OUR GOLDFIELDS.

Thames Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 8055, 29 May 1895, Page 4

OUR GOLDFIELDS.

(By Oun* Special Eeimhteb.)

NEW ALBUENIA.

T)>p various works in th;s mine, with ko exception?, are now tit a standstill.' twill he rcimmtiored in n:y last icport slated that the stop's in and about t!:e forth De\on shtft had collap^rd from the urcet-s level dont.ward". This creep was meed by the heavy soaks, c from the s-ur-ire. In order to keep the mill emplojed )c rranager commenced operations oo that 'ction of the reef now being opened up in >c vicinity of the No. 2 North Devon lef-'. After starting the opening up of ie bibek another obstacle presented i's^lf i the way of bad'ventilation.. Since then ie manager has temporarily suspended ork ovt-r ihe No. 1 'eve!, and confined ie operations to merely extending the vel ahead with a view to connect with the o. 2 Horth Devon shaft. This work can ■ accomplished by continuing the level on c reef ia the direction of the shaft, and so to the junction of the Sons of Freedom vf. The manager anticipates meeting ith the shaft almost directly, when he is opinion that, good ventilation will beobined. As soon as this work is cometed it is intended to resume stopy operations over tie level. The nlractors are making excellent progress tb the sinking of the main engine ait down to the Whau level. So far 23 >t has been sank below the Clunes level, iking a total depth so far attained from c No. 1 level of 53 feet, and leaving a rther depth of 70 feet to t9 sunk to get a level with the Whau level. Tbe untry so far penetrated is all that could desired for progress, and the manager of the opinion that the same good class country will continue the whole depth be sunk. If no obstacles come in the y to retard progress six weeks at ihe tside will see the shaft down to the re. ired depth. At the Whau level it is ,11 known that the lode is of greater nensiorjs than that operated on above the t. 1 level, and the ore superior in quality. Ie blocks avayUbte are of greater extent, it will bo scan tbtt the opening up of >cks on the levels downwards augurs ]l for the Ui\f. r e sucai: of ihe company's

operation^. Iv order to keep the mil! engaged pending the opening np of thf levels mentioned above, tie manager has let a tiibute to h me < f the men to work out a poit'on of ihe old stopes from the Clones level. The battery will also be kept running on ore from other phrt'.ep. NEW WHAU. The rise teing put up on the Sons of Freedom reef has attained a height of 84 I feet. The reef for the last 10 feet has thickened considerably^ The large size of the lode at thi9 height has competed the manager to leate the mullock standing and continue the rise np on ihe reef the required height. Mr Radford estimates that another five feet of rising will bring the opening out level eastward, which it is the intention to do on a level with the one that was driven to within 80 or 90 feet of this company's rise, and Mr R'.dferd, who was one of the tiibute party, informs me that when this paity ceased operations f«r the want of funds, strong dab 9of gold were visible in the reef at that time. At the present time the reef in the top of the rise is a splendid body of stone, showing a thickness of fully six feet, and so far the hangingwall has not beej^cufc into, and the rise is being carried up in the footwall portion, which on the seaward side shows a band of favorable mineral six inches thick in the solid reef. This indication is looked upon as a promising feature for the existence of the precious metal, which may be met with as soon as a start is made to open up the levels both east and west. On account of the hot state of the ground opening uy westward will not be proceeded wi'h till such time as a connection is effected with the tributers' level. The manageramicipates that a good current of air will then enalle him to prosecute works in almost any direction. The richness of this particular ore lode in other sections warrants extensive exploring work?. ORLANDO.

The manager reports:—"During the week stoping over the low level on the Carpenter's reef has been continued as usual. No 2 stope has been extended 10 feet, and there is 2 feet of ore of a payable character being broken from here. No 3 stope is now forward 34 feet from the rise. There is fully 3 feet of good crushing material being saved in which good strong colours of gold are seen well distributed through the general ore. We started the No 4 stope this week and stripped 10 feet of the same, and to-day we commenced breaking it down. The lode' shows a thickness of 6 feet, but I am only saving 3feet. We have extended the level on the new leader 24 feet from the crosscut. So far the lead shows an average thickness from 3 to 6 inches, but as yet ■ no gold.has been seen. It is, however, encased in a splendid class of sandstone with numerous black seams and small veins darting into the leader. There is at: the present 25 loads of quartz in the paddock.—S. Howard."