MINING NEWS.

Kumara Times, Issue 1120, 1 May 1880, Page 4

MINING NEWS.

BEEFTON. We take the following items of raining news from the Inangahua Herald, of Saturday:— Golden Treasure.—After some little trouble trying to connect the shaft lately sunk to drive, surveys were taken, and, according to directions, the two workings were holed through on the last ahiffc on Saturday last. From general information the state of affairs is in about the same encouraging condition as at the last general meeting, and it will be more so should the crushing power be increased. Energetic.—Although the atone lately passed through the boxes has not been of extraordinary richness, still the result, would be satisfactory if the batteries were always running on similar quality. The number of hands employed is about the same as for several months past. Mr Butler, 0.E., of Reefton, states that bis services have been retained by this company at a fixed salary per annum, and he also informs me that it is his intention to make overtures to the various companies to perform all surveys required by them under similar arrangements as those now agreed to by the directors of this company. The price the gentleman requires from each company is L3O per anuum, and if most of the companies on the field were to accept this offer, they would save considerably at periods. Keep it Dark.—During the few past months the company has had six men constructing a tunnel east of the present block of quarts. This work is being performed with the view of intercepting the old Keep-it-Dark line of reef. The distance attained in an easterly direction is about 200 feet. Quartz was in the right side of the drive when viewing this property at the time of my last visit to Orushington. The manager considers, according to the strike of the lode in the upper levels, that the reef should -bo met with in the space of a very short distance from the present face. Wealth of Nations.—lt transpires that the late crushing only gave a yield of about three pennyweights per ton, and, although the company has proved lately that they can work a reef giving very small returns, still the last crushing was scarcely good enough, and stoping has been abandoned. There are four men prospecting in the Independent, and four in the Enterprise ground. Whilst the prospecting is going forward, repairs, alterations, andadditions will be performed in and about the millhouse.

Nil Desperandum.— When in the vicinity of this claim I learnt that the shaft was being baled out; Ido not know the object the directors hsve in view in baling the shaft. If they do not work the claim it would be well for the shareholders to be released from the responsibility of keeping the company in existence, and to submit the property to public competition at an early date, now that the company has gone to the expense of draining the shaft.