THE OHINEMURI GOLDFIELD.

Thames Advertiser, Volume IX, Issue 2464, 7 November 1876, Page 3

THE OHINEMURI GOLDFIELD.

(pBOSI OUB OWN COBBESPONDENTS.) Waitekaubi, Nov. 3rd. Waitekattbi Company.—Retorting for

this company took place last night, for the poor, bat payable yield of 331 ounces gold. The smallness of this return has disappointed a good many, as a much larger amount was expected. The manager informed me that about 1,000 tons, was put through for this yield. The reasons assigned for the poorness of this return are first; in the early part of this month tho supply of water fell short, and some of the stamps had to be hung up, while those that were working, had to be driven at a reduced rate of speed, thereby diminishing the amount of stuff usually put through; secondly, as the reef approaches the surface, it gets poorer, and as this month's crushing was taken out principally from | the stopes going towards the surface, this helped materially to reduce the month's yield. There is plenty of water now and the battery is in full swing, so that this month' 3 return will be a fair test of what may be expected from the block of ground now in hand. In the mine things are looking well, some capital stone being got from the winze being sunk from No. 1 level to meet the low level driven south. The fact that gold is seen every shift in sinking this winze, leads people to believe that the gold is making downwards, and that a valuable block of ground 900 feet by 130, will be opened up by the works at present in hand. Young New Zealand.-Tlus company cleaned up to-day at Wick's battery for 52| ounces retorted gold. There was about 70 tons put through for this amount, which did not come up to expectations. Forty tons of very poor stnfi were put through at first, which made very little show on the plates. There were not above 6 tons of good quartz sent down, the rest of tho stuff being chiefly mullock taken from the reef, when tho original shareholders were stripping it. A nice patch of first class specimens was got on the east side of the reef yesterday. The manager is taking some of them down to tho Thames, so that you will have an opportunity of seeing for yourself what they are like. The sooner this company and the Welcome takes some steps to get a tramway down to the battery, the better it will be for the pockets of the shareholders, as the present rate of crushing and carting (about £2 per. ton) takes tho " gilt" off the returns. Owhaeoa, Nov. 3rd. _ I left Waitckauri this morning to visit this place, and got caught in one of the heaviest showers that I was ever m. In fact, when I got to Owharoa, one of tho men that I met told me that I looked like a pennyworth of soap after ahard weok's washing, and though not fond of alcohol, I took half a tumbler full of calamity water (rum) to help to evaporate tho moisturo that had soaked into me. On the agricultural sections of Messrs Bain, liinsella.Earl, and others, tho grass is growing splendidly, and if mining looks dull at present, thefarmershavenothing to complain of, as tho weather is all they can desire. . : A meeting of the residents in this place was held at Bain's, when it was proposed by Mr Elliot, and seconded by Mr Bain, " That the district from the police camp to the edge of the Waitekauri bush, should, for the future, be known as the Waitekauri .Valley, and that all correspondents should address their letters for that place."—Carried unanimously. I have been requested to state that any communication for Messrs Bain, Elliott, Einsella, Erie, Brown, and others, should be addressed Waitekauri Valley, as letters and papers are in the habit of going to Owharoa and being delayed there. Pbeby's Battery is in a very forward state. The stampers are in position, table and blanket streaks laid, berdan floor ready, and three berdans on the ground, which will be fixed next week. Outside there are 450 feet of galvanised piping laid from the end of the race to a tank 8 feet long and 4 by 4 feet, and from thence the water is conducted through 72 feet o wrought iron pipe, giving a fall of about 60 feet on to the turbine, which is already in position on the south side of the river. It is intended to drive the stamps by an endless wire rope across the ww instead of a belt. The battery will be ready to start in less than three weeks, when it will start on a trial lot from the Morning light and Annie claims. Mobning LiGHi.-The manager is hard at work getting a tram, along the south side of the river, and erecting a bridge to connect with the battery. When finished it will be a substantial piece of work, as '.it wants to bo, haying to stand against heavy freshes, to which this river is liable. The manager is putting in a cross-cut east of tj» faoe to intersect some gold-bearing leads [that crop out on the surface. _ , Shim of Fomiwb.-Stoping is going on iu No. 4 reef, and fair prospects can be got from the stone. Driving on No._ 2, which is a nice lode about two feet thick and looks like stono that would pay well for crushing, is also going on. After driving 60 feet the manager cut a lode kuown as No. 1 reef, and from this he intends to take the bulk of his crushing. . It is about three feet thick, and runs north and south, and as fair prospects can be obtainod it should prove a valuablolode. Annie.—The .manager has completed laying tho tram to the battery, and it is a first class piece of work, boing laid with iron rails, and looks as if it was intended to last some time. There is a fine large reef in this claim, and tho manager in-

tends to start driving next week to intorsect the winze put down on it by the original shareholders; he expects to hare about 50 feet to drive, when, as the reef is a big one, lie. will bo ablo to keep the battery going by driving on the reef, aud as the cost of breaking out and sending to the mill will be trifling, a small amount of gold to the ton should pay.. I saw several pieces of stone from this reef in which gold was visible. The stone boars a great resemblance to that of the Morning Light, and from the run of the reef I am inclined to think they are the same. Nut.—There are' six men putting in a tunnel from the creek level, and as there is a deal of loose gold, I believe they will be rewarded by finding a payable reef. ' Prospects,—Things here are looking brighter than I have seen them for somo time, aud as there can bo no room for complaint as to the pushing ou of the battery, I expect wo shall see some of the lease-parties going towork before long, as they will now have an opportunity of testing their reefs. If not,-I expect we shall have the Mining Inspector ooming down on them before long, so that a little money spent now may save them from losing their ground.