TUAPKKA DISTRICT.

Southland Times, Issue 578, 15 October 1866, Page 3

TUAPKKA DISTRICT.

We extract the following irom the miuing intelligence of the " Tuapeks Recorder:" — "At Nardine gully, another of the Lammerlaw creeks, two or three companies are at work doing a good stroke upon what is commonly designated ' the quiet.' Their sinking averages from 4 to 5 feet, with rough gravel wash, yielding a coarse sample of heavy gold. At another claim in the same locality, wrought by Forrocks and party, from 30 to 40 ounces on a recent occasion rewarded a few days' work. Fiddler's gully is also reported to be yielding admirably, and along the bed of the Waipori a good deal of gold is being got. A number of the flats amongst the ranges are affording remunerative employment to a limited population, and various races to facilitate these workings are talked of as in contemplation. The Pioneer Quartz Crushing Company are sinking another shaft, IOC feet higher up the guliy than the mouth of the present shaft. At the end of last week they had sunk to a depth of 50 feet, and from the indications of the reef — a continuation of the one at present being wrought — it is estimated that they will require to sink at least 200 feet before striking the seam. The new shaft has been opened 6ft 2in wide, and 9ft. broad, closely timbered from the mouth downwards. It will, of course, when completed, be centered by a timber partition, so as to enable two buckets to be wrought at once. The sinking is carried on by day labor, conducted by one shift of two men. The estimated cost has been set down &t £1000. The old shaft is wrought on a level of 94 feet from the surface. The reef is cut out of two chambers, wrought from the " foot wall " upwards, and varies from sto 9 feet in thickness. For a few w ?eks past the stone taken out has proved mv"li poorer than anything produced by the m'-ie during the last year. Toe yield is esiiinnted at from 7 to S dwts. to the ton, although, when taken in conjunction with the yield for the last twelve months, it averages 14 to 15 dwts. The formation of the reef is rather a singular one. It runs from north to south, with a dip from west to east. The seam as laid open by the old shaft, breaks off in a forked shape, leaving a hanging wall between the arms of the seam. The uppermost arm was struck at a depth of 30 foet from the surface, and averaged from S to 12 feet thick. After being wrought out, the shaft was cut through the intervening wall, and the lower arm opened out at a depth, as stated above, of 94 feet. A good deal of work has been-going on for some time past, filling up the different chambers when wrought out. so ns to prevent the superincumbent weight seMi.;^ down and Damaging the mine. The suiff for this purpose is passed down through the " mills" or apertures opened up from the bottom to the surface. Ten head of stampers are still kept i^ constant operation by the threee shifts, and on the average 110 tons of quarts are broken down in the fortnight."