OUR MINES.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4503, 11 June 1883, Page 2

OUR MINES.

NEW PRINCE IMPERIAL.

The manager reported on Saturday afternoon as follows:—"The mine throughout is looking well, folly 2cwt of specimens and picked stone having been obtained during the past week. Progress is slow in the western drive at No. 5 level, on account of the drive having to be taken so wide, so as to carry all the different branches of the lead with us. Gold is freely seen in all the branches, which are producing a large amount of good crushing dirt. The face of the drive is now within 15ft of the Deep Levei Cross boundary. In the second stope, which is sft through the break, the lead is a fine strong body of quartz, similar to what it was on No. 4 level. The cwt of stone, of which I advised you by wire''today, came from this stope. The third stope in No. 1 section west is within 12ft of the break. Some good stone should be got here during the coming week, as there is a good show.of ftold in the bottom of ! the stope a few feet from.the face. The fourth stope, which is also in hand here, is looking well In the drive in No. 1 section east, same level, gold is also met with in breaking down the lead. Driving and stoping on No. 1 reef, No. 4 level, is being carried on as usual, and the quartz iwhich is being broken oat continues lo shape well at the battery. The quartz obtained in cutting through this same reef in the crosscut at No. 3 level was put through the battery separate, and I am happy to inform you it shaped for fully laz per load. Burns and party, who have got the contract for sinking the winze from here down to No. 4 level, a distance of 150 ft, commence work tomorrow night. Crushing: 20 head are still being: employed at the Golden Crown battery, and the dirt is shaping for a good return. The Alburuia company expect to start their battery on Wednesday next.— G. S. Clack." NEW NORTH DEVON. Enough quartz having been broken from the drive at the intermediate level on Dixon's reef to form a trial parcel, the manager commenced sending it down this morning, and about dinner time 10 head of Btamps were started on it at the Herald battery. ; MOANATAIRI. The manager reported on Saturday :— •' Stoping is in hand on No. 2 reef,,.Boft. level, anJ the prospects are still very pro mising. Other leaders and stringers than those being stoped hitherto have been discovered still further in. the hangingwall since my last, two of which have shown gold freely, a few pounds of picked stone having been obtained from them. A small parcel of stone has also come to hand from the lead driven on at this level. Very little has been done to the reef itself during the week. It was disordered for a day or two in drive east of crosscut when passing through broken country, but as the latter has since become more settled and congenial for gold, so has the reef improved in proportion. The two men who have been employed here were removed yesterday for a time, in order i o get a trial parcel from No. 9 reef at 132 ft. level. All Nations stopes, above 80ft. level, produce a little gold as usual. A leading stope is in progress by two men above 80ft. level on ISo. 9 reef, and at a point where we took a trial parcel from, which gave about Sdwts per ton. The stone looks equally as good as the trial lot. I hoped to have had six men employed Bioping same reef, tunnel level, before forwarding this, but the delay has been unavoidable, in consequence of having so much surface stuff to clear from Redan shaft, and under very unfavorable circumstances, the air being extremely light. lam pleased to say we got over the difficulty yesterday, and as this part of the mine is now suta'ciently ventilated, stoping will take place forthwith. We have commenced to crosscut northerly with four men underner.th main slide in Castle and G-alatea section, and at Morning Star 50ft level. A lode three inches wide is showing in the face of drive, but it is poor. My object in driving here is to intersect gold-bearing lodes and leader* known to exist at and below the surface in this quarter, one of which is a nice strong likely looking lode near the creek, and said to be No. 9. A shaft was sunk on it in former times to a depth of 30it. Here the influx of water was too much to contend with, so it was abandoned. We sball have to drive about,l6oft before reaching this point. Stopes in Heldt's section above lS2ft level have yielded better since my ksfc than for some time previous, having obtained 301bs picked stone, and they still look promising.—J. G. Titian." ■

KUR VNUI HILL. The manager reported this, morning as follows:—"The drive northwest is now in 33 feet, and that south -east 61 feet. Neither reef having been intersected yet, they must therefore diverge from each other more than I estimated. From where Barry'B lode is supposed to cross the reservoir there must be some distance to drive yet before. it is reached. The ground here is getting better for progress than formerly, and in the oppoi site direotion continues good working ground. Three shifts will be kept driving I for Hunt's and Barry's, so as to cut them with the least delay. Cook's leader: The block opened on this lode will shortly be worked to the beach level, with the ex- : ception of a leader going away from it , into the footwall. While this- is being driven on at the intermediate level driving each end on Cook's lode can be continued, so that if anything payable is come on fresh ground will be available for stoping. There is a portion of this, lode unwrought above the beach level, from* which a. trial crushing can easily be obtained, although it is ratbpr small, * crosscut will be nepessary from the intermediate level, from Cook's to the Wheel of Fortune, to enable that lode to be worked to advantage, as the ventilation is very bad. ~ The distance to drive is about 40ft., through good speedy country. There are about 60 tons of quartz on hand, which should turn out pretty well from the frequency with which gold has shown, and

also as the trial crushing from the winze proved so good.—T. H. Crawfobd." . GOLD BETUJBNS. KuHANUi Hill.—Catran and party have crushed a parcel of quartz for the return of Sobs 2dwts gold. Bright Smilb.— Che lodcement232ozs on Saturday was reduced to 2250zs to-day on being melted.