197

C.—3

There are now only forty-three miners employed in the district, and nothing has occurred during the year to require special mention. I have, &c, E. H. Carew, Warden. The Under-Secretary, Mines Department, Wellington.

Mr. Warden McEnnis to the Under-Secretary for Mines, Wellington. Sir— Warden's Office, Naseby, 25th May, 1903. In forwarding the mining statistics for Mount Ida district for the year ended the 31st December, 1902, I have the honour to supplement same with the few following general remarks :— At Naseby there are six small claims being worked on the " Maori bottom," with fair results ; but, as I anticipated in my last report, only a small area has been taken up as claims. There is not a good fall for the discharge of tailings, and this of course militates against the working of a large area. The rest of the mining around Naseby is carried on by means of hydraulic elevating, with the exception of a few small claims and some fossicking, and I believe all are satisfied with their earnings. At Patearoa and Serpentine nothing new has occurred during the year. Those mining around there seem to be doing fairly well. At Hyde mining matters are very quiet, about the same number of miners working as last year. At Mount Highlay there are some men employed at quartz-mining, but nothing good has been struck as yet. At Kyeburn the same state of matters exist as formerly reported. The miners seem satisfied with their earnings. The Naumai dredge has ceased operations for the present at least. This is not a healthy sign. At St. Bathan's those claims working have had a good year. The Scandinavian Company have won a good deal of gold. It has two claims—one called the Kildare lead and the other the Lagoon—worked by means of elevating plant. The former is worked by an elevator of one straight lift of 105 ft. (one of the highest, if not the highest, in New Zealand), having a pressure of 405 ft. The Lagoon Claim's elevator is 35 ft. high, having a pressure of 308 ft. The company employ about twenty men, and have a supply of thirty heads of water from the Manuherikia River. The Shamrock Company's claim is also worked by an elevator 25 ft. high, with a pressure of 300 ft. This company has also had a good year's yield of gold. The Kildare Hill and the Vinegar Hill Claims, owned by Mr. John Ewing, are not now working. At Cambrian's, Fordham and Gay's claim is worked by an elevator, with good results. There are in this locality a few fossickers, all evidently making a living. At Matakanui the Mount Morgan and the Matakanui Company's claims still maintain their reputations of being very good claims. Besides these there are some small claims which are said to be paying fairly well. The Cairntrodlie dredge, erected towards the end of the year at Poolburn, Ida Valley, so far is giving satisfactory yields. At Middlemarch there are only a few miners at work ground-sluicing, making small wages. At Macrae's Flat there have been no fresh developments of any importance, and, except in quartz, mining has gone back. None of the sluicing-claims are on anything but a very small scale owing to the inadequate water-supply, and there is (except with an expenditure far beyond what the prospects warrant), no chance of increasing it. What little sluicing there is is mostly done by Chinese. The second dredge which was started on Macrae's Flat was, like its predecessor, a failure, largely due to the amount of stiff clay in the wash making it difficult to treat, and taking the gold away with it. This dredge was shifted in July last to Poolburn. In Shag Valley the Dunback dredge has been shifted to Southland. The Inchdale and the Inch Valley dredges which remain have averaged 12 oz. to 20 oz. each per week during the year. In quartz-mining the results as a whole have been better, and the returns, though small, have been regular. The Golden Bar Mine, which is worked by a private party, has had some very good returns, yielding, I believe, from £10 to £14 a man per week above expenses ; and they have a large body of stone, with good prospects ahead. This mine has for the past three years been a consistent gold-producer, and, as the permanence of the reef is practically assured, the future prospects of the fortunate owners are exceedingly bright. The mine is worked by tunnelling and stoping, and the machinery consists of a ten-head battery, a feeder, and rock-breaker driven by an 8-horse-power steam-engine. Eight men are employed, including the shareholders. Ounce Mine, Macrae's, owned by Messrs. Spiers and. Ross, has been let on tribute to Messrs. Lidston and Sinclair, and the yield of gold during the year has been satisfactory. The Bonanza Mine, owned by Mr. L. O. Beal, has not done much working during the year, but the returns, I believe, have been satisfactory. Six men are employed at this mine. The Maritana Mine, owned by Mr. C. McGill, and situate alongside the Golden Point Mine (but not same reef), has been started during the year; but little crushing has been done, owing to shortage of water, although, I believe, the returns were satisfactory. This mine is worked by a six-head battery of stamps, driven by an overshot water-wheel. The Golden Point Mine, owned by Messrs. W. and G. Donaldson, has been continuously at work during the year, and employs ten to twelve men. A new ten-head battery has been put in; also a new concentrating-table, known as " the Woodbury," which has a larger capacity than the Vanner. The concentrates consist of scheelite, which is shipped direct to Germany. This is