Notes from Reefton. (From Our Own Correspondent.)

Otago Witness, Issue 2210, 9 July 1896, Page 19

Notes from Reefton. (From Our Own Correspondent.)

Rekfton, July 6.

Eight contracts have been let by tho Consolidated Company in various mines. Work was started to-day. Some' mines also manned to-day by day labour. Over 150 wen are on the pay sheet. The labour difficulty has vanished. Saturday Midday Quotations.— Big River, 24s fl.i to 25s 6d ; Buller dredge, 6i to (is 6d ; Pocknparrow dredge* Is 6d to Is 9d j Cumbeiland, 3s 9d. to 4s; Dillon Extended, 2s 6d to 2a 9d; Exchange, Is 61 to Is 9d; Electric Light, J)d to Is ; Golden "Lead, Is 3d to Is 6d ; Hercuk-s, 3a 9d to 4a ; luglewood, la to Is. 3d ; Lyell Creek, 3s to 3s 6d ; Lord Eiward, 2b 3d to 2b 6d ; Keep-it-D*rk, 293 to 30s: No. 2 South Dark, 2s 3d to 2s 6d; Success, lOi to la ; Alpine, 16s 6d to 17s 6d; United Italy, Is to Is 3d ; Welcome (old issue), 2a 3d to 2s 6d.

Buttery and Dredging Returns.— Buller dredge, 20oz 13dwt gold for 120 hours' dredging; Big River Company, 368jz amalgam from 100 tons of fitone (clean up), making the total for the month 5150z amalgam from 2^o tons of atono; Cockeparrow dredge, 240z 17dwt amalgam, from the mats only, for 90 houra.

■ THE BAREWOOD REEF.

The secretary of tho Barewood Quartz Mining Company (United) reports a return of 6tlox 4dwt of gold from 75 tons of stone for the last four weeks.

THE MOUNT LYELL MINING AND RAIL-

WAY COMPANY (LIMITED}.

The Head Metallurgist wires under date 30th Juno 1896 :—" Smelting has been started and found to work perfectly on the ore. An a«3ay of shg only showed a trace. Smelting furnace running bo fast cannot get Vid of slag by ordinary hand wheele*vs. Now putting in effective addition and repairing stove. Starting again this evening. Everything going well." Mr A. G. t'enwick has handed us the following report received by him f 10m the head office for the week ending June 12 :— No. 1 tunnel, north drive : Distance driven for the week 2ft— total, 41ft. No. 3 tunne), south drive : Driving at this face has been discontinued. No. 3 tunnel, main croascut : Preparatory to continuation of this crosscut, air pipes and tram road have been put in. No. 4 tunnel, south drive : Distance driven for the week 4ft— total, 507 ft. No. 4 tunnel, south drive, No. 3 cronscut : Distance driven for the week 2ft— total, 42ft. No. 4 tunnel, south drive, No. 2 rise : Rise has been put up 3ft during ths week— total, 33ft. No. 4 tunnel, south drive, No. 4 crosscut : Driven for the week 2ft— total, 26ft, No. 4. tunnel, couth drive, No. 3 rise : Stophig high-grade ore at this riae has been started. Progress report —Hauling line : Ballaaking top yard, new brake completely erected, haulage service resumed, filling mine terminal ore bins. Crushing plant : Crushing limestone and ore, but work suspended to put in necessary tram siding on sampling floor. Smolter plant .Heating hot blast stove, No. 2 blast furnace ready to blow in, No. 1 receiving flaithiug touches for water connections, various fire service pipa Hues now all connected with high-pressure i eservohs. Quartz flux quarry in operation. Getting in wood fuel supply. Coke— llo tons received. Weather very fine and dry. Railway enp.ineer reports.— The rails are now laid to the third bridge, two being already completed, this bridge is a big one and will take eight days to complete. Ballasting is also in progress, and a temporary turn-table erected at the 15mile. Tl' c weather lato'.y has boon the beat I have seen on this coast. Reeardinp applications for the new issue returnable 10th July, Mr'A. G. Fenwick received the following cable on Saturday from the secretary of the company: "Return applications by first mail."