OUR MINES.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4566, 23 August 1883, Page 2

OUR MINES.

BKIGHT SMILE.

Shares tonay declined ia price, but the manager informs me there has been no change in the mine to warrant their doing so. Gold is seen in breaking dowu in the stopes, though no hau!s of specimens have come to hand lately. The leader in the eastern drive was broken down yes* terday. Gold was seen through the qua' tz, and one or two pieces of picked stone were found. The crushing at the mill is shaping for a good return. DARWIN. \ The manager reports as follows: —I 1 commenced to sink the main shaft on i Monday, the 6th instant, at the place on the plan marked by Mr Bayldon—size 9 feet x 3 feet in the clear —and three compartments, two for winding and one for travelling by. The timber is 2 inch heart lof kauri; 21 feet down I have close (timbered and well puddled behind • the sets, and the remaining portion of the depth the sets are put in 3 inches apart. The total depth sunk and timbered measured on Saturday last is 45 feet. On the Wednesday previous we sunk through into the drive which comes in from the road at 77 feet from the mouth, and as some water was; found in the drive, some little delay was caused by repairing the mouth to let the water run off." This tunnel makes a first-class adit for ventila- | tion in the meantime, and ultimately, when it is to be hoped the mine will become important, for access and exit to the metalled road, and saving a distance of 45 feet in winding. I have therefore put a framed set of timber in the drive where it holes into the shaft. All the mullock will for the present be hauled up to the brace of the shaft, where I have erected a covering shed. The country sunk through could not' be more favorable of'r easy sinking and for gold. Six weeks should see us down nearly to pur intended depth of 200 feet. WAITEKAURI No. 2. Mr Ralph, who is superintending operations is this mine, came down with the tributers' returns, and supplies us with the following particulars :—Kiely and party crushed 80 tons for the rich yield of 2140zs 9dwts gold. This party are working a branch of the tribute lead at the smithy level, and have apparently lit upon the continual ipn of Butler's run of gold. The reef varies from a foot to 4 feet in width, and all the gold is in the general dirt. They have sunk a winze 7 feet and carried down gold so far, but the lead may at any time dip into the old stopes underneath. Heitman and party's crush ing of 53 tons from the same level gave 52ozs lOdwts gold. Stevenson and party crushed 38 tons for the good yield of 470:,s lOdwts gold. This party is tributing on the main reef at the surface, and are quarrying the dirt from a large face and running it straight to the mill. Hundreds* of tons of quartz are obtainable at this point. GOLD RETURNS. West Coast.—Northey and party have crushed 12 tons dirt for 9ozs I7dvrts gold.

Welcome Extended (Waitekattbi). —Leah and party, tributers. have banked 9ozs. ddwts. gold from 1£ tons quartz crushed.