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ground is again reoccupied with very good prospects. On the whole, the Tokatea portion of the district has done very well, the yield of gold being above the average of the last few years. Tiki. —Nothing very important has been done in this district during the past year, but there are decided signs of improvement. Several new claims have been taken up, and the old mines appear to be reviving, perhaps the best in that respect being the Maribel, which, after years of prospecting, has lately cut a reef which is likely to pay handsomely, as between 20 and 30 tons of good quartz are to hand ready for crushing. The old Native chief ground has been re-occupied, pnd two or three other parties are also working in that neighbourhood. Vaughans : This claim is now in the hands of tributers, who are not at present making much headway. A crushing in the early part of the year yielded 1230z. 14dwt. of gold. Nelson. : The reefs in this ground are large and well defined. The main reef is from 2ft. to 4ft. in thickness, but of rather low grade. The country is excellent for working, and there are signs of improvement as the reef gets opened out. Castle Bock: This claim has a very rich leader, which has been followed down through several levels, giving excellent returns. The proprietor is now putting in a new low-level, which will tap the reef at a great depth. This level has been rather a formidable undertaking; but the country has been good, and the manager expects to cut the shot of gold in about two months from date. Manaia. —This portion of the district is again coming into prominence. A number of miners have lately gone there intending to thoroughly prospect the ground. Gold can be found over a very wide area, and some small but rich patches have been found, but it is difficult to trace the gold to its source. The Jubilee claim has turned out fairly well, 25 tons of ore being crushed for a return of 198oz. retorted gold. The Star of Auckland, adjoining the Jubilee, has lately cut thesame leader, and has a ton of crushing-stuff in hand, which is estimated to yield 360z. The Victoria claim also bids fair to do well, having a good reef in hand, from which several crushings, yielding from 2oz. to 4oz. to the ton were taken, but the leader having to be sunk upon, operations had to be stopped, owing to the influx of water. I have, &c, H. W. Northoroft, Warden. The Under-Secretary, Mines Department, Wellington.

No. 2. Mr. Inspector Wilson to the Undee-Secretary of Mines. Sic, — Inspector of Mines' Office, 4th May, 1888. I have the honour to forward the following report on mining in the Coromandel District for the year ending the 31st March last : — Tokatea Mine. —This mine has been worked during the year entirely by tributers, whose operations have been chiefly confined to the surface portions near the top of the range. The leaders, as a rule, are very small, and only when gold is freely seen is the quartz saved for crushing. Twentysix tons of quartz and specimens have been crushed for a return of 1,0270z. of gold, or at the rate of 470z. per ton. The mine is in charge of Mr. John Benney, and an average of twenty men have been employed during the year. Queen of the North Extended Mine. —The operations in this mine have been confined to those portions lying near the surface, the low-level works having been suspended for a time. Three tons of quartz have been crushed for a yield of looz. 17dwt. of gold, and two tons of quartz are stored at the mine, which are estimated to be worth lOOoz. of gold. Mr. Carlo Blasch is the manager, and nine men have been employed working on tribute. Bachelors' Mine. —This mine is situated on the Tokatea Bange, and is owned and worked by Mr. 0. H. Bennett. Two men have been employed during the year, and 7 tons scwt. of quartz have been crushed for 2530z. of gold. The whole of the quartz was taken from small veins. Bob Soy Mine. —This mine, which is also on the Tokatea Eange, is owned by Mr. John Mayn. Two men have been employed on tribute working on small quartz-veins, and 18 tons of quartz were crushed for 211oz. 14clwt. of gold. Boyal Oak Mine. —This mine has again yielded rich returns of gold. The low-level worked by the company, who employed four men, has produced 3160z. of gold from 2 tons Bcwt. of quartz, and the upper portions of the mine, which have been worked by tributers (six men being employed), have yielded 401oz. of gold from 11 tons 12cwt. of quartz. Mr. Peter Eeid is the mine manager. Young American Mine. —This mine, which is owned and worked by Mr. John Kennedy, is situated near the Gem claim on the Tokatea Eange. Three men are employed working on small leaders : 6 tons 15cwt. of quartz yielded 120oz. 6dwt. of gold. Gem Mine. —This claim was formerly known as the Bismarck, from which large quantities of gold were produced, and is now worked by Dunn and party on tribute. Work is confined to a small reef at the " Siege Level." Five tons of quartz yielded 128oz. 12dwt. of gold. Eaipawa Mine. —This claim was formerly known as the Harbour View, and has been worked entirely by tributers, who have crushed 15 tons of quartz for a return of 186oz. of gold. Operations were chiefly on No. 1 and No. 2. Leaders, towards the surface, where the veins did not exceed Sin. in thickness. Mr. P. J. Tienny is the manager of the mine, and ten men are employed. Several other claims are worked on the Tokatea Eange, viz., the Golden Crown, which produced 250z. 4dwt. ; Sterling Castle, 290z. lOdwt.; Kennedy Bay View, 13oz. 17dwt.; Earl, 290z. lOdwt. ; City of Glasgow, 650z. Bdwt. from 5-J- tons of quartz ; and the Sunrise, Boz. 12dwt. of gold. The Success claim, near the old Success Mine, yielded 15oz. lldwt. from 8 tons of quartz. At Waikoromiko, McGregor's claim yielded 13oz. 18dwt. from 741b. of quartz; and small prospectings from Cabbage Bay District amounted to lOoz. 12dwt. of gold. The Taumatawahine Block (private land) is owned by English capitalists, who are having the land on the line of the Success reef prospected, but there does not appear to be any discovery of value made as yet.