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which is considerably less than the amount previously given me. At the same time it is poss that the men have not been fully employed for the whole of the year. This mine is the property of an English syndicate, who have expended a considerable amc of money in sinking a new shaft at the western end of the workings. This shaft is down to a de of 520 ft. At this level a cross-cut was constructed, which cut the lode at about 185 ft. from shaft; thence the lode was driven about 250 ft. on each side of the cross-cut. The lode at this L is not more than 2ft. 6in. in the widest place, and it narrows to about 2in. on the eastern end, pinches oat to a mere track on the western end. The stone in the lode is auriferous in charac but of low grade. Notwithstanding all the work this syndicate has done, they have not devoted much of t funds to prospecting the ground. The low levels require to be driven for a much greater dista in both directions on the lode, and the shaft should be sunk to a greater depth. It is possible 1 the lode may have only pinched at the low level, and will widen out again lower down, or it mai that it will cut out; should the latter take place another lode is most likely to be found at side to take the present one's place, and, if so, good ore is likely to be found in any new mak stone that takes the place of the present lode. There has not been any work done in the shaft for over eighteen months, but the pumps occasionally worked in order to keep down the water. It is expected that the proprietors resume work here at an early date, either to sink the shaft to a greater depth or carry on prosp ing operations on the lode. Bough Bidge. A party of miners has been prospecting the quartz lodes in the vicinity of the Eough E: during the last year, but without meeting with the success they deserve. Messrs. Perry andps own a small crushing-battery here, and it is said that during the last year they have crushed betw 200 and 300 tons of quartz, but they have forwarded no battery returns. It is, however, sts that the stone crushed was of very low grade, the richest only yielding about Bdwt. of gold per This party was formerly working the Great Eastern and Progress Mines. Latterly they have ta up the old Otago Central Mine, extending the adit-level and stoping out the stone as t proceed. The adit-level in this mine is now in for a distance of about 750 ft. The leader of a ferous quartz that they are working is only about 4in. in thickness, but the quartz yields about 15c of gold per ton. This party deserves better success than they have heretofore met with, for energy and perseverance they have displayed in trying to develop the quartz-mines in this distri Nenthorn. This is now a place of small dimensions; still there are a few people here working in the qua mines. The quartz lodes on this field have have not yielded gold according to expectations. M business-men residing in Dunedin and the up-country towns put considerable capital into mil companies to work the reefs here, and, although not actually ruined, many became crip] in their finances for a time. Not one of the original companies that commenced mining operati on this field are now in existence. One went into liquidation after another. Their properties v either sold for a mere pittance or else they were abandoned. Since then, however, work has b resumed at a number of the mines, and some of these give fair returns for the quantity of st crushed. The lodes, however, are generally small, and, up to the present, it seems that the dee down they have been prospected the less gold do they contain ; but it is possible that this is to the mineral in the stone, which is not oxidized the same as at the surface, where the gold more in a free state. Bonanza. —This mine has changed ownership. The new proprietors have removed the crush: battery to a short distance below the new adit-level, where water is available to work a Pel wheel to drive the machinery. This battery was formerly driven by a portable steam-engine, this engine is left standing at the old site, and a Pelton wheel erected to drive the machiner future, which will effect a great saving, as the cost of bringing fuel to this place is very considera It is, however, questionable if there will be a sufficient supply of water at certain seasons of the y The crushing-battery is now fixed at about 100 ft. below the level of the mouth of the adit, and : proposed to connect the mine with the crushing plant by an aerial tramway. The workings in mine are confined to stoping at about 140 ft. above the level of the adit. During the past year tons of stone has been crushed, which yielded 4510z. of gold. Golden Point. —This mine is situate in Deepdell Creek, and has been working for a consii able time. The stone is of low grade, only going at best about 4dwt. of gold per ton. A lod being opened on the top of the ridge, or, properly speaking, mound. During the last year 2, tons of stone have been crushed, which yielded 2500z. of gold. This only gives an average of 2c Bgr. of gold to the ton, and, notwithstanding this small yield, it is said to have paid the men sr wages for working. At all events, they are so satisfied with their property that, in addition i crushing-battery of ten heads of stamps, they have purchased a second-hand sft. Hunting crusher, and have erected it alongside the battery, with a rock-breaker and two of Wheeler's p< At Nenthorn proper there is only one crushing-battery left on the field, which is one of best crushing plants in the Middle Island, consisting of ten head of the improved American stan formerly fitted up for the Croesus Company, with a Gates rock-breaker and Erue vanners, in addii to the quicksilver and blanket tables. This battery is, however, dependent upon wet weather f< supply of water to work it, and it is said there is a considerable quantity of quartz raised f] some of the claims awaiting crushing at this battery when water is available. Several parcel stone have been crushed at this battery during the year from different claims, amounting in al 330 tons, which have yielded 3210z. of gold, which shows the quartz to have yielded about 19Jd of gold per ton.

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