MINING AT UPPER THAMES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2928, 27 April 1910, Page 28

MINING AT UPPER THAMES.

THE WAIHI MINE. £Fbom Oub Own Correspondent.?

WAIHI,

This morning your representative visited the Waihi mine, and was shown over th« workings at the 1000 ft level. So far, the lodes exposed at this depth are the Martha, Empire, and Royal, which are being followed on their course, and crosscuts thrown out at intervals of 500 ft to determine the w:dttis and values of the ore bodies as the drive® are advanced. A great amount of development work remains to be done before thn results of operations at 1000 ft. below the surface of the reefe mentioned can be compared with the results that th* other

[levels showed, and it will b© some time ' before +he other main lodes of the Waihi reef system are intersected and explored in the bottom workings. The first point visited was the south section of the Martha reef, and for the full distance driven the lode has been proved as of great width and quite equal in value to the pay chute in the corresponding section at the level above. On .the north section the drive has been advanced only from 150 ft to 200 ft, thus leavj ing several hundreds of feet to be driven to ' get under where the pay ore ended at the No 9 mine level (referred to in the plans as No. 8). The drive on the Empire reef i going west is out over 500 ft, and the crossi cuts have shown the width of the lodge I to be fully maintained, while the samplings of the reef for about 450 ft have given good average values. In crosscutting north of what appeared to be the wall of the lode 400 ft out a rich ore over SOft wide at the point of intersection was met with. From 450 ft onward to the present face the ore has been of poorer grade. The drive is being pushed out to _ connect. with the famous Edward lode, which should come to hand in from 350 ft to 400 ft. Two winzes are following the Edward down from No. 9 level, and have attained a depth of about 110 ft, carrying good-looking ore all the way down. Another 500 ft of sinking will connect the winzes with the 1000 ft level. In the drive east of the Empire the work of opening out on the footwall section of the reef is in progress', and here a strong make of nice sulphide ore between 200 ft and 300 ft in length is showing. On the Royal reef, the widths and values of which have already been given out, preparations have been suspended for some months ’to enable other necessary work in connection with the opening up of the 1000 ft level to be pushed forward. The sinking of No. 5 shaft for the next level (at 1150 ft) has been resumed, and the shaft, which has been passing through a good class of country, is now down about 90ft. THE GRAND JUNCTION. There have been no marked changes in the development works in progress at No. 5 level in the Grand Junction mine during the past few weeks, but it may be said that the operations . generally continue to dis- ! close satisfactory and encouraging results. The north crosscut to explore the company’s ground beyond what is believed to be the No. 2 reef is now out about 500 ft from the shaft in a good class of country, but so far nothing new has been met with in this section. In the drive west on the Martha reef milling ore is being broken out over a width of 10ft or 12ft, and on its eastern strike the reef has now been followed for about 450 ft from the main crosscut. The drive will shortly be under the point where the pay chute commenced at No. 4 level. The drive west on the Empire is out some 400 ft from the crosscut, and the whole of the ore being won is going to the mill. Going east on this reef the face of the drive is 770 ft out from the crosscut, and the advancement of the drive has been temporarily stopped to enable the work of breaking out quartz for the battery from the leading stope on a chute of pay dirt on the lode about 500 ft back from the east face to be carried out. The drive j west on the Royal reef, where j a detour was necessitated round the footwall country, is out 260 ft, and the face having been squared up, a drive from 6ft to 7ft wide is being carried along in a nice mineral ore with no wall showing. The drive is close to • the . point where the big make of high grade ore was met with at the level above. Crosscuts thrown out as the drive is advanced at the deepest working should expos© a strong lode of good value going out to the Waihi Company’s boundary. On the east side of the main crosscut the north and east branches of the Royal are being followed, and for the full width of the drives (which are each about 6ft) milling ore is being taken out. The ea«t branch looks best at present, and some good-looking sulphide, ore is exposed here. A third drive is now being advanced on a central branch of the Royal in this section of the mine, but further developments will be necessary to determine the importance of this make of quartz. A good width of or© is showing, and the dirt is being saved for treatment. The south-east crosscut to explore the ground to the boundary is out 1100 ft from the shaft, and upwards of 100 ft beyond ih© Royal reef. The crosscut is penetrating a nice class of sandstone country, but nothing has been discovered since the stringers passed through some distance back, which showed in all about six or seven, of quartz-carrying values, but not payable. Later om, the management will open out on these stringers.

BREACH OF THE COMPANIES ACT. AUCKLAND, April 25. At the Police Coart to-day the secretary of the Reliance Gold Mining- Company was fined £5, with costs, for failing to file with the Registrar of Compa.nies a copy of the company's half-yearly report and statement, m accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act of'l9oß.

NO TOWN CREEK GOLD DREDGING COMPANY.

I The annual general meeting of the No Town. Creek Gold Dredging Company was held in the office of the company. Manse street, on Friday. Dr Martin (chairman of directors) presided, and there were eight other shareholders present. The report of the board of directors was' as follows:—"The directors regret to have to report that the results of this year's working has not proved so good as the two previous years. The gold won this year is H2Boz 9dwt 6gr, value £5619 8s 2d, a*s compared with 1814 oz 7dwt 6gr, value £7166 13s lid, last year. Several causes have contributed to account foir the falling-off in the yield of gold. Tt arises partly from having lost five weeks' dredging time owing, to sta#pa>ges for repairs and alterations to drwJge, but chiefly owing to the ground becoming poorer as we approach the lower boundary of the claim. The directors' instructions to the dredgemaeter are to continue working on his present lines so long as th 3 returns do not fall below 240 z weekly, such ground being too good to lose. The directors now expect to learn any day that, the dredgemaetier has resolved to turn ■and work back the strip of ground left bet wen the south side of the worked ground and the south boundary of the claim. " This' strip of ground is from two to four chains wide, and the directors expect/the' return''cut will'- take at. least two years to : work out, arid according; to indications the dredge should obtain good, steady return* all tho way up. During the year we hava fitted a string of new buckets, at a cost of £500: w© have also lengthened the pontoons and put in a longer ladder,

I besides other additions to the plant. But ! to enable this to be done your directors have had to draw upon-the reserve to the extent of £450.; For the condition of the dredge and the future prospects of the claim the directors crave reference to the dredgemaster's annual report, attached herewith. Dr Martin and Mr H. Adam retire at this time from the board, but, being eligible, they offer themselves for re-election The auditor, Mr T. _Chalmer, retires at this time, and offers himself for re-election. : ' The diredgemaster's annual report was as follows:—"Dtrinjr the year the dredge has worked steadily for 47 weeks, and in that time close on six acres of ground has been treated, tire average depth of which was 37ft. The face we are now operating on is 12 chain*; from the lower boundary of the claim, and 20 chains from where the No. 2 dredge was last working to a depth of 47ft. The ground is getting deeper as we work towards the lower boundary, and as it would become too deep to reach the bottom with the ladder sve were dredging with, it became necessary to extend the pontoons and put in a longer ladder that would dredge to a' depth of 43ft if required, or 6ft deepdr than the old ladder would go. These alterations took three weeks to complete, ..nd v-ere finished on February 25. During the stoppage other wearing parts of the machinery were attended to, and the dredge is now in good repair. The gold is getting less as we work towards the lower boundary, and, from the appearance of the wash we are dealing with now, it does act indicate an improvement on the returnis we have been getting lately—between i 0 and 30 ounces a week. Should the ground we are working decrease in value aind prove not payable, there is still the strip of ground to work that we have left between the south boundary of the claim and tha south side of the worked ground. This strip is from two to four chains wide, and it will take about two ye.us to dredge it. The prospects most of the way along it proved good as we worked down stream, and I am of the opinion there will be satisfactory returns from this unworked ground. During the year the No. 2 dredge was dismantled, and all the machinery securely housed." The Chairman moved, and Mr A. Anderson seconded the adoption of the report. In reply to a shareholder, the chairman said the working expenses were 15oz or 16oz a week. The forecast of this week's return- was 20oz. The general opinion was that the prospects would not improve further down the creek. The dredge would ehortly turn round and work the south Bide. Mr G. H. L. Cunningham (Feilding) said he knew the No Tcwn' ground well. In the year 1870 he worked a claim there. He had to give it up, as he could not get a sufficient fall without going to great expense in bringing in a long tailraoe. He considered that on the slope of the reef there was good gold. If the dredge worked the south side and took up the ground left in the claim, he was of opinion they would get returns of, say, 70oz or 80oz a week. In No. 2 claim there was a creek known as Chinaman's Creek. He used to buy gold from the Ch'.namen; they got good returns. He would suggest a bore at the foot of the creek, in order to see what depth it was, oJid whether there was any gold. Ho thought gold ought to be found there. With regard, to goinig down the creek, it wis a question whether it was worth while to wear the dredge out for returns 'of 20oz or 240 z a week, when, with a couple of years' work-, they might get up to 70oz or 80oz a week, Mr Anderson mentioned that one week two years ajo the dredge touched th© south side and got 102 oz. . Mr J. P. Smith said a bore was put down 57ft in Chinaman's Creek, and a little gold was obtained. Mr Cunningham said that was too deep to give payable returns. The motion for the adoption of the report was agreed to. Dr Martin and Mr H. Adam were reelected directors, and Mr T. Chaimer was re-elected auditor. It was resolved to vote the crew a bonus of a week's wages. Votes of thanks were accoid.-d Mr Cunningham, the chairman, and the secretary.

ISLAND BASIN DREDGE

The last issue of the Alexandra Herald contains a detailed description of various improvements and alterations that have been effected on the Island Basin dredge. For some weeks past Mr Sam Hoy has been engaged in supervising work preliminary to receipt of the new string of buckets. The paper says : '' The chief addition is the erection of a powerful extension on: the bows of the dredge, whilst the hog posts have also been strengthened. The extension has been erected in order to give additional support to the gauntry framing, so that it will be capable of resisting the increased weight and power through the installation of heavier buckets. The pontoons have also been reoaulked, tarred, and redecked. and all the running gear has been thoroughly overhauled. A new string of buckets has been ordered, and the first batch is expected in a few days. Special l attention has been paid to the buckets, which are 5£ cubic feet capacity, each weighing llcwt. These have been specially built to order to cope with the heavy ground known to exist in the claim, and! are regarded as the most powerful <*ver u<-ed in Central Otago. The pins are 2ifin in> diameter, and have been manufactured! fi-om the best Hadfield's maneranese stee\ The failure of dredg*s in the gorges is largely attributed to the of the pins and buckets. Recognising this, the directors of this company deemed it advisable to purchase pins and buckets that would resist the heavy working- of the ground. In addition to the other alterations, the ladder has been strengthened, whilst the old lifting gear has replaced by a murh stronger and more powerful apparatus. New mooring lines have also been mnv>ha*ed where thev were rscmired. All the U'.cket« are expected to arrive from Dunlin by the end of this month, and meanwhile tb« work of conrMV*ing the bucket h?lt will be proceeded! with as the buckets arrive at the dredge. so that it nmv w»f*lv be anticipated that t,he : , operations by the latter ©nd of M&v. To effect •n.f.'jes-aary alterations the directors r>ureha*pd "flbe pontoons of tb* Perseverance dredge for the small sum of £45. Th* pontoons war* built of •p-roeptiona.llv gcml timhor, and a considerable quantitv of it ha* been vmd in making the required additional supports."

DREDGING RETURNS.

COMPARATIVE DREDGING; RETURNS.

The following table shows the number of Otago and Southland dredges at work weekly, with their returns, together with the figures for the corresponding periods of 1909, 1908, ard 1907. Pennyweights and grains are omitted in each instance:

DUNEDIN STOCK EXCHANGE. The general tone 01 the share market has been quiet during the past weeK, and buyers have shown no keen desire to increase their holdings. Taken all round, however, prices have shown a tendency to harden rather than recede, and sales generally have shown no great weakening tendency. "Waihi's have been steady, but are slow in regaining their old position. A sale was reported during the week at £9 and another at £8 19s marked the limits of fluctuation on sales, but on Friday buyers rose to £9 10s, and sellers fixed their limit at £9 15s, the market closing without any further business nesulting. Grand Junctions have weakened in price from sales at £1 10s early in the week to £1 8s later, and closed .yesterday with a sale at £1 7s 3d, but a request for another parcel at the same figure raised the seller to £1 7s 9d, and no sale resulted. Old Haurakis have been neglected all the week, but buyers were eager for them on Friday, and about 1000 shares formed the basis of six sales at Ss 6d in each instance, and left sellers firm at 3s 7d Consolidated Goldfields were sold at £] Is 3d, and there were more offering at the same price. Talismans have figured once on the sales' list at £2 13s. which is sellers' idea of- present values, _and ; May Queens at 3s lid completed the list of sales in that department. Although the Molyneiur River is still too high above the norma) mark for maximum profit in dredging, the approach of winter will probably lead to more business in that lino than was shown during the week, there being no recorded sales by which the market could be fairly gauged. Muddy Terrace shares have hardened "niisid*>rab!y of late, and a sale took place yesterday at £1 6s 3d. More were wanted at £1 6s, but sellers did noi respond Investment stocks have been healthy in tone, and sales indicate a firm market generally. Daily Times shares changed hands at £2l 15s, and New Zealand Papers, fouud buyers at 225. Wellington Gas shares changed hands at £l3 7s 6d, and the new issue of National Bank shares have been in favour, a parcel having found a buyer at £3 12s. Westports have been in good demand, and two sales were recorded on Thursday at £6 7s. National Mortgage shares are still in demand, and sales at £3 3s have been well maintained for several weeks past. New Zealand Drugs ficrnred in Friday's sales at £2 7s 3d, and National Insurance shares at 29s 3d represent buyers' estimate of present values.' Milburn Lime shares found buyers at 31s and 325, and the contributing issue accounted for a sale at 15s 6d. Other stocks on the list have not been ouoted quite so freely or extensively as hitherto, but the quotations recorded do not disclose fluctuations .calling for special comment. The share market was fairly brisk on Monday, this beinsr due in jome degree to the demand for Old Haurakis. Five parcels of this stock changed hands at 4s 6d in each instance, and there was one reported sale at 4-s 3d. In all, some 1200 shares changed hands, and the market closed.-with a buyer at 4s 5d and a sailer at 4s 6d. May Queens found) a buyer at 4s 3d, and there were reported sales of Waihis at £8 15s 6d. Waihi Grand Junctions at 28s 3d, and Dunedin

" Stook Exchange Proprietary shares at £2 17s 6d. The following are Monday's latest quotations, subject to the usual brokerage: Dredging Stocks. i Blackwator—Sellers ss. i Electric—Sellers 4s. Enterprise—Buyers Is 4£d. * Golden Bed—Buyers 19s 9d, sellers £1 Os 3d - , „ Hartley and Riley—Buyers 13s 6d, selleirs £l. ; Konutai-Buvers £1 Is 6d, sellers £1 3s 6d. i Moiyneux Hydraulic Co. dredge—Buyers 3s 9d. Mystery Flat—Sellers 15s. Otagc —Sellers 15s. Pactohis—Buyers 5s 6d, sellers 6s 9d. Rise and Shims (ex div.) —Buyers £2 3s. Mining Stocks. Muddy Terrace—Buyers £1 6s, sellers ' £1 Bs. j Consolidated Goldfields—Sellers £1 Is 6d. Progress Mines of N.Z. —Sellers 15s. Kuranui Caledonian —Buyers Is 2d, sellers i Is 7d. May . Queen—Buyers 4s, sellers 4s 3d. New Sylvia—Buyers 4s Id. N.Z. Crown —Buyers 4s. Old Hauraki—Buyers 4s sd, sellers 4s>6d. Talisman Consolidated-Buyers £2 lis 9d, sellers £2 13s 6d. i Waihi—Buyers £3 17s 9d. sellers £8 IBs. ! Waihi Extended—Buyers 2s 3d. i Waihi Grand Junction —Buyeri £1 8s 3d, ' sellers £1 8s 6d. i Hercules—Buyers Bs, sellers 10s. j. April 19.—Waihi Grand Junctions (forj ward delivery), £1 9s 3d. Sales reported: Waihi, £8 19s; N.Z. Paper Mills, £1 2s; Consolidated Goldfields, £1 Is 3d. April 20 —Bleotrie, -is; Waihi Grand Junction 28s, 28s, forward delivery 29s bd, 29s 6d; N.Z. Paper Mills, 225. Sales Reported.—Consolidated Goldfields (forward delivery, eight weeks), 22s 6d; National Bank (new issue), £3 12s; Wellington Gas, £l3 7s 6d. April 22.—Muddy Terrace, £1 6s 3d; Waihi Grand Junction, 27s 3d; Old Hauraki, 3s 6d, 3s 6d, 3s od, 3s 6d, 3s 6d. 3s 6d; New Zealand Drug, 47s 3d. Reported sales: Mil-burn Dime, 325; National Insurance, 2°s 3d ■ "April 23. Old Hauraki, 4s 2d, 4s 2d, 4s Id. 4s Id, 4s, 4s Id. Sales.—Old Hauraki, 4s 2d, 4s 2d, 4s Id, 4s Id, 4s, 4s Id. April 25.—May Queen, 4s 3d; Old Hauraki. 4s 6d, 4s 6d, 4s 6d, 4s 6d, 4s 6d. Reported sales:—Waihi, £8 15s 6d, £8 15s 6d; Old Hauraki, 4s 3d; Waihi Grand . Junction, 2£s 3d, 28s 3d; Dunedin Stcok Exchange Proprietary, £2 17s 6d. AUCKLAND STOCK EXCHANGE. AUCKLAND, April 25. The following business was done on the Stock Exchange this afternoon: —Old Hauraki, 4s sd, 4s 6d, 4s sd; Waihi, 1795; Waihi Grand Junction, 23s 9d; Missouri, 2d; Taranaki Oil, 13s 6d, 13s 9d, 13s lOd, 14s. WELLINGTON STOCK EXCHANGE. WELLINGTON April 25. The following are to-day's mining sales: — 10 a.m.—Waihi, £8 17s od (2C.). NoonOld Ha.uraki, 4s Id (R.); Saxon, Is 7£d (R.), Is 8d (C). 3.15 p.m.—New Sylvia, 4s 2R 4s 3d (R.); Old Hauraki, 4s 4d, 4s 4£d (R.); Talisman, £2 12s 6d, £2 12s 9d (R.); Waihi, £8 17s 6d, £8 17s 6d (C.); Waita.ngi, 2s 5d (C.) LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE. LONDON, April 24. Waihi.—Buyers, £8 17s 6d; sellers, £9; Waihi Grand Junction. —Buyers, 26s 3d; sellers, 28s 9d.

oz. dwt. srr Rise and Shine No. 2, Cromwell, 137-h.rs ... ... 104 13 0 Rising Sun, Cromwell, 4 days 65 14 « Golden Bed, Miller's Flat, 128hrs ... 55 12 0 Rise and Shine No. 1, Cromwell, 128hrs .. ... 33 2 0 Manuherikia. Alexandra, wk 32 0 0 M&sterton, Waikaia, 131'b-rs... 29 5 0 Otago No. 1, Miller's Flat, wk 29 0 0 Waikaia, Waikaia, 131hra ... 28 4 0 Waikaka United No. 1, Waikaka I27hrs 27 7 0 Muddy Creek, Waikaia, 132 hrs ' 26 17 0 Electric • No. 1, Cromwell, 125hrs 21 18 0 Koputai, Waikaia, 138hrs ... 21 6 0 New Roxburgh Jubilee, Roxburgh, 127hrs 16 9 0 Waikaka United No. 2, Waikaka, 130hrs 16 4 0 Mystery Flat, Waikaia, 139hrs 16 3 0 Chicago, Alexandra, 120hrs ... 14 5 0 Central Charlton, near Gore, 130h.TS 11 16 0 Olrig, Manuherikia. week ... 10 16 0 South Waikaia, Waikaia, wk Total 9 1 0 569 12 0 West Coast. Biackwater River lOOhrs ... 24 10 o, New Tiafalgar, 121hrs Total ... 20 . 4 0 44 14 0

1910. 1909. 1908. 1907. Oz. Oz. Oz. Oz. — — 5 90 3 69 3 59 7 197 11 267 14 242 22 559 21 700 29 797 28 955 32 791 23 621 28 715 26 787 34 996 24 615 26 642 24 683 29 798 22 589 26 663 31 930 33 833 19 589 25 637 26 689 34 1088 20 513 27 733 32 961 35 1020 21 625 oO 822 30 975 37 1157 20 554 31 806 28 885 31 788 19 422 24 574 29 973 28 748 21 549 31 948 26 993 26 658 lt> 455 35 874 30 1000 31 764 20 574 32 715 29 947 31 716 22 671 22 632 22 846 30 750 24 • 637 23 634 25 863 33 82G

8361 10,549 The Wes 12,887 r Coast. 8545 — — 3 101 — — 2 43 2 47 3 101 2 208 8 381 1 24 3 102 3 182 8 303 5 167 6 247 6 294 8 262 3 58 4 91 4 122 6 222 5 133 6 145 '3 154 6 262 5 131 5 136 5 192 7 259 3 • 59 6 180 4 144 6 269 5 98 3 89 5 144 6 233 5 119 7 174 7 300 9 212 5 135 -*. — 7 302 8 245 5 135 6 164 8 191 • 8 253 3 48 5 155 9 268 3 95 3 65 3 77 4 196 5 135 4 99 2 62 4 162 6 209 6 ,845 ,133 4 110 6 206 1402 1957 2969 3589