The Marototo District.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 286, 1 August 1888, Page 5

The Marototo District.

Thames, July 30. Th*, amount of work proceeding in the mines in the Marototo district is somewhat limited, notwithstanding the fact that a large number of licensed holdings have been granted dm ing the past six 01 nine months. With the exception of the three Sydney companies — Marototo G. and S.M. Co., Maiototo North, and Marototo South — comparatively little work is being done, and I have iaivly good authority for scaling that the owners of those leases who have allowed them to remain unmanned, and have not even obtained protection from the Wai den, will shortly hear from the Mining Inspector, as it is probable plaints will be laid against them ior forfeiture on the grounds of non-working. In the Marototo G. and S.M. Company's mine about 14 men are employed, but the prospects met with up to the present have been most disappointing. As your readers are already aware, three drives are being put in, which have been respectively designated A, B. and C. In the first named, the rich vein of argentiferous ore was carried in 40 or 50 feet when hard rock came in and pinched it out altogether, and although the drive was continued for a considerable distance the vein was net again picked up. In the B drive the same rich vein was d riven upon for nearly 100 feet, but heie also hard rock was encountered which cut out the good ore. Over 100 feet has been driven ahead, but beyond occasional small patches of good ore, only hard rock has been penetrated. Nothing lias been done from this level to prove whether the rich vein continues downwards, but a winze was sunk from the floor of the A drive, though the results were disappointing. The vein gave out downwards, and there does not seem to be much chance of the supply of good ore available being very great. Operations, however, are being continued in the mine, and it io to be hoped that the Sydney shareholders will yet be rewarded for their enterprise. Up io the present, payable ore has not been unearthed either in the Marototo North or the Marototo South Companies' mines, although in one case 14 men are employed and 8 in the other. No work of mention — at lea&t &O far as 1 can ascertain — is being done on any of the various other licensed holding?.

GokoiMaxdkl, July 30» Royai- Oak. — The mine manager reports : — The rice i*> going ahead favourably, the reef is still broken, but at the inner end there i«« the appearance of a change for the better coming in. The tiibuters are at present driving towards the Poverty reef in their low level, also prospecting on what seems to be a branch from No. 3 near the surface, getting good prospects. .To-day they arecrushing theirspecimens and picked stone ; over lOOoz are expected. Tokatka. —During the past week Horhibrook and party obtained fully one ton of general quartz from No. 9 block on tribute, and have decided to take this with about 101b of poor picked stone to the, battery tor treatment. Duncan and Carlsen' are also crushing. Roberts and Scott have obtained another 12lbs. picked stone. Halpin's ton of No. 2 quartz yielded 7oz, — Jj»o, Bensey, mine manager.