OUR MINES.

Thames Star, Volume XVII, Issue 5222, 13 October 1885, Page 3

OUR MINES.

CAMBItII. ! Another breaking down of the orossreef i in the second stope took place this morn in* when the excellent haul of 2501bs of rich specimens was bagged. The reef maintains its usual promising appearance, and tarries an abundance of pyntous minerals, while there is a good show of cold now risible in the back of the stop?, strong gold being also showing for fully a foot in length in the face of the present atope, auguring well for further breakings down. This makes the total amount of specimens on hand since last retorting 20501b5, which are now being reduced, and are shaping for a handsome yield The return will be to hand to morrow, and promises to be a magnificent one. It has been decided to sink the Darwin shaft • farther distance of 60ft., and tenders are now invited for this work. NEVV MANUKAU. The. crushing of the trial parcel of 22 tons of general dirt from the workings at No. 3 level was completed to day for the excellent return of 48ozs retorted gold, which was reduced on melting to 47oza6dwts. CALEDONIAN. The manager reports for the past week •s follows :—" The contractors at No. 3 Ie?el have completed their contract, and hare taken SOft. more at the same figure— 15s per foot. The leader was taken down on Wednesday; it is about lft. in thickness, and Bhpws gold throughout. No picked stone was obtained, but it is good crushing dirt. A few pounds of picked ■tone have been secured from the stopes west of the winze, and the reef looks T«ry w»il. There is very little change to report from the stopes east of the winze; tome nice stones came from the leading ■tope, and the general dirt coming to hand should shape very fairly. The winze below No. 2 level on No.. 1 reef is still very hard, but the reef still maintains its enormous size. No gold has.been seen, but' the reef is heavilj charged with first class minerals. I shall keep these men on for three or four days more, so as to have 20 tons to grass, which will be ready for treating. I find by plan in the surveyor's office that the No. 3 winze was never sunk through from No. 2 to No". 3 level, so the plan used by Mr James shows the wrong winze being holed through,, which will. make a. difference in the works recommended, and the work to be done. Instead of cleaning out crosscut and winze I shall have to rise to the bottom of No. 3 winze, which will be from 50 to 70ft on No. 1 reef, through virgin ground, which can be done equally as cheaply, and very likely quicker, tnd will .be the best to work frwn. This same plan only shows Nos. 1 and 4 winzes to be holed through to No. 3 level. If this should prove correct, there will be a distance of nearly 200 ft in length along the No. 1 reef under the old run of gold, which has never,been prospected. This makes me more anxious than ever to open up this block from No. 3 level, especially as the indications in our present winze are so encouraging. I intend putting two men next week to break out 20 tons from the junction of Nos. 1 and 2 reefs at No. 3 level, but I am afraid there will be a great difficulty in keeping out all the antimony, which is very plentiful in allow reefsi—T. B. Hicks."

J>EEP LEVEL CROSS. - A erossleader, some 2 inches in thickness, has been met with in the southward drive on No. 2 reef. It has produced a few pounds of good picked stone, and good dabs of gold were seen when break' ing down to-day. Crushing has been commenced at the Prince Imperial battery. ■ SAXON. The No. 1 reef in the stopes continues to look well, and about 71bs of good picked atone hare been bagged from here. LORD WOLSELEY. Operations are to be resumed shortly, and Mr W. C. Ord has been instructed to take charge of the mine. GOLD RETURNS. Caledouian.—Corbett and party, tributers in this mine, have crushed 5 loads general dirt for sozs melted gold. Moanataibiw Gutbrie arid party, tributes, have banked sozsl7dwti gold. Rbubbk Pabb.—Gentles rand; party, tributera, hare crushed a parcel of quartz for 6ozs 12dwts gold.

South Australia is taking tbe lead in the Social Purity movement. There is a special fitness in this, for that colony has an unenviable notoriety for indecent offences. The Rev. J. C. Kirby, leader of the Social Purity Party in Adelaide, delivered a sermon in the Port Adelaide Congregational Church the other Sunday, in which he denounced the theatre as a centre for the idle and vicious, and backed up by drink, loose women, and every convenience for the commission of evil. It is understood that the pietistio party in Adelaide, which enjoys the support of all the churches, has added, as another plank in its platform, the forcible closing of all theatres and similar places of public amusement. The party's platform now includes the prohibition of sale of all intoxicating liquors, closing of theatres, suppression of all houses of ill-fame, raising the age of consent to 21 years, and religious instruction in State schools.