PIAKO.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2617, 29 May 1877, Page 2

PIAKO.

Accompanied by Mr Bichards, the manager, I paid a visit to the mine this morning. On reaching the bottom I was surprised to see that the level was very wet, and was informedithat such is always the case after a stoppage., of the pumps, and that it sometimes takes over a week to completely drain the level.: It is intended to make another short stoppage this afternoon or to-morrow. We firs* went to the eastern or Queen of ißeauty; face; The reef in the face is about 10 feet thick, and shows a considerable quantity of crushing stuff, while colors of gold are seen frequently. \ The walls are well defined, and : as the drive approaches the Queen of Beauty the reef more closely resembles the reef as worked in that mine. Up in the stope about 20 feet back from the face some 201bs of golden stones were obtained yesterday, which the manager says are as good as any that he has seen come out of the mine for a considerable time. We went along the stope towards the western end, and I saw that the stoping operations were turning out a large quantity of good crushing dirt. In the western or what was formerly known as the big face, the lode is looking well. Where the two walls were last visible, the reef was, almost 16 'feet in thickness, but of course it is impossible to tell the size near the face as only a comparatively small drive is being carried into the reef. The drive on the Bird in Hand reef is. now at the point" where the shot of gold ought to be, but as jet there is no sign of it, with exception that the reef has a little improved and the country become a little more workable. Operations in the No. 5 level continue, but there is nothing of any importance to report from that quarter.