C.—2

22

New Waiotahi Gold-mining Company, Thames (H. F. Shepherd). —Work in this mine during the year has been confined to driving and stoping on small leaders from a winze sunk to a depth of 50 ft. below the lowest adit level. 20 tons of general ore and (50 lb. of picked stone yielded gold valued at £194 10s. A scheme for lowering the water to enable this winze to.be sunk another 50 ft. is now under consideration. Alburnia Gold-mining Company (Thomas Gillon). — This company has recently acquired further capital with the object of testing the Sons of Freedom reef under where a very rich deposit of gold was worked out in the early days of this goldfield. Nonpariel Gold-mining Company (George Crocker). —Two men have been constantly employed prospecting the Cambria lode. At different points good mineral indications have been met with, but no gold has been seen. Caledonia-Kuranui-Moanataiari Gold-mining Company (S. G. Baker, Manager).—On the eastern side of the main fault the drive seaward on the Cambria reef has been extended 209 ft., and hill ward 15 ft. In each face the reef is wider than the drive, and although some of the ore has a promising appearance no gold has been seen. Hill ward on the Caledonian reef the drive has been extended 288 ft. ,the lode averaging about 7 ft. in width of low grade. At 200 ft. up the rise a drive is in progress on a hanging-wall dropper out of the Cambria reef, width 4 ft. ; colours of gold have been frequently seen in the ore broken out. Kuranui Gold-mining Company.—Operations in this mine were recently resumed at a point only a short distance from where the first rich deposit of gold was discovered on this goldfield. A crosscut put in on the north side of the Shotover Creek intersected a lode formation of about 2 ft. in width. It has been reported that strong colours of gold were seen in the ore broken out. Occidental Claim (F. Sawyer).—The only work done in this mine during the year was cleaning up the low level and fossicking around the old workings. 22 tons of ore, valued at £164 ss. 4d., were treated. Jolcer Claim (George Fisher). —This claim is owned and worked by Mr. George Fisher, and for the year 3 tons of ore were crushed, and yielded gold to the value of £25 ss. lid. Sylvia Gold-mining Company (J. Benny).—A considerable amount of work was done on the Norfolk lode, but the results proved most disappointing. Recently the men have been engaged cleaning out and repairing a level driven upon this reef lower down the creek in order to reach a point where high-grade ore is said to have been left. Zeehan Consolidated (H. F. Shepherd).— During the year a3O horse-power gas-engine and suction gas-producer for generating gas from wood fuel were installed for the purpose of driving a 9 in. air-compressor (pressure 80 lb. per square inch), a circular saw for cutting timber for buildings, &c., and also a small Ross mill and Wilfrey table for determining the best method of treating the complex ore of this mine. Work in the mine has been confined to driving main crosscut to intersect the Paroquet lode, driving south on the Zeehan lode, rising on No. 3 lode, and driving north to try and locate the Zeehan lode on the other side of the fault. A little work has also been done in a winze on the Zeehan lode below the low level, but nothing of importance has been discovered during the year. The Superintendent paid a visit to Canada to inspect their methods of dealing with complex ores, and has strongly recommended the erection of a 40-ton-a-day Ross mill for the sliming of the ore for concentrating in a Mineral Separation Company's oil-flotation machine. These concentrates will be shipped either to Australia or Europe. It is the intention of the company to immediately erect a plant for crushing the ore and concentrating its gold, silver, and other metal contents by oil flotation. An order has been given for a 120 horse-power suction gas engine and producer for generating the necessary power, which will be transmitted from the power-station at the sea frontage to the treatment plant, to be erected near the mine. Monowai Mine (R. W. Adams). —A small syndicate has been formed with a capital of £700 to test, at a greater depth, a lode, about 2ft. Gin. in width, which was discovered near the mouth of No. 3 level. The quartz is heavily mineralized, and samples taken gave values up to £6 per ton. A low-level crosscut is now in progress. Four-in-hand Gold-mining Company, Coromandel (W. J. Patterson, Manager).—During the year an average of ten men has been employed prospecting the Four-in-hand, Tainui, and Cuirassier sections of this mine. A considerable amount of driving has been done on the reef-system on each of these sections, but the results met with proved most disappointing. The water-race was put into repair, and a ground tramway constructed round the lateral spurs —a distance of 17 chains—and a tunnel driven for 249 ft. ; from this an aerial ropeway was constructed to connect with the battery and so do away with the heavy cost of sledging, and enable the quartz to be delivered at the mill at a reasonable cost. Unfortunately, owing to the heavy rainfall during the year causing a series of floods which carried away portions of the water-race and tramway on several occasions, and resulted in a considerable amount of money having to be spent to repair the damage done, work in the mine and mill has been retarded. A little prospecting-work has been done in the Try Again, Royal Oak, Iris, and Winnipeg claims, but nothing which calls for special mention has been discovered. Owera Gold-mining Company (W. F. G. Scott). —A considerable amount of work has been done in this mine in order to reach a point where is is stated payable ore was left some years ago ; but up to the end of the year the . desired point had not been reached. Other portions of this mine were also tried, but the results proved disappointing. 0. Andrews, Mahalcirau. —Mr. 0. Andrews, who has been prospecting in this locality for several years, crushed a parcel of picked ore for 16 oz. 11 dwt., valued at £50 55., won from a small quartz vein exposed on the surface. Muir's Gold-reefs (Limited), Te Pulce (W. MacConachie, Manager). — The main shaft was sunk 175J ft. during the year, making a total depth of 515J ft. below the surface. From 339| ft. to 420 ft. the shaft advanced through a hard country rock containing occasional small stringers of quartz. From 420 ft. to 430 ft. the ground was of a soft slidy nature, with greasy heads and slickensides having a slight dip to the north. From 430 ft. to 459 ft. the country rock was sold and free from slidy heads. At 459 ft. the country became softer and much closer timbering became necessary. This soft country continued to 474 ft. From 474 ft. to 515j ft. was firm country rock, containing some small irregular veins of quartz. Shaft-sinking was completed near the end of June, and a commencement was immediately made to cut out a chamber at 500 ft. down. Crosscutting from this chamber to both Muir's reef and the Massey reef was commenced early in July. The crosscut to Muir's reef was driven a total of 665 ft. from the main shaft. The first 30 ft. was through solid country. From 30 ft. to 285 ft. the crosscut progressed through broken country and soft slide material. This slide is nearly horizontal, having a slight dip to the south-east, and is probably identical with the soft ground met with in the shaft at 459 ft. down. The heavy swelling nature.of this slide necessitated close timbering in places, and repairs are being constantly effected to prevent the ground bursting the timbers. From 285 ft. to 560 ft. is hard country rock free from disturbance. At 560 ft. a flat slide with a slight dip to the west was met with. At 590 ft. the country became firmer. From 617 ft. to 665 ft. the crosscut has advanced through quartz and rubble containing a large portion of country rock of low grade. The crosscut to the Massey reef has been advanced 861 ft. from the shaft. At 800 ft. the course of the drive was altered and directed more to the west in order to avoid the swelling ground. From 310 ft. to 390 ft. the ground was soft and contained slidy heads, and timbering was necessary. From 390 ft. to 535 ft. is in firm country. From 628 ft. to 800 ft. the crosscut progressed through slidy ground of a heavy swelling nature requiring close timbering. In September a large flow of water was met with in the crosscut to Muir's reef, which proved more than the air-driven pumps then in use could handle. The water was allowed to rise to a point, about 300 ft. down the shaft, where it was found it could be held, and a start was made to install the pair of electrically driven 3-stage centrifugal pumps which were on hand in anticipation of an increased flow of water being met with as work progressed. Each of these pumps is capable of lifting 600 gallons per minute to a height of 230 ft. As soon as the mine was flooded out men were engaged enlarging the chamber and cistern at 280 ft. down the shaft, and installing one of the pumps there to lift the water to the drainage tunnel leading from the shaft, at, at 50 ft. down, to a gully on the surface. The other electrical pump was installed as a sinking-pump, being suspended on a wire rope and raised and lowered by an air-driven winch which had been recently erected for the purpose. This pump now raises the water from the bottom of the shaft to the cistern at 280 ft. down the shaft.