GUIS GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11734, 16 August 1901, Page 1 (Supplement)

GUIS GOLDFIELDS.

During the three weeks which have elapsed since the publication of the last Herald Summary, only a portion of the gold returns I from the various fields have come to hand, j It is therefore ail the more satisfactory to I have once more to record an encouraging j output of bullion. The total returns received during the period under review—inj complete as they are in view of the number j of companies operating— in all to jno less than £53.312 Is. This total would ] have been very largely augmented had all | the returns come to hand in time for inclui sion, as some of the more important of our I bullion-producing mines are still engaged in | the process of cleaning up. The outlook for : the immediate future is; more encouraging j than it has been for a considerable time j past, for, as will be seen by reference to j another part of this column, three new bat- ! teries have recently commenced crushing, j whilst three more are expected to be running ; before the publication of next Summary? j In every direction the reports from the gold- . fields point to a strong and legitimate reI vival in mining, and in this connection the | news from the fields contained in the present I issue v.ill be found well worth attention, j Dealing Jiinply with the bullion output for the present year, it will be noted that the | total to date amounts to £376,860 8s 2d, a ' i nguie which, it may be safely assumed, will , bp more than doubled before the time arrives to strike the grand total for 1901. i The gold returns on this occasion include i ; a record output on behalf of the Waihi j : bold Mining Company amounting in round • I figures to no less than £36,452, the product ■of 11,878 tons crushed and treated. This | yield exceeds by £3113 the previous highest monthly return, which resulted from the operations for the four weeks ending June 20 last. On the present occasion, moreover, 603 tons less were dealt with than in the June period, the average yield working out at. £3 Is 5d per ton. The gold exports from New Zealand during the six months ending June 30 totalled 217,4780z, valued at £844,888, which is a record for the past 10 years. During July 31,3650z of gold, valued at £117, was exported from New Zealand, as against 39,6700z, of the value of £151,853, in July of last year. Of this quantity, the Auckland province contributed 16,2660z, valued at £56,721. The export of silver during the same period was 48.0000z, of the value of £5698, as against 36,4770z, valued at £4235 in July of last year. The mining industry, taken all round, is to all appearances entering upon a fresh phase of prosperity. In addition to the steady growth ot the output from the Waihi mine, other important properties in Ohinemuri are rapidly coming into line as contributors to the bullion output. Of these the Talisman Consolidated Company is the first to recommence actual crushing operations. This company's new and up-to-date 50-stamp mill was started upon its initial run on Wednesday, July 31. A description of the plant will be found under our correspondent's summary in another column. Within the next two months it is expected that the Woodstock Gold Mining Company will resume crushing operations. The Coromandel district will also benefit within a month or two by the resumption of permanent crushing operations by the Kauri Freehold Gold Estates Company, and the same distript will earlier still be increasing its output by the aid of the two new batteries at Gumtown. Of these latter that of the Kapowai Gold Mining Company com- . menced running on Wednesday, August 7. . The Welcome Jack Gold Mining Company's ' mill is all but completed. When the live batteries named are in full working the increase in the milling capacity of the two , fields will amount to 150 head of stampers, ' so that there would seem to be little danger . of the present healthy condition of the in- 1 dustry deteriorating. The Kuaotunu district, which has been mainly worked by tributers for many months i past, is once more forging ahead, and by the commencement of crushing operations on behalf of the Kuaotunu Syndicate on Monday ! last its prospects have been brightened. The syndicate have about 250 tons of ore ready ' for crushing. The work in the low level is ' : rapidly opening up fresh reserves. ' | The Taniwha syndicate owning the Tairua J claim of that name has been formed into a ' limited company under the Companies Act, ; 1882. The capital of the company is £8000 ' in 80,000 shares of 2s each. The syndicate J take 41,000 shares, the balance being held in reserve for the company. Nothing of any importance has transpired ' since last Summary having a bearing upon the miners' dispute. The case comes before 1 the Arbitration Court in the early part of J next month. In the meantime an unsettled } state pervades the goldfields, particularly in Waihi, where the chief interest in the ill Li- 1 mate result of the case rests. The effect of ' the trouble and the suspense attaching to it ' has been tr. depreciate, the value of the ma- 1 jority of mining stocks upon the local mar- ' ket, and business has been very dull for ' many weeks past. i Mr. J. Ziman has arranged with the direc- : tors of the Waihi South Gold Mining Company for a 12 mouths' option for floating I their property on the London market. A i deposit of £500 has been paid by Mr. Ziman. t In the term;; of the option the shareholders e are to receive 33,000 fully paid-up shares, i in a company with at least £50,000 working 1 capital, that amount to be actually paid in t cash. The shares issued in the present com- i pany amount to 132,000, and the shares in t the new company, if floated, will be issued s to shareholders at a rate of one for four <. now held. , ] The directors of the Waihi Beach United c Gold Mining Company have agreed with t Mr. J. Ziman to continue work in the mine ;i under his supervision on the existing terms 1 1 of option for a further period of three ! I months. J i The preliminary details in connection with j t Mr. J. W. Walker's new Thames prospecting ! I

■ scheme are now well advanced, and that ' J gentleman has left for Wellington in order j to lay his proposals before the Mines ' Dei partment. A plan has been prepared to I Mr. Walker's order by Mr. E. F." Adams, J mining surveyor, in which is depicted the i whole of the various mining areas in the i Thames district, the main reef system of I the field, together with the situation and j extent of the land Mr. Walker wishes to i take up, and the works he proposes under- ! taking. This plan Mr. Walker will take with 'him to Wellington, in order that he j may be the better able to explain to the Minister for Mines and his colleagues the ; object of his proposed scheme. i The poll in connection with the recent j election of officers of the Thames Miners' j Union for the ensuing veor resulted in the return of Mr. M. D. "Olveefie as president, Mr. J. Seymour as treasurer, and Messrs. J. Seymour, J. Tonkin, and J. McEnteer as members of the Executive Council. At the meeting of the Thames Drainage Board held on Wednesday last a letter was read from Mr. C. A. Harris, attorney for the Thames Hauraki Company, in which the writer drew attention, to the drainage rales at the Thames, and expressed the opinion that it should be possible to reduce the cost of working the Big Pump either by pumping to a lesser depth or by reducing the assessment on those companies not deriving j i any benefit from present pumping operai tions, and putting the extra cost on those ; who require to sink lower. He stated that the I cost of pumping was about ;GIOOO per year', more now than when the Thames Hauraki Company had the drainage of the field jn I hand. The chairman said the cost of pump-, j ing could not be reduced, and several mem- | bars of the Board considered that the extra cost was due to the cessation- of pumping ! by the Thames Hauraki Company. "Mr. Harris, who was in attendance at the meeting, said in reply to questions that lie had no doubt the' liabilities of the Thames Hauraki Company would be paid, irrespective of the fact that the Standard Exploration Company was in difficulties. He did not contemplate the possibility of their plant being allowed to be sacrificed. He further offered, on behalf of the company, to start then- pump at once if any companies required its assistance, conditionally" upon' the Board reimbursing them the cost. .No action was taken in the matters touched upon. The shareholders in the Waihi Extended Cold Mining Company met yesterday for the consideration of an oiler to take theproperty over on option. The terms of the offer were the flotation of the, concern into a company, with 350,000 shares of £1 and a working capital of .€50,000, the present shareholders to receive 100,000 shares fully paid-up. After discussion the offer v.-us declined, and the directors were empowered to deal with future offers as they thought best. The following are reports from our goldfields correspondents: —

OHINEMURI. KAEAXGAHAKE. One of the most important events which has transpired in the mining world .since the publication of last Summary is the resumption of crushing operations oy the Talisman Consolidated Company. This took place a couple of weeks ago, and the reduction and treatment of ore is now proceeding with satisfactory results. The following brief description of the company's new 59stamp wet-crushing and cyaniding plant is furnished by Messrs. Bewick, Moreiug and Co., and may be of interest not only to shareholders, but our readers generally:--The plant is erected in the Talisman Extended special site, immediately adjoining the company's old machine site, on the right bank of the Waitawheta River, near its junction with the Ohinemuri River, at antnguhake, and is connected with the mine by means of an aerial tramway. The cyaniding shed is more than 300 ft in* length, with a span of 56ft. The ore is delivered by an aerial tramway from a station at No. 8 level to a large storage honper outside the mill, whence it is trucked a distance of about two chains to the breakerhouse. The rock-breaking plant consists of two lOin by 16in Blake crushers'of improved typo and one lOin by 7in Blake crusher. The hopper under tile crushers is 90ft in length, and is capable of holding over 1000 tons of ore. The crushed ore is fed to the stamps by Challenge automatic feeders. The pulverising plant consists of 30 gravitation stamps, each weighing lC5Olb, and 20 stamps, weighing 9001b, the latter being placed at the further end of the line. The stamps are erected in batteries of 10, of which each five heads are run independently. The mortar-blocks arc from 18ft to 20ft in length, some in two pieces and some in one piece, of firstclass kauri, firmly embedded in a concrete pit, extending the whole length of the battery of stamps. The stamp framing is of the front-and-back-knee type, and the coun-ter-shaft, from which the cam-shafts are driven, is fitted with Imperial friction clutch pulleys. The ore, after pulverisation by the stamps, passes through the screens of the mortar-boxes over amalgamated copper plates, for the recovery of the coarser particles of gold, the pulp then passing to classifiers, which separate the coarse and fine sands, which are then caussd to flow through launders to the concentrators, or. a lower terrace. The slimes escaping from the classifiers go through a launder to pyramidal boxes, or spitzkasten, by means of which a large proportion of the water is separated; and the slimes, thus thickened, pass to the agitators for treatment with cyanide. The agitating plant consists of four wooden and two steel vats, 22ft diameter by sft deep, forming part of the cyanide plant in the company's old mill, on the immediately adjoining machine site. It is intended to operate the concentrators and centrifugal and vacuum pumps by water power, and a new turbine is in course of erection for that purpose. The steam power plant consists of two 86 horse-power Babcock-Wilcock boilers, with Snow Company's duplex feed pump, the engine being a Wheelock-Corliss single-cylinder horizontal engine, with automatic expansion gear, and Blake condenser. The whole of the works are electrically lighted with incandescent and arc lamps. It is intended to increase the number of stamps as soon as the outputting capacity of the mine justifies any addition. The present concentrating plant is equal to the requirements of 70 stamps, while the cyaniding and combined steam and water-power plants are equal to 100 heads of stamps. The plant on the whole is one of the most complete and up-to-date mills for the reduction of ore and extraction of bullion in the southern hemisphere, and it stands as a monument to the enterprise of the company and the constructive skill of the designer. Mr. A. H. Curtis, the company's general manager. One great feature is the automatic appliances with which the mill abounds, and practically no handling is required from the moment the stone is deposited into the stone-crushers until the bullion is saved. The battery also connects with the mine, and the dirt is forwarded direct from its source to the reduction works, so that it will be seen the cost of transit, etc., has been reduced to a minimum. At the mine the southern portion on the Dubbo reef is now connected with the. Talisman section, and this good bullionproducer has commenced to furnish crushing material for the mill. The rtone is forwarded direct, and as every facility is now afforded for the speedy and effective development of the property, the Talisman Consolidated should now assume a front position among the ranks of our standard and regular bullion contributors. The Woodstock Gold Mining Company has been expediting its important development scheme inaugurated some time ago, for the carrying on of extensive operations, and every attention is being devoted to advancing the works necessary to enable the deep levels of the property to be worked advantageously and with profit, The Maria lode is being prospected, on its downward contin nation, whilst sloping is in full swing in several parts of the mine, and excellent progress has been made with the shaft works. Everything possible is being done to allow crushing operations to be resumed in about two weeks' time, so that with the Talisman and Woodstock batteries supplementing the regular yield from the Crown Mines, the Karangahake district should assume a very important position among the goldfield districts. _ The returns should also have a most beneficial effect upon the industry as a whole.

: As is pretty generally known, the Go- j ! vernment are extending the railway line from ; : Paeroa to Waihi, the branch having to pass ' I through Karangakake en route. The line, ; j instead of being carried round the river bank, I j is to penetrate the big bluff at the Rahul I Gorge, and whilst conducting the tunnel ' | operations a fins large lode was intersected. ; j Of course, no development work has been ! I done upon the reef beyond the extension of j the tunnel through it, but the stone broken ! out from it proves it to contain a good per- i centage of bullion. The discovery is one of j importance, and if: is said that the Crown Mines will be benefited considerably thereby. The New Zealand Crown Mines have done! | much towards the maintenance of interest in | | Karangahake.mining, and although there is I very little fresh to record for the last three } weeks' work, operation?, are being steadily prosecuted, and very satisfactory results indeed are being obtained from the lower levels | now being exploited. It will be remembered i that, just prior to the departure of the last 'Frisco mail there had been a. very heavy rainfall, which*!) ad resulted in the subsidence of the hillside overhanging the tramway and water-race, and in addition to carrying away a good portion of the race had submersed the tram-line with debris for a. good number of yards in extent. Crushing, as a material sequence, had to be suspended until the slip was cleared, and all the debris removed from the line. The task was a very arduous one, involving as it did the lifting of several thousand tons of earth. The general manager, Mr. Daw, with his accustomed resourcefulness, soon became master of the situation, and by the aid of sluicing the movable mass he was in a couple of weeks' timo enabled to have the repairs to the race effected, the tram cleared, and the battery once more running on ore. Everything is now proceeding on the property as satisfactorily as possible. OWHARO.V. During the past month work on the Rising Bun Gold Mining Company's property, at Owharoa, lias been confined to rising from I the low level and sinking the winze, with a view of obtaining ventilation. This work is now about completed, and as soon as it is finished men will be pub on to drive north and south on the 2ft reef cut in the low level, which gavo good assays where cut through. WAITEKATTRI. . The Waitekauri Gold Mining Company recently surrendered a very large portion of its area, and it is intended to thoroughly exploit the Golden Cross, old Waitekauri. and Komata (Te-Ao-Marama) sections. A large amount of prospecting, as well as develop- ' merit work, is proceeding, and it is to be sincerely hoped that the company will soon be amply rewarded for its large outlay. At the Waitekauri Extended mine an active start has been made with the big scheme of development work, approved by the Loudon Board, for testing and opening up the large ore body below their present low level. A good-sized chamber has already been excavated underground, and substantially timbered, to give room for a largp, double-drum hoist and pumping plant, to" be erected as soon as the road up to the mine becomes passable. The pitched gear has been completed, and the main (three-compartment) shaft sunk a distance of 20ft. A large 76 horse-power boiler (Babcock and Wilcox), to be installed in the mine for winding and pumping purposes, will shortly arrive from England, while at the present time the power, derived from piping in a supply of water through the No. 2 level, and down a winze 200 ft into the chamber, is being in the meantime utilised for pumping the water out of the shaft and for driving a friction hoist for winding. A great effort will be made to take the boiler up to the mine immediately on its arrival, as the supply of water-power cannot be reckoned on much longer ; but, owing to the very bad state of the road, it will be a very difficult matter for the teams to get through. A contract for extending the ground tramway an additional half-mile has been commenced, which will open up an extensive area of virgin bush for the supply of. mining timber and firewood for a long time to come; while another contract for sawing 40.000 ft of timber ■for shaft work, etc., has been taken, and a start to deliver the same will be made next month if the track to the low level is passable. The above work is the outcome of the encouraging prospects met with in the winzes sunk on the lode from the low level, and ithas now been finally settled to thoroughly prove this lode at denth and to open up enough ore reserves to keep the battery fully employed when once milling operations have been started again.

The Alpha and New Zealand Jubilee are also doing a large amount of work, operations at the latter being under the supervision of Mr. E. Kersey Cooper. At the Young New Zealand Gold Mining Company's mine the low level has been continued, and a promising-looking reef, believed to be the same as that worked in the Tipper levels, has been intersected. The drive was continued on the old course until a spot was reached well past where it was expected to cut the reel', and as it was not there and the country was changing for the worse, the manager tried back on some of the small leaders already passed through, and one that was only 2in thick in the drive soon opened out to over 12in. There had been previously some work done on this same leader, but it was so small and poor, and not in the right position, that it was given up. Having followed it for a few feet, the manager is strongly of opinion that it is the reef. It is rather disturbed and mixed with the country at present, but it is a nice body of stone, and much resembles the quartz in the upper workings. KOMATA. The development of Wilson's lode, on its southern trend, has been continued with satisfactory results since the recovery of the ore-body, at the Komata Reefs Gold Mining Company's property, and the mine on the whole is opening up very well. WAlin. The Waihi district is carrying a very large number of miners, and though the labour troubles there have deadened matters somewhat, the several mines are vigorously pushing ahead with the works necessary for their success. The Grand Junction, Union Waihi, and the Waihi Gold Mining Companies are responsible for the employment of a large number of men. In the Waihi Gold Mining Company's mine during July the usual development works were carried out. No. 5 level, on the Martha lode, was connected at 382 ft east of No. 2 shaft crosscut, with the end coming west from No. 1 shaft. The total length between the two crosscuts was 534 ft. At 378 ft east of No. 2 shaft the lode was 37£ ft wide, composed of low-grade ore. At 105 ft west of No. 1 shaft the lode was 40ft wide, of medium fair quality, from wall to wall. On the south side of a- " horse" of mullock in the quartzbody were found small packets of ore, showing visible gold. East of No. 1 shaft the level was advanced to a total of 220 ft. Ore of a payable quality was obtained from here. At 150 ft in the lode measured 53ft, the ore being of first-class value throughout. The ore in the Welcome lode (F), west of No. 2 shaft crosscut, showed an improvement. The Empire lode disclosed ore of fair qualitv. and a width of 33ft in the east end, from No. 2 shaft, south-east crosscut. At 497 ft in. the lode was exposed for 21ft in width. Owing to heavy rain causing a considerable increase of water in No. 4 shaft, driving had to be suspended until the level was holed. The ore from here was of fair quality. In the south-east crosscut, from No. 4' shaft, the easterly continuation of the Empire lode was met with at 79ft in. It proved to be oft wide, of payable ore. At No. 4 level, which was advanced to 245 ft east from No. 2 shaft crosscut, the Regina lode was irregular in size. The western end of the level was taken to 317 ft from No. 1 shaft. At 305 ft the lode was sft wide, and from that point to the face only the south wall was showing. The ore improved in value, but was hardly payable, owing to the hardness of the country and the quart/. Stoping was continued as usual, and tenders were called for stoping the balance of the block on the Empire lode, west of the bend between Nos. 4 and 3 levels, containing about 2300 tons. From the new intermediate level, on the Martha lode. 198 tons of ore were broken from the mouth of the level. No. 2 shaft was completed to 118 ft below No. 5 plat, or 643 ft from the surface. The No. 6 level will be opened at 110 ft below No. 5 level, thus allowing Bft for a sump. No. 5 shaft was sunk to a depth of 22ft below No. 5 level, or 456 ft from the surface. A chamber and cistern are now being excavated.. The erection of winding engine

at this shaft was completed some lime ago. Two water 'tube boilers have been placed in position, and the frame of the boilerabed has been erected. 'there are now 5631 tons of mineral ore in the paddocks. The aihi Gladstone Company are continuing their low level works,"whilst in respect of the Waihi Extended and the Waihi South there is likely to be a change in their ownership. The Waihi South, which is considered by many to possess great possibilities, lias been taken over by Mr. J. Ziinan. on a 12 months' option. With the splendid prospects of the Grand .-unction, the Waihi South. Waihi Extended, \\ aihi Gladstone, and Union Waihi. Waihi should, with its premier mine's excellent output every month, become even more prosperous than it is. WAJOEO.VCOMAT. Waiorongomai is steadily, growing in importance again, owing to the success attending the operations being conducted at Hardy's mines and battery. Some time ago, whilst exploitation work was being carried on on what is known as the Premier lode at the Vulcan level, a rich, chute of ore was intersected at the bottom of a rise which had been carried up to the surface. The vein was about 3ft wide where it came in, -nd it has since widened out to sft, with splendid stone showing in the face, which has been extended a distance of about 50ft from the point where the deposit was met with. The stone is of a free-milling nature, and no trouble is experienced in saving the. gold at the 10stamper battery, which is running regularly, the return from which last month was HOoz melted gold, valued at £308, thus making the total won from the mine since Mr. Hardy assumed its ownership over £7000. The new chute of ore promises to amply reward Mr. Hardy, as operations have proved that the downward continuation of the system maintained its promising appearance. As good stone was left showing in the floor of the level, a winze was sunk for a depth of 25ft, and an underhand stope run out. In both workings some nice stone was obtained, so Mr. Hardy now intends to extend an adit, which is located about 85ft lower down the hill. This drive will only require to be advanced an estimated distance of 50ft to reach the chute developed with such success at the Vulcan level, whilst there is another level 100 ft still further down which requires an extension of about 100 ft. There will be no difficulty at all in opening out these levels md connecting them with the upper level. There are other reefs upon which to operate, but, being of a lower graded it has been decided to confine attention at present to the development of the rich chute of ore, Mid leave the ' lower-grade dirt until such times as there is a cheaper and a better mode of transit of ore from the mine to me battery. This is to be accomplished by the erection of an aerial train. The mine and battery will thus be brought into direct communication with each other, and the cost of haulage reduced from 3s per truck, as paid at present, to Is. The br.tterv is also to be enlarged by another 10 stamps, the plant being already on the ground.

THAMES. Since tlie publication of last Summary information lias been received by cable from Home that the reconstruction scheme in connection with the Standard Exploration Company has been abandoned, and that the company is to be put into liquidation at once. This information, it is needless to say, lias been received here with great regret, as the Standard Company had previously financed the Thames Hauraki, Limited, so that the hope that the latter company would soon resume operations, upon which the future of the field so much depends, has now to be, at least temporarily, abandoned. No information, however, is yet to hand as to the ultimate result of the "winding-up order, but it is hoped that some (scheme will be formulated whereby a strong financial company will before long acquire possession of the Thames Hauraki Company's property, and resume the deep level work now at a standstill. The Thames Hauraki Company's application for a further period of six month's' protection for three special claims, which was referred to in last Summary, has, it is understood, been consented to by the Minister for Mines (to whom the application was referred by the Warden) subject to the company letting tributes, if applied for, in any blocks that may be accessible for such operations. The formal granting of the application, however, will not be made until the Warden's Court sits on the 20th inst.

Very good headway is being made with the boring operations on the foreshore section of the Victoria Gold Mining Company's property, but at the time of writing solid country has not yet been met with, although a depth of about 235 ft has been attained. The country so far penetrated has been a mixture of clay and coarse grit, with occasional small boulders and lumps of quartz. A little gold was again seen last week in a piece of quartz that was brought to the surface. So far most of the work has been accomplished with the' aid of the chisel, but it is hoped that solid country will now soon be met with, and that the services of the diamond drill itself will be required.

At a sitting of the Warden's Court held on the 6th inst. the Tararu Creek Gold Mining Company made application for six months' protection for their mine, etc. The application was objected to by the Thames Miners' Union, on the ground that six months' protection had already been allowed the company, in order to enable them to raise capital for the purpose of developing the mine, without result. In support of the application it was shown that since the previous period of protection was granted the company had raised a sum of £5000 with which they had liquidated all their liabilities ; that they had previously worked continuously for a period of over five years. during which time they had spent a sum of £85,000 in working and developing the property (of which amount £45,000 represented subscribed capital and £40,000 had resulted from gold won in the mine); that the whole amount of money stated represented only what the company had actually spent in the colony, and not "that which had been expended at Home ; and that further time was required to complete a reconstruction scheme at Home for the purpose of raising further working capital. The Warden said the application appeared to him to be a good and legitimate one, and one which deserved every consideration, for in his opinion the company had endeavoured to work their mine to the best possible advantage. He said he would send the application on to the Minister for Mines to deal with, together with the Miners' Union objection. On the same date the Fortuna Hauraki Gold Mines (Limited) made application for permission to work its mine with two men for a period of six months, which was also objected to by the Miners' Union on the ground that the company had already been given twelve months' protection, for the purpose of raising further working capital, witiiout result. After hearing argument for and against the application the Warden said the company had already sufficient time in which to consider what was best to be done, but he would grant permission for working the 'ground with six men for four months. At the end of that four months, if a further period was required, he should insist on additional men being employed. The annual meeting of the Waiotahi Gold Mining Company was held on the 31st ult., when a report was submitted by the directors which stated that the yield of gold during the year (16900z lldwt from 1141 tons of ore crushed) had realised £4682 119 j lOd, which was an increase of £195 14s lid on the previous year's return. The wages and expenses at the mine bad amounted to £2873 2s 2d, as compared with £2792 14s 5d during the previous year. During the year dividends to the amount of 4s 6d per share had been paid to shareholders, which was Is 6d per share more than that paid during the preceding twelve months. The mine manager in his report spoke very favourably of the works in progress, and said that in his opinion the present prospects of the mine were favourable to continue divi-dend-paying. Since the meeting referred to above the mine manager has banket] a further return of 1330z of retorted gold, valued at about £365, the product of 100 tons of ore crushed, and the directors have declared another dividend (the 58tW of Is per share.

J The tributers at work in the May Queen I Hauraki and New Moanataiari mines were ! fairly successful in their operations for the | four-weekly period ending on the 3rd inst. The former party crushed 156* tons of ore for a yield of 4430z 7dwt of melted gold. valued at £1210 0s lOd, and the latter crushj ed 9'U tons of general ore and 91 pounds of I picked stone for 2S3oz lOAdwt of gold j valued at £785 19s lid. Tributers in the Kuranui-Caledonian Gold ! Mining Company's mine crushed 65 loads j of general ore and 102J, pounds of picked | stone during July for 186oz 18dwt of melted I gold, valued at £504 10s Id. During the five-weekly period ending on the sth inst. the Eclipse Gold Mining Company crushed a total of 410 tons of ore for a return of 2290z 17dwt of melted gold, the value of which was £655 12s Bd. The prospects in the company's mine continue of a most favourable character, inasmuch as the development works in progress are resulting in the opening up of further blocks of payable ore. The main reef that is being operated upon varies from six to eight feet in thickness, the whole of which is being broken out and treated at the company's battery. Operations in the Fame and Fortune, Kuranui, May Queen Extended, New Gloucester, and New Whan mines are proceeding as usual, but in most cases th; works in progress are mostly of a prospecting character.

Crushing dirt is being broken out in the New Gloucester mine, arid a few days ago a parcel of picked stone was secured when taking out the stringers in the hangingwall of No. 1 leader. WAIOHO. The Monowai Gold Mining Company's j operations at Waiomo continue to be attended with most favourable results, and crushing operations are being carried on continuously. During the month information has been received of a most favourable character re the reconstruction scheme that is in progress in Glasgow for the purpose of raising further working capital to enabl': the company to carry on more systematically the development of its property. As sooi as the scheme is completed it.is probabh that a start will at once be made for tin driving of a new low level that will intersect the main lode at a depth of betweei 200 and 300 feet deeper than where it is now being worked at the lowest level opened up at present. Steps will also b > taken for increasing the company's crushing power, and facilitating operations generally.' TAPTI. A number of prospectors are still at work in the Tapu district, but very little gold is being won. Plumrner and party, who are working a tribute block in the Bullion mine, j are working on payable ore, and a few days : ago crushed three loads of general ore and a parcel of picked stone for a yield of 260z 7dwt of melted gold, valued at £82 13s 6d. TAIIUJA. In the Tairua district there is a distinct improvement in prospects. In the first place the Tairua Broken Hills Gold Mining Company has met with good ore at the new low level, and the manager anticipates that there is now a payable run of ore, with 500 feet of backs to operate upon, so that when the rise has been connected with the winze from the upper workings the prospects of the company should be excellent. The outlook in the Chelmsford Gold Mining Company's mine is also of a very favourable character, and it is anticipated that a new scheme of prospecting and development works, which the mine manager is at present inaugurating, will still further tend to increase the value and importance of the property. In a new claim called the Taniwha most encouraging prospects are being met with.

WHANGAMATA. At Whanagamata the Mananu Gold Min- . ing Company are proceeding with the usual development works, and continue to secure the necessary supply of payable ore for keeping their crushing plant in constant operation. The return for the past month was an excellent one. £1061 being obtained from 302 tons crushed and treated. The Whangamata Gold Corporation Company applied for, and obtained, at the sitting of the Warden's Court on the 6th inst.. six months' protection for the whole of their property. It was stated, in connection with the application that the company had expended a sum of £68,00.0 in the development of the mine, and that time was now required to carry out a reconstruction scheme at Home by which an additional £30,000 capital would be provided for opening up further reserves of ore in the company's claims. COROMANDEL. Mining matters in the Coromandel district during the past three weeks have been improving, and a much more hopeful feeling exists than for some time past. Capt. Hodge has returned to Coromandel after an absence in England of nine months, 'and' since his return he has resumed his. management of the Hauraki mine, and is starting developments likely to improve the company's prospects. From the Kathleen Crown mine a parcel of general ore is being put through the Scotty's battery. The development works in this mine are* being pushed on with good results. In the Royal Oak mine developments are being pushed ahead with encouraging results, though some months yet are required before the scheme entered upon will be completed and stoping started with a full force of men. During the past three weeks 110 tons of general ore have been trucked to the battery, but the «lean-up will not take place until the 17th inst. In the Hauraki Mines (Limited) mine, rising upon the footwall leader is be-. ing continued. The leader shows a little gold at each breaking down, and the ground continues tight for working. After a further distance of about 20ft is driven, rising will be commenced in order to open up the block to afford ventilation, and when this work is completed stoping will be systematically undertaken, when good results are fully expected to be obtained." The company ate at present working with a limited stuff, but as operations are sufficiently advanced it is anticipated that the number of miners will be increased. The tributers working in the surface section of the mine are occasionally seeing gold. The local attorney of the West Tokatea Gold Mining Company has recently acquired the adjoining claim (the New Tokatea), which was proved in the old days to possess very valuable reefs. It has been uuworked for some time, but the new owners recently let a tribute to Messrs. Kelly and Woods, who, while driving for a known gold-bearing reef last week, cut a new lode and immediately obtained over 1001b of specimens, most of which rival the best that have been obtained in the Tokatea. The new reef is a foot and a-half wide, and promises to continue carrying specimens. The company's battery is now engaged in treating the ore on hand. Operations in the mine have been seriously hampered by the quantity of water, but a month of fine weather will dry the winzes, and allow of development proceeding. In the Hauraki Freehold mine development work on the Nos. 1 and 2 reefs, recently intersected at No. 1 level, from the main shaft, is being pushed ahead with all possible speed, and with most satisfactory results. A total length of 150 ft has now been driven on the main No. 1 reef, and for this entire distance the lode has maintained a most regular course, changeable in character, but carrying all favourable indications for the existence of rich specimen ore. The accumulated water in the upper workings is now being drained away, so that shortlv the company will be in a position to sink from the upper workings, and thoroughly ventilate the mine for the carrying out of extensive workings. In the Hauraki No. 2 mine the prospects are more promising at present than for a long time past. A strong body of quartz is coming into the face of the drive from the north, and it is expected that the junction with the big reef upon which the winze is sunk is close at hand. The Frogress-Castle Rock Gold Mining Company have just completed their crushing for the- past four weeks. The reef continues to look well, and the stopes on Reynold's reef are showing coarse gold in the stone Several small parcels of ore have been treated at the School of Mines' battery during the last three weeks. There are at present a good majiy prospectors out in dif-

ferent parts of the ranges, and some of them have taken the Manaia district up again. This district has been neglected for a considerable time. KUAOTUM'. Mr. Louis Woodcock, owner of the Handsworth claim, cleaned up at the end of last mouth from 32 tons of general ore and 301b picked stone, for a return of 2890z 19dwt of melted bullion, valued at £717 12s 6d. Mr. Woodcock is busy at work getting out another crushing. The tributers in the Irene mine are pushing ahead, getting out ore, and hope very soon to have a crushing. In the Waitaia mine "the manager is pushing ahead lite development works, and some nice ore is paddocked. ready for crushing. Operations at the Kuaotunu Syndicate's property (late Kapai-Vermont and Mariposa mines) have been proceeding with satisfactory results. The driving in the low level towards the Kapai boundary has brought, the face to within about 50ft of the winze, where there is a run of gold. The ore coming to hand from the level and from the various winzes is payable, and about 250 tons are on hand ready for crushing. Dry crashing operations were commenced at the Kapai battery, with the aid of the ball mill ami breakers, on Monday last.

GTTMTOWN". I The Kapowai Gold Mining Company's battery is now completed, and is working splendidly. Only low grade ore is being put through to " sweeten" the plates. Mr. R. H. Harrison, the manager, has pushed on the erection of the battery in the face of bad roads and continued wet weather. Work j in the mine is being pushed ahead, and there is a considerable quantity of ore oil hand to keep the battery going. Mr. H. P. Hornibrook has been appointed managei of the Big Beetle mine, and goes through to Gmntown this week to take charge, and commence operations. i At the Welcome Jack Gold Mining Company's property good progress is being made with the erection of the battery, and within a few days this should be completed. The mine is looking well, and great prospects are looked for when the battery gets going. MAHAKIRAtT. Messrs. Davis and Prescott are putting in a drive at the low level, and expect, within a fortnight, to cut the reef, from which they obtained the gold in the top level. TIKI. The Pukewlian mine is now being worked by a syndicate, and the prospects are very encouraging. Last week a new leader was cut,' about 2ft wide, and a very rich vein about 4in wide runs through it, carrying good coarse gold. Some of the stone was on view in Coromandel. The new company, have about three tons of ore at grass. OI'ITONTJI. The bottom level in the Rangatira section of the Kauri Freehold Gold Estates Company's mine is opening up well. In the Maiden section preparations are in hand to open out at the No. 4 level from the slia.ft * on the Geraldine lode at its south end at No. 1 level. This is a payable lode, which appears to be improving. Preparations are also about completed for starting the battery, which will work with two shifts per day. The Babcoek boilers are now being erected at the Rangatira shaft. Twenty extra men were put on this week, and more will be employed as room can be made for them. The battery plant and the whole oil the machinery is working splendidly. THE GOLD RETURNS. TOTAL FOR THREE WEEKS, £53,312. The gold returns for the Auckland district for the past three weeks show a total of £53,312 Is. In view of the fact that the monthly returns from several of the mines have still to come to —notably from the Waitekauri Company, New Zealand Crown Mines, and the majority of the Coromandel bullion producers—this total is most, encouraging as showing that the average output from the fields is being well ■ sustained. The present total ranks high amongst those recorded for the current year, and exceeds by a considerable amount the average for 1900. The total output to date for this year now amounts to £376,860 8s 2d. The following are the details of the past three weeks' returns : — OIIINEMURI. £ a a Waihi G.M. Co., 11,878 tons ... 36,452 0 0 Union Waihi G.M. Co. (July), 1596 tons 2,869 0 0 Union Waihi G.M. Co. (August), 1779 tons ... 2,952 0 0 Komata Reefs G.M. Co., 490 tons... 930 0 0 Hardy's mines (Waiorongoinai) ... 308 0 0 Total Ohinemuri district ... £43,511 0 0 THAMES. Bullion tributers, 3 loads, 260z 7dwt 82 13 6 Eclipse Co., 410 tons, 2290z 17dwt 655 12 8 Kuranui-Caledonian tributers, 65 loads, 102Jlb, 1660z 18dwt ... 504 10 1 May Queen Hauraki tributers, 156J tons, 44307, 7dwt 1,210 0 10 New Moanataiari tributers, 94J tons, 2830z lOidwt 785 19 11 Nonpareil tributers, 17 tons, 220z lOdwt 65 0 0 Sundries 400 0 0 Waiotahi G.M. Co., 100 tons, 1330z 365 0 0 £4,068 16 11 WHANG AW ATA. Man ami G.M. Co., 302 tons ... 1,061 6 2 £5,130 3 l TAIEUA. Chelmsford G.M. Co., 200 tons ... , 321 0 0 Total Thames district ... £5,451 3 1 COROMAMDEL. Progress-Castle Rock G.M. Co.. 21 loads, 301b 124 13 10 GREAT BARRIER. Barrier Reefs, G.M. Co., 1554 tons 2,596 8 2 £2,721 2 0 OPITONUI Kauri Freehold Gold Estates, 382 tons, 132 toils tailings, 416 tons slimes ~ 577 6 1 . T . r £3,238 8 1 KOAOTUNU. Great Mercury tributers. 220 tons 3.33 17 4 llandswortli Claim, 32 tons, 301b 717 12 6 Total Coromandel district ... £4,349 17 11 Total Auckland district for three weeks £53,312 1 0

WAIHI G.M. CO. (LIMITED). ALL RECORDS BEATEN. £36,452 FROM 11,873 TONS. TOTAL TO DATE, £1,746,527. The Waihi Gold Mining. Company (Limited) have again come forward with" a magnificent return of bullion, their operations for the four weeks ending July 20 having resulted in a yield of £36,452 from 11,878 tons crushed and treated during that period. This return exceeds the previous record yield from any one month's operations— that of the four weeks ending Mav 27 last, when 12,481 tons yielded £33,339— no less than £3113. Moreover, the present return has been obtained from 603 tons less than were dealt with on the occasion of the previous record, and the yield is equivalent to a value of about £3 ls*sd per ton. Such a result is most gratifying, proving as it does that this great mine is in no danger of depreciating in value as development proceeds, but that, on the contrary, the opposite is the case. It is interesting to note that the total amount of gold won to date from this mine is but some £4000 short of a million and three-quarters of money (£226,400 of which has been won during the current year), the exact output since the commence?i el 7^°co7 he on Ti? 7 s °P e ™ tions being £1,746,527 The following, table shows the details of the returns to dateTo July 31. 1890 ... . ' «„,„„ MI; , & t 1o?r mb " !i; »»"'■•■ If a stag a = = = II In 1895. 3.3.670 tons ... ,K In 1896. 34.400 ton* ... Jg'SS In 1897. 40.764 tons ... "* 344'^ In 1898. 77.929 tons ... ". 256494 In 1899, 102,383 tons .'" 302525 In 1900, 112,012 tons ... 317.903 Total ... £1,520.127 Period endingFebruary 2. 1901. 12.958 tons ... 29,055 March 2, 1901, 13.355 tons ... —=. 31,2*7 March 30, 1901, 12,658 tons ... - 3J..350 April 27, 1901, 12.576 tons and concentrates ... ■" ••- „'™ May 27. 1901. 12.481 tons ... — 33,339 June 24, 1901, 12.882 tons **.]« July 20. 1901. 11.873 tons .- ••• , &™ Total to date w „Kl : *•• £1,746,54

UNION WAIHI G.M. CO. £5821 FROM 33V5 TONS. TOTAL TO DATE, £23,414. During the four weeks ending July 13, the Union Waihi Gold Mining Company crushed and treated 1596 tons for a return oT bullion valued at £2869, and during • the four weeks ending August 10 they . : crushed and treated 1779 tons for a yield of £2952. These returns exceed any previously obtained- by the company. he . +.ntal of the two returns is £,o&il, \ obtained from 3375 tons. The total amount won from the mine to date is £23 414, as shown in the following table ol •■ d ?f Dumber 31. 1900 ... £".533 Jammiy. 1901. 1258 tons 995 ' February. 1901. 1639 tons ... ..... 2.4g March, 1901, 1700 tons ... ... — %%» April. 1901. 1610 tons 2,661 M»y. 1901. 1452 tons ... 2,424 Jan.. 1901, 1430 ton* ... ... — 2.173 July, 1901, 1596 tons ... — .— -|-«" August, 1901, 1779 tons ... - *** Total to date ... £23,414 CHELMSFORD G.M. CO. £321 FROM 200 TONS. : The Chelmsford Gold Mining Company Lave crushed and treated at their battery, at Upper Tairua, 200 tons of ore for a yield of bullion valued at £321. " GREAT MERCURY TRIBUTERS. ■ The tributers in the Great Mercury mine, . at Kuaotunu, have completed a crushing:of 220 tons of general ore for a return of llOoz 9dwt of bullion (from the plates), valued at £235 3s 4d. and 50oz Bdwt from the cyanide plant, valued at £98 14s, or a. total of £333 17s 4d. The tributers. are now getting out ore for another crushing. BULLION MINE. The Messrs. Plnramer Bros., who are working a tribute block in the Bullion mine (late Sheridan), at Tapu, have completed a crashing of three loads. of general dirt and a small parcel of picked stone for a yield of : 260z 7dwt of melted gold, valued at h~6£ 13s sd. _____ HANDSWOBTH CLAIM. Mr Woodcock, proprietor of the Handsworth claim (Kuaotunu), has completed at his own battery a. crushing of 32 tons of general ore and 301b of picked stone for a return of 2890z 19dwt melted bullion, valued at £717 12s 6d. KOMATA REEFS. The Komata Reefs Gold Mining Company nas just concluded cleaning up for the past month, with the result that bullion valued „at £930 was obtained from 490 tons of quartz. • KAURI FREEHOLD GOLD ESTATES (LIMITED). During the four weeks ended July 24 the Kauri Freehold Gold Estates Company crushed at their battery, at Opitonui, 382 tons of ore, from the development works, and cyanided 152 tons of tailings, from the previous month's crushing, for a total return of bullion valued at £303 8s 9d. The tailings from the crushing are now undergoing cyanide treatment. There were also treated 416 tons of slimes for a return of bullion valued at £275 17s 4d, making a total for - the month of £577 6s Id. NONPAREIL CLAIM. "Boyle and party, tributers in this claim, •have completed a crushing of 17 tons of ' ore for a yield of 220z lQdwt of gold, valued approximately at £65. PROGRESS-CASTLE ROCK G.M. CO. The • Progress-Castle Rock Gold Mining Company have completed a crushing of 21 loads-of" ore and 301b of picked stone for a ; return of 470z 13dwt of bullion, valued at £124 13s lOd. The reef continues to look well, and the stones in Reynolds' reef are showing coarse gold in the stone. KURANTJI-CALEDONIAN. The tributers in this company's mine during the month of July crashed a total of 65 loads of general ore and of picked • stone, for 186oz 18dwt of melted gold, .valued at £504 10s Id. BARRIER REEFS G.M. CO. ; During the month of July the Barrier ■ Reefs Gold Mining Company crushed arid treated 1554 tons of ore for a yield of bullion valued at £1525 10s lid, and con- ■ - centrales estimated to be worth £1070 17s 3d, or a total of £2596 8s 2d. WAIOTAHI G.M. CO. • The Waiotahi Gold Mining Company have completed a clean-up from their operations for July for a return of 1330z of retorted gold, valued at £365. MOANATAIARI TRIBUTERS. i ■ During the four weeks ending on Saturday last., 18 parties of tributers employed :.-■ in this company's mine crushed a total of 94j tons of general dirt and 911b of picked stone for a vield of 2830z lOJjdwt of melted gold, valued at £785 19s lid. MAY QUEEN HAURAKI TRIBUTERS. Twelve of the parties of tributers at work in this company's mine crushed, during the four. weeks ending on Saturday last, 156J,tons of general ore for a yield of 4430z 7dwt of melted gold, valued at £1210 0s lOd. This return is the best' obtained by the tributers for many months past. ECLIPSE (LIMITED). During the five-week period ending on the sth inst., this company crushed a total of 410 tons of ore for a return of 2290z 17dwt of melted gold. The value of this was £655 12s Bd.