REEFTON MINING.

West Coast Times, Issue 2848, 20 May 1878, Page 2

REEFTON MINING.

(lIERALD, MAY 16.)

Battery. — The Hopeful Company continues to keep ten heads of stampers well employed, which is the only company up to the present that is in requirement of crushing accommodation, but I believe it is the intention of the Just-in-Time Company to send down quartz during the early part of the coming week.

Boatman's Creek. — Mr Beeche has now extended the Alhambra north drive and intercepted this company's winze. The late surveys taken by Mr Beeche have proved very successful, as the winze was holed through the centre of the driye. When speaking to the manager as to the course of future proceedings he wa? unable to furnish definite particulars.

Pactolus Line of Reef. — In the several claims on this line the works are proceeding satisfactorily, with no alteration since my last letter. Mr H. Evans is the manager of the Pactolus mine, and not Mr Evan Williams, as mentioned in last weeks report.

Just-in-Time. — Most of the hands are employed breaking down stone, which is of good quality, Crushing for this company will be resumed on Monday next, when there will be probably about 300 tons reduced.

Fiery Cross. — The manager intercepted the lode in the intermediate tunnel last week. The stone contains what the manager considers to be payable gold, and he is of opiniou that he has only to extend the 'drive a few feet before he obtains a large body of stone, as the walls have been lying flat for some distance during driving, but now show a tendency to take the usual uuderly.

Hopeful. — The directors of this company let a contract on Saturday last for breaking down quartz, the price being 18s per ton. Great comment is being expressed concerning the price per ton, and although considered a low figure, I think it will be a payable contract, as there was a contract let in the early days of breaking down stone in this mine at a very little advance on the price now being obtained, and that time the lode was not nearly the width that it ia now, besides being of a much more broken nature. In those days it was surface workings, while now they are at a greath depth, and in a good solid country, where it may be reasonably expected that the lode will be worked for any distance with very few piaches. As regards any breaks, they will not interfere with the contractor to a great extent, as he has only to follow the stone up to thickness of four inches, and the stone in this mine is very seldom followed any distance at that width, for it either nips out altogether or makes into a large body in the course of continuing for a few feet along the line of reef.