C—3.

COROMANDEL. Rauraki Mine. —This mine has produced a large amount of gold during the last seven years, but it is to be regretted that of late the monthly returns are gradually diminishing, and in consequence the services of a number of miners working here have been dispensed with. One of the principal works carried on in the mine was in making a connection from the Hauraki shaft with the low level of the Union Beach section, thereby enabling the manager to stop the pumpingengine on the Union Beach shaft, the engine on the Hauraki shaft being capable of pumping the incoming water from both sections. Driving and stoping were carried on on the various leaders at Nos. 1, 2, and 3 levels, from which all the stone treated was obtained, and a good deal of work of a prospecting nature was done at No. 4 level, 400 ft. below the surface; but not meeting with success the water was allowed to rise in the shaft to No. 3 level. The payable reefs in the upper levels becoming exhausted, the water below No. 3 level was again pumped out, and prospecting operations at No. 4 level once more resumed. 1,030 tons 6 cwt. of ore was treated at the company's mill for a return of 1,984 oz. 5 dwt. of gold, valued at £6,089 5s. 8d. An average of fifty men was employed. The Kapanga, Blagrove's Freehold, Kathleen, Golden Pah, Hauraki Main Lodes, and Hauraki South have all been closed down. Bunker's Rill. —In the early part of the year the company's operations were directed to stoping and sinking on the 4 in. leader above and below the No. 3 level, where 82 tons of general quartz and 163 lb. of picked stone was obtained. This was treated for a return of 228 oz. 17 dwt. of gold, valued at £640 7s. 9d. This mine has always been noted for being patchy ; but, as sufficient picked stone of a payable quality was not forthcoming to meet current expenses, the funds became exhausted, and after an unavailing struggle against the inevitable the directors obtained protection in order to give the shareholders an opportunity of deciding what was best to be done with the mine, which was consequently closed down for the time being. Six men were employed. Rauraki Freeholds (Limited). —The development-work carried out in this mine for the year ended the 31st December, 1901, has been of a most disappointing nature, nothing new having been discovered in the south-west crosscut, which was driven for the purpose of prospecting this portion of the mine at No. 1 level. Although 500 ft. was driven on the course of the Hauraki North reef underneath the old run of gold, yet nothing payable was met with. A total of 1,620 ft. of crosscuts, 550 ft. driven on the course of the reefs, 40 ft. of sinking, and 70 ft. of rising was done, and the quantity of quartz treated was 3 tons for 9oz. 8 dwt., valued at £26 18s. 2d. An average of twenty-one men was employed. Kathleen Croiun Mine. —Prospecting operations have been carried on throughout the year by surface-tunnelling above the creek-level and at different heights in the main spur of the property. Several reefs have been intersected and operated upon, and test parcels of ore have been crushed with a view to determining their productiveness preparatory to the erection of a battery plant on the ground. Owing to the large area of the property and the limited number of hands employed, only a small section of the ground has been operated on. The reefs are all gold-bearing, 'and the country-rock penetrated is of a very congenial class of sandstone. It is anticipated that with further developments the mine will produce payable returns. 59 tons of ore was treated for a return of 51 oz. 1 dwt. of gold, valued at £153 lis. 6d. ; and fifteen men were employed. Hauraki No. 2 Mine. —This mine has been steadily worked during the year with two men, the operations being confined to the surface levels, where a good deal of driving has been done on several leaders, some of which are carrying a little gold. So far nothing payable has been met with, and no crushings have been made. Trig Hill Mine. —Operations were carried on in the early part of the year by Moore and Verran (tributers), who had previously done a good deal of prospecting ; but not meeting with stone of a payable quality, work was stopped after treating 2J tons of ore at Coromandel public battery for a return of 1 oz. 7 dwt. of gold, valued at £3 14s. 3d. TOKATEA. Royal Oak of Hauraki (Limited). —The operations during the year have been principally confined to opening out and proving the block of ground between Nos. 5 and 3 levels, on the No. 1 reef or Tribute lode, and a considerable amount of success has been met with, as a strong run of gold was cut, which has yielded very good results. The work done has consisted in driving 804 ft. on the reef at intermediate levels, 97 ft. of crosscutting, 342 ft. of uprises, and 1,852 ft. of stoping. A large quantity of timbering has been done, in the shape of repairs to the adit levels on the Tokatea main reef, at Nos. 5 and 7 levels, and the work of repairing No. 6 level is now in progress. This work alone has cost £700. When the opening-up of the blocks of ground now in hand is completed a further scheme of development - work will be submitted for the consideration of the directors. 618 tons 3 cwt. of ore was treated for a return of 3,693 oz. 2 dwt. of gold, valued at £9,256 lis. 5d.; and an average of forty-five men was employed. Hauraki Mines (Limited). —This mine is situated on the Tokatea Range, and adjoins the Boyal Oak and Harbour View Mines. The mine was protected in the early part of the year, but operations were again resumed in the month of May at the Nos. 2 and 3 levels. The No. 3 level is 400 ft. below the top of the range, and is in a distance of 750 ft. An intermediate drive between Nos. 2 and 3 levels has been driven on the Foot-wall leader for a distance of 115 ft., and stoping above this level is now being proceeded with. The leader has been a consistent gold-producer at the higher levels, and is still carrying gold downwards, specimen stone occasionally coming to hand. The cross-reef is also being worked above No. 2 level, on which a rise is being put up preparatory to stoping. The prospects met with on this leader are most encouraging. A crushing

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