MOANATAIRI.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2627, 9 June 1877, Page 2

MOANATAIRI.

In company with the manager I paid a visit to the mine this morning. On reaching the 80 feet level I found that the timber man had just' completed put* ting in the ladder, ways down to the bottom of the shaft, and the work'appears to have been done in a. substantial manner. I was informed that good progress is being made with the chamber at the bottom of the shaft, as the first set of the timbers are already in. On going down into the winze I found that great speed is being made with the sinking, the country haying much improved for the better. There is between five and six feet of the

lode stripped,andsincethe sinkinghasbeen resumed I notice that the lode has taken a decided dip south, and, of course, the winze is following its course on the hangingwall side. Going into the drive I found that work has been discontinued in the face, the slide having risen right up to the roof of the drive. There is some gold showing on the side of the drive where the reef was left standing, and there is a fair show on the " back "of the drive. At the time of my visit I did not perceive any sign of the slide coming into the bottom of the winze, although it was certainly very soft. On coming out of the winze I proceeded to the drive going west on the Wo. 9 reef. I found that driving had been temporarily suspended, as the men are employed widening the drive to enable the laying down of two sets of rails. On going up to. the face I found that some ten or twelve feet of the reef had been stripped, and the last place the reef was broken—withal it is very black with powder smoke —showed a good quantity of mineral, and on the whole had a very promising appearance. There is nothing fresh to report in connection with Wallis', Heidi's, or the All Nations leaders, as the appearance of the two first, at least, is very promising. Retorting for the fortnight was completed to-day for the highly satisfactory return cf 3200 ounces of retorted" gold. This is the best return that has. been obtained for some time, which is chiefly owing doubtless to the yield of the specimens from the winze. The following is a copy of the tej°gram sent to Auckland this morning !*-:101bs specimens from stbpes crossreef 80 feet level. No reef broken in new winze.-—.Robert Comeb."

Kneebone and party, the tributers, had an interim retorting yesterday, which produced 82oz« 2dwts melted gold. This party are working their section on halves with the company, the latter receiving one half of the gross proceeds of each crussing. Montgomery and party completed a crushing of about 27 tons at the company's mill yesterday for the yield of 27ozs Bdwts gold.