H.—s.

The Tokatea low-level has been carried in a distance of 2,350 feet. The reef is being worked at a depth of 850 feet from the crown of the range. This level, No. 7, has given extra backs of 210 feet on the lode, and during the year the output of gold has paid working expenses. It is worthy of remark that the Tokatea lode has continued from the surface to the present 850--feet level without break or displacement, though in this level the country is much disturbed. The prospects of the mine are now good. In addition to the ordinary work the company are engaged in driving a prospecting level on the hanging-wall leader, the quartz broken out showing gold. Hopes are entertained that this leader will prove payable. Should it do so, an extensive block of new ground will be opened for stoping. The Bismark is being worked by a party of tributers, who have had one crushing, yielding 243 oz. of gold. The Queen of the North, Royal Oak, Comstock, and Colonial Claims are working with payable results. The Success has paid a dividend of 2s. 6d. during the past year, the product of four small parcels of stone and loose gold carried by the manager in a bag from the mine, the gold being so pure and the stone (if any) so rich that its small bulk rendered cartage unnecessary. The company anticipate being able to pay another dividend from the proceeds of the block they are now working. At the Tiki not much work has been done during the year. Blackmore's, Home Rule, and Tier-nan's Claims are being worked again, after having ceased operations for a time. Blackmore's are about to put a large paddock of payable quartz through their battery, which during the past year has crushed 1,267 tons of stone for a yield of 978 oz. of gold. The Home Rule are taking out payable stuff from the reef which is now beiug worked below the old shot of gold ; the present operations from the new level of this mine will test the value of deep mining in this locality. Both the work done and the yield of gold at the Tiki during the year are below expectations. The claims being on private land, and not subject to the mining regulations, work is not compulsory ; much of the ground is therefore likely to remain locked up, unless an accidental discovery in the locality should give fresh heart to the owners. The Matawai Claim, after an enforced idleness of some months through the want of crushing power, have succeeded in crushing 40 tons of stone for a yield of 160 oz. of gold; this result proving quite up to expectation has encouraged the owners to further develop the ground. To summarise the year's operations, it will be seen that, whilst the claims at the Tiki have not come up to expectations, the re-working of the Union Beach, lona, Just-in-Time, and Corby, coupled with the good finds at the deep levels of the Kapanga, have given a considerable impetus to mining operations. If the Kapanga finds are continued in the deep levels of the Beach and adjoining claims, a new and most valuable feature will have been introduced into mining at Coromandel. The total quantity of quartz crushed for the year is 2,907 tons, yielding 7,577 oz., as against 3,447 tons, yielding 7,348 oz. of gold, during the preceding year ending 31st March, 1882. During the year 103 claims have been taken up; 43 claims registered; 21 licensed holdings granted. Six cases have been adjudicated upon in the Warden's Court; and 207 civil and 50 criminal in the Resident Magistrate's Court. I have, &c, Hakry Kenrick, The Under-Secretary for Gold Fields, Wellington. Warden.

No. 2. Mr. Warden Kenrick to the Undek-Secretary for Gold Fields. Sir,— Warden's Office, Thames, 17th May, 1883. I have the honour to forward the annual report upon the Thames (or South Hauraki) Gold-Mining District for the year ended the 31st March, 1883. But little work has been done in the northern portion of the district during the year. Between Tapu and Tararu a few parties have been prospecting, but with no payable result as yet. At Waioma a license to prospect for minerals other than gold has been granted by the Waste Lands Board. Silver is the mineral sought for, galena having been found in many places throughout that portion of the district. -,z~ At Tararu work is beiug done on the old Suubeam reef, but no crushing has yet taken place. At the Thames proper the discovery of a rich run of gold in the deep levels of the Prince Imperial and Queen of Beauty Claims has given great impetus to mining on the Grahamstown Flat and adjacent ground. Many claims that had been abandoned were at once taken up, several companies having been formed with a considerable capital, and preparations made for testing the lower levels. The Mariner, London, and Queen of England have conjointly erected winding machinery at the old Crown Princess shaft, which is now being prepared for use as the winding shaft for the amalgamated companies. Prior to the discovery in the Prince Imperial and Queen of Beauty the prevalent belief was that the richer runs of gold would not be traced into the deeper levels. Now that this belief is

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