77

C—3

Broken Hill Mine. —This mine has been worked by two men, but, as the reefs are large, and of a bard nature, the amount of prospecting done during the year has been limited. Paraquet and Gomstock. —Two men have been employed in each of these mines, but the work has been of a prospecting nature, as no quartz has been treated at any of the batteries. Puru Creek. Puru Consolidated. —There has been very little work done in this mine during the year. Two men were employed by the company doing some surface-prospecting, and latterly the mine has been let to a party of tributers, who I am informed are meeting with a fair amount of success. No crushings reported for the year. Tararu Creek. Eclipse, Limited (Area, 200 acres). —This mine is worked under the supervision of the Thames Exploration Syndicate. During the year the shaft has been sunk to a depth of 150 ft., and from this point the No. 1 or main reef has been driven upon for 500 ft., making the total length of drive on line of reef 700 ft. The ten-stamp battery, water-race, and aerial tramway were completed and crushing commenced in the month of November. A winding-engine was also erected on the shaft at the mine, together with all the necessary appliances, and the whole is working in a very satisfactory manner. 890 tons of ore has been treated at the mill for 532 oz. 10 dwt. of gold, valued at £1,495 18s. 10d., which has more than paid expenses. An average of forty-two men have been employed. Chicago Mine. —There has been very little work done in this mine during the year. The ground has been let to a party of tributers, but they have not been successful in discovering anything of a payable nature. Iron Gap. —This mine has been partially under protection during the year, and from two to four men have been employed on work of a prospecting character. Tararu Greek Gold-mining Company. —This mine has been vigorously worked, and the battery has been fully employed in crushing the ore as it is won from the mine, from which regular monthly returns have been obtained. The work in the mine has consisted of driving, rising, and stoping on the reef at the following levels : At the battery-level—Driving done on the reef, 200 ft.; crosscutting done on the reef, 100 ft.; rising done on the reef, 110 ft. At the Dunedin level—Driving done on the reef, 460 ft.; rising done on the reef, 200 ft.; stoping done on the reef, 33,600 ft. At the Charter level—Driving done on the reef, 350 ft.; rising done on the reef, 120 ft.; stoping done on the reef, 6,000 ft. The reef has varied in size from 5 ft. to 30 ft., and 16,088 tons of quartz has been produced and treated at the battery for 8,127 oz. 7 dwt. of gold, valued at £16,313 4s. Bd. The total output from the mine since this company commenced operations in September, 1895, is 31,114 tons, valued at £32,163. The mode of treatment is wet crushing, amalgamating, and cyaniding, and the present reduction plant consists of thirty head of stamps (1,000 lb.), four 90-tons cyanide-vats, three agitation-vats each of 40-tons capacity, and six berdans. An increase of cyanide-vats is contemplated, with the addition of filter-presses, which, if carried, will considerably improve the percentage of extraction. Kuranui. Kuranui Mine.— There has been an average of thirteen men employed on this property during the year —nine wages-men and four tributers. The company's operations have lately been directed in opening Barry's reef towards what is known as the Deep Lead section. The reef looks well, and the manager is hopeful of an important discovery being made, as the drive is being extended in close proximity to the place where rich gold was obtained when worked by the old Kuranui Company. MOANATAIARI CREEK. New Alburnia Mine. —This company's property has been under protection for the last twelve months. A crushing of 40 tons of ore was treated in the month of April last year for 10oz. 13 dwt., valued at £27 Bs. 6d. Nothing has transpired as 'to the future operations of the mine. Tudor Claim. —This claim is worked by two men. The leader varies from 2 in. to 10 in., from which 8 tons have been crushed for soz. of gold, valued at £13 10s. Golden Drop. —Two men have been employed in this mine, the leaders having varied from--2 in. to 4 in. 10 tons have been crushed for 53 oz. 7 dwt., valued at £134 9s. lOd. Darwin. —Two men have been employed on this claim. The work having been of a prospecting nature, no returns have been sent. New Whau Mine. —Work in this mine has been been principally confined to prospecting and developing the Sons of Freedom reef, which averages about 3 ft. in width, and at times pieces of stone are obtained showing dabs of gold. The operations are carried on from the old Sons of Freedom tunnel, which has been repaired, and a new truck-road laid into the workings a distance of 1,250 ft. from the mouth of the level. At this point a rise was put up on the reef to an intermediate level, a height of 60 ft., where driving operations are proceeding on the reef with encouraging prospects. 7 tons of quartz broken from this reef was treated for a return of 15 oz. of gold, valued at £40. At present seven wages-men and five tributers are employed. New Moanataiari Gold-mining Company (Limited). —This property is owned by a London company, and comprises an area of 110 acres 2 roods 3 perches, about half of which is included in the drainage area. The work carried out during the year ending the 31st March has been chiefly confined to prospecting the Cambria reef at the Cambria Nos. 3 and 4 levels from the Moanataiari shaft. The Cambria No. 4 drive was advanced a further distance of 190 ft. east through the break, the reef proving a strong body of quartz fully 10 ft. in width, but of a very low grade. A crosscut