MINING NEWS. Thames, Nov. 18.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 421, 20 November 1889, Page 5

MINING NEWS. Thames, Nov. 18.

Notwithstanding that mining- matters are somewhat quiet, and there is not much change to report from the various mine?, it may interest) Aucklanders to- know that there are more wages men employed on the field than has been the case for some time past. The Saxon Company's employees number over 100, the Waiotahi about 50, the Famp and Fortune (in the Waiotahi Creek) about 60, the Lone Hand, Cambria, New Mqanataiari and Trenton about 20 each, while the May Queen, New Caledonian, Sylvia,, Prince imperial, New Manukau, Norfolk, ,£iew Alburnia, Dive*, Blanche, etc., have also a very fair staff ot miners in their employ. In addition to tbi9, however, there are a number of wages men engaged in private claims, while a very large number of tributers are also working on their own account. It will thus be seen that although none of the companies' mines are on rich gold, the outlook for the field generally is on the whole satisfactory. Trenton.— The country in the drive from the bottom of the shaft is now a better class of sandstone, having improved w.thin the last day or two. Lone Hand. — The contractors at the low level are still making very good progress with the woik of putting in the low level to intersect the Adelaide reef, and fully 20ft has again been driven during the past week. The Moa reef is still being driven on at the creek level, from the magazine, but none of the quartz has yet been broken down. The country encasing the lode is a favourable description of sandstone. Bio Pump. — A contract has been let to Mr Reardon at £8 19s 6d, for fencing in (he Big Pump grounds. The water has now been reduced nearly 40fb. below the floor of the 400 ft level. The Pump is working very satisfactorily. Blanche. —The quartz broken from the leader iv the sbope* going east looks well, and shows good indications of gold. Lone Hand.— Cleaning up and retorting has taken place for the fo lowing return : — 69ozs lOdwt gold from 48 loads quartz crushed, and 15ozs fiom 121bs picked stone. Total melted gold, 82ozs 3dwt. New Moanataiari. — The trial parcel from the stringers on the hangingwall ot the big reef at No. 4 level, Nonpareil section, only yielded at the rafce of a few dwts per load. The stringers on the hangingwall, Golden Age reef, are still carrying good strong colours. The face of the Golden Age drive is now 25ft past the point where the rise to meet the winze coming down from the Dawn of Hope level will be started. There will be about 47ft to rise On Saturday morning- the contractors holed through the Reuben Parr reef, after driving a distance of 54 feeb. In the Dawn of Hope level the Golden Age reef is of a very kindly nature, being composed of a series of ribe of quartz, the whole of which is being saved for crushing. Tributers : — Birch and party have now carried their leading stope east to within a foot or two of their boundary, and they start on the wes-tern side of the winze to-day. The reef is etill looking well and produces picked atoneat every breakingdown.