55

C.-3

mine, crushing-battery, and incidental expenses, &c, amounted to £5,398. The total depth that the workings of this mine has reached below the top of their shaft is 750 ft., to the No. 5 level. A winze is being sunk in this level on a block of stone, but there is no certainty of this stone continuing down to a great depth, as it cut out in the face of the level. The average yield of gold per ton of quartz crushed was about lOdwt. 15gr., but taking the returns for the past twelve months the average yield has only been about 6dwt. 14gr. of gold per ton. There are nineteen men employed in the mine in addition to the men employed in connection with the crushing-battery. During the year ending 31st March last 2,738 tons of stone was crushed, which yielded 9960z. gold, representing a value of £3,624, of which £500 was declared in dividends. Keep-it-Dark No. 2. —The workings in this mine are carried on from the No. 2 level, and the lode has been stoped up for a distance of about 200 ft., but at this point the lode is much broken up, the stone carrying less gold. A winze has been sunk from No. 2 level to a depth of 90ft., but at 37ft. down the stone cut out, and no further stone was again found. Stoping is being carried on from the winze, where the lode averages about 18in. in thickness ; but above No. 2 level it is about 4ft. There is no crushing-battery in connection with this claim, all the crushing being done at the Keep-it-Dark Company's battery. The total quantity of gold obtained from this mine has been 4,2500z. Bdwt., of a value of £16,873, and the expenditure in connection with the mine, £14,031. The amount of capital actually paid up is £4,600. This enabled dividends to be paid to the extent of £6,400. During the six months ending the 21st March last 1,824 tons of quartz were crushed, which yielded 9960z. 17dwt. of gold, representing a value of £3,986. The expenditure in connection with the mine for the same period was £3,155, and £1,200 was paid in dividends. There has been about sixteen men employed in connection with the mine. Taking the returns for the year ending the 31st March last, 4,295 tons of quartz was crushed, yielding 2,4820z. of gold, representing a value of £9,928, out of which dividends were declared to the extent of £4,200. Hercules. —The work done in this mine has been the extension of the main level for a distance of 212 ft., or within 12ft. of the boundary of the No. 2 Keep-it-Dark Company's ground. Two blocks of stone were cut through, and 165 tons were crushed at the Wealth of Nations Company's battery, which only yielded 560z. gold, or about 6fdwt.per ton. The No. 2 Keep-it-Dark Company have been trying to arrange with the Hercules Company to make a connection from their winze to the Hercules main level, and to get the quartz taken up the latter company's shaft, which would be an advantageous method of working the stone below the No. 2 level, and also give better ventilation in both mines ; but no arrangement has yet been come to. The total value of gold obtained from the mine since the formation of the Hercules Company amounts to £1,645, while the expenditure in connection with the mine has been £4,556, and £300 has been paid in dividends. The actual capital paid up and money received from another company amounts to £3,028, which leaves m> deficiency of about £183. The value of gold obtained during the six months ending 26th February last was £226, and the calls paid amounted to £768, making the total receipts £994 ; while the expenditure for the same period was £987. During the year ending the 31st March last there was 238 tons of quartz crushed, which yielded 1450z., representing a value of £584; and during the same period calls were made to the extent of £1,200. Energy Mine. —This was purchased from the Energetic Company who for many years carried on the workings receiving but very little profit. There are several lodes in the claim, which enabled them to employ a large number of men. It was always looked on as a good wages-claim, but nothing else. After working down to water-level, the company sold the mine to the present proprietors, consisting of a party of six working miners, who have made fair wages ever since they purchased it. They have recently been working on what is known as No. 1 level, on the Snowball reef, which averages about 3ft. 6in. in thickness, and yielding about 14dwt. of gold to the ton. There is one wages-man in addition to the shareholders at work in the mine. During last year 780 tons of quartz was crushed, which yielded 4600z. gold, representing a value of £1,835. Wealth of Nations. — A great deal of work has been done in this mine, and a systematic method of prospecting has been carried on for several years, without meeting with much success. Indeed, the company has been kept afloat by the profits derived from crushing the tailings which were run to waste in the early days, when the company used to pay regular dividends. The manager is now sinking a winze, which is down 150 ft. on the underlie from No. 1 level; this level being 200 ft. below the battery level. A shaft is likewise being sunk from No. 1 level, to a depth of 100 ft., from which it is intended to work a block of stone about sft. in thickness, which gives an average yield of from sdwt. to 6dwt. of gold per ton. There are seventeen men employed in the mine and crushing-battery. The manager of this company deserves the highest credit for the manner in which he has managed to keep the company afloat under the adverse circumstances, and the systematic and workmanlike manner in which prospecting and mining operations have been carried on. During the last year calls have been made by this company to the extent of £1,625. They crushed 609 tons of quartz for a yield of 2160z. gold, and 130oz. gold was obtained from tailings, representing a value of £1,383. Big River. —This mine has been giving good returns for the past year. The shaft is now down for a distance of 440 ft. An adit was constructed which cut the shaft at 220 ft., and at 200 ft. below this level the lode was opened out on, and stoping commenced. These stopes are now up for about 120 ft. on the lode, and have about another 100 ft. to go to the next level, following the inclination of the lode. As the stoping goes upwards the lode seems to get more broken and disturbed, and the reef is very narrow, consequently a large quantity of stone cannot be obtained. The Lord Edward Company, who hold the adjoining ground, have made arrangements with the proprietors of this mine to continue the sinking of the shaft for another 150 ft., and to open out a fresh level at this depth, each company paying half the expenses in connection with sinking the shaft. The Lord Edward Company have also paid the Big Eiver Company £250 to be allowed to have the use of their shaft for winding when they do not require it themselves. The total quantity of gold obtained by the Big Eiver Company up to 16th December last amounted to representing a value of £13,981,