145

C—3

Cromwell. Quartz Beef Point. —Several small parties engaged prospecting and otherwise in this locality. Bannockburn. Thomas Booney's Claim, Bannockburn. —This claim is situated near the Bannockburn Bridge. Two tunnel tail-races had been driven in at different levels in the hope of striking the main bottom of the old river-bed on the terrace, but the ground has turned out to be deeper than was expected. The tunnel at present in use is 308 ft. long, with an open race-outlet to the river 300 ft. in length. A paddock has been sluiced out to a depth of fully 110 ft. without reaching bottom. Three heads of water are used. Four men generally employed. On the 22nd January, while pricking a block in the head of the tunnel to put in a charge of dynamite, the material broke away, and Rooney and Jones were swept out of the tunnel; fortunately the men escaped with a few bruises. On a recent visit I learned that, owing to the depth of the ground and the supply of water being inadequate, the claim has been abandoned without the bottom having been reached. Kawarau Gorge. J. Bobertson's Claim, Bobertson's Terrace. —J. Robertson has been prospecting a high terrace for some two years. Sluicing was carried on for some time until payable gold was found on the bottom. The water being inadequate, the wash was then driven out. The seam of wash runs from 3 ft. to 9 ft. in thickness, and lies on a very uneven bottom, from which some very rich pockets had been taken. The terrace is over 200 ft. higher than the present level of the Kawarau River, but the wash contains " Maori," black sand, and very coarse gold. The owner informed me that drives at each end of his area have proved a total length of 32 chains to be auriferous over an average width of 60 ft. Three men are employed. Very little timber is required, as the wash is very compact. Gordon and Bowe. —Sluicing at the other end of the terrace with water from Walker's Gully. Mr. W. Foreman. —Two men engaged sinking and driving on the same terrace. McElligot's race from Mount Pisa, if amalgamated with a race from Deep Creek, would bring a good body of water across the river on to the terrace, from which there is a splendid fall for ground-sluicing. Further up the Kawarau Gorge, W. Ritchie and party, a Cromwell syndicate, are bringing in Kennedy's water-race on to a terrace of about 60 acres in area. This is a similar terrace to Robertson's, lying on a high point opposite the Roaring Meg Stream, and 230 ft. above the present level of the Kawarau River. Cardrona. Little's Claim, Cardrona. —Alluvial mining in this locality has been in a backward state for some time. The whole valley had been pegged off as dredging areas, but through the failure of a few the greater number of the areas were thrown up. On one of these Walter Little is erecting a hydraulic plant formerly in use at the King Edward Claim, Arrowtown. The race is now under construction, and when the plant is in full swing it is expected that the ground will prove payable for the method employed. Later information from this claim is that the work done has proved the ground remunerative for hydraulic sluicing. Loft and Party. —This party have been driving out the wash above the township for some time. A dip drive lin 3 and 140 ft. in length is the haulage and travelling road. The ground is 50 ft. deep, and very rough. Very little timber is used, as the material is compact. The ground being worked is drained by an underground tail-race brought up through the worked ground as the work progresses. Enterprise Terrace. —Patrick Fahey is ground-sluicing with water from Rhodes Gully. There are also several others prospecting at various points. Criffel Face. —There are now only two parties sluicing. The slippery nature of the face renders it difficult to keep paddocks or tail-races open. Water is brought on to the face from the head of the Roaring Meg, a distance of four miles. Macetown. Several parties are engaged ground-sluicing in this locality. Arrowtown. King Edward Hydraulic Sluicing and Elevating Company. —■ This company has gone into liquidation, and the plant is being removed to Mr. Walter Little's claim, Cardrona. Arrow River. Arrow Big Beach Hydraulic Sluicing Company. —This company has gone into liquidation. Arrow Falls Sluicing Company (J. A. Millar, manager).—The centre wall (18ft. by 12 ft.) has been lengthened 14 chains. The work is heavy and the ground very rough. The two tail-races are now well advanced, and the claim is assuming an appearance of order ; some ground ahead is expected to be worked to advantage without interruption from floods. The 3-ton steam-crane used for stacking stones is working well. A suitable bridge for a travelling-way has been placed over the channel. Five men are employed. Messrs. Hay Bros. —A new plant has been procured to work a claim on the Arrow River, one mile below Arrowtown. This is new ground, which has been proved as being highly auriferous. Arthur's Point. Arthur's Point Hydraulic Sluicing and Elevating Company, Arthur's Point, Shotover Biver (H. Angelo, manager).—This claim is still being worked by a party of tributers.