MINING AT CROMWELL

Taranaki Daily News, 31 August 1933, Page 5

MINING AT CROMWELL

PROGRESS OF VARIOUS CLAIMS. REPORT OF PAYABLE RETURNS. Cromwell, Aug. 28. The miners working on the river frontage of Spain’s Flat, in the ClydeCromwell Gorge, are still on highly payable wash. Although the river is well above winter level, daily yields of up to two ounces are reported, and the layer of wash is several feet deep. Recent operations seem to indicate that it extends into the flat. It is proposed to install a pumping plant which will enable the bottom to be worked. Bendigo is steadily becoming a busy field, work being in progress on several areas, both reefing and alluvial. Messrs. Austin, Cameron, and Logan have installed an efficient pumping plant which will enable work on their reef to be carried out more expeditiously. Latest reports from the low-level tunnel show that work is in progress, but the present plant is severely taxed to meet. requirements. It is stated that proposals are in hand to provide increased power. Matters in connection with the Cromwell Flat are quiet. Option holders are still chiefly concerned in endeavouring to simplify the many legal points surrounding their titles. Messrs. Frye and Giddens are said to be quite satisfied with their prospects. The Bell-Kilgour Company is carrying out all necessary preliminary work to treating the gold-bearing wash on comprehensive lines at an early date. The tone of recent reports of the development work being carried out by the Bell-Hooper Company is welcomed locally, especially that relating to coarse gold being won. There is confidence that this property will produce some good returns in the near future, once the development work is completed. The Bell-Smith concern, on the eastern or downstream side of the Bell-Hooper claim, has ceased work meantime in the tunnel from the river frontage, and will concentrate on the shaft back in the flat. The work there will consist of sinking to the required depth the tunnelling off to a line of deep gutter indicated by the geophysical curvey. The shaft is down 142 feet, and will be sunk to about 160 feet. The indicated gutter is only a short distance away from the shaft.