MINING MATTERS.

Thames Advertiser, Volume XI, Issue 2906, 19 April 1878, Page 3

MINING MATTERS.

3?iAKO v ~The only work in progress on tho company's acoount is the drive at No. 6 level going in to intersect the Vanguard lodes, which is now in a distanoo of 500 feet, or 200 feet past tho Bird-in-Hand reef. For the last 40 feet a hard channel of country has been gone through, but the manager is of opinion that a change for the .better is close at hand. Although hard, it is likely-looking ground, which shoots well, so that very good progress is made. This level will intersect those roefs 190 foet doeper than where tho Vanguard Company cut them. As therp are only about 60 feot more to be driven before the No. 1 is met with, it should not_ bo such a great while now before it is proved whether the quality of tho stone is better, at this level than when formerly tested, giving at the rate of sdwts to 7dwts per ton. There are five different parties of tributers working in tho Bird-in-Hand section: Truscott, James, and Langford's parties, all working from the No. 6 level ; Williams and Ferguson's, from the Bird-in-Hand shaft. Antonio Sara's party, working a sootion at the No. 7 level, are putting through a parcel of 25 loads at Vickery's battery for a payable return. Carnie and Co., another crowd at the same level, started crushing yesterday at Bull's, and have 20 loads of general dirt and 701bs of specimens to rcduco. Bice and Co., from No. 6 level, have iust finished a crushing of 6 loads from fro. 1 reef for a return of 4ozs 16dwts, which is hardly payable, as the lode is in rather tight country. Sckofiold and party, who have lately

started work on blocks 11 an 112, between Nos. 7 and 8 levels, are opening up their ground by putting in a drivo from No, 1 winzo north to connect with a winze they are putting down from No. 7 level. No 10 block: McLaughlin's party will have a trial crushing next week taken from a small vein in the foot-wall of the main lodo. A little gold is seen in tho stone, and the crushing is expected to be payable. Yesterday the manager let a block to seaward of tho shaft to Cameron and party, A fair start has been made by Craig with a prospecting drivo to intersect his block between Nos. 6 and 7 lovels. Fletcher's party will follow Carnie's at the mill with a crushing of 30 tons taken from No, 2 block, botween Kos. 5 Jjiind G levels. Tho shaft being sunk for Wilton and party is down a depth of 160 feet, and broke into old workings on No. 2 lode yesterday morning. Another week's work ought to take it down the required distance, when the tributers will be in a position to work their ground to advantage, tho great drawback hiihorto being bad ventilation, which tho shaft will remedy in tho most effectual manner.

Tookey's Tbibute.—4oo feet level: Tho manager having sunk tho winze a depth of 50 foot on the reof has now started to put in a drivo; tho stono improves in appearanco as driven on. Waiotahi,—Tho company's battery is kept going onr stone from Nos, 1 and 4 lodes, the crushing showiug up for about tho usual average. Kubanui BiTTEBi.-The following parties are putting through parcels of stone at this mill, but will not retort before next weekPeterson and parly, a 12-ton lot from All Nations; Le Manquais, 30 tons from Long Drive; Johns, 20 tons from Kelly's; and Jenkins, 20 tons from tho Kuranui section of company's ground. Messengkh's.—Johnson's tribute in this company's ground reduced 201bs of stone for 16ozs gold at Bull's machiue yesterday. Cbown Pbinoess. -Dillon and party also finished at the samo mill yesterday, for a return of 6ozs lldwts, from ton loads of dirt.

New Worth Dbton.—The directors met last night and accepted a tender for driving 100 feet. The Old Whau Company have given permission for trucking quartz along thoir levels, and a fair start may soon be expected by this now promising company, Lon4 Tunnel G.M. Co. (Ooromandel), —I was very sorry to hear a few days ago that instructions, had come from Auckland to stop all work in this mine, I have no doubt the present dull times are the prinoipal cause of this, but it is, nevertheless, unfortunate that it should have ocourred at the present juncture. The manager has had a good deal of uphill work in connection with the workings, —first, in getting supplies to the mine, which was very awkward to get at until a road was cut; then he had a piece of dangerous and disagreeable work in clearing and re - timbering several parts of the tunnol which had fallen in; and, lastly, the ground has been very hard to work, necessitating the Use of dynamite, etc,; but, having overcomo all this, and made considerable progress towards tho goal (the big reef), work has been stopped just as tliey are about up lo tho spot whore the big reef ought to be foundin fact there'is a perceptible change of country, and something like the hanging-wall of a reef coming in' It is' a pity tho County Council aro not working, as this is a case very similar to the Big Pump at Grahamstown, and ought to be subsidised in the same manner. This tunnel will tond to opon up new country quite as much as the low levels of tho Big Pump. A very large sum of money has been expended in putting in the tunnel, which is between 1,400 and 1,500 feet long, and unless some assistance is given tho whole of the past expenditure may be lost; but the success or failure of any enterprise of this kind is of vital importance to tho community, and every effort should be made to bring it to a successful issue. Tho big reef, whioh this tunnel was intended to prospect, has never yet. been cut at a depth, and if payable gold were obtained,' its enormous extent would give work to thousands of men. I think if prop er representations were ma'do to the Harataunga Eiding Committee, a sum might bo obtained by way of subsidy, whioh would induce the company to continue work. There can be no doubt of the vast importance a work of this kind is when carried to a successful result, and the probabilities are all in favour of gold being got in this case, as the Bismark and Tokatoa both got payable gold in the Yan level, which is only about 100 feet higher on the opposite side of the range. I believe that if this matter iB only gone about with spirit, assistance can be got to prosecute the work till success should crown their efforts or prove the ground barren.—EeraU.