MONTHLY SUMMARY.

Thames Advertiser, Volume XII, Issue 3347, 21 June 1879, Page 3

MONTHLY SUMMARY.

OUR GOLD-FIELDS,

Business is just ns dull and un« important as wo have evor known it to bo. In one of the leading mines of the district the direotors are growing impatient for dividends, and in their desperation are trying what the introduction of new blood will do, from manager downwards. Mr S. Gribble, who has been engaged in the Albumia mine almost from the commencement of operations by the company, eleven years ago, resigns his position as manager of the mine to-day, under advico from the board, and will be replaced on Monday by Mr T. Radford, an experienced Victorian miner, who has held various engagoments on this field with groat credit. In the Caledonian Tribute Company, formed some time ago to work portions of the Caledonian mino, a rupture has just taken place in the agroement through the conveyance of specimen stono direct to the crushing mill instead of through the manager's office, and although the prospocts of the tribute were excellent this breach of the agroement under which the ground is held is likely to prove a serious matter to the shareholders. The Caledonian directors will decide whether the aclion of their manager is to be sustained. The provision is a wise ono in the interest of. the company, and removes the suspicion of unfair practices which those who handle specimen stone have frequently been subject to. Both the Alburnia and the tribute company referred to, havo obtained some good stone during the month, the latter especially having had a good crushing.-In the yILBOBNiA the stopes west of No. 4 winzo are yielding good crushing, but small paresis of picked stono aro nlso occasionally obtained. In |he 70-feefc i level, in the stopes between Nog. 3 and 4 winzes, the reef is of considerable size and is yielding a large quantity of coo d ' crushing dirt. There is no ohange to notice in the reef on Dixon's lower level On the Sons of Freedom tunnol levei the reef has a promising appearance. — in the Caledonian mine a find of importance is reported. A leader was intersected on the footwall of No. 3 lode, on the No. 3 level. A small parcel of stone taken from it.gave an excellent prospect by mortar test. This leader will probably junction with the main lode a few feot from where it has been cut. The stopes on No. 2 level have a very favourable appearance; strong colours of gold are frequently seen in the quarlz after breaking down. Small pareels of picked stono are coming to hand daily.—ln the Moanataiari mine the Point Russell stopes and reef are looking extremely well, and some choice specimens are to hand from the former. The manager's last report says:-218 feet level: In driving west No. 2 slide is much thicker than in the upper levels, boinfc 15 feet through, and containing broken quartz. On the seaward side of this No. 9 reef has been picked; tho lode is feet thick, well defined, and heavily charged with mineral and iron pyrites. The stope above this level shows colours of gold. The drive at 80 feet level, west on No. 3 reef, has broken through to winze; the lodo here is one foot (hick, of payable stufi, containing heavy mineral. The drive will have to be pushed ahead for a few days before stoping can be started. Point Russell section: Constant crushing is now kept going from this part of the mine, and the Muff is showing improvement; the larger portion is broken east from winze, and we have 301bs of picked stone in band. Tunnel cross-cut, south: This has been exlondea 1 26 feet during the past week. There are new quartz stringers in face, and the country is good for roefs. This week's general crushing is showing an improvement over last return.— In the Kuranui ffitL mine work is being vigorously pushed forward. In tho last report based upon the manager's notes we find the following s—Battery level: The drive northward on this level has been pushed forward into some old workings in the Oddfellows' mino. Beyond these works the leader has again been picked up, but it is much smaller than it wa?, and the quartz is not of such good quality. The country is very muoh disturbed and broken. Above the level there is a con« sidorahlo length of stopes to open up. The quality of quarlz, however, is not so rich as it was near the winze sunk from the Shotevor level. Some time ago a winze was sunk about 30 feet below the floor of the level, and good prospeots were obtained nearly all the way down. The manager proposes before long to put in an intermediate level from this winze, and take out a block of ground in the vicinity, whioh ho considers will yield a large tonnage of good crushing dirt. The stopes near the main winze, between this level and the Shotover level have been exhausted. Southward of the winze, however, there is a blook of ground which is being taken out, and from which some very good crushing dirt is obtained. Shotover level: The drive south on this level has been extended a considerable distance. Unfortunately, thegood prospects expected of this lode in this direction havo not been sustained.' As the drive was pushed forward the country became broken, and disturbed the lode very much. In the face there is a little quartz shewing, but it is poor quality. A cross cut is being driven in the footwall of the lode, for the purpose of prospecting tho country. The main cross cut has been extended about 190 feet from the Shotover level, and several leaders intersected, from some of which very fair prospects have been obtained. Tho last one cut through is about four inches thick, and the manager has already commenced tooponoutuponit. —In the Uld Golden Calf the water is again troublesome. A few days ago it made its appearance in the winze, which was being sung from the No. 3 level, and consequently further sinking has_ been suspended. The prospects met with in sinking tho winze were very good. This is tho first work from which gold was being obtained which has been affected by the stoppage of the Big Pump, and, unless something is done very soon, other mines will shortly be flooded. Tho water is only a few feot below tho Caledonian No. 3 level, and cannot bo far bolowtho low level operations in the Moanataiari and Waiotahi mines,—ln the Hed Queen Johnstono and party, who have a portion of tho mino on tribute, have crushed a parcel of about 12 tons of general dirt, for the cxcellont return of Wozs 19dwts of melted gold. The quarlz was obtained from the continuance of Gilmour's leader. -On tho low level of the Waiotahi the manager is pushing on with the main cross-cut through a favourable class of country. Tho No. 5 lode, however, is 1 not yet to hand, but it is expected to be i mot with ere long. On this level men i are also employed driving eastward on , No. 4 lodo. The reef has been broken i up and very much disturbed by a crossI bend, but there arc signs of an improve-

ment, and it is expected that shortly there will be a well-defined reef in hand. No 2 stopes are turning out the usual quantity of crushing material, to keep the mill g)ing.~ln the Cube the crosslode is to hand in the drive on No. 6 lodo. Where it strikes into No. 6it is rather small, but it is expected to im* provo in size as it is driven upon. The manager proposes to open up the lode at onco before pushing on with the drive to cut Gilmour's leader. The country is of a favourable description, and, from its well known auriferous character.it is fully expected that the lode will yield a considerable quantity of good crushing dirt. Above the No. 1 level there are a large amount of backs to work upon, so that in the event of payable stuff being met with the company will hare a considerable block of ground to work out upon, the line of this reef. .As soon as this reef is well openedjup the drive on No. 6 lode will be extended to intersect the junction of Oilmour's leader.-From the Ohisemubi district Hollis and party have again taken the Young New Zealand section of Weicomo Extended on tribute. They are engaged breaking out a large portion ot quartz.—At _ Owhahoa, duiing the late gale, the piping which conveys the water used in driving the turbine wheel was carried away, and a considerable amount of damage was dono to the water race. These have been repaired, and the battery is once more at work. The quartz at present being put through is from the No. 2 leader. It is showing up for a payable return, The tributers on No 4 leader havo already gov out another large parcel of quartz. They will commence crushing as soon as the No. 2 parcel has been got rid of. In the Albion mine some very good prospects are being met with, and the proprietors are very sanguine of meeting with success. Another block on the No. 2 leader has been let on tribute. At ConoMANDEL the Union Beach (Norman's Tribute) lodged 21ozs of gold from five tons of quartz. The leader looks well, but is very small. At Preece's Point it is reported that a find of rich gold has been obtained in Snorcden's old claim. The Pride of Tokatea (Heenan's Tribute) is getting very rioh stuff from the new leader—The position of negotiations re the starting of the Big Pump, and other matters, will be found explained in articles on the forth page of this issue.