PIAKO.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2971, 23 August 1878, Page 2

PIAKO.

The gas having been expelled from the workings on the Vanguard lode, work has been resumed, and goc 1 progress is being made in the prospecting of the No. 1 lode, although the gas is still troublesome. The lode is now looking better than it has since it was cut, and to-day I saw some blocks of quartz from the lode with fine strong colors of gold showing all through. This stone was taken from the body of the lode, and not from any little foot wall leader, and, indeed; gold has been seen in almost every part of the lode from one side to the other. The quartz is of a dark color, and is heavily mineralised. The extension of the cross-cut to cut the Vanguard No. 2 lode is now in progress, and has been driven 25 feet past No. 1, so that, as the two reefs are supposed to be 50 feet apart, half the distance has been driven. The country is favorable to the carrying of a gold bearing lode. Crushing was commenced this morning at Bull's battery. From the present shaft, however, it will be impossible to carry on anything like systematic payable working on the reefs in the Vanguard S3ction, from the immense cost of filling in, &c, and I hear that if further prospecting in the Vanguard section warrants it, a shaft will be sunk near the battery, which would cost less than the construction of works to enable the lodes there to be worked from the Piako shaft.