C.—3

96

Kapanga. —Work in this mine during the year has been carried on by a party of five tributers, who have directed their attention to work in the old surface levels and selecting portions of the mullock-tips, treating the ore at Scotty's battery, of which they obtained a lease. During the period under review 595 tons of dirt was treated for 213 oz. 3 dwt. of gold, valued at £571 16s. lOd. The old pumping and winding plant which has been in use on this company's shaft for a number of years is being dismantled, as it is considered that, in the event of work being again resumed to prospect the deep levels, a more up-to-date plant will be required. Hauraki Freehold. —During the year only a limited amount of work has been done on this property (which adjoins the Bunker's Hill Mine), the operations being solely confined to prospect-ing-work at the surface levels ; but now that gold has been obtained close up to the boundary in the Bunker's Hill ground, it is contemplated to make another effort to raise capital to unwater the mine, with a view to finding the run of gold where it runs into this property, and also to further develop the deep levels. No crushings have taken place. An average of four men has been employed. Hauraki No. 2. —This mine has been steadily prospected with two men during the year, the work being confined to driving and rising on what is termed the " No. 2 lead," which varies from 2 in. to 8 in. in thickness. As this ground adjoins the famous Hauraki, the shareholders are hopeful that something important will yet be found. 15 tons of quartz was broken out of the leader named and treated for 4 oz. 6 dwt. of gold, valued at £12 18s. South Kapanga. —This mine is owned by Angus McNeil, who has steadily worked the mine, an average of five men being employed. Unfortunately no payable quartz has yet been discovered, but the owner has every confidence of something rich being obtained. Two tributes have now been let at 10 per cent., on conditions that should a company be formed to work the mine the tributers will give up the ground. 5 tons of quartz was treated for 11 oz. 5 dwt. of gold, valued at £31 Is. Kathleen Crown. —Operations were carried on in this mine on leaders at the surface levels in the early part of the year, but not being successful in finding payable ore the mine was closed down. Mermaid Claim. —This claim, situated on the foreshore, was a portion of the Hauraki Main Lodes Mine. It was worked by Messrs. Hornibrook and Wild the greater portion of the year, their attention being directed to working the silt rubble and tailings that had collected on the beach, and which contained a fair percentage of the precious metal. The material treated is said to have paid them for their labour, but, as the payable dirt was covered over by a considerable thickness of debris which contained little or no gold, and was too expensive to remove, the claim was eventually given up. Boyal Oak Mine, Tokatea. —The operations in this mine for the last twelve months have been chiefly confined to the Tribute and Tokatea reefs, on which a considerable amount of work has been done. The greater part consisted in driving 1,000 ft., stoping 3,000 ft., sinking and rising, besides repairing 1,300 ft. of old levels and unwatering and renovating 160 ft. of the main shaft, which was sunk some five years ago, and has not been used for some time. This is essentially a " specimen " mine, and without hauls of specimens are frequently obtained the average quartz will not pay for winning. The present run of gold on the Tribute reef has been almost worked out, and energetic development-work is now being carried on to open up and prove the value of the large blocks of ground that are intact on both the Tribute and Tokatea reefs. Work is also now on hand for the purpose of thoroughly testing the property. This includes opening up levels, and prospecting from the surface on the top of the hill to the No. 7 level, a vertical height of 1,000 ft., but the principal work will be the opening-up of the Tokatea reef from the main shaft at the 160 ft. level. The intention is to extend this level on the reef a further distance of 500 ft. or 600 ft. in order to get under the old Bismarck Company's workings. The battery has been overhauled and improved, thereby increasing the output over 25 per cent. It is intended to crush a large quantity of lowgrade ore during the winter, when water is plentiful. The water-driven air-compressing plant is of great assistance, as the battery, four rock-drills, hoist, and pump are all worked by it except in the very driest period of summer, when steam has to be used. The company's crushings consisted of 1,134 tons 1 cwt. 3 qr. 20 lb. of ore being treated for 3,761 oz. 2 dwt. of gold, valued at £9,538 os. 6d. ; and the average number of men was sixty. Hauraki Mines (Limited). —Operations in this mine have been carried on with very indifferent success. Work has been confined to the Foot-wall leader, on which driving and stoping have been in progress. A total of 23J tons of ore has been treated from the above-named leader for bullion, valued at £132 2s. 6d. Six men have been employed. Harbour View. —This mine was taken up by a syndicate, who commenced operations in July last with four men, the object being to pick up and retimber the old No. 5 level and further develop what is known as the Mullocky reef, which was worked with good results in the upper levels and was driven on for a distance of 300 ft. some twenty-five years ago. After retimbering the old level 240 ft., and deviating from it in a more northerly direction for a distance of 220 ft. to cut off a sharp bend, the old level (which had been driven on the course of the reef) was again picked up and found in a state of good repair. In driving through the corner of solid ground six different leaders were cut through, all carrying a little gold. The shareholders of this venture are now sanguine that they will soon have a good payable mine opened up. Five men are employed. West Tokatea. —Operations in this mine were confined to driving and prospecting on some small leaders in the Nos. 1 and 2 levels, which at times have produced stone of fair quality, but as the leaders are very small only a limited amount of quartz was obtained; consequently the concern did not pay and the mine was closed down, protection being granted for a term of six months. During the year 4-| tons of ore was treated for 41 oz. 10 dwt. of gold, valued at £115 15s. 5d An average of four men was employed.