C.—6

8

Waiotahi Mine. —Operations in this mine have been confined to working on the reefs and leaders above No. 4 Level. I,oooft. of driving has been done, and the same number of fathoms stoped on the various reefs and leaders. 2,497 tons of quartz have been-crushed, yielding 3,2030z. of melted gold. Mr. James E. Smith is the manager, and from forty to fifty men are employed. New Manukait Mine. —This mine, which adjoins the Waiotahi Mine, is also in charge of Mr. J. E. Smith. The workings are of the same class as in the Waiotahi Mine. 300 ft. of driving has been done, 200 fathoms of reef stoped out; and 400 tons of quartz crushed for a return of 6400z. of melted gold. Twelve men are employed. Old Caledonian Mine. —This mine now comprises the ground formerly known as the Golden Crown and Caledonian mines. 909 tons of quartz have been crushed by the company for a return of 380oz. sdwt. of gold. Tributers in the Golden Crown section crushed 117 tons for 2580z. ldwt. of gold, and in the Caledonian section 522 tons for 828oz. 14dwt. of gold; total, 1,548 tons for 1,4670z. of gold. Mr. T. A. Dunlop is the manager. Thirty-six men are employed. Moanataiari Mine. —The workings by the company have been driving on the low-level towards the Cambria Mine for a distance of 160 ft, and 80ft. of a rise was also made and 20ft. of sinking done from this drive. A level was also driven on Williams's leader for 100 ft., and a winze sunk 50ft. Tribute parties have been employed in various parts of the mine, 130 men being employed in this manner, and twenty men on wages. Total amount of quartz crushed, 1,301 tons, for a yield of 3,9000z. lldwt. of gold. Mr. Thomas Badford is the manager. This mine has been offered to an English company, the present proprietors being unable, for want of capital, to continue deep-level prospecting. The directors of the company have received advices from London that the property has been floated on the London market with a capital of £75,000, of which £25,000 is to be devoted to work the mine and to pay off existing liabilities. Don Pedro Mine. —Several tribute parties have been working in this mine from time to time, and 38 tons of quartz were crushed for 370z. 16dwt. of gold. Kuranui No. 1 Mine (Turtle's). —About 350 tons of quartz crushed yielded 580oz. sdwt. of gold. Kuranui No. 2 Mine (Comer's). —This mine is the property of Mr. Bobert Comer, and is worked by tributers. The workings are confined to leaders, chiefly over the Moanataiari tunnel level. 1,634 tons of quartz were crushed for a return of 1,5300z. lOdwt. of gold. Fifty men are employed. Kuranui No. 3 Mine (Hicks's). —This mine was owned by Mr. Thomas Hicks, and was worked by tributers, who worked on the leaders over the tunnel level. About 600 tons of quartz were crushed for a return of 4400z. of gold. About twenty men were employed. This mine has lately been purchased by Mr. Feter Hansen, who has also acquired the Kuranui battery, and intends to crush a large quantity of mullock and stringers from the old Shotover ground. Beuben Parr Mine. —Ten men have been employed on tribute, and 180 tons of quartz were crushed for 200oz. of gold. Pinafore Mine. —A considerable amount of work has been done in this ground. The owners crushed 56 tons of quartz for 590z. 3dwt. of gold, and tributers crushed 6 tons for soz. 2dwt. of gold. Eleven men are employed, and Mr. D. E. O'Sullivan is the manager. Neio Alburnia Mine. —Work in this mine has been confined to the upper portions from the Whau Level to the surface, a depth of 300 ft.; 600 ft. of driving has been done on the various reefs, and 200 ft. of sinking winzes; 150 ft. of cross-cut drives have been put in, and 685 fathoms of reef stoped out; 887 tons of quartz were crushed, yielding 1,5970z. 6dwt. of gold. This mine is well opened up, and the prospects of the company are very encouraging. The reef now being worked turns out occasional patches of specimens, and there is a considerable extent of ground to be worked upon it and other reefs between the battery-level and the surfaces. The company are endeavouring to get the co-operation of the adjoining mines to carry on prospecting operations at the lower-levels, which are kept open, iron tramways being laid for a distance of 2,600 ft. Twentyfive men are employed, and Mr. William McKenzie is the manager. Coliban Mine. —Seventy tons of quartz have been crushed for 570z. of gold. About 300 ft. of driving has been done on the reef, which is 18in. in thickness. The surrounding rock is very hard. The future prospects are, however, encouraging. Four men are employed, and Mr. J. B. Hunter is the manager. Cambria Mine. —The chief operations in this mine were driving the south cross-cut at No. 4 Level 367 ft. to the Trenton boundary. No quartz of any consequence was cut, although the country is not altogether unfavourable for reefs to exist. The drives at No. 2 Level on the hangingwall leader were extended 80ft. to the eastward and 50ft. to the westward. In the eastern drive payable quartz was followed 93ft., and in the western drive payable quartz was also followed for 200 ft., and the block stoped out for 60ft. over the drive. Nos. 1 and 2 Leaders, on the foot-wall side of this hanging-wall leader, were also worked on. A winze was sunk on No. 1 Leader towards No. 3 Level, and a cross-cut was put in at No. 3 Level to meet the winze. In driving this cross-cut four leaders were cut, all of them gold-bearing. A large amount of stoping has been done on Nos. 1, 4, 5, 6, and 7 Leaders at this level, the quartz from which was payable. Stoping was also carried on on the main reef at this level, and a winze sunk for 34ft. A cross-cut to meet this winze is being put in at No. 4 Level, and is now in 285 ft. There is every probability that a considerable amount of payable quartz will be obtained in working all these leaders at No. 3 Level, and in the blocks of ground between Nos. 3 and 4 Levels. The country has the same characteristics as in the Waiotahi Mine, where the small leaders and veins are so successfully worked. Of quartz, 6,562 tons yielded 3,8100z. sdwt., and 2,1341b. of specimens yielded 2,5090z. of gold. A parcel of tailings, 259f tons, were also treated for 2420z. of gold. Total, 6,6610z. 17dwt. of gold. Sixty men are employed, and Mr. H. W. Moore is the manager. The Lincoln Castle, Dixon's No. 1, West Coast, Little Maggie, Fame and Fortune, Dryden's, Curtis's, Fearnought, and other claims in Moanataiari and Waiotahi Districts have been worked with moderate results.