OWHAROA.

Thames Star, Volume XIII, Issue 4349, 8 December 1882, Page 2

OWHAROA.

(PBOM OUB OWN COBBESPONDENT.)

Owhaboa, Wednesday. '''■'' ■"■'""■Radioai.—Reid and party,' tributers, -iiziish«<l-_a_ernsliing 0f135-tons.at. the Smile of Fortune battery? for the handsome r<^ tprti of> 1450zs of gold; With the *xcefction of a small lot broken but while sinking their winze, this is the first crashing this party have had out of their block, they having driven 6ver 250 feet'*to get under the run of gold worked on the upper level by Christie and party last year, and if the above may be taken as a criterion of the quality of the block, the party have a good thing before them, as the tew tons from the winze above mentioned went sozs to the ton.

Smile of Fobtunk.—This, the premier mine of the district, i 9 looking as well as ever, the stopes on the main reef still turning out large quantities of good payable crushing stuff. A crosscut has lately been driven through the centre of the mine, a distance of over 150 feet, to the Radical boundary, cutting several nice looking leaders, the last of which is known as the Radical No. 1. This-leader is from 25 to 30ft inside the Smile boun* dary at this point. Ths surface blocks have been worked successfully by Camp* bell and party for over two years. • About 20ft has been driven on it from the cross* out; it is from 4 to 8 inches thick and good quality. One peculiar feature of this leader is that it never produces specimens or shows gold in the stone. Campbell's crushings have averaged from 2ozs to 6ozs to the ton without ever seeing a color of gold. Of course it shows a splendid prospect on being pounded in the mortar. Only five head of stamps have been going on company's stuff for the last foHni£htj^.fi*e_ Jp&og" employed by Reid andjpaii!py\&3' above.' Campbell and party now oecttpy the same five, having about 40 tons of good'staff to put through, pownie and party have taken a tribute in the Smile, comprising a block of ground underneath Farmer and. Sims, on the same leader, and have started in real earnest. .. \ >. >■

The Ltt«kt Hit have five stamps. en»-> gaged at the above battery putting through a parcel of from 70 to 80 tons, which is showing up for-a fair return. This party have a large block of grohnd on hand, having left about 250 ft in length of payable diit underfoot in the upper level, which ought to recoup them for the large amount of driving they had to get at it.

That well known most persevering prospector, Mr Joseph Woods, having spent nearly twelve months surface- ' driving in the Victoria, situate at the back of the Smile of Fortune and Radical... has determined to go in for a deeper level. He has lately started a crosscut from the Lucky Hit low level, and having 300 feet to drive before reaching his own. ground, with another 150 to cut the leader he is going for, he is not-likely to be out of a job fur this summer. The ground he is driving in is getting tight, and being a ', hatter he says he will have to get a mate, which I quite believe, as single-handed I think another transit of Venus would eventuate before Je& reached his destination. ■

Stevenson and party in the old Nut ground are still doing a large amount of prospecting, and having beeqjfat it for the last nine months, show greatlfaitb. in.the ground, and deserve to come_.o_n something good.

Gibbons and party (old Morning Light) on the other side of the river, are still pushing ahead their prospecting drive through a nice class of country, and ought to cat a reef within a- short dißttnoe,