Our Mining Reporter.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2509, 20 January 1877, Page 2

Our Mining Reporter.

THE WEEK.

The inertness of mining affairs caused by the holidays is gradually wearing off, and though most of the batteries going before the holidays have re-started, yet they' have not had sufficient run to make the increase in the gold returns appreciably felt, which as the list below shows are still very few and are mostly very small parcels. Ohinemuri, though still dull, is looking up' a little. Arrangements have been made for the construction of a tramway from the Welcome mine to Wick's battery, and there is no

reason to believe that they will not be carried out. Nothing is heard of how the crusLings at Owharoa are shaping, but it is stated that the crushing is only going ahead on eight hour shifts. If this be true, all that can be said is, that it looks bad for a new district like Owharoa. ltecent advices from Tapu show that several of the mines, especially the Ail Nations, Hope and Great Eepublic are carrying on successful operations. The Waio-Xaraka is still showing prominently to ;the front, crushing proceeding for the Queen of the May, Queen of Beauty and City of London mines. The prospects of these three mines are very encouraging. The annual meeting of the Crown Princess mine was held at Auckland early in the week, and though the mine has been worked as economically as possible, and a g°°d deal of gold has been taken out, the balance-sheet is not altogether satis-. factory. However, now every part of the mine at all explored is properly opened out, and all that now remains for the new manager to do is take out thp quartz. This mine is one that has been honestly worked, and it would be gratifying to see its operations crowned, with success. Several claims in the Waiotahi and Karaka districts are doing, well, and in the Moanatairi several mines have crushings in progress, or are preparing to start crushing. Tributing appears to become more in vogue every day, and several mines are now'letting large sections to tributers. Amongst thbse may be named the Piako, Moanatairi, and. Kuranui Hill United mines. The two former are letting half-a-dozen blocks each, and the latier is advertising to let as many as thirty. As several of those are what miners call " fancy pieces," there will probably be a sharp competition. If this were done by other mines being partially worked or not worked at all, men would have little to complain of in respect to want of employment.