C—3

44

Ohinemuri District. The mines in this district are looking more promising than at any previous period. Both at Karangahake and Waihi large lodes have proved to be highly payable for working; at Komata also a new lode was discovered last year, 6ft. to 12ft. in width, which is said to have an average assayvalue of from £5 to £6 per ton. The mines at Maratoto have not turned out according to expectations. Indeed, they have been very disappointing. Some very rich silver was found on the outcrop, but it could not be traced into the hill for a great length; neither did it go down to any depth. Large blocks of stone have, however, been taken from some of the lodes in this locality, which are rich in silver, and probably a payable lode will yet be found. The plant belonging to the Maratoto Company was sold last year, but it is still on the field, which will enable bulk tests of ore to be made if further discoveries are made. There is a number of quartz lodes between Waihi and Whangamata which have never been prospected; and there is also a large field where auriferous lodes may be found between Maratoto anct Waitekauri. Mining in this district is only in its infancy, and there is ample room for a large mining population to be employed. Karangahake. This field is looking better than it has done for many years. There are not the same number of claims taken up as in former years, but those that are now held are likely to prove remunerative. The Crown Company, which is principally formed with English capital, has at the present time the richest lode, in proportion to its dimensions, there is in the colony. This company induced the Cassell Company to erect a plant to treat their crushed ore by the cyanogen process, which has proved, so far as experiments have been made with the quantity of ore treated, to extract a higher percentage of bullion than any other process hitherto tried in any of the Australasian Colonies. The Crown Company have now purchased the Cassell Company's plant, and are erecting new reduction works and a large cyanogen plant alongside of the Ohinemuri Eiver, about 15 chains lower down than the township.

Average Number of Men employed. For Owners. For Tr: ibuters; Tailings. Area. Locality and Name of Mine. i I 11 Quartz crushed. Mullock crushed. Retorted Gold. Quartz crushed. Ketorted Gold. Quantity treated. Gold obtained. South Haurahi — con, Vaiokaraka — May Queen A. K. P. 29 2 27 Tons cwt. lb. 2,482 0 0 Tons. Oz. dwt. 2,068 9 Tonscwt.gr. Oz. dwt. gr. Tons cwt. lb. Oz. dwt. gr. 25 taraka— Adelaide .'. Lone Hand Claremont E. andM... Hokianga .. Karaka 12 0 30 27 3 35 10 0 1 3 10 2 0 36 10 0 0 i 1 2 3 7 8 3 0 0 0 16 65 0 0 215 0 0 154 13 131 3 175 7 123 0 157 0 0 283 0 0 131 0 0 467 19 0 440 0 0 598 19 0 Ina Hill and Te PapaDives Occidental Pride of Karaka Magnolia Boyle's (Rox) North Star Welcome Just in Time 55 0 31 10 15 283 1 6 584 8 21 3 15 21 0 9 14 3 24 17 2 30 3 0 22 30 0 0 3 0 0 2 0 0 6 12 8 8 1 2 2 2 480 0 0 439 0 0 160 0 0 240 0 0 8 0 0 720 0 662 7 267 10 199 14 41 6 9 101 0 0 217'18 0 78"0 0 133 0 0 51 19 29 0 113 2 20 41 Q 1,538 0 0 1,971 16 101 0 0 217 18 0 lape Creek — Consols Souvenir .. 29 3 31 14 2 10 17 2 10 100 0 0 52 0 0 100 16 24 7 220 0 0 207 19 0 44 2 1 19 10 152 0 0 125 3 220 0 0 207 19 0 'uriri— Puriri Puriri Prospectors .. 47 0 173 16 4 0 0 30 0 0 3 3 142 0 0 121 0 0 34 0 0 6 263 0 0 220 16 'airua— Bonnie Scotland 5 0 0 3 124 0 0 91 19 Sundries 18 17,000 0 0 3,981 IS 0 1,343 12 Totals 945 1 30 568 156 4,427 19 0 17,000 0 0 39,331 12 62 21,953 27,461 12 7,865 040 3,981 15 0