming from the stopes to keep the battery going. From Devil’s Creek (alluvial rUsll), Reilly and party got the wash-dirt in their shaft at a depth of 17ft. It is on a false bottom, and is from 4ft to sft thick. One load was washed, giving between three and four dwts. They intend opening a paddock at once. The concentrators for the Progress mine have arrived' In Greymouth, and will shortly be ‘on the ground. The Directors have decided to sink their winze another 50ft, to advance the works and make the connection with the loWlevel tunnel. •- Quotations. —Keep-it-Dark (cum div), 38s 6d ; Progress, 31s ; Globe (buyers), 22s 6d ; ,Big River, 5s ; Sir Francis Drake, Is lid ; Scotia, 2s lid ; Gallant, Is ; Inglewood, 2s 3d ; Nils, Is 6d; Fiery Cross, 9s 6d ; Welcomes 7s, new issue 2s ; Venus, 6s ; Just-in-Time, 2s ; United Alpine, 19s ; Supreme, 2s 9d ; Inkerman, 4s 3d ; Homeward Round (sellers), 6s ; Golden Treasure, 9d ; Caledonians, Is 6d.