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A winze was then sunk following down the stone, but the country seems greatly broken and disturbed. At a depth of 120 ft. quartz leaders were met with, and from the quartz taken from this winze 91oz. of gold were obtained. The company is now engaged in sinking a shaft in the low-level tunnel to prospect the ground at a greater depth. The total yield of gold from quartz crushed and from the berdans for the year ending the 31st December last was 3020z., representing a value of £1,165 18s. 4d,; and the expenditure on the working of the mine during that period has been about £2,189. Keep It Dark No. 2, Reefton. —This is a company that has lately been formed, and taken up ground adjoining the Nil Desperandum Company. They have struck a quartz lode near the surface which contains gold of a payable character; but it is not sufficiently opened out yet to warrant any definite opinion to be formed respecting it. Nil Desperandum Company. —This company has been in existence for a number of years, but had done very little work for a long period previous to commencing operations last year. They have now erected an overshot reversible wheel for winding, and will soon be stoping out quartz. With the improved appliances, and good terms they have made with the Wealth of Nations Company to crush the stone, they anticipate working the mine successfully. Globe Company, Reefton. —This company has at present discontinued stoping out quartz. They have formerly been working on the upper levels, but the quartz in this portion of the mine is getting very poor in grade. During the twelve months previous to the stoppage of the crushing-battery they crushed 4,000 tons of quartz, which gave about 1,0220z., representing a value of £3,903 6s. sd. They have recently sunk a shaft for 250 ft. in depth, and are constructing another level. Previous to sinking this shaft they sunk two winzes, one 70ft. and the other 120 ft., and proved the reef to be 10ft. wide ; which, from the appearance of the stone, is expected to go at least lOdwt. per ton. They have also erected a water-wheel 38ft. in diameter, for transmitting power by means of an endless rope from the battery to the mine, a distance of 105 chains, to connect with the winding-gear at the main shaft. This company has a crushingbattery of twenty heads of stamps, driven by a turbine water-wheel, situated on the south side of the Inangahua River, opposite Crushington ; they also have an aerial tramway connected from the mine to the battery, a distance of 96 chains. This tramway was designed and constructed by Messrs. Kincaid and McQueen, ironfounders, Dunedin, and works remarkably well. It goes over two ranges between the mine and battery, one of which is about I,looft. above the level of the battery, the terminal point at the mine being 900 ft. above the battery. It consists of an endless rope, kept about 10ft. apart by pulleys fixed on trestles, which are fastened at certain distances on prominences along the line. At the end next the mine there is an inclined shaft fixed in framing at about right angles to the line of rope, and on the top of this shaft is fastened a horizontal grooved pulley, about 10ft. in diameter, which holds the endless rope. There are two grooved pulleys about 16in. in diameter, fastened on each of the cap-pieces of the trestles, to carry the rope. At the end next the battery there are skids laid down on the same inclination as the line of rope, and on these skids are fixed iron rails, on which a trolly is placed, carrying the framing, shaft, and grooved pulley to hold the endless rope. There is a weighted box attached to the lower end of this trolly, which keeps a steady tension on the rope, and prevents it from unduly sagging when working. Carriers are attached to the rope at intervals by two half-round clips bolted together, holding the rope between them. These stand out horizontally from the rope for about 4in., thence hang vertically; and to these carriers the buckets are attached, which are each capable of holding about 2cwt. of quartz. In order to set the endless rope in motion the buckets are first filled, on the top of the range, above the battery, with mullock, and the weight of loaded buckets on the rope between this point and the battery is sufficient to set the rope in motion, after which it works automatically, having a brake at each end for stopping when required. The buckets also empty automatically by coming in contact with an inclined bar at a point over the hopper into which the quartz passes. This inclined bar raises a catch, which allows the buckets to turn completely over, and when once emptied they return to the end next the mine, where they are again righted in position, and the catch put in its place. The buckets are filled at the end next the mine while they are in motion by means of a traveller on an oblong horizontal iron ring. This tramway is capable of transmitting about 50 tons of quartz to the battery per day of from eight to ten hours. Annexed is a sketch-plan, showing the general arrangement and gearing at terminal points. Since the erection of this tramway another of the same description has been erected by the Venus Company. Venus Company, Reefton. — This company have recently erected an aerial tramway from the mine to the battery, which they purchased from the Energetic Company at Murray Creek, and are stoping out quartz that promises to give good returns. Inglewood Extended Company, Reefton. —This company's mine is situate on the side of the range facing the Waitahu River. The ground formerly was held by the Inglewood and North Star Companies, who have amalgamated, and have been re-formed under the present name. The quantity of quartz crushed during the year ending the 31st December last was 1,889 tons, which yielded 1,2840z. of gold, representing a value of £4,932 14s. 9d. The value of dividends paid from this mine has been £1,200. Inkerman Company, Reefton. —This company's mine is situated at Rainy Creek, about seven miles from Reefton. They have a large body of quartz in their mine, which is of lowgrade quality, and so far has not given any favourable returns. The company has a good crushing-battery of thirty heads of stamps, and several Berdans, driven by a steam-engine. The