a—3

36

44foz. of gold per man ; while for the previous year there were 117 men employed, 16,514 tons of quartz crushed, yielding 7,5500z. lOdwt. of gold, being equal to about 64-Joz. of gold per man. One of these claims has since suspended operations on the low levels, from which most of the gold last year was produced. Waiotahi. —There has also been a large falling-off in the yield of gold from this locality. During last year there were eight claims producing gold, comprising an area of about 120 acres, on which 128 men were employed. There were 6,365 tons of quartz crushed, which yielded 5,8480z. Bdwt. of gold, being equal to nearly 460z. of gold per man. For the previous year there were 155 men employed, and 8,170 tons of quartz crushed, which yielded 9,3980z. 9dwt., being equal to about of gold per man. Waiokaraka. —There was only one gold-producing claim in this locality last year, comprising an area of nearly 30 acres, on which there have been twenty-five men employed, and 2,482 tons of stone crushed, which yielded 2,068 oz. 9dwt. of gold., being equal to overB2-|oz. of gold per man employed; while for the former year there were thirty-one men employed and 1,5830z. 17dwt. of gold produced, being equal to about 51oz. of gold per man. Karaka. —There were six gold-producing claims in this locality last year, comprising an area of 55 acres, on which twenty-five men have been employed and 723 tons of quartz crushed, which yielded 1,1830z. 2dwt. gold ; while for the former year twenty-four men were employed and 1,0170z. 19dwt. of gold produced, showing an increased yield last year of 1650z. 3dwt. Una Hill and Te Papa. —There has been a falling-off in the yield of gold from this locality last year; nevertheless the prospects of the place are equally as good as in former years, and it is expected that next year's gold returns will bear this out. There were eight gold-producing claims in this locality last year, comprising an area of about 114 acres, in which fifty men were employed. There was 1,639 tons of quartz crushed, which yielded 2,1890z. 14dwt. of gold, being equal to 43foz. of gold per man employed, while for the former year there were forty-two men employed and 3,3310z. 18dwt. of gold produced, being equal to about 79£oz. gold per man. Hape Creek. —There were more men employed in this locality last year than for the previous year, and, although there was an increased yield of gold, the quantity produced per man was nearly the same in both years. During last year there were two gold-producing claims, comprising an area of about 45 acres, on which twenty-nine men were employed and 372 tons of stone crushed, which .yielded 3330z. 2dwt. of gold, being about 11-J-oz. gold per man; while for the former year fourteen men were employed and 171oz. sdwt. gold produced, being equal to about 12oz. of gold per man. This is by far the lowest average of gold produced for the number of men employed in any locality in the Thames District. The inference is that there was a large amount of dead-work done last year. Puriri. —Gold was discovered in this district many years ago, but it is only within the last three years that the mining operations have been continuously carried on. There are now two small crushing-batteries on the field, which afford ample facilities for prospecting operations to be carried on in this district, as prospectors can get their quartz tested on the field, instead of having to send it to the Thames as in former years. Taking the quantity of gold obtained last year— 2200z. 16dwt.—for the result of six men's labour, being 36Joz. per man, while for the former year three men only got 51J0z., or 17oz. per man, the yield of gold last year may be said to have given the men employed small wages. Tairua. —There has been a small quantity of gold obtained from this district for many years past, but the difficulty of access, there being no passable roads, especially during the winter months, prevents people coining to this locality to prospect. Some very rich stone was obtained here several years ago, when a crushing-battery was erected, and which is still being used. Were it not that there is a crushing-machine on this field there would be no mining carried on, for the roads are in such a state that the expense of getting trial crushings sent away to either Thames or Kuaotunu would be so great that it would require very rich stone to pay for working. During last year 124 tons of stone was crushed, which yielded 91oz. 19dwt. gold, only three men being employed. The following statement will show the comparative results of mining operations in different localities in the Thames District for the last two years, ending the 31st March in each year : —

1890-91. 1891-92. Gold I] icrease. Name of Locality. tU Q I if U Yield of Gold. ! *i § ! B Bullion Yield or of ! Gold Gold. from Tailings. || S fell Iβ *'&§ Zi S a fli » w •2 * S a ° 3 a ° £a 1 I Yiekl of Gold. 8 II I Yield of Gold. Bullion or Gold from Tailings. 1891-92. 1890-91. oz. dwt. 164 15 oz. dwt. , oz. dwt. 7 oz. dwt. 219 12 oz. dwt. oz. dwt. oz. dwt. 54 17 644 16 2,705 0 69 5 1,664 5 356 4 oz. dwt, Tapu 9 179 73 '9,864 0 ( 2,705 0 I Tararu 25 1,167 515 16 _, 56 3,500 1,160 12 Shellback .. Kuranui Moanataiari Grabamstown Waiofcabi Waiokaraka Karaka Una Hill and Te Papa Hape Creek.. Puriri Tairua Sundries 2 45 177 117 155 31 24 42 26 1,062 8,570 16,514 8,170 1,093 868 1,4291 35 11 711 10 7,767 12 , 7,550 10 9,398 9 1,583 17 1,017 19 3,331 18 19,228 ' 1,401 1,389 2 86 0, 5 69 188 115 128 25 25 50 71 2,835 16,858 11,891 6,365 2,482 723 1,639 104 16 2,594 12 8,209 16 5,150 16 5,848 8 2,068 9 1,183 2 2,189 14 21,953 1,170 5 i 2,399 14 3,550 1 484 12 165 3 1,142 4 14 S 2 65 158 1 108 114 1,037 171 5 51 10 24 0 699 3 29 6 3 18 372 26S 124 333 2 220 16 91 19 1,343 12 1 161 17 169 6 67 19 1,012 11 632 3,613 13 8,981 15 Total .. 711 40,494 33,023 15 21,261 1,475 2 3,613 13 724 47,196 30,719 6 21,953 1,170 5 6,586 15 7,555 15 7,091 1! * The 9,8640a. of bullion represents a value of £7,874 5s. ., which would b; equivalent to 2,705oz. of gold.