11

C—3a

The Gentle Shepherd and McLiver Brothers' Claim were also worked occasionally ; 3 tons 2cwt. of quartz yielded 220z. of gold. Taieua Biveb. Golden Hill, or Davey's Claim, is situated between the main river and No. 3 branch on north side. The reef worked on is from 2ft. to 4ft. in thickness, of brown quartz, and rubbly in character. A soft seam of white pipeclay runs on the hanging-wall, and the foot-wall is a nice kindly brown sandstone. The reef runs nearly east and west, and dips slightly to the norths A drive was put in about 15ft. on the reef near the surface where gold was first discovered, a winze was sunk 15ft., and a cross-cut put in to cut the reef at the bottom of the winze. Driving on the reef was carried on to the westward for 25ft., and the winze sunk a further depth of 15ft., giving a depth of 30ft. from the surface, with gold all the way. An average of two men was employed. Golden Point, Gordon's Claim, lies to the west of Davey's claim. A reef was discovered on the surface of jointy white quartz, in hard blocks, and from Ift. to 4ft. in thickness. A clay seam on the hanging-wall side is worth about 50z., and the remainder loz., to the ton. About 40ft. has been driven on the reef, giving 20ft. of backs, and the reef maintains the same character; 80 chains of trenching was done before the reef was discovered. Two men were employed. Victoria Claim, east of Davey's, an area of 15 acres, has been marked out. No titles are yet obtained for the land taken up for mining in this locality. Ohui Disteict. A discovery of gold was made in this district on a hill sloping to the East Coast, about five miles to the southward of Tairua Heads. A reef or leader of 6in. in thickness was worked on by driving and trenching. A winze was also sunk for 12ft., and a parcel of quartz taken out. Another reef, about 400 yards further up the hill, and which is 3ft. to 4ft. in thickness, was also worked on. A portion of the quartz taken out was sent to the Thames, along with that from the smaller reef, and crushed, 8 tons yielding 17oz. lOdwt. of gold. McGregor and party, the prospectors, have applied for a licensed holding of 30 acres, and also for a water-race, to be used in driving crushing machinery. There are several parties prospecting in this locality, and three other licensed holdings applied for. I have not heard of any discovery, but gold is found on the surface in the adjacent ground. Whangamata Disteict. No mining has been done during the year. Whabekibaupunga Disteict. Parties of prospectors occasionally do a little work at this place, but on account of its inaccessible nature no claims have been taken up. OHINEMURI COUNTY. Mabatoto Disteict. Maratoto Mine (W. Nicholls and party, owners). —The workings of this mine are in the levels opened by the original Maratoto Company. Much of the ore that was then rejected has been found since to pay handsomely. The crushing-plant consists of grinding-pan and settler, and the bullion, which is chiefly silver, is worth only 6s. 6d. per ounce, and is obtained by amalgamation; 200 tons treated gave 2,3490z. sdwt. of bullion. Three men were employed. Kaeangahake Disteict. Woodstock United Mine (Woodstock Gold-mining Company, owners). —This mine, which now includes the Ivanhoe and Truro, has been steadily worked during the year. Mr John McCombie, the manager, gives the following account of what has been done: "Operations on the company's account have been confined during the past year to the No. 2 lode, which averages 4ft. in thickness wherever work has been carried out upon it. Since last annual report this lode has been opened out at the No. 3 level, which is located about 150 ft. below the No. 2 level, and about 250 ft. above the bed of the Waitawheta Biver, vertical measurement. The necessary connections between this level and the horse section of tram-line have also been effected by the construction of a complete system of hoppers and an aerial tramway. Here the No. 2 lode has already been driven upon for 150 ft., and it has carried a high percentage of the precious metals throughout for the whole of the distance. A winze has also been sunk upon it to a depth of 70ft. below the No. 2 level, and there the lode, varying from 3ft. to sft. in width, gives an average assay value of £6 per ton. Above the No. 2 level about 15 fathoms of stoping has been done, and about 5 fathoms of stoping has been done above the No. 3 level. At the lastmentioned level a cross-cut has been driven for a distance of 123 ft., and the whole of the workings have been secured with heart of kauri timber. For the year ending 31st of March, 1894,- the quantity of ore dealt with on the company's account was 568 tons for a return of 1,5170z. melted bullion, value £1,729. During the same period the ore treated for tributers amounted to 59 tons, yielding 71oz. melted bullion, value £173. About 60 per cent, on the assay value was recovered by battery and pan-amalgamation from both lots of ore. The average number of men employed was, sixteen wages-men and two tributers. Crown Mine (Crown Mines Gold-mining Company, Limited, owners). —The work done in this mine during the year has been confined to opening-up levels on the main reef on both sides of the Waitawheta Stream ; 800 ft. of driving has been done, and 790 fathoms of reef stoped out. The reef averages sft. in thickness. 4,544 tons were crushed, yielding bullion containing 4,8730z. of gold