a—g

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more than a few yards in any one place, which renders the work of following it both tedious and difficult. The stone is conveyed by an aerial tramway to the battery of ten stampers driven by a pelton wheel, getting its water-supply from a race constructed from the Owen. The battery was not, nor had it been, working for several days previous to my visit; and I understood it was not intended to start again till copper-plates were fixed on the tables. The plates were expected to be on the ground in a day or two. No weekly report-books ;no copy of Act kept at the mine. 34. Buhner Qnartz-mine. —This mine joins the Wakatu on the north side, where some stone is being got near the surface. As yet very little appears to have been done. Two men are getting out enough stone for a trial crushing, which will be conveyed to the battery by the Wakatu aerial tramway. 35. Waimea Quartz-mine. —This is the most southern lease on the Owen. One of the shareholders is trying alone to sink a shaft by the side of the reef, which he has exposed on the surface for a few feet in length. 36. 37, 38, 39 and 40. Golden Grown, Murchison's Comstoch, Sunbeam, Zealandia, and Belter Times. —These claims have had, on an average, about two men each, prospecting at short intervals from time to time. The Great Eastern and Daisy have had a little less done in them at intervals. There are twelve others in which there has been absolutely nothing done since they were applied for. Eoss. 41. William Tell Quartz-mine (2nd January). —I think this mine had a small trial crushing about two years ago, but the result, I think, was not satisfactory. The work was then suspended for a time. Quite lately some leaders were followed from the main tunnel to the westward, where they gradually thickened to a reef of from lft. to 2-Jffc., showing gold in many places in the face. The stone in the paddock —a few tons —is a good colour,' having a little gold distributed through it. The formation is firm and solid, and the hanging-wall well defined. The roof is very wet, and some of the timber in the tunnel rather light, which the manager has promised to replace with stronger as soon as he can get the men to work. There is a small chamber near the end of the tunnel, and a contract has been let to sink a winze in this chamber as deep as the influx of water will allow, probably 40ft. or 50ft. It is also intended to let a contract to drive No. 2 Tunnel at about 120 ft. lower level, and to open the mine properly from this tunnel. As there is not sufficient water in the Cedar Creek at the reef to drive a battery, it is intended to erect it at a much lower level, where enough water in all seasons is available to do the work, to which place the stone would have to be conveyed by aerial tramway, probably a mile in length. There is very little good mining timber in the vicinity of the reef; therefore the most of it will have to come up from lower country, where laths are to be got. It being holiday-time when I was there, there were no men at the mine. The manager, Mr. Baxter, who had been in charge only four months, promised to get a weekly reportbook, a copy of the Act, and a plan of the mine prepared at once. 42. All Nations Quartz-mine (2nd January).—This mine joins the William Tell on the cast boundary. A tunnel has been driven 862 ft., and is being continued in expectation of intersecting the reef within another 100 ft. This tunnel is very much below the level of the William Tell. The country is very solid, there being only three sets of timber in the 862 ft. driven. I understand the Mines Department subsidised this work so far to the extent of 17s. 6d. per foot. There are several other leases taken up, but no work has yet been done on them. 43. lioss United Gold-mining Company (3rd January). —The deep shaft and all the machinery attached thereto is idle, and has been so for some time past. A portion of the company's ground is being worked on tribute, viz., the upper end of Eoss Plat and Donohuo's Mat. The work is all open sluicing in the bottom of the mine, from which level large elevators are made to dredge up the tailings to the surface. Neither of these places were being worked on the day of my visit. All the dredging-machinery appeared to be in good working order. 44 and 45. Mount a"Or and Greenland Mining Companies (3rd January). —It is a pity these valuable properties have such an intermittent supply of water. They have a large quantity of gold-bearing wash to work at, plenty of fall for tailings, and many years profitable work before them. 4G. Kelley's Terrace Gold-mining Company (sth January).—This mine is situated near Stafford and Hokitika Eoad. The shaft is about 116 ft. deep, where the wash containing gold is taken out from 4ft. to sft. deep. The bottom is blue-lias, and the gravel overhead is fortunately tolerably firm, but exceedingly wet. The roof is supported with single timber (soldiers) and short laths, and the worked-out ground is well packed with stones. I think the mine is carefully and safely worked. The shaft is partitioned off into three compartments, with a ladder fixed in one of them. The wash is lifted from the mine by a cage, and the motive-power is a water-tank, which empties itself at the bottom of the shaft, from which place the water is again lifted a few feet by a hydraulic pipe into a long tail-race communicating with the surface. The plant works remarkably well. No copy of Act and no plan kept at the mine. The manager promised to attend to these things. Accidents. I have only two accidents to record during the year. The first occurred at the Just in Time Quartz-mine, on the 19th February, to Thomas Naysmith, mine-manager, who, while in the act of examining a working-face with a view of getting a set or two of timber fixed in position, was struck down by a piece of slate from the hanging-wall, which broke his leg and several of his ribs, besides doing serious internal injuries. The timbering should have been kept closer up to the working-face. The necessary sets of timber were put in immediately after the accident. Naysmith is again manager of the mine.