THE WEEK.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2817, 23 February 1878, Page 2

THE WEEK.

Although a chronic dulnen seems to hare settled over the district, and. the erents of the week in the mining world are of a nature calculated to repress the naturally speculattre spirit which pervades the community, the yield of gold does not materially decrease. The premier mines maintain their productive capacity, and the general product of" the field—during weeks that hare passed of the New Year —has been fully maintained. The works undertaken by the County Couuoil in different directions hare borne fruit, in that many pieces of ground for a long time lying idle hate been taken up and are.now being profitably worked. -. The extension of the Waiotahi road has been utilised to bring down quartz a distance that formerly would hare absorbed most of the cash of eren rich quartz, and in other directions the encouragement giren to mines by the County authorities has been productire of good. Of course it cannot be expected. that wheretcr a few men take up ground the Courity can follow them with roads, but in carrying put a system of opening the existing roads' 'to the back country they hare shown a desire to be liberal, and it is probable tbat in the future some effort will be made to cut prospecting tracks; asprorided for by the legislation of Irtt session, whenerer the 1 extension of mining operations may require such to be done. "'■ ! The general mining news of the week js not rery important.' The Alburnia has had an interim retorting, which promised another splendid yield as the result o( the month's operations! which there will doubtless be, as during the last few days the specimen hauls bare brought the amount of specimens and picked stone up to something orer a ton weight. The Piako bids fair soon to become one of our large tribute mines, as something, like a dozen blocks hare recently been let on tribute.' The success which has attended the tributing system in the Alburnia, Moanatairi, ituranui Hill, Cure and other' mines shows what beneficial results may be attained in the working a mine by that means. : Next week the manager of the Cure intends to start putting up the long projected rise to the No. 2 lode which, it is hoped, will soon be yielding remunera* tire quartz.