A Trip to Te Aroha Goldfield.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4662, 13 December 1883, Page 2

A Trip to Te Aroha Goldfield.

(By our Special Repo:bt.eb.)

(Continued..)

THE MINES

Are looking well on the whole, and a good deal of work has been done, though as yet much attention has not been paid to the systematic-opening up of blocks on the reefs. This, however, will be remedied now.that crushing is in full swing. It would take up too much space to detail the whole of the work being carried on in the field, but having visited all the principal companies' workings, I will give a short; account of them, first taking those near the pack track, and then noticing those met with in coming down the tramway. The first -workings come upon were the

LITTLE WONDEB AND WAITOKI EXTENDED,

These two pieces of ground are situated about on a level with Butler's Spur. Some lime ago a reef, showing gold, was .found in the Extended ground, but it being below the level at which communication with the tramway was practicable, it was abandoned at that place, and a crosscut commenced on the boundary of the two claims mentioned, to intersect the reef at a point on the side of the spur nearest the tramway, from which a branch line could easily be construct..d. It is not kcown where the reef will crois the spur, but the men in the drive expect to get it soon, and as the crosscut is in good country they are sanguine of the prospects of obtaining gold. ■WAITOKI. This claim adjoins the Waitoki Extended on the south, and is the first one met with, in going up the track, which has sent quartz to the mill. A branch line from the top of Butler's spur leads to a double hopper, into which quartz from the Waitoki and Weiahiko is run from a long shoot. At the top of this is a crosscut driven, and a pass from it to a level 100 ft. above, the latter being the Waitoki main level and the Werahiko intermediate level. Here the reef has been driven on some distance from the Werahiko boundary, and* from here the recent crushing was taken out, which unfortunately did not yield well. Some good gold was found in the reef on the surface, but owing to the block not having been properly opened up, it was not ready for taking out when crushing was started, and in consequence it has not yet been stoped. Work in this section has now been suspended, and the hands ere em" ployfd prospecting a reef lower down the hill. WESAHIKO. * This claim adjoins the Waitoki northern boundary, and consists of three leases, in the centre one of which the reef was first discovered, gold being freely seen, A surface level was entered on the lode, and driven through the top of the spu' 1, the reef striking N.E. and S.W., and dipping to the west. Excellent c ; old was seen,aod the precious metal was freely visible in the floor. The block above was stoped to the surface, an intermediate level entered 40 feet below, and a winze sunk to it. The manager also carried an underhand slope aloDg the floor of the surface level. It I was from the surface block, winae, and underhand stope tbat the Ci ashing last mocth was obtained. At the intermediate level the reef did not show as much gold as on the surface, but prospected well when pounded up. In the southern drive the reef is fully four fpet wjde. A Reading stope is being parried along this drive at present, and the dirt from here has been going through the mill for the past few days, but, as might have been expected, is not shaping so well as last parcel. The reef has also been ctjt ?n. the low lever at the top of the shoot, JOOft below the intermediate ; it is there a fine body of stone, thoqgh no gold was seen in it. It is rather disappointing to find that the reef does not appear to improve as it descends, but as so little has been doneoq it in the way of driving it is quite possible that the shot of gold has not yet been reached. The country throughout is. of an excellent olass foy the existence of payable reefs, being a good white sandstone. Besides the lode mention^, there is another reef striking oflf westward from it, which showed gold on the surface, and on which no work has yet h?en done below. There is plenty of room, for proT peeling id this mine, the workings being in the centre of the m,id.dl> lea.se of the three, WELCOME. This is the claim, from whhh two tons of general dirt gave the splendid yield of 115ozs gold. It is situated on the northern boundary of the Werahiko, and the workings are just above the pack trapk. EJere a large reef nine or ten feet -thick .-was found striking through the ground, and in working upon it close to the northern boundary a small leader about a foot wide was found'; on : the I hangingwall. This dipped faster than the j big reef, and tho junction dips-to the southward. Ifc was from this 'small leader, where lying on the big reef, close to the surface, thai the two tons of dirt were taken. It was general stuff, not picked, and a large quantity of gold was not seen in breaking it out, the brown and rusty nature of (h.e $tone hiding it. I Since then a winge has been sunk on the I speoimen leader, as the small one is oalled, a distance of 40 feet, and connectioi made with a drive from the track leve.. The leader was not, however, cut at this lower level, it having been left fa tbe haDgipgw>all a few feet above, ao as to get through quicker. Good gold was seen as far as the leader was broken, and several pounds of nice fair picked stono, obtained from the wiDze, was shown n&e by the manager, while gold could be freely" seen , in the general dirt, The quartz is blue, aud tfarriss $ large q.iH'»tity of spleodid

minerals, such as copper and a rosiny subStance, which is such a good indication on the Thames. The men are now driving south on the junction of the b'g reef and specimen leader at the top level. The face is in about 30 feet, and gold is seen pretty freely, the stone also giving excellent prospects. A crushing from the specimen leader will be treated, shortly, and it is also the manager's intention to take out a large parcel from the big reef, which shows gold freely and should yield payably. A low level giving a large amount of backs could easily be entered. The country here is a tight blue sand"" stane, hard to' work, but the reef in it carries good gold. The workings so far are just in one corner of the ground, and there is an immense stretch on the line of reef to the southward, besides other leaders, which have not been prospected yefc. " -,- ■■.:.;;: . - ;■.•;■ VEUMONT. This piece of ground adjoins the Welcome northern boundary, the large reef from the latter claim striking right through it. The manager, in prospecting, has found nice gold in this reef in several places, chiefly in the honeyopmb class of quartz, and he has discovered two good-sized leaders and a reef 3ft. wide, on the hangingwall. All of these hare been opened out upon for a few feet, and gold has been seen pretty freely in each of them. They all appear, from their strike, to junction with the big reef, the two smaller ooes in the Vermont ground, while the larger one will probably enter the Welcon c before functioning. The Welcome specimen leader will likewise strike into the Vermont ground a short distance north of where it is being worked. The only work in progress at present, beside* prospecting carried on by the mine manager, is a crosscut from the Inverness ground to pick up the Waiorongomai reef, which has been driven on by that company to within 70ft. of the boundary, good gold being seen right up to the face. About 120 ft. of driving should intersect the reef, on which considerable backs will then be available. The country in the face is hard, but it is expected to improve.

( To be Continued.)