MINING.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 308, 29 November 1873, Page 3

MINING.

The following appears in the "PovertyBay Standard ; — "From private intelligence to hand we learn that a small body of native* have found some nuggety specimens of what 1 seems to be gold, in the Waikato, some distance inland from the Kawhia. The specimen* are being tested, bat full particularsare as yet kept from the public ear."

From the " Thames Advertiser " we clipthe following mining mems . — " If will berecollected, that, when the Just-in-Time wasworked as a claim, there were a succession of rich crushings from this lode, and the last parcel put through, we are informed, yielded an average of 2ozs 19dwts to the ton. Long Drive Tribute. — The manager lodged in th» bank of New Zta'and 94ozs gold, as the re' suit of the stuff crushed during five days' ran at the Imperial Crown baftery, with & force of five stampers. The yield is a good one, fully equal to at least 2oz* to the ton, and is a promising indication of the probable yield when the months crushing terminates. Queen of Beauty:— The amount of the dividend per share accruing from the result of the last fortnight's crushing was fixed yes-erday at £218. This was after defraying all Working expeuses, clearing off the balance of the debt upon the mine machinery, and all other claims.'

The official returns of the gold export dm* iug the past half year give some interesting particulars. Jt appears the respective exports during the half-year ending the SOfch of September 1873, were as follows :—Auckland, 34,271 ozs, as compared with 25,329, itt the corresponding half of last year, showing an increase of 8,8720z5 ; Westland, 26,0750z5, as compared with 23,695 last year— increase 2.380025 ; Nelson, 34,5470z8, as against 19,393 last year— increase 5,1540z5; Otago 23,545 ozs, against 29,964 last year, showing a decrease of 5,41 90z5; Marlbourgh, 108ozS, against 593 last year— decrease, 3970z5. Thus every gold province excepting Otago and the unimportant Marlborough shows a most satisfactory improvement. The Auckland gold export has increased to the extent of nearly 40 per cent. ; that of Nelson nearly 30 per cent. ; AVestland, 10 per cent. On the other hand the amount of gold exported from the province of Otago has fallen, Off no less than 22 per cent., since List year, and she now ranks only fourth in the list of gold-produceing provinces, Auckland standing first, Westland second, and Nelson third, lhe total export of gold from the whole colony in the half-year amounted to 108546 ozs, value £433,560, as compared wiih 98 956 ozs, valued at £383,278 for the corresponding period of last year. The increase for the colony is therefore 9,1900zs in quantify, and £44,172 in value, the latest showing an augmentation of 10 per cent, over the relative half year in 1872.

The following are the rules to be observed, as faras " reasonably practicable," by mining companies in Victoria, according to a Bill recently passed by the legislature of that colony : — Ist. An adequate amount of ventilation shall be constantly produced in every mine to such an extent that the shafts, winzes, pumps, levels, underground stables, and working places of such mine, and the travelling roads to and from such working places, shall be in a fit state for working and passing tborein>

2nd. Gunpowder or other explosive or ir.« inflammable substance shall only be used underground in the mine as follows : — (a) It shall not be stored in the mine, (b) It shall not be taken into the mine except in a case or canister containing aot more than four pounds, (c) A workman shall not have in use at on© time in any one place more than one of such cases or canisters, (d) In charging holes for blasting, except in mines exceptcd from the operation of this section by the Minister of Mines; an iron or steel pricker shall not bo used, and a person shall not have in his pot* session in the mine underground any iron or Bteel pricker, and an iron or steel tamping-rod. or stemmer Bhall not be used for ramming either the wadding or the first part of the tamping or stemming on the powder, (c) A charge of powder which has missed fire shall not be unrammed.