MINING.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20489, 7 March 1932, Page 10

MINING.

WETHERSTONES CEMENT. A start has been made to win gold from the cement deposits at Wetherstones by Messrs Industries, Ltd., and mining work is now being carried out on the property lormerly known as the Golden Crescent Sluicing Company's claim. The men are bringing up ore out of a drive that is 800 ft in lengt 1 from' a vertical depth of 300±t, the spot in the drive from which this oie is taken being 670 ft from the mouth. The ofe is being stacked on the surface ready for treatment by a V Chilian, mill—a big-capacity crushing mill that is now being erected, many new details have been incorporated with this mill to suit present purposes, and it is anticipated that it will put through from 12 to 20 tons an hour. The erection is almost completed, and if was expected on Friday that the first trial of the mill would be made on Monday.

BIG RIVER GOLI) MINES. The Big .River report lor the month erded February 29th, is as follows: Good progress has been made witli tne reconditioning of the mine and plant, and the following work has been done during the month: No. 2 Adit has been cleaned up ami repaired a further distance of 88411, and connexion made with the main shaft, which was found to be in good order at this point. North-west Crosscut.— Repair work was continued in this crosscut which commences at a point 30 feet east of the shaft, and the face was reached at a distance of 175 feet from the main adit. Driving has been resumed in a westerly direction to pick up the reef which was successfully worked above at No. 1 intermediate level. ' j Rise. —Work has been,resumed in the ! rise on the new reef which was cut in, the north-w,est crosscut at 65 feet from the main adit, The rise is up to 2o feet above the level, and payable stone six feet in width is showing in the back. . / Main Shaft. —Both winding compartments have been repaired from surface 'to about 80 feet below No. 1 adit level, at a total of nearly 300 feet. At tins point it was found that some of the shaft timbers required renewing, and this work' is now,in progress. It is expected to have the,, cages running to No. 2 adit early" in the coming month. • . ■ Winding Plant —The winding engine was overhauled and cleaned. It was found to be in first-class order, and is now working .very smoothly. The boilsr is also in good order. : General —Repair work lias been completed on poppet legs, trestles between shaft,and engine-house, signal lines, etc., the mine manager's house has been put in order,' and general repairs effected to and carpenter s shops, storeroom, and other mine buildings. The Inspector of Mines examined the* mine and plant on the 24th inst., arid, finding everything in good working order, gave the necessary permission to carry on. Aerial Ropeway and Ore-paddocks—. Repair work is now in progress and should be completed at an early date.

golden dawn company. . T;he following is the mine report for two weeks ending February 27th, 1932: NO. >3 Level —Drive north on No. 1 reef " has been extended 16 feet, total 51 ieef-from the north end of stopes. The re<ft here averages 15 inches wide, and the ore by assay is of very fair value. , No. 3 Level —Drive north on .No. 3 reef has been extended .28* feet,-total 50 feet from north end of" block of stopes. The reef • here at present is two feet, wide and looks' very well, and the ore fey .assay is ;qf" fair vjilue. No; 3 Level—ln the stopes on No. 1 reef three machines have been working three shifts breaking ore. for the battery anii filling for the stopes, also one block working on hard steel. The reef here averages 2ft 6in widc, and the ore,broken is of very good value. • In the stopes on No. 3 reef, No. 3 level, three machines have been working three shifts breaking ore'for battery and filling for the stopes. The reef here averages three feet wide, and the ore >is of good value.

. RETAIL PRICES. THE JANUARY FIGURES. The Dominion weighted average retail price index number for the three food groups combined (on base average of prices ruling, during 1926-30 equal 1000) was 827 —a decrease of 8 points when compared with that for the previous month, and of 83 points or appioximately 9 per cent, when compared with that for January, 1931, notes the February "Abstract oi Statistics." Each of the three sub-groups (groceries, dairy products, and meat) shared in the slight downward movement, the groceries index having fallen by 9 points, the dairy products index by 5 points, and the meat index by 7 points since December," 1931. Expenditure on food constitutes somewhat less, than one-third of the expenditure of the average household. When the January, 1932, food and fuel and light index numbers are combined with the November, 1931, clothing, drapery, footwear, and miscellaneous items figures, and the August, 1931, rent index number, a Dominion average index number for all groups of family expenditure is obtained representing slightly raore than 80 per cent, of the total family budget. This index number (on bsse average prices in 1926-30 equals 1000) is 890, or 41.7 per cent, above the July, 1914, level of retail prices

PRICE OF GOLD. (UNITED rR£SS ASSOCIATION —BT ELECTRIC TELEGBAPH —COPYRIGHT.) (Received March 6th, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON. March 5. Gold (per fine ounce) is quoted as follows: £ s. d. March 4th ... 5 17 10 March 3rd ... 5 18 5 March 2nd ... 5 18 10 PRICE OP SILVER. (BRITISH OTIICUL WIRILKSI.) (Received March 6th, 5.5 p.m.) RUGBY, March 4. Silver (pence per ounce) is quoted: Mar. 4. Mar. 3. • d. d. Spot 19 J 19* forward ... 19 7-16 19-} OSMIRIDIUM. {'fteoeiTed March 6th, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON. March 5. Oamiridium is unchanged. ( The tion for Tasmanian osmiridium on February 20tl» vh from £l3 to £l6 per ounce.)