The Inangahua Times. PUBLISHED TRI-WEEKLY. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1885.

Inangahua Times, Volume X, Issue 1608, 2 October 1885, Page 2

The Inangahua Times. PUBLISHED TRI-WEEKLY. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1885.

Mb H. A. Gordon of the Mines Department, has presented a very elaborate report to Parliament on mining, machinery, etc. in Victoria and New South Wales. The report will be found to be of great interest to mining companies, and to those interested in alluvial mining. The Hehls visited by Mr Gordon in Victoria wpre Sandhurst, Castle maine, Morton, Clunes, Creswick C'-eek, Bnllarat, Stawell, Malmsbury, Beechwortb, and Chiltern. The subjects of winding and crushing machinery, safety cages, diamond and rock drills, air com pressors, alluvial and quartz mining, treatment of pyrites, water supply, etc., etc. , have all received very cave fnl attention. Tn New South Wales Mr Gordon visited the principal tin, silver, coal and diamond mines. The Report contains several plans of the underground and other workings of different mines, also diagrams showing the va'ions improvements introduced in mining in those colonies. The principles that should be observed in ventilating a mire are filly laid down in an extract from " Callon, on Mining." In summarising his report Mr Gordon points out the superiority of the processes adopted in Victoria for saving gold in concentrating and amalgamating, and likewise in the winding machinery and sareiv appliances. He does not think t'mi, diamond drills, unless in prospecting coal, would be of any great service in New Zealand. The systems on which mining surveys are conducted in Victoria and New South Wales a.c not equal in efficiency to the New Zealand system. He also points out the necessity of having schools of mines established in mining centres, but not on so extensive a scale as that on which they are conducted in Victoria, the instruction required being o:ily of such a nature as will enable the miners to analyze the metalliferous ores that they find, so as to be able to test their value"and"to have a knowledge of the various forms in which the different metals are*found.