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C—3a

Bob Boy Mine, 3 acres (Mr. John Mayne, owner). —Three men were employed, and twenty tons of quartz were crushed for a yield of 1290z. of gold. Try Again Mine, 6 acres (Messrs. James and Parkin, owners). —An excellent return of gold has been obtained; 1 ton 14cwt. and 201b. of quartz being crushed yielded 4630z. of gold. Two men were employed. This mine is on the same ground as was formerly known as the Success, and from which very much stone was obtained. The present owners have opened up on a leader, which was not much worked on in the past, and very rich specimens were broken out. The leader is small and the country rock very hard, but there is every indication of a continuance of the run of gold. Katanga Mine (Kapanga Gold-mining Company, Limited, owner; Mr. W. H. Argall, manager).— This mine is in three sections. The Kapanga proper section comprises the Kapanga Special Claim of 39 acres 3 roods 25 perches and a licensed holding, formerly known as the South Kapanga, 8 acres 2 roods 38 perches; the Coromandel Mine section, 39 acres 2 roods 10 perches; and the Blagrove section (freehold), 127 acres 2 roods 27 perches. In the Kapanga section, in the old Kapanga Mine, the chief work was carried on in the intermediate level, and a cross-cut was driven from Scotty's reefs to the Kapanga reef, on which valuable stone was found, and 704 fathoms of reefs and leaders stoped out; 792 tons .of quartz were crushed for 1,6340z. Bdwt. of gold. Fortyeight men were employed. In the Blagrove section of the mine a considerable amount of work was done in prospecting, and it has been decided to erect winding and pumping machinery, and sink a shaft in the Coromandel section; an average of five tributers were employed, and 10 tons lOcwt. of quartz crushed for a yield of 61oz. 18dwt. of gold. Pumping operations were suspended, and the engine was removed to the Kapanga section to take the place of the engine used there ; the water has therefore risen to the adit-level. Sinking will be commenced in the Kapanga shaft, the present depth of which is 572 ft., as soon as the machinery is erected. The working-plant of this company consists of ten heads of stampers in the Kapanga battery, and fifteen in the Coromandel Mine section battery, known as the Telephone ; two berdans in the Kapanga battery and one in the Coromandel Mine section battery. There are also seven steam-engines—namely, one 40in. cylinder direct-action Cornish beam pumping-engine with 9ft. stroke, which is now being erected at the Kapanga proper, to take the place of the present, which is a Cornish beam engine, only much smaller, being a 24in. cylinder and rotary motion, with 9ft. stroke in the cylinder and sft. lOin. in the shaft. One single 18in. cylinder horizontal engine, with 3ft. lOin. stroke in the cylinder : this engine will be erected in the Blagrove section for pumping at the new shaft—namely, Blagrove's shaft. One single 12in. cylinder horizontal engine at present in the Telephone battery. One single 13in. cylinder horizontal engine in the Kapanga battery. One double Bin. cylinder horizontal portable engine at the Coromandel Mine section ; and one lOin. single cylinder horizontal portable engine, used for winding at the Kapanga proper, representing in all a total of 285-horse power nominal. Scotty's Mine, 20 acres (Scotty's Syndicate, owner; Mr. John Benney, manager).—Operations in this mine were confined to clearing out old tunnels and driving on reefs at the adit-level. Eleven men were employed, and 40 tons of quartz crushed, yielding 84oz. 9dwts. of gold. It is intended to open up a deeper level by utilising an old shaft in the Kapanga Mine. Mint Mine, 6 acres (Coromandel Mint Gold-mining Company, Limited, owner; Mr. J. D. Colebrook, manager. —This mine is situated on the foreshore, next the Coromandel Mine. A shaft has been sunk and is now 120 ft. in depth, 50ft. of which was sunk during the year. A 12-horse power steam-engine is used for pumping and winding. Premier Mine, 5 acres. —This mine is situated on private property, near the Coromandel Mine. A party of five tributers worked on the small veins near the surface, and obtained 31oz. 18dwts. of gold from 12 tons of quartz. Cabbage Bay District. Visard's Mine, 10 acres. —This mine, which is worked and owned by Vizard and party, is known as the Prospectors' Claim. A parcel of quartz —4 tons lOcwt. —was crushed for 490z. lOdwt. of gold. The quartz crushed was from an irregular vein near the surface, and also from a low-level drive 60ft. deeper. Gold is distributed through the quartz and country rock, and the owners are about to purchase a small crushing-plant, to be erected on the ground, when they expect to obtain a considerable quantity of payable stuff. This will enable them to thoroughly test the value of the reefs in the district. Small parties were prospecting in the vicinity for three or four months, but outside of Vizard's nothing of any consequence has been found. KOPUKAITAHI DISTBICT. This is a new district, lying to the eastward of the Waikoromiko. A party of prospectors crushed 201b. of quartz for 4oz. sdwt. of gold, but no further trial-crushings have been made, although several other parties are prospecting in the neighbourhood. Opitonui Distbict. Lanigan's Mine, 20 acres (Hilda Gold-mining Company, Limited, owner; Mr. John Williams, manager).—A considerable amount of work has been done in this mine. The reef is about 3ft. in thickness, and 40 fathoms have been stoped out, and 400 tons of quartz have been crushed for a yield of 80oz. of gold. Six men were employed. A horse-tramway, 25 chains in length, has been constructed to connect the mine with the mill, which consists of a stone-breaker, ten head of stamps, and two berdans, driven by two Pelton-wheels. This mine now includes the Hilda Mine. No other parties are working in this district. OWEEA DISTKICT. Owera Mine, 10 acres (Owera Gold-mining Company, Limited, owner; Mr. John Brennan, manager).—Bight men were employed, and 30 tons of quartz crushed for 80oz. of gold. This mine