REEFTON LETTER.

Lyell Times and Central Buller Gazette, Volume VI, Issue 271, 1 May 1886, Page 2

REEFTON LETTER.

(from our own correspondent.) Wednesday, April 28.

One of the phases of technical adulation, so strongly advocated by the present Government, is the establishment of Clubs, or Mining Institutes in the various mining ccntroH, being briinohes of the school of mines, Dunedin, for the purpose of instructing students in mineralogy, and the testing and assaying of metallic ores. The wisdom of this cannot be questioned for the knowledge of these subjects, even in a limited degree, is confined to a very few, and thus the prospector discovering ore of an unusual appearance but in which no gold is visible, the only metal he is familiar with, cas s it, perhaps the key to a fortune, aside as worthless; or should he be curious and attracted by its appearance, he forwards it for analysis to Dunedin or Wellington, incurring expense aud losing time; but, by the opportunities now held out he can become familiar with the testing process and satisfy himself as to the nature of its contents. The student will be well grounded in these subjects before anything further is attempted,as Professor Black, who has once more made his welcome appearance amongst us, but whose stay unfortunately is very limited, considers that some knowledge of the chemistry of minerals should form the groundwork of future study. The school here is yet in a primitive state, but money was forwarded to Dr. Black, for a supply ot chemicals, and this has been largely supplemented by Government., so that the school now has materiala and apparatus sufficient for all requirements for a long time to come. At his lecture on Saturday night, the Professor informed those present that two teachers were to be appointed permanently for the Coast, one to spend his time in the various clubs between Greymouth and Ross, the other between Reefton, Boatman's, Lyell Westport, Waimangaroa, and possibly Nelson Creek, but that they would not £*> round here until November. As it is neoessary that a suitable building should be obtained for the use of the Institute, a deputation waited on the Hon. Mr Larnach, Minister of Mines, on his return from Westport, and obtained a promise that any sum up to £'lso would be subsidised £ for £ lor that purpose; so that the co-operation of the inhabitants here is all that is now necessary to make it a success, and the rising generation can become, in a brief period, more familiar with the constituents of roeks and lodes than their fathers, who have delved lor a life-time in them.

Boatman's still continues to attract public attention, the news from that quarter keeping speculators on the qui vive and shares show a decided tendency to continue moving upwards.

The reef in the Reform lias now been

driven on foi about U-0 feet, and averag ing 8 feet in width, the stone in the fare, by last accounts, being fully 4 feet wide and the show of gold excellent.

Some repair* are necessary to the bendrace of the Justin-Time battery, which was damaged during the last flood. When these are finished the Ueform will engage the filteen heads of tint battery, and a few hundred ton* will be put through for a trial crushing before atop, ting. The Jufit*in>Ti!iie has opened an intermediate level about I*2o feet above the lower one, and have found the reef there of large dimensions, with a strong show of gold, the width at the beginning of this week being fully (J feet, quite a Brobdignagian lode for boatman's. Shares in this claim and the Keform have advanced considerably during the last week and are strongly held. The Fierv is crushing, and accounts from the battery report an excellent yield. The lode in the mine looks well, and everything points to the probability of there being a long coutinaance of successful crushing. The Welcome has once again emerged from the cloud of stoppages, break-downs, and other mishaps which it has encountered of late, and has resumed its old role of dividend paying ; two shilling* having been declared as a commencement. The lode in No. 8 is looking well, and stone is coining forward freel). No movement ha* been made by the Eureka Company to resume work since the result of the I«te survey became known. By this it was determined that the lode in the Welcome had lost its usual underlie to the east, and had straightened itself up, a position supposed to be unfavorable to the likelihood of the reef continuing its strike into this Compatiy'ii ground. A policy of w.titing, or masterly inactivity, is now being maintained by thih Company and its neighbor, the Homeward Bound, which has just come through the ordeal of application for cancellation, by precedent being established in favour of the above policy, to wit, the recent case of the South Hopeful, and a long list of rejected applications previously. The new find in the Lone Star is being sunk on, and news from it continues good. Progress, however, is somewhat slow, and further development may not be immediately looked for. The Venus cleaned up last week, with the satisfactory yirld of 17dwts per ton, from 1080 tons. This enabled the directors to pay off all liabilities, including payment tor battery, and declare a dividend of Gd per share. The battery, at present, is idle, some alterations and repairs poing on, but crushing will be resumed next week, the beginning of May. At the mint the extension of the tunnel north and south is going on. W.'ien the extension was previously stopped, stone, though small, was showing in the faces, and it wa« found, on rising with the stopes, that it made into a larger body going north and south over the tunnel, so that the limits of the

block iu these directions have not beeu reaohed.

There is nothing new to report from the Qolden Treasure ; prospecting is still going on ; the drive to the went from the low level is in very hard conn try, but it has erery appearance of being foot-wall rock, and ho(>es are therefore entertaiued that stone may be cut in that direetion. The Inglewood are taking advantage of the lull between crnshings to extend their level to the north. It is all virgin country in that direction, the ground irom the northern boundary of the claim falling away towards the Lefthand Branch, and is unocoupied. The Btopes are also manned, and the supply of stone in the paddock* is daily accumulating. When these are near full crushing will be resumed.

The sinking of the main shaft in the Keep-it-Dark is proceeding satisfactorily, good progress being made, the amount of w»ter in the grouud being very trifling for the depth. The show of stone in the mine is up to the average, and the returns from the battery of the usual cheering character. This is the great show mine of the district, from the reputation it has acquired of its paying qualities, and its easy accessibility from town. All strangers who visit us, and are curious iu these matters, pay it and the battery a visit, and the respective managers are likely, from the number of introductions, to b come extensively kuown in New ' Zealand.

The stone found lately in the Globe is apparently a series of small blocks, carrying fair gold. Hopes are entertained that when the hill is pierced, so that the crest of the ridge is above them, the lode will have become more permanent and lasting, as the walls are good and country undisturbed. Thady.