C.—2,

Stewart Gold Co., Waikaka (E. Stewart, General Manager and Engineer, W. G. Stewart, Works Manager). Work was carried on steadily during the year. The Euston Diesel pumping-engine was burnt out in September, and an electric motor was then installed. The whole of the plant is now electrically operated, power being obtained from the Southland power scheme, recently acquired by the Government. The main pump, which is operated by an 80 b.li.p. motor, delivers 1,200 gallons of water per minute through a riveted steel pipe-line 13 in. in diameter and 1,000 ft. in length into a reservoir situated at an elevation of 170 ft. above the stream from which the water-supply is obtained. From the reservoir a second pipe-line, also 13 in. in diameter, and approximately 3,000 ft. in length, conveys the water across an intervening valley and on to the high-level terraces where the workings are located. To reinstate the pressure lost owing to the high elevation of the ground being treated the water, when it reaches the claim, is passed through a boosting-pump operated by a 50 h.p. motor, enabling it to be delivered at the workings under a pressure of 701b. per square inch. Prior to the change-over, from Diesel engines to electric motors, a hydraulic elevator was used to lift the material to the gold-saving boxes and tables, but this system of working has now been discarded and a Blackstone gravel pump operated by a 30 h.p. motor installed in its place. The material treated before being delivered to the gravel pump passed through a run of boxes 3 ft. wide and over 60 ft. in length; the o- o ld° which is very fine, being saved on eoooanut matting in the ordinary manner, and the concentrate from" the mats being treated with cyanide prior to amalgamation. With the gravel pump in operation, the whole of the water delivered at the claim is now used on the nozzle for breaking down the materia] and conveying it to the pump, whereas previously the greater portion was required by the boxes, leaving only the lesser for use on the nozzle for breaking down and conveying material to the elevator. Under the new system although the material is being lifted to a greater height than with the elevator, the rate of treatment has been increased over 100 per cent. Eight men were employed, and the gold won amounted to 552 oz. 10 dwt valued at £4,288 16s. 7d. Coastal Mining Co. — Operations were carried on until October on the western or estuary, end, and on the mid-seetion of the Haldane Beach. This beach has been worked previously at two different periods, and, as a result, the auriferous content was low. The company went into voluntary liquidation. A syndicate has purchased the self-propelled, caterpillar-mounted gravel pumping plant. A claim has been obtained on the Orepuki Beach, and the machine will be dismantled and removed to this new area. Six men were employed, and the gold won amounted to 196 oz. 2 dwt. 18 gr., valued at £1,392 2s. 2d. There were 153 men employed during the year (inclusive of the companies) in the Southland County and the amount of gold won was 5,098 oz. 12 dwt. 5 gr., valued at £37,580 Is. Wallace County. Round Hill Gold-mining Co. (F. Hart, Manager). — Active mining operations have been carried on during the year, and approximately 5 acres of ground, of an average depth of 55 ft., has been worked There is about 20 ft. of hard pug in the overburden. This has to be blasted and broken up with picks, thus slowing up operations and reducing the output. A new set of gold-saving tables were being erected at the end of the year. When these are completed the tailings will be allowed to fill up the present paddock During the year the water races have been repaired and put into good order. A new type of monitor has been designed by Mr. Hart, the manager. This is built up of steel plates, and "is lighter and stronger than the usual type constructed of castings. It is working successfully. Eighteen men were employed and the gold won amounted to 1,830 oz. 19 dwt. 11 gr., valued at £13,913 14s. 9d. ' Try Again Sluicing Claim (L. Cross, Manager). —Three men employed. This claim is in the old Orepuki Township workings, and sluicing operations have been carried on steadliy during the year. Orepuki Mining Syndicate.—Mining operations have been carried on steadily during the year. Two men have been employed sluicing old driven ground in the old Orepuki Township workings. Small parties and individuals continue to mine by cradling, boxing, and sluicing methods in the various auriferous sections of this county. The chief producers in the Wallace County were the Try Again Sluicing Claim; Orepuki Mining Svndicate • Shaw and Braid, Orepuki; A. C. Pahl, Orepuki; A. J. Mullan, Orepuki. There were ninety-five men employed (inclusive of the companies) during the year, and the wold won amounted to 2,560 oz. 19 dwt. 18 gr., valued at £19,041 3s. Id. Fiord Comity. There were five men employed in the Fiord County during the year, and the gold won amounted to 1,4 oz. 1 dwt. 5 gr., valued at £96 15s. 7d. Lake County. Glenorchy Scheelite Mining Go. (G. Eeid, Manager). —Mining operations, chiefly of a prospecting nature were carried on with a small sumber of men, and the battery returns contain several lots purchased from' individuals or small parties of scheelite miners. There were four men employed, and 20 tons of scheelite was produced, valued at £2,335. 1 oz. 10 gr., of gold, valued at £6 13s. 4d., was also won. Bees Valley.—Subsidized and free miners have been employed prospecting for scheelite and for "old reefs during the working-season of the year. Oxburn or Fruidburn.—M. Petersen is still driving in this area on the right-hand bank of the creek in an endeavour to locate a back lead. Bucklerbum, Glenorchy.—Subsidized and free miners are employed prospecting in the bed and on the banks of the Bucklerburn for both gold and scheelite. Thornton and Elliott (E. E. Elliott, Manager). — This mine is situated on the northern slopes of Mount Judah. Five men employed. This locality has been much disturbed and faulted. This makes the mining operations both difficult and costly. As a consequence much dead work has to be undertaken] and a considerable footage of development work has been carried out. There are several small scheelite-mines operated by small parties of miners in the Glenorchy District on the southern, western, and northern slopes of Mount Judah, Mount Larkins, Mount Mcintosh, the Precipice Creek slnne of Black Peak, and in the Eees Valley. The total production of CaW0 4 concentrates, apart from the return from the battery of the Glenorchy Scheelite Co., was 8 tons 2 cwt., valued at £1,113 2s. Twenty-five-mile Creek. —Mining operations have been carried on intermittently during the year, but the lead has run out, and the plant is to be removed to the Twelve-mile Creek. Work has also been carried on at the Sevenmile and the Twelve-mile by both subsidized and free miners. Moke and Moonlight Creeks. —Mining operations have been carried on in the terraces of these creeks. Moonlight Mining Syndicate (S. Thompson, Manager).—The ropk tunnel race has not been completed, as a flood carried away the blockage of tailings in Dead Horse Creek, thus enabling the use of the ordinary tail-race. On account of the fall of the ground, however, an elevator had to be installed as the work progressed downstream. The gold won amounted to 155 oz. 19 dwt. I gr., valued at £1,094 ss. 4d., and there were three men employed.' The syndicate sold out its interest to the Eureka Syndicate, which has also acquired the interests of the Moonlight Extended Gold-mining Co., Ltd., now in liquidation.

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