15

C.—2

At the Blackwater Mine 38,140 tons of quartz were crushed for a return of 18,550 oz., valued at £79,310, compared with 39,730 tons yielding 19,296 oz., valued at £75,438 during the previous year. A considerable amount of driving and development work was done, and the extent of reef and values disclosed were very satisfactory. A plant is being erected to treat concentrates, which in former years were sent to Australia for treatment. At the New Big River Mine the tonnage crushed was about the same as during the previous year, but the gold won showed an increase in amount of 1,010 oz., and in value of £4,430. Comparatively little development work was done, and no payable ore was disclosed in No. 12 level, but in two rises put up from this level good stone was got. (2.) Dbedge Mining. The following is a statement showing the capacity, production, and profits of bucket golddredges during 1924. (Note. —The profits made by privately owned dredges are not obtainable for publication.)

The Rimu Flat dredge has worked continuously throughout the year, and the operations of the company have been very successful. The gold won by this dredge, 10,606 oz., is 79§ per cent, of the gold got by dredging throughout the Dominion for the year. Besides operating the dredge the Rimu Gold-dredging Company has prospected other areas in Westland in order to locate another dredgingarea which along with another dredge on Rimu Flat might be worked from a larger generating plant than that at Lake Kanieri. (3.) Alluvial Mining. The following is a statement showing the value of production and dividends declared from alluvial gold-mines during 1924 :—

i, O co fn »co ; d M W)|q ■ "§ 03 {g 43 Ofi £.3 . d S ~ "C Dividends declared. So ! 2 m a « ®"S 33 g.g w'g w h --g &s Name of Dredge. Locality. £ otfo o »st> '"'■a . iss-s ■as s- ®a °a . „ 111 | |ll |I M fl III - g — 3 I K fc ®H ■< > Otago and Southland. Ft £ £ £ Rise and Shine No. 1 .. Clutha River . . 5| 10 20 8 40 146 .. - 53,700 Nevis Crossing .. .. Nevis River .. 3|- 10 12 S 10 1,455 McGeorge's Freehold No. 3 Waikaka Valley 6| 9 "20 S 35 4,956 W&st/ Cocist Rimu .. .. .. Rimu .. ..10 19 525 E 55 47,256 6,566 9,849 Awatuna .. .. Awatuna Beach ..8 15 20 S 25 4,727 Totals, 1924 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 58,540 6,566 Unknown. Totals, 1923 .. .. 68,003 3,283 Unknown.

Dividends declared. K,m. nf (inmninv Estimated Value of i N ame ot Company. Gold prodnced During 1924. Total to End of 1924. I - £ £ ! £ Vinegar Hill Sluicing Company .. .. .. .. 1, 162 .. 1,050 Scandinavian Water-race Company .. .. .. 2,430 .. j Gabriel's Gully Sluicing Company 3,783 2,000 I7,lil5 Lawrence Sluicing Company .. .. .. 710 1,000 2,000 W- R- Smyth . . . . .. . . .. 1,060 Golden Crescent Sluicing Company .. .. .1,028 .. 12,862 Sailor's Gully Sluicing Company.. .. .. .. 2,933 1,680 7,520 R.J.Cotton .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,230 Graham and Party .. .. .. .. .. 2,848 1,500 2,900 Nokomai Hydraulic Sluicing Company .. .. .. 5,160 54,684 D. McLister . . .. .. .. . . .. i ,214 Round Hill Gold-mining Company .. 3,906 Hohonu Gold Sluicing Company .. . . .. 1,348 Stubbs and Steel .. . . .. . . .. 1,236 Havill Bros. .. .. .. .. .. 1,422 All other claims .. .. .. .. .. 2(5,393 Totals .. .. .. .. .. 57,863 0,180 Unknown.