MINING MATTERS.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VIII, Issue 2061, 3 June 1875, Page 3

MINING MATTERS.

Manukau.—Tho specimens which had accumulated on hand since the last cleaning up for tho Mftnukau Company were put through the mill yesterday, although monthly cleaning'up and retorting for ■ the company does not take place until tho 9th. There wero upwards of 2cwt of specimens and picked stuff, but the amalgam from the crushing has not yet been squeezed up. There is, however, a largo parcel of rough amalgam, which will add considerably to the month's return, although the yield on the whole for this month will only be a moderate one, partly because the grade of quartz from the main reefs is low, but chiefly because the battery was stopped for a whole week, and the usual quantity will not therefore be treated this month. There' wero a few pounds of specimens obtained yesterday from the foot-wall veins.. The manager has started sinking a winze on the main reef, not'for the purpose of working from it in the meantime, but in order • to be ready .to connect with the new low level when the latter is opened. In regard to this low level, we presume now that there is no danger of the big pump stopping, that negotiations which were abruptly terminated a short time ago will be renewed.

A lbion. —.Excellent stona, showing good gold, is,now being.obtained from the Albion Company's mine, not only from the fine loilo which hag been opened at the bottom of Kelly's old shaft, but from the Young Amorican reef. On tho latter a winze was sunk'until the gas became troublesome, and instead of erecting apparatus to disperso this gas, particularly as it would bo necessary to open the lodo from a deeper level, tho manager detsrmined to drive the level under the winze, and then rise up_'to meet it. In tho meantime a drive is; following the course of the reef somewhat., higher than tho bottom of the winze, and it is from this drive that the good rich stone to which we have referred _ has been coming to hand for some time past. The lode is of good size, and when stoping is started on it, there will be a considerable quantity of crushing stuff. Holly's' leader, as it is called, is of irregular bizc, but may bo said to average about 10 inches. Iu one or two places it is much wider, extending to about -2 feet, and throughout it carries a good rich show of gold. The level at which it is being driven on affords.'backs of 170 feet for stoping up (o the old level, but the manager intends to start one >or two drives from Kelly's old shaft, and cut it into two or three block's, as may be found most convenient for stoping. This lode will, when thoroughly opened, also afford a very largo supply of quartz, and we' mayexpcct that in a short time there will be some good rich, crushinga for this company progressing, DAWITIIESS AND Sink ■ TO-E ISE.—A trial crushing, of about 30 tons, was started yeslerday at the Prince Alfred battery, for Sawyer and party, tributers of No. 1 section of tho above company's mine. This party is working the old Sink-to-Rise ground, but they havo. recently at considerable labour opened up a new section of it, and have taken out this 30 tons as a test. It is expected' to yield a payable return, and should it meet expectations it will be very satisfactory, as there b a .large quantity of similar stuff arailablo.

Queen of the May.—The manager lias commenced driving on the foot-wall leader to tho discovery of which-iu the main level we alluded some time ago, aud so far as it is now opened up it is a fine strong body of quartz a foot thick, and contains a good show of gold. It has only beon driven on about di feet, so that its course or strike is scarcely defined yet, aud it is a matter of doubt whether it will prove an independent lode or morely,a split off from tho main reef. In all probability the latter is the correct theory, but the further extension of the drive on its course will set tho matter at rest. In tho meantime it is satisfactory to find that it carries gold, and should it turn back into the main reef it will probably make good gold in the latter. So far as regards tho main reef; thoro is nothing frosh to report, cxcept that the output of quartz is now so_ great that the. manager will start additional crushing power to work next week. It is -intended to employ 15 head of stampers at tho Una battery in addition to the full force of tho Herald battery, which is now crushing for Iho company. • Ouhb.—A parcel of,about Gibs of piclied ) stuff came to hand from tho main drive last evoning, Thero will b8 a cleaning up and, rStorting for this company at the Prince Alfred battery on Saturday next. Windsob Castle.—The crushing for iho tributers of the.Windsor Qaselo at

. * x N ■■■"iia-. ■ the Priiioo Alfred battery is not yet com** pleted. It still occupies five head of stampers, and is apparently shotting up for a good payable yield. TwmiY-iHiBD o? June.—A small ' crushing of six tons for the, tributers of the Twenty-third of June was finished yesterday, "and retorting will take place to-day. The stuff has been treated at the Prince Alfred battery, and will yield a payable return.

(L\a.—The quartz which was struck in the main tunnel last week did not, after all, prove to be the main reef, but a footwall leader. This leader accompanied the rcof in the upper levels, but it finally seemed to merge into it forming one body of quartz. However, between the former main level and the present one they appaar to.hiive separated again, for there is now a considerable distance between them, and it was only yesterday morning that the main"reef was touched. The immediate result was a strong flow of water from the face, but this is scarcely to l)o wondered at when it is considered that the present main level is 180 feot deeper than the former one, and thsre is therefore all that extent of ground to drain. Probably the drive will intersect the reef to-day. No' timo will then be lost in driving on its course and oponing it up for stoping, but it will probably bo some time yet before permanent crushing will be started. It will no doubt bo necessary to form a winze, eonnectiorubetween the two levels for ventilation, and the tunnel, was to. be connected with the baltoryj.in- order,- to;, forward quartz direct from the face; but now that tho main object is accomplished, and the reef is to hand, every effort will bo made to develop it as speedily as possible, in order to start the mill to work.

to the lied Queen crashing were treated yesterday at Spencer's test battery, and produced 24ozs I7dwts gold. There were, in all, 801bs, including picked stuff." The general cleaning and retorting will t&ko place to-day at the Waiotahi battery. The'general stuff has scarcely met expectations, but the return," as a whole, will bo a payable one. There have been 41 tons put through the mill, - CUmiN Cook, Piiribi;—The 10-ton trial claim, to which-wo referred a few days ago, is to bo brought to town to-day for treatment. It will probably be put, through at the Tramway battery. .

POLICE OOUET.—lestebdat. : (Before W. FiUSER, Esq,/MI,)

Dm KENNEB3 .—Patrick Hennessy was charged with having been drunk and incapable in Owen-street, Grahamstown. Ho admitted the offence, but said that ho had never been before a court before, and had nover "been a prisoner.—Same defendant was charged'with indecently exposing his person in a public place, to wit, Owen-street, Q-rahamstown.—To this he also pleaded guilty. He had been hero for 8 years, and had never been before tho court before.—His Worship said thad had he been charged under the Yagrant Act he would have no option but to send him to prison. - For the first offence ho was fined 10s and cost, 'or, in default, 24 hours' imprisonment, and for tho second ho was fined 20s and costs, or 48 hours'imprisonment.