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have been put through the company's battery during the year, the work being confined to developing the mine. An average of six men were employed. Khartoum Mine. —A good deal of prospecting was done on this property during the year, the work being directed to driving on the reefs. In some places encouraging prospects were obtained, but the funds became exhausted, and the mine had to be closed down pending further capital being raised. Four men were employed. Hikutaia Gold Syndicate Mine. —Only a limited amount of work has been done on this property during the year. A large amount of work was previously done on the reef, but the ore being low-grade, and not proving payable to work, the mine was stopped for the time being. Omahu District. Klondike Mine. —Operations in this mine were carried on during the greater part of the year with a limited number of men. The five-head stamp battery which the company erected on the property was completed in the month of May, when crushing operations were started. After putting a parcel of 125 tons through the battery for the unpayable return of 17 oz. 6 dwt. of gold, valued at £41 16s. 6d. (which was most disappointing), and there not being sufficient capital in hand to further develop the mine, work was stopped, and six months' protection obtained to enable the company to try and raise further funds. Four men were employed. Sheet Anchor Mine. —This mine has been worked under option for some time, the work being chiefly confined to prospecting the ground in and about the low level, where it was anticipated the ore-body previously discovered on the surface —in a disturbed class of country, and from which good results were obtained—would be intersected at a depth. Although several small reefs and formations have been cut through (some of which carry a little gold) nothing that is considered of a payable quality has been met with at this level. Up to the present no crushings have been reported. Four men were employed. We Three Claim. —This ground which is adjacent to the Sheet Anchor Mine has also been worked during a portion of the year. The operations being confined to the surface portions where disturbed outcrops were discovered, and from which 2 tons 4 cwt. of stone was broken out and treated at the Thames School of Mines for 92 oz. 7 dwt. bullion, value £37 12s. Id. Two men were employed. Puriri District. Puriri Gold Estates. —This property is owned by an English company, and was closed down for a considerable period, but during the present year operations were again resumed under the general management of Mr. Stevenson, the company's representative, who directed operations on the property previous to going to England, and who apparently was not satisfied with the results obtained previous to closing down. lam informed that whilst in England Mr. Stevenson was successful in raising a substantial amount of capital to enable further prospecting and development-work to be undertaken on the property. At the start a good deal of preliminary work had to be done in repairing roads, levels, passes, water-races, &c, also the erecting of a new battery building and foundations, all of which have been completed. In the mines the operations so far have been of a prospecting nature ; in the Moncreith section a surface prospecting-level has been driven north-east of the main shaft to prospect the ground previous to unwatering the shaft and workings from deeper levels. In the Aurarius section an intermediate level is being driven on the reef from a pass between the No. 3 and Smithy level for the purpose of dividing the block and testing the value of the reef. So far no crushings have taken place. From six to ten men were employed. Miner's Right Claim. —Two men have been employed on this ground during the year, the operations being confined to driving and stoping on several small leaders which have been intersected in the different workings, and from which 54 tons of crushing-dirt was broken out and treated at their small battery for a return of 28 oz. 11 dwt, of gold, value £78 10s. 3d. Outside District. Waihi Beach Claims. —On this property preliminary operations have been pushed on for some time. These consisted of the erection of workmen's dwellings, blacksmith's shop, and other necessary buildings, also getting timber and material on the ground for a shaft, which the company have decided to sink to test and prove the value of the reefs which have been discovered outcropping on the coastline. The site for the shaft has been surveyed and a point selected on the high land, where the shaft will be sunk to a depth of 330 ft. before opening out on the hanging-wall side of the lode. A crosscut will then be put in, it is estimated 150 ft., to cut the lode. It is intended to sink the shaft a depth of 80 ft. by hand-power, during which the arrangements will be made for the purchase and erection of a pumping plant and winding-engine. An average of four men were employed. Ohui, Te Puke, and Kati Kati. —Very little work has been done on any of the mines during the year. Thames District. Moanataiari Mine. —This mine changed hands twice during the year, It was first purchased by Mr. J. J. Craig, and an attempt was made to form it, together with the May Queen Hauraki into a company; but this failed, and in the meantime the tributers continued to work the blocks of ground let to them on tribute. In August, Mr. H. H. Adams purchased the property, and amalgamated it with the Alburnia. A company known as the Old Alburnia Company was formed, and operations were immediately commenced by extending the Moanataiari tunnel towards the Alburnia shaft, a contract being let for driving 300 ft. A lode was intersected near the end of this contract which varied from 2 ft. to 3 ft. 6 in. in width, and a little gold was seen in breaking out the quartz, a feature which is certainly most encouraging to shareholders. This tunnel is penetrating through unprospected ground at a con-
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