WAIOTAHI CREEK.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3860, 13 May 1881, Page 2

WAIOTAHI CREEK.

This district concerning which hopes hare been so often raised, only to be dashed to the ground is again to the front, and more men are now engaged in mining ventures than has been the case for years The stagnation in many of the big mines, and the reaction caused by the Te Aroha not turning out as hoped has probably something to do with the work now going ahead. The road up the creek is a first rate summer road, but it would be the better of a little metalling in places. The carters charge a large sum for bringing down stuff, one claim at Punga Flat having paid as much as 13s per load for conveyance alone.

GOLDEN STAB.

This piece of ground is situated some little distance below the Luck's All, and was pegged out about 18 months ago on behalf on an Auckland Company. It is however, only recently that operations have been started. The main drive is now in close on 120 feet, and a rather promising looking leader i* being followed. The manager is in daily expectation of inter' secting the lode he is in. quest of. His report for the past week is as follows .— " The main 'drire is now in a distance of 110 feet, 24 feet having been driven in three week?. The country is very favorable for workiug. We are carrying in with us a promising looking leader, although it is rather small at present. The end of the drive hi now in close proximity to the course of the leader, which we expect daily to intersect. The great number of black seams making in the face of the drive tend to this conclusion." In the

luck's all and hopeful

there is nothing of importance to mention. In the former the prospectiug operations in the Fearnaught section have not turned out so well as expected. The latter company has a crushing at the Herald mill.

FEABNAUGHT,

Since Burns and party, the proprietors of this claim, had a portion of their ground forfeited, they have been assiduously engaged in prospecting the residue.

ALBION

Under the management of Mr John Bowler a great deal of work has been done in this mine, so far, unfortunately, without any commensurate result. Over 100 feet of driving has been done in the Yale of Avoca reef, besides works of various descriptions in other parts of the mine. The lode has a very kindly appearance, but the mineral is not of the right sort for gold. ■ ■ ' '

THE COLUMBIA

Will start driving from the Punga Flat side of the ground shortly, Mr Kadford being to-day engaged selecting a site. Concerning the break in the Sons of Free* dom reef, which affects both this mine and the New North Devon, I may mention that in the new joint workings of the two companies, 40 feet has been driven both ways, and still no reef. Mr Hadford believes ihat the whole mullocky formation, tome 30 or 40 feet thick, per* haps, is the lode, so that it is useless to prospect for it to the right or left. If this theory is correct, there should be a good chance of a big deposit of gold

being come on under the abnormal formation, if the lode carries solid underneath. ...

BfftGHT BMILE

This claim is situated fully three miles by road from the foot of the creek, and i» on the site of the old Multum in Parvo. It was taken up some months ago by Garvev and party, the lucky tributes in the New North Devon, and is an instance of what working m™ with energy and a little capital can accomplish. Such of the old workings as were required were repaired and cleaned out, tramways and hoppers constructed and a few hundred feet of driving done, besides stoping and winzing. Already they have had 200ozs of gold out of the ground, the stuff averaging sozs per ton all through. The gold was principally obtained from the portions of the main lode, and from a dropper which had been missed by the old shareholders. A party of contractors have driven close on a hundred feet for a lower level, and the shareholders are now putting down a winze to connect, expecting to pick up the shot of gold while sinking. They informed me that they purpose letting the present level on tribute shortly confining their attention to the deeper parts of the mine.