Notes from Reefton. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Reefton, February 27.

Otago Witness, Issue 2244, 4 March 1897, Page 17

Notes from Reefton. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Reefton, February 27.

Midday quotations : — Buller dredge, 5s 6d to 6a ; Cumberland, Is to Is 3d ; Dillon Extended, Is to Is 3d ; Excbauge, 6d to 9d ; Golden Lead, Is 3d to Is 6d ; Hercule3, Is 9d to 2s ; Humphrey's Gully (paid up), 17s to 18s; Inglewood, 9d to Is ; Lyell Creek, Is 6d to Is 9d ; Lord Edward, 2s to 2s 3d ; Keep-it-Dark, 30a to 31s Id ; No. 2 South Dark,ls to Is 3d ; Success, 6d to 9d ; Alpine, 9s to 10s ; United Italy, 8d to lOd ; Welcome (paid up), 3s to 4s. In connection with the sale of the Big River mine to a syndicate, recently reported, I understand the representatives of the syndicate will arrive here in March. Erroneous reports got into circulation last week to the effect that a solid reef had been found in the Lord Brassey lease, Victoria Range. It proved to bo a quartz boulder. However, lamin a position to state that the reef has not been met with bo far, though the indications are favourable on several other leases. Stone has been found, but as far as can be ascertained the Lord Brassey is the only lease whereon stone has been found, and it is not solid there. The stone is surprisingly rich, apd when I was there last week one could easily pick up specimens. Some 25 men are engaged by tne County Council in making a road to the locality. Great interest is centred in the case Kingswell v. Jacob Ziman, which came off before Judge Ward yesterday. The plaintiff claimed £339 for loss on shares sold in January, 1896, in consequence of alleged misrepresentation by defendant, who contended that while defendant's brother way endeavouring to float the option of the Globe, Wealth, Progress, and other properties in London, the defendant knowing that the options had been accepted pretended he had received a cable to the effect that au extension of time was wanted, and bought up all the shares he could, amongst them those of plaintiff. Tt was proved that he bought largely in Globe and Wealth at the time, and lengthy evidence was called. Defendant said he had destroyed the cable asking for an extension of a few weeks before the action was commenced. Plaintiff was nonsuited, with costs. The judge said the case was surrounded with suspicious circumstances, but suspicion was not evidence. Mr Skerrett came from Wellington to defend the case. Big Kiver Mine. — The manager reports : — We are engaged driving the intermediate between No. 4 and 5 levels, where I expect to pick up a block of atone. No. 6 level has been deepened 14ft, making the total depth 105 ft. We are still breaking out stone from tbe surface level. The quality of the stone is below expectations." Returns.— Buller dredge, 25ioz gold for 130 hours; Keep-it. Dark, 5760z amalgam from 85 tons (clean up) ; Hercules, 107oz amalgam from 58 tons (clean up). March 1. A dividend (the 114 th) of Is has been declared by the directors of the Keep-it-Dark Company. The Progress mines of Mew Zealand (Limited) invite tenders for cutting a race to the Globe battery site, a distance of 10 miles. Several more losu.es were applied for last week in the locality of- Victoria Range.