OTUNUI DISTRICT.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4400, 9 February 1883, Page 2

OTUNUI DISTRICT.

i Very little change is noticeable in the mines since my last visit. The Surprise has resumed work, and one man is now driving a crosscut, but a large number of claims ere idle. The track from the Hapa Creek to the mines, and from them to the site of the mill, is in a very fair condition;, there is one slip about a quarter of a mile above where the track leaves the Hape Creek, one on the 12 foot track, and two or three other small ones nearer the battery site. > . '

NewEtjbeka.—Since?the late crushing only two men have been employed. Work has been stopped in the drive towards the Albion. The face is in about 25ft from the flat sheet, and the reef is a good looking body of (juarta a foot wide near the roof, but is pinched out near the floor. It is, however, beginning to make again, and gold was seen in some pieces broken

from it yesterday. The country is an excellent white sandstone, aod the reef is running almost due west. The stopes on the main reef are at a standstill, but some good stone was obtained from here before work was stopped. A small crosscut has been put in 24 feet east of the flatsheet, and a leader about. 2 inches thick was cut 4 or 5 feet from the footwall of the reef. Gold has been seen in this, and the men are now going to rise upon it. Albtqn.—There is no change to mention here. The crosscut is being advanced due north west, and is in a good class of sandstone, in which a number of mineral veins and flinties are found. From thel-course of the reef in the Eureka drive, the men expect to cut it in a very short distance.., Exceisiob.—Two men are still during ! a low level crosscut to intersect the outcropping in a landslip. The country in the face is bard rock, but water is beginning to com3 through it, so a change will likely be met with very shortly. The face is already 20 or 30 feet beyond f where the main reef is showing on the surface, but the underlay would take it away itilij further. The low level will give from 150 to 200 ?eet 6f backs. The. main reef has bee.i i covered in two places, and is 4or 5 feet wide, and composed of nice-looking quartz, in which gold has been seen. Tho other two reefs are close to it, and are about two feet wide. No gold has been., seen in them, but a capital prospect can" be obtained by a mortar test."

Anglo- Maoei.—The proprietors are driving from the low level in search of two reefs, on one of which they will drifie and communicate with a shaft sunk by them some months back, and from which rich gold was taken. The .country in the. face is good shooting ground, though rather tight. Both reefs should be within 20 feet of the face.

Obiental.—One man is driving north on the leader picked up where the big reef was disturbed by a seam of clay; r .The face is now in over 40 feet from this point, but the ground is not settled, aDd the lead , is in consequence small and disturbed. A little mineral is visible in it, and gold is seen occasionally in breaking. The present level will give about 35 feet of backs. If a low level could be put in, and the various reefs and leaders cut in more solid country.-tbere is very* little doubt-as to their being rich enough to handsomely repay the cost of working.