101

a—3

Value of plant, £900. The average quantity of quartz crushed is 15 tons in twenty-four hours. When crushing, all the stamps are usually kept at work. The various crushings put through have been more in the way of trial crushings. The value of the gold is £3 17s. lOfd. per ounce. The average number of hands employed is eighteen. At present the mine is only in the prospecting stage." Sunrise Mine. —The Sunrise Company is now driving tunnels on property adjoining that of the Morning Star Company. No. 1 tunnel has been driven 70 ft., and has cut a reef about 6 ft. wide in two divisions of 3 ft. each, with a 2 ft. horse of mullock between. No. 2 tunnel is now 210 ft. in., and it is expected that the reef will be cut at 260 ft. or thereabouts. The long drive tunnel is nearest the Morning Star Mine. Twelve men are employed.

Returns from Quartz-mines in the Otago and Southland Districts for the Year ending 31st March, 1899.

* Returns not to hand : will not materially affect the total. Eemabks on Otago and Southland Quabtz-mining. There has been a great falling-off in the gold returns compared with those of the previous year, and there is very little indication of an increase for next year. The Achilles Mine at Bullendale, which has been one of the most regular gold-producers in the past, may, however, be expected to again largely contribute to the yield of gold from quartz. In the other fields no very extensive mining work is carried on other than working out the most readily accessible parts of the reefs and veins that have been already opened. The development work at the O.P.Q. Mine at Waipori may, however, result in that district again adding to the production of gold from quartz. It may therefore be expected that next year's yield from this mine will show an increase.

Comparative Statement showing Approximate Value of Gold obtained from Quartz-working Throughout the Colony for the Years ending the 31st March, 1898 and 1899 respectively.

Name of Company. Quartz crushed. Yield of gold. .pproxima Value. Achilles Goldfields (Limited) ilenrock Consolidated (Limited) xlenrock tailings by cyanide Vestralia and New Zealand Gold-explorers (Limited) /[orning Star Gold-mining Company iforning Star tailings by amalgamation xolden Site Extended Gold-mining Company ... ilpha Quartz-mine Jromwell Goldfields (Limited) jawrence Brothers ames Lawrence ... Jlolden Gate Gold-mining Company i\ W. Gray ... .... I. T. Symes ... "... Seal and Peterson V. G. Donaldson I. N. Mills and Sons* P. H. Perry I. P. Knight '. Eodgers and Party* ... ... /Tount Highlay Syndicate i. Parker Burnt Creek Quartz-mine Sarewood Quartz-mine ?aieri Quartz-mine ... ..... Canada Eeefs ... ... Tons. 591 4,845 42 458 3,733 1,107 338 2,841$ 79 450 75 304$ 148 195 550 Oz. dwt. gr. 96 19 6 2,498 15 0 193 0 0 161 13 0 2,060 4 0 93 9 0 301 12 5 53 8 0 2,844 3 12 84 1 0 107 0 0 55 0 0 373 11 15 93 0 0 194 0 0 18 13 0 £38,493 Nil Nil 1,880 47 782 53 360 685 378 11 18 8 7 0 83 10 0 10 0 0 62 7 8 98 15 0 Totals 19,564 9,870 0 16

Name of District. 1898. 1899. Increase. Deorease. orth Island — Auckland District ... [iddle Island — Nelson and Westland Districts Otago and Southland Districts £> S. 405,745 13 d. 3 575,642 s. d. 2 8 £ 169,896 s. d. 9 5 £ s. d. 27,030 15 67,900 0 0 0 109,019 38,493 2 10 0 0 81,988 7 10 29,407 0 0 Totals ... 500,676 8 3 723,154 5 6 222,477 17 3