THE BRIGHT SMILE.

Thames Star, Volume IIII, Issue 1721, 9 July 1874, Page 2

THE BRIGHT SMILE.

On visiting the above mine this morn* ing Mr. Benney, the mine manager, informed me that the prospects of the mine generally are; first class. The No. 1 reef is now about sft. wide in good walls, and showing gold occassionally. JNo. 2is a splendid lode, and as it had been broken out was about 7ft. wide ; in reference to this lode, Mr. Benney was not satisfied with the stuff that he had rejected as crushing stuff coming down from the changing wall, and made a quiet inspection of the stopes, when he found what he thought was payable Stuff running quite 5 feet into the hanging wall; he caused the stamper boxes of the company's battery to be cleaned out and a trial crushin to be made, when a very good return of amalgam came to hand. This necessitates going back for 150 feet in the •tope and removing the timbers, as the five feet of stuff is much to good to pass. The stuff that had been stowed in the stopes is dlso sent too the mill and giving very good returns; when the ftce of the stopes is again reached the reef will be over 12 feet wide, and all mill stuff. The leader is a nice compact vein of about three feet thick, well defined and shewing gold. This reef is a kindof connecting link between reefs Nos. 1 and- 2. The shaft from the low level is down 18 feet, in which a draw lift will be placed next week. The engine was this morning going- eight strokes per minute,,, with a. 12|in. .'lift.. ; Some idea may be formed of the enormous quantity of stone sent to the mill from the Waio-Karaka Flat mines, when the Bright Smile Cojnpany alone employ 65 head of stampers—2o'head afc their own battery, 25 at the Imperial Crown, and 20 at Tararu. . ;r ■