TAIRUA.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VIII, Issue 2122, 16 August 1875, Page 3

TAIRUA.

(fhom otm owx coubespondekt.)

Nevesvilie, Saturday. The prospectors coutiuuo to sond up rich stuff from tlio hanging-wall in tho main shaft, and that obtained sinco my last shows no deterioration whatever in tlio quality. A largo quautity has now accumulated at tho oraco of tlio shaft -Bomo 35 bags, containing over 2 cwt, each—and this will bo augmented during tlio next few shifts, as tho bottom is reported to bo looking remarkably well. Operations in No. 2 .Oiaft drivo aro at present suspended, the men being required olsowhere, but this stoppago is only temporary, and will bo resumed in a day or two. They have ponetratod fully 10 feet into the formation with no signs of a footwall, and that this largo body is good payable dirt is exemplified by tho ropeated trials made throughout tho day. tho drivo into No. 2 reef is also temporarily suspended, but tlio last trial mado showed no deterioration whatever in tho quality. Prospects from this were tried on Friday for tlio saiisfaction of some _ visitors, who expressed thornselves highly pleased with tho results obtained both by pounding and washing off. This reef was also tested on llmt day further south by 70 or 80 feet than I ever saw before, and it is gratifying to record that a good payablo show was obtained in the dish. Tho battery is being rapidly pushed ahead; tho stamper-box is in position, (lie watcrwhcel in tho pit, and a great portion of its buckets ready for fixing; in fact, throughout it is iu a very advanced stale, and Mr b'omervillo stalos ho will liavo tlio machinery in motion within llireo weeks from dalo.

'i ho Independent Company's manager is natively pushing forward the two crosscuts, ono from tlio bottom of Ibo shaft in a westerly direction to prospcct for tlio body of stono which was found in tho excavation for llalos's bakery. 'J ho strata underlies very flat to tho west, so that a distance of some 70 to 80 foct will have to bo driven cro tho underlio of tho supposed reef can bo intersected. Tho ground, howover, is good, and there only now remains somo 20 feet to coniplelo tho estimated distunco, Several of us tried a dish of tho soft stuff from tho small luulloeky vein passed through close to the shaft, and if it was only a litllo wider it would bo_ worth developing, but as it now shows in tho faco it is too sniiill. Tho tunnel on tho cast sideling is passing through nico country, aud has acquirod it length of 08 foot, so that tho body of slouo fouud outcropping on tho surface, aud supposed to bo tho No. 2 reef of tlio prospectors, ought to bo to hand shortly, Tho Cousolation shareholders aro busy at work stripping tho surfaco down to tho wash-bed, not only for tho purposo of sluicing, but also to discover tlio reef which is said to exist in tho locality. Amongst tlio boulders in tho creek, and also in tho wash, there is a most peculiar class of stone, supposed to bo obsidium, through which aro numerous vcius of quartz, in which gold is visible.