H.—l9

25

4—H. 19.

Tramways will connect with the tail-race, into which all the cement will be tipped, and so conveyed to the machine site, where a tank paddock will be constructed. Everything collected in this tank paddock will be put through the battery. Amongst the companies that have progressed in development during the past twelve months may be quoted to advantage the Golden Point Company, whose mine is situate in the Devil's Creek District, about two miles from Reefton. Several gold-bearing quartz leaders have been discovered. No trialcrushing'has yet taken place, but by all accounts they carry payable gold. It appears that there are four distinct lodes of stone in this mine, varying from 1 to 2 feet, in thickness, and have been traced down to a depth of about 80 feet. The company are preparing for the immediate erection of a 10-head battery, and expect to be ready for crushing in a few months. The successful realization of the prospects of this mine will have an important influence in the progress of quartz mining in this particular portion of the district. The company have performed a large amount of work, having driven some 1,450 feet of tunnelling and 200 feet of sinking, and have spent over £2,000 in thus opening up the mine. The erection of machinery will cost about £2,000. The Oriental Company, situate also'in the Devil's Creek District, have purchased the battery lately belonging to the Union, and have been driving a tunnel, about 1,200 feet in length and now near completion, to connect their mine with the battery. In the Big Biver District, in the direction of which the County Council some time ago subsidized by the Government, made a track, the Big Biver Company have commenced driving a low level into the reef, from which good prospects have been obtained. This is entirely a new district, and if the Big Eiver Company are successful, the find will doubtless be of much importance. By the courtesy of the managers of the different companies in supplying me with the information I am enabled to make up the following interesting table, showing amount of calls made, dividends declared, &c, from Ist April, 1881, to 31st March, 1882 :—

Name of Company. Calls Made. Dividends Declared. Quartz Crushed. Yield. Golden Treasure Gold-Mining Company Nil Desperandum Quartz-Mining Company ... Homeward Bound Quartz-Mining Company ... United Inglewood and North Star Quartz-Min-ing Company Gladstone Quartz-Mining Company Eureka Quartz-Mining Company ... Brutus Quartz-Mining Company Venus Quartz-Mining Company Bonanza Gold-Mining Company ... ... Lankey's Creek Gold-Mining Company Rainy Creek Extended Quartz-Mining Company Gorge Gold-Mining Company Golden Fleece Extended Quartz-Mining Com- £ B. 479 3 133 6 d. 4 8 £ s. 1,800 0 143 15 A. 0 0 Tons. 1,401 1,078 Oz. dwt. gr. 1,476 0 C 548 0 0 237 10 187 10 466 13 300 0 600 0 200 0 600 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 4,200 0 100 0 0 0 pany ... ... Energetic Quartz-Mining Company... Fiery Cross Extended Quartz-Mining Company Wealth of Nations Quartz-Mining Company ... Golden Point Gold-Mining Company Dauntless Extended Quartz-Mining Company Keep-it-Dark Quartz-Mining Company Result Gold-Mining Company Welcome Quartz-Mining Company ... Specimen Hill Extended Quartz-Mining Com1,800 0 600 0 800 0 2,275 0 1,500 0 700 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1,730 3,277 373 765 1,085 0 0 1,185 0 0 464 0 0 334 0 0 500 "0 0 1,450 453*' 0 0 950* 0 0 34,500 "0 0 3,960 13,365* 0 0 pany Phoenix Extended Quartz- Mining Company ... Oriental Quartz-Mining Company ... Junction Gold-Mining Company Occidental Gold-Mining Company ... Big River Extended Quartz-Mining Company... Southern Cross Qnartz-Mining Company Hopeful Gold-Mining Company South Hopeful Quartz-Mining Company Imperial Quartz-Mining Company ... Just-in-Time Quartz Mining Company Orlando Quartz-Mining Company ... Caledonian Extended Quartz-Mining Company Morning Star Quartz-Mining Company Inangahua Low Level Tunnel Company Inkerman Quartz-Mining Company Sundries 1,458 6 900 0 1,800 0 100 0 150 0 100 0 100 0 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 124 166 0 0 266 13 333 6 4 8 700 "0 0 736 818' 0 C 133 6 1,416 13 200 0 800 0 1,166 13 8 4 0 0 4 260 0 0 Alluvial 25,054 3 4 37,643 15 0 14,894 20,154 0 7,259 16 27,413 16