PIAKO.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2892, 23 May 1878, Page 2

PIAKO.

The amalgam resulting from the recent • trial crushing of seven loads of /tuff from the reef at Queen of Beauty boundary, No. 8 level, was retorted on Wednesday jfor the poor yield of 13dwts of gold. This was taken from the lode at a point not 20 feet from the place where the Queen of Beauty obtained some 37ozs of amalgam from a small parcel of quartz. The manager intends to do soofething more on the lode, but at present that is impossible as the whole level between a winze, 60 feet from the shaft and th 6 face of the drive, is full of gas. It is expected that a change in the wind will soon clear the level, and permit operations being proceeded with. The Vanguard cross-cut has for the past three weeks been going through country as hard as bell metal, and not more than 12 feet has been driven during that period. However, during last two or three shifts a great improvement in the ground has been come on which it is hoped will be of a lasting nature? The cross-cut has now been driven about 200 feet and the first leader should shortly be intersected. Wilton and party's shaft being down 200 feet, the tributers drove 20 feet .at^the bottom of the shaft and again—sanfc->lB —feet~when a -cros«»cut from the No. 3 level was met with, and now all this part of their section is well ventilated. Their, block extends from the No. 3 level to the surface, and before they started sinking the shaft they were working a leader about one foot thick,'4o loads of which on being crushed yielded 19i ounces of gold. They were, however, compelled' to procure means of ventilating their level, and therefore put down the shaft. There is about 250 feet of this leader now opened up, and when they have finished some necessary timbering, etc., they will be able to set to work and take put this valuable block. The leader they work is, I may mention, near the hanging-wall of the main lode, and according to the terms of their agreement they are obliged to constantly employ 14 men. On Wednesday the manager let two new blooks in the Bird in Hand section on tribute, one of them being on the cross leader,, and the other on the main lode. Cameron and party and Me Alpine and party have finished their crushings to-day for the respective yields of 4ozs 13dwts, and 6ozs 7dwts gold. _