THE REEFS.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 167, 22 April 1872, Page 3

THE REEFS.

(From the Inanyalma Herald, April 10.) Since my last I have to report the excellent working of the newly erected plant at Macc and Co’s claim, Shields. On Monday the engine was working admirably, and at the present rate of crushing about fifteen tons of stone are being daily passed through the batteries. At least twenty tons is the quantity of this class of stone that should be crushed in the twenty four hours, but owing to the confined areas of the tables, and the difficulty of keeping the silver'free from a nasty glutinous deposit caused by some hostile mineral, they are unable at the present time to get beyond 15 tons of stone daily. After crushing 300 tons it is most likely that the company will wash up. L T p to Monday last about 90 tons had been put through the batteries, so that it will be the latter part of the month before the reef will have been put to such a practical test as will enable the general outside public to form an opinion of its value. That a tine payable reof exists is admitted on all sides by such as have inspected the ground, but it is to the result of the first crushing that all look forward to determine the value of the reefs generally. An error crept into a previous report in which it was represented that a chimney stack had been erected at each end of the boiler. Such is not the case, but the wide funnel has been dismantled and the higher but narrower one has been removed from the eud of the boiler and erected over the smoke box near the mouth ot the furnace. The result of the change, which was entirely a test proposed by Mr H. Mace, has been to obtain an excellent draught, obviating the expense of extending the Hue to the summit of the range, and there erecting the chimney stack. In consequence of the furnace working freely, the labour of the engineer and stokers lias been lessened, and the beat has moderated to something more easily supportable. Underground operations will, I believe, be resumed very shortly, although there still remains work to be done outside. I'lie tables must be altered sooner or later, and the earlier the better, as the stone is not being done justice to ; the coal scam in Murray Creek has to be made available, which will necessitate tramway extension and roadmaking; a dam for the tailings must he constructed, and this work once done they will prove sufficiently valuable to command a price for privilege of removing them ; and the not least important work is to raise the breast of the dam, and to construct a good by-wash with flaming to carry the surplus water clear of the breastwall and machine site. Substantial as is the work in connection with the dam it would be injudicious to leave anything undone which would contribute to the safety of the machine site, &c. At the extreme end of Kelly’s, the North Star have commenced tunnelling operations. The reef, 4ft. lOin. in width, is visible on the surface of the claim, and can be traced' for 180 feet. The minimum thickness of the reef yet exposed has been 4ft. Gin. No extraordinarily rich stone has been yet struck on the ground, though as driving proceeds similar prospects will doubtless be obtained to those got on other claims on the same line. The Star of the Wcst, on the western boundary, have also got the reef, so that the ground of the North Star Company may be said to have been already tolerably well proved. The adjoining claim, Doherty and party, the Phoenix Company, are engaged in tunnelling , aud in obtaining timber for the working of their ground. The tunnel is in IGO feet. Dividing the Phoenix Company’s ground and the North Star is a piece of ground applied for as a goldmining lease, under the title of the Inglewood Gold Mining Company. At the Westland Company’s claim some extraordinary rich stone was obtained last week 40ft. below the lower tunnel. Excepting, perhaps, Potter’s claim, it is beyond doubt the richest stone yet obtained in the district. The gold lies in seams distributed throughout the quartz ; and according to a number of specimens taken from the reef, it cannot run less than 100 oz. to the ton. It lias been stated that 30 tons of stone equal to that now visible would be sufficient to liquidate _ all demands for erection of machinery against the company. The machinery for the claim is still in transit from the foot of Murray Creek to the machine site, and owing to the damage caused by the late rain, nearly all the hands are employed in the work of transporting. Parties of men were engaged improving the track, which already from first to last, represents a cost of £I6OO to the Company. I believe that the Perseverance Company, when in financial difficulties, succeeded in drawing from the Nelson Provincial Government the sum of £250, in consideration of having expended some £IOO upon a petty piece of Roadwork to convey machinery. According to this basis, the Westland Company would be enabled to make no trifling claim for compensation, hut unfortunately in this particular case, the Inangnhua is neither Collingwood nor Waugapeka. In nil other respects, ttie comparison is all in our favour, the various mining companies not being in a financial crisis, nor the prospect of the reefs holding out so little encouragment, as those in the more immediate vicinity of Nelson. At the prospecting claim, Anderson's line, work is steadily going forward. Good progress is being made with the water wheel, which will probably <be completed, or nearly so, by the end of tho week,

A splendid sample of stone from Potter’s claim, Larry’s Creek, found its way to Reefton last week. Mr Thomson, of Langland’s Foundry company, stated that, barring Hustler’s reef, in Victoria, it was the richest sample of stone ho had ever witnessed, which had been taken out of a reef of similar dimensions.