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gold. There is a large area of unprospected ground which it is intended to open up, so there is no saying what may be met with. The Cambria reef was driven on a distance 200 ft. westward, and 253 tons of ore from'the drive crushed for a return of £676. Towards the latter part of the year work"was confined to opening up the Cambria reef eastwards. A new lode was unearthed, and as it is intended to drive on the reef (which has 300 ft. to go before it reaches the Moanataiari main slide) a patch of good gold may be met with. An average of fourteen men has been employed. Kuranui-Caledonian.— -This mine adjoins the Waiotahi, and the company, encouraged by the good results in the latter mine, decided to go in for a more vigorous policy. The capital has been greatly increased, and a comprehensive scheme of development-works will be shortly commenced. To this end an expert is now drawing up a report for future operations. As I mentioned in my remarks on the Waiotahi Mine, an arrangement was come to with that company to assist in driving from the No. 4 level, which corresponds to the Waiotahi No. 6, towards the Waiotahi. This drive will tend to prospect the Kuranui-Caledonian ground, and will drain and ventilate the Waiotahi. Gold was found in the No. 4 level, and in order to see if the gold goes down, winzes are being sunk. It is confidently expected that payable ore will be discovered. Taking everything into consideration, the prospects of this mine are good. An average of twenty-five men has been employed, and 193 tons of ore crushed for a return of 396 oz. 14 dwt., value £1,069 9s. lOd. Old Alburnia— -The main work of this company has been extending the Moanataiari tunnel so as to get under the place where rich ore was found in the upper levels. On this work twelve men have been engaged and 717 ft. driven. A small leader was cut in the tunnel, but was found not payable, and work on it was discontinued. Besides the wages-men, twenty-eight tributers have been employed. Ore crushed amounted to 375J tons, and yielded 686 ozs. 4 dwt. of gold, valued at £1,828 15s. Victoria.— This companyhas repaired and overhauled its winding machinery, put its levels in good order, and gone in for development-works. The No. 4 level has been extended 576 ft., and the Waiotahi reef intersected. The reef was cut into 17 ft. without any sign of the foot-wall, but nothing of any consequence was discovered. While driving this crosscut four other bodies of ore were met with, but no work has been done on them yet. At No. 5 level the Victoria reef has been driven on for 163 ft. to find out the value ; no rich developments have occurred, although the prospects are favourable. At the intermediate level operations have been carried on. with encouraging indications. An average of fifteen men has been employed, and 153 tons of quartz treated for 251 oz. 1 dwt. of gold, valued at £691 4s. Thames Mine.— This is the old Fame and Fortune and Nonpareil Mines, which were recently purchased by Mr. H. H. Adams, and a company called the Thames formed. It is intended to prospect the ground from the Moanataiari main tunnel. Air stopes are now being put in for working the drives. This ground has always been considered to be worth prospecting at the low levels, but water has hitherto prevented this being done. The work proposed will drain the mine and allow of work being carried on at a lower level than hitherto. Ten men have been employed. Neio Saxon.— The operations of this company have been confined to that portion of the mine above the No. 5 level, but nothing of any importance has been discovered. If the developments in the adjoining mine (the May Queen) prove satisfactory at the lower levels, no doubt this company will sink and try the ground at the low levels. The ground is in a good locality, immediately adjoining the Hauraki Pump, and well drained. Nine men have been employed, and 215 tons of ore crushed for a yield of £845. . May Queen— -The company has cleaned out and ventilated the workings, which had become full of foul air, and in some places unsafe, through being so long unused, and two passes above the No_. 3 level have been opened up in order to reach a block of unworked ground. Work was gone on with here for some time, but it was finally decided to knock off, and open up the bottom levels. A borehole was put down from the bottom of the shaft to connect with a crosscut put in from the Hauraki shaft, and the water drained off. At 720 ft. a chamber was cut, and a crosscut driven a distance of 233 ft., where the No. 4 lode was intersected. This lode was driven on in a westerly direction to a winze which had been sunk 95 ft. from the No. 5 level. The lode is payable, and averages 3 ft. in width. This is the lowest depth at which payable quartz has been found, and it is expected that the gold will go down. Now that the mine has been opened up regular returns may be expected. Eleven men have been New Una.— This mine has been worked from the main level of the May Queen Extended, which was extended 414 ft. In all 614 ft. of driving was done, 200 ft. being on the leaders called the Nos. 1, 2, and 3. A portion of No. 1 leader was stoped out and crushed, but was found not payable. On the No. 2 leader a big block of ground was worked out, and, although gold was seen in the quartz, the results of the crushing were not satisfactory. Several fair crushings were taken out of No. 3 leader, which was 18 in. wide, but as the reef was risen on the ore decreased in value and work was discontinued. With the object of cutting the Loyalty, German's, and McKenzie's reefs, the mam crosscut is being extended towards the south. The Loyalty reef may be met with any time; and as the country through which the drive is now passing is of a favourable nature for gold, good payable ore may be found. Six men have been employed, and 200 tons of ore treated for a return of £458. \WMay Queen Extended.— -This company has been working on the leaders close to the boundary of the New Una and above the main adit level, but as the leaders were small the returns were not profitable The company now intend to test the ground at a lower level, draining the water by means of a small pump. Ore treated amounted to 293 tons, valued at £763. Six men. were employed. ]Jfßallarat.— Four men have been working this mine, and crushed 72 tons of quartz for a return of £210 19s. 4d. mWest Coast— Mr.*JohnSNorthey,fand|one manphave been employed all the year. The ground is in a good run of being next the Moanataiari Mine, and the owner is always expecting

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