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gold could not be traced far into the bill. However, prospecting has been done on the lode from time to time without anything being found that was deemed payable for working. A syndicate of Auckland>and Melbourne gentlemen took up the mine, and constructed a low T-level adit for a distance of 1,027 ft. When the lode was cut they drove 100 ft. on it, and found that about 85ft. of-it contained rich stone according to assay, but of a very complex and refractory character. Very high assays have been obtained, of both silver and gold, from the ore. The lode varies from 4ft. to 7ft. in thickness, and at my visit they were constructing an uprise which showed the lode to continue up for 107 ft., that being the distance constructed. This uprise will connect with the upper level that was partly constructed by the present company and partly by the original holders of the claim, the distance between the levels being 126 ft. The low-level adit was ventilated by means of a Pelton wheel Sin. in diameter, driving a small fan, and the air was conveyed into the face by galvanised-iron pipes. These had not been long in use, but the action of the mineral water coming out of the ground showed that thin-iron pipes are of very little service, the water being highly charged with sulphurous acid. This Pelton wheel and fan, with supply-pipes, erected at the mine, only cost £25, and it produces a large current of air for its size, and also gives a much greater useful effect for the head and quantity of water used than the common method of forcing a current of air into a mine by water falling down a,pipe. The company have about 400 tons of ore stacked ready for treatment as soon as their crushingplant is erected on the machine-site, which is near the junction of the Ohio and Tararu Creeks, about 35 chains distant from the mine. An aerial tramway is in course of construction ; but, as the fall from the mine to the machine-site is only about 175 ft., or an average gradient of 1 in 12, it will not be self-acting, but will require to be worked by motive-power. It is intended to erect a Pelton hurdy-gurdy water-wheel to work this tramway, and also the reduction plant. The latter is to consist of a stamp-battery of the American type, with concentrators and other appliances for the treatment of this peculiar class of ore. A water-race 37 chains in length has been constructed from the Tararu Creek, to supply w 7ater for the Pelton wheel and battery. Since the syndicate acquired this mine they are said to have spent about £2,500, and they have £2,000 in hand for the erection of the plant. There is some very rich ore in the mine, and if they erect a plant capable of treating the ore successfully their property is likely to prove a valuable one. Norfolk Mine. —This mine is situate on the same side of the range as the Sylvia, but considerably nearer the mouth of the creek. During last year rich stone was said to have been discovered in this mine, but on my visit here in October last the lode did not look promising. The manager, however, assured me that the stone contained a good deal of gold, although it was not visible. On representations being made that the mine contained plenty of good stone, the company purchased a crushingbattery belonging to Messrs. Brown and Campbell, of Auckland, which was erected near the mouth of Tararu Creek. They then put the plant and water-race in repair, and crushed about 70 tons of the stone, which only gave a return of something like 2oz. of gold. The manager of this mine called my attention to the hardship it was for him not to be able to obtain a manager's certificate, and spoke of his past experiences in connection with the management of mines; and no doubt at that time his employers would have entertained the same views of his abilities as a manager as he did himself: but such glaring cases as these point to the necessity of having really competent men in charge of mines, so that the shareholders may have some chance of getting their money returned. A manager ought to have some knowledge of the real value of the ore in a lode before recommending a large expenditure, as failure means not only a loss to those directly interested, but also a loss to the colony, as it deters people from investing money in mining properties, and retards the development of the mining industry. They have been prospecting the mine recently, and have discovered what appears to be a payable lode, and it is to be hoped they will yet be rewarded for their outlay. Several parties are prospecting in the Tararu district, and it is said some of them obtain fair prospects from the reefs and leaders they have discovered. If lodes that prove payable for \vorking are found higher up than the Sylvia Company's mine, the road wall have to be continued higher up the creek, so as to afford facility to get the quartz brought to a crushing-plant. Durrow and Company. —This company are erecting a crushing-battery of twenty heads of stamps near the junction of Tinker's Gully and Tararu Creek. They have acquired the right from the owners of Dixon's Mine to w Tork all the ground between the surface and their low level, a depth of about 200 ft. ; and they propose erecting a self-acting aerial tramway, 60 chains in length, from near the head of Tinker's Gully, and transmitting to the battery a large quantity of material that is on and near the surface, as well as any quartz they find, and putting it through in a wholesale manner, on the same principle as Messrs. Hansen and Comer are working on in the Kuranui Nos. 2 and 3. Thames. Kuranui No. 2. —The mine is the property of Mr. E. Comer, who erected a crushing-battery of twenty heads of stamps, and is carrying on his mining operations principally by quarrying the hill in a face. Last year he crushed 10,550 tons of material from this cutting for a return of 6170z. of gold, or an average yield of ldwt. 4gr. of gold per ton. Portion of his mine is let on tribute, and from the quartz obtained by the tributers 873 tons was crushed, which yielded nearly 9550z. of gold. Kuranui No. 3. —This mine is chiefly worked in an open face, and the material all put through the crushing-battery. A few fiien are working on tribute on the reefs and leaders, but these are not getting a great return for their labour. Last year 15,755 tons of material went through the crushing-battery, which yielded 1,0140z. of gold, being an average yield of about ldwt. 6gr. of gold per ton. About 60 tons of quartz was also crushed for a yield of 560z. of gold. The yield of gold from this quantity of mullock appears to be very small, but if the value of the gold be taken at £2 15s. per ounce it would amount to £2,788 10s. The average number of men employed in 5—C. 3.