C—3a

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driven about 60ft. from the cross-cut, and, although the lode was very wide, it was poor in gold. The east end of the level is in 85ft. from the cross-cut; the driving has been on the lode all the way, and at the face there is about 7ft. of good-looking stone. Air very fair. Eeport kept. Plan not up to date. (9/3/95): The safety-catches I had requested to be provided have now been fitted on cage. The west end of No. 6 level is in a distance of 130 ft. from the cross-cut, and is still on stone over 10ft. in thickness, but which is not all payable. The distance from the cross-cut to the east end is 150 ft., but the lode is beginning to get broken. Six men are stoping, in one shift, 30ft. above No. 6. Four men are extending the level to east, in two shifts. Two shifts of four men each are stoping below No. 5 level. Air very good. Timbering all right. Sufficient filling is got from the lode. Owing to the poorness of the stone the prospects of this mine are not very bright. Wealth of Nations Quartz-mine. — (12/9/94): The blind shaft is at present being sunk; it is intended to go 150 ft., and is now down 80ft. Pour men are stoping below the 200 ft. level on a short block of stone, about 35ft. long by nearly 30ft. wide at the centre; two men are also logging up the pass below this level. Two men are stoping about 30ft. above the 350 ft. level. The air is good in the shaft, but rather warm where the men are working in the pass. I requested Mr. Lawn, the boss of the shift, to see that the men were lashed on to the rope when descending the shaft, as this was not being done, and he promised to see it carried out. Three shifts working, employing twenty-one men in all in the mine. (8/3/95): The blind shaft has now been sunk to a depth of 150 ft. below the 350 ft. level. A winze which was being sunk has been stopped, as the lode went away fiat and thin, while the yield was poor; but another block of quartz has been found only a few feet to the north-west, 80ft. in length, about sft. in width, and of fair quality. A winze is being sunk on this, and is down 75ft. on quartz all the way. Air is led along to the top of the winze in boxes. Timbering all right. 20ft. of driving will be required from the bottom of the blind shaft to strike the winze now sinking. The prospects of this mine, which at the end of the year were discouraging, are now rather better. Eeport and plan duly kept, and winding-ropes tested. Keep-It-Dark Quartz-mine. —(12/9/94): The only work doing is sinking a winze from No. 5. to No. 6 levels. This is just started, and. is on the west reef, the recent crushing from which taken out at No. 4 level gave only 2-Jdwt. to the ton, but it is hoped that it will improve going down. Air sufficient at present, but boxes are to be led in whenever the winze is far enough down for them to be out of the way of the shots. (8/3/95): A new block of stone has been found between No. 5 and No. 6 levels, the latter of which cannot have been far away from it. The length of the block is not yet known, but it is 20ft. in thickness below No. 5, and is believed to be payable all the way to No. 6. Having lately broken through to the latter the air is good. Six men, in two shifts, are breaking out quartz about 100 ft. above the battery level. Some of the timber is pretty far gone, but it is being renewed as required. The length of this block is about 40ft., and the average width 4ft. It was left by the company in the early days, as it was not then payable. Eeport duly kept, Hercules Quartz-mine. —(12/9/94) : Stoping from No. 7 to No. 6 level has just been finished, and now No. 8 level, at a depth of 564 ft., is being extended on the lode by three shifts of two men each. The last 20ft. of driving has been on good stone, about 6ft. wide, and there should be another 100 ft. of this. A good current of air in boxes which are being brought nearer the face. I drew Mr. Bray's attention to some loose pieces of wall-rock where the No. 8 level strikes the reef, and they are to be taken down or secured. Five men are taking out stone on tribute from the old No. 3 level, which was not payable formerly. In this latter part of the mine the air was dull, so I wrote the manager, requesting that the opening to the surface should be made as early as possible. Eeport kept. Eopes tested on 7th May. Eules with names posted. (7/12/94) : Having received a complaint about bad air, I at once inspected the mine. The ventilation in No. 3 level was now all right, but the air in No. 8 level was decidedly insufficient. This could easily have been avoided had the connection with the winze from No. 7 been pushed ahead. I considered it called for a prosecution, but, the contractors having signed to keep the air right, it was thought undesirable to lay an information. (8/3/95): Eight men stoping in day-shift about 60ft. about No. 8 level,'the face of which is on track of reef only. The air is now all right. Safety appliances not yet provided, but Mr. Lee again writes that they will be fitted up. Only two tributers working now, and they are driving north on a leader to connect with the old winze. I drew their attention, and also Mr. Bray's, to some bad places, which they promised to attend to. No. 2 South Keep-It-Dark Quarts-mine. —(12/9/94) : The only work doing is sinking a winze, which has just been started from No. 2 level in the old Pandora ground, at a point 370 ft. south of the cross-cut. Five men. in all working. Air not very good, so I requested the manager to have boxes led in, and this will be done. The sinking of the shaft which was previously going on was completed, and after driving to the reef a crushing of 70 tons was taken out, but did not prove payable. At the depth of 450 ft. the stone still lived underfoot, but the lode was only lft. in width. (8/3/95) : This mine is stopped for the time being, but the water is kept baled out. Mars Quartz-mine. —(7/12/94) : This is a prospecting drive which is being put in by Mr. H. Betts on the south side of the Inangahua Eiver, at Black's Point. The main tunnel is 230 ft. to the face, and there are four cross-cuts. Three leaders or tracks of reefs have been cut through, but only the one near the face of the western cross-cut was gold-bearing. Mr. Betts intends to continue driving although stopped at present. The Venus Extended and Royal Mines have not been working during the year, but are to be worked in conjunction with the New Low-level Tunnel as one concern. Work has not yet been started by the new company.