Notes from Reefton.

Otago Witness, Issue 2085, 8 February 1894, Page 16

Notes from Reefton.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

Reefton, February 4.

The battery returns for the past week are as follow :— Alpine, 9530z amalgam from 300 tons— 370J0z gold (clean up) ; Big River, 5830z amalgam from 80 tons (clean up) ; Cumberland, 3370z amalgam from 91 tons (clean up) ; Hercules, 89oz amalgam from 42 tons ; Progress, 2890z amalgam from 120 tons ; Wealth of Nations, 1270z amalgam from 103 tons.

The following is a synopsis of mine managers' reports to hand for the past week :— Big River.— There is no change in the dimensions of the reef over No. 4 level. It is from 7ft to Bft wide. We commenced to fill in the worked ground on the Ist inst , and this work will be completed about Monday next. The winze below No. 4 level has been sunk Bft for the week, the total depth beiug 21ft. I cannot state the width of the reef, as there is no foot or hanging wall. The total amount of amalgam obtained during the month was 10(53oz. Progress.— The winze on the footwall block has been sunk a further depth of lift for the week, making the total depth 52ft. The stone is 2ft thick. The winze from No. 5 level has been sunk a further depth of Sft, making the total depth 133 ft. The stone is about 2ft (Jin thick. Tho main shaft ha 3 been sunk Bft for the week. The stone in the solid stope in the weatern end, over No. 4 level, has been extended a further distance 1 of 10ft, making the total distance driven on stone 53ft. The stone is 3ft wide in the face, but bigger overhead. The total amalgam for the month was 6150z from 480 tons.

Hercules.— The contractors have driven 9ft since starting on a good line of reef. The stopes are showing very good gold, and next week the return from the battery should be very good. The amount of quartz sent to the battery this week is 52 tons. The battery has not been running full time aB the race had to be repaired. I intend cross-cutting in the hanging wall from the main pass, 20ft below where the reef was first struck, on the first opportunity. The pass is full of quartz, or else I should have started this afternoon.

Dillon.— Eight feet has been driven since the last report along the track of the reef, which is about one foot wide, and mixed, with pug and stone.

Welcome United.— During the week 10ft has been driven, making the distance north of the shaft 170 ft. There is one foot six inches of stone in the surface of the drive at present. We have now 2000 ft of iron air pipes and 340 iron rails out of the Homeward Bound tunnel. A landslip came down on the battery last night and covered it. United Alpine. — Driving has been carried on both east and west in the reef for the past week. The reef in the eastern drive has been broken up for the last 10ft driven, bot as we had broken ground in the 90ft level of a similar nature, I would expect a change in a few feet further ahead. The reef in the western drive is 4ft wide, showing gold freely as driven on. I have started to rise for a,stope to-day west of the crosscut. Lyell Creek.— The contractors are making good progress with the last stages of the tunnel. Dividend.— The directors of the Big River Company have declared a dividend of Is.