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Inherman Company. —This company has crushed 4,083 tons of quartz from their mine during the year, which yielded 2,7540z. of gold representing a value of £10,690, out of which £2,000 has been paid in dividends. The shaft has been sunk to a further depth of 176 ft., making the total depth 294 ft. At 218 ft. the No. 2 level was opened out. This level is constructed for 345 ft. in length, and it is between this and No. 1 level where most of the stone crushed was obtained. The lode varies from 2ft. to 3ft. in thickness. In driving northwards the lode pinches out, but the walls are clearly defined, and a trace of the lode can easily be followed, so that the stone may make again some distance further on. A winze has been sunk from the No. 2 level for a distance of 71ft., and when the main shaft is down to a depth of 318 ft. another level will be opened out. A block of surface-stone at the southern end of the lease averaged about 3oz. to the ton, but this is now about worked out. The average yield from the stone in the lode between the No. 1 and No. 2 levels has been about 13dwt. of gold per ton. The stone is conveyed to the crushing-battery, erected in Bainy Creek, by an aerial tramway 70 chains in length. Keep It Dark Company. —The returns from this company's mine have not come up to those of former years, but it is expected that a good block of stone will be obtained below the bottom level. During last year the workings have been chiefly confined to the upper levels, which in the early days of this company were considered too poor to work. About 5,081 tons of quartz has been crushed during last year, which yielded 1,7690z. of gold, representing a value of £6,900, out of which £1,000 has been paid in dividends. The main shaft is down to a depth of 500 ft. and a subsidiary shaft sunk from the bottom level at 500 ft. in from the main shaft for a distance of 120 ft. and the whole of the stone stoped out. At 90ft. in the level from the bottom of the subsidiary shaft a winze has been sunk to a depth of 110 ft., where the lode is sft. in thickness, and at the time of my visit this lode was being driven on from the bottom of the winze. The total quantity of gold obtained from this mine amounts to 58,2200z., representing a value of £226,506, out of which £107,583 has been paid in dividends. No. 2 South Keep It Dark Company. —A shaft was sunk several years ago at the junction of this company's ground with the Pandora and South Wealth of Nations to a depth of 280 ft. This shaft was sunk conjointly by these companies, but the two latter failed to get sufficient payable stone to continue working. The main level from the bottom of the shaft has been extended for 179 ft., or a total distance of 563 ft. from the shaft, where a good block of stone has been found, averaging about 2ft. in thickness. This has been driven on for a considerable distance. During the last year 1,347 tons of quartz has been crushed, which yielded 1,1900z. of gold, representing a value of £4,700, out of which £1,800 has been paid in dividends. Cumberland Company. —This Company's mine is situated in vicinity of Merrijigs, and is one of the new mines in the field. Operations were only commenced about the middle of last year, when men were engaged to prospect the ground. After about one month's prospecting a lode was found on the eastern boundary of the ground, which was at first taken to be lying in almost a horizontal position. An adit-level was constructed about 30ft. below the outcrop, and the lode cut at about 130 ft. in from the mouth, and on driving on the lode it was found to be nearly standing vertical, having a thickness of 10ft. in places, but the average width would be from 4ft. to sft. The lode has been driven on for 150 ft., and 609 tons of stone has been crushed, which yielded 6300z. of gold, representing a value of £2,533 4s. 9d., out of which £1,200 has been paid in dividends. A tramway has been constructed from the mine to the Sir Francis Drake crushing-battery for a distance of about 83 chains, but after proving the mine it is contemplated to erect crushing machinery in Deep Creek, and to connect it with the mine by an aerial tramway. Golden Treasure Company. —There is a good deal of antimony-ore in this company's mine, which contains on an average about l|-oz. of gold to the ton, but, owing to the difficulty of separation by the ordinary battery process, it cannot be made to pay. This class of ore is found in five different portions of the mine, varying from 2ft. to 10ft. in thickness. Assays have been made of some of the ore, which showed it contained 45 per cent, of pure antimony. Two tons of ore have been sent to Germany, and 10 tons to Auckland, for treatment, but the results are not yet known. During the past year 700 tons of stone has been crushed, which yielded 5870z. of gold, representing a value of £2,313 Bs. 9d., out of which £900 was paid in dividends. Wealth of Nations Company. —This company has spent between £4,000 and £5,000 in prospecting the mine, and have now come on a block of stone which promises to yield fair returns. Since the upper workings in the mine were abandoned, an adit-level has been constructed for 800 ft. in length, and at the end of this adit a shaft has been sunk to a depth of 200 ft., from which prospecting operations have been carried on. A cross-cut is made from the bottom of the shaft to cut the lode, but on driving 60ft. it was found that only a trace of a lode was discernible, the quartz had cut out, and only soft mullock left between the walls. After driving on the line of the lode for about 600 ft. a little quartz was found. This level has now been constructed for a distance of 900 ft., and the quartz is stoped out to a height of about 60ft. The width of the lode varies from 4ft. to 10ft. in thickness, and the stone yields from 4dwt. to 9dwt. per ton. For the last three years the company has been crushing the tailings which were stored in former years when the stone was taken from the upper levels. About 4,000 tons of these tailings have been treated, yielding gold to the value of about £5,000. During last year, 1,997 tons of quartz was crushed, which yielded 5940z. of gold, and the tailings treated yielded lOloz. of gold, representing a total value of £2,705 Bs. 7d. Fiery Cross Company. —This company's mine adjoins the South Hopeful and Welcome Mines. The workings are now carried down to a depth of 720 ft. The main shaft is 450 ft. deep, and from the level running from the bottom there is a subsidiary shaft from which the principal workings are carried on. Most of the stone above the 600 ft. level has been taken out. A winze has been sunk from this level for a distance of 120 ft. This subsidiary or monkey shaft has been sunk to same depth and connected with this winze, which has opened out what is considered a very valuable block of stone, and said to be better than any got on the upper levels. Prospecting has also been carried on in the level known as the Welcome Tunnel, and a lode about 3ft. in width has been struck,