C.—3

140

ing was being made into the top end of the gorge. The ground here is a mass of boulders with very little wash, and the undertaking is extremely laborious. Unless the ground proves more payable this claim will shut down in the near future. Bald Hill Flat. Carroll and Lynch's Sluicing Claim, Bald Hill Flat. —This is a privately owned hydraulicsluicing plant. Five men are usually employed in the claim. Six heads of water are brought on to the claim under a pressure of 180 ft. vertical. The top material is swept off into the worked ground, and the bottom layers are elevated. Mitchell Bros., Bald Hill Flat. —Two men find employment in this claim. The water is dropped over the face, which it cuts down. The material runs through a tail-race, from which the heavier stones are forked and thrown aside. Ewing and D-wdall's Sluicing Claim, Bald Hill Flat (W. McNeish, manager).' —When operations were discontinued in Ewing's claim at the head of the flat the water was diverted to command ground previously held by the Bald Hill Flat Freehold Dredging Company.. The dredge was in operation for a few weeks, but failed to prove the claim payable for dredging. The result of the first paddock taken out by the sluicing plant was highly satisfactory. Six heads of water are brought in from Coal Creek and Butcher's Gully. Pressure, 200 ft. ; lift, 24 ft. ; size of jet, 2^-in.; size of throat, 6 in.; dirt-pipes, 13 in. diameter. The depth of the ground is 20 ft., and the material operated on consists of flat schistose wash. The bottom is a hard, fairly even schist rock. Since starting work the gold returns have been extremely satisfactory. Seven men are usually employed. Last Chance Hydraulic Sluicing and Elevating Company, Bald Hid Flat (J. McNeish, manager). —This company's plant has been shifted further up the flat, and a paddock taken out behind the schoolhouse. This necessitated shifting the pressure-line also. The bottom is shallow for the greater part, with deep rifts in it. Seven heads of water are brought in twenty miles from Shingle Creek. Pressure, 300 ft.; height of lift, 26 ft.; size of jet, 2-J-in.; dirt-pipes, 13 in. diameter. The paddock plant consists of 9 in. and 7 in. pipes. Nine men are employed. Stringer and Party, Fourteen-mile Beach, below Bald Hill Flat. —This party is sinking a shaft on the bank of the Clutha River to test what is supposed to be a deep run of good wash. At this date 32 ft. had been sunk without reaching bottom. Livingstone. F. Christian, Hydraulic Claim, Livingstone. —There are two claims working. In No. 1 there was one man at work. Four heads are obtained from a storage-dam for day-shift only. Plant consists of 600 ft. of 15 in., 13in., and 9in. pipes. In No. 2 one man at work. 2,000 ft. of 18in. to 7 in. pipes in use. The only alteration of note in this district is the extension of the Mosquito Race a distance of two miles to command a claim on Cemetery Hill. This extension included the construction of one siphon 16 chains in length, and another 33 chains, having pipes varying from 22 in. to 11 in. A dam having an area of 3J acres has been built. The wall is 45 ft. in the bottom, 7 ft. at the top, and 15 ft. high. The claim had been previously worked, but with an inadequate watersupply the ground was found to be too rough, although auriferous. Mr. Christian proposes to have a good water-supply and deal with, the stones by means of a 5-ton crane. In the sluicing season this claim should employ ten to twelve men. The Pipe Company, Livingstone. —Several parties banded together to put a siphon over the head of Golden.Gully. Two heads of water are obtained from the Mosquito Race. There are several small claims comprised in the company, principally using canvas hose. Other parties with small heads of water are Lauri Bros, and Yeoman, H. H. Roberts, and W. McQualli. These are supplied with water from the Mosquito Race by F. Christian. All parties in this district are now ground-sluicing in the terraces back to a point at which the fall is lost. There are a few parties sluicing on the Maerewhenua side of the river. Among these are M. Frater and Frater Bros., sluicing with water from Ben Lomond and Howe's Creek. This district will depend in future on the Mountain Hut Water-race, which is being brought in from the Upper Maerewhenua River. J. Brayshaw has a pressure-line of 11 in. pipes, 13 chains long, laid on to his claim in Tunnel Gully in readiness for the water-supply when available. The ground is about 27 ft. deep, 12 ft. of which is auriferous. Naseby. John Hore and Sons, Lower Main Gully, Hogburn Creek. —No. 1 Claim : Special claim of 40 acres; depth of ground, 10 ft. to 15 ft.; wash, 6 ft. Four heads of water are brought in from the Government water-race. I,Booft. of pipes, reduced from 19 in. in stages to 11 in., are in use, and a pressure of 200 ft. vertical is obtained. Three men employed. No. 2 Claim : Elevating, 22 ft.; face, 7 ft. to 10 ft. ; average depth of wash, 3 ft. This ground is being worked for the first time. Four heads of water are brought in from the Government water-race; pipe-line, 750 ft. ; pipes, 19 in. to 11 in. ; pressure, 120 ft. Three men. No. 3 Claim : Elevating claim (formerly the " dead level "). Six heads of water are brought in by private race from the Little Kyeburn Stream ; pipe-line, 750 ft.; pipes, 19 in. to 11 in. ; pressure, 165 ft. ; face, from 10 ft. to. 25 ft., mainly through old tailings from Surface Hill, with from 2 ft. to 3 ft. of wash on the bottom ; elevator, 30 ft. ; area, 14 acres. Three men. No. 4 Claim, Milkman's Gully : Face, from 15 ft. to 20 ft. in depth ; wash, 2 ft.; elevating, 22 ft. Plant consists of 2,700 ft. of pipes, reduced from 19in. to 11 in. in diameter. Four heads of water obtained from the Government water-race. Three men.