MINING NEWS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11377, 21 March 1899, Page 7

MINING NEWS.

NOTES FROM TUAPEKA,(Fhom Oto Wkirrhsto'nes, Corhesi'ondbnt.)

March '6.—The Golden Rise, after shifting their elevator, made a fresh shirt r.t the beginning of last week. The last paddock paid them better than they expected, seeing that the ground had been worked by white men first and by Chinamen afterwards. There are two residence areas between their boundary (where they are working at present) and Ihe Wetherstones road. The two sections are about an acre in extent. The ground is solid, and more than half gravel, with a little gold' through iti and tho Golde.i Rise have been negotiating for the purchase of tho ground from the owners. The first party they spoke to wanted £20 for his interest in the ground; but the spot where his house stood, with some ground in front :i3)d back.Jie, would not sell. I" understand that the Rise are willing to give tho price asked. Tho other party, whose section is in a high state of cultivation, agreed to sell, but when asked to elate his price could not decide offhand, and took time to think it over. The Klondyke dredge has not' started yet. The drecigo ia very deep in the water, there being barely a foot of free-board for'ard, where the buckets work. I understand ihat when everything is in working order, it is Mr Adams's intention to attach a stc.im engine to one of tho winches, no that it can be worked by steam power instead of by hand, as at present.

The Blue Spur men arranged to hold a picnio at Waihohi last Thursday, the railway authorities agreeing to issue tickets to tho.»fH£-, nickers at 2s per head by the ordinary frSiri':' After making arrangements with Mr Paterson, at "Waihola, to have everything ready, word came from the Railway department on Wednesday night that the official's had made a mistake, and thnt as the Blue Spur mine did noi conic under the Factory Act, the fare would be 'is Od per head, ao the miners threw up the picnic in disgust. Some of them were not sorry next morning, as it was raining heavily. They were not to be doneout of a picnic, however. The weather cleared about Ba. m., and ns it promised to be a fine day, they held a picnic in a paddock on the hill between Gabriels and 'SYotherstones. There was a goad attendance of theigeneral public, in. addition to the miners and their families.

■ NOTES FROM WAKATIPU.

(From Oub Own CoEBEsrONnENT.) THE MACBTOWN HEEFfI. ' Anaov/Tow;;, March 4. The Glenroek (Consolidated (Ltd.) crushed during February last 390 tons quartz, and' obtained 181oz -4dwt 4gr bar bullion, worth £I<Si. There were also treated 42 tons of concentrates by the cyanide process, which yielded ]920». ISidwt of smelted gold, value £613 10s. These returns show that the mino is worked at a profit, and if the dividends are not-of 11 sensational kind, the- shareholders must take into consideration that duriug Mr Stanford's term of management many important and extensive improvements have been made in the mine as well as in the plant. ■ Chief amongst these are the new tram line, which enables the quartz to be delivered with one handling, or, in other words, at the lowest possible cost, the improvements mode in the, water power, the addition of a ten-head battery; the erection of a complete cyanide plant; the adoption of an electric hauling gear, and a number oi' luinor improvements, all of which consumed a good many thousand pounds, every penny of the outlay being taken from the proceeds (if tiie mine. The effects of these improvements are .that the manager is enabled to treat quartz of a medium grade at a profit to the company, which, beforei. the improvements were mode, was a- matter of impossibility. The introduction of the electric hauling gear has practically made the company independent of the drawback of following the lede to almost any depth, and altogether the innovations effected have' put the mine and plant in a thoroughly efficient state. It en ly remains to be mentioned that the drain these improvements have been upon the amount available for dividends is now stepptd, and that in the Juture, provided the mino continues to yield at the rate it lias done, the sums that were hitherto absorbed by improvements will go to the profit .account of the company. It is understood that Mr W. J. Stanford, the manager, is about to leave for London to consult with the proprietary of the Glenrock mine, who also own the Sunrise property at Macetown, and with the Wcstraliii and New Zealand Gold Explorers (Ltd.), who are the owners of the old Tipperary mine, Macutown, S3 to the future working and exploitation of these properties. During Mr Stanford's absence, Mr W. Palton will be placed in charge of the above companies' properties. The benching of Moonlight No. .2 Cdinpa)i/r> race is now about completed, and tin; different gangs will start sinking the race in^mediuLcly. No. 1 gfvng, which is located at the head, bring the race with them in its completed form. The pipe-making machinery after a very stiff time of sledging, with several men in charge during its transit, has arrived safely, and the work of constructing the pipes will be pushed forward as quickly1 as possible. The smithy iia.3 quite tho appearance of a foundry with rolling, punching, and riveting machinery in full wor'ti, and tons of iron lying around promiscuously. The fluming operations are also'going ahead with vigour. The axemen are busy in the bush, and already a large number of dismembere-l trees testify to their industry. The r.ipmaking will bo carried out under the directiu.of Mr J. Pcaraon, and Messrs Turner and Maider have charge of the fluming. Takii':; everything into consideration, there are wc-i!-grounded hopes that the engineer and manager of tho company, Mr H. B. Young, will succeed in completing the race before the winter sets

Water lor sluicing and general mining purposes is plentiful for the timo of yuar.