CULLIFORD COMPANY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VI, Issue 128, 1 June 1871, Page 4

CULLIFORD COMPANY.

Meeting of Shareholders. A meeting of the shareholders in the Culliford Company was held at the Oddfellows' Hall last night, but, owing to the inclemency of the weather, it was but thinly attended, not more than a score of persons being present. - Mr. Luckie having been voted to the chair, called upon the Legal Manager to read the Directors' Report, which was as : follows :— Nelson, May 17, 1871. To the Shareholders of the Culliford Gold Mining Co., Registered. . Gentlemen, — Since the last halfyearly meeting of Shareholders, the works then in operation at the mine have all been completed, and you will best be able to judge of what has transpired from the following report of the working manager of the Company, viz.: Nelson/May 17, 1871. To the Directors of the Culliford Gold Mining Co., Registered. Gentlemen, — Since the date of my last Report, and up to the end of March, I have been employed, principally, overseeing the completion of the tramway and machinery, and carrying out such works as were necessary before crushing of stone could be commenced. I have in my fortnightly letters regularly informed you of the progress of these works, and it is unnecessary again to repeat my advices. On 27th March everything was in readiness to commence crushing, and since that time I have had test crushings from different parts of the Company's Grounds. About sixty (60) tons of stone of a mixed nature from the shaft, aud the 65 foot level which occupied a fortnight, and yielded only two (2) ounces of amalgam. About forty tons from the outcrop, and which yielded about sozs. 15dwts. of retorted gold. Out of this 40 tons I estimate them. was only about 6 tons of stone in which gold was visible to the naked eye, and I am of opinion that all the gold saved was taken from this stone. About 24 tons of stove from the outcrop yielded about 2oz of retorted gold. About 20 tons from the South drive from the lower or main tunnel which turned out to be quite barren or nearly so, the whole not yielding altogether ldwt of gold, and this small quantity of gold I think, most likely was left about the machine or silver from former crushings. About 5 tons from a slide met with in driving the tunnel, also turning out quite barren . These crushings occupied the machine up to 13th inst. I may here observe that while obtaining stone from the outcrop I carefully traced that which contained visible gold, until I found it break away from the main reef and after a time entirely disappear. These trial crushings proving most unsatisfactory, I thought it best to pay off all hands and proceed to Nelson to communicate to you tbe above results. As regards the machinery, everything with one or two exceptions works well. The belt is not strong enough and a new one would be necessary if much more crushing bad to be done. The- shoes and false bottoms were of inferior quality and are much worn. The tramway and break at first gave some trouble but now work satisfactorily. I would offer the following &uggestions for the further testing of the Company's ground. I would recommend a crushing from No. 2 reef, the. stone from which sent to Victoria yielded 16dwts to the ton. It would require' some little preparation to get this stone, but the expenses would be trifling. As the Waimea Quartz Crushing Company wish the use of the Company's battery to test stone from the claim knownas No. 1 South, I would recommend that they should have the use of the machine, as it would befthß means of testing the Company's ground bounded by No. 1 Company's claim. I would recommend a drive to be put in in a westerly direction to test, the. ground to the west of where it has already been proved. This could be done by continuing the present main tunnel. I do not,consider that the claim ought to be abandoned till this; is done at least. Your obedient Servant, (Signed) Isaac Giix. In order that the crushings referred to in Gills' report should be conducted carefully, your Directors, by resolution, at one of their usual meetings, determihed 'to obtain the services "of Mr. Gardiner, the Working Manager of Dorans' reef Company, to co-operate with Mr. Gill and give him the benefit of his advice;, and also generally ter report on tbe mine. , 7 .•■ '•;■<. Mr. Gardiner in his Report thinks that tbj-iHfe no seta reef la Sullifofd's claim, " « •

and that there is'nj^lbsence of all true indications of one- ; he helrtres that the hill, on which Cul]ifor.d'#cl:iiin is situated has at one time been higher, and that tlie slab of stone containing gold nnd refeirejl to in Gills' report is the* remnant of wb9Sn was a gold-bearing vein of quartz. In order that your Directors may be quite satisfied that no gold has been lostiu the crushing, and by the coldness of the water, they have forwarded a bag of tailings to Dr.i Hector, at Wellington, to have the sume analysed. There has not yet been time to receive' Dr. Sector's report, f Acting on the Working Manager's suggestion that a trial crushing should be made .in No. 2 reef, your Directors have forwarded instructions to Wangapeka to have this done, but up to tlie present J time no information of the probable return has reached Nelson. Your Directors have also come to - * terms with the Waimea Quartz Crushing Company, to crush a quantity of stone from No. 1 South, which will test the ground on the Southern boundary of your claim. Your Directors will not act on any of the : other suggestions made by the Working Manager until they have jagai.a called you together, and communicated to you the results- J 6f the trial crushing now being uade. It will be for you then to determine the future action of your Directors. A statement of accounts will be laid before you to-night, showing a balance against the Company of £884 9s sd.j which tbe Directors propose to pay off by the call, of £1 per share falling due ou the 7th June. Former calls have been paid up very closely, the exceptions being shareholders who have left the province and whom your Directors are not able !o communicate with. Your Directors would urge upou "you the necessity of paying this call promptly, as there are pressing demands to be met. Edwd. Eyerett, Chairman of Directors. The Legal Manager said that he had that evening received a telegram from Dr. Hector stating the result of the analysis of the tailings sent, to him for examination, which was to the effect that traces of gold, and nothing more, had been detected in them. On the motion of Mr. Milner, the meeting was adjourned until Thursday evening, 22hd June.