138

C—3

Local Industry Gold-mining Company, Gabriel's Gully (W. Dawson, manager).—When the area in Gabriel's Gully was worked out the plant was removed to the head of Wetherstone's Flat. Since starting there operations have been successful. Kitto and Party's Hydraulic Sluicing and Elevating Company, Munro's Gully. — This claim is held and worked by a party of private shareholders. The bed of Munro's Gully, containing a mass of tailings from the cement workings, had been worked right up to the cement, on which a start has now been made. Mills and Party's Hydraulic Sluicing and Elevating Company, Munro's Gully. ■ — This plant is still operating on tailings in Tuapeka Creek at the foot of Munro's Gully. Waipori. Golden Key Hydiaulic Elevating Claim, Mitchell's Flat Waipori (J. Gare, manager). — This claim gives employment to three working shareholders, who are sluicing shallow gullies on Mitchell's Fiat and adjoining spurs. There is deeper ground ahead. Farrell's Deep Lead, Waipori. —The last operations conducted by Mr. Farrell in the deep ground near the river were not successful. Each successive rise in the river flooded the paddocks and delayed the work. The water rights and plant have now been let on tribute to Mr. Robert Cotton, who is sluicing and elevating on his private land. The last paddock taken out was on a rapidly rising reef, with about 10 ft. of gravel stripping. This claim includes part of the Old Jutland Flat dredge-tailings ; but the successful working of this class of ground would appear to depend on the quantity of material sent through the elevator. On the occasion of my last visit to the district I found that this plant had been shifted to the Lammerlaw side of the Waipori River, where it is operating on shallow ground. Pressure, 380 ft.; lift, 20 ft. Pressure-pipes vary from 20 in. to 7 in. diameter. Lammerlaw Creek Hydraulic Gold-mining Company. Waipori (W. Caudwell, manager).—This claim is worked very systematically. As one side of the flat is worked up a channel is kept open into which the creek is diverted, while operations are transferred to the other side. In this manner the whole flat is being turned over, and no solid ground left untouched. A feature in the goldsaving appliances is thedouble spread of boxes in themiddleof the " run." The gold-saving appliances are Venetian riffles, perforated plates, and cocoanut-matting. Pressure, 250 ft.; height of lift, 26 ft. Main-pressure pipes vary from 13 in. diameter to 9 in. diameter. Cleaning bottom in this claim entails considerable care. All parts of the bottom are carefully picked and swept up. Four men suffice for the ordinary working of the claim, but six to eight extra men are employed when cleaning bottom. Sew Kew and Party, Lammerlaw Creek, Waipori. —This claim is held and worked by a party of Chinese. During the year a higher race has been brought in, whereby additional pressure has been gained. This party holds ground adjacent to and similar to that of the Lammerlaw Creek Company. Pressure, 200 ft.; height of lift, 20 ft. Gold-saving appliances consist of a run of boxes 46 ft. in length, fitted with angle-iron ripples, perforated plates, and cocoanut-matting. Bakery Flat Sluicing Company, Upper Waipori (J. T. Johnston, manager).—Sluicing operations were carried on for the greater part of the year. The elevating plant has now been taken down, and the claim and water are under tribute to J. T. Johnston, who intends utilising the water to work his patent hydraulic dredge. Golden Point Sluicing Company, Upper Waipori (J. Claffey, manager).—The pipe-line of this company has lately been increased by the addition of 800 ft. of 11 in. pipes. The plant has been shifted from the foot of Frenchman's Gully further up the same gully, where operations are carried on working to the false bottom. The dirt is elevated 15 ft., and consists mainly of tailings from old alluvial workings. When this gully is worked out the adjoining terrace will be worked, and this should provide employment for some considerable time. The stripping consists of 10 ft. of clay, and the average depth of wash is 3 ft. The pressure available at this point is 160 ft. Five men employed. Post Office Creek Gold-mining Company, Verterburn, Waipori (J. R. Parker, manager).—This plant is still operating on terrace ground on the Verterburn, down to a false bottom. Four to five men usually employed. Pressure-pipe line consists of 1,200 ft. of pipes, varying from 15 in. to 9 in. Pressure, 130 ft. Pearsall and Munro, Verterburn, Waipori. —This is a private hydraulic-sluicing plant. The ground consists of 30 ft. of gravel with 5 ft. of overlying clay. Height of lift, 23 ft. Four men employed. Sutherland and Party's Sluicing Claim, Bung town Flat, Waipori. —Several parties of Chinese turned over nearly the whole of this flat by hand-labour. Some deep ground was left at the lower end of the flat, and this is the site, of present operations. There are blocks of good ground throughout the flat, and considering that the material is from 8 ft. to 12ft. deep and of a free nature this should prove an ideal sluicing claim, with a good water-supply. A race has been cut in about four miles, and a dam-site is being prepared. Beaumont. Champion Hydraulic Sluicing and Dredging Company, Beaumont (J. Fahey, manager).—Until quite recently operations had been carried on right up the flat, skirting the road-line. Work was here considerably hampered by boulders and buried timber. The plant has now been shifted to the foot of the claim, and a start made to elevate deep ground near the river frontage. The first paddock was being taken out at the time of inspection. Drainage-water from the river should prove heavy. During the year this company acquired and placed a dredge on the river portion of the claim. There is a considerable percentage of fine gold in this claim, which was only saved in the sluicing claim by the employment of a special run of boxes and a modification of Lee's tables, as used at the Round Hill Sluicing Claim.