C—3a

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office. Air right. (13/10/91): Still on tribute. Stoping below low level, but blocks of quartz very irregular. No filling in shaft, as enough is got in the working. Dynamite on roadside, but Mr. Eogers has promised to have it removed, although at first he was disinclined to do so. Golden Treasure Quartz-mine. —(2/3/9.1): Copy of Act hung up, and report kept. Air sufficient, but some of the timber in the level requiring removal, to which I directed Mr. Martin's attention. This lode also contains antimony, but the yield of gold is rather poor. A winze is being sunk at present down 30ft. and 80ft. to go to No. 3 level. (19/6/91) : Two shifts of two men driving a level. Five men in all, including manager. An accident of which I was notified occurred to "William Eivers when putting in a set of timber, a piece of the wall rock having struck him on the leg, breaking the small bone. The small antimony lode has been driven on for 160 ft., when it joins the main reef. Mr. Martin gave the average thickness of the antimony as 2ft., but where I saw it, at the south end, it consisted of irregular bunches on both foot- and hanging-walls. All work was stopped when I revisited the mine on the 13th October. Mammon Quartz-mine. —(13/10/91): No one about; but some sinking has been done recently. Eeef said to be barren. Royal Quartz-mine. —(2/3/91): Two shifts of two men each driving on line of reef with only occasional blocks of quartz. Air dull; drawn by furnace through pipes. No copy of Act. (21/10/91) : Only one man working to-day, putting up an uprise. Ladders right. The levels previously worked have been stopped. The other men are working outside at the tramway. Venus Extended Quartz-mine. —(2/3/91) : Only the manager and one man working, opening up on the level where an outcrop has been found. This block of quartz w'll be proved before anything is done at a lower level. The stone is about 2ft. thick, and an uprise, where work is going on, is up on it 22ft. Air good. Copy of Act at office. Plan at mine up to date. (21/10/91): A party of eight tributers are now stoping from the No. 3 level, and two men are working on higher level. Average thickness from 18in. to 2ft. Manager absent at battery. Energy Quartz-mine. —(3/3/91) : This is a private party, who are working out those parts of the blocks of quartz which have been left by the old company. At present they are working in three different places. Copy of Act at mine. No report. As there are only six men in all, the Energy seems somewhat latent. (8/3/92): Seven men now working in what is known as the " Snowball Eeef," which sometimes is only parted by pug from the main reef, but is often separated from it by a few feet of the hanging-wall. All the men are at present in No. 1 level, and are starting to sink on the stone towards No. 2. A few laths are to be renewed. The mine is in better order than when the old workings were being searched for the quartz left. Golden Fleece Quartz-mine. —(21/10/91): A new rope was being put on, so I could not get down the shaft, which is 600 ft. deep. The second outlet by the winzes and level has not yet been repaired, but will be seen to. The only work is repairing No. 5 level, employing four men in all. Sir Charles Russell Quartz-mine. —(18/6/91) : A little stone has been taken out for a trialcrushing, and a winze is now being sunk, which is to be driven to from a low-level tunnel. The depth from the level is at present 85ft., and three shifts of two men each are employed—seven in all. Boatman's. Welcome Quartz-mine. —(27/2/91): Work until lately only baling and retimbering shaft between Nos. 8 and 9 levels. Now opening up No. 9 level and retimbering chamber. At present in bad ground, but Mr. Booney will take every care. Winze in level to be provided with crossbar. No safety appliances. (20/10/91) : Pass from No. 9to intermediate level in bad condition, but will only be used a week'and then filled in ; another outlet exists. In lower intermediate level two men are repairing old road up stopes ; bad ground, and air dull, but will be through on No. 8 level in a few days, when the air will be improved. Cross-bar to be provided at blind shaft. No report, but one will in future be kept. Homeward Bound Quartz-mine. —(20/10/91): Mr. Booney has also charge of this mine, which is worked from a continuation of the Welcome intermediate level. A winze being sunk; is down 25ft., and is to be connected with an uprise from No. 9 level, which is also extended from the Welcome into the Homeward Bound ground. I requested Mr. Eooney to renew some of the lining in the winze, which he agreed to do at once. Sixteen men in all are employed in the two mines. Fiery Gross Quartz-mine. —(27/2/91): Fifteen men were employed at this date. Safety appliance on cage. Signals posted. A communication for air exists with the Just in Time Mine. Ladders in main shaft being repaired. (20/10/91): Eeport kept, but not up to date. Plan posted up. I requested the manager to provide bars at some of the landings, and to renew some of the rungs of the ladders, which he agreed to do. The men in one of the shifts have to climb up the ladders in the blind shaft, and then up those in the main shaft; in all between 700 ft. and 800 ft. I spoke to the manager, Mr. Henry Lawn, about this, but he stated that the engine-driver not being allowed to work over eight hours, he was not prepared to employ a driver only to wind the men. Seven miners were employed—twelve men in all. Specimen Hill United Quartz-mine. —(19/10/91) : A contract has lately been let for the repair and retimbering of this mine. I went in the low-level tunnel about half a mile, as far as the chamber, where the candle would scarcely burn. This in the Homeward Bound ground. Some of the timber bad, and sides flaking. No one about, the contractors being in the bush for timber. Lyell. United Alpine Quartz-mine. —(5/3/91): In the No. 7 level the block of quartz is 152 ft. long, 3ft' thick at the south, and Bft. at the north end. Eight men are stoping above this level. Good current of air, and timbering all right. It is from the intermediate level between Nos. 6 and 7 that the principal stoping is going on, employing twenty-seven men. The total number of men is forty-eight. I revisited this mine on the Ist September on account of a fatal accident on the 30th August to a