MINING.

Otago Witness, Issue 2215, 13 August 1896, Page 18

MINING.

MINING PROGRESS.

In the Mines Statement, recently sub.mitted to Parliament, the Hon. A. J. Cabman is able to give a decidedly satisfactory record of progress; and though, of course, this progress has to a very large extent been independent of Government action, we think that the Minister for Mines , deserves' - emphatic commendation for the care jind practical sagacity " 'with which lie has fostered the development of the industry. ( The revival which" commenced • in ,1894 • continued, in 1895, and shows no signs of cessation. A considerable amount of capital has been sent into, the colony for raining purposes ; the gold returns have largely increased ; the us.c.of the best scientific methods has developed; and~altogether the industry appears to be establishing itself upon a more secure and satisfactory basis than has . been the case in "past" times. , "It is impossible," observes Mr Cadman, " from ' the nature of things, to separate the speculative element from mining, but 1 am 1 convinced that, if greater care and ' judgment were exercised in the prospecting and development of mining i properties to ascertain their value j before undertaking the formation of companies to work them, the industry would partake more of the nature of 1 an investment than a mere speculation." This tendency towards scientific security should be aided in every possible way. The quantfty of gold and silver produced during the year .was 378,51 50z, of the value of £1,172,843, as against a I value o.f £894,536 in 1894 1 ; while of othei minerals the production represented. - £833,134, .compared with £802 ; ,706 in ' 1894.' The value of kauri .gum produce^ also increased by over £14,000;. We append, a table of the quantities and values of the chief mineral productions for 1895 : —

The total value of all minerals, including kauri gum, exported from New Zealand up to the end of 1895 has been £64,775,629. The number of miners employed increased from 11,412 to 13,226, the chief increase being in the Auckland district. Mr Cadman, speaking' generally of gold mining, ' observes that „• a number of mining properties were prematurely abandoned in past years through want of capital, I and he has no doubt that capital to J prospect many of these old properties will be forthcoming if the owners are i reasonable in their demands. "With capital for their development, and the j employment of new processes oi treat- ',

I ment, gold mining is rapidly becoming I a permanent industry of great value to the colony; and the constant care of the Government will be to foster its development in every legitimate way." We believe that Mr Oadman is endeavouring to do this, and it is to be trusted that his successors will be animated by the same spirit. • Steady progress is- reported • in connection with the quartz-working branch of the. industry, the bulk of the .increase being at the North -Island mines. The total quantity of quartz and tailings treated had a yield valued at £468,958 against £358,250 in 1894, Otago's share, being £21,545. At. Ilauraki no less than 71 per cent, of the total production of those fields was extracted by the cyanide process, and Mr Cadma.it opines that the time is not far distant when the process will be more generally used in the mines, of the North Island. He anticipates that modifications and improvements will make -the process suitable for the treatment of all classes of ore, — which is not the case at present. Full details are given in regard to conditions and results at the various districts. The Hauraki mine, in the Coromandel goldfield, has been specially prosperous. In this district Government" has aided certain experiments with a view of testing the ground at the lower levels, the work " having an important bearing on the solution of the problem of deep sinking in all parts of the Hauraki goldfields." j The results so far have been satisfacj tory, and Mr Cadman observes : " The 1 value to the field- of the> discovery of a rich vein of quartz at a depth of 930 feet can. hardly be over-estimated," and i the results * ; should afford encouragement' to foreign companies who have ' purchased mines on which capital is to be expended on deep sinking." At the j Thames a company, which has acquired the Queen of Beauty special claim I proposes to erect machinery capable of pumping and, winding to a ' depth of 2000 feet — a work whicli ; the Government has undertaken to subsidise. There are satisfactory reports from Ohinemuri, Waiorongamai, and the West' Coast. A large amount of capital has been introduced into Reef ton, and the best of the quartz mining properties have been purchased by Mr Ziman's company. Mr Cadmajt expects Reefton to become a very large •and important mining »oentre. The reports from -the Otago mines are, we are sorry to say. less satisfactory. Work at Skippers v is" fairly well spoken of, but the results at Mace town appear to have been somewhat disappointing. Mr Cabmax remarks : " There are. large quartz lodes in many places in Otago ; but where gold has not been seen in the stone at the outcrop there has been no- work done to ascertain whether a -shoot of auriferous ore -may be found at deeper levels, or not— as, for instance, on the range between the Clutha and Manuherikia rivers, the Old- Man Eange, and the Hough JRidge. Ttiese places are all traversed" by quartz lodes, where little or no work has been done to determine whether some of them may be payable for working or not." :

A word must be said on the 'subject of alluvial mining, — coal and other branches of the industry being necessarily left over for future notice. Alluvial mining is confined to the Middle Island. In most places capital is. required in order to bring in water do work the ground systematically and extensively. None of the reports are I specially satisfactory, though conditions are better on the West Coast than in Nelson and Marlborongh. In regard to the Otago fields, Mr Cadjiait observes : "Although 35 years have passed' since the discovery of gold in Otago, very little, impression is made on the surface of the ground where alluvial mining has been carried on. Gold to the value of .£20,643,176 has been obtained from the alluvial workings, and far more remains hidden from view ; but it is not so easily obtained as in the early day's, when the workings were confined to the shallow ground and creek beds." In the Clutha Valley, for • instance, there is immense wealth, but a large capital is required ia order to make

the "work remunerative. As regards Tuapeka, the company "which holds most of the cemented gravels at the ' Blue Spur " has paid off all its .liabilities, amounting to many thousands of pounds, and now pays handsome dividends, with a profit last year of over .£10,000." Just at present capitalists appear to be bent on the development of - the quartz -reefs, but the Minister for- Mines believes that in the near future many 'of them will turn their attention ; to the working of the auriferous drifts in the Middle Island, with the result „that dams will be constructed for conserving water and water raoes formed for sluicing at higher elevations. " Alluvial mining is only, in its ;n- , fancy. "Water will in the future be brought in from the principal rivers to command the high lands, and when that time comes far more gold "will be got than has ever yet been obtained."

* > ________ 'THE OTAGO GOLDFIELDS.

THEIR PAST HISTORY, THEIR PRESENT POSITION, AND THEIR FUTURE PROSPECTS. (By Ova Special Commissioner., no. xvm. THE DREDGING SYSTEM. " The dredging industry may now be said to have reached a point in its advancing course when the very highest success, accompanied by* the highest prosperity, coniistent with its pcssible limits of expansion, are atbainab'e aud may be predioted with every assurance of ultimate realisation. As a branch of the mining industry it possesses some unique points of advantage, which investors for some years pusb have been quick to distinguish and prompt to profit by. .It is cot oppressed, hindered, or enfeebled in its rfforts towards production by any of those embarrassing and, it would teem, inevitable difficulties with which those engaged in the otder, wider, and more familiar fields of mining ; enterprise are acquainted. There are none of thesd frequent and costly spells of enforced idleness arising from a diminished water sapply. The expenditure on labour is, from every point of view, extremely small whether as regards the attuil results or tompired with that employed in producing similar results in bjdraulio mining. There is also the further favourable and stimulating fact that Ihe golden resources of the JMoljntux are praotically illimitable and inexhaustible. This may be accepted with confidence, speaking on the evidence furnirhsd by the most experienced dredg' masters and others on the river, and on the still more incontestable evidence furnished by the returns, or those of tlum which it is possible to obtain," from dredging claims at various tear and remote points on the river. It is no immoderate use of words to cay that the dredging industry as a theatre of investment holds the field in Otago, It has. fascinated and captured the get at body of mining investor*, and is destined as time passes to grow in magnitude aud strength, furnishing such startling proof of its potentialities as it hat nevtr yet done, and establishing a trust and confidence in its capabilities that have up to the present not been associated with any other form of mining enterprise in the colony. Of course a uniform or even rfgulated success is not possible under any circumstances. There must always be disagreeable hiatuses, dreary intervals of waiting, and mortifying disappointments-. No form -of investment or speculative enterprise can possibly be so hedged j round with saving influences aud favouring certainties as to entirely, disassociate it from logs or the temporary deprivation of profit. But under ordinary circumstances I do not think there is any ether field of investment in the colony that gives so much reasonable hope or such expectations of so assured and large a character as that of river dredging. Indeed one feels almost inclined to think th*t the limit of its possibilities is restricted or controlled only by the degree of efficiency ultimately arrived at in the perfeotion of the present gold-saving appliances «nd dredging appliances generally. What may be accomplished in this direotion ia the future it is, of ! course, impcsnble even to guess, but if the advance made during the next quarter of a century Should in any approximate degree correspond with that of the same period just passed one is almost inclined to thiuk the limit of inventive and mechanical perfeotion in this induttry at least would be reached, and, as a consequence, the climax of its prosperity t attained. I

Before 1863. dredging in any form on the Molyntux river had not been attempted, though ' no doubt before that period ingenious but futile schemes were being evolved and hirdy enter- : prises planned in the minds of the restless and resourceful men .of that d»y for ecquiring some of the wealth that l»y hidden . beneath the waters of the great river. In the j year just mentioned the first crude attempt • known to tradition was made at the Beaumont to get gold from the river bed by dredging, The fir.-t primitive vessel took the form of & couple of birrdi surmounted by a timber plnLform, on to which .the s'uff was shovelled by j a man standing in the water, the dirt being ' afterwards taken on shore and oradled. The next advance made was in the utilisation of three canoes roughly fashioned and lashed together and secured and steadied, so far as it w»b possible to secure or steady such a contrivance, by lines from the shore. It was provided with a spoon for lifting the diit from the bottom of therirer^Thja spoon wwUtedof a b»g

made of raw bullock hide, laced or riveted round an iron frame and secured at the end of a long pole. Bo adjusted and heavily weighted, it was dragged along the bottom. When filled or partly filled it was hauled tip, and the dirt wished in a cradle rocked by hand. After tome little time the dredge was taken up the rirer on to the ground now held by Fringle and party, one of the adventurous owners "being drowned on the way up. This was the beginning of what mty be termed the ipoon dredge era. ' The next dredge of this kind .was built at Miller's- creek by a .miner then knows to local fame as Yankee.. John. Id 18S5 a man named- Ward, of an inventive turn, went a further, and led the way in utilising water power to. work the gpjon. The success attending this innovation appears to have stirred the mining community into competitive < ffort, and in 1863 a regular boom 1 in tpoou dredges set in at Clj de, three or four being built there about that time, and the lame number were fllted out in the Roxburgh district In a few inEttuces water power was vied' to ply the spoon, but in most cases it was found irapieaib'e to t*ke advantage of this agency. In such cases the labour of 8 men wa? employed W) do the work. The spoon was hove up with a chain and a wi&za by three men, anotlier man being occupied emptying the contents into a cradle, over which the fifth man presided, the' sixth member of the craw holding, apparently, the position of dredgemask r. Except ab certain propitious periods they could not venture fur out into the river, and wo ked principally clcss along the banks. The returns to the owners generally ran from £10 to £15 and even £20 eaoh a week. Considering the inexpensive character of these enterprises, including the extremely lon wages paid for labour, the owners must have considered themselves very highly paid — much more highly paid, indeed, than . even the dredgeowcers of the present day. In the times I speak of the men who worked those spoon dredges, at great and daily risk of life and heavy labour, only received £3 per "week. On many of the dredges of to-day the men receive the same wages, and frequently such a bonus as brings their weekly stipend up to £20 or £25 per month. On the present dredges there is also every reaeonable security for hfe, and the work is comparatively light, whilst ■on those olden-time dredges the work was of'a nsost laborious character. ,the men putting through from 25 tons to 30 tons of dirt per day. During this period the miner* working on the • reaches higher up the fiver had also been exerting their ingenuity, and putting forth their strength to circumvent or overcame the violence of the river, and appropriate a share of the spoil for which so many are now thirsting. Away up at the Waaaka or Hawea lakes some lonely miner had designed and put together something that promised him gold from the rivers up in that regioa. The nature of his experience is not preserved in the traditions of those days. But it is known that this spoon dredge, the labour of his haeds, and the fruit no doubb of much hard contriving, fouud its way dowa to Clyde, the intention being to sell her for firewood. She was named the Alabama, and from her intended ignoble ending the inference is permissible that ia the opinion of her owner, at least, she had not fulfilled the promise she had earlier inspired. She was, ■ however, purchaiod by a miner named Kuight, who had been at one time a London or Thames waterman, and by him worked on the river with varying success for a number of yean. Mr F. Siedeberg, now of Dauedin, was one of the pioneers of dredging up the river. In 1863, in company with Mr Charles Schultz, he started, a spoon dredge about a mile above Cromwell. The timber was cut on the shores of Lake Wanaka and rafted down the river. After a few weeks' work the drerlge was shifted down to Hartley's Beach, where as much as 6jz of gold-par day wai obtained. Mr Siedeberg was connected with a number of other dredges, in ! which he made many improvements, but in 1873, owing to a difficulty in dealing with the tailiugs poured into the river, he decided to give it up, and removed to Dnnedtu. Me»n- i time Mr Ward, whom I have already ; polr en of, appears to have bsen concerting plans for a further advance towards improved methods of ' and in 1870 he converted his dredge, then *. current wheel spoon dredge, iuto a bucket and ladder dredge. This was the first dredge of her kind on -the Molyneur, and the results of her subsequent operations jmtified, as well as rewarded, the labours of her inventive owner. But her periods of change and transformation Were, it seems, not yet compltted, as ehe afterwards passed into' the hands of Messrs M'Guire and party, and in 1876 . wa» by them rebuilt and named the Moa. Bhe was followed by Brazil and partj's current wheel dradge built in the vicinity of Brazil's claim in the beginning of 1878, and another dredge of the aami pattern was. built by Kloogh aud party iv the stm-j year on M'Cnnn's be"ach. In 1880 a p&ity of Alexandra miners put another current wheeler on ihs river, but after working for a short time it was taken down to Roxburgh and worked opposite the Hercules claim, and scooped a lot of gold out of the river for her owners. Having been subsequently found to be too small and unequal to the work demanded of her, the claim was floated into the present Roxburgh Company and a powerful dredge substituted, for the smaller one. Previous to this— that is to say, in 1881— the first atsarn dreige on the river .was built at Alexandra by Hesm Scott and party ; but as coals at that period were dear, and high-pressure engines were U3ed, it was deemed advisable, for economical reasons, to subject her once again to th? ordeal of' change, and this time Av<. emerged, after a brief period ot relit 1 oi'.ut, from the hands of t the artificers as & current- svheel dredge. At a i later date events again demanded * chang*/ and on (hat occasion she assumed her present form and status as & steam dradge, now known ' as the Eureka, at AUxindra. Another dredge that underwent change about this time was that now known as the Ducedin Company* dredge, which was also brought down from Alexandra to the company's claim at Coal Creek, where it baa been warking for some years with the most gratifying remits, obtaining at times its much '

|as 168oz of gold in a week. In 1882 Hendet* I son aud party built > current wheeler aft ' the Beaumont for service ,on tha^rivef, and in the following year Bonnet and partj followed suit with a dredge of a limilur pattern. A. third dredge wns built during the same year on the Ktnvai'ftu, nr-arßinnookburn, but, meeting with only indifferent success in its quest after the precious metal, it was brought down -the river and worked at Dumbarton Rook for some time, aud is now engaged on a claim above the Miller's Flat punt, under the name of, the Surprise. I should say that the g round worked by Sir Scott ah Alexandra was after* wards taken up by the DunediuGold Company, who placed on it a large steam dredgn with two ladder*, built by Messrs Kincud and M'Queen, Dunedin. This dredging company held two miles of the river some distance above Alexandra prior to 1888, but having taken their dredge down to Coal Creek Messrs Legar and party took up one portion of the ground, and Mr .Louis Gards took up the remainder and built a current wheel dredge to work, it. Both of these dredges gave good returns to their owners. On this s&mo tttetoh of river there are now engaged the following dredges t -Eureka, Ngapara, Enterprise, and Alexandra Dredging Company's — all paying handtomely by working the beaches whioh were , not attempted when the Ounedin dredge was on [ that part of the river.

It ii worthy of montion that the first steam dredge (the Eureka) was built at Hutton^oirn Gully by Mr W.^ Jenkins • early in 1880: Mr Jenkins is a vary old and most sucosssful dredge bailor, aud, his name has been creditably associated with the hifOory of dredge building on the river since the very early days. ' This dredga was built; for the Eureka Gold Dredging Company, formed inDunr.diu by Mr John Sootfc, then an engineer on the Harbour Board's dredge. Sbe was .built ia the form of tw« pontoons Bjcurad by cross learns (the form still adopted). The motive power was gained by a 14 horsepower portable enjine, which was , placed on one pontoon, the other being ballasted to trim.

The dredge worked wall until she was moved down close to Alexandra, where the currant if vary strong. It was then fouud that the heavy engiue in the ona punt caused the dredge to sag a good deal.. Th? ourront being sufficiently strong to drive side wheels, and they being verj inuoh cheaper td work, the -engine was taken off and the current wheels substituted. .The sequel was that the shareholders lost all their mouey, and the dredga wan sold for, a third of her original cost. Four years ago she was refitted with an engine and boiler, and worked the ground on which the Enterprise is now doing so well.

Tho nisfc great boom in dredging commenced about 1886, when the Sew Hoy Company proved by their.small dredge at the Big Beaob, Sho'over river, that it n*s quite practicable -to work ground quite a war from the river. This dredge was built by M'ssre KtDcaid, M'Queen, And Co, and the success indued a rush for the lower parts of the Shutover acd the uppec part of the Kawarau below the Shotover junction. The Wakatipu, Kawarau B'g Beach, •Horseshoe Bfnd, Franktoa. Beaob, Golden Bar, and Sho f orer River dredges were all bu : lb by Messrs R. S. Sparrow aud Go., and because of mismanagement snd scarcity of gold were condemn* d by some as unsuitable. Tim view of the ccse w*s wrong, &i the dredges which are now a1;a 1 ; work; in the Clutha known as the Ounstan dredge, Fmlav'c Enter* prise, Alexaudra Company's, are all doing excellent work, and have proved very useful and bandy dredges. The Talisman dredge was also bnilf by Messrs Kincaid and M'Queen above the Lovrer Shofcovor bridge. Tho gold ia the Lower Shotover and Upper K*war»u is drift gold principally, and of the very Guest descrip* tion, requiring exceptional treatment in saving. The companies started with insaffici&nt capital, and were put in many cases into the hands of inexperienced men, with no knowledge of river work or gold saving, and the "day perhaps is not I disraut when the same parts of the river may !be treated with improved appliances. The ! Talisman dredge wai removed to Gon's creek, Waikaia, and afterwards to tb.9 Clutha (at Dumbirton Bock), where she is now known as the Bdina dredge This dredge shonld certainly have a good knowledge of the geography of this country, being so great a traveller. Of the surrent-wheel dredges, it may h9 said ' that they did much good in feeir riiy, as long ; as it was pomble or payable io kee,) in the centre of tha river, where tho current was strong ; but directly the beaches were reached they were out of the strong current, and henoo the recourse to steam. The compound engine and surface-rondenser have played the same part in reducing the cost of dredging as they played in the matter of steamer traffic at sea— that is to say, reducing the consumption of coil in each case. The gold-iaving appliances of to-day ar« not by any means perfeot, and there is still great scope for innovation. It is well known that ground on many parts of the river has been worked three times over, and will again, with i improved machinery and more perfect gold* saving' appliances, be worked io tho future with eveu greater profit. Improvements hive taken place up to the prfs-nfe.o.'raost wholly in the 'direction of inerofcting the output and diminishing the ■ consumption of coal. The elevator is certainly a valuable adjunct, making the working of high ground possible. Elevators are at work on the Enterprise and Dunedin Dredging Company's dredge 3at Alexandra (designed by Messrs Cutten Bivs.) aud on tto Golden Run and Otago Dredging Company's dredges at Miller's Fl*t (designed by Mr E. Roberts) ; while the Alexandra Dredging Company have had one ready to erect for the last 12 months, bub have no present necessity for it. The Clrde Dredging Company are having a new dredge built from the design of Mr E. Roberts, of wbich the elevator is a leading feature. It is designed to stack the tailings over 30ft above the water line. Stripping the top soil off high bunks by. water power has bsen resorted to— notibly' at the Golden Run claim, Island Block— with satisfactory resnlts, and following up with the dredge. Dredging has proved the cheapest way so far to work ground, ai low as 9-12ths of a grain to the ton being made to pay expenses ; bub with improvements in gold saving, which must come, there are boundless possibilities, and >it will not be surprising to see all the old flits .worked over again, as is now going on at Waitahuna by Mr Perry, and also at tho Woolshed. (Td be continued.)

! THE WEED'S MINING NEWS.

The Adam 3 Flat correspondent of the Bmca Herald writes :— Mining in. this locality is'stil! going on in the same quiet way, nothing great doing, but still always a few odd oujices.of gold finding their way to the banks. The late wet weather has bsen a Various drawback, to tha. miners, caimug their claims to be flooded, and so. preventing work for the time baiaff. However, now the weather has taken up, all are busy making another start hunting for the precious spccki. It is a pity that there is not a qutckec way of turning over the ground, the present stylo of pick knd shovel being too slow for the amount of gold procurable in a given spot. If aomo enter*

prising men would take the matter up and float a dredge on the Flat, they might find it a profitable investment for their money." . A parcel of 200 Blue Spur Consolidated Coin- . • pany s .shares, Jihe "property, of Mr Oapo3,form3rly ' of Lawrence,,, were, sold at Dunedin on Friday last for 9* 3d each. Quite recently another pared . of 400 sold for lOseacb.' Those who remember the •value attached to these shares a few years ago can hardly fail to be. surprise! at the extraordinary advance that has t*l:en place in their present value. Less than half -a, dqz^n years. ago they could be got in Lawrence almost for asking.— Tuapeka Times. The Manorburn dredge is (faya the Alexandra Herald) now in full swing, havipg worked from the commencement without a single hitch. A little trouble has been experienced in opening out the first paddock, but this difficulty is now almost overcome, and the dredge is kept going, day and night. A very striking feature of this dredge is the, facility for working, the whole of the machinery being under perfect control by the winch in an, and there is more deck room than on any other' dredge 'on the Molyneux. If this venture be successful it will be the means of opening up a large area for dredging ground- which hitherto has remained untouched. Seeing that, .the, Manorbutn Bredglng , Company is practically the first to spend a large. sum of money in order to develop anew field, we' think that it deserves some concesHion. It would be a most proper act if a company like this had a | rebate of three or four years' rent. At the pru- J seat time there id really no inducement for any person or company to try fresh fields ; ou the contrary, when a claim is. taken up it at once becomes amenable to the mining law, which offers heavy premiums to persons to use their brains and ] hold fast to their money, whilst enterprising men , ' are spending large sums of money to develop the j mineral resources of the colony. This is a blot ' on the existing Mining Act, and the sooner it ii ' recognised by the-Governnient and remedial legislation effected ihe sooner jwill the desired impetus he given lo this important industry. , The Bruce Herald thinks very little of the' Mines report. Our contemporary says :— " The report of the Mines department this year is chieflyvaluable for tho large amount of information it does net coritaio. Amongst other thing" it says • nothing about .the Wafpori gold field, Canada reef', or dredging "on the West Coast and at Glenore." ( We (Mataura Ensign) hear thab the proprietors of the Argyle claim at Winding Creek, Waikaia, nave "struck it rich," and that prospects along the Waikaia River, at Gow's Creek,' and the Landslip all-sho w excellent /esulte. There appears to be no, doubt but that a new era of prosperity is dawning for Waikaia. " The party at Canada R»ef have now tunnelled ' 650 ft in the main drive. Ponding a visit from Mr Gow, iniuiDg inspector, next week further driving has been stopped. When he inspects the mine operations w*ll be' rammed and a cross cut made, . the, direction of which. has not yet-been- flxed.— Bruce Herald. -„,,: - . .- • W v, Jahez Burton reports. :— !' The Ettrick dredge , washed up for the week Slot gold; The Roxburgh dredge did. cot' wash up; 1 as the Teviot river was in high flood during the week andswept an enormous ■ amount of tailings into the Clv tha river, and consequently these have bsen running into where the dredge is working. This week should improve the gold return." The secretary of the Barewood Quartz Mining Company (Limited) reports a.return of 40oz 12dwt of (fold from bO tons of stone. A London cable states. that the Britannic Com* pany, Hauraki, is being floated with a capital of i£103,00», of which £25000 is being issued. Our Taieri contemporary hints at the discovery of a new leef amongst the hills in the NorthTaifiri, district. The manager of the Roxburgh Amalgamated - Hiniug and Sluicing Company reports having ■washed up for last month far-2140z 13d wt 15gc lol^, value £826 10.'. There is now a good supply of water, and the claim is in full working onler. A dividend of 6d per share was declared on Wednefsday and payable to-day, 7th. The Alexandra Herald hears that the Electric [Dredging Company obtained 200oz for last week's work, the gold being .principally of a heavy nature, soxiui of the pieces weighing 7dwt Dealing wi'h the Areyle Sluicing Company .fWaikaia), the reporter of the Mataura Ensign. States that tha elevator was a,upk about three months ugo, when/by good fortune, ths edge of "a ( "ruu" was.frtiuck. This proved to be a chain 1 wi3fc,-and a yield of about three grains to the dish was recorded. After a chain move of the "paddock" had been opened up, prospects. showing as .'much as six grains to ths dish could be got, and; "in ,the words of Mr Stewart, "if it goes on improving like that till the edge of the flat is reached , there will be^ no wash at all— only grid." Showing the great capacity of t)*« elevator. 16 days' working at the elevating claim produced a dimple on the face of the land-cape 90ft long by 60ft wids| showing an average depth of 30ft, representing about 60.0 cubic yards of stuff shifted. Now Bix grains of gold to the di-h would mean over an ounce to th« yard. The company's second claim on Kearney'B Hill is also turning out well. A Blenheim telegram states that a special meeting of shareholders oi the Wakamarina Gorge Company confirmed the resolution sanctioning the issue of 4000 new shares A report from the mine manager was received, stating that the paddock was down 58ft, and large boulders with blue wash were now, found, with indications of gold. ' -

THE OTAGO CfOLDFIELDS.

QUARTZ MINING. Mr H. A.- Gordon, late Inspecting Engineer Of Minos, in his annual report to the Minister, States with reference to quartz mining in Otago.— Notwithstanding the large quantity of gold obtained from the Otago goldfielda, comparatively little of it has been obtained from quartz workings. The formation of this part of the country is entirely different from any of the other field* where the quartz workings are" carried on. In Central Oiago ,the formation is one of the oldest in New Zealand, being a highly laminated quwtz schist, which in many places ontaios gold. The. country jock is so full of tbia veins of qwtz that the Chance of finding many large lodeß is very j temote. At Nenthorn- there are numbeiu of lodes running parallel to each other. In general they are comparatively 6rnall, bub some of them contain sufficient gold to pay for working. These lodes,- although small, cub across the strata in the form of true QSsaro lodes ; bat, at far as they have been tested, the j lodw §eem tt out oat, or, r,t lo&Bt, gat

very snwll •at a comparatively shallow depth bulow the surface; and wherever large bodies of quartz occur in the lode* iu,tho Neathorn district it v generally of very low £radr t am, for instance, -at 'Deepdell. Otago ia nob v 'district -where there is a- likelihood of very large qmrtz mining operations being carried on ; ,afc < the sune time, Bomerioh stone accuts ia some '■ place*, as, for iostince, at New B^ndigo, above i Cromwell, where. * largo ,« quantity of gold wa* obtained and* handsome dividends paid from the Ctom#e)l mine at that p]ace|-wh)Vi are said to amount to over £4oo,o3o. Tats was obtained from above the 420fc level. For maoy years the working in this mine has been confined to stoping-out blocks of stone which were not considered rich enough to take ' oat in the early days, and, according to the { bitter* r?turns from this mine Issb year, there \ ! were 532 tons of stona ctuthed, whioh yielded • 499.Z smelted gold, beini a little over 19dwb to Iho .ton. Aboub 1000 (fc of Ihe lode has been worked in place?, bul there are large bodies of ore still left, which, with a good p'.aufc and proper method of treatment:, will pay to work, A new shaft has been sunk oa tb.3 northern end of the workings to a depth oT 520Ft>, bub the lode at this depth was very small, and the ore was also of very low gr.tde ; bat, judging from the character of the country rock, it is likely "that either the lode will mike again | or else cub out altogether, and, if the latter take place, awobher lode is likely to ba dis?ove-ed , within 300ffc r from the bottom of the shaft. It ia likely that a certain depth of b irren ground will have to be gone through before .-mother new lode is found ; but, when such rich stone was ' found on the uppar level*, ' another good shot of auriferous ore will bs found at a greater depth— "afc least this has baen proved in many instance! in Australia, and in two cases in Nt w Zealand. The Cromwell mine was purchased several years ago by a syndicate, which isuak the new shaft, and have expended a j large amount of capital, bub have gob little ov no remuneration. It is stated that recently the mine has beeii taken over by an English Company,, who intend to carry on projecting operations vigorously, " At Neuthorn and Macraes a few m?n have been employed in the quartz mines, bub some of , them have not made "wages. Daring the lasfc , year 655 tons of stone was crushed from the, Nenthorn mines, whioh yielded 380oz of gold,' being equal to over ll£d wt per ton, which ought to pay for working it tha lodes were of a fair average thickness and a good plant within a convenient distance of the mines to trea.fi the ore. "The Bonanza mine, between Net.tib.orn 1 and Macraes is giving' fair returns. During last year 655-tons of stone we're crushed,, which yielded 464-oz retorted gold, being equal 'to about 14dwt per ton. At the Rough Ridge very Hfctls quartz miirng has been carried oa, bat on my last visit some gentlemen interested in the claims here stated that it was the intention of placing the whole of the quartz mines in this locality on the London market with the' view of gettiug capital to, develop them. Bald Hill lUnge. — There are numerom lodes and lenders of auriferous quartz already discovered on the Hinge, and it cap be truly said that many more yet remain to ba brought to light. The whole face of this range from Gorge creek bo the Fraser river contains auriferous quartzase drift full of specimens containing gold. Several rich p&tshes or. auriferous stone have been found on the eastern face of this range, as well as on the top — namely, White's, also Crossin and Qv&y't reef, and also the reef worked ia the early ; clays in Conroy's Gully. Gold has also beou found in a quartz lode near the head of Buboher'a "Gulty, and tin the top .of the range near thehead of OsnlpbeH's Gully. The -character of the rock formation— a highly ,qaartzo36'Bohtßt*in 'alternate thin laminations of qtHr'zanoTßchfst; — is 1 not; however, highly indicative of rioh quartz lofles- being found, the quartz being so intermixed through the rock, and gold ocourring in the schist itself, leave the imprfsuon on my mind that Urge rich auriferous lodes will ' only in few caseß be found, as the gold is too widely distributed. .. ' The quartz lodr-s found on the eastern side of the Old Man Ran*,'e are greatly broken up, •the lodes being crushed up to that extent by movemant thab they are at the softest; part of the rock, having the appearance of 6ugary I decomposed quartz.' j Very few solid blocks of quartz are met with, j and when the lodes outcrop on the surface the i quaitz U crushed up so fine thab a considerable ' quantity 0! the gold they contain o&n be obcained by sluicing in the ordinary manner.

HOW WEST COAST MINES WERE MANAGED.

Mr Ziman, in Ihe course of an interview with a representative of the Evening Poht, spoke strongly , concerning the manner in which mines have been , managed on the West Coast. lie is reported as , follows :— I "It has cost us thousands of pounds to put the ' mines in the workable condition they should have been left in before we took them over. We did not even find a single reliable workiug plan, and it will take some months yet for our surveyors and engineers to prepare md complete plans which will make our mine 3 quite safe and workable." I But this must disclose gross mismanagement tomewhere ? ' "Ye 3; so groFS that it is' equally as impossible for you to conceive as it i 3 for me to convey to ! jou thfc sinful waste of good labour and materiul I that has obtained of late years. A forcible ; example of this extravagant waste I will state :— I At one of the mines the mauagsr lua kept employed an undue number of 'bosses of shifts,' or overseers, at £3 10* per week each, though ' not a single ton of quartz wa3 taken out* for four I mouths ; a like number of ' winders ' were also employed at the same wage, and all these men were looking after tho other men, who wore a ciujpiratively snnll, stuff. The same waste apj plies to the materials used in the mine and th« extravagant prices paid for them, and as our com-

pauy have invested and made commitments tc the amount of some hundreds of thousands oi pjunds, I must see that we gat value for the expenditure of our money. No industry can possiblj b<3 made £0 pay under such an enormous waste. J was compelled to commence a general reformation right through tho list, and I must jay that the hardest; task I have had to grapple with has been the ab-olute necessity of reducing wages.." But;, M* Ziman'; ifcis stated ,theae mines actually I paid wages at the rate of £3 per week before you ! . cam*, in spite t)f the waite you talk about. Dops this not prove thß mines 1o ba particularly rich ? " What is the uae of the ground being rich if needless expenditure exhausts thn profits while " impoverishing the mine ? Ia the first place, the mines were worked at very shallow level*, and small quantities of ore were taken out arid I crushed ; and though the expense of this was compirativcly light, the returns in some cases ! were uot sufficient, through incompetent work- , ing, to pay the expsusea incurred. The money that paid tho wages was not obtained from all the mme a , but from the pockets of the.Duuedin, • Ohristchurch, and other outside shareholder. Whenever a call was made those interested who were on the spot would abandon their shares and leave the pleasure of paying to outsiders, aud as many of the directors who were paying the £3 per week were in other*bu9\uf sses, it snittd them to get outside money speat in Beefton, and they did not mind whether the industry paid or not." But that is not. mining, is it? " Oh yee, the best of mining for them, as it was a certainty. They were obtaining the gold from I tho pocket 3of this unfortunate oufcide investora. I who in this way had to piv tho expenses of a 1 costly staff, including co called legal managei'3 , and other*." Bit, Mr Ziman, this does not apply to th« wo-king man ? "No ; certainly not. It is no fault of his-; but my reason for mentioning the factns to show that the extra price paid to miners in Reefton was done at th* expanse of the unwary. You may also know that the prime movers in this strike belonged .to the class of men 1 have spoken of— men who were 'cute enough not to make themselves personally prominent, but were the chief agitators and abettors. It is very easy for some of. these men to say, 'We used to pay 103 per day btfore Ziman came,' but I not so easy for them to answer the statement that they themselves (only two yearn ago) did their utmo3t to reduce wages to EOs per week, but I failed. It is the conduot of these men that has . brought Resfton into the bad odouc it has lately suffered from. Another thing, though the rate of I wages here was nominally ll's per day, it has not been so actually. It has only been a fictitious wage, as the men have not averaged eight months' . employment iv the year. I can give you the names of "many men as instances. For example, ore was an overseer, and a good practical miner, too, who could »1 flays get»a job, if one were going, at £3 per week ; yet he will tell you that he did nor, average .above £85 per annum. Another man was. a battery manager at £4 per week, and he assort? that his earning! did not average "3~s per week. 'Now,' l ask you, is uot a • man' infinitely better off with constant employment at die per. week than with intermittent work for which he receives 10s per day?"

BLUE SPUR AND GABRIEL'S GULLY CONSOLIDATED GOLD CO. (LTD.).

Sonic months ago when Sir Walter Buller, a director of the Blue Spur aud Gabriel's Gully Consolidated Gold Company, paid a visit to the company's claim at Blue Spur he gave a member of our Btaff interesting particulars of the progress of the company, and indicated that as the overdraft had been paid off he was confident the company had turned the corner and at the close of the financial year would be able to pay ita first dividend oil ordinary share?. The report of the directors, presented at the annual meeting of shareholders ia London on the 29th June, is now to hand, and from this it will bs seen that Sir Walter's statements are fully borne out, and it must be gratifying not only to shareholders and . the mamgement, but also to all interested in mining iv Otago, to find that the company's future 'prospects are so good. The report is as follows :— „The directors submit herewith the accounts for the 12' months ending. 29th Febrnary 1896, as passed by the auditors of the compauy. The accounts arranged accordiug to tha agreement with'tho banks, dated 20th December 1890. stand as follow :— Daring the 12 months 4ii)B 3500z of gold have been wou from .the mine and sold for £17,271 18s 6d : received from tributers. £9 16s ; interest on deposits, £50254 d ; other receipts, £1216s 8d ;— total, £17,34i13s 6d. Workingcxponseshave amounted to £6558 11s 9d, leaving a gross profit of £10,486 Is fld, to which must ba added balance from 18D4-5, £1637 15s 9d-£12,123 17s tid. From this has been paid or is still to pay : Interest on mortgage, £270 12i (id ; dividend on preference shares for year eDding 29ih February I8i)6, £717 9a; balance of debt to banks, £76fO ;— total, £8588 Is 6d, leaving a credit balance r.f £3535 l«s. Of this sum the directorshave a right under tho Agreement to take fees, but they have not done so iv conformity with their pledge not to take any fee* in canh uotil 10 per cent, has been paid to the shareholders on their ordinary shares. It is with much satisfaction that the directors state that the accounts will not again be rendered in this double form, because the debt to the banks having been paid off the agreement with them has come to an end, and there is no longer any mortgage, upon the company's property— a fact upon which the directors heaitily congratulate the shareholder*. Iv future the products of the miue can be devottd to working expenses and dividends. * The \vo< king of the mine again shows satisfactory results ; 43950z of gold have been won from it, »3 against 378 J 0z in the previous year, or 36(>Joz per month against 315}0z per month in 1891-5. The quarterly return?, as published, show rather an inequality of yield, but the inequality was more apparent than real, the first quarter, 1247nz, had the benefit of a few extra days ; in the second quarter, 7070z, the fro3t lasted so long that there were fewer hours of sluicing, and even cold that had been sluiced could not be got at, and went to swell the return of the third quarter, 13070z The laßt quarter, 113Goz represonted,nearly the normal quantity. The 43980z of gold were obtained from 233,468 cubic yards of cement, and were sold for £17,271 18s 6d, or each cubic yard was worth 13 sjd, as agaiast Is 3Jd pct 1 cubic yard in 189 J-?, and Is 04d per cubic yard in 1893-4, or an advance of 164 per cent. ov«r 1894-5, or 41 9-10 per cent, over 38934. A further reduction in the mine working cxpemes has also to be reported :— ln 1893-4, 161,841 cubic yards cost £6138 to get out, or 9 Id per cubic yard ; in 1894-5, 221,503 cubic yards cost £6161 to get out, or 7d per cubic yard ; in 1895-6, 233,468 cubic yards coat £6305 to get out, or 6-JSd ger cubio yard, or putting the companion on the

: This reduction ia due to good management, and reflects great credit on Howard Jackson and [ Mr M'Hattie. [ The future promises well, as shown above. Our general manager, whose reports are never over sanguine, says on the 17th March last : " The outlook for the current year is, so far as I can see, very ' patisfactovy, and the operations should result in a \ handsome profit. Ido not anticipate being able i to largely increase the output in future, nor do I see any reason to fear a falling off in th« returns." His cablegram of sth June reported 1040oz for the three~ fir^t months of the current year— viz., Ist ' March to 3lst May, or possibly to 4th June. . ( The item in previous balance sheets, "suspense account £3200, does not appear in the present accounts. It con-isted of a claim for 3200 »hare 3 : unsettled at the time of concluding the purchase, and which has now been satisfied by allotments { of 2200 shares, and the balance of 1000 shares has ' been written off cost of property. The £10,000 written off cost of proparty, plant, and machinery is transferred from profit and loss account, after consultation with the auditors, with the view to leaving the amount to be carried forward in harmony with the actual cash in hand, the profits earned hitherto having been absorbed principally iv the redemption of mortgage debt and payment of interest thereon. • Sir Walter Buller's report of 25th March last, which has be;n sent to each shareholder, gives co many very interesting detaih of the mine and its working th»tthe directors think it unnecessary to enter into further particulars, but they desiie to endorse Sir Walter Buller's well-deserved i eulngium of our general manager, Mr Howard Jackßon, and they are pleased to recognise the vahiable services of the mine manager, of whom Mr Jacfoon writes on the 17th March 1893 i— "1 cannot close this letter without refeiring to the- | indefatigable assistance I have rec-ived from the i mi»fi rn'inager, Mr John M'Hattie, whoge services to the company have beeu unceasing and invaluable Our immunity from' accidents to both plant and men ia due to his constant and attentive care." The payment of preference dividend for the year ending 28th Febumy 1895, authorined by the general meeting of 28kh Juno lust, was duly made, and a subsequent inteiim payment of prer ferouce dividend for fix months was made 19th December last ; the board now recommend the paymeni; of the balance of the full preference dividend for the year ending 2iJth February 1896 -viz., six months dividend at the rate of 8 percent, per annum. The directors also recommend the payment of a first dividend'on the ordinary shares of the year ending 29th February 1896, at the rate of 3 per cent free of income tax. According to the* cablegram from the manager, above mentioned; the return for the first quarter of the year is 30'10.z, and ho stated his intention of making a shipment on 6th June of 5860z of gold; this will further enable Ihe directors, at an early date, to piy an interim dividend on the ordinary shares for the current year at the rate of 3 per cent, free of income tax. The prevailing practice-in New Zealand ha* been to sell the gold to" the banks, who deduct 2s per oz to cover smelting and other charge*. The. > directors, having made careful inquiries, have departed from that custom, and have instructed the manager to ship the gold to London for sale. By this means a considerable saving to the company will be effected, but it will necessarily dslay the receipt of the proceeds of *ale, and to that extent dflay the payment -of tha interim dividend. Mr Jackson's annual report accompanies the directoru' report. This shows that the increase of gold won in 1895-9(lover the previous year at 608 jz ; ! but though the increase was so much larger the I worki' g expense* were £180 In 9d lessfor last year i than for the previous year, and the number of j hours worked we're also greater. Last year the coßt of explosives amounted to £529 193 2d as qgninst^'ozi 0s 8d for the previous year, showing a saving of £100.^ THe' average number of men employed during t"Ke year has been 41. The repoit shows that while *Rlr Jackson keeps everything up to date, the mine is carefully, prudently, and economically, managed and worked. The immunity from accident'botK to the plant and mine is due to the constant and attentive care of Mr M'Hattie, the mine manager. i The next inward' mail, via San Francisco, will j no doubt bring the reports of the meeting. There i is no doubt that the recommendation of the ' directors that a- 3 per cent, dividend on the ordinary (-hares be paid would be cordially agreed ' to, accompanied as it also was by an announce- - ment that the manager was making a shipment on 6th June of sS6oz of gold, which would enable the directors to pay an interim div (lend of 3 per ; cent, on the current year's transaction!. The i report does not say whether this was to cover the ' quarterly period ending '30th May, or the half* i year. ' •

Notes from Wakatipu. (From Oue Own Csoru?spondknt.)

THE ACHILLES GOLDFtELDS COMPANY. AimowrowN, August 6.— ln consequence of certain references recently made to the Achilles Goldfields Company, Limited, Butlendale, in some of the T ondon mining and financial papers—references which were- reproduced by request in the Otago Daily Times and Witness— l made inquiries in the proper quarter, and learn that the published statements anentthe Achilles Goldfields Company 1 were quite within the mark. In fact, there are 1 days when more than lOOoz of gold go into the bins at the battery along with inferior quartz, ' which in a large concern like the Achilles cannot , be kept out, nor' is it advisable to make an ' attempt to do so, though by this means the average yield per ton is reduced. However, the grand total of the output -of the mine since Mr Fred Kvans took- -charge as manajf'ng director* is very satisfactory. — bince crushing began on November 10 last, till . the- close of the financial year on the 30th of June last, H832 tons were put through the mill, yielding •bar gold to the amount of 31690z. Such a return, considering that all the output of the rafne, good, bad, and indifferent, was passed through the mill, clearly demonstrates the value of the mine. It nhould also be borne in mind that the works that have been carried out were of a preliminary character nccetsatyto the opening of the mine and that within the time mentioned repairs t< the null were effected, involving repeated bul quite unavoidable stoppages, all of which, as t

t plain matter of course, militates against, ihe out. , put of the mine and battery to such an extent as to considerably influence the yield. At present the mill is undergoing thorough and -. final repairs, including a, renewal of 10 stamps, i which will complete the renovation 6f the full i crushing power,of the mill— viz., 30 beads, whioh I will be driven by ,a Pelton wheel, 'beginning work, it is expected, fu about a week from date. Ai Btone in quantity 'will bo available from No. S | level, estimated to be quite up to the average \ . yield, and as highly payable ihoots worked on the i ' Main and Promised L*rrd lodes eight years afro, [ > but on a level Beveral hundred feat higher, will be i made accessible from No. 2 level, it is anticipated , that 30 heads will be kept fully and profitably employed in future. Speaking of the works carried out by Mr Fred : t Evans since he took charge in November last, one cannot help being impressed with the energy and | circumspection with which every item in so extensive a system of improvements has been brought to a thoroughly successful usue. Induing this Mr Evans has proved himself not only a ■ thoroughly competent' mine hand, but also as possesßel of considerable .engineering capacity, combined with resourcefulness and originality in an uu common degree. Arrowtown, August B.— ln a week or two the time will be approaching, when now life will be infused into" mining, and many of the newly--applied-for and granted claims Swill be taken in hand. For some time past thing* at Macetowo have not looked so well- as the prospects of the place re»lly warrant. In fact, the Victor Emmanuel for a time wai the only mine to sustain the reputation of the phce, and it did it well. It is to be regretted that the contract between the owner of the mine, Mr H. J. Farrpll, and the tributers wiu brought to a close. Not only did the tributers prove the Value of the lode as a pay< ing concern, but by the dUcovery of^several goldbearing lodes, the existence of which was not even suspected, it was shown that the hills at Macetown have never been prospected in any* thing like • a systematic manner. The mine in question has been worked and abandoned time after time, without anything more being done to it than breaking out a few tons of stone from the one lode known to exist for 20 years or upwards, yet as soon as cross drives were put in with a view to prospecting the "country ' several lodes of a payable character were at once met with. The same observation applies to the Garibaldi, AU Nations. Maryborough, La-dye Tayne, Homeward Bound, and .many "other mines in this locality as well as in many other parts of Otago. It is understood that the works now proceeding -for the developmentof theVictorEmmanuelaud theTErras^jm Bound mines are being carried^aunder the op*fro^! l W i Pßf*MfUj^J^s&i«^6T6!!Heldß of Australasia (Limited), also interested in other mines in New Zealand. The Tipperary mine, Macetown, is now being subjected to some energetic proapocting works, and it is hoped that somethiug good will be met with soon. -Prospecting is also proceeding in the Glenrock Company's mine, which is still working upon its winter footing— that is, with a reduced number of hands. ( ' . . " ■ Prospectors in outlying places have had 'rather a rough time 6f it lately, and a desire of being on the sp >t when the season opened has onticed many away from stoves and civilisation before the mountains in the back country were ready t« receive them.

Notes from Tuapeka and Adjacent Districts. (Tuapeka Times Correspondents.) Islanp Block.

August s.— The Golden Gate dredge struck gold on Saturday night, aud the prospects are said to bo excellent. ludeed, it is stated that the men can see cold showing on the atones in the buckets. The Island Block Company arc on a fine run of gold, and they intend, if possible, increasing their output during the next few months. The manager of the company complains of obstruction by the county council, and says tint if not I hampered by them he kopes to have two elevators ; at work during the next two mouths. I was in- ; formed the other day that the action 'of the ! county council had caused, this company a loss of | over £1100 during 1894 95, afict they have only just j now recover? d the stoppage caused in the early ; months, of .1895, . . , ; 1 The Idam} Block Company intend shortly to 1 extend their pipe line, and' have just landed, ex Kenyon, about 1000 ft of 20iu steel piping, which i will be forthwith, put in position. 1 hey intend ; also this year to endeavour, to start a dredge, i which, it is expected, will be the largest in the ! colony, and which will be driven by eUctric power. An offer tasupply the capital has already been made. , , .

Notes from Auckland.

Auckland, August 4. Shares in the Anglo-New Zealand Mining Investment Company have been allotted to eubscribors. The total capital Is £100,00\ but only £20,000 has been if ßued. Notice was posted on the Exchange stating that £500 had been paid for three months' option of the floating of the Sheridan mine at Tapu on the London market. Terms ; £3000 cash, the vendors also to receive 50,000 fully paid-up shares ; total capital of the company, £160,000 ; and a working capit»l of £20,000 to be provided. A deposit of £500 has been received by the directors of the Buy View Gold Mining Company. Kennedy Bay, from the London and New Zealand ! Exploration Company for the option of the : property for four mouths from August 1. j The Exploration Company, in addition to the ! above deposit (which is forfeited if the flotation is not completed), have undertaken to man the ground with 10 men. The terms of flotation are : — Capital, £120.000; cash to vendors, '£5000; shares paid up to 20g, 30,000; working capital, £25.000. This will net the local shareholder Is 5d per share on the ' sharei as now held and 100 shares fully paid up to 20* for every 225 now held, free of commiation. ! An amalgamation has been effected amongst ' the mines iv the Opito district of the Carbine (94 acres), Opito (100 acres), Mount Martha (95 acrei), and the Kurplus of Opito (46 acres). "Having thus been united, making a total of 338 acres, the Opito special combined area has been--, placed under offer to B. A. Nathan, the representative of South African and English capitalists, who have paid £360- for the option for six months and ' during that time the purchaser is under contract 'to dispose of the property in the English or ' foreign markets, the present holders to receiva one-fourth of the 'shares or cash— that is to say, one-fourth of the nominal capital for any company floated, as it is probable there will ,be threo companies instead of one formed to work the area. * I The Cambria crushed 16 loads of general ore an« 101b of picked stove for 390s lpdwt retorted f ol&»

A most important decision was delivered to-day . In the Mount Morgan.oase, Ooromandel., In 1870 a Crown grant had been issued without reserving ' Che mineral rights for Kairaumaitl block. Mr \ Jackson Palmer contended that the grant was subsequent tojlhe VaUdation Act of 1809, and that I therefore the Crown grant was no protection to the owner of the freehold. The warden delivered a lone judgment and held accordingly, and ' granted , licenses on the block for mining purtooses. , . _ r . - Augusts. Tho Waiotahi Company orußhed 180 tons quartz for a yield of 208oz, valued at about £573. At the Tuarau Creek Company's mine 380 tons bre yielded 1456z gold, valued at £483. An offer has been received by tha directors of the Hercules Company for the option of floating the nropei ty on the London market. At a meoting of , the ..shareholders .of the Naritana Company the necessary authority was given, to the directors to dispose of the property. Mr H. M. Shepherd has received f rom his London tgentß advice's stating that everything on their part is ready to complete the purchase of the Kuranul Gold Mining' Company 8 property, and wkine that .all the necessary documents should be pent Home at .once. It is understood the terras of Bale will be satUfuctory to shareholders. • The MoWnatal«.ri monthly crushing was 319 tons oreforlSlozgoia.'bf the Value 6f £412. , . j ' Negotiations' for'the purchase of the Sovereign ! ' property are off. ,' , I " ■ - ' August 6. 1 It is understood the right to issue licenses to wine on freehold* acquired before the Validation Act of 1869 will come before Judge Kenuy in 'Auckland qn the 6th of next month in the case of the pegging out of the Asitcs Company's freehold at Coromandel by a Wellington whioh ia represented, by Major Swindle}', •«f Corotuandel.' The whole question- will no doubt bo thoroughly threshed -out. ' ' ■ The final pajmeat of Is 9J4 p6r share' to Hazelbank shareholders was payable, to-day on ' account of the purchase of the property Ijy an English company. The amount distributed totals • £2187 • The May Queen crushed 51 loads of quartz for a pield of lOStoz retorted gold. ■ The return f rom < the KapaDga mine for the month is 84oz, valued at 248.. , Arrangements have been made with Mr Allan to transfer back to the company the Waltekaun Queen property, which was forfeited at tbe last Bitting of-the Warden's Court It is tho opinion in Cambridge that the find of Bold at Mnuneatautftri is. genuine. It is certain ibe Maori King (Mahutu) acd bis secretary iKawhiti) have both- visited the place, and they declare the reef to be fully 6ft in width. Some stone shown as having come from the reef is marvellously rich looking. • Eijfbt hundred 1 pounds has been paid by Messrs Pearson and Pinker for six mouths' option of the Imperial. The terms aro : Cai-itaL£l 76,000 in £1 shares : vendors to receive 55,000 ■shares ; cash to vendors, £6000; a working capiEal of £25,000 to be provided; the £800 to be forfeited if the sale it not completed, and to form part of the purchase money if the sale is completed ; 20 V OOO sharos to to reserved. These terms give ona Bh»re for every two, and nearly Is per «har« cash. All the ore won during the reriod of the option Ib to become the property of the purchaser*. The negotiations for the flotation of the Young New Zealand mine, in conjunction with tho Sovereign, are off, the holders of option having asked for a modification of the terms which the directors did not see fit to grant. , . • A large number of properties continue to be floated locally. • _ . August 7. - Letters of option in respect .to the flotation of the Hercules, Imperial, and Ivanhoe properties \ver« signed to-day, and will be forwarded with all documents by the outgoing 'Frisco, miil. . . At the' cTea'niog-up of ,the Kapai-Vermont for five week6,3sß tous yielded :4o2nz' melted gold, of . the value 1 of £1050. ,"On, the' Kauri. Freehold Extended,, Company's J property a" considerable number of prospecting icenßen we,re issued on the first day of the opening, and several .blocks applied for. The jjegula- 1 tions give general satisfaction. blocks as soon as definite airiTngerneuts ate made. The company are extremely desiroutof protecting the kauri forest from destruction by fire, and on 'that account some particular, blocks will not beorened till the bush vs cut down. 'A cablegram was received today in reference lo Ibe May -Queen ■ stating that it is confidently expected a sale. vv'ould be completed injthe cdurse of a few days.. . .• ;, ' «"■••», The largest winding gear ever lan 'ed here came . toy 'the Ranpatira/from London. This was for the ■ •Wtitekauri. Union; and Waibiresp'Ctively. Warden Kenuy held a' tpecial sttting of <he court in Custom street Buildings to-day in order to hear complaints about the forfeiture of tho Albion special claim, Coromandel. After argument by counsel, the warden said be would only cancel a license for fraud or misrepresentation on the part of applicants. Fraud was not alleged in this case. He held a strong op'nion that these ■ title's should bi- indefeasible.' It \V»b tj tho interests of the pubic tint they should be bo, and he would.adberc to his decision in tbe Kia Komata case, onwbicli he thought that he had jurisdiction to grant a claim on the foreslmre, and ho certainly would not disturb the present title. It was for the Supreme Court to say whether he was right or not in granting this license. The complaint was dismissed, with costs. •The Albion property i 3 under offer in England, tnd a depocit of £500 has been paid. . August 8. Business showed a decided improvement on the fxebaoge to-day, more transactions being made in ' Kuao'tunu stocks alone than there has been (hiring the whole of the week. Kapai-Vetnionts told in large parcels from 103 5d to Up, nnd the maikct closed with firm buyers at 10s 9d, being. ,-an y advance of^ls within the last j3«y of two.' '•" Kuaotunu ehareK also firmed fh' price, fres saVes ,' being made" fn '23 2i: Maorrianda'sold'af Is 9d, • tfnd^ Try .Flukes at 13? 4d. In • Thames stocks the . most inrportant m'ovemeht;,vfas ' in Puru Cpntoli- - 4 a teds | -;H'H*ch.'f'&a'r.es advanced during the morn- , ing from 'Bi 4d to market, closing with - further .buyers at the latter price. Moanataiari's also 'sold at 15«, aud May -Queens at 9s 6d. « Cororuandel shares had -few transactions, with the exoeption of Hauraki Boubhs. which sold frealy from 3s 6d to 3s !)d in good-sized parcels. • In • Upper Thames stocks the biggest advance was in Portseas, which shares sold up. to 2s 9d, and Grace Darlings gold at 4s 2d. Talismans also • advanced Is, sales being made at 17s. The following offer was received and accepted by the directois of the Matarangi Gold Mining Company .--"Total capital, £100,000 iv 100,000 shares of £1 each; local shareholders to leceive 30,000 shares net and £6000 cash, less commission ; a working capital of £20,000 to be provided ; a de- . posit of £300 is paid for a three months' option from the 7th inst." , Those terms will give preeent , shareholders one share forevery two now held, and A netdividend of Is 6d per share. This company's proparty is situated at Whangaporla near Kuaotunu, and comprises the Matarangi special claim EDd Ocean View licensed holding, with a total area of 129 acres. £1597 was lodged in the warden's office, Coromandel, to-day on account of applications for ground. This is believed to be the largest amount ever lodged In one day in any warden's office in the colony. The option to float 11 claims belonging to the Battlefield syndicate at Kaueranga and Waia-ama has been acquired by tbe International syndicate, who will begin to proßpectand develop the ground At once.

Notes from Beefton. (From Ocr Own Correspondent.}

Rekfton, August 9. Saturday's Midday Quotations.— Big River, 24s Bd to 26s 6d j Buller dredge, 63 6d to 7a : Cockiparrow dredge, 2s to 2s 3d ; Cumberland, »s 9d to is s 'Billon' Extended, 2s to 2s Bd'j Exchange, Is Bd to 2s 5 Golden Lead, 2b 6d to 83 4d : Hercules, Bi to fa 3d i Humphrey's Gully (old issue), 03 to 6s ddj Ingiewood, Is to Is 3d( Lyell Creek, £s 9d to 8s t Lord Edward,' 23s to 23s 6d| Keep-it-D»rk,'BZs to «s| No. 2 South Dart. Ei to 2s 3d 1 Succeas.lstolßSdj Alpine, lla 6d to 17s 6d t United Italy, lMd-io Is 9dj Welcome (old issue), 8s to Ss 3d. — ~-_— ~- - Keturns.— Keep-it-Dark, 1260z amalgam from 86 tone (top plat«s)j Oockspatrow dredge, 650 i

amalgam for 127 houre; Buller dredge, 230z 12dwt of gold for 108 hours' dredgiug. The Bis; River Company's manager reports that in No. 5 level the reef continues much the same iv width, and very fair gold is seen iv the Btone ; gold is also to be seen in the stone in the winze in No. 5 level. Th« battery starts crushing on Monday morning^ Notes from Lyell. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Lyell, August 7. Lyell Creek Company.— The mine manager re« ports :— "Since starting to open out a level from the winze a distance of 10ft has been ,drlven north. There is 4ft of bard, clean stone in the footwall. The remainder is a mixture of quartz and mullock, which should all make into clean quarta iv a few feet further. Fair gold can be seen ia some of the stone." The dredgemaster for the Cocksparrow dredge reports for the" week ai follows:— "We have dredged 127 hours for a return of 550z of amalgam The ground has beeu very rough this last few shifts .We have had the buckets .off the ladder • end twice durine the week. W« have just run. out of coil, and have been obliged to haag up again." __^__ MOUNT LYELL MINING AND RAILWAY COMPANY (LIMITED). Mr A. G. Fen wick has handad us the following report received by him from the head oflic* for the week ending July 17 :—' Tbe engineer in charge of the mine reports : No. 1 tuDnel, mirth ilMve; Distance driven for week, 3ft ; total, sCft , face shows an improvement. No. 3 tuiiutl, mam crosecut : Crosscut extended 7fj r j J total, 3£oft; nc-change.^ N^ ttuuneU southdrivA-: Distance driven' for Week, 4ft ; total,Js32ff; machine drill has-been working in this face. No. 4 tunnel.' south drive,- No, 3 crosscut r Distance driven.for week. 3ft ; total, sift ; no change. No, 4tunnel- south drive, No. 2 rite i Risehaibeen'put up 'lft; 'total, 4&ft; drill working. in the stope. N0. : 4 tunnel, south drive, No 3 rise : Stoping ore. lias been continued during the week. Surface Work -No. I bench : Removal of overburden and formation of workiug face in ore have been carried on during the week. No. <2 bench j Breaking of ore and removal of small quantity of overburden, continued during the week. Bench No. 2i : -Removal of hard country on footwall of lode has been steadily proceeding The erection of assay office is practically completed, and removing into tame utarted. The superintending railway ongineer reports :-Great difficulty ia being experienced owing to tbe very boisterous weather, but, as advised by telegram on the 18th, connection wa3 made with Queenstown on that date. The chief metallurgist reports:— Smelting i plant : Running satisfactorily. Converter plant : Ground sill of main building laid ; raising 40ft posts of main truss : trusses for (55.'t span in progress ; trestles for blast furnace floor about coin' pleted. DREDGING RETURNS. Mr Reeves reports a return of M-'oz lSdwt 18gr gold from the Knterprise dredge Ust week— lo7 .noui-8' dredging. Mi Thomas Oallender reports sO.'z Idwt 12gr retorted gold from Sew Hoy Big Beach Gold Mining Company (Limited) for past week. The Upper Waipori Alluvial Gold Dredging ' Company (Limited) obtained from No. I dredge 21oz Bdwt of gold for 125 hours' dredging, and from No. 2 dredge 7oz lOdwt of go!d for 135 hours' dredging last week. „ The Jutland Flat (Waipori) Gold Mining Compauy (Limited) obtained 31oz Idwt ot gold for 144 hours' wages time-131 hours' actual dredging— last week. I The Secretary of the Otago Gold Dredgiug Company (Limited) reports 2740z of gold for five d*ys dredging last week. - ■ The Golden Run Company's Miller Mat pipes 1 washed up on Saturday, August 1, for 19oz gold, and for the week ended-August 8 for 30oz gold.

I / DUNEDIN STOCK EXCHANGE. I Saturday's Quotations.

WARDEN'S COURT. Friday, August 7. ' (Before Mr E. H. Carew, Warden.) Donald Reid.jun., applied for a licensed holding over section 8, block XI, Nenthorn, Bawwood (as ; surveyed), comprising 30 acres.— No objection; granted. William Walter applied for a licensed holding over section 7, block XI, Nenthorn, Birewood (as surveyed), comprising 30 acres.— No objection ; granted. P. A. Lyders and Jas. Harrison applied for a licensed holding over section 3, block V, Mount Hyde (as surveyed), 16J acres— No objection; granted. „ The following applic»tions were adjourned till • September 4 : -James Duff, for aa extended claim , of four acres over mining re-erve at Waikouaiti . river; Jarne3 Duff, for a water race four and ( a-half miles loDg on mining reserve, Waikouaiti , river ; P. A. Lyders and Jas. H*rris3n, for a j dam two acres iv area at Gamecock Gully, 1 Hiudon (objected to by S. Singer and Allan Boyd) ; Kdward M'Evren, for an extended claim of three acres and a. tail raci of two miles at StyUs s Gully, Hindon .(objected 1o by Lyders and party); Edward M'iiwen, for a water race three miles long and au extended chitu of two acres at Hindon Gully ; Jame3 Duff, for three water races (fi6ft) on the south branch of the Waikouaiti river. The following applications were granted:— Duncan M'Donald, licenced holding, section 7, block VI, Nenthorn, Barewood, 30 acres; John Peterson, for a protection for three months of a water race at Deep Creek ; Robert Hay »nd John Cunningham, for registration <m authorised surveyors, in tevma of 1 emulation 227Duucaa M'Donald applied for a lii-onsed holding "of 30 «eras over" section 6, block VI, Nenthom,' Barewood. Emeit Turner and Gao. Meier applied foi the same ground. ,

OUR WEST COAST LETTER.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) Ross, August 5. THE WEST COAST MINING BOOM. Although specifically no one locality can be_ said to have tvaped any tangible advantage, yet, judging fiom the many varied testimonies to hand, the mining boom continues over the West Coast fjenevally. A large stream of foreign capital keeps flowing in, and companies are baing formed to Work systematically on, a gigantic scale many low-grade ore 3 and the poorer waahdrifts and auriferous gravely confidently believed to yield in tbat way alone remunerative returns. The enormous ea«ily-workcd alluvial deposits have either become exhausted or missed over the known areas, and in the more dilhcult operation of extracting gold from mural veins and complex ores most of tbe processes have .only succeeded in getting little over one-third of the gold present in the material operated upon. From all accounts these failures are about to end. for John Bull and Company brings rarest knowledge about the conditions under which gold occurs in the earth's crust, how to extract it at a minimum Co3t, and especially the loss of the precious metal when onductiug his operations to the lowe3t possible figures. Besides all this, we are assured that gold is now to be tried for as well in placei hitherto sternly tabooed by geology, it being held by brother Jacky B. to be unsafe to exclude any geological series -from the 'possibility of -being gold-beaiinpr, for he knows that gold reveals itself in the earth far less readily tbau I other useful metals, and that many a goldfield has been passed over by generations of men befora its presence was discovered. Of the future, we have Mr A. Forbes going aboul the Coast jingling , £100,000 in tfis bitches packet, which he is ready and willing to sling at the head of any inindr who happens to have on hand a golden claim or two. Then we have , Viscount Jouffrey d'Alban3, consul in New Zealand for Johnny Crapaud, "venid, vided, vicid " (pmlon the perfected verbs), and going off to the greater centres and loudly mouthing that tbe eve of Coastal prosperity h«B come. Coutideuce— never firmer- in tha future of the, field is established, and groat expectations of it are about to be realised, both as regards'the rapid developments of known ruining properties and ths. openiug up of new goldfiolds, - "IT WAS OUR BED QUitT I .'' They got riled over their bed' quilt.; it wasn't the quilt's fault so much as the " bazaar " which was pleased lo admire the quilt, which was h^uddome and unique. Ye-'t the baznar wavn't tho real trouble- either; the actual "epidemic" was the Greymouth Star, which said it, consequently the thres ladies who nude the diamond pattern, and the tassels, and the beautifully-worked centrepiece go for the editor in an open letter, contending that their names should have beeu interwoven witb the praise or with the fabric. Verdict from a "post vwrttrn examluatiou" of a Greymoutb Pie3bytsrian bazaar. MISCEMANEOUS ITEMS. Encouraged by the promise of £15 par month, the Riruu Miners' Asiociation has enlarged itself by enrolling numbers of miners as members, and active canvassing for subscriptions i« now going on in Hokitika, Kanieri, Blue Spur, ltimu, ana, Kokatah I . Last Saturday night the Totara Miners' Anseciation unanimously appointed its provident (Mr David Yorua>th). vice-president (Mr Charles ¥ne\ and treasurer (Mr JanifS Sharp) to inter.view Goldfields Warden M'farlancs to protest against his advertising Rois special claim applications in newspapers foreign to tha district; when there is a 1 local piper bfjing published therein. Many miners here complain of 110 "public notice," and allege^ that they 'ate in consequence being kept in the dark, and in more than one instance individual interests have become jeopardised. Toe Miudrs*' Association stroogly coniemn this fresh practice on the part of the warden, liopreceding warden having ever done anything of the kind. Curtis Bros., of the Victory* mine, Paparoa Range, have just crushed 26 tons of qmrtz'fora yieldof 960z of retorted gold. This kejps up the reputation of the miue of yielding au average of 3hnz to the ton. "Mr B.utland, Westland's boss footballer, received such severe internal injuries at the lenent ma'ch between Hokitika and Grrrmouth that at the time of wiiti&g his life is despaired of, two medical men being in attendauce on him. Last Sunday Death reaped another grey-bearded identity of the sixciw ia tha person of the late Patrick Higglns. Twelve months back he was one of the strongest of men. He had followed goldmining all his Ufa, during which lie had had many " lucky patches." Greymouth is going to erect a monument ti its late, town clerk (John A. Whall) by public subscript.on. , Mandates having come down lo policis officers forbidding them tp act as State Bchool truant officers any more, the local committe:s are appointing fresh officers in place of the bonnie boys In blue. - Mr Jo'eoh (riirnmoud, the manager of the Ross UuitedGol.i-miniugCompany, informs me that his latest advice leads him to tbe conviction that the property is practically purchased by a London syndicate, the price being £3'?,500 in fully-paid-up Shares. It is to be hoped John Bull and Co. will close, cs apart from tbe fact of the good that tnußt accrue to the town and district, the company will be quite independent of the Government or tbe £10,000 subsidy, about which the latter are now backing down. Last Monday night 4s was offering and refused for Uniteds by local holders. ' Reefton papers sound notea of warning to msn in search of employment in the following : -'"The nuinbrr of needy strangers tbat come trooping into Reefton by every, train is a 100 obvious and to unpleasant fact, and we feel ib incumbent on us discourage such a reckless influx. Jus 1 ; now there is absolutely nothiug for willing hands to do in this town. Carpenters are tho only traiksmen who can get ready employment." The proprietors of tbe Julian Gold-rniniDg Company, Paparoa Range, have accepted the offer made by Mr A. Forbes, representative of an English syndicate. Referring Jo the row between the directors and , manager of tbe Totaiu Flat butter factoiy, the Bruuner News rays that the manager of ths tajoo

has forgotten more about butter-making than it was ever the. 'directors g':od luck to be possessed of. • I The Taylorville School Committee have sworn informations against some larrikin, ov Ift.rri- ; kins unknown for breaking down thescliool fence' wire, drawing out the staples, and nailing the barbed wire across the school doors. All negotiations, which up to last Monday were pending between Mr Ziman and tbe Mont dOr and Ross Uoited miniog companier, have ended. Last Friday night a storm troubled the business of the Hokitika Borough Council. Cr Miche, whilst questioning the action of the mayor (Mr Joseph Mandl). who opened tenders for certain works under the impre3Bion that tte clerk had called a special meeting, used certain expressions which must hive becorao tabooed at any Quakirs' ' meeting, whereat the uioyor, irate, ruled him out I of order, and commanded him to sit down, an 1 order;the councillor pointedly, refused to obey, in ! consequence of which the chief magistrate lined j him £5, which elicited the rejoinder from the I "mulcted": "I'll give a donation of £25 to tho hospital if you can recover." After this the whole council had a " wade in," some going for the mayor and some for the councillor. When they got exhausted the mayor again explained mattert, which cau«ed tha councillor to withdraw his remarks, and the mayor to follow suit by remitting ths fine genial good-fellowship again .ruling all around. Nobody can get really angry with Joe Mandl ; he resembles a certain Pickwick in geniality and the good humour which habitually breaks out all over, his jaunty composition. • Mr Ziman, in paying the reduced wage to his employees at Reefton, ooai'ds and lodges them also for 103 a week psr head.. The latter reckon they are in clover. A snn!l alluvial rush has set into Back Creak. Charleston. It is supposed to be the old lost Brighton lead. Efforts are being niacb to get the Australian cricketing team to visit here, and at inducemeut it is said that the sum demanded by the team on such occasionL-£lso-can be raisod at Greymouth - ' , Wednesday's Grey Riv.>r Argus saya that on the previous day soma very flue specimens of quartz reefs were exhibited about town; but where they came from is not generally known. Out of the 302,6900z of gold entered for export hy New Zealand up till March 31 of this year, the ' West Coast contributed 89,8210z. Mr Jamed Hepburn, of Westport, whilst near a rocky face, sustained a most painful ace'deut. Some pieces came down and shattered hij upper and lower jawbones, and at latest advices the sufferer was in a precarious state. District Judge VVar.d has decided to take up his residence at Greymouth. The final football match Grey v. Hokitika took place ou Saturday afternoon at Victoria Park, resulting in a draw. A Grey papsr says that the game was a disgrace to any rlub, and was brutal from the start to finish. Judging from the style adopted no football was noticeable. It is to be hoped the union will eudeavour to stop such exhibitions. If not, football will be almost unknown on the coast in a few years.

SUPREME COURT.

IN CHAMBERS. Tuesday, August 4. (Before his Honor Mr Justice Williams.) IN HE THE J. O. WARD FARMERS' ASSOCIATION OF NEW ZEALAND (LIMITED). Motion (I) that Mr William Richard Cook bo appointed official liquidator, security to be given within 14 days ; (2) that as security the joint bond of himself and thfe Victoria Insurance Company be accepted ; (3) that the bank be the Bank of New Zeahnd ; (4) that the datfts to be fixed for pissinp; accouuts bs half-yearly from tbe Ist Augnit; (5) that the appointuieut be advertised ones in each Invercavgill d+ily paper and in tha Matiuua tinsign and Mew Zealand Gnzette; (6) that all the powers' in section 158 of "The Companies Act 1F82" may be exercised by the liquidator without the sanction of ths court. Mr Ho3king, who .appeared -to move, said he understood that his 'friend Mr Chapman had vMeived some instructions iv ths matter. Mr F. It. Chapman sai<l he hal received verbal instructioos 'omewh^t hastily from a farmers' committee who were interested— a committee, he understood, of shareholders. All he whhed to •Say wai tint" the- committee were deyrqus, if possible, o£ foi'muJatiog, Bome,planior the recoustfuction of tho company. The plan of reconstruction, they instructed him, would tend to prevent the liquidation, from, being disastrous to the sh,*roli'il'iers aqd-, would, also tend to benefit the creditors, or tha creditor, for ha understood the b»nk \va« the only creditor ; but they did not wich to do anything thut would delay the proceedings, as thut als 1 ) would be injudicious. He ! understood that Mr Hoskmg wai in a position to move for the appointment of the permanent liquidator. His Honor : That must be done, whatever other steps Lire taken. Mr Chapoian believed aho that hU friend wai in a positioa to move for dii actions as to the powers with which the official liquidator was to be vested, and that did not teem to him to be iuconsisteut with a future proposal for a schema of reconstruction, but he did not wish the order to commit matters, as it were. It was desirable that matters should, so to sp!"ak,.BO on without unnecessary interruption, so that the committee might be in a portion at a future data to propose some scheme of reconstruction and (to, it necessary, before the court. ~ His Honor observed that the effect of what Mr Hosking asked was that a liquidator should be app inted and be given power* to get in the assets aud realise them. The list of contributories was not fixed yet; Mr Hoskins aatd the nomination of the official liquidator had' be«n nude by the petitioning creditors, and there was uo other nomination. Mr Cook BCdmed to be a sithfactory person for the ponition because hV was now so thoroughly acqu nnted w ith the po>itiou. His Honor : la the absence of other men. he wild be the proper nun. Mr Hotking : We ask that the security be the joint bond of Mr Cook and the' Victoria Insurance Company. His Honor : That would do. Mr Hoiking, referring to the other points in the notice of motion, said these things had to be provided for Recording fo toe form of order in the schedule of the act. The powers under section 158 were of an executive order, empowering the liquidator to bring actions, <fee. They did nob want potfer for the liquidator to carry on the business. Mr Chapman : It would be well to conserve tbe j business in case of the project being brought on hereafter. His Honor : The liquidator doe 3 nob want to carry on business, ami has not been canyingit 08. ; Mr Uoakiog :We have not carried it on iv tbe I sense of running the concern at all. Of course we had to cany out matters iv haud. His Honor said that no power could bo given to carry on the business as a going concern but only to carry on for the purpose of winding up. In order to wind up the company the liquidator must take some Inuiness steps in some way. Mr Hosking : Then wo ask in terms of the notice paper that these powers be exercised by tha liquidator without tbe sauctiou of the court. An order was made accordingly.

SUICIDE OP A FARMER.

TIMIRU, AugU9t 4. Frederick Eiohbaum, a farmer at Pleasant Point, committed suicide here this imrning by firing two shots from a revolver afc his head. He had beeu eccentric for m. rue time, and suffered from sunstroke at Coolgardie.

irotu Grey mouth last week 3445 tons of coal, 106,'721ft of timber, and 2967 uleepers were exported. NiMjio & Blair's " Standard " Bone Manure is acknowledged to ba the most reliable manure offered in the rnirlr*h. Ths Affects .are marvelloas*

A LOST PURSE. At the Police Court on the S9th ulfc., Andrew Ingrain and Alfred Dyer were charted with thfr theft, ©n the 22nd inst., at Dunedin, of £27 16s 6d, a pocket book worth 2s 6d, and a return railway ticket to Milton, tho property of Margaret Thorn« son.— J£r A. O. Hanlon appealed for accused.-* (ibicf Detective O'Connor asked for a remand to Monday or Tuesday.— Mr Hanlon submitted that no remand should bo granted to Monday or Tuesday. The facts wore that the accuied had virtually admitted that they were guilty of the offence. The lady left her purso in a tramcar, of which the accused were conductor and driver. They took the purse, and when they found there was no clam made for it they divided tho money between them. Having admitted this there was no occasion for a remand to .Monday or Tuesday* The lady resided at- Milton, and the detective wanted to get a bank clerk down from there. Counsel submitted v that a remand to Friday would be amply sufficient lo get the lady and the bauk clerk to be prosont.— Detective O'Connor did not see why the police should bo busthd into getting up their case. Although tho accused had made admissions tbe police would have to prove them, and they (tho accused)' wore not bound by these admissions. They could withdraw thom.-^ The case was remanded to Monday.— Mr Hanlon applied for small bajl. mentioning that the police had got the money back.— Bail was allowed, tho accused in £26 each, and two sureties of £10, or one of £20, each. At the City Police Comt on Monday, Andrew Ingram and Alfred Dyer ware charged with the theft, on the 22nd July, of £27 163 Od, a pocket book valued at 2i (M, and ft return railway ticket to Milton, tbe piopeity of Margaret Thomson, of Milton.— Mr A. O. Hanlon appeared for accused.— lnspector Pirdy I said that Mrs Thomson cams' into town on' the I 22nd July. She Citihqd a cheque in Milton, or her eon did for her, on the National Bank fir £30'10i, receiving two £10 notes, two £5 notes, acd aJialf sovereign. She changed one of the £5 notes before leaving Milton, and arrived in Dnnedin -with nearly the whole of the money. Sh<* had occasion to travel in a tramcar along G-sorge street, and paid the couductor, who whs ooe of- the accused, her fare. She took the money ont of the pockctbook, which was held in such a manner that the conductor had every opportunity of seeing it. Inste xd of putting the book back into her pocket sbe must havd laid it down iv her lap, and it fell on to the floor. Mrs Thonnon advertiied for it but got no information respecting It. Two young men who were in tho car after Mrs Thonison got out tasv the purse lying on the floor of the tram. Just after, the conductor picked up the purse and took it out to the driver and they divided the contents. Their duty was to return the purte and c intents to the office. Thcsswere" the rules.— Mr Hanlon objected. That was not evidence.— The Inspector said it was the duty of officials, other than the Tram Company's -the railway, for example —to return anything found to the office —Mr Hanlon contended these ruins were made for the bttt»r working of the tram Bervice, and that surely they were not evidence in a criminal iudictiutnt. They all knew that if anybody found anything ib was their duty to try and find the owner, and that they had no claim' on it as againit the owner. 'He would object to this going into evi-dence.--The Inupactor said he was not going to put it in evidence. He would show that the acused knew what' their duty was. anJI by not doing their duty they showed that they intended to appropriate the money to their own me. The loss was advertised, aud they did not oven then return the money to its owner.— Evidence was given by Margaret Thornton, who said sbe did not miss her purse till July 24. She made Inquiries at the tram office, but did not get her lost property. She advertised her loss. In reply to Mr Hrdlod, she said that the tram was vury fall." It did not strike her that she had lost" the money in the trarncu.— George WiKiam- Bowron, bank clerk at Milton, also gave - evidence.— Thorna 1 ? Hugh Reid, a Tram Company' employee, stated in the ourae of hta evidence that Dyer was tha conductor and Ingra-u the dri\;er.— • laspector Pardy was about to call further evidence as to the lost property not being returned to the office, -but Mr Hanlon said he was prepared to admit that.— William Mitch-.1l Roberts 'gave evidmce a* to seeius the conductor find the purse. 1 He saw him count tho money, and knew the amount the purse contained. The couductor remarked that it was no 1133 waiting far a reward, as if he did not take the money to tho office he would jet into a row. t Subsequently' witness saw Dyer; tlie conductor,' aud said,' "I" see they are advertising for that purse you pick«d up." Dier replied, "Yes," nodding his head.— Ernest Svuie gavo corroborative evidence, adding . that" the conductor said he thought he knew who ' had lost the puree, and some day 3 subsequently told witness that he had returned it— Chief Detective O'Oonaor stated that when ho spoke to the accused Dyer in the matter, he said he had picked the purse up and that he would have taken it to the tram office but he lost it the same day. Witness replied, " That's not goad enotigh." Dyer then said that he had given the driver lugram £12, and had got the rest at home. Witneis called the driver over and he admitted-that he had received A the .money and. that he, was willing to give it up. Dyer said he could not' give the purso a»d ticket to witne.-s, but he would pay for th^m. Witness said, "I suppose tbat you have thrown them away or burnt them?" and Dyer replied "Yes," and stated that Ingram had advised him to keep the purse. This was denied by Ingram.— Mr Hanlon said it would be idle for him to contend that tho po^ive had not made out a prinut fade case, and no therefore proposed to reserve tha defence for tho Supremo Court.— Acciued were then commlttad for trial, bail being allowed, each in £20, and two sureties of £10 or oue of £20 each.

WHAT PEOPLE SAY.

W. SIMMONS, E*Q., BENDIGO (VIC.) Wribt-8 under data September 19, 1891 :— "D-ar Sir,— For" the last four years I .have Suffered great misery from nervous debility, complicated with liver and kidney disease/ My water wa« ' scalding hot acd very scant- and muddy. I had sharp, shooting pains all-over my body, wai very weary, always tired and languid, with no appetite, and frequent attack! of vonntiog and headaches. I aros» in a morning more tired than when I went to bed, and was so constipated that I had to take the most violent esthetics. I consulted doctors without number, and all without benefit, until my wife pectuaded me to use Clements Tonic, The first three bottles did not seem to have much effect, but after th&t I seemed to got rtlitf dattr, and a three-months' course so completely restored say health that now I feel as if I had been born again or 'transplanted* to au entirely new iphera of existence. I was never so well before, and feel as strong as a lion, and can perform any reasonable amount of exertion without fatigue. You can easily understand how grateful I am to your wonderful remedy, Jfor it. is wonderful th*t it should have cured my case, when had bafil -d the best, medical ekill thece colonies afford. Long live Clements Tonic ! nay I ; others may doubt its value if they like. I have PROVED IT GENUINE."

This ciss is Bimilir to hundreds of others. The patient consulted the doctors, who tried the usual experiments, and each one adopted . a different treatment, not one being used long enough to have any efff-ct ; finally, on * proper, course of Clements Tonic the patient recovered, aj do all others.

Whilst she wai crowing the Greymouth bar ou Friday the steamer Wainui's steering' gear broke. It was only with the greatest difficulty that she was berthed. No damage was done,

The b^nd contest in connection with ths Wellington exhibition begins on the 30th December, invitations have been issued to all the New Zealand and some of the leading b&ndi ilk Australia) Upwards of £?.00 will be sivea ia prise mmii

Pboduct. Quantity. Value. Gtold 293,4910z ...£1,162,164' JHver 85,0240z ... 10,679 Intimony ore ' ... 54 tons... 1,486 Han|»uete ore ... 210 tons... 525 Mixed minerals ... 62 tons.., 880 3olor.ini coal exported, including that used by Home steamers 85,987 tons... 83,342 Joke exported ... 288 tons... . 715 Colonial ooal consumed in New Zetland ■■.-. . ... 654.840 t0n5... 327.420 teuri gum ... .., 7,425 tons... 418,766 ___ Tctal value for 1895 , £2,005.977 Total value fcr 1894 ... ... 1,697,242 •■_«■—_—_- I • Increase ... .^.^ ... £ 308J35

kwis of wages and cxploiives as was done lasi year, it would stand thus :— . II ii i .iIU • . oz. £ k rl , IWU ... £lti42 161,841 2,166 28 5 1891-5 ... 4,79» 221,603 "3,789 ,-153 ISGS-6 ... 4,6>5 233,468 4,398 1 1 33

Members : Brodrick * Chalmer Hamilton <k M'Kisnuew J. A. Chapman John Lcgan A. G. STenwick Quick & Smith J. *,W. Gage Wilfrid Vivian , . J. R. Scott . Edward, Trytjiall. *'■ ■ >-,•■- "jf rom xo Banks: r - ' \'r £a. d. £b. d. ■' National.-,., • W» ... 11« 0- 117 0 Insurance:' - National „.. 016 6 0 17 0 NewZtaland ... ... 3 0 0 310 0 South British 2 9 0 210 0 SUudard 016 3 016 6 Shipping : New Zealand Shipping ... 4 5 0 415 0 , Union Steam 7 7 6 712 6 Coal: Kaitangata(old) 17 0 0 17 5 0 do (new) 15 6 16 6 Westport 25 0 2 6 0 Loan akd AoExcr— National Mortgage ... 014 0 015 0 Perpetual Trustees ... 010 9 OJI 6 Trustees and Executore 15 0 i 6 0 Miscellaneous : MUburn Cement 016 0 0 If! 9 Mornington Tramway ... 012 0 013 0 Mosgiel Woollen ...* ... 400 426 New Zealand Drug ... 1 2 0 13 0 Otago Daily Times ... 10 0 0 10 10 0 Roslyn Tramway ... 110 « ill 0 Mining Companies : REEFTON. Big River Extended ... 1 4 fr 15 6 Cumberland 0 3*036 Golden Lead / v 0. 1 0 .0 13 . Hercules ... ... .... 0 3 3 013 6 Inglewood -„.014 017 K«p,lt-Dark 14 0 15 0 lteepit-Dark No. 2 «. 02 3 02 6 • Lord Edward ...... 0 2 3 02 6. Lyell Creek 0 3 0 0 3 6 Dillon Extended 0 2 3,026 ■•United Ah we (Lyell) ... 017 0 018 0 Welcome United ... „; 03 D 03 2 .Success ... ... ... 01 0 013 AUCKLAND. Waitekauri .650 fi 0 0 Crown 210 0 212 0 Waihi Silverton 3 2 0 .350 Talisman 016 0 017 0 May Queen I) 10 9 011 3 Try Fluko 013 0 014 0 Kapai-Vermont 010 3 010 9 Hazelbank 0 4 0 0 4 6" Bunker's Hill ... ... 0 9 9 010 3 Cambria 0 2 0 02 3 Talisman Extended ... 0 210 0 3 2 Victor 0 5 6 0 5 9 Britannia ... 0 2 3 it 2 6 Cardigan „,020023 Queen of Walhi ... -... 0 3 0 0 3 3 Welcome Find 0 4 9 0 5 3 King of Waihi 0 10 0 13 Coromandel Freehold ... 0 16 0 19 Pum Consolidated ... 0 5 6 0 5 9 Midas 0 16 0 19 Grace Darling 0 4 2 0 4 4 Maori Dream 016 019 Portsoa 0 2 6 0 2 9 Dredging Companies 1 Big Beach .023 027 Dunedin 0 10 0 0 11 0 Upper Waipori (10s paid up) 0 8 3 0 3 9 do (contributing) 0 3 0 0 3 6 Roxburgh (paid up) ... 012 9 013 6 do (contributing) 0 11 6 012 0 Golden Run... ... ... 019 0 019 6 Golden Treasure ... ... 217 6 3 0 0 Enterprise ... 1 9 0 111 0 Otago 10 0 110 Buller 0 6 3 0 6 » Jutland 'Flat (vendors, ex div.) .- 0 5 9 0,6 3 Do (contributing, ex div.) 0 5 6 0 6 0 Sluicing Companies: . Roxburgh Amalgamated (paid up, ex div.) ... 012 C 013 0 Roxburgh Amalgamated (181 /paid-up, contributing, ex div.) 012 0 012 6 Waipori Deep Lead (20s paid up) .., ... Oil 980