REEFTON LETTER.

Lyell Times and Central Buller Gazette, Volume VI, Issue 303, 11 December 1886, Page 2

REEFTON LETTER.

(FliOtf OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Wednesday, December 8. A report from Reefton now, without mentioning the Globe, would be like the play of Hamlet with the Ghost left out. The news from that quarter is less oxciting than usual, the returns from the battery for the last two weeks, though really excellent have not come up to the average of public expectation, ami a check has thus been given to the excitement. The Progress is gradually taking a place in public favour, the position of the mine and the bearings of the reef having now torn away the last shreds of doubt of this being the Globe line. During the last flutter, a few days ago, shares advanced to Bs.; this was caused by a sudden change appearing in the face, the stone which had up to that time been sent over the tip-head having all at once become visibly gold-bearing, and the impression gained ground that the strike of goldenstone met with in the Globe had been reached. Further enquiries proved the change to be good but not equal to first anticipations. . Its steady improvement and eventual rivalry of the Globe is looked upon by the sanguine as almost a certainty.

At this season of the year we are usually blessed with a concourse of visitors, a preliminary to the crowd during the Christmas holidays. These generally are horsey men, more or less connected with tips, bookmaking, and jockeying. This year is no exception, but they are lost in the number of other visitors who have been attracted by the visions of wealth conjured up by the unexpected success of the Globe mine. The holidays promise to be brisk, if the temperature will allow a slight degree of hilarity, but the heat of the last few days has been somewhat abnormal, and a copious rainfall would be gladly welcomed to replenish wells and cool the atmosphere. During the week the Venus battery was idle; the rise to the western reef broke through to the bottom of the winze, and was at once on stone. Hands are now engaged opening out north and south, and as this stone appears to be of a superior quality the result will doubtless soon be seen by improved returns from the mill. This with the stone from the eastern reef is expected to keep the battery steadily employed. Good progress is made with the low level tunnel. The main shaft in the Nil Desperandum is now completed, and is a perpendicular structure 6ft 6in. x 3ft Gin. and over 200 feet deep. A flat sheet is being laid at the brace for landing the trucks, and the cages hung in position. A tramway is being formed to connect the mine with the Wealth battery, and in a short time everj'thing will be ready to raise stone. The quartz on the surface is still broken, and an improvement hits been noticed. In the Wealth of Nations the hinds are engaged breaking out stone ready for the mill. This is from the block lately discovered in the Vulcan ground • it has not been found below the floor of the level and its upward limit has yet to be defined. Crushing will shortly be commenced. Ten heads are kept going on the Globe

stone. The tramway is finished and quartz is uow easily transported to the paddock. The winze is down 74 feet from the brace, or 89 feet from the surface, and the body of stone sunk through appears to continue of large dimensions. The prospects from the stone are not quite so good as forme ly, but a falling off in this respect need not cause surprise as the shoots of gold ofteu change from the foot to the hanging wall, and vice versa. It is intended to sink the winze about 130 feet, or to the floor of the level now being driven from the Oriental Creek. The stone is underlying strongly to the south, and the footwal!, which owing to a turn had for a time been lost, has again been reached snd is being followed down. The tunnel is in a little over oO feet, the country Icing hard and slow to get through. When the Progre-s was held and worked by the Oriental company a large body of stone was taken out and sent to the mill: this as a whole was unremnnerative and ran the affair into difficulties. To the east in the direction of the Globe a fair sized reef was left in the face o." the tunnel, but as this appeared to be of the same quality as that sent to the battery the encouragement to extend it was not great, and the collapse of the company prevented it from being thoroughly prospected; this has now been extended, and the face of the drive shows a reef of about 5 feet in width of promising looking stone, in portions of which gold is easily detected. During the week a he id or division of the stone has been crossed which appears to have cau.ed the change for t ! :.e better, and the progress of the tunnel is now being closely watched, as much faith is pinned to its eventually entering the golden country encountered by the Globe. The Suez in the eastern boundary cf the Globe has a small reef about three feet wide, aid carrying a little gold ; its counecirn, ii any, with the Globe line has not bjeu de:er:nined. The Welcome battery is again in motion, the new shaft for the wheel being in position, and crushing wa; resumed at the end of last week : there being a good supply of stone on hand crushing will be continued until the holidays at least, some good stone is being raised from the winze, and the sinking of the main shaft is making good progress The Eureka after a lengthy interval of tepose has again started work. Operations at present are confine 1 to bailing the water out of the workings, preparatory to projecting, or extending a level to cut the Welcome line.

The weekly returns of amalgam from the Fiery Cross are exceedingly good and§ well maintained. In the mine stone is plentiful and the mill is kept constantly going. The winze is going down on excellent stone. Reefton will soon be the best lighted town in New O.vning no gisworks. and trade obstruct it, the facility of lighting the town with the electric light was patent to to everyone who attended either of the lectures given by Mr Prince. With perpetual streams running pastonr door?, tho power for gen era ling electricity could very cheaply be applied after the first expenditure for constructing works. This being the general impression, the floating of a company to carry out the scheme was but the work of a few hours, and a company of 20,000, os. shares is in course of registration. A manager Mr 11. G. Haukin, aud directors are appointed, and the preliminary works will be at once proceeded with. It is intended to utilise the whole of the water in the left-hand branch ; the surplus after lighting the town and suburbs will be devoted to the transmission of power to drive batteries, saw-mills, or other works until now dependant upon steam or water-power. The evening of St. Andrew's day, 30th ultimo was marked by a pleasant gathering assembled to celebrate the anniversary of the Heather Bell Lodge. On this occasion it was a ball and supper in the Odd-fellows Hall and was a complete success. The hall was well filled, the night cool, the ladies charming, and every one was well pleased. As the local minstrel of the lodge sings, If thou wouldst view these fair aright, Forget not, then, St. Andrew's night. The pleasant glamour oe'r you cast, You'll not forget while life doth last, But like a pleasant waking dream Its mein'ry carry down life's stream. Thady.