C.—3.

Post-office Creek Gold-mining Company, Verterburn, Waipori (J. E. Parker, manager).— (20/5/1901) : This company is at present working terrace ground on the Verterburn, half a mile above the old claim. The area of the claim is 59 acres. One race, carrying four heads of water, is eight miles long, and another, one mile and a half, carries three heads. Pressure-pipes consist of I,oooft. of 15in. diameter, 100 ft. of 11 in., and 100 ft. of 9in. pipes; pressure, 130 ft.; height of lift, 18 ft. Working on false bottom. Five men usually employed. Pearsall and Munro, Verterburn, Waipori. —(20/5/1901) : A private hydraulic-sluicing plant. Eace, seven miles, carrying five heads of water. 1,600 ft. of pressure-pipes; height of lift, 23 ft. Face consists of 5 ft. of overlying clay and 30 ft. of gravel. Four men employed. Fortification Hydraulic Sluicing Company, Bed Swamp, Lammerlaiu Ranges. —(lB/5/1901) : A prospecting plant on the Fortification Creek, a branch of the Teviot Creek. The claim includes the upper end of a large flat. Water-rights consist of one right to twelve heads from the Teviot, and in another right to seventeen heads from the same creek. The claim is situated below the Government dam-site on the Teviot Swamp. The water is brought in four miles and a half. Pressure, 500 ft. Pipe-line consists of 200 ft. of 13 in. pipes and 800 ft. of 9 in. pipes. The sinking plant consists of a small jet swivel pump, with a 9 in. dirt-pipe, the jet being If in. and throat 4-| in. A small hydrant with If in. tip is used. Up-to-date sinking has been carried on down to 15 ft., but nothing payable has been met with. On account of its altitude this claim will be closed down about four months during the winter. Beaumont. Champion Hydraulic Sluicing and Dredging Company, Beaumont (J. Fahey, manager).— (28/5/1901) : Water is brought in four miles and a half from Little Beaumont Eiver. Pressure, 450 ft.; height of lift, 48ft. The material is discharged over 150 ft. of boxes provided with perforated plates, angle-iron ripples, and cocoanut-matting for gold-saving. The depth of the ground is between 40 ft. and 45 ft. About 20 ft. of the top material is sand. This is stripped off well back from the working-paddock. Bight men are employed, working two shifts. On account of the large quantity of timber in the claim, work is not carried on during the night. The long run of boxes, embracing several drops and turns, has resulted in the saving of a class of fine gold which would be otherwise lost. The ground near the river being too deep, and the drainage too heavy for hydraulic elevating, the company intends to put a dredge on to work that portion of the claim. Island Block. Island Block Sluicing and Elevating Company (W. Lake, manager).—(29/5/1901) : This claim is worked by hydraulic sluicing and elevating. The depth of ground is about 40 ft. On account , of the surface being very flat the material has to be elevated over 60 ft. to get fall for the tailings A second lift is also used at the tail to run the tailings away. Water is obtained from the Taliaburn and Fruidburn Creeks, and stored in large dams. There are six miles and a half of races, which convey the water to a penstock having an altitude of 700 ft. above the claim. The pipe-line which is over two miles long, has been considerably shortened lately, and taken a more direct route to the claim. As the lead joints in the main line were not a success, flanged joints have been substituted. The working-pressure at the claim is 210 lb. per square inch. The bottom is a very uneven schist rock. Thirteen men are employed about the claim. Since my visit a change in the management has taken place, Mr. James Nicholson succeeding Mr. Lake as mana f die and Kirkpatrick's Claim, Taliaburn— (29/5/1901) : Ground-sluicing claim on Curries Flat Water is brought in four miles from the Taliaburn Creek. 400 ft. of tunnelling was required in the construction of the race. The water is conveyed across the Clutha Eiver in 70 chains of siphon-pipes Twenty Government heads are brought in. The pressure available on Curries Flat is 340 ft The pressure-pipes vary from 19 in. to 11 in. in diameter. Average height of the face is 45 ft with about 6 ft. of wash on the bottom. The tail-races are provided with over 300 ft. of boxes fitted with perforated plates and cocoanut-matting underneath for saving the gold. Average number of men employed, seven. This flat will be worked out in a short time. Miller's Flat. Golden Bun Hydraulic Sluicing Company, Miller's Flat (P. McLoughlin, manager).— (29/5/1901) • Water is brought on the claim from a distance of seven miles. Pressure available on claim 225 ft Ground, 45 ft. to 50 ft. deep. Material is elevated 70 ft. Pipes vary from 13 in. to 7in in diameter. This company has also a dredge at work on a portion of their claim I warned the manager that for safety the sides of the paddock required to be sloped back where they were overhanging. Fourteen men employed. Roxburgh. Roxburgh Amalgamated Mining and Sluicing Company, Roxburgh (J. Waight, manager).— (30/5/1901) : A claim of 100 acres, opposite the Town of Eoxburgh. Forty-five heads of water brought in from Teviot Creek ; 550 ft. pressure. The working-pressure at the claim is 2001b. per square inch Two lifts are in position and working, while a third lift is being placed in position. The material is lifted 53 ft. through the first elevator and passed over 140 ft. of boxes From the tail of these boxes the tailings are lifted a second time a height of 20 ft. After oeing lifted through the second elevator the stuff passes over 120 ft. of boxes, and is lifted away from the tail through a2O ft lift The main line is 75 chains in length, consisting of 22 m., 18m., 15m., and 11 in. diameter pipes. Face, 55 ft. high. The gold-bearing wash averages about 5 ft. in thickness. Ihis

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