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very dry during that time. The company have under consideration the construction of a dam, which would have been made before now had they been in a position to have undertaken the work. This has become an urgent requirement, as there has been lately several more claims taken up, and under present conditions the company will not be able to supply all the parties with the water they have applied for. The private parties are doing better now, as the ground improves going into the hill, and from present appearances they will continue to do well. In the Eepublic Claim the company have lately been putting down iron rails at intervals in the tail-race. This has effected a marked improvement in the saving of gold. It breaks up the stuff much better than is done on a straight run of ordinary blocks. Eleven men were employed. Soaring Meg Sluicing Claim (Area, 50 acres ; owner, G. Perotti). —Very little work has been done during the year. The derrick and machinery that were to have been used for the removal of the large boulders have not yet been erected, and the plant is still lying at the roadside about four miles distant from the claim. Sluicing operations have consequently been limited. It is intended that all boulders 10 tons and under will be removed by the derrick, and those of larger size will be broken up by explosives, so thac they can be made of fit size to be removed. "Until the derrick is fitted up it cannot be expected that much progress can be made. Grey River Claim (Area, 30 acres; owners, John T. Kinsella, Joseph Shrives, and Joseph Stenhouse; mine-manager, Joseph Shrives). —This claim is situated two miles east of Blackball Township, and is worked by hydraulic sluicing. About 60,000 yards of material was operated on during the year, giving a return of 150 oz. 10 dwt. 17 gr. of gold, valued at £594 12s. There are three miles of water-races, with a capacity of fifteen heads, and 8 chains of 13 in. pipes. The value of water-races and plant is £1,500. Four men were employed. This claim was only worked for about eight months. No Town District. Several miners are still employed in this district. Prospeeting-shafts were sunk in a line across the gully by a party, who were subsidised under the prospecting regulations. Several claims are worked from drives put into Eed Jack's Terrace, the gravel being brought out and sluiced at No Town or Twelve-mile Greek. Bell Hill Claim (Area, 49 acres 2 roods 23 perches; owner, Bell Hill Gold-mining Company, Limited ; mine-manager, Thomas Stafford). —This claim is situated at Deep Creek, a tributary of the Arnold Biver, and is worked by ground-sluicing. The face of gravel varies from 100 ft. to 150 ft. About 59,300 yards of gravel was operated on, which yielded 155 oz., valued at £610. There are two miles of water-races, with a capacity of twenty-five heads, with 700 ft. of 18 in. and 15 in. pipes. The plant is valued, at £7,740. This claim was short of water for ten weeks. Ten men were employed. . Sulky Gully is situated on the north of the right bank of the Grey Eiver, about two miles behind Taylorville. Wills and King completed a race to bring in water to work the ground in this locality by hydraulic sluicing. A subsidy was granted for the construction of this race, the owners agreeing to sell one-third of the water at Government rates. Several parties of Chinese are also working in this locality. Wills's claim and other ground are giving profitable returns. Between Cobden and Point Elizabeth a few prospectors are engaged on the beaches. ■ To the northward of Point Elizabeth some prospecting has been done at the Ten-mile. Fourteen-mile Beach. The Pactolus (Area, 100 acres ; owner, the Pactolus Sluicing Company; mine-manager, George Morris). —This ground is worked by ground-sluicing. Only a small experimental washing was made during the year, and gold obtained to the value of £4 17s. 9d. There is one race a quarter of a mile in length carrying eight heads, and another of two miles, which will carry ten heads, is under construction. There is also 14 chains of 11 in. pipes. The value of the water-races and plant is £2,500. Prom ten to twenty men were employed. Seventeen-mile Beach. ...,■': Barrytown Flat No. 1 Claim (Area, 192 acres; mine-manager, William White; owners, the Barry town Flat No. 1 Gold-mining Company). —This claim is worked by hydraulic elevators under a pressure of 600 ft. For the eight months worked, 193,600 cubic yards of material was operated on, giving a return of 714 0z., valued at £2,803. The water-race consists of 1 mile 33 chains of fluming with 50 chains of 15 in. pipes. The value of the water-race and plant is £12,000. Twelve men were employed. Special Claim No. 63 (Area, 100 acres; owner, the Barrytown Flat No. 2 Gold-mining Company ; mine-manager, George Beeves). —The owners propose to work this claim, which is composed of beach-gravels to a depth of 25 ft., by elevating. When the works are completed there will be 4miles 66chains of water-races with 120 chains of piping, and the pressure of water will be 600 ft. The value of the whole work when completed will be about £20,000. Canal Creek. Waiwhero Claim (Area, 300 acres; owner, the Waiwhero Sluicing Company; mine-manager, Thomas G. Davis). —The claim is worked by ground-sluicing. The washdirt varies from 12 ft. to 30 ft. in thickness, and the stripping 5 ft. to 25 ft. About an acre was operated on during the year, giving a yield of 213 oz. 6 dwt. 21 gr., valued at £853 18s. There are three small water-races completed.—the first a mile and three-quarters in length, with a capacity of five heads ; the next three-quarters of a mile, with fifteen heads; and the third three-quarters of a mile in length, with forty heads. There is also a five-mile race under construction which will have a capacity of thirty heads. The estimated value of water-races and plant is £9,000. The present, water available is'