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mine in the early part of the yoar. The failure of the Alexander River Reefs to develop as well as had been hoped for, coupled with difficulties on that property in maintaining constant crushing, also helped to reduce the output, 11 is unlikely that the Wealth of Nations Mine will resume work again—in the lower levels, anyhow—but prospeoting-work to be carried on at the New Big River Mine may possibly yield good results in the coming year. No dividends were paid by any of the mines. Quarries. —In the various quarries in the Canterbury and West Coast Districts work was carried on steadily, some 274 men being employed, as against 263 last year.' The value of the output increased from £51,1.20 to £55,983. Prospecting. —A good deal of prospecting was carried out, but no great success was met with. Field prospecting gave no results of value. Keystone drilling was carried out at the Taramakau River and at Barrytown, but although good leads of gold wore located in each instance, the proved areas were not considered large enough in extent to warrant dredges being put on them. An area at Four River Plains, Murchison, also had a few drill-holes put down on it, which revealed very fair values. Accidents. —I am pleased to report that no serious accidents occurred for the year either in the mines or quarries. SOUTHERN INSPECTION DISTRICT (Mr. A. Whitley, Inspector of Mines). Quartz and Alluvial Mining. Wailaki County. Livingstone and Maereivhenua. —The returns from those localities show that nine mon were employed, producing 137 oz. gold, valued at £530. Owing to the small and irregular supply of water, sluicing could only bo intermittently carried on. Waihemo County. Golden Bar Mine, Stoneburn. —This mine was taken over from the Mount Moore Gold-mining Co. by C, G. Moore and party. A five-stamp battery, gas-producer, and 35 h.p. gas-engine, together with battery and office buildings, were moved from the Deep Dell Mine at Macrae's and erected at tho Golden Bar. Surface prospecting was carried out on tho middle reef, and 28 tons of quartz taken from an open cutting on this reef was crushed for a return of 4 oz. 10 dwt. gold. Maniototo County. St. Bathans Gold-mining Co., St. Bathans. —ln the early part of the year the inclined shaft on the Kildare lead had been sunk to a depth of 60 ft. from the bottom of the Scandinavian Co.'s elevator-paddock, when a heavy fall of ground from the side of the paddock completely wrecked the timbered approach to the shaft. As previous efforts to work the lead from vertical shafts had proved unsuccessful and it was considered unsafe to attempt to reopen the inclined shaft, the company ceased operations. Scandinavian Water-race Co., St. Bathan's. —This company, which was formed in 1907 to work Kildare and Surface Hill leads at St. Bathan's, has ceased operations. During the time it was operating gold to the value of £44,143 was produced, but no dividends wore paid. Cambrian. —Four claims, employing seven men, were working on this field during the yoar. The principal producers were Morgan Brothers, with 317 oz. gold, valued at £1,158, and N. Nicholson, 80 oz., valued at £318. Patearoa. —Five men wore employod on this field. The gold won amounted to 85 oz., valued at £320. Naseby and Kyeburn. —Nineteen men were employed in these localities. Tho yield of gold amounted to 542 oz., valuod at £2,039. Crowe and McGeorgo prospected areas of alluvial ground in Blocks 4 and 12, Kyeburn Survey District, with a hand-boring plant. Six holes, from 11 ft. to 16 ft. deep, were bored to the Maori bottom. Very poor results were obtained. i Tuapeka County. Blue Spur. —The combined operations ot the Gabriel's Gully Co. and Lawrence Sluicing Co. resulted in the production of 1,573 oz. gold, valuod at £6,180. Dividends amounting to £600 were paid by the Gabriel's Gully Co., and £750 by the Lawrence Co. Golden Crescent Sluicing Co., Weatherstones. —The block of shallow ground at Ballarat Hill was worked out, and the company resumed operations in the cement deposit at the head of Weatherstones Flat, where elevating is being carried on from a depth of 50 ft. The yield of gold amounted to 304 oz., valued at £1,204, and the sum of £175 was paid in dividends. Golden, Rise Claim, Weatherstones (W. Smyth, Owner). —A new claim, comprising part of the Lawrence to Waipori Road, was taken up, and arrangements have been made with the Tuapeka Council for the diversion of the road while mining operations are in progress. Evans Flat Gold-mining Co. —This company was formed to purchase and work the claim at Evans Flat formerly owned by Treacy Bros. Sluicing and elevating has been carriod on during the year for a return of 49 oz. 8 dwt. 8 gr. gold, valued at £189 18s. 9d. Sailor's Gully Sluicing Co., Waitahuna. —Ground, sluicing has been carried on throughout the year in the cement deposit on the south side of Waitahuna Gully. The gold recovered amounted to 560 oz. 13 dwt.. valued at £2,059 7s. (id. Dividends amounting to £630 were paid. Tuapeka Mouth Sluicing Co., Tuapeka Mouth. —This company is working an old river-channel near the junction of the Tuapeka and Molynoux Rivers. Water for sluicing is pumped from the Tuapeka River. The plant, which was formerly used by the Tamiti Gold-mining Co., consists of a four-stage centrifugal pump, driven by a turbine. Four heads of water is pumped to a height of 90 ft. for working the claim. 137 oz. gold, valued at £546, was recovered. Tallaburn Sluicing Co., Horseshoe Bend. —Hydraulic elevating from a depth of 45 ft. has been carried on during the year for a return of 206 oz. 19 dwt. gold, valued at £788 12s. sd. Pettigrew and Party, Roxburgh. —This party is engaged in cleaning out an old elevating-paddock, which was sunk by the Ladysmith Gold-mining Co. several years ago, to prospect for an auriferous lead. The incoming water, amounting to 2.V sluice-heads, is pumped by an 8 in. centrifugal pump, and a 6 in. Thompson's gravel-pump is used for lifting the silt and fine gravel. Electric power for pumping is supplied by the Teviot Power Board. Murchison Bros., Fourteen-mile Beach. —This party produced 132 oz. gold, valued at £513. The claim is situated in the gorge of the Molyneux River between Coal Creek Flat and Alexandra, and operations are hindered by any rise that takes place in the level of the river. Vincent County. Alexandra Deep Lead Gold-mining Co., Alexandra. —Tho company's efforts to open up an auriferous lead proved unsuccessful. A shaft 18 ft. by 11 ft. 6 in. was sunk to bed-rock and driving commenced, but the heavy flow of water which came from a seam of looso gravel 10 ft. above the main bottom made tho work of driving very difficult and costly. The company ceased operations in October. Clutha Development Co., Ltd., Lowburn. —The company was engaged from April to October in check-drilling the area previously drilled. Thirty-seven holes, averaging 50 ft. in depth, were bored in tho bed of the Clutha River. The prospects were considered to bo satisfactory. Clutha Junction Consolidated Prospecting and Gold-dredging Go., Ltd. —Thirty-six holes were bored to an average depth of 78 ft. in the area taken up by the company at the junction of the Clutha ami Lindis Rivers. The drilling done proved that the river-gravel in this locality did not contain sufficient gold to pay for dredging.

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