73

C.—3

Idaburn. Wheeler and Party's Sluicing Claim.—Two men continue to find employment in this claim. Blackstone Hill (including Ida Valley).— This district has afforded' employment to the usual number of fossickers, who make a good living when water is available. The past season has again been unfavourable for sluicing in this district. Dredging.— The Cairntrodlie dredge, owned by the Wallis Syndicate, Gore, continued to operate successfully during the year. Some prospecting has been carried on lately with a view to placing other dredges on adjoining ground. This"class of mining is hampered during dry seasons through scarcity of water. St. Bathan's. Eagle and Gray's Sluicing Claim.— This claim is still idle. It is understood that future working depends upon the deepening of the main sludge-channel. Scandinavian Water-race Company, Surface Hill (Neil Nicolson, Manager).—Sluicing and elevating operations in this extensive claim have been continued on the usual lines throughout the year. A large amount of material was treated with fair success. Elevating, 100 ft. vertical; face, 130 ft. in height. Twelve men are employed. United M. and E. Water-race Company (Limited), (W. Pyle, Legal Manager ; P. T. O'Regan, Mine-manager).—This claim is worked on a large scale by hydraulic sluicing and elevating, the material treated being finally discharged into the main sludge-channel. Operations have been conducted on the usual lines. Elevating, 64 ft. ; Nine men are employed. Shamrock Gold-mining Company, Hawkdun Station.— The plant has been idle throughout the year, and is for sale. Kildare Hill, St. Bathan's.— Owing to the great depth at which this claim was worked and the height to which the material required to be elevated, operations have not been carried on for some years, awaiting the deepening of the main sludge-channel. This would obviate the necessity for the great expenditure of power in elevating to present height. Cambrian's. Vinegar Hill Hydraulic Sluicing Company (T. Morgan, Manager).—This is the largest plant at work in this district. The face is broken down and the material sluiced through a long ground-sluice. Operations have been conducted on the usual lines throughout the year. Seven men are employed. Fordham and Gay's Hydraulic Sluicing Claims.— Two men have found employment in this claim during the sluicing season. The various sluicing claims in this district have continued to work as usual in a small way, and do not call for special comment. Matakanui. Undaunted, Gold-mining Company (Limited), Matakanui (T. C. Donnelly, Manager). About 1| acres have been sluiced away during the year, with highly profitable results! The claim is worked on good lines by hydraulic sluicing and elevating. Nine men are employed. Tinker's Gold-mining Company (Limited), Tinker's (J. Naylor, Manager).—At the time of my visit operations on the deep lead were discontinued owing to the scarcity of water for elevating purposes. The available water was in use ground-sluicing on a higher level. Seven men are employed. Matakanui Gold-mining Company (Limited), (W. Norman, Manager), (area of claim, 45 acres). The claim is being worked as usual by hydraulic sluicing and elevating, and operations during the year have been conducted with fair success. Seven men are employed. Mount Morgan Sluicing Company (Limited), (James Percy, Manager), (area of claim, 62 acres). —The claim is worked by hydraulic sluicing and elevating. Four men are employed. J. Symes and Son's Sluicing Claim, Matakanui. —This plant continues in operation on the flat below Matakanui Township. Drybread Diggings.— Mining operations on a large scale on the auriferous lead traversing this locality are still awaiting the liberation of the water-supplies at present in use at Matakanui. Devonshire Diggings.— As in the case of the Drybread Diggings, this locality is also unworkable through the lack of a suitable water-supply, and is practically abandoned. Qphir.— There is an extensive field in this district for alluvial mining, but mining is practically at a standstill for want of water for sluicing purposes. Should the Bonanza water-rights become available for public use, there is ample scope for the application of the water in this district for mining purposes. A syndicate is at present dismantling the Enterprise dredge at Alexandra for removal to the flat above Ophir Township. Springvale. Springvale Sluicing Claim, near Alexandra, South (J. Gartley, Manager).—Sluicing operations are still being continued on shallow gully and terrace ground in this locality. Dredging.— -The Olrig dredge has worked steadily throughout the year with satisfactory results. The Chatto Creek dredge has been sold to N. Bradley, but has been inactive during the year. Alexandra South. Alexandra-Bonanza Gold-dredging and Sluicing Company, Galloway Flat (J. Matthews, Manager; J. Davie, Secretary, Dunedin).—During the greater part of the year sluicing operations were continued on this claim, and a large amount of terrace ground was sluiced away. An offer from the Government to purchase the various dams and water-rights, water-races, and plant belonging to the company for the sum of £13,000 has been accepted by the shareholders. There is a considerable demand for water in this district for mining purposes.

10—C. 3.