MOANATAIRI.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2636, 20 June 1877, Page 2

MOANATAIRI.

I paid a visit to the mine this morning in company-with the manage;. I found that driving both ways is proceeding at the 160 feet level, and fair progres is being made. The south-east cross-cut is being put in by wages men, and the northwest one, which runs in the direction oi the All Nations lea-ler,- is being put in by contractor's. On going down the- No. 9 winse I saw that the day shift are employed timbering and. mating the ground which was rather loose secure. Some two or feet of sinking had bsen put down since ray last visit, but there was no apparent change in the appearance of the reef, which still remains mullocliy and of a good large size. The same dearth of mineral rlluded to on Monday continues. The present depth of the winza is about 40 feet. On proceeding to iiie western drive on the No. 9 reef, I found that owing to the hard nature of the country the new winze is making but small progress as yet, it now being only clown about four feet from the floor of the drive. When this is completed it will greatly facilitate the opening out of the new level. Very little more of the reef in this drive has been.broken down since Monday, and the face" still shows the same quan ti(y and quality of mineral that it did the beginning of the week. ' At present the men are employed driving alongside of the reef. In the eastern drive going through the slide the country is extremly soft and wet, and requires to be timbered close up to the face. At the time of my visit there were several little stringers of quartz and mundic veins running through the clay, but as yet there are no definite signs of the otaer side of the slide being reached. Up in the stopes there is nothing fresh to report as work is proceeding as usual. There is yet a large quantity of stuff between the 80 leet and tunnel levels, and-itr is likely that when operatic as are in full swing at ; the 160 feet level the* supply from the 80 feet level will be by no i means exhausted. The drive on _ the All NatiuDs lode which was put in in an easterly direction from the north-west i cross-cut lo follow the lode to the junction > with the No. 9 reef has at last broken^ into the eastern drive. This has greatly assisted in the ventilation of tbe level. At the company's battery, besides Kueebone and party and Gavin and party, Whisker an.l p-i'ty have now a lot ' going through... All three cvushings are shaping well. , Litliejohn. and party completed their crushing at tfc.a JKuranui battery to-uay fir the r;(urn of 7ozs 19dwts 12grs ; melted gold. :