MOANATAIRI.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2614, 25 May 1877, Page 2

MOANATAIRI.

I paid a visit to the mine to-day, and was shown through the work'ngs by Mr Taylor, underground boss. We first went down the winze' on the No. 9 reef, and I found :that since my previous visit the sinking of the winze has been stopped at a distance of 27 feet from the top, and a drive is being put in in an easterly direction along the side of the lode. , # , There is about 4£ feetof reef visible, and none has yet been broken down. Yesterday a shot, which was put into the mullock, shattered the reef-in two or three places, and from what' can be seen in the broken places there is a first-class show of that brassy-looking mineral which was to be seen when the gold was being taken out of the rich run.. The lode also appears to be getting a little bigger, that is, judging from the wall appearing to open out a little. At the last place where the reef was broken across it is 2 feet 6 inches through, and though it shows mineral it is by no means as good as the mineral seen by chipping the reef. It is probable that 1 the reef will be broken down tomorrow. Up in. the stopes the "reef, is looking well, and good payable quartz is. being taken out.. The winze from the drire in the All Nations reef is -now about 12 feet, and is proceeding through pretty fair sinking country. In the western stope on Wallis' leader the show is first-class. .The leader here varies from " 2 to 4 inches in thickness, and is composed of fine white quartz, in which there is both specimens of fine and coarse gold. The coarse gold in some instances resembles little bunches of gold wire, and " assay clips," and the fine gold in some cases was almost solid in the stone. There were about 81bs of this rich stone taken out while I was there, and there was a first-class show left, which will be taken out by the next stope. In the stope behind the one the gold from which I have described above, there were also some very passable specimens of fine gold taken, and indeed along the whole line gold is seen in greater or less abundance. JKetorting takes place to-morrow, and it is probable there will be something like lSGOoza for the fortnight.