THE ISLAND BLOCK EXTENDED GOLD MINING COMPANY. TO THE EDITOR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2051, 15 June 1893, Page 13

THE ISLAND BLOCK EXTENDED GOLD MINING COMPANY. TO THE EDITOR.

Mr Thomson : Are the shares forfeited ? Mr Chapman : Yes; they are all forfeited shares. I could not say how many there are, but there must be quite 300. The retiring directors (Messrs John Murdoch and J. Hyman) were re-elected, and Mr F. T. Home was re-elected auditor. Mr Chapman said that since the balance sheet was issued £350 worth of gold had been obtained from the claim. That, of course, meant a corresponding reduction in the liabilities. If the gold would only continue the whole of the liabilities would be wiped off in a few months. On the motion of Mr J. Sparrow, a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to the directors for their services. The meeting then terminated.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) Arrow, June 10.—In the ordinary course of things mining will now enter upon its hibernating state, as the snow which fell last eight; is almost sure to lead to frost, stopping crushing and sluicing operations. This, however, does not by any means imply an entire stoppage of work, for in the quartz mines new levels will be opened for the procuration of more stone, and in the sluicing claims rock tail races will be extended, or new ones begun. The Phoenix mine, Skipper's, resumed work last Monday under the new regime, and will now be kept going continuously. Messrs Davia Brothers, Stony Cre-k Terrace, Shotover, are cutting a new rock tail race to make available the whole of the terrace, which is an extensive one. The Londonderry Terrace Company, Shotover, and the Arrow Falls Tunnel Company properties are once more to ba offered for gale next weok. Both claims hold out fair chanceg of success, and are likely to be favourably heard of for many years to come.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) Reefton, June 11. Stock Exchange Report: The only battery returns to hand up to the time of writing are 3500z of amalgam from the Progress and 188oz from the Globe for a week's crushing. During the past week tha interest taken in the election for the Inangahua district has diverted attention fioin mining scrip, and business has consequently been very limited. It is generally recognised that Sir Robert Stout will do what he can to further the interests of the district, and that we will in the future receive more assistance towards advancing the field than we have done in the past. This assistance is specially required to enable us to prove the existence of our reefs at lower levels than has hitherto been attempted. Prices remain practically unchanged, and Big River, Progress, and Alpine shares are still most in demand. The result of the trial crushing at the Specimen Hill is expected shortly, and a satisfactory return is looked for. No news is yet to hand from the Cassell Company's plant at Boatmans, and the return is eagerly awaited. Whatever the result may be, the process will have another trial in the district, as Mr John Dawson is about to erect a plant to treat a large quantity of tailings lying in Burkes creek. Battery returns: —Progress, 3500z amalgam from 220 tons; Globe, 188oz from 190 tons. - THE PREMIER MINE. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Arrowtown, June 12. The cake from the Premier mine, Macetown, is 4260z 15dwt for a month's enuring from 570 tons of stone. Mr Elliott, the manager, reports that as the reef is being opened up it shows more encouraging signs of permanence, and although the present adit taps the reef at more than 1000 ft from the surface there is every indication that the reef goes down with increasing richness. ROXBURGH AMALGAMATED MINING AND SLUICING COMPANY. The manager reports for the week ending 10th inst. that he had sufficient water to keep one elevator going from Monday till Wednesday, when the supply fell off. Resumed work on Friday with one elevator, when a heavy snowstorm completely blocked the water in the creek. When the thaw takes place there will be an ample supply tf water. On Tuesday morning the man* ager wired that the two ehvators wtire Jat work and there was a plentiful supply of water. WEEKLY RETURNS. Mr Peter Barr, secretary United Hercules Hydraulic Sluicing Company (Limited), has received the following telegram from the manager :— " Ten days' sluicing, 450z 2dwt—value, £173 12s 9d. Frost cut water off 7th and Bth; started again to day." Mr Thomas Callender, secretary of the Mataki.takiGold Dredging Company (Limited) reports having received a telegram intimating return of Boz Udwt of gold for 60 hours' dredging. Mr Thomas Callender, secretary of the Sew i Hoy Big Beach Gold Mining Company (Limited), ! reports having received a telegram intimating a return of 660z 17dwt 6gr of retorted gold. The Upper Waipori Alluvial Gold Dredging Company (Limited) obtained from No. 1 dredge 290z Bdwt of gold for five days 15 hours' dredging last week. The secretary of the Jutland Flat (Waipori) Gold Mining Company (Limited) reports for the week ending 10th June:—" lOoz lfidwt gold for 112 hours' wages time. River high and icebound on Saturday morning. Dredge resumed work Monday at noon."

Sib,—ln your last Saturday's issue containing report of a meeting of the directors of the above company, I find a statement made by Mr Peter S'aiels, our local representative on the board of directors, who said, " since the beginning of January they had got on to good gold." The fact is that the run of good gold, now becoming more prominently visible to view, was developed early in December last, and Mr Shiels had no say or any hand whatever in its development. He should have been just enough to mete out a little justice to whom credit is due for its successful development under no ordinary difficulties.—l am, &c , Miller's Flat, June 12. A Shareholder. MISCELLANEOUS. The Ohaeawai cinnabar region (according to the Northern Luminary) is impregnated with native silver. The geysers, solfataras, fumeroles, &c, bring upf rombelow where the lodeexists, vaporous clouds and fumes, which, on coming into contact with the cold atmosphere, condense, hence the globules of native silver or quicksilver, which is found in the mud at the surface. In fact, the jets or miniature volcanoes are merely a natural retort. The same authority says that Mr G. W. S. Patterson, who owns 600 acres of the cinnabar lands at Ohaeawai, has succeeded in selling out to a Melbourne syndicate. The manager of the Roxburgh Amalgamated Company wired on Saturday morning: — "Stopped working. Snowed up. Six inches of snow on fiat. Plenty of water when it thaws." The following items are from the Dunstan Times:—"The returns from Mr Gards's dredges for the week ending the 7th inst. are: Current wheel, 2oz ldwt; steam dredge, 320z 7dwt. The Dunstan Dredging Company are on fair wash just now. The Molvneux is now above the highest summer level of the last two years. Several of the dredges have had to stop dredging owing to the high level of the river." The manager of the Roxburgh Amalgamated Mining and Sluicing Company (Limited) wiied on Friday that he has sufficient water to start both elevators this morning. A heavy fall of snow at Lake Onslow will ensure a full supply of water for some months. Tho mine manager of the Island Block Extended Gold Mining Company (Limited) reports under date 7th inst.: —" I washed up yesterday for 320z 3dwt, which with 9og l?dwt from top stuff

makes the total since last report. I stated then that the ground was supposed to be poor, and as I have put through a large piece of ground for this return it shows tbat the ground was as represented. Where I am working now is much better ground, and if the water hangs out till the latter end of next week, I shall be a little disappointed if I do not get something good. The mine is in good working order at present, and we only want water to be successful."