QUEEN OF BEAUTY.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4580, 8 September 1883, Page 2

QUEEN OF BEAUTY.

The manager to-day received word from the directors authorising him to extend the drive northward on the reef beyond the slide at No. 10 level 50ft., and tenders will at once be called for the work. The directors also intend to have the crosscut for the Bird-in-Hand reef, at No. 8 level, j pushed on as quickly as possible, and tenders will be called next week for extending it 100 ft. MOANATAIItI. Cleaning up took place to-day for the excellent result of 160ozs retorted gold, for which 125 tons of general dirfc and 1201bs of picked stone were crushed. Nearly all of this has been taken from No. 9 reef above the 132ffc level, and is the product of barely a month's work. The manager has only a very small staff of hands employed, so the yield is, ia pro- j portion to the expense of getting it out, I the best that has been banked, for some time. The manager is about to commence a work which, if matters turn out as represented, will practically open up a new mine. This is the driving of a crosscut in the Nonpareil section, at a level 80ft. above the tunnel level. It is to be started from the end of the drive recently put in here by the manager, and will be extended in a north-easterly direction, the object being to intersect a lode which was tapped in a shaft, 180 ft. from the surface^ but on which, though gold was seen in th*e quartz, the proproprietors were unable to do any work on account of the immense body of water which issued from it. This lode is probably identical with one cut at the tunnel level, and if so is known to be gold bearing, as a trial, taken from the point where the tunnel crosses it, gave 1| dwts per ton, though the reef here is 25ft. wide, and not in good country. The point where the new crosscut should touch is about 180 ft. further eastward than the tunnel. The distance to drive is 150 ft., and the crosscut will be directed for the shaft mentioned. A. contract has been let for driving the distance at 12s 6d per toot; two men will be employed. Some other leaders should also come to hand, and there may also be droppers from the large reef, as the ground is entirely uqworked. The reef will be cut on the eastward side of the main slide. NEW MANUKAC - The only work in progress at present is the putting up of a rise on the No. 5 reef from the 360 feet level to connect with the bottom level of the Waiotahi. This is now up about 40 feet, and a nice-looking leader is in hand, but no gold is seen in it. At the time the company, was floated it was stated that good gold had been left in the floor of the Waiotahi workings, but if so it does not seem to carry down much below. However, the rise will soon be through, and will prove the block.