GABRIELS GULLY QUARTZ MINING COMPANY.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 257, 2 January 1873, Page 7

GABRIELS GULLY QUARTZ MINING COMPANY.

The first cleaning-up of the Gabriels Gully Quartz Mining Company took place last Saturday, and on Monday their maiden cake of gold was produced. The manager reports that its weight is 1220z5. retorted gold, the produce of 500 tons of stone. The greater part of the stone crushed came from a reef 6 to 13 feet thick, in many places broken up, with bars of slate intermixed with the quartz, the presence of which, without doubt, contributed to lessen the yield per ton. The Company calculate they can work the reef with ample allowance for dead work, wear and tear, &c, at 3dwts. per ton. The machinery during the past three weeks has worked very soomthly, and from 100 to 120 tons per week have been crushed. As a very large quantity of pyrites is found in the quartz, a loss of some gold is inevitable. The Company is taking step 3to test the tailings. Jt is anticipated that further appliances will be found necessery to concentrate, grind, and amalgamate afresh the heavier portion, also the* blanketings. The battery will not recommence work until the 7tli inst. Under the stamper boxes were found some handsome nuggets, the heaviest weighing Bdwts. Several pieces weighed from 1 to 4dwts, and there were some smaller pieces. The Company is to be congratulated on the success of its first crushing, as although it did not come up to the highest anticipations, the cheap mode they work the reef renders it satisfactorily payable. The test crushing of two tons was from a narrower part of the reef,- whe^e the stone is known to be richer, than where the present workings are. No attempt was made to pick the stone — everything was put through, including a lot of stuff known to be non a irifarous, as it was the easiest mode of getting it out of the way. The richest part of the reef is aabout 150 feet from Clark's fence, and has' not yet been touched. The conduct of the company in making known their actual returns, without attempting to mislead the public in any way, is commendable, ,aiid it would be well if ihe good example thus set were generally followed. The company took the machine over from Messrs. Kincaid, M'Queen and Co. on the 21st instant. They expressed themselves highly satisfied with its working, and the manner Messrs. Kiucaid, M'Queen and ( Co. performed their contract. The people of the district must feel gratified that the reef hao been fairly tried, and proved payable. A stimulus will be given to prospecting, and no doubt many of the i"eefs already found will i~^ further tested. There 19 no doubt mauy payable reefs exist m the district, which only require a little enterprise to develop, and should that enterprise be forthcoming, tlie possessors of it will be largely benefited, as also wJI be the community at large. When the cake of gold was brought down to the bank, a large number of the residents of Lawrence visited it, and f.»r some time it was quite surrounded by a crowd, anxious to see the first <;ake. of ; gold produced from a Tuapeka reef. All j. expressed pleasure at the tangible result of the .Gabriels Gully Quartz. Mining Company's, lahors, and fervent wishes that the next "cake might be* ten times I the .size ware frequent.

The residents of Wethoisui; - . showing any sign that they inter; duo. to follow out their annual custom of getting up sports for the recreation of pleasure seekers on Boxing Day, the Lawrence Friendly Societies took the task in hand. and arranged a. programme of amusements, to come off on the Lawrence racecourse. The arrangemeuts were made hurriedly, almost at the eleventh hour,^as the Lawrence did not wish to with or interfere in any way with any sporta the Wetherstoneitesjnight get up, and it was not until it was quite certain that the latter did not intend to take any steps in the matter the former commenced. Despite the hurry, however, the preparations were capitally made, a good programme drawn up and sufficient .money rapidly collected to make the 'prizes worth competing for. On Boxing Day, about 400 people, amongst whom were a good proportion, of the fair sex, found their way to the racecourse, and scattered theinsvlve3 over the pleasant, grassy slopop. Tb? weather was rather too warm, but a? j evening approached, a pleasant breeze somewhat tempered the fierce sunbeams. Those indispensable adjuncts to a concourse of civilised amusement - hunters — refreshmentbooths — wereou the ground, and commodious and comfortable they were. No. 1 booth was under the care of Mr. J. Cranley, o( the G-olden Age Hotel, Wetherstones ; aud Mr. GK Clark, of the Maaoni • Hotel, Lawrence, presided over No. fi Both were well patronised by t'-e hungry and the thirsty, who s;'euu I to be well satisfied with the quality nr the refreshments purveyed i'ov t'-r\c regalement The fruit stall belon^iiij; to Mrs. Ledgerwood, and Mr. Jttferr'a toy stand also seemed popular, jutlgin? from the number of visitors t.iereiw The sporta nil t'lrnu^'i vrnre irood, aai excited great interest-. Trie stewards — Messrs. Downes, J. M. Cl.irke, "R Hills, D. Evaua, M. Ihvf, and G\ Walker — exerted themselves to t'-e utmost to promote the success of the proceedings ; and tae Seosvtarv w^ indefatigable and übiquitous. " Mr. Sheath, as judge, was the ri^ht man iv the right place. Mr. Downes, us starter of the horse rac^s, was up to the mark ; and^ the substitute for the gentleman appointed to the office of clerk of the course performed the arduous duties appertaining thereto hi a manner beyond cavil. The following is the result of the various events : — 100 Yak db Foot Race. Ist prize, L 2 ; 2nd, Lt. Davison 1 Downes 2 Barkinan and Here also ran. Miners' Hace of L 5. Once round the course ; heats. Dwyer's Dolly Vardea (Quin) 2 11 Thorn's Steelboy (Kelso) 12 2 Coxon's Grasshopper (Drury) Sheath's Jeannie (Bastings) Dolly Varden camo in first tt 7 T? j - heat, but, having run inside* .: j~the second horse was atljuJg i ■ winner. Dolly Var.lt.-u puil; j i ,;;f •.. 2nd and 3rd heats easily. Running High Leap. - «Ist prize, LI . _ 2ud, 15s. " O'Neill (4ft. 3in.) Davison Bark man and Anderson algo coaiue" . 200 Yards Handicap Foot Race. Ist prl - L 2 j 2nd LI. Downes (4 yards) Barkman (G yards) 1 Davidson (scratch) . ; An easy victory for Downes. Friendly Societies' Purse of LlO. ' C\.? i round the course : heats. Dwyer's ! oily Varden (Qnin) 3 " do. Colleen Bawn *'( Davison) ] i ' ilullin's Little Dick (Kelso) 2 3 ." A very jjood contest througjSbui Poily Varden, however; proving t:_ tnuch for the others. Handicap Foot, Race for hoys under 1_ years of age. Ist prize 10s. ; 2nd, I ■ A dozen started — Cahill coming ._- Ist and Lyons 2nd. Three Standing Leaps. Ist pri2ea2\Sflfck • 2nd, 10s. * ' 7 ""~ Downes (29ft. 2in ) *- * : Barkman :^ Davidson and Drew also competed. i Mile Handicap Foot Race, lstiv -?.- L 3 ; 2nd, 30s. *■ - Davison 1 Barkman Downe3 Boys Sack Race. Ist prize, 10s. ; 2nd, c W. Lyons , L J. Lyons Cigar Race of L 5. Twice round the ccr- --c AW riders to commence aud Si.-,.' v. .• j alighted cigar. Dwyer's Colleen Mawa Ort ?' Davison's Young Slander 'Ov:ier> _ Evan's i urphy {M'Keccmey) ? The two latter after g«uuc; hail-war round came straight across t'fe course". » Colleen, bo%e»er, kept o;- the trao;: ! and won. ! Ooss^i'Tios St.s-; o£ 1-5. Opea io al. ' | bsatiru boi'sea. ''I'V.'iceroaocl Ihe cf-ur.se : Thorn's Stceiboy (ifelao) 1 Olson's Grasshopper {I):iiry) - •• Jluiim's Little Dick CCraM .- A well-contested rare. T'..{-\ aii * kept wel< together — oteeibo? wii-iniu;: • by a length. After paying all erpona??:, a sir al' ' balance remains in the hands o^ tin* I As it has bepp. resoiw.! to hold similar races aud sports an nually, this sum will ho {retained till next year, when it- will be placed i*i | the bands of the Committee then elected for the purpose of arranging* ■and carrying out the pro^rauiase. *