Notes from Macetown.

Otago Witness, Issue 1679, 26 January 1884, Page 12

Notes from Macetown.

(FROM OUR OWN OORRKSPOMDENf.)

January 15.

The Tipperary Company's nnchine started to crush the Ganbaldi ston« on Monday last, this bn> g the fi st lime tho machine haa bi en at work this eaion, owing io th» lar«o amount of prona>atory Work which tho Tip.it-rary Company hive had tv do in order to get the claim in thorougn working order in tho ow leve.s where the stone now at grass ha 9 been tikeu from There U about 200 tons of atone in theTippeiary Csmpany's paddock ready for the mill, aud although the Company are now working at such a depih that the output cannot be expected so average so much aa the higher levels did when working, it ia probable that more gold may be got in proportion to the tonnage as they get down into more sound and solid country. They are now down with tho No. 2 shaft nearly *200 ft below the level of the creek at the main entrance, and this places the level from w-here they are now raising the stone about 6t.01t b^low the point highest in the cliim where gold was obtained, and has been worke 1 years ago. The Btone, mullock, and water are raised by a water-balance, which is, perhaps, the most economical lifting power which can bo employed in a mine situated in Bucb a position us the Tipt'O'ary is. ihe wat r balance has proved itself a moat usfcful appliance on many mining fields besides those of New Zealand, and, a3 a cheap .md elltctive labour - saving machine, has nu rival ; and as water is so vilentif ul at high level? around Macetown. there cannot be a doubt but that they will be largely employed on thia field some day, and the Tipperary Uomuany will get the benefit of it yet, far it is certain in my mind that the Company have a oright future before them If th* gold improves in the manner indicated aa they go down — indicittrd by prospecr.a obtained, then there can be no d übt but that the best days of this pioneer Company have >et to come. When tne Tipperary Compaoy were in full work lait year ihey sent over half the gold from their mill which Ma- c own mines produced that season, producing over 20U0oz, aud late though they are in starling, the Company are not likely to be last on the list of producers thia season. The Company have been fortunate in many ways, or they must have suffered more than r.hey have done from the inevitable handicap of opening s. young mine in a young field Not Jess have they been lortunate in thoir manag r, Mr L. Besta, who has stuck to them from tho first of the work up to this time, and is therefore thoroughly acquaintcl wit.i the mine in it every characteristic, and has the confidence which springs from such experience alone The Company and their manager and his staff deserve credit f.»r their work, which is carried on through the varying ciroumstonoeß attending: the opening of a mine in the wildest part of this young country m a mott creditable manner. The Premier, Gladstone and Queen Victoria block occur* au the nocth eastern side of Sawyers' Gully, where the main Homeward Bound line crosses that ravine ; and so obviously advantageous would amalgamation in the case of these three claims be, that it h\ia been a common topic of conversation amongst practical miners here for the last four or five years, and it has been said by the ''mm in the street" that the directorates interested have also bee i considering the same smb.ect ; but however that may b«, the matter remains unaltered the claims are run sepa ratbly, ana ec -nomy is sacrificed at the bhrme— weil, of narrow-minded ess, xo p°it it mildly But thi* is a nvist serious .-übjcc.t f n r the futuie of this fi' Id, and it woul i bo improper on the part of "your own "to mince the matter in any way. Of the circumstances, reasons, and details which have hitherto militated again-t amaUama'ion it is unnecessary to treat, the pub ie having no risfht to interfere ; but the facts arising from geographical and geometrical position, a d from advantages of aMiudein entry, and approaches as low levels com^ r>-an H ed by the same, are fair subjects for public consideration.

i'ne amalgamation of the three claims above named has been a common topic of converge, but I never once heard the amalgamation of the six claims at present occupied on the Hue spoken of, bat I be^ to tubtnit it v w for the consideration of those concerned Th re are three claims — the Homeward Bound, Ladye Kaj re, and > rea-ure— n the south-eastern side of the ravine known as t<awy<W Gmly. The Homeward B nnid holds tho entrance to this block, a "id that e'ltnnco would be at least BOoft below the lowest ynt'ance, horizontal, which wouid be pos-iible t > the other claims in ci her block ; so that if a main lU'iuel were bt-tft-d on the Homeward Bound line at the crosauK of the Tuelve-milo Creek by that line, and run on through the Homeward Bound, Ladye Fay re, and Treasure Com panics' claims, the distance being probably under 4^ooft, it would not only prospect the entire distance traversed, but it would enter the Gladstone Compiu>y'n ground and drain it iffei'tual y a', least 500 ft below the awyer-.' Gully O eek bed at the TreasureGladstone bouudary Tho faci ities for the w.>rk are excellent- viz : plenty of water-power to compro-e lor drive air to any extent or distance; a t? Id-bearing formation to Hta^t upon, aad to traverse for the entire distance ; and, unle-s where quartz is nvt with, good boring country to operate upon ; and a work initiator) which might be effectively carrii d on through the dividing range until daylight was let cnrou s h Into it on the tropes of the Shocover ; a low level obtained which would offer fajilitied to companies on side lines known to be auriferous, whose fees for drainage would in time go far to make the work sell-supporting, independent of trea-ure ob tivined in the proi;re->s of the work ; and strength and possible economy from unity, the advantages of which are almost incalculable. Such are the cardinal points of advantage to be hoped for from the amalgimation of all the claims now held on the Homew rd Bo >nd premier line of reef, as they appear to "your own." There are other blocks in the district in whose ca es amalgamation might prove of great advantage, and they hall be pointed oui in future papers. The Treasure Company's tral of 20 tons of stone resuited in a cake of 16oz gold, i.nd id by no means a dnspisable prospect ; but, good though it is, better still is hoped for. Advance Peak is hindered from progress very much by tho continued cold winds, ram, and snow which prevailed with slight intermission during last week. The Albion Oompany report good prospects, 12ft of the cap of the re f showing nice gold visible to the eye ; whilst some rf tbe atone not showing gold to the eye yields well to the dish.— [Received too late for last iaaue. — Ed,]