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MIDDLE ISLAND. Mablbobough District. The return from quartz-mining in this district has so far proved very disappointing where operations have as yet been carried on. The only place where really rich stone has been got was in a lode at Jackson's Head, worked many years ago by the Bavenscliff Company, and later on some few hundredweights of good stone was obtained in the old workings by some men connected with the antimony-mine at Endeavour Inlet. This mine, however, did not yield a sufficient quantity of good ore to pay for working; and, although a considerable amount of money has been expended in the Waikakaho and Wakamarina Beefs, no lode payable for working has as yet been discovered. Waikakaho. Bavenscliff. —This mine is situate on the opposite side of the range from Mahakipawa Diggings, but the holdings come over the saddle between the watershed of the Waikakaho and Mahakipawa Creeks. A large sum was expended by this company in erecting a crushing-plant, and an aerial tramway some three miles in length to connect the battery and the mine, which is situate about 640 ft. above the flat where the battery is erected. The returns from the battery when it commenced crushing the ore were so small that the system adopted for saving the gold by amalgamation was considered not suitable for the character of the stone that had to be treated. During the last year a cyanide plant was constructed, and Mr. Wilson, one of the Cassel Company's men, was employed to conduct the operations. According to the Inspector of Mines' report for this district, Mr. Turner, the New Zealand representative of the Bavenscliff Company, informed him that 175 tons either of stone crushed or tailings were treated by the cyanide process for a return of only 16oz. gold ; but the battery returns furnished only show 25 tons of stone crushed, which yielded 14oz. gold. If the latter returns are correct, it would show that the stone yielded lldwt. of gold per ton, which would be a payable return if the lode continued to be of a fair thickness; but, judging from the character of the lode when making an inspection of this mine along with Mr. B. A. F. Murray, the chief of the geological staff in Victoria, and Mr. A. McKay, the Mining Geologist, about eighteen months ago, my impression then was that working this property would prove a failure. It is to be deplored that an enterprising English company has not met with better success. All the work is suspended at the mine, and it is very questionable if it will be again resumed unless the mine be let to tributers. Wakamarina. Golden Bar. —This mine is situate near the head of Dead-horse Creek, at Wakamarina. The lode has been opened out at two levels. It is enclosed between two very well-defined walls, the lode being from 4ft. to sft. in thickness in the low level, and a character of stone that indicates that payable auriferous quartz will yet be discovered in this lode. However, no stone payable for working has yet been met with. Empire City. —This mine is on the side of the range, nearer Deep Creek than the Golden Bar. It was opened by Mr. James Wilkie, one of the owners. There is a large body of stone, containing very finely-divided particles of gold and a small proportion of scheelite in the lode. An Otis crusher was erected to crush the ore, but the returns of gold did not show the lode to be payable for working. Some tests of the ore were made at the Thames, but this did not give payable results. The best assay-value of the samples sent gave 17s. 4d. per ton, while others gave 14s. 2d. per ton. Very little work has, however, been done in the mine ; and, before any crushing can be commenced, a water-race, which is partially constructed, will have to be completed. Mining operations have in the meantime been suspended. Nelson District. Collingwood. The only quartz-workings carried on in this district is by the Johnson's United Company at Bedstead Gully. This mine has been working for many years, and a considerable number of wagesmen have been employed by this company. Indeed, before the Parapara Sluicing Company commenced its operations, the Johnson's United Company was looked on as the mainstay of the distric, as it was the only mining company about Collingwood who employed a large number of wagesmen. The quartz lode in this company's mine lies very flat. It is more like the formation of a coal seam than a lode of quartz. Occasionally some good ore was got, but in general the lode contained low-grade ore. Wherever the lode was found to take a plunge from its fiat position generally good payable ore was found, but after resuming its slight inclination from the horizon the ore became poor in quality. During the last year comparatively little mining operations were carried on, there being only a few men employed in the mine. It is stated that this company has expended about £20,000, and has only had a few small dividends. The mine has now been worked, for such a distance on the lode that either a shaft or another adit-level will have to be constructed to work at a greater depth. During the year ending 31st March last, 3,354 tons of quartz was crushed, which yielded 6570z. gold. Blackball. Minerva. —This is the only quartz-mine opened in this locality. The lode was first discovered at the side of the Blackball Creek, and some stone was taken from the west side which showed a little gold, and seemed to those who discovered it payable for working if a crushing-battery was erected in this vicinity. Mr. G. Perrotti, of Greymouth, having a ten-head crushing-battery at Cedar Creek, in the Totara district, which formerly belonged to the William Tell Company, shifted this battery, and had it erected at the side of the Blackball Creek, a short distance below where the lode is situate. The workings were opened out on the east side of the creek, and some fairly good stone