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lower tables, or side-tables, have a fall of 1 in. to the foot, and the perforated plates f in. to the foot. The gold on the side-tables being daily saved, while the gold on the mats under the riffles is saved periodically, according to the supply of water and nature of ground and operations. The gold recovered is very fine, and has to be amalgamated and then retorted. The elevators used are of 13 in. pipes, with patent oval seats of 16 in. by 10 in. openings, having throats of 3 ft. in height, 6 in. diameter, tapering to 7f in., and jets of 2-f in. These, with a properly regulated supply of water and dirt from the nozzle acting on the face, are capable of lifting to a height of 50 ft., and elevate from 60 to 70 tons of material per hour. An air-injector can be attached, and is generally used to cause a body of air to accompany and naturally surround the water being forced up the elevators, thus minimising the friction along the inner portions of the uptake pipes. The average number of Government heads used to each elevator is 5-434, and on each nozzle working on the face 3-66. The average height of face has been 39 ft., and the average depth of auriferous washdirt 1 ft. 6 in. The ground worked out by the syndicate and company to date is 33 acres, being 2,100,000 cubic yards of material, and has given a return of 7,751 oz. 16 dwt. 15 gr. of gold, valued at £30,425 18s. Bd., and is equal to a recovery of If gr. to the yard, valued at 3fd. per yard. The faces of the claims are usually sandy, covered with clay and heavy timber, carrying small bands of inferior and low-grade washdirt in places, on the lower portion of the field the main rich washdirt being on the false sandy bottoms, and hard fine clay bands constituting the false bottom in places. On the higher levels the rich washdirt is on a main bottom of igneous formation, which generally has been composed of various rocks, feldspathic diorites predominating on the upper field, and apparently merging into decomposed granites, &c. The wash on both bottoms generally is formed of portions of these rocks, mixed with black sands carrying gold and small quantities of platinum, and possibly other precious and rare metals. The company is now constructing a large reservoir, to be filled with the third share of their water from Anderson and Erskine's race, and which is about seven miles from their claims. This will hold when finished about 24,000,000 gallons, and will be a great assistance to their operations. They are also proceeding with an extension of Port's race, to bring in more water during dry weather. This has no other race above, and goes through wet country, which has always a good supply of water available in summer. The number of men generally employed is forty-five. This includes only those occupied about the claims and water-races regularly. When large works are undertaken from twenty to fifty more men are generally employed, and at the present time there are about thirty-five extra hands occupied about the dam and water-races being extended. The syndicate took the water-races over in March, 1891, from the various owners, and started sinking the first paddock on the 9th November, 1891, and when it merged into the present company—in July, 1892—the company carried on its operations, and has continued doing so, generally making a fair profit, and employing this profit in making new plant and improving and increasing its possessions. It has purchased various claims found unprofitable to work by individual miners, and has paid for these to date £814 odd. Most of these smaller claims are unworked, and adjoin their other claims. Their own claims consist of a 21-acre claim about worked out, a 60-acre claim with a few acres worked, the purchased claims coming to about 6 acres. Their renewable water-races number thirty-five, including the main ones. They have over fifty other rights, including the branch races, making a total of over eighty-five mining rights. Their buildings contain sawmill, pipe-making plant, dynamo and electric plant, smithy, and workshop. The machinery is driven by a Pelton waterwheel. Most of the timber they use is now cut up from logs taken off their claims." Ourawera Claim. —The Ourawera Gold-mining Company hold a claim adjacent to the Round Hill Company's land. The ground is similar in character to that worked by that company, and is about 40 ft. in depth. Considerable difficulty is experienced in getting rid of the tailings, the elevator being set to lift 45 ft. O'Brien's Claim. —This claim is worked by the owner, Mr. Thomas O'Brien, who employs one wages-man. The ground is further up-stream than the Ourawera Company's, and is worked by hydraulic sluicing. 400 ft. of 11 in. and 200 ft. of 10 in. steel pipes are used. The owner is satisfied with his earnings. The water used is from his own race. Vesey and Breck's claim is worked, when water can be got, from O'Brien's race. About six men find employment in working small claims in this district whenever water is available, and two parties are sluicing near Lake George. The Chinese also do a little washing and sluicing when water is to be had, but to all appearance the days for individuals getting profitable employment in claims is past as far as this district is concerned. Orepuki. John Barry and Ohler Sorenson and two wages-men are working a claim of 9 acres in the old school-ground. This claim has been worked for seven years, but for the past two years it has not been payable, but is now being worked profitably. There is 40 ft. of stripping, consisting of clay and hard beds of sand. The wash is about 2 in. to 3 in., lying on coarse soft sandstone. The water obtained for sluicing is from a race owned by six claimholders. About twenty men are using water from this race. A rush has taken place to a piece of land to the northward of King's claim and Wallace's freehold. A shaft has been sunk by E. Ralstone and party. This was bottomed at 42 ft., with about 2 ft. 6 in. of wash. The shaft is 7 ft. by 4 ft., and the prospects are such that they intend erecting a horse-whim for working out the claim, which is named the Klondyke. Two men have a claim to the westward, and have driven 37 ft. from an open face. Forbes and party (three men's ground) are ground-sluicing. There is about 20 ft. of stripping, and the wash is from lin. to 3 ft. in depth, lying on 20 ft. sandstone. W. Forbes and party (four men's ground) are driving for the wash, which is about 1 ft. in thickness. Homer's claim (one man's ground) and Currie and King's claim (two men's ground) are both sluicing.