MINING NEWS.

Waikato Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1500, 14 February 1882, Page 3

MINING NEWS.

Mining in the Upper Thames Country is, according to a contemporary, progressing ; at Waitekauri, Butler and party will shortly clean up, and they expect a good return. The Waitekauri No. 3 Co. are taking out payable dirt, as also are the Waitekauri Extended Co. Work is being pushed ahead in the Just-in-Time ground, and the Diamond Gully claim have a large quantity of good quartz awaiting treatment. At Owharoa, the Smile of fortune seems to be the only one in which anything is being done. At Waihi the owners of the battery are stirring up the contractor to get the work finished, but that gentleman has had great difficulties to contend with, which have delayed him conoiderably. Tenders are now called by the Waihi and Young Colonial companies for the erection of Hoppers, tramway, &c, so it is evident they mean to pusli work ahead at once. Speaking of the Owharoa country, the Tribune says : " During the last week some splendid stone has been taken out of the Smile of Fortune. Some of the specimans are good for several ounces to the pound. The crushing is showing very well. The manager is of opinion that the leader from which the specimens are coming is the No. 3. or Waterfall. Should such be the case, there is a large piece of ground to work, as only a small portion of the leader has been worked on to the surface. A crosscut has been put in from the low level, and the level has been cut 12 feet on thefootwall side of the No. 2 reef from which the tributers had their large returns. The stone from the No. 2 is shaping well. Corbett and party from this mine have a crushing ready from the No. 1, but owing to the burstiug of the supply pipe the mill has been idle for a few days. McWilliams and party have a tribute on the No. 4 and have started work on the surface. In the Badical, Campbell and party have out a crushing which will be put through next week. In the Battalion the tunnel is in GO feet ; I they have still 20 feet to drive before cut- ! ting the reef. The Lucky Hit low level is being pushed on ; several le\ els have been cut showing fair prospects. In the Victoria and Bismarck some prospecting is being done. There is still room for increase of population. Work at all the batteries and water races at Waihi is being pushed on. The amount of timber required is over 300,000 feet, which the contractors have found some difficulty in getting. From pre&ent appearance the mills ought to be ready to start crushing next month, and then we will be able to judge of the opinion of the big mining authorities of the lower Thames.