a—6

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

Mr. H. A. Goedon, F.G.S., Inspecting Engineer, to the Hon. W. J. M. Laenach, C.M.G., Minister of Mines. Sib,— Mines Department, Wellington, sth May, 1887. I have the honour to submit my annual report on works constructed and in progress during the year ending the 31st March, 1887, which have been either undertaken or executed under authority from the Mines Department, and also on the state of mining generally on the various fields I have visited during the past year, together with a report on the treatment of gold- and silverores both in this colony and in America, and on hydraulic mining. The subjects are classified under the heads of " Subsidized Eoads and Tracks on Goldfields," "Drainage- and Sludge-channels," "Aids to Deep-level Tunnels," "Aids to Prospecting," "Eoads wholly constructed by the Mines Department;" "Water-races;" " Eeport on the Gold-^ and Silver-mines, Copper-mines, and Antimony-mines," in the colony; "Ores and their Formation," " Treatment of Gold- and Silver-ores," and "Hydraulic Mining;" with statistical tables showing the expenditure. SUBSIDIZED ItOADS AND TRACKS. COEOMANDEL COUNTY, AUCKLAND. Track from Vizard's Claim towards Mwribel.— -This is the continuation of the road from_ the Matawai Battery to Vizard's claim, to join the road coming up from Eraser's Mill to the Tiki mines. The distance of track required to join these two roads is about two miles, which is estimated to cost £200, of which amount a subsidy of £133 6s. Bd. was authorized. Of this subsidy £70 has been paid. Extending and widening Waitiai Boad.— This is a track leading from Mercury Bay to Waitiai, where prospecting is being carried on. Gold was obtained several years ago in Waitiai Creek, but nothing of any importance was found until recently, when gold of a payable character has again been discovered, there are several quartz reefs in the"ranges at the head of the creek, where prospecting is being carried on; but, with the exception of the new find at the head of the creek, no auriferous quartz has been found which would pay for working. The distance from Mercury Bay to Waitiai is twelve miles. There is a fair road for most of the distance, but in some places it is very steep, and in others the track is not formed. I estimate the cost of forming these portions of track and making deviations to avoid the steep places would be £400. A subsidy has been transferred from the Success track to this work, amounting to £66 13s. 4d. ; but this will not complete the track on the usual subsidy principle. Tracks, Old Saw-Mill to Aivakanoc and Makarau to Waiait,.— These tracks form really one— namely, between Eccleston's Clearing, on the Waiau River, to Makarau Flat, on the Mercury Bay side of the range. Six miles of the track is constructed —namely, four miles on the Coromandel side of the saddle, and two miles on the Mercury Bay side. There is another contract let for the continuation of the track down the Makarau side of the range, but a considerable distance more will be required to be constructed before the communication is complete to Mercury Bay. The portions constructed and in progress are estimated to cost £1,400. Of this amount subsidies were authorized to the extent of £933 6s. Bd., of which £800 has been paid. It will cost about £600 more to complete this track through to join the Mercury Bay Eoad. Track, Paul's Greek to Cabbage Bay.-— This is a track to allow communication to the miners who are at work at the head "of Paul's Creek. The estimated cost of the track is £200. As it was urgently required, the balance of subsidies on roads from Lynch's paddock to Matawai Battery, and from Vaughan's to Vizard's claims, amounting to £133 6s. Bd. was transferred to this work, of which £80 has been paid. I—C. 5.

GOLDFIELDS, ROADS, WATER-RACES, AND OTHER WORKS IN CONNECTION WITH MINING (RBPOBT ON).

1887. NEW ZEALAND.