REEFTON LETTER.

Lyell Times and Central Buller Gazette, Volume VI, Issue 295, 16 October 1886, Page 2

REEFTON LETTER.

(from our own correspondent.)

Wednesday, October 13.

The Globe still continues to occupy a large - share of public attention. The locality being easy of access, and but four miles from Reeftoti, numbers of visitors fiud their way there daily, and all return with the same tale, the undoubted quality and seemingly unbounded quality of good stone. The reef has been traced now ou the surface for over 1090 feet; the method of tracing it being the use of a steel rod sharpened at the point and driven down through the moss and roots. As the Hill is almost totally devoid of soil, but thickly covered with moss and timber, the rod

strikes through to the rock and the ring oi the metal when quartz is touched is easily distinguishable. In many places along the line trenches have been cut across the stoae an 1 payable prospects obtained, but the spot where present operations are confined has not been equalled for the show of gold. The reef is running nea p ly east and west and is 10 feet in width where the stone is being broken for the intended crushing. It has been decided now to make a trial crushing of about 100 tons, instead of 50 as first mooted. Two trollys are at work takiug the stone to the receiving paddock; between them they convey about 10 tons daily, so if the weather holds fi:ie the crushing should be concluded by the end of the present month. Shares are at 5/ and not easily procurable. The contractors in the Nil Desperandum have finished their portion of the main shaft, and tenders are now c died for cutting down upper portions of sh:ift, and sinking well 17 feet. At the luglewood the contractors follow level tunnel finding the ground too tight for their money have abandoned their contract after driving over 300 teet leaving, as forfeit, i>loo per centige money in the hands of the company. Tenders for continuing the tunnel are now called for.

Operations have been started in the Royal Oak which lies south of the Venus, the suryey showing that both the western aid eastern lines of reel pass through the ground. A tunnel to cut the eastern line, the one the Venus is crushing from, has been started, but as the ground is covered with a slip its discoyery may take some time.

A few days after the landing of the new rope for the Venus the crial hue was again in motion, the work of hauging on the buckets and splicing the rope being soon accomplished, and everything now goes satisfactorily without any vexatious stoppages. The mine is again fuliy manned. The extension of the level to the north on the line of reef is still being carried on, stone continuing in that direction. The western reef was sunk through at 52 feet, the strike of the stone carrying it to the north of the winze. Sinking is being continu d bub from the large influx of water it is probable that this will be abandoned, and after the tunnel is extended a rise will be put up to meet the winze. A contract for 500 feet of the new low level was let on Saturday, price 22/6 per foot. The North Venus, as its name implies, lies north of and adjoining the Venus. It is in close proximity to the battery of the Golden Fleece, the tunnel that is now started being driven into the hill to the west of and overlooking the dam and machinery. Two men are at work here on the supposed track of the Venus and have a small run of stone in the face. The Prince of Wales is a new venture lying to the west of the oil Dauntless, Murray Creek. The ground was formerly held as a mineral lease, an antimony reef being exposed in this section. This reef, a mixture of antimony and brown quartz has lately been tested by crushing .samples taken from different portions of the lode, gold being, found in all, but one side of the reef, which is four feet wide, was found to yield an excellent prospect. At a meeting of shareholders last night it was decided to at once start operations and sink on the stone to test its permanency and value.

The Lone Star, at Boatman's, is now attracting a good deal of public attention. The share list closed last week, when sufficient was found to be subscribed for to warrant, starting operations. A manager, Mr Brennan, and provisional directors were appointed, who all visited the mine to-day to decide upon the immediate course of operations, for as the work of registration will occupy some weeks it wa* considered unwise to allow the property to remain longer idle. The result of the late crushing, 34dwts. to the tou, is well known, and to those who are acquainted with the peculiarities of Boatman's reefs the probability of a long course of such crushings succeeding one another seem most apparent. The work done up to the present that of driving and sinking on the lode is the labour of two men, Messrs M'Cafferty and Heaphy, the prospectors, and operations are oi necessity confined near the surface. As a surface show those who are in a position to judge consider this claim to have superior advantages to the Hopeful in alcjiresponding stage of its development. The work of sinking the winze deeper may be carried on, or, as a short tunnel can be put in to cut the lode 100 feet below the present level that work may find favour in the eyes of the directors. The Just-in-Time is still crushing an I the returns from the battery show a great improvement. The appearance of th> mine is excellent the show of stone being large and good. The contractors for rise have abandoned their contract anl the work has been taken in hand by the company. A large reef 7 and 8 feet wide was encountered in the rise and although causing an inspiriting effect on shareholders, had quite the opposite on the contractors.

The Fiery has just cleaned up with a return of 680ozs. 15dwts. for the month. A dividend of one shilling is declared. The cost of a steam engine for winding will also be defrayed out of this month's crushing. This engine is intended as an auxiliary to the winding wheel. When water is plentiful the wheel will do the winding, when scarce it will be supplemented by the steam engine. In th 3 mine the s'opes look healthy, and tie winze is going down on good stone. The Welcome has been crushing somo of the southern stone which doe 3 uot coin 3 up to the usual average. It ha* the advantage of being larger and tiie supply to the b.ittory can be readily maintained.

A v/inze has been started from the floor of the No. 8 anl is going down on stone of excellent character.

The only work going on in the Reform is the sinking of a winze. This is let on contract, and the reef so far as sunk on, averages nearly three foet and the quality of the stone is pronounced to be very good. Thady.