AUCKLAND.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 721, 1 September 1870, Page 4

AUCKLAND.

[southern cross, auo. 15.J Imperial Crown.— lt grieves me to have to report the suspension of work in this mine, and the consequent throwing out of employment of between fifty and sixty men. The stoppage of underground operations took place to-day, but the engine and pump 3 are still kept moving, as I understand, by the Golden Crown, Tookey's, and Csvledonian Companies, who have co-operated for the purpose, as it is feared that if the Imperial Crown pump is stopped these mines would be flooded. 1 have reason to believe that the suspension of the Imperial Company is only temporary. The company is to be re-organised upon a better basis than simply by weeding out "sick shiU'enolders," and replacing them by men who can pay calls. I have it on good authority that, of the last call of L3OOO in the aggregate, only some L 45 has been paid in. The Golden Gate shareholders also failed to come to time with their payments as per agreement, and hence the result. The last stuff crushed for the mine was finished off to-day — the return, 15oz, deposited at the Bank of New Zealand. This is at the rate of nearly loz to the ton. Well, there are other promising claims on the Thames that will, I am sorry to say, have to undergo a like course of purification. City of Athens.— A crushing of 10 tons of stone from this claim was finished off yesterday at the F. M. K. machine, the return being poor — about half an ounce to the ton. Alburraa Company. — A cleaning up for this company took place yesterday at the Pioneer machine to a return of 640z lOdwt, which after melting at the Bank of New Zealand to-day weighed 630z 4dwt. Vale of Avoca. — A partial cleaning up yesterday at Weston ; s machine sent 640z retorted gold to the Bank of New Zealand. The melted return was 620z 13d wt. Una Company. — The fortnightly cleaning up was accomplished to-day to a return of lOOoz of retorted gold. This unusually small return is to be blamed to the weather, which stopped communication between the miue and mill, The stone crushed was less by 100 tons than the usual quantity. Golden Crown. — I have to record a rnagnificant weekly return from this celebrated mine, the weight of melted gold being 1,6810z 16dwt. There were five retorted cakes, the largest of which weighed 600oz, their aggregate weight being 1,7300z. Dixon's No. 1. — 84oz of retorted gold were deposited in the Union Bank to-day. This was from the retorting of the amalgam collected at the Hauraki machine. The battery recomences on Dixxin'a stuff as soon as the roads mend a, little.