C—2

8

Dwyer's drainage-tunnel has been advanced to 4,085 ft. Boy's Claim continues to be profitably worked, and prospecting is being carried on at Blue Spur Creek. Hokitika. A number of miners are employed at Craig's Freehold and the University Reserve, and at Lake Mahinapua; also at the Houhou, Kanieri, and Kanieri Forks. Rimu. Several parties are engaged along the whole length of the terrace from Woodstock to Seddon's Terrace. Two sections of land, the property of Mr. P. O'Neill, have been resumed for mining purposes. The land being directly convenient to the terrace, and lying between it and the Hokitika River, it was in the way of sluicing operations. Boss. A considerable number of miners still find employment along the Totara River and Donnelly's Creek. The Ross United Company, Mont dOr Sluicing Company, and the Prince of Wales Claim at Donoghue's are being profitably worked, and several parties are prospecting about the Mikonui River. Okarito. The Waiho Hydraulic Sluicing Company will shortly commence operations On their claim at Waiho. Several persons are engaged on the shores of Lake Mapourika, the Callery River, and on the beaches to the northward and southward of Okarito. Throughout Nelson and the West Coast alluvial fields, during dry seasons, the water in the races in many instances is inadequate for sluicing operations, and better conservation must be adopted to keep up a continuous supply. Otago and Southland. Alluvial mining is carried on from Maerewhenua and Livingston on the north-east to Mount Buster, where the auriferous gravels are found at an elevation of upwards of 4,000 ft. above sea-level, and throughout Northern Otago, Central "Otago, Southern Otago, and parts of Southland, including Waikaia, Colac Bay, Orepuki, Waiau, and Preservation Inlet. From this extensive field gold to the value of £21,231,704 has been won since the first discoveries were made. At Maerewhenua and Livingston a considerable number of men find employment in sluicing and mining operations. At Mount Buster work can only be carried on during the summer months. At Kyeburn considerable numbers are engaged mining and sluicing. At Naseby the chief works are hydraulic elevating by water from the Mount Ida Water-race. Hydraulic sluicing is carried on at Blackston Hill and in the St. Bathan's district, at which place claims are also worked by hydraulic elevating. At Vinegar Hill, Welshman's, and Matakanui the elevating method of working is also in use. In the Cardrona and Cromwell districts, on account of the scarcity of water, different methods of working are adopted. Hydraulic elevating and sluicing are the methods adopted on the Shotover River, and extensive elevating plants are in use at Nokomai. At Bald Hill Flat, Roxburgh, Miller's Flat, Island Block, and Beaumont there is hydraulic elevating on some of the terraces on the banks of the Clutha. One ofthe principal elevating plants is that of the. Blue Spur and Gabriel's Gully Consolidated Gold Company at Lawrence. There are also operations of this kind at Munroe's Gully and Weatherston. There are also extensive sluicing and.hydraulic elevating works in the Waikaia district and at Round Hill, near Colac Bay, in Southland ; and sluicing is carried on at Orepuki, Waiau Beach, and in the Preservation Inlet. Throughout Otago the rainfall was more abundant than usual, and consequently the quantity of material operated on has been greater than for several seasons past.