C.—2.

Three other dredges commenced working in the West Coast district in 1934 —the Gillespies Beach dredge in February, the Worksop in July, and the Stafford dredge in October. By the end of the year the Gillespies Beach dredge had treated 505,322 cubic yards of gravel for an average return of 1-65 grains of gold ; the Worksop dredge 151,128 cubic yards, which yielded an average of 3-35 grains per cubic yard ; and the Stafford dredge 48,004 cubic yards for an average return of 3-28 grains of gold per cubic yard. On the Waipapa Beach, near Otara, Southland, a dredge is being built, and preparations are under way at Alexandra and Clyde for the erection of two large dredges. (3) Alluvial Mining. The following is a statement showing the value of production of, and dividends declared by alluvial gold-mines during 1934 : —

It is considered by many that geophysical surveys, made to locate ancient and buried river channels (where alluvial gold may have been deposited), will prove if such channels are actually goldbearing ones. This idea is totally incorrect, for the presence of gold can be ascertained only by further prospecting such as by boring, shafting, or driving. Geophysical surveys recently made in New Zealand have, with fair accuracy, located the courses of the ancient rivers. In some cases, however, subsequent prospecting has proved them to carry little or no gold, but, owing to the somewhat prevalent conception that geophysical surveys are a magnified form of " divining," unjust criticism has been levelled against such surveys. During 1934 prospecting by driving, shafting, and boring in Otago, Southland, and the West Coast of the South Island became much more intense, particularly in the districts where mining engineers engaged by the Unemployment Board have been directing and advising the men assisted by that Board.

22

Dividends declared. , _ Estimated Quantity and Value Name of Owner. o( Gold produce( i. During 1934. Total to End of 1984. oz. £ £ £ Snowy River Sluicing Co., Ltd. .. .. 100 697 Glenroy Gold, Ltd. .. . • •. 106 756 Koura Mining Co., Ltd. .. . . .. 10 67 Mahakipawa Goldfields, Ltd. .. .. 2,324 16,915 Hohonu Gold-sluicing Co., Ltd. .. .. 124 920 Lawsons Flat Gold-sluicing Co., Ltd. .. .. 809 5,837 Mining Industrials N.Z. .. .. . ■ 76 555 Waitahu Sluicing Co., Ltd. .. .. .. 527 3,944 Stafford Sluicing Ltd. .. .. ■- 112 846 Addisons Flat Gold-mining Co., Ltd. .. .. 751 5,564 1,982 2,795 Charleston Sluicing Co., Ltd. .. . . 398 2,746 Golden Plateau, Ltd. .. .. .. 32 199 Mount David Sluicing Co., Ltd. .. . . 28 184 Bell Hill Gold-sluicing Co., Ltd. .. .. 297 2,368 Coast Exploration, Ltd. .. . ■ • . 88 615 Deep Lead, Ltd. .. .. •• 493 3,632 500 500 Golden Sands, Ltd. .. .. .. •• 640 5,106 700 2,500 Golden Coast Mining Co., Ltd. .. .. 25 188 Moonlight-Nelson Creek Sluicing Co., Ltd. .. 81 622 Golden Arrow Mining Co., Ltd. ..• .. 281 1,939 Waimumu Sluicing Co., Ltd. .. .. 118 876 .. .. Kildare Consolidated Gold-mining Co., Ltd. .. 255 1,838 .. 1,000 Nokomai Gold-mining Co., Ltd. .. .. 562 3,773 .. .. King Solomon Deep Lead, Ltd. .. .. 4,502 34,599 6,500 16,250 Terrace Gold-mining Co., Ltd. .... 5 33 New Gabriel's Gully Gold-mining Co., Ltd. .. 206 1,506 Sailor's Gully Gold-mining Co., Ltd. .. .. 409 2,956 420 13,295 Paddy's Point Gold-mining Co., Ltd. .. .. 363 2,584 .. 1,396 Bell-Hooper Cromwell Gold, Ltd. .. .. 1,239 % 9,004 Bell-Kilgour Gold-mining Co., Ltd. .. .. 961 6,884 Maerewhenua Gold Development Co., Ltd. . . 24 185 Macraes Gold-mining Co., Ltd. .. .. 1,053 7,120 1,000 1,000 Ben Ledi Sluicing Co., Ltd. .. . . . • 27 202 Fourteen-mile Beach Gold-mining Co., Ltd. .. 90 639 Round Hill Gold-mining Co., Ltd. .. .. 850 6,431 .. .. Moonlight Mining Syndicate .. .. .. 138 1,016 120 j 3,700 Central Shotover Gold-mining Co., Ltd. .. 67 485 Upper Shotover Gold-mining Co., Ltd. .. 163 1,160 Tallabum Hydraulic Sluicing Co., Ltd. .. 92 714 .. 1,380 Riverside Sluicing Co., Ltd. .. .. .. 123 867 Jones Nevis Sluicing Co., Ltd. .. .. 278 1,956 Rand Gold-mining Co., Ltd. .. .. •• 501 3,505 Skippers Ltd. .. .. •• •• 153 1,117 Coastal Mining Co., Ltd. .. .. • . 45 257 Verdon Sluicing Co., Ltd. .. .. . . 25 175 Nevis Sluicing Claims, Ltd. .. . . . ■ 13 92 All other claims .. .. .. 23,977 162,574 Total .. .. .. 43,541 306,248 11,222 Unknown.