C.—2.

down from the level gave results which the directors considered sufficiently encouraging to put down an inclined drive 420 ft. in length. The hopes raised by borehole prospects were not realized, and the company ceased operations. The gold won amounted to 8 oz. 2 dwt. 16 gr., valued at £56 4s. Waikerikeri. —In Waikerikeri Valley, six miles from Clyde, the Unemployment Board subsidized a party of four men to drive across the quartz drifts which lie at the foot of the Dunstan Range and dip at a high angle. A considerable amount of gold was won in this district by alluvial miners. It was recognized that the gold was derived from the quartz drift deposits which are continuous along the foot of the range from Waikerikeri to St. Bathans. The drive was continued until the schist rock was reached, a distance of 520 ft. The quartz grits passed through were lying in exactly the same order as at Matakanui and elsewhere. Two coal-seams were cut, also a bed of shale. Fine gold was got in several thin seams, but nothing payable was located. On the Devonshire,, Matakanui, and Drybread goldfields parties of men are sluicing when water is available after the irrigation season closes. Owing to the nature of the deposits on these fields expensive prospecting and development is required before gold-production can reach its former figures. A considerable amount of prospecting by subsidized men is being carried on around Alexandra. On the Galloway side of the Manuherikia River some payable patches have been struck, but operations are only on a small scale owing to lack of water. At Conroys Gully three parties of prospectors, paid by the Unemployment Board, have done a considerable amount of sinking, driving, and trenching on the lode system. A ball-mill is being erected for the treatment of prospectors' samples and is expected to be in operation early in 1935. Sym.es Beef, Old Man Range, Alexandra.—A small amount of crosscutting Was carried out during the early part of the year, but nothing of importance was discovered. It is the intention of the proprietor to extend the low level another 150 ft. It is now in 725 ft., and was discontinued before the ore channel was cut. Dredge-mining. Shotover River. Goldfields Dredging Co. (S. Chapman, Dredgemaster).—The directors of this company decided to discontinue dredging on the river below the gorge, and preparations were made in April to shift the dredge on to Big Beach. On the 12th of August the hazardous journey of 110 chains through a deep, narrow channel was safely completed. This achievement required both skill and courage to overcome the difficulties that often threatened disaster to the machine and crew. After a few days spent in overhauling the plant, dredging was started on Big Beach. The total yardage dredged was 1,339,970, and gold recovered 706 oz. 16 dwt. 14 gr., which realized £4,994 6s. Bd. Nevis Diesel Electric Gold-dredging Co., Upper Nevis (D. Caithness, Dredgemaster).—Reconstruction of this dredge and installation of new plant was completed early in March. Dredging was carried on till 12th May, when operations ceased and were not resumed during the year. Gold recovered for the period of dredging amounted to 72 oz. 12 dwt.:, valued at £482 19s. 2d. Nevis Crossing Dredge, Lower Nevis (S. Fache, Manager and Owner). — Repairs and adjustments to the plant and pontoons of this dredge were completed early in the year, and the plant has operated continuously during the open season at this altitude. Satisfactory returns have been won from ground 8 ft. to 10 ft. deep. Bendigo Goldlight Gold-dredging Co., Bendigo Creek, Cromwell.—This company has worked continuously during the year on the reconstruction of the dredge purchased by them. The wooden pontoons were completed and launched in July, and it was anticipated that the dredge would be operating before the year ended. Owing to a shortage of water in the dredge-paddock construction work was held up until water could be brought in to the claim, and the ladder and tailings elevator yet remain to be placed in position. The following description of pontoons, plant, and gold-saving tables was kindly supplied by the company's consulting engineer, Mr. Fletcher Roberts: Wood pontoons, 126 ft. long, 28 ft. beam, 8 ft. 2 in. deep; ladder, 93 ft. 6 in. centres; buckets, 7J-cubic-feet capacity; dredging depth 48 ft., with ladder at 45°; elevator, 91 ft. centres, bucket type, stacks to about 40 ft.; screen, reciprocating type, two screens each 21 ft. long by 4 ft. 6 in. wide; pumps, 12 in. centrifugal; tables, six tables 15 ft. 6 in. long and two tables 12 ft. long, all 3 ft. wide, in addition to a shower-box under the screens which is 22 ft. long by 4 ft. 6 in. wide. Each table has a cast-iron boil-box at its head. The remainder of the tables are made of wood. Power Plant: A Ruston 62-horse-power four-cylinder Diesel engine for the operation of pump and screens; a 20-horse-power internally fired boiler; a 20-horse-power compound condensing Marshall engine transmits power through a five-rope drive to buckets, elevator, and winches. A considerable amount of new material has gone into the construction of this dredge, and the result is a substantial machine with ample power and well-designed gold-saving appliances. The Molyneux Gold-dredging Co. is preparing a site at Clyde and making preparations to construct their dredge. The first shipment of material is expected early in the coming year. The Clutha River Gold-dredging Co. is making preparations at Alexandra to commence the erection of their dredge, which was designed in England by Payne and Son. Both plants will be in operation by the end of 1935 if no unexpected delays are experienced. The Rainbow Dredging Co., Ltd. (A. Cook, Dredgemaster).—A small dredge was built and equipped on a freehold property close to the Gore-Hedgehope Main Road, in Block I, Waimumu Hundred. Pontoons 31 ft. in length, 18 ft. in width, and 4 ft. in depth, with a ladder 22 ft. in length carrying eighteen buckets with a capacity of 2j- cubic feet, discharging twelve buckets per minute into a sluice-box. A Gardner highspeed crude-oil engine of thirty-eight brake horse-power furnishes the power required for the bucket-ladder, winches, and pumps. The depth dredged is shallow, being about 7 ft. When the Freshford Dredging Co. went into liquidation the dredge was purchased by J. A. S. Aitken, of Gore. The dredge was dismantled, transported to the Waikaka Valley on to freehold property between Maitland and Willowbank, and re-erected in an old dredge-paddock. The dredge pontoons have been strengthened and small alterations have been made in the superstructure in order to increase efficiency. Dredging operations were commenced during the latter part of the year under the superintendence of R. M. Smail, dredgemaster. This dredge is a steam-driven one and has the following dimensions: pontoons, 80 ft. 6 in. overall length by 29 ft. wide. The main engine is a 16-horse-power Marshall compound, fitted with condenser, feed-water heater, and other auxiliaries. The boiler is a 39-horse-power internal-fired, marine return-tubed type. The winches are driven by two 5-horse-power Marshall engines. The bucket-line is equipped with thirty-one buckets of 6-cubic-feet capacity, and delivers ten buckets per minute into a 79 ft. sluiee-box. An area on the Waipapa Beach near Otara, Southland, has been taken over by the Waipapa Beach Dredging Co. A dredge is now under construction and is expected to be completed and operating in the early part of the year. Minerals other than Gold. Scheelite.—ln the Glenorchy Area 191 tons were treated for a yield of 27 tons 4 cwt. of concentrates, valued at £2,720. In the Macraes District 322 tons were treated for 11 tons 3 cwt. of concentrates, valued at £1,875. . The total yield of concentrates from 513 tons of ore treated at the various batteries was 38 tons. 7 cwt. and this, with other parcels of concentrates treated by small producers totalling 13 cwt., brought the aggregate to 39 tons, valued at £4,678. Oil-wells : Southland Oil, Ltd.—No boring has been done at either No. 1 or No. 2 bore during the year.

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