THE THAMES GOLDFIELD.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 39, 14 January 1884, Page 3

THE THAMES GOLDFIELD.

PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE. (N.Z. Herald.) It may not be uninteresting to glance at the events of the past year, and speculate on what riches its successor may yield us. Experience has not yet reduced gold-mining to rule. Long use does not avail to teach men where gold is to be found, nor is any gifted with prescience to reveal its presence. Certain mineral indications are generally considered the accompaniments of gold; and the class of country which the lodes traverse are regarded as having a radical influence upon their quality. But still, the indications may be plentiful and the country favourable, and yet the gold absent or non-payable. Again, as if to perplex theorists, gold will turn up in unexpected and by no means particularly promising places. For instance, the Prince Imperial specimen leader contains but little mineral, and frequently, even near patches of specimens, is very hungry-looking, whilst the surrounding sandstone, although good, is not superior in appearance to much that is not so fortunate as to encase rich deposits of gold. It is evident, therefore, that he who attempts to forecast the future of gold-mining is simply looking about endeavoring to descry some guiding marks, some beacon of hope ahead, some sign of encouragement in the distant horizon of a sea of uncertainty, where almost all is doubtful and everything mysterious. To begin with, take a brief glance at the past. The discovery of a rich deposit in the Prince Imperial mine proved an epoch from which the starting or revival of certain mines date, and some of those I intend to pass under review. To this time belong the London, Mariner, and Queen of England, all tliree worked from the old Crown Princess shaft. Although under way for eighteen months, none of these mines are yet reproductive. Here may be seen that monument of incapacity, the United Association’s winding plant. Here is an undertaking which was done to death by a redundancy of talent, including engineering genius; in other words “ too many cooks spoil the broth.” The moral to be drawn from the advice given in the cookery-book, “First catch your hare,” there, might have found exemplification. But the managers of the association counted their chickens before they were hatched, and erected a fine plant altogether beyond their requirements, trusting the gold was below. The work was expected to be finished in a month or two; but at Christmas last year it had scarcely began. If the undertaking had been entrusted to the mine manager, a plant sufficient for their needs would have been erected in half the time, and the £1,500 wasted on the surface would have been available for mining. London: Operations were started in this mine by driving on No. 1 reef, just beyond where’ a block had been sloped by tributers on the No. 3 level. For some feet good quartz was obtained and picked stone taken from an attendant vein. This quartz realized over an ounce to the load, bui m fortunately it did not extend far, the character of the lode and ground soon changing as driven in hill-ward.

At the same time No. 2 Crown Princess leader was driven on hillward for at least one hundred feet, and was gold-bearing all the distance, a eiushing averaging 16cwt. which is nearly payable. As the prospects of the mine were thi\s proved to be very good, a start was tirade to work from No. 4 level, there being no back at No. 8. A winze was sunk on No. 1 reef, which is from two to three wide. The lode was not broken down when sinking, but where pieked near the bottom of the winze, lOlbs. of strong picked stone were obtained, and gold is still showing. A winze has also been sunk on No. 2 leader. A drive on No. 2 leader connected with this winze about a fortnight ago, but 130 feet cross-cutting remained to catch No. 1 lode. This is expected to be completed in less than a month from now ; so that the new year should soon reveal something about the London, and my hope is strong that it will be of a gratifying nature. Mariner : The hopes which were entertained of this mine have not been justified by results; Although gold was seen freely in lodes Nos. 2 and 3 at tite No, 5 level, it was not payable in tho absence of specimens., as the leaders are small and the country hard; Some nice specimens were obtained in a coarse leader between these two lodes, and a winze is being sunk on it from No. 4 level. Queen of England.—Although this is a large’ area of ground very little of it is immediately available for workihg. No. 1 reef was tried at No; 6 level, but proved unpayable. A cross-cut has been driven up to it at No. 4 level through a much better class of country than in the level above; and little of tile quartz broken down is of a payable character. Strange to say, the directors have not taken any further steps to develops the lode. Not a few persons are of opinion that the association’s shaft should be stink another lift—loo feet, which might and probably would bring in a change of country, perhaps such as the Prince Imperial has. Another mine in this Vicinity which gives ample scope for prospecting, with many chances of success, is the Jervois, above Alberfc-street, This is really good speculation, as there are chances of Queen of Beauty; Prince Imperial, and London lodes. But the present mode of working ic only scratching the surface. The manager has recommended that driving should be commenced from the London ground, through the association’s shaft, and 1 agree with him. The work could be let on contract and supervised by fhe manager of the London mine. This would prospect ground but little tried hitherto, and not at all at this depth. A mine which owes its birth to the big spurt is the Hand of Friendship, north-west of the Prince Imperial. Driving and sinking was begun at No. 5 level of the Prince Imperial on the Mariners’ lode two or three weeks ago. No gold has been seen yet, but the minerals and quartz aie favourable, and the chances are all in favour of finding not only payable but handsomely remunerative quartz.- The company will now be in a position to prospect cheaply and without hindrance. The Dart, Hape Creek, is also a child of the period, and is likely to thrive well. Although a very large sum—something like £4OOO, I believe—was spent in erecting plant, sinking the shaft, and opening up a fresh level, by appearances thepiesent block should be good enough to recoup the outlay, having an excellent show under foot. There are 100 feet to be driven southward which, judging by No. 2 level, should be excellent crushing dirt. The last crushing of 100 loads averaged more than 4ozs to the load, whilst the general dirt is good for to the load. The reef averages from Ito 4 feet, generally 2 feet. These remarks only refer to what is known, but there are other lodes which yielded profitable returns in other levels yet to be prospected. The plant is powerful enough to open up several levels deeper; good enough for many years to come, so that the outlook for the Dart is decidedly cheerful. Another offspring of promise, which is now dead, and about to be buried is the Seymour. We must not say that this mine was “ duffered out.” There was a considerable outlay on the surface, but very little underground. True, such quartz as was tried did not pay, but it is kindly and the country favourable, and no one who knows the circumstances will assert that the mine was thoroughly prospected. But the company died from the effects of over-exertion in infancy, and when it came to a question of underground work the pockets of shareholders, succumbing to the pressure, closed. Want of space compels me to hold over the remainder of my review for another issue.