THE KUAOTUNU GOLDFIELDS.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 478, 7 June 1890, Page 4

THE KUAOTUNU GOLDFIELDS.

(from our own correspondent.)

Kuaotunu, May 31. During the past week the weather has been really beautiful; the roads have improved splendidly, thus enabling the Otama goldminers to get the balance of their quartz, 75 tons, conveyed to the beach. Two vessels

left here to-day for the Thames, taking the

whole parcel, which is a large one to send all that distance. The Company deserve a rich return fox' their energy and perseverance. The parcel should yield 2 to 3oz to the ton, and should leave a fair profit after paying expenses. Mining matters generally are a shade quiet, tho only item ot interest' being the cutting of the Try Fluke l'eef in the low level. The reef is fully ten feet thick and composed of black silicious quartz. The country accompanying the reef is all that could be desired. Farts of the reef prospect poorly. The average of the whole body now exposed to view should yield 15dwt to one ounce to the ton, which, when taking into considex’ation the enormous size of the reef and the easy manner in which the ore can be broken, should pay handsome dividends. At present there is fully twelve months’ crushing in view. The men are now engaged securing the winze, cutting out quartz-hoppers, and laying down a

substantial iron road to connect the mine with the discharging licpper. This piece of work is quite essential, and when completed will be of great service to the Company.

Mr Fraser will have everything in readiness bo start crushing at the battery

about the end of next week. Brophy and party are the successful tenderers for the 1,000 tons of firewood at 3s 5d per ton. The tenders for conveying 100 tons of quartz from the mine to the battery close tq-day. It will be tome time before the serial tram is completed. The wire ropes and other appliances are still lying on the beach. The public cannot understand the directors of the Try Fluke Company in delaying this really necessary woik. It seems so ridiculous to see the prospects of the Company kept back just for the sake of having two tons of wire rope conveyed over a mile and a-half of road. The general cry is that there are no horses capable of taking this rope up to the mine. I think if the Company would offer sufficient inducement they would soon find plenty of teams capable of taking twice that weight over what I call a fairly

• good road. Why not let all this work by contract? Carbine G.M. Co.—Driving north on the • reef is being continued with one shift. The ■ reef still maintains her usual size, viz., i three feet, and prospects much about the . same. K mfK^-’-ARii'OSA^,»->Th ere is nothing fresh to ; continues bight. —The contractors ceased low level on Saturday last, the cdflHp proving too tight for the i price. The wmze is much about the same. This mine has been worked by inexperi- ! enced hands, and consequently the mine i is nob as far advanced as it should be. The majority of the men on this field are all inexperienced in mining, and consequently make a lot of blunders. Kuaotunu Claim. —This mine lies to the north-east of the Carbine. Two men are kept continuously prospecting the whole ground. A number of reefs have been cut, from 6 inches to 2 feet in thickness, all i carrying a little gold. i Pride of the Hill. —Mr J. Dyer, the pi-oprietor of this very nicely-situated claim, i has goc through an enormous amount of work, and deserves praise for the manner in which he has opened up his mine, i Several reefs varying in size have been unearthed, the small lodes apparently prospecting the best. Ope leader 6 inches in width prospects for 4oz to the ton. Mr i Dyer informs me that he has been successful in floating his property, the bulk of the ■ shares having been sold to Napier and Tauranga residents. Irene Claim. —Driving north on the reef is being continued with one shift. The reef has been driven on now a distance of 140 feet, and prospects fairly well throughout the whole distance. Lady Carrington. —This ground adjoins the Otama, and was recently floated into a

company of 50,000 shares, with £7OO to start operations—a decent sum if spent judiciously. Mr J. Campbell, one of the original owners, has been appointed manager, and assumed charge on behalf of the new company on Monday last. The original owners put in a level a distance of 80 feet into the main spur. Two reefs, varying in size from 2 to 3 feet thick, have been cut through. No. 2 reef has shown excellent prospects wherever broken, and a winze has been sunk a depth of 10 feet. Winding and water being very troublesome, they discontinued sinking. The reef apparently prospects better in the bottom of the winze than it did on the level; the manager therefore deems it advisable to at once start driving a low level. Tenders will bo called for driving this level a distance of 200 ft., which should see the reef in hand. This level will give 150 of backs when opened up systematically, and will be of great advantage to the new company. Vulcan.— This claim is situated in the swamp between the Otarna and Mascotte companies. The proprietors are sinking a shaft, bun up to the present they have nothing in the way of solid country, but anticipate striking solid country nex week. Shotover, Morning Star, and Nemesis are all busy prospecting with payable results. Golden Streak.— The contractors have extended the main level 150. The country in the face is of a mixed class. Another 50 feet of driving should meet with reefs known to run about this point. WAITAI DISTRICT.

Bonanza. —The low level crosscut to intersect the small leader has at last cut into what the manager surmises to be the leader worked on in the upper levels. The leader is still 3mall, from 2 to 4 inches thick, and shows gold freely. No. 2 level has also cut into what is supposed to be Woodcock and Wilson’s reef. The reef is fully 3 feet in width and prospects fairly well. The manager intends driving along the reef north a distance of 50 feet. This piece of work will thoroughly test this end of the ground.