THE MINES

Otago Witness, Issue 1754, 4 July 1885, Page 22

THE MINES

The following items are from the Cromwell Argus : — The miuo manager for the Star of the East quarts: mine reports as follows : — I am glad to inform you that a good change has taken place with us since I last reported. The stone carrying the gold in its thickest part is about eight inches, carrying more gold than usual. I exjpect it to get better as we go along, but I believe this to be payable. The hanging wall is a deal more compact and firmer — taken altogether, there is a deal of improvement since my last communication. — Mr M'Cracken, the secretary, informs us that he has received from the Mines Department .notification that a subsidy of £ for £, up to £250, has been granted the Cromwell Prospecting Association. Payments will be made on the certificate of Mr Warden Hickson. The subsidy is in fulfilment of a promise made by the Mines Minister while in this district. The Association is at "present conducting prospecting operations at Quartz-reef Point, axid although nothing payable has yet been struck, anticipations of ultimate success are strong. — During the sitting of the Warden's Court on Friday his Worship stated that he had received a letter from the Minister of Mines which he would read, but upon making search through his papers he found that he had forgotten it at Clyde. The purport of it was, however, that Mr Hickson was requested to use his best endeavours to procure some quartz specimens from the different jnines, with the name thereof attached, and the elevation of the workings from .which they -.came ;, and also to get an ounce of gold from any mines crushing stone. Likewise, a small quantity of washdirt from any alluvial claims, such washdirt to weigh 101b or thereabouts, the whole of such gold, quarts!, and washdirt to be forwarded by the Minister of Mines to the Exhibition, London. His Worship requested the gentlemen practising at the Court, as well as the miners generally, to assist him in getting the exhibits mentioned, which request they promised to attend to. Mr Peter Revelle, on behalf of tlie f .miners of Bannockbum and Carack Range, 3 promised his Worship their hearty support, assuring him that there would be no difficulty.iv getting either gold, specimens, or washdirt' throughout tho district, as the Minibter of Mines was well worthy df-baving hi-j request complied with, he having ovinced by his .late goldfields'tour a very deep interest in the

mining industry wherever he went. His Worship said that tho Minister was willing to pay for specimens, &c. should payment be required ; but he thought it advisable to have tho quai'tz sport* mens And washdirt given gratuitously ; the gold woidd be bought at market value. His \> orship then thanked Mr Ituvtilic And others for the interest they had evinced in the matter, and proceeded With the business before the Court. 'I'he gold escort arrived in Dunedin by the 7.15 p.m. train on Saturday evening, in charge of Sergeant-major Bevin and bank officers Ross and Tryhall. Eight boxes and one bag of gold were brought down, value about £15,000. This is the smallest amount brought down by the escort for a long time past. The decrease is attributable to the severe frosts and floods that have prevailed on some of the goldfields lately, and to a considerable extent stopped mining operations. The managerof the Phoenix mine (Mr P. Evans) informs us that, there has been obtained 1003oz bar gold from 600 tons ol quarts. The mine manager of the Premier Company, Macetown, reports a yield of 750z of retorted gold rom 113 tons of stone. Mr J. B. Neale, malinger Of the soheelite mine, Bucklerburn, Head Of Lake, informs the Lake Wakatip Mail that the company arc busy carting mineYal to Glonorchy. It, is intended to despatch a iisrt shipment of about -10 tons of nearly pure scheelifce direct to Cologne. Mr Neale also purposes leaving for Melbourne, with a view fco procuring machinery for treatment of pyrites, and which it is proposed fco have erected at the Head of the Lake. Mr Fred. Evans, manager of the Phoenix mine, Skippers Reefs (says the Lake Wakatip Mail), brought, down the " harvest home load " of 1003o* of bar gold, the result ot tiOO tons of quartz. This will, we believe, close the season's crushing, itnd the energies of the management will now be concentrated in the erection 'of a powerful steam engine, electrical apparatus, and making other arrangements for the more economical and effective working of their valuable property. Dividends amounting to £10,000 were paid for the month ot May by mines on the Gympie (Queenslaud) goldfields. ' . In a paper on the mining industry read betore the Naseby Young Men's Mutual Improvement Society last week, the following remarks occur with reference to bonuses for prospecting : — Aided prospecting, although good in theory, has not been on the whole a sucecss.tul investment. Small sums have afc odd times been voted by tho House for this purpose, and some counties have had portions of the vote placed at their disposal under certain conditions, and have assisted prospecting parties, and in some instances with good results — notably Vinegar Hill, a large area of lich ground in Maniototo County; but on the wholo aided prospecting has not, been, eifcher here or in Victoria, so sucrossful as it might have been. Many causes may have led to this want, of success. The men composing the parties were not in many instances fco blame, but rather fche want of proper equipments, which tended to mar tin; best efforts ot the mosfc hard-work-ing anil experienced of miners. I would say, by all means get a sum voted annually for prospecting ; see that" the men forming the parties have all the necessary appliances placed afc their disposal ; especially have timber for deep-sinking ; lot jfcbe .stacked in Readiness for use afc mosfc of fche mining townships ; and make the prospectors responsible (by sureties) for the care and fair usage of it under certain conditions (of course a shaft in bad ground may be lost, tfmber, in- spite of cvorv care and skilful work). The wage** paid need not be more than sufficient fco pay for food aud clothing. Many good experienced* men would, under such conditions, start prospering who now decline, simply because they know that, Ihe shallower ground lias already bcpii (ried. Their means will not admit of their purchasing imlwr, aud it is only waiting t.imc and money to attempt sinking a Soft or lOOfi, shaft with a. shovel, bucket, and rope. Supply them with proper timber lor securing fche shaft, a windlass, &c, and the results would, in a very short time, jiihtify 1 the means employed and the expenditure incurred.