THE THAMES.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 29, 12 August 1871, Page 2

THE THAMES.

[Telegram to the Cross, August 2 ] A miner, Henry Stead, was taken to the hospital this morning suffering from a broken leg. More specimens have been found in the Bright Smile mine. In the Police Court this morning, John W. Jones and Thomas Quinn were brought up, charged with stealing spe-cimen-tailings from the Caledonian Company. After a long hearing the accused, upon the advice of counsel, pleaded guilty, and were summarily dealt with. Jones received sentence of six months’ imprisonment; whilst Quin, upon the application of the police, was remanded for one week.

A great outcry is being raised here by mining managers and others about the scarcity of blasting powder in the market, and the wretched character of the fuse that is supplied. A stoppage of work on the one hand, and serious accidents on the other, are threatened.

The Tookey pumping-engine and the Waiotahi Association’s crushing machine had to stop work—lacking coal.

More specimens were taken out of the Caledonian mine to-night. The specimen crushing will commence to-morrow. The Manukau machine will stop working to-morrow morning for want of coal. The monthly crushing return shows that 975 tons of quartz were crushed during the month to a return of 1,476 oz of gold.

The sharemarket is easier. Quotations remain about the same as yesterday. Bright Smile shares closed—buyers at 355, sellers at 40s. Caledonian, ;£195. [Telegram tt> tlie N. Z. Herald, Aug. 2.] In the Caledonian there is nothing new to report* since my despatch, except that the leader cut ill the chamber is looking splendid. Una have taken out a nice patch of specimens. The Manukau battery has crushed during last month 975£ tons of stone, which yielded 1476 f ounces. The charge of stealing specimen-tail-ings from the Caledonian was concluded, and the boys pleaded guilty. Jones was sentenced to six months’ hard labor. Quinn’s sentence deferred for seven days, the Bench remarking very strongly upon the facilities granted for converting specimens, etc,, into cash.

The want of coal and powder is playing sad havoc with the batteries and mines. There is a great scarcity of both articles. Of the latter, the Caledonian, Moanatairi, and others are almost out; while for coal, the Manukau, Tookey, Waiotahi, Imperial Crown, and

Prince Alfred are idle, and the Caledonian will follow suit if vessels do not arrive by next tide. The share market is easier. Caledonian, £195 ; Tookey and Thames, £3B. THE “ lIEEALD’s” THAMES LETTER. Tuesday, 6 p.m. Caledonian. —The new leader at the bottom of the shaft is looking first-class, some splendid stone having been grassed therefrom. The main run of gold in the stopes never looked stronger or better than it does to-day, and to-morrow, when the men commence to break out, a fine lot of rich stone will be the result. Towards the Otago side the lode is improving very much, and gold has become frequent; while the lode itself is becoming larger and more compact, and I doubt not ere many feet have been traversed, a good run of gold will be picked up, as there is every indication of such. Tookey. —The crushing that lias been going on at the Tramway machine for Willis and party, tributers on the upper portion of the cross-leader, and a part of the Young American leader, is now closed, after 22 tons have passed through, and the result is a fine yield of 51ozs retorted gold. Warwick and party, tributers on the low-level of the Belfast leaders, are putting through 25 tons at the Prince Alfred, and the result promises to be a payable one—something over loz per ton. Crown Prince. —The crushing of a small lot of stone for this company is now progressing at the Manukau machine, and so far the show promises a result of over two ounces to the ton, exclusive of some picked stone that will be put through at the finish. The stone beiug reduced is from both the Beach and the new leader cut a week or two ago, and was broken out from the stopes of the low winze going towards the old Mariner’s reef ground. Both the leaders going this way improve as opened upon, and asso on as more ground is opened up the quantities put through the mill will be much greater than they are at present. Bright Smile. —Very encouraging prospects have been met with again today in the leader at the bottom of the shaft; scarcely a bucket of dirt comes up but there is gold visible, and a few hours ago a large dish of stone was brought into town, the whole of which showed gold, sufficient to prove that the lode is a splendid one.