C—3.

some time to come. The operations in the mine are principally confined to stoping over the Nos. 3, 4, and 5 levels, where the reef varies in size from lft. to 4 ft: in thickness. 545 tons of ore was crushed for a return of 920 oz. 5 dwt. of gold, valued at £2,723 13s. 4d. Fifteen men were employed. Irene Mine. —This mine is still worked on tribute by White and party,, whose operations during the early part of the year were confined to extending the drive on the reef at No. 2 level, and timbering the same preparatory to stoping, which is at present being carried on. The reef varies from 4 ft. to 7 ft. in thickness, but only a portion of it is saved for the mill. 209 tons of quartz was broken out and treated for 256 oz. 6 dwt. of gold, valued at £537 9s. 5d.; and four men were employed. Great Mercury Mine. —This mine is worked by Carroll and party, who had a renewal of their tribute in the mine and the use of the battery on terms for the treatment of their quartz. The work in the mine has chiefly been confined to stoping on the Try Fluke and Hanging-wall reefs at the No. 2 level on the western side of the property, where it is connected by a short self-acting incline tramway to the main line at No. 3 level. 595 tons of ore was treated for 421 oz. 10 dwt. of gold, valued £851 10s. Seven men were employed. Handsioorth Mine. —This property comprises 5-J- acres, and is owned by Louis Woodcock, who has steadily worked the ground with two men during the year, with highly payable results. Stoping is still being carried on over the back of the low level on No. 2 reef. 58 tons of ore was treated for a return of 425 oz. 16 dwt. of gold, valued at £1,053 3s. 7d. As the gold mentioned is only that obtained from the copper plates, there must be a large percentage left in the tailings, which are saved for treatment, and will be put through as soon as the berdans are erected. Juno Mine. —This mine was worked on tribute up to the month of August by Campbell and party, who crushed 3 tons of quartz and 13 lb. of picked s]tone for 46 oz. 14 dwt. of gold, valued at £126 4s. As the leader was very small it would not pay them to work, and in consequence they gave it up. Two men was employed. Aorere Claim. —Two men are employed in extending the No. 2 level crosscut for the purpose of intersecting the Waitaia reef. This drive is now in a considerable distance, and the reef may be cut any day. No returns A little prospecting is being done in this locality, but no new discoveries have been reported. GUMTOWN. Welcome Jack Mine. —Operations in this mine are at present confined to stoping out blocks of ground on two leaders that have been intersected by an adit level driven from the side of the hill. The leaders vary in size from 6 in. to 9 in. in width; there is also another leader striking parallel to those mentioned which the manager intends shortly to operate on. Although the leaders are small, the ore is high grade, and the manager is sanguine it will pay handsomely when the mine is more fully developed. The company's crushing plant consists of a five-stamp mill with two berdans. The ore is calcined before treatment, a,nd is conveyed from the mine to the mill by means Of an aerial tramway 750 ft. in length. 123 tons of ore was treated for 282 oz. 4 dwt. of gold, valued at £539 11s. sd. An average of twelve men was employed. Kapowai Mine. —It is to be regretted that this mine has not turned out as well as was at first anticipated. A crushing plant has been erected consisting of eight stamps and five berdans, together with a Tangye engine of 12-borse power. In the mine the work done has only been very limited, and confined to rising and stoping on a reef-formation at a surface level. The reef is only a series of red-iron seams which contains the gold, and is not well defined. After crushing 276 tons 10 cwt. of quartz for a return of 233 oz. of gold, valued at £547 11s., the battery was stopped, and only two men left to do a little prospecting. Big Beetle Mine. —This mine was protected the first six months in the year, and when it expired work was again resumed with three men, who have since driven on the reef a distance of 165 ft. A winze has been sunk to a depth of 50 ft., and a rise put up 25 ft.; also a little stoping and prospecting has been done. 20 tons of quartz was broken out of the main reef (which is about 18 in. in width) and treated at the Kapowai battery for a return of 46 oz. of gold, valued at £135 2s. 9d. The ore being of high value, the shareholders contemplate erecting a small crushing plant on the ground for their own use ; and if the quartz already crushed is a fair sample, and has not been specially selected, the mine should pay well. Golden Beefs. —Two men are employed on this ground driving on a lode formation which varies from 1 ft. to 3 ft. in width, and from which 30 tons of ore was treated for 17 oz. of gold, valued at £44 10s. Prospecting-work has also been carried on in the Perseverance, Ascetic, and Prince Edward Claims, with two men in each, but no fresh discoveries have been reported from any of them. Mahakirad. Nil Desperandum. —This mine has been steadily worked during the year by Prescott and party, who directed their attention to driving and stoping on a small leader near the surface, from which they crushed 6 tons lcwt. of stone for 127 oz. 5 dwt. of gold, valued at £332 3s. As the mine is a considerable distance away from the public crushing plant, and the stone has to be packed on horses, it thereby adds greatly to the cost, and in consequence some of the men have decided to give it up, as it will not pay them to work. There has been a limited amount of prospecting done in this locality, but nothing worthy of notice reported.

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