ALBURNIA.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3517, 3 April 1880, Page 2

ALBURNIA.

The usual weekly report of the mine manager is as follows :— " Ist April, 1880—The Directors,&c—Gentlemen, — I hare the honour to report as follows :— 160 feet level. - During the past month i contractors have been driving on this > level, but the reef being large and the country very hard, but slow progress hx» been made, 19 feet only having beeu driven. 70-feet level.—Since last report the passes for intermediate levels have been completed, and the said levels have been driven 24 feet, east and west of winze. There has been nothing very encouraging met with as yet in the western drive, although we are now within 28 feet of the Whau boundary. The eastern drive from first starting from winze has always shewn a well-defined reef, and we occasionally secure some good picked stone. During the month I found it necessary to sink a winze on the Whau boundary, where, we obtained gome good specimens and picked stone. This work is now discontinued for a time, and the men are engaged forming, a stull to commence stoping from the inter* | mediate lev-sl, where I hope to obtain | some good crashing dirt this month. No. 2 winze.—Contractors here have also I made but slow progress, the reef being very large and hard ; they are now down 20 feet, and the reef looks well, showing colors of gold occasionally. Footwall reef.—This reef has now been driven on 61 feet, and as I cannot see any improve' ment as yet I purpose discontinuing it for the present and keep the men prospecting a rery likely block of | ground adjoining the Whau and extending from where the gold died out in the, stopes to Whau level. As this block is full of very promising looking stringers I think it very likely we will pick up something that will pay. Hanging'wall leader—This drive is now in a distance of 40 feet. The leader is small, but shows colors of gold when broken down, and lam still of opinion that this drive should be continued, as it is likely to lead to something more than payable. feet level east—Stoping and driving has been carried on here. The drive and leading stope are now near the New North Devon boundary. The reef is, about 5 feet wide, charged heavily with good minerals, and frequently showing colors of gold, and occasionally some good specimens. I would recommend that we either resume driving Sons of Freedom tunnel, or else start to drive between that level and our 160 feet level. I would be more in favor of the latter course, a» the block between the two levels being 160 feet would be too large to work economically, and I do not consider the bottom drive could properly prospect the ground, as, for example, the 160' feet level has now been extended to our boundary, but were it not for the 70ft level being also prospected the run of gold we are now on might have lain hidden for years. Battery—lo heads of stampers have been constantly employed during the month, when 250 tons of quartz have been crushed for the return of 6120zs of melted gold. I now purpose cleaning up at the Herald battery, as there will not be a large quantity of quartz to hand for a few days, owing to timbering up, See., and the new battery being in a very forward state, I trust to be able to start crushing thereon the Bth or 10th of the month.—Thos. Badfobd, Manager."