OUR MINES.

Thames Star, Volume XIII, Issue 4296, 7 October 1882, Page 2

OUR MINES.

QUEEN OF BEAUTY,

At a meeting of the directors, held in Auckland yesterday, it was decided to sink the shaft for another level. The depth will probably be 70 feet, as recommended by the manager a short time ago. It was also decided to crosscut for the Vanguard and Bird in Hand lodes. ALBUBNIA. The manager reported to the directors under date 4th October, as follows:— " Whau levol, Dixon's reef: Since writing last, we have opened two intermediate levels in the rise, and in taking down the reef we have seen gold at every breaking down. These drives will be far enough advanced to day for the men to start again in the rise, and I will now, if there is sufficient air, carry on the rise and one of the drives together. There is no doubt left now but that we are on the right part of the reef, and I believe it will continue without a break up to the next level, as that drive is now drained of the water, which I think could not be the case if there were any more breaks of clay remaining in the reef between the two levels. We have still been driving, on Sons of Freedom reef at level from new winze, and also carrying on the new low level, without change.—Thos. Radfobd." McLean and party completed yesterday at the company's mill a crushing of 15 loads of general dirt' for the splendid return of 89ozi lOdwts retorted gold.

This crushing was taken from their leader at the battery level, and the fine yield augurs well for the richness of the block the company is now opening up underneath, from the Whau level.

THAMES DEEP LEVEL TRIBUTE. The water was down this morning fully 108 ft below the 500 ft level, which. leaves only 32ft to go before the 640 ft level is dry. The pump is working smoothly, and the amount of water it is lifting is about 1000 gallons per minute. The drive on the main reef at the 500 ft level towards the Caledonian has been timbered up, and a start was made to day to advance the face beyond the slide. A large quantity of water is issuing from the face, which is a mixture of clay and quartz Two or three days' driving will ascertain what the reef is like inside the break. NEW PRINCE IMPERIAL.

In breaking down yesterday in the seaward drive on No. 3 reef 901bs of picked stone was bagged, gold being left showing in the floor. A further breaking down in the seaward drive toik place this morning, and 501bs of good specimen stone were bagged. They are as rich as those obtained a few days ago. The drive is in 114 feet from the shaft, and the slide or break where Nos. 2 and 3 reefs splice has been met with. The reef has been broken down up to this, and gold is now showing in. the floor for a distance of 12 feet, proving that a good patch of gold will be got here when No. 5 level is opened up. The manager will at once push on the drive | through the break and pick up the No. 2 reef, and drive on it to the Southern Cross boundary, a distance of 126 feet. As this reef is known to have been rich above No. 3, and has produced picked stone in the Southern Cross winze on it, a good block should be opened up here.. The eastward drive is in 95 feet, and another 5 feet will bring it under the winze. The quartz coming from here is good crushing dirt, but does not yield much picked stone. KURANUI HILL. James and party have crushed 13 tons of general dirt, and the picked stone and specimens appertaining, at the company's mill for the splendid yield of 311ozs 17dwts melted gold. This is for a little over a month's work.

QUEEN OF ENGLAND. As Mr Errington was on the Thames, Mr Brodie, one of the directors of this company, took advantage of the occasion to ask him to Teport on the cost of the erection of winding machinery and gear at the Crown Princess shaft. The expense is to be borne conjointly by the Southern Cross, London, Mariner, and Queen of England Companies. A meeting of the directors will be held on Monday, when it is probable they will either appoint a mine manager, or call for applications for the post. GOLD RETURNS. Hopeful.—Mr Howse, who has taken this mine on tribute, has crushed a parcel of picked stone for 12ozs lOdwts gold.— Garland and party have also treated a parcel of stone for the return of 2ozs 14dwts gold 1 _