THE WEEK.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3089, 11 January 1879, Page 2

THE WEEK.

The threatened stoppage of the Big Pump has beea the principal topic of the week in mining circles, and the Mayor's reply to the Chairman of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, who asked what could be done to avert the stoppage, places the matter about as correctly as possible. Looking at the stoppage from the companies 1 point of view, it would appear that there is little hope of them being able to do anything. With one or two exceptions they are barely raising enough gold to keep, as it were, body and soul together, and some not eren that; while every one can guess the result if the directors commence to call up the capital for the purpose of meeting the drainage contributions. The gold they raise is not a sufficient inducement for them to contri bute, while they have lost hope completely on the prospecting operations at the present low level of the pumpiog shaft discovering anything likely to prooure a change for the better in their circumstances. On this latter point it must be admitted they are taking a common sense view of the matter. A considerable amount of prospecting has been done in the so-called low level, and with what result—simply nil. Practical men all, or nearly all, agree that the existence of an auriferous deposit inj the strata of coun* try hitherto met with is very improbable, and it h^s been proved by experience that even the lodes themselves are of a most uncertain character, running out and splitting in a rather eccentric manner. It is, however, believed, and there is reason Cor so doing, that were the shaft put down another 500 or 1000 feet, the result would be different to that of the present " deep levels " prospecting. We do not pretend to be up lo the science on this matter, but in Australia and elsewhere, where gold has been found on the surface, it has.been unearthed at depths mora than double those of our present low levels. Of course this would be the matter of perhaps £200,000, but even that large sum might be raised by various means. The Hon. T. .Russell, vow in London, has been telegraphed to from Auckland concerning the threatened suspension of pumping operation*, and that gentleman has telegraphed back, it is said, that £50,000 could be obtained there towards testing the deep levels, and* maintaining the pump, if it could be kept going in the meantime. Another gentleman interested in the Thames—Mr Brigham, of Ballarat—rbas also been communicated with, and he thinks a considerable sum of money could be raised there. Surely a large company couM be formed to purchase the pumping securities and proceed with the work of pumping and prospecting the deeper levels of this district iv a legitiI mate manner.