THE, INANGAHUA REEFS.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1246, 27 July 1872, Page 4

THE, INANGAHUA REEFS.

I [kBRAID, JtJI,Y 1 24.]

The Westland Company have only been $t work .during, the past^week j . 'the fueluaed being so bad that the tubes had t6" undergo*^ '^nbrongh cleaning out every two hours. f( On Saturday afternoon the machine was stoptied, and on Monday the engineer was busily engaged fitting a Bet of pipes for the purpose of putting a blast through the funnel. Up to the pre-, sent about eighty tons of quartz have been passed through the stampers,, the tables showing a little gold, but the result will not be made public until ! about; 100 tons have gone through. The machinery was expected to start again on Tuesday morning; and, should no hitch occur, the first washiiig-up will take place during the present week. The company have resolved to let the whole of the underground workings by tender, and are' at present inviting tenders for the breaking down and delivery at the machine paddock of 3000 tons of quartz. The tramway to. the coal mine is nearly completed! Owing to the very many .drawbacks which have attended the first crushing of .this claim, should the yield not come up to the expectation of the public, it- must not be taken as a positive test-of the average, character of the reef, as there is not the s^ligh tent doubt a good' deal of inferior stone, such as the casing and other outside stuff, has been put through. . - The Golden Bell Company are protected, and mining, operations are suspended for the present. " ' ',■:". The^Wealth of Nations i Company are busily 'engaged constructing their tramway from the paddock to the machine, site. The paddock is full of quartz awaiting the operation of the stampers. The w%le, of tjie wood work for the wheel is prepared, and Mr Watson, who is superintending its erection, confidently Expects to have the wheel built within five weeks. The entting of the water-race is finished', and fully two^thirxhr of the fluniing constructed.. 'Iho. machinery is coming by way of Greymouth, and it is expected to be landed by the time the machine paddock is .completed, so no time will be lost. ' The Vulcan Company.--The • men are engaged, in re-timbering and breaking down to catch the reef in the lower tunnel at a deeper level. The Energetic Company are preparing •t6*breakthrough froni the tntfnel into the Bhaft. It is supposed they haye v only two more feet to drive. " ' f , ; Band of Popfr Company.^-The ; 3riving in the tunnel for the past month lias been found to i be very hard; and' the distance gone has been 36ft. • On the 10th instant, •they came: upon slate, in the face of which there, i& about two , inches of : black pugj full of small quartz. There is a good indication, in ,the face' now of the reef not being far off The tunnel |s in 361^ from the mouth. Most of the machinery is at the Landing. ;; . .:..,' „ A ■.'... -^ The Golden Hill Company are still busily employed in constructing their tramway, and it is believed it will take three or four weeks before they will be ableito convey stone to the. paddock for crushing. '^ ¥l iTni^np^f;men are employed in the lower and'upper funnels of the Ajax Company, driving, towards the southern boundary. The machine is likely to be engaged crashing for the Golden Fleece for the next four weeks.

The Golden Fleece Company have obtained some splendid looking stone from the. surface working of their claim this week, and the shareholders are busily engaged conveying stone to the adjoining machine for the operation of the Blampers. Report speaks highly as to the prospects of the crushing, and it ia generally believed that the result will be very satisfactory.' /Up to the present about eighty tons have been put through, and the machine will be kept going until 300 tons are- disposed of; when a washing-up will take place. The machine is working admirably. ... .. '.:.". The Anderson's Company are employed erecting their machinery, the. whole of which is now landed with the exception of one small piece. The Fiery Cross Company, Car>les's line of reef, Boatman's, have now their tunnel in 80ft, and expect to drive an additional 100 ft before.getting the reef. In Caples's -prospecting claim- driving is steadily continued and fair, progress, made. The tunnel is in 100 ft, and in another 100 ft they anticipate reaching the reef.