169

C.—3

The Nonpareil Mine, the property of Mr. William McCullough, has been worked entirely by tributers, who have been working on the Liverpool Boys' reef and the various leaders. The ore crushed, 208 tons, gave a return of £559. The Fame and Fortune has also been worked by tributers. Work was mostly confined to the Balmoral section, where the Golden Age reef has been operated on and good general dirt obtained. A little picked stone has been obtained from the leaders in the upper levels. The West Coast is still worked by its owner, Mr. John Northey. The various small leaders have been worked on, and 14 tons of ore crushed for a return of £242. The Puru Consolidated Company's mine has been let on tribute to G. Tetley and party, who put through 455 tons for a return of 127 oz., of the value of £317. The tribute has now been given up, and the company are employing four men in extending the No. 2, and rising on the reef at different points. The Monowai Company has had thirty-five men employed in opening up the mine generally and in driving and stoping on the reef at No. 3b level upwards. The reef is 30 ft. wide in some places, and has been cut through at various places to test its value. The payable ore so far found extends from 80 ft. to 100 ft. along the reef, and is very refractory. The ore is concentrated and the concentrates shipped to Sydney for treatment, and the balance treated by cyanide at the company's plant at Waiomo. The Broken Hill, Victory, Hector McDonald, and a few more small areas are being prospected, but no returns of gold have been sent in. The Bullion Mine has been worked by tributers, who did a large amount of prospecting. The ore crushed was obtained from the Sheridan section, and gave a return of 72 oz. from 20 tons. The Mahara Eoyal Company, an English company under the wing of the Standard Corporation of England, was wound up in consequence of the failure of the latter, and the mine and property sold to Mr. H. H. Adams, on behalf of the Tairua Broken Hills Company. It is the intention of the purchasers to put in a low level and test the ground thoroughly at a depth before removing the machinery. A contract has been let and work commenced. The Claremont Claim, owned by Mr. George Bryant and worked solely by himself, still continues to yield payable quartz. During the year 3 cwt. 2 qr. of specimens have been crushed for a return of £701 17s. 6d. This is a really wonderful little piece of ground ; year after year large returns are obtained almost wholly from specimen leaders. The Gloucester, Gloucester Extended, and Thames Talisman have been prospected, but nothing of a permanent nature obtained. The May Queen Extended property has been consistently worked by the company. The south crosscut was extended and the reef met with after 30 ft. of driving. In cutting through dabs of gold were seen, and it was deemed advisable to drive east and west on the reef. The eastern drive was taken along for 125 ft., but the ore did not improve, and stoping was resorted to, and 107 tons broken out and crushed for a return of 53 oz. 14 dwt., valued at £150. This return not being as good as the first prospects led the company to expect, work in this direction was stopped and the men put on to extend the crosscut with the object of cutting the Odd Fellows reef. The Mananu Gold-mining Company carried on operations with fair results until September, when the block of payable ore gave out. All work was stopped pending the reconstruction of the company. More capital having been raised, the company decided to test the ground at a greater depth, and have commenced a low level. They also decided to work the reefs which outcrop at the surface, but on which no work had been previously done. The Whangamata Proprietary Mine has been under protection for the greater part of the year. Lately the property was sold to a syndicate, who are now trying to raise capital for the purpose of testing the lower levels. Mr. Mitchell, an American mine-manager, is of opinion that the low levels have not had a fair test, and that there is every prospect of payable ore being found. The Tairua Broken Hills Company have had a very successful year. The mine is now one of our principal gold-producers, 9,921 oz. of bullion, valued at £19,097, having been won during the year. The prospects are as good as ever, and it is confidently expected that payable returns will be obtained as regularly this year as last. The mine is now well opened up, and large bodies of payable ore in view. An average of fifty men has been employed. Several other small claims in the vicinity have been prospected, but the Taniwha is the only one in which any favourable prospects have been discovered. The Golden Belt has been purchased by Mr. H. H. Adams, who is prospecting and sampling the various reefs. The results obtained are sufficiently encouraging to warrant the erection of a battery, and timber is now being cut for the purpose. A considerable amount of work has been done repairing and opening up old tunnels. The Klondyke Gold-mining Company have erected a five-stamp mill, connected with the mine by an aerial tramway. A water-race 10 chains long has been constructed to provide the motive power. Very little other work has been done during the year. The Sheet Anchor and a few more small holdings have been prospected. The Sheet Anchor is under offer to an Auckland syndicate, who put in a low level for a considerable distance; but, not meeting with the reef which was cut in the upper level, it was decided to drive on the reef at the higher level. This reef has been driven on for 200 ft., and a rise put up to prove its value. Although it carries gold it is not valuable enough to warrant the erection of a crushing plant. Coromandel. Mining during the past year has not been very prosperous. Many of the leading mines have been compelled to close down, but during the last six months there has been renewed activity, evidenced by the number of claims taken up.