AUCKLAND.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 719, 27 August 1870, Page 1 (Supplement)

AUCKLAND.

[southern cross, august 11.] , . The Thames. . Hape Creek. — Spite of bad weather .and other drawbacks, work on this creek is being steadily persevered with. Even in those claims which have absorbed heavily without giving anything in return, no thought is there on the parfc of the shareholders to succumb to what may be termed the force of circumstauces. But one intention is expressed — namely, to fight the battle to the last, which means that the ground will be thoroughly prospected before it is abandoned. Should the present workers get nothing, I think the chances of. those who come after them to succeed better will be small indeed. At the very upper end of the workings, the British Eagle men are steadily pushing in the low-level tunnel, in which they hope to cut the under-lay of a leader which was found some fourteen months ago on the surface, and gave rich test prospects. The tunnel is in 320 ft. • The two-leaders that were some time time worked near the I mouth have been given up for the time being. This tunnel prospects a great stretch: of country, but not so much as that one of the adjoining Aladdin's Lamp Claim, which has reached a length of 425 ft in pursuit of the continuation of the vein so longin hand in the Pretty Nelly Claim, 1 nexb bo. The Aladdin's Lamp men axe [ making much better progress than of yore, when the country was all hard rock. They can now burrow at the rate of from 20ft to 25ft per week, and daily expect to strike quartz. It is to be hoped that when the quartz does show up it will prove payable. In the Pretty Nelly Claim 30 tons of promising quartz have been grassed, and will be crushed shortly, and, as it comes from the higher levels of the i mine, a return of one ounce to the ton is looked for. I. have to report that the Golden Anchor leader was cut on Monday last in the low-level tunnel that has been so long a-driving in the claim of that name. The vein is just pricked, and that's all, so nothing can be said about its quality nntil it is cut through and followed: The men are now, engaged in timbering-up and otherwise securing the tunnel. This looks as if they have ample faith in the worth of the leader. The Flagship party, next to them, have stacked about twenty tons of good stone from the two feet reef. Specimens were seen all through it. Californian- Company, Timaru. — Notwithstanding the light return from the last lot crushed, the tributers of this mine are anything but disheartened ; in proof thereof, they have made arrangements for crushing 300 tons of stuff at the Wild Missouri machine. Cure Company recommenced work in the mine yesterday, it having been decided to postpone the proposed arrangement with tributers indefinitely. The shareholders express the greatest confidence in. the resources of the mine, and ave^YeaoWed to give it a further trial ; and, by following the one good leader, try to come across a main shoot of gold. The leader ought to, and I have no doubt will, pay working expenses, and something more too, if it continues to shape as well as it did last crushing. Between 25 and 30 tons of stone ; are ready for the mill ; in fact, crushing it was commenced at the Mauu- 1 kau machine to-day, but I ani not sure that the entire parcel will be finished, owing to the impassable state of the road. This stone was broken out before the late suspension of operations. City of Dunedin.— The gold obtained from the late crushing at Russell's machine was lodged and melted at the Bank of New South Wales to-day, and when reduced weighed 3630 i lOdwt. Imperial Crown. -Several trial parcels of stone from this mine are in the course of crushing in one of the batteries of the Tramway machine. A small parcel taken out of the Golden Leader (supposed Belfast run) on the sea-side of the crosscourse or fault that passes through the claim is now going nnder the stamps, and looks well for a payable return. The leader is also in hand on the east side of the fault towards the Kuranui hill, and there is looking uncoirimonly well. This morning several pounds weight of very fine specimens were taken out of it. I can vouch upon actual inspection for the good quality of the stone. Manukau Machine. — To-morrow will see the single stamp battery of this machine in working order, and on the following day it will commence crushing the rich specimens lately taken out of the Long Dz-ive mine. The Manukau machine is in splendid order; and it 3 water-supply having been increased by the construction of a flume to the Moanataiari Creek and the Caledonian Claim, all the batterie3 can be kept going. They are now engaged as under : • One Cfive head stamps) on Belfast mine stone, commenced this morning ; one on Cure stone ; two Long Drive quartz ; and two Manukau quartz. The Long Drive and Manukau will clean up on Saturday. Inverness.— Work in this mine has been stopped since Monday, owing to the , stoppage of communication with the machine by a landslip that destroyed the quartz paddock at the foot of the hill. This had to be repaired and secured ; and meantime the stuff accumulated below at such a rate as to fairly block the drives up, and hence the result. Mr Tome, the manager, informed me to-day that he hopes to recommence work to-morrow, and crushing on Friday or Saturday. COROMANDEL. The Homeward - bound are pushing ahead their works in a most energetic manner driving on the leader, which looks splendid. Gold is to be seen every hour. ' They have about 200 tons to grass. The road to the mill is nearly completed, and they are placing extra | hands on hd as to have it finished soon, and so enable them to get the first crushing at Wibon and Florence's machine, which will .be ready in about a fortnight. The above-mentioned claim and the Pride of the Hills will be the first to crush in this district. There is now a fair opportunity for running a wire tramway to connect the mill with these claims, and, as they hold a central position, it could easily be made available to the other claims adjacent. I trust our worthy Engineer-in-Chief will shortly pay us his long-promised visit, and, with his assistance enable this important district to "go ahead." Fifty-four tons from the Tokatea Claim gave the splendid yield of 200oz retorted gold. About a fortnight ago a quantity of specimens were crushed at Ring'B machine, which yielded 319dz. This brings the total yield^up to 5790z, which

exceeds lOoz to the ton. A dividend of L 62 10s per share has been declared. The Day Dawn has succeeded in cutting the leader of the Peep of Day. The leader is nearly a foot thick, and shows gold all through it. The, Whakatane battery is crushing for the Harbour View Claim, and there is a splendid show on the plates. A call of L 4 per share has been made in the Puketutu. The Nil Desperandum battery has been crushing for the Flying Cloud, with a good prospect. ' The Royal Oak Claim has turned out some excellent stone lately.