MINING MATTERS.

Thames Advertiser, Volume XIII, Issue 3570, 24 March 1880, Page 3

MINING MATTERS.

ATißUßnu.—ln our last report on the workings of this mine we stated that the, manager was about to commence stoping on the footwall leader in the western drive on the 160-feot level. Since then a portion of the leader has been, broken out along'the back of the drive, but without any profitable result. It is about 6 inches in width, and hao a promising appearance, but it does not carry gold enough to pay for working as the ground is very tight. The Sons of Freedom lode in the eastern drive is a large body of quarts, and some parts of it look very favourable, there being a fair quantity of nice looking minerals disseminated through the quartz, but when crushed it does not yield as well as appearances would warrant. On account of the country through which it is running being tight, and the quartz hard to break out, but slow progress is made in extending the drive, On the 70-feetlevel themanagerhas commenced to sink a winze from the bottom of the western drive close on to the boundary of the New Whau -swine.' The winze is now down 7 feet, with the lode about 6 or 8 inches wide, but not a colodr of gold has been seen yet, although the bottom is deeper than where the] Whau people struck' the first gold in their ground. It will be remembered that when tbe < manager brought jn this drive the reef became vory poor within a few feet of the boundary, so that it would almost seem as if the run of gold which the Whau people havo been working on lately was a new one altogether. It is his intention, however, to continue sink-

ing until gold is met with, and. .then a drive will probably bo put in on the lode. A fair start has now been made in opening out the new intermediate level in the winze lately sunk to connect with the 160 feot level. The lode in both ends has a very promising appearance, being well impregnated withgood minerals, and colours of gold are freely seen when breaking down quartz. At present the hanging wall of the lode only is' being driven on, there appearing to be a body of quartz still left in the footwall which, will be broken into at some future time. The eastern drive at this intermediate level will bo driven until connected with the new winze which is being suuk about 30 feet west of the main pass to the loner level. This will open up a block of around over 100 feet in length, with about 40 feet of backs. Driving on the footwall leader has been suspended for the present and stoping operations commenced upon lit near the mouth of the drive. At this point it looks well and is in good country.,.: so that it may improve in quality as it is I worked upon upwards more so than when driven on. The eastern drive towards the Devon is just about on the boundary, the lode being of good size. Two or three stopes are being brought in on the reef, and when any quartz is broken down a ittegold is generally seen. The crossleader in this drive has now been driven on about 18 feet. A bout 6 feet back from thepresent face the leader was cut almost entirely out, but now it has opened out again and looks a little better. Crushing with 10 head of otnmpors is still proceedmg at the Herald battery. jNew WHiu.—Tbo winze is now down Close on 20 feet, with a strong body of quartz-showing in the bottom. As sinking progresses the lode is broken into gradually, so that the footwall portion v?id shortly be broken through. On Monday tho company's surveyor, Mr Bayldon, visited the mine and defined the boundary, and yesterday the manager was engaged in squaring down the eastprn end and braikiug out the quartz which belougs to his mine. At tho' time of our visit some very rich stone was i broken out about hnlf-way down the H'iuso. ■Preparations will be made to-day to continue the drive on rdef at .ilburnik ' .LO'Oft level, m hero tho Albumin manager left off. I ho Sons of Freedom 90 feet level aad wiu33 will be cleaned out and

repaired; meanwhile fre mullock from the 160 ft level will bo sent down the Alburnia pass, arrangements having boen made to that effect with the manager of the Alburnia. The aim of the New Whau manager is to have the passes to Sons of Freedom ready by the time the winze, now sinking, reaches the Alburnia 160 ft level; it is hoped ho will then be in a position to start permanent crushing, The following is the mine mans, ger's usual weekly report:—"Gentlemen: I have to report on the work now in progress, namely, the sinking uf No. 1 winze. This winze at present is down 18 feet on the reef, and the late crushing of lOewt of specimens and 6cwfc of picked stnfi has been taken from this winze yielding 844ozsof retorted gold. There is about 25 tons of general dirt in the hopper, which should, crush well. To-day I am stripping down the eastern end of the winze to the boundary, In doing so I will get about l|cwt of good specimens and about lcwt of picked stuff. I am glad to say there is a great improvement in the last breaking down in the winze; about 40 or 501bs of good picked stuff was taken from the very bottom, and the heavy mineral appears to be making again. At present I am taking about 4 feet wide of the reef. It is my intention to gain on the reef in sinking, and get through to the footwall, as there is gold both on foot and hanging wall sides of this reef. There is a very promising-looking leader, about 4 inches thick, coming in from the hanging>all. In breaking it down nice blotches of gold have been seen in the stone, and, from it its present underlie it should'junclion with the reef about 6 feet deeper.-Yours, Ac, Fjuncis Daykik, March 23,1880."

New Homb Dbvoh,—The tributers, Garvey and party, forwarded the general dirt which thoy have broken out sinco last crushing, to Bull's battery for treatnient on Monday, where operations were at once commenced on it. At the mino the party is engaged in making ready previous to commencing sinking upon the run of gold which they have been working on lately.

Moanataiabi. - The tributers, Green and pany, crushed 60 tons of general dirt at the company s battery for the yield of 59ozs sdwts melted gold. lubanui HiM.-Ooutts and party, tributers, obtained the excellent return of 71ozs 2d(vts melted gold from 15 loads of quartz crushed at the company's mill.

Sia Hehcules Bobinson.—Birnie am party, proprietors of this claim, bankei 4ozs ldwt gold yesterday,