OUR MINING DISTRICTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 9942, 4 October 1895, Page 2

OUR MINING DISTRICTS.

A TOUR OF INSPECTION [BY OUR SPECIAL B2PORI*BL] No. I. KENNEDY'S BAY, [ have visited the Kennedy's Bay goldieldßt Fortunately for me I took a guide, jtherwiso I should never have found any of ihe prospecting works which have created so much sensation in Auckland. Land pegged iftfc in a purposeless way in all directions on the Strength of two unimportant discoveries, ind the discoverers themselves are more astonished than outsiders at the uee that has been made of their prospects. They deprecate anything in the shape of sei - sationalism, and they think that while they have found prospects which would at leant warrant the outlay of capital for further prospecting they have discovered nothing bo far which would justify a rush or undue speculation. And after being over the new gold mining district and seeing as I believe the best prospects that are to be seen there I fully coincide in the opinions expressed by the few men I met on the field. The most direct route to the new finds is from Corotnandel over the Tokatea Range to Kennedy's Bay. The road on the Coromandel side of the range is in good order, but on the other side ib is the reverse, and some portions of it even now are almosb dangerous. It is only a bridle track at the beßt, and very little care appears to have been taken in the way of keeping it in repair since the days when it was a main road to the Bismark and other famous mines and batteries then situated on the eastern side of the Coromandel Peninsula.' Along the track we passed the low level of the Tokatea, at the outlet of which has been erected a battery. This battery has long been idle, but it may soon come into use again, for I observed a brisk appearance about the place. Quantities of mining timbers were accumulated, there were numbers of men around, and on making enquiries I was informed that the level is being cleaned out and timbered and pat in thorough repair, with a view to resuming operations. As to what depth this level will give access to on the rich lodes of the Tokatea range, I can only give an approximate guess of, say, 600 feet, but I shall probably be able to ascertain mote definitely later on. Passing on through the slope to Kennedy's Bay, and when nearing the flat country which surrounds the bay, we passed theMoAlpine and fell in with Mr. McAlpine himself, the prospector who turned the creek and did a great deal of sluicing work with fairly profitable results, as I am informed. At all events there seems to have been sufficient to warrant further expenditure. The mine or claim—l do not know which to call —adjoins the Rangatira on its southern boundary, and Mr. Whitehead has charge of it, but he is by no means enthusiastic. " Yea," said Mr. Whitehead, "We are working, but I have nothing to show. We are driving to cub a leader which we suppose to be in the ground and from which the specimens found in the creek were shed. The drive is now in 110 feet for the most part through light sandstone, but as the crosscut is through a flat spur, this at no part would give more than 50 feet from the surface." The Rangatira, or McNaughton and Murphy's claim, comprises, I am told, 100 acres, more or less, I suppose, according to the accuracy or otherwise of the pegging out. The spur on which ib is situated rises just in front of the main valley and creek. It appears that Messrs. Murphy and McNaughton had been prospecting in the same place four years ago, but they abandoned ib, having missed the gold or being unable to trace it from the creek, bub they recently returned to give the place another trial, and having traced gold up to a certain distance in a blind creek, they followed up the hill, and at about 50 feet from the crown of a spur which runs east and west, they made a little cutting and fouud quartz showing gold. The map of the country shows that the discovery is made on the south-west side of the bay, in what is marked as the Heretaunga No. 5 block. The discovery so far as it has been developed is as follows : —A little cutting four feet long has been made on the side of the spur, and in this what appears to be a lode or the cap of a lode has been met with and opened for a height of say two feet, and a width of 18 inches. There is a nice little lode of nearly six inches of quartz with a vein of ironstone on the footwall, and curiously enough the latter shows gold more plentifully than the quartz itself. The crowbar, our only mining tool, did nob give much opportunity for investigation, but there is no question that there is a good show of gold in the ironstone veins and the quartz too. Samples, lam informed, assayed as high as £258 per ton, and I can well believe it, but the gold is mainly contained in very narrow veins, and, in fact, the whole of the ore taken out so far would nob give a test of the quality of the reef. Ib is, in fact, a good prospect well worth following up, but until it is more developed, there is nothing to warrant any undue speculation in Kennedy's Bay on account of this discovery. There is a reef aboub two feet thick crossing a creek on the north side of the spur, but nothing has been done on ib, although Mr. Murphy informs me that wash gold could be found in its vicinity. He deprecates any attempt to bolster up a sensation or a rush on the strength of any discovery made in this ground, and says that neither he nor the prospectors are parties to any attempts in i this direction. For myself, as I have i already said, I think the discovery should be an incentive to further prospecting, but i it is nothing more. A good smart ride of five or six miles on the flat past the mill and through the Maori settlement and over the mud flats brought my guide and myself in search of the prospector's claim. The discovery of the prospectors' claim is comparatively new. It was made by Mr. Cleaver, the present manager, and his mate, Hemi, a Maori, and it ia on a branch creek to the right of the main or driving creek. They traced the gold from the creek up the side of the hill, and thence to the crown of the spur. Here ib is merely scratched, but a drive has been put in at a place which would give, say, 40 or 50 feet of backs, and the lode has been opened for a length of about 10 feet. Ib varies in size from a few inches to a foot. The ore, like all surface ore in this district, is dark brown, heavily oxidized, and the gold is enclosed mostly in the quartz formation in narrow streaks. There has been a fair show of gold—nothing rich or sufficient to ca.use excitement, but there is sufficient to warrant further exploration. In the meantime Mr. Cleavoi and his mate (Hemi) are working on the lode. No. 11.

COROMANDEL. NEW TOKATEA. As some compensation for the disappointment I experienced at Kennedy's Bay ib was gratifying to see something more satisfactory and hopeful when I visited the New Tokatea mine, of which Mr. James Call is manager. This mine at present possesses one of the most encouraging shows in Coromandel, and if I am rightly informed it is due in a great measure to the implicit faith of Mr. Call himself, and his sturdy perseverance. The mine is situated on the Tokatea range taking in both eastern and western sides, and it comprises what were formerly tho Pride of Tokatea and the Erin's Hope, but the operations ab present are confined to the eastern or Kennedy's Bay side. The upper level is some hundred feet under the ridge, and in this the Erin's Hope reef has been carried for a length of 130 feet, and a winze was sunk on it to a depth of '28 feet before the present manager took charge. There had nob been up to that) time any very encouraging prospects, but fortunately a change for the better occurred, and he got a little gold. Thus encouraged, he continued sinking the winze, and it is now down 46 feeb. The reef in tho drive and in the winze is a very nice compact lode, running a course northeast t and ' south-west, and it is dipping slightly to the east at an angle of 1 in 6. Both in drive and winze the lode averages a width of 18 inches, and from the depth of 28 feet to the present) bottom of the winze gold bag been consistently carried. The

class of ore is unmistakeably good, and iome which was taken down on Friday evening was very rich. As there is still a distance of 34 fee* to sink to communicate With the lower level there are good grounds for the expectation that a, rich block is being opened on this reef. But there iB a second, and I believe quite as important a lode opened in the low level. In this level, which is in SSO feet, 100 feet has been carried along a rest *.nowri as Kennedy's* It is from a foot to 8 inches in thick and runs a parallel onrse with the Erin's Hope reef. It was iob until the drive bad reached a distance if 325 feeb that this _ reef presented any exraordinary indications of richness, but iiafc at this point a cross reef cams in, ami ts effect on the lode was remarkable, for ;ood strong gold came in, and the nature If the lode entirely changed. The ore is of i blocky character of blue veins intermixed vith ironstone, and the gold, which is ihown in considerable quantity, is of vari>us character—shotty, flaky, and whab is mown as fernleaf. It is, however, rich ind promising, but I am inclined to think ihafc the discovery in the winze is the most mportantof the two, for the quantity of rich 3re which might fairly be classed as specimens ;aken out during the two breakings down ig ?ery considerable. It is the hangingwall portion of this reef which has so far yielded -|i richest ore, but traces of gold can be found from wall to wall. The development jf this mine has caused considerable local jxcitemenfc, although probably the effects ire more strongly felt in Auckland ; but at ill events the mine has a most promising aspect, and the winze, which is now going down on what appears to be the junction of two reefs, may lead to still more important results. TOKATEA OF HAURAKI. As indicated in a previous letter, I found that operations had been resumed in this mine for the new company, a plan of operations suggested by Captain Hodge having been approved by the London board of directors, and although there has not been much done yet the scheme is likely to lead to very important results. It is a curious fact that notwithstanding the great wealth obtained from the Tokatea Range in days gone by comparatively little baa been done on some important lodes. Now in the north section of the mine there are Bve reefs, known respectively and shown on the plans as Dick's, Dyers', Day Dawn, All Nations, and the Excelsior. With the exception of the Excelsior reef, which has been operated on to the No. 3 level, none of the others have been worked to a greater depth than 80 feeb below the crown of the hill, and yet two crushingß from thesa workings yielded 900 ounces of gold to the old Tokatea Company. In the old mine it is proposed to re-open from the No. 7 level on the Kennedy's Bay side of the range, and this will be continued to explore reefs known to exist in the property, but which in the time that operations were pushed on to develop the main Tokatea reef were neglected. It is hoped that enough gold will be obtained from various sections of the Tokatea reef still intact to pay for all this work. It is also proposed to remove the battery from its present site at the mouth of No. 7 level lower down the range in order to obtain waterpower, and it is probable that the development of No. 7 level may show that there is still a most important section of the main reef intact, for it branched, and only one portion has been followed to any considerable length. Operations at present, however, aire only with the object of making ready for etarting systematic work on the lines indicated when fuller instructions and powers are received from London. NEW HAURAKI GOLD PROPERTIES COMPANY. Another project which attracts a good deal of attention just now is the starting of the above company, which, it is needless to cay, is composed of English capitalist?. They now hold an area of 161 acres freehold and 16 acres leasehold on the continuation of the trunk belt extending south from the Tokatea, and from the limited amount of work done on it, it has proved to be the richest, development in that direction, for it includes the old Success mine, once a veiy large gold producer. A systematic plan of operations has been inaugurated by Captain Hodge, and approved by the owners, and work is now in progress. In the leasehold part of the property a new reef is being developed which is likely to have important results. Its course is east and west, and ib in almost vertical, that is to say, it has little underlie. Ib was first discovered from the No. 3 or Success level. A crosscut driven north for a length of 270 feet intersected the lode, and it was opened on for a length of 60 feet. A rise was then put upon it, and an intermediate level opened, and two email sections were blocked out. The whole oi: that work was carried on by three men who obtained about £2000 worth of gold as the reward of their labour. Up to date the lode has been opened for a length of 100 feet, and the drive on its eastward course is progressing us well as the extension of the intermediate level. The latter will block the ground out to the surface and the former to the intermediate level. In the westerly direction the drive is continuing on the lode, and ib will break out to the surface. 1 may say that the same line of reef has been discovered at a point 350 feet westward, and 122 feet lower down than the present base of operations, and it is proposed to operate from that level, and make it the main outlet of the mine. Ib will be 100 feet below the first level. From developments in a low level crosscut in the freehold property a lode varying in size from three or four inches to four feet has been opened, and its characteristic, like many other Coromandel lodes, is that at points where it is intersected by iron veins, rich pockets of specimen are found. About £100 worth of gold was obtained from this lode during i the present month, taken for the most part ! out of a small rise. There &re now on th« mine some 50 tons of ore which are being added to daily, and this ore is estimated to be worth at least two ounces to the ton. A winze has been started on a large reef, which carries colours of gold, and when the main drive intersects this, it will givo such ventilation as to afford facilities for extension of works, and everything will then be worked from the deep level tunnel, which will practically be the key to the east and wesb reef, 100 feeb below the present workings, also the key to the Success and South Tokatea sections of the property, and it will b) the means of exploring and developing three large reefs, which are practically all virgin to the surface. It is needless to say that) extensive capital is required for such a scheme, bub £25,000 working capital has been subscribed for carrying out those developments, and the result) must have a very important influence. The want of a road to the property is very badly felt. On Friday a horse was nearly killed when carrying material to the mine, and a few days previously two horses are said to have been seriously injured. Ibis bo be hoped the county or the Government will attend to this matter to help in the opening up of an important enterprise like this. THE AMALGAMATION SCHEME. Before I left Auckland there was something said with regard to a scheme foe the amalgamation of a number of mines in the vicinity of the Hauraki Company's mine. The negotiations have nob yet come to a head, bub the proposition is an important one. Ib is to take off 15 acres from the Hauraki Company's property, the Golden Pah section, and take m the Zealandia, which is on the same line, also the Hauraki No. 2, the Southern Cross, and the Hauraki Extended. This would give a large area, and permit of systematic operations being carried on from a main level, and the development) of the very promising belt of country surrounding the Hauraki mine. BUNKER'S HILL. A few yards only separate the shafts of the Hauraki and Bunker's Hill, and after visiting the former I soon crossed to the latter, and found Mr. Richard Harrison in charge as manager. There is nob much bo report in regard to the workings or prospects which is not already well known. Taken up in the first instance as a piece of spare ground between the Hauraki and Welcome Find, and on the strike of the famous specimen reef of the Hauraki, and close to the workings of bbe latter, it sprang into prominence, and became a leading feature in Coromaa del quotations in thesharemarket. Exception was taken to the venture, on account of j» small area, but this was soon overcome by the energetic manner in which operations were pushed forward. A site wasi selectee for a shaft, within 20 feet of tho Hauraki boundary, and this has now been sun® "J a depth of 150 feet. After leaving 10 feei ot»

wall a chamber 10 feeb square was cub oub Tb the 140-feeb level, from which to drive for the rich Hauraki lode.. This is a fane shaft 10 feet by three feet fix inches in the clear, inside timbers, thus giving room for two case ways and a ladder way. . There is comparatively little water making, and iboub an hour's baling in the morning meets all requirements so far. The shafb and the drive from the chamoer are going through a splendid class of blue andante, exactly similar to that winch comes from the adjacent mine, but no quartz has yet been met with, although the crosscut is in 45 feet from the shaft. The expeditious manner in which the work has been accomplished, may be shown from the fact that the shaft was sunk and the chamber excavated within nine weeks of the date of selecting the site for the shaft and the drive now in. 45 feeb has been completed within 11 weeks of the selection of the site. Mr. Harrison pointed oub to me that a misapprehension exists in regard to the area of the property. Ib is generally supposed to be a narrow strip of a couple of acres, but in reality it is over four acres, for it has absorbed the Hauraki West, and to cut the Hairaki or Legge's reef the shaft would require to be sunk 000 feeb. There is therefore ample scopa in regard to backs. Very satisfactory progress of over 'JO feet of driving per week is being made, and it is expected that one of the lodes will be in hand shortly. MISCELLANEOUS.

In the Southern Cross a crosscut is being put in from the fronb of the spur at tho junction of the Beach Road and that which branches off to the Hauraki and Welcome Find mines. It has, up to the present, intersected a number of leaders, seven or sight I am told, bub no trace of gold has been found yet. In fact it is hardly thought that anything of substantial value will be Found until the drive penetrates the solid range at the back of the spur through which it is now going. In the Hauraki South, which occupies a position on the leading spur running down from the Hauraki to tho beach, between the Goods Wharf and the Union Beach, operations are being carried on under the management of Mr. Alfred Harvey. A drive is going into the north face of the spur from about half way up the spur, and in this a lode composed of quartz and mullock has been followed for a length of 30 or 40 feet, and it has carried gold, I am informed, for the whole distance. It is disturbed in appearance. An old drive, which went into the spur from the road level, and which reached a distance of 350 feet, is now being cleared out and repaired vith a view to continuing it to intersect the lode now opened in the upper level, or any others which may be found in the intervening country. There are four men, exclusive of the manager, working the two levels.

In the Hauraki No. 2 operations are carried on on tho spur to the left of the road leading up the gully to the Hauraki shaft. It is in about 450 feet, and for some distance has followed the course of a conglomerate lode two feet in width, with good quartz formations and minerals, but no gold has been found, although the quartz has been in hand for a length of 40 feet. The stone and country are alike promising. This is one of the sections which it is proposed to include in the new amalgamation scheme to which I have already alluded.

In the Welcome Find I found that progress had been made since my previous visit. The machinery was then in course of erec tion, and the new shaft was only down some 30 or 40 feet. Now the poppet-heads are up, the machinery well housed, and the whole plant equipped and workingsmcothly. The shaft is down 105 feet, in nice andesite, and the quartz veins which run through it are very promising indeed, containing promising minerals, but no gold has shown so far. Mr. Vivian, the manager in charge, has an idea with respect to mining operations, in regard to which he informs me he has communicated with the directors. The shaft contract, it appears, was to sink to 150 feet, and to open out at 110 feet. Ib is now down 105 feet, and Mr. Vivian favours opening out at 110 feet without further sinking, and thus save che additional 40 feet of pumping. Tnis he thinks will be sufficient to drain the old workings to this depth. The water presents no difficulty at present, the pumping being on " the '* lowest and slowest scaleT The machinery does nob provide separate engines for pumping and winding, and this is somewhat of a drawback, for when the winding gear is to be applied the pumps have to be temporarily stopped, but there is no difficulty on this score likely to be experienced for some time. The only other noticeable work in progress is the putting in of a drive at a distance of about 200 feet from the shaft brace into the spur towards the Bunker's Hill in a southerly direction, but it is only a prospecting drive, to explore some unworked ground in this vicinity.

The New Golconda people are sinking on the boundary of the Welcome Find. They are down 80 feet, most of which was in broken country, bub they have now reached a sandstone foundation, and quartz stringers are making their appearance. THE HAURAKI.

And now I have to refer to what i 3 withal doubt the leading factor in the Corocandel section of the goldields, the Hauraki mine and its famous reefs. It was rather awkward for the manager and for myself that I could not gain access to the mine that day, bat Captain Hodge could not himself accompany me through the mine, as he had engagements in Tokatea, and Mr. Jamieson was busy measuring up workings to fill in the plans to be forwarded to London, this being the termination of the current month. I probably shall go underground befere I leave Coromandel, but in the meantime all available information was furnished to me by the manager, and the plans and sections were placed at my disposal. In the first place the result of the month's operations concluding on Saturday wa3 2520 ounces as the yield from 190 tons treated, and taking the value of the gold treated at £3 per ounce this gives a total of £8400 as the trross proceeds of the month's operations. The average is a splendid one, but there is no doubt, aud it may as well be said now as later, that the 160-feet level does nob equal the 100feet level in its wonderful product of golden ore. It is magnificent, but the cream which existed in the 100 feet level is now more distributed. There are three reefs, but two principally operated on in the 160-feet level, the present main level of the mine. One is the No. 3 reef, on which there are two winzes down, which give 60 feet of backs with good blocks of ground in country parallel to the rich No. 2 reef. Stoping has been started, and good results have followed, the lode being a varying quantity, running between 6 inches and 3 fees. This section of the lode is now so thoroughly opened that operations can be pressed forward as desired. On the No. 2 reef, the main Hauralci reef, there are three winzes down connecting the 100 and 160feet levels, and an intermediate level or stope has been started to divide the block so as to facilitate operations. Stoping operations are being carried on at the back or top of the 160 feet level, and they have been carried on as a leading stope for a length of 180 feet, and all the ground above this is intact to the 100-feet level and the intermediate stope already referred to, which runs between the winzes. _ The reef, like all others here, varies considerably in size, being in places as small as six inches I while sometimes it is as wide as three and a-half feet. The ventilation is now all that could be asked for, and three stopes are in progress. The result of the month's operations shows that the reefs in the 160-feet level are rich, and conclusively proves the value of the intact ground botween the two levels, although there may nob be such a great specimen show available. From the IGO-feet level a crosscut is being driven through the lona, a property lately acquired by the company. In fact, they are now working in it, as the crosscut has got into the lona section. The crosscut, I am informed, will be continued to intersect a winze sunk in the lona on the elope of the hill near the flab, and carried to a depth of 50 feet. The crosscut will communicate with the winze by a riße, and drain off the water. The reef in this lona ■winze is, I am informed, about six inches thick, and carries blotches of gold in crystal quartz. So far, therefore, there is encouragement, bub the whole of the operations °in this direction are, of course, of a prospecting nature. No idea can be formed as to what reefs may be met with, bub it is expected that on the north-eastern position from the lona winze to the boundary of the lonica small holding lately acquired by the company adjacent to Lynch pad-dock—-good results may be obtained, as ib is

known that good-sized reefs ran through the ground in this locality, and practically all the ground is intact to the Welcome Find, and as the whole ground can be worked from the shaft, Captain Hodge thinks there are nob only great possibilities in this direction, bub that) operations can be economic and practical. Of course, the future has to be looked to, and Captain Hodge expects daily to receive instructions to resume sinking. A plunger will be put in to convoy the water to the level of the brace, and thence through the tunnel to the battery. The shaft will cut through the Nos. 1 and 2 reefs at 30 feet sinking from the present level, and so the intention can be easily carried oub of opening a new deep level long before the present level is worked out or exhausted.

ROYAL OAK. In this mine operations are principally of a preparatory character. The Bismarck levels are being cleaned up and preparations are being made to open a 200-feet block right under where rich gold was found in the old Royal Oak workings, bub pending tho arrival of instructions and power of attorney expected by nexb mail, Captain Hodge is only carrying on operations on a limited scale. SCOTTY'S OF HAURAKI. In this mine operations are progressing well. The shaft is down 150 feet in a good class of country, and a drive is now being taken from the shafb towards the Golden Point level, while that from the Golden Point is being extended to meet ib. This work was delayed somewhab owing to defective ventilation, but now that the Golden Point level has communicated with a winze from Main's battery level the ventilation is improved, and when the two crosscuts meeb operations will proceed on the reef in a northerly direction. It is intended to sink to 300 feet, which exactly corresponds with the 300-feeb level of the Kapanga, and open out on the lodes there. The machinery is working well, and altogether operations are proceoding steadily, but it will be sometime yet before the mine is sufficiently opened to turn oub any large supply of ore.

No. 111.

KUAOTUN U DISTRICT.

Transit is not very rapid in this country, and a trip overland from Coromandel to Kuaotunu, some 22 miles of a rido, is nob the raosb enjoyable excursion in the world, but ib has its compensations. The horses, poor brutes, have the worst of it as they plunge through the mud, bub there is variety in the scenery and old localities open out in new features to those who, like myself, have reached the districts from other directions. The climb from Coromandel was fairly good, notwithstanding tho heavy rain which had fallen on Saturday, but the desconb on tho other side was bad.

THE AJAX. Taking a direction to the left from the junction of the two roads at the foob ol tho Bald Hill, we passed the Ajar Company's property to the right, and situated on a steep timbered range and leading spur coming from the main range. I have nob much to say with regard to the mine, as there is little work done on it, but I ascertained that ib is bounded by the AI on the South, the Irene on the west, the Waitaia on tha north-east, and on the north by the Carnage. There is no work going on in the mine at present, but I ovortook the manager on the track. He explained to me that the reason why operations were suspended was that the license was nob yet granted. He stated that there were three reefs which had been proved gold bearing, bub nothing had been done on them to prove their value. The mine is therefore entirely prospective.

THE WAITAIA. I Thi3 is a mine which ib was a pleasure i to enter after passing through a number of < unoccupied holdings. Ib is a well opened i mine, which apparently has stamped the ; district of Waitaia as an important section ] of the Kuaotunu goldfield. In Mr. Bennett, i the manager, I found a courteous obliging i friend, and he gave me all the facilities in i his power to see the mine so far as it is I developed. For convenience of description 1 I shall start with the bottom level. This is I driven easb from the western side of the < spur, and it was carried for a length of 112 < feet due east to the main reef, bub at - a length of 103 feeb a small lode running i from a couple of inches to eighteen inches j was met with. This, I ascertained, was "'< worked partly by tributers for a length of i 80 feet, and a leading stope was taken along ' it. The yield from this section was 7oz i 12dwt of gold from 4 tons by the ordinary battery process, and this was all that was : crushed from the section. At 112 feeb from the mouth of the tunnel the main reef was met with, bub it was such a conglomerate that ib was difficult to detect the existence of the lode. There is little or no quartz, but there was sufficient indication to induce Mr. Bennett to open oub northward. Ho had only driven two feet when he found the lode expand to two ieeb six inches, from thence to four feet, and in places ab this level it had widened to eighb feeb. The richest ore — specimen ore ib is—is found within about twelve feeb of the crosscut, and within these distances good gold is still visible in a nice vein on the hangingwall of the reef, from which tho manager broke oub some nice flakes of ore containing rich gold, and he showed me some others which had been previously taken out from the lode at this level. From the fiat-sheet at the crosscut gold was carried for a length of 65 feeb up to a clay head, which hove the reef some 20 feet to the westward. The drive was then inclined with a good curve in this direction, and the quartz now making in the face, about 30 feet from the break, appears bo show that the reef has resumed its normal position and course. On opening to the south of the crosscut some six feeb was driven on the outlines of tho reef before any quartz was met with, and the formation itself was very indistinct, bub here a good quartz formation and nice gold was met with, extending from floor to roof, and this can be traced now. The lode is very irregular as to size, running from a foot to four feet. Its course is north-east, and the drive along it is now 80 feet in length, carrying golden ore, nob rich, bub good crushing dirt, for the extent bo which ib has been opened. Bub the richest shot of gold is in the north drive. Ib is richest ab the floor of the drive, and produces specimens for a height of two feet, bub from that to the roof, ib merely carries blotches of gold, rich, bub nob sufficiency so bo be classified as specimens. An intermediate level was opened by tributera above this level on the same reef, which then varied from a foob to three feet. The records show that these tributers carried bho run of gold 80 feet north, that they stoped it out to the surface, a height of 70 feeb, and that it produced as high a return as 3oz to the ton. Their actual return was 310oz of gold from 129 tons breabed, and the gold was worth £3 per ounce. Still following the records I find that the bributers drove 150 feet south from the crosscub and carried gold in bhe lode, which in this direction varies in size from six inches to two feefc. Tho ore is neither so large nor so good as in the north drive, bub it is now all worked out to the surface. The tributers, Mr. Bennett informed me, sunk a winze 14 feet on this lode, and left some gold showing in the lode, then three feet thick, when the company stepped in and took possession, as the term of tribute had expired. The upper or Smithy level gives 40 feeb of backs and aB much as 65 feet in some places. The drive, 320 feea in length, goes right through the spur, and all the ore is stoped out to the surface, the lode body varying in this section from 18 inches to three feet. A largo quantity of ore appears to have been treated from these workings ab Curtis' (now Richards' battery) before the cyanide treatment was introduced. The average yield was nearly 1J ounces to the ton, but assays of the tailings saved from the crushing show these bo be worth £5 or £6 per | ton. Tho total quantity crushed as shown by the battery returns was 200 tons, and the return was 255 ounces of gold. About 200 feet further north, in whab is known as the blue face, there is a lode running from a foot bo four feeb in widbh. I have libble doubb ib is a conbinuabion of the reef I have been describing, bub ab all evonbs 9£ bons of ore crushed from it yielded 36$ ounces of gold. This was for the bribubers, bub when the company took up operations they crushed ten tons from the cap of the reef for a return of an ounce to tho ton. There are other reefs in the mine, which, I am informed, give good mortar prospects. I had no time to examine them, bub a feature which struck me forcibly was the

great length to which the gold run had been followed in this mine. Including the length to what I have already referred to as the blue face, there is a length of 800 feeb of golden ore, bub ib is actually traced for 600 feet. In the original lease of the company there is a length of 1,200 feet of the strike of the lode, and in the new lease added to ib recently, there is a further run of 24 chains, always provided of course that the reef maintains its course and position. The manager informs me that a machine site and water-rights have been secured for the company. The former is aboub 30 chains from the low level, and 450 feet below ib. The intention is to lay a ground tramway, self-acting, to connect the level with the babtery site, and there are great facilities in this direction. The water-rights comprise the delivery from three small creeks, which will be only sufficient for ordinary battery appliances, and the motive power will have to be steam. THE AORERE.

A mine which occupies a considerable amount of local attention is the Aorere, a section of 100 acres, bounded on its northern boundary by the Waitaia. Ib is nob being worked at present, pending the granting of the extended area, for originally the claim was only 24 acres, but under the guidance of Mr. Black I was able to make an investigation of the lodes, which I may say are intimately associated with those of the Waitaia. The principal show at presenb'is a fino strong lode opened in a cutting at or near the crown of the range, some 800 feet above the sea-level. The cutting exposes a lode of well-defined appearance, five feet in width. The main lode of the mine, however, is the continuation of the Waitaia lode to which I hare already referred, and ib has been intersected ab various levels with good results, and from battery returns submitted to me I find that 10 tons from No. 1 level yielded 16oz 7dwb of gold, worth £2 lis lid per ounce. The second level or crosscut reached the lode at a greater depth of 70 feet, where there is a fine quartz body of about three feet in width, and it has been opened up for some length. A crushing of 112 tons from this level yielded 107oz of gold. In No. 3 level the lode is of similar size, and 40 tons yielded 51oz 12dwt, the gold itself showing an increase in value, the bullion being worth £2 12s Gd per ounce. The last parcel treated gave a return of loz lOdwt to the ton, and the assay of the tailings gives a value of £4 per ton. The necessity for a cyanide plant is therefore apparent, and as there are '.50 feet of backs over the No. 3 level there is ample scope for extensive operations.

THE MIDAS.

A discovery made in the Midas, formerly known as the Aorero No. 2, has attracted a good deal of attention to this area, which I may say does not include the old Midas, worked near the township, for ib is situated on the Waibaia range, and joins the Aorere, and it includes portions of the Whangamata, Maori Fluke, and a number of others. In a drive some 20 feet under the surface there is a nice lode three feet in width, and underlying west at an ancle of 45 degrees. A crosscut is now being driven to intersecb this lode 60 feet lower down, and it is going through a very nice class of sandstone country intersected by ironstone veins, and very promising for gold.

TRY FLUKE. I Returning to the older and better known section of the Kuaotunu goldfields, I very i naturally gravitated to the Try Fluke, as the most central point from which to start investigation. The company's area has increased since my last visit, tor since then ib has absorbed the Red Mercury, and Mr. John Goldworthy has now an area of over 100 acres of developed ground to carry on operations in. He is working three sections of the mine, the Mariposa, the Try Fluke, and the Red Mercury. In the Try Fluke since my last visit a winze has been sunk 70 feet below the No. 3 or present main working level, and it has carried down a fine ore body varying in size from three bo 12 feet, and carrying prospects if anything superior to what was in the upper levels. But the best show is at tho bottom of the winze, where the reef is six feet thick, and its appearance is as satisfactory as it was in any part of the mine. From this winze the lode has been opened for a length of 200 feet in both directions^and a block is now being stoped out which gives good average ore. The best show, however, is at tho bottom of the winze or the water level, and this is a most encouraging feature. A second winze has now been started from the No. 3 level on the junction = of two lodes known respectively as "Nos. 1 and 2, and it had reached a depth of 20 feet. There is a quartz formation for a width of nine feet. It is somewhat broken, bub the ore carries gold. This, I may say, is 200 feet north of the other winze, so bhab there is a large extenb of payable ore between these two points. On the Mariposa section driving and stoping is going on from No. 2 level, in which the reef varies in width from two to four feet, and the whole of the ore, although of low grade, is being sent to the mill. lb has been opened for a length of about 300 feet, and blocked out up to the surface in one place and in other sections about half way up, leaving in this section about 35 foet of backs still to operate on. The drive is going ahead into new country intact to the surface. The Venus, or old Red Mercury, which was purchased about three months ago, is an area of 14 acres, and it is engaging the attention of the manager, who is driving north on tho Red Mercury reef.

KAPAI-VERMONT.

On visiting the crushing plant I found that gome extensive additions had been made, nob so ihuch to the crushing power, for this has not been increased from the Otis mill generally erected, but the cyanide plant has been doubled by the addition of four vats, and two more kilns have been constructed, and ore is being treated from all parts of the mine. Mr. Walker, the battery manager, informs me that he is saving 90 per cent, of the assay value of the ore, and that it) is worth from £5 to £7 10<» per ton. During the last nine months, since the start of the crushing plant, 1600 tons of ore have been treated for a total return of £6000 worth of gold, and the return for this month, which will probably be known on Saturday, will add materially to this result. In the mine itself the aspect is very encouraging indeed. Mr. Hornibrook, the manager, whom I met on the road to Coromandel, was absent, but Mr. Wilson, the underground boss, showed mo through the workings. The reef, which was intersected in the main level crosscut at a length of 287 feet, has been opened up for a length of 200 feeb north and 300 feet south, and ib has carried gold to a greater or less extent from the Try Fluke boundary, which has been reached in one end to within about 200 feet of the southern boundary, where ib is joined by the Jupiter. I could nob get exact measurements in this direction, as the survey was not 1 completed. Going south the reef varies from two to ten feet, being very variable in size, but the most kindly ore comes in when the lode is of moderate size—three to four feet, and visible gold was frequently found, the whole of the ore being of payable quality. A rise has been carried up from this main level to a height of 140 feet, in which good ore wan followed all the way up, and intermediate levels have been opened out from which a large proportion of the crushing ore is now coming. These levels are opened ab heights of 56 feet and 50 foeb respectively, and in both, although occasionally contracted, the lode averages four to five feeb in width. Nob much work has yet been done on the first intermediate level in the north end, but about 50 feet of ib have been driven on south, and the ore is of fair grade, but in the top intermediate the operations have been on a more extended scale, the lode being opened for a length of 70 feet south and 190 feet north. Two stopes have been carried for a shorb distance, but there is a leading stope nearly the whole length. Good gold showed in Venus on both walls of the lode during my visit, and the ore between was of high grade. There are 70 foet of backs from this level to the surface, so that the block available is an extensive one. The mine is now admirably ventilated, and operations are carried on with comfort, one great feature being that it is quite dry in every part. On the main level a righthand branch has been opened for a length of about 30 feet on the north end, but although it is said to be payable ore ib doe 3 nob show any gold. .-%v

THE IN VICT A. This section of 12 acres, which is being worked under the management ot Mr. A. Peebles, comprises a low spur running down from the main range towards the Try Fluke Greek, and the lode system runs across it—N.E. and S.W. The principal workings »re on the western aide of the

spur, and they are chiefly on the Invicba specimen lode. This is a formation varying from two inches to a foot, and it would probably average six inches. It is a pretty solid lode, and ib has been opened for a length of about '200 feet on the upper level, thus giving backs of about 70 feet to the surface. No sboping lias been done, bub a winze has been sunk to connect with the second level, which is the lowesb that can be obtained without sinking. Ab this level the lode has been opened for a length of 180 feeb, and leading stopes have been started, gold showing freely for a length of about ten feet in the south stopes. THE PHOENIX.

This is a section of 25 acres adjoining the Invicba on bhe South, and occupying a good spur divided from the Invicba by a narrow gully. The Invicta specimen lode has been picked up on the slope of the spur, and is about a foob of solid quartz, bub ib does nob bo far show much gold. Ib was first cub in a trench, and now ib has been driven on for about 30 feeb. There is also a small leader on bhe southern boundary which gives fair prospects, and shows a little gold. There is., lam told, a scheme on foob to amalgamate the Invicta, Phoenix, Ascot, and Great Western, which would give a total area of 112 acres, and negotiations have been opened for the purchase ot the Mariposa battery of 10 head of stampers and amalgamating pans. THE GREAT MERCURY.

This mine, being owned almost exclusively in Sydney, few people in Auckland are much acquainted with its operations, and I was much astonished to find that ib is not only vigorodsly and systematically worked, but that it has been one of the most steady gold-producers in Kuaotunu. The Company's 10-head babtery and cyanide plant have been kopb in full operation since j February with returns of about 300 ounces a month. Mr. H. Goldsworthy is the manager, and work is being carried on in various sections of the mine. Driving is progressing ab No. 2 level on the Red Mercury reef, affording backs of 70 feeb to No. 1 level, above which it is partially stoped to the surface. The lode runs from a foot to 15 inches. Ib has been driven on something like 400 feeb, and 200 feeb of it has been blocked ready for stoping to No. 1 level, and all the ore coming out of ib is forwarded bo the batbory withoub any selection, and ib shapes fairly well. Driving on bhe Fluke reef ab the No. 4 level exposes a fine compact ore body, three feet wide, which Mr. Goldsworthy states carries a little gold from wall bo wall. No Btoping has yet been done ab this level, bub driving andsbopiug are going on between Nos. 1 and '2 levels on the satno reef, and the lode in these workings varies from two to four feet in width. Ib has been opened for about 200 feet, and its quality is similar to that found in the low level. A crosscut is now being driven from No. 3 level to cub a now reef which was meb with some time ago outside the then boundary of the company's mine, bub which has since been pegged in by Mr. Goldsworthy. It has been met with in the crosscut and penetrated for a depth of four feot, but the wall is not yeb to hand. The ore shows a little gold, and it is apparently of as good quality as the other reefs in the mine. A new low level has

been started, and it is now in 560 feet from the westorn side of the rauge to cut the Red Mercury reefs at a depth which will givo an additional 140 feet of backs, and a similar level is going in from the eastern end to meet it, thus giving an opening right through the hill by means of a tunnel 1000 feet in length from ond to end, intersecting all the reef systems of the range. Full time is being run at the battery and cyanide plant, about 350 tons per month being treated. The return for last month was 2780z, and the month before that it was 300oz, and that has been about the average since February last.

No. IV. NEW EAST COAST DISTRICTS. Leaving lvuaotunu, accompanied by Mr. Burns, sou of Mr. Burns, assayer of the Bank of New Zealand, and Mr, M. McSheffrey, of Kuaotunu, we started for Mercury Bay, Mr. Burns and myself, for a tour of the gold mining districts, the othor gentlemen coming on with us as far as Tairua. THE HAHEI DISTRICT. There was a double purpose in going by steamer, the first being that the road between Tairua and Mercury Bay is deep and bad, and the creeks high and flooded ; and the second, that I thought it desirablo, if possible, to visit a place called Hahei, on the coast, about seven miles south of Mercury Bay, and which could not be reached by land except by a long circuit. At this : place, which I may say is an open beach, Mr. Robert YVigtnore has a farm, and I was informed that on Crown land near this farm, and within a short distance of the beach some important reefs had been discovered, and a number of mining areas had been marked out. We succeedcd in effecting a landing oil the beach, having before leaving the steamer taken the precaution to divest ourselves of our watches, money, and articles of apparel —in fact, making ourselves generally ready for a ducking in the surf, and as the result showed, our precautions were nob unnecessary, for although we landed safely we were swamped in endeavouring to return to the steamer, and ib was with the greatest difficulty and with some danger that we eventually got on board the Effort. Twice the little boat filled, and we had to get out and capsize her, and once she capsized herself, throwing us all into the surf, sending our boots and other loose articles in the boat adrift. However, all's well that ends well, although I myself have good reason to thank the prompt action of Mr. McSheffrey, who was just in time to prevent my being cautrhb by the capsizing boat, as I was slightly stunned, having been thrown out on my head. But this is nob a record of adventures — it is an inspection of the goldfields, and to that I shall confine myself. A3 already stated, we succeeded in landing close to Mr. Wigmore's farm, a little to the west of which the reefs which had been spoken of. Ib may be described at first sight as a great blow of quartz. There is, in fact, a very strong quartz formation, and the outcrops, on closer examination, show a long continuation of this formation. This has more than once occupied the attention of experienced prospectors. The special claims are 300 acres, or 100 each, one being named i/he Hahei, the second the Golden Plover, and the third bhe Strathmore. I had not time bo look for exact boundaries, bub I inspected the outcrops as clossly as I could under the circumstances. There are a number of faces exposed in the quartz formation, and in one of those there is a width of about 34 feet exposed, and a cutting in aboub the centre of this show 3 a very nice kindly quartz, from which I am informed good mortar prospects can be obtained, and I can quite believe ib from the appearance of the ore, although I saw no practical tests made. Mr. Burns however, who personally knew the results of the tests in the Bank of New Zealand, was satisfied with the genuineness of the statement. There are four other faces of ore opened besides that already referred to, nob quite so large, perhaps, in a compact body, but massive enough to give ample scope, and as these openings or faces are about 250 feeb lower than the crown of the hill, there is good room for prospecting by drives instead of sinking. The right of the freehold of 24 acres has been obtained from Mr. Wigmore, and the remainder is goldfields land. An excellent battery site, in a central and suitable position, has also been secured from Mr. Wigmore for 21 years, and I am informed there is sufficient water in the creek to supply a 20-stamper battery, and water-rights have been secured. As I have stated, the quartz is of a kindly nature, and appears to be free milling ore, bub the gold is so finely disseminated that only a small proportion could be saved by the ordinary battery process. It is nob bo be wondered at, therefore, that the results obtained from ore crushed only reached Bdwb to the ton, while the ore itself assayed 19 bo 20dwb, but as there is nothing to interfere with the action of cyanide apparent in the ore, treatment by this process should prove effectual. The lode formation can be traced in a north-easterly direction for a couple of miles to the main range, where there is a quartz formation possessing similar characteristics, and it is stated thab as the crew flies the present discovery is nob more than three miles and a-half from the Waitaia main range, in which are situated the Waitaia and other well-known mines.

Without in anyway committing myself to an opinion as to whether or nob these great reefs will prove payable eventually, I may say that I consider the prospects are such as to warrant a more thorough opening up of the lodes. There are good facilities, and

the prospecting, if systematically and judiciously carried on, need nob in the first instance be very expensive. Many reefs which ab first looked far less promising have turned oub well, as, for instance, some of the leading reefs in Kuaobanu and Ohinemuri, and there is sufficient warrant in the prospects already secured here to justify the necesaary outlay of capital. TAIRUA.

Re-embarking on the Effort after the web experiences already referred to, we steamed for Tairua, arriving ab the mill about eight o'clock at night. Ib was quite dark, bub under bhe friendly guidance of Mr. Field, manager of the mill, and Constable Joyce, stationed ab Tairua, we were piloted to Mr. Laycock's hotel, , which is nearly half-amile away from the mill, being erected nob on the company's land bub on Mr. Laycock's private property. We were wet, cold, and hungry, bub Mr. Lay cock and his family with the utmost kindness and hospitality provided us nob only with the requirements for the inner man but also With dry. .clothing, while he arranged to have our own clothes dry for us in the morning. On making inquiries, I found that there was no wining going on in . the immediate vicinity of Tairua itself, b«t on what is known as the third branch of the Tairua River some prospecting has -been done, and good reefs discovered. Claims have been marked out, but aa the land is leased to the Kauri Timber Company, and the Warden can give no title under lease or miner's rights, the prospectors are only hanging on in the hope some change may occur by which they nay be enabled to carry on mining. As it would take two days at leasb to visib this district and return to the landing owing to the distance and the state of bhe roads, and the facb that no work was going on, nor was there likely to be for some time, I postponed a visit to the districb to a more convenient season, and devoted my attention to another section of the EasbjOoast, which is likely to prove an important factor in the mining history of the peninsula.

THE OHUI DISTRICT. The Ohui district, the one referred to, is situated aboub six miles soubh of the Tairua River, and is named after a creek which runs through it. The mines are situated inland, some of the principal ones, however, approaching bo within libble more bhan three-quarters of a mile of the open beach, on which in favourable weather supplies can be landed. There has been a very large amount of general prospecting of a more or less useful character done during the last six months, and good prospects have been found, with the result that the country for miles round is pegged off on every side. I take ib thab in the majority of instances little work will be done on these latter for a long time bo come, bub my investigation showed thab where work has been done in a practical way there have been highly encouraging results obtained at distances two miles apart as bhe crow flies in a southerly direction.

Ho. V. THE OHUI DISTRICT. THE NIL DESPERANDUM. After being refreshed with a cup of tea, we quietly rested or strolled about until Mr. Clarkson arrived shortly afterwards. The area is 60 acres, being an amalgamation of wo 30 acre licensed holdings, besides which there are 5 acres of a machine site some 10 chains lower down the creek, on a suitable flat easily accessible from the beach. It is only about tour months since Mr. Clarkson arrived at this spot and took up his abode in one of the abandoned huts which had been erected by former prospectors, before he erected his present comfortable wooden house. He found that prospecting operations had been commenced by soma people at the place from which he is no carrying on work with satisfactory results. In fact he resumed operations where they left off. In a drive which had been put in for a length of some 30 feet in a good sandstone country he found that a lode had been driven on, but the reef was all lefb standing on the footwall/only a small portion being taken here and; there off the hangingwall. Here the reef is of a rubbly, soft nature, without, strongly .defined walls, and of irregular : width,: but possessing fair indications of which" not- the least are good ironstone. Ho ab once started a drive a little lower dowrik so as to get into solid workings, and in this he cub the lode and found it of the same description as in the drive above, bub he has now started a winze. The ore occasionally shows gold of a very finely distributed character, showing . the necessity for treatmenb by cyanide, but ' samples sent to Auckland for assay by Mr. Burns have boon treated with results highly satisfactory. To test the reef in a practical way the winze already referred to will bo continued to a depth of 50 feet, then to open out on both sides of the winze before launching into moro extended operations. Should the lode maintain its course the company will have it through the full length of their ground, 30 chains north-easb and southwest. There is a second parallel lode about 30 feot from that which is now being worked, bub nothing has yet been done on it, and there is still a third on the south .-lido of the creek in the face of the spur. This shows an exposed face of II feet in width, and on putting a couple of shots into the face colours of gold were found, the ore itself being of a nice class.

THE PROSPECTORS. The 30-acre licensed holding known as the Prospectors' claim is situated on a leading spur springing from the south side of the Ohui Creek, just opposite the Nil Desperandum, and occupying both sides of the spur east and west. It belongs to McGregor and party, and a large amount of desultory, and for the most part useless, prospecting has been done in the shape of surface driving and trenching.

THE MAORI DREAM. Taking a course almost southerly from the camp, and to the left of the Prospectors', and with the great blow situated on the Last Chance holding as an objective point, we started after dinner under the guidance of Mr. George Clarkson, who kindly came with us to show us over the mines and explain their relative positions. The journey was a rugged one, and there were some swamps to cross as well as high ranges to go over, so that although the distance between the two points was only two miles, the distance to be travelled was equal in fatigue at least to six miles, while to add to the difficulties rain set in accompanied by a heavy thunderstorm when we were on the mosb exposed parb of the ranges. On a low spur separated from the Prospectors' boundary by a swamp is the Excelsior licensed holding, owned by an Auckland syndicate and recently taken up. A orosscut has been commenced through the spur, on which two men are working, and a libtle gold can be found in some veins, but no reef has yet been discovered. The Maori Dream Extended comes next, bub no work has been done on it. Then we reached the Maori Dream, which has been one of the most prominent features in the district, and one which has certainly attracted a large amount of attention from prospectors who have done a considerable amount of work on it in a desultory way. It now comprises a claim of 15 acres. It was firsb pegged out about two and a-half years ago by McGregor and George Cundy, who allowed ib to lie unworked for months. In fact, they did nob appear to think a great deal of ib, for there was no surface quartz showing, and therefore nothing to give an indication as to what was the best course of prospecting to adopt, but they cub a trench into the spur and in ib found I a small seam of quartz not more than half an inch thick. Discouraged with their luck, they lefb the ground for weeks, bub again returned to it, and commencing to drive on the little vein it developed to a width of six or seven inches, and then increased to ten inches, a width which ib has maintained since in the drive, which at its end is some 30 feet under the surface. Two tons of the ore broken out were treated at the Thames School of Mines. The first ton, which was treated by the cyanide process, only yielded £8 worth of gold, but ib was found that the gold, being coarse, the cyanide treatment was not suitable, and this was proved by the fact that the second ton treated by pan amalgamation yielded £23 18s worth of bullion. Since then they broke out about 20 tons of ore, 5£ tons of which was sent to Kuaotunu and crushed for a return of £42 worth of gold, from the plates, the tailings still remaining for treatment Pending the granting of the license, work on the lode has been discontinued, but two men are ■ prospecting in a gully further BOUth, and higher up the bill.

MAORILAND, OR MY DAISY. Passing over the Morning Light, in which a good deal of prospecting and driving and trenching has been carried on without result so far, for although a lode is known to exist in the hill, ib has not yet been reached, we come on the Maoriland, or My Daisy, as it is now called. Here again I found that a good , deal of driving and trenching, in fact, prospecting generally, has been accomplished, and it is stated that before it was taken up by the present syndicate, the native prospectors met with fair results. THE LAST CHANCE AND GOLDEN HILL.

And now ab length we reach the great quartz blow, forming a high cone, which is one of the leading features of the district. Ib is a greab mass of quartz from which huge , boulders of quartz have been shed all round for a great distance on every side in huge and small blocks. Around and in the vicinity of this blow have been taken up the Lasb Chance licensed holding, which was granted to Harris and parby on the Bbh of July, and bhe Golden Hill special claim of 100 acres, which has nob yet been granted. Bub both have been amalgamated, and now form a total area of 130 acres. On prospecting aboub the apex, coarse dish prospects could be obtained, estimated, I am told, ab about two ounces to the ton. At all events, the show was sufficiently encouraging to induce the owners to proceed, although there was not anything in the shape of a defined lode. A shaft is now being sunk lower down the hill on about the centre of the Golden Hill property with the objecb of locating and defining the reef, and at a depth of 10 feet, which its had reached at the time of my visit, there was a etrong quartz body filling the shaft. Ib is kindly, sofb quartz, with pipeclay inter- j mixed. There are, so far, no walls apparent, and therefore no estimate can be formed of the extent of the ore body, bub ib carries strong gold, as was showu by a number of dish prospects washed for me from various parks of the shaft. A peculiar feature is that the ore is strongly impregnated with cinnabar, the bright purple colour of which, inbermixed with the gold, gives the dish prospects a very pretty and peculiar appearance. Cinnabar, however, is not confined to this lode, nor is it always of the finely-powdered character found in dish prospects, for ib has been found in some of the creeks in pieces as large as peas. It is intended bo continue the snafb to a depth of 30 feet, then to open oub east and west to find the width of the lode, and north to ascertain its course, and as soon as practicable 30 tons will be forwarded to Kuaofcunu to be treated by the cyanide process, and test samples have been taken to Auckland by Mr. George Clarkson, to have them assayed at the Bank of New Zealand by Mr. Burns. All the ore that has been taken out of the shaft has already been bagged, and will form a portion of the 20 tons to be shipped. An excellent battery site has been secured for the company, an area of five acres on the flat about threequarters of a mile from the beach and about a mile from the workings, and a water-race two miles in length has also bean secured. This will give ample water power for crushing, as there is a great rise in the Nukuhua stream, as well as a considerable volume of water, and Pelton wheels can be advantageously worked. I may add that at present three men are employed Binking the shaft to which I have referred.