0.—2.

18

(2.) Government Prospecting-drills. . — - — Considerable use has been made during the year of the Government prospecting-drills, which are lent to hirers free of any charge but that of maintenance. An aggregate of 6,156 ft. was drilled in thirty-one holes for five hirers upon seven properties, as follows :—

The following is a table giving details of operations by Government drills during 1921 :—

Xumber Aggregate : M , , 8earched T of °i eS ??B*5 for. Drill used, drilled. drilled. Cost per Foot. Results. Drilling. Transport. 5 6 2 2 1 9 6 Ft. s. d. s. d. 1,227 Coal .. Diamond 1 4 to 4 2 2,196 „ .. „ 1 0 „ 1 8 370 Cinnabar .. „ 9 2 „ 11 5 1,317 Coal .. „ 5 4 „ 10 5 289 „ .. Cable percussive 468 Alluvial gold Keystone placer 289 j „ ' Ditto .. s. d. 0 8£ Coal in one hole, 7 ft. 0 8£ Coal in three holes from 3 ft. 9 in. to 6 in. 1 2 No payable ore found. 5 1 So workable coal found. Not determined ; faulted. Gold averaging 2Jd. per cubic yard. Gold averaging lid. per cubic yard.

Type of Drill. Name of Drill Superintendent. ' £ 0t tl 'IOmeter of Holes Depth drilled, m Feet. \ Mineral sought for. | Cost per Character of Country pierced. Foot of Drilling. Cost per Foot of Transport. To whom lent. Results. i Schram-Harker oil-driven A. Wick diamond drill Ditto Sullivan C.N. diamond R. Pengelly drill Ditto Cable percussion .. ; T. Ryan and W. H. Warburton Kevstone No. 3 placer- S. W. Ford drill Ditto .. .. „ .. | 1 1 9 6 ! Inches. | s. d. s. d. 236 2-S, If- Coal .. Gravel, clays, shales, and 2 8 0 8|- Homebush Brick and Coal Company, No workable coal. sandstones Glentunnel 280 2i, If .. Ditto .. .. .. | 3 7 .. Ditto .. .. .. ■ .. 285 ,2i, If „ .. „ .. .. ..42 .. „ .. 140 I 2J, If ., .. „ 2 9!.. „ 286 2|, If „ .. „ .. .. ..14 .. „ .. .. .. .. 7 ft. coal at 193 ft. (Sheath row seam). 306 2£, If . „ .. „ .. -. .. 18 .. Bush Gully .. .. .. 4 ft. coal at 173 ft., 4 ft. coal at 240 ft., 4 ft. 6 in. coal at 268 ft. 216 21, 1| .. „ .. .. ..10 .. ., .. .. .. No workable coal. 320 2i, If „ .. „ .. .. .. | 1 6 488 2J. If ...... .. ..15 386 2|, 1} „ .. „ .. .. .. j 1 4 .. „ .. .. .. 3 ft. 9 in. coal at 165 ft. 480 2|, If ! „ .. ., .. .. ..14 .. „ .. .. .. 6ft. coal at 111ft., 6ft. 6in. coal at 292ft., 3 ft. coal at 393 ft. 150 5, 2f Cinnabar .. Conglomerate, grits, mud- j 11 5J 12 N.Z. Quicksilver-mines, Puhipuhui No payable ore. stones, and clavs 220 ; 5, 2f „ .. Ditto.. ,.* ..9 2 .. „ 713 I 6, 2J j Coal .. Shingle, sandstone .. j 10 5 5 1 North Cape Coal Company, Puponga No workable coal. 604 6,2J „ .. Conglomerate and mud- 5 4.. M „ n stones 289 6,3J „ .. Mudstones and sandstones 86 6 7 0 Waimangaroa-Westport Coal-mines Not determined; country faulted. Syndicate, Burnett's Face 468 6 Alluvial gold Gravel .. .. .. .. Rimu Gold-dredging Company (Li- Gold a% erasing 2 J-d. per cubic yard. mited), Mahinapua 289 6 ,, ,, .. .... .. Rimu Gold-dredging Company (Li- Gold averaging lid. per cubic yard. i mited), Tucker Flat, Kanieri