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Handsworth Mine. —Protected for portion of the year. Yielded gold valued at £145. Great Mercury Mine. —Two men employed during the year, whose labour has so far revealed nothing beyond poor-grade ore ; still the owners are hopeful of better things before long. Otama Mine. —At present worked by Messrs. O'Keefe and Filings. A fair amount of work has been done, of a disappointing nature to the workers. Ten pounds of stone obtained, however, yielded bullion valued at £45. Gumtown. Kapowai Mine. —This mine has been worked by the owner with four men, who have got out 1,240 tons of stone, which upon being crushed returned gold of the value of £2,469. It is stated the proprietor proposes erecting a cyanide plant. Big Beetle Mine. —This property was worked by tributers for a portion of the year, but subsequently the mine and battery were sold to Mr. O'Connor. This ground, together with the Perseverance and Golden Drop claims, is in the hands of a syndicate, which has four men prospecting the area; and if decent prospects are obtained it is intended to prosecute development-works on a larger scale. Seventythree tons of quartz were treated during the year, resulting in a yield of gold valued at £133. I have, &c, R. S. Bush, The Under-Secretary, Mines Department, Wellington. Warden. Mr. Warden Roberts, Tauranga, to the Under-Secretary, Mines Department, Wellington. Sir,— Warden's Office, Tauranga, 28th March, 1906. I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your memorandum of the 26th January, with certain forms attached thereto to be filled up, and asking me to report on the general condition of the mining industry in my district. In reply thereto, I have to report that during the year ended the 31st December, 1905, little or nothing has been done to work or develop the goldfields in the Tauranga portion of the Hauraki Mining District, only one man being employed. The forms are filled up and returned herewith. have, &c, J. M. Roberts, The Under-Secretary, Mines Department, Wellington. Warden.

Mr Warden Smith, Blenheim, to the Under-Secretary, Mines Department, Wellington. Sir — Warden's Office, Blenheim, 12th April, 1906. I have the honour to report that during the past year the mining industry in this district has not been marked by any noteworthy development. Quartz-mining operations have been continued in the Wairau Valley Gold-mining Company's property at Top Valley, where a low-level tunnel is being driven to intersect a reef found on the Lord Hopetoun Claim. Six men have on an average been employed at this work, and during the year a total of 300 ft. has been driven, leaving 800 ft. to drive before the point is reached at which it is expected to cut the reef. Scheelite of good quality is found on this property and is being mined. Active operations have not been carried on in any other quartz claim, with perhaps the exception of a little prospecting on Mount Patriarch. Dredging is represented by the Golden Point Company at Wakamarina and the Alpine Golddredging Company at Top Valley, but in neither case has the dredge been at work during the year. As mentioned in my last report, both dredges met with misfortunes, and up to the close of the year had not been replaced on the claims in working-order. As regards alluvial mining, it is understood that at Mahakipawa and the Wakamarina a few good claims are" being worked and that on the whole a general advance on recent years is shown in those localities. Statistical returns are forwarded herewith. I have, &c, The Under-Secretary, Mines Department, Wellington. T. Scott Smith, Warden.

Mr. Warden Kenny, Nelson, to the Under-Secretary, Mines Department, Wellington. S IE _ Warden's Office, Nelson, 3rd April, 1906. I have the honour to forward herewith statistical returns for the year ending the 31st December, 1905, together with a general report upon the mining districts under my administration. Subdistrict of Collingwood. To make this report as comprehensive as possible, I shall deal with the various operations being carried on in the different parts of the district individually, and then add a few general remarks. Parapara Hydraulic Sluicing and Mining Company (Limited). —This company is the holder of several special alluvial claims, but during the period to which this report relates labour has been concentrated on sluicing operations at the Hit or Miss saddle ; and the returns on the whole have been fairly satisfactory. The ground worked is very heavy and rough, and the gold-bearing wash underlies hills of considerable height, so that, as the wash is removed, enormous slips from the hillsides occur, bringing down large quantities of shattered rock, which has to be broken up and stacked or sluiced away. The gold-bearing wash at this face is now, however, almost exhausted, and the company is proceeding to