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Thames County. Mata. —Kelly and party have constructed a water-race to convey water for sluicing purposes, and several other parties occasionally obtain a few ounces of gold by sluicing. Several areas of land have been taken up as quartz-claims. Tapu. —The Sheridan, Royal, and Fluke Mines have been working, and a shaft, where steam machinery is used, has been sunk at Golden Point. Waiomo. —The Monowai Mine has been used both for the cyanide and chlorination processes, and the results from the mine are said to be of an encouraging nature. Several other parties have been prospecting, and large areas taken up. Puru. —A number of special claims have been taken up in this district, and large bodies of quartz have been discovered in some of them. With the water-power available for crushing purposes ore of low grade could be made payable. Tararu. —ln Upper Tararu the Scandinavian Mine, with four stamps, has proved payable, and additional stamps are now being erected. The Norfolk, City of Dunedin, and other mines have been disposed of to the Tararu Mines Company floated in London. The mine is being opened up and the battery put in such a state that cyanide, concentration, and improved processes in gold-saving can be introduced. Kuranui and Moanataiari Creeks. —A company has been formed to work Hanson's Mine, and the Shotover shaft has again been opened. The Hazlebank and Comer's are under offer to an English company, while the Moanataiari Mine has been disposed of to the above company, and £25,000 is available to thoroughly open up and prospect the mine. The Alburnia Company have sunk their shaft to a depth of 345 ft., and are opening up fresh blocks of reef. An English company has purchased this mine. Several other companies have taken up ground in this locality, and are carrying on prospecting operations. All available land in this district has again been taken up. Waiotahi and Grahamstown. —The Fame and Fortune and Cambria Mines have been steadily at work; and the Waiotahi Mine still continues to yield profitable returns. The Victoria Company has reopened the old Imperial shaft, and are working a new reef, which has proved payable, and promises a continuation of satisfactory yields. The Cardigan Company has driven a cross-cut from the Saxon shaft at a depth of 317 ft., and favourable country has been discovered, and gold found in the quartz. Waiokaraka. —The May Queen Company have had good returns from the block opened up by the drive from the Saxon shaft. The value of the gold won by the company was £20,967 45., and by tributers, who worked in the Saxon section of the mine, £2,567 Bs. 7d.; total, £23,534 12s. 7d. The Queen of Beauty Mine in connection with the Deep Sinker and Deep Levels Consolidated has been taken over by the Thames Hauraki Goldfields (Limited), an English company, with a working capital of £50,000, and a commencement has been made to strip the Queen of Beauty shaft, the size of which is 7ft. 6in. by Bft. 6in. in the clear. This will be the largest gold-mining shaft in the colony, perhaps in any of the Australian Colonies, and new and improved pumping and winding machinery is to be erected. Karaka Creek. —The Adelaide Company have sunk a shaft from the side of Una Hill to the Bocky Point adit, and will continue sinking to open up the lower levels. In the other parts of the district, as well as Una Hill, Te Papa, and Hape Creek, all the available land has been taken up. In the districts of Otunui, Puriri, Tairua, Tairua Biver, Kirikiri, Wires, Ohui, Wharekawa, and Whangamata an extensive area of ground has been taken up, and very encouraging prospects met with, chiefly in large reefs. Ohinemuri County. Maratoto. —This district is again receiving attention. A large amount of prospecting work has been done in opening up the Paiakarahi Mine, and, although the quartz is not of high grade, suitable machinery driven by water-power will be erected for the economical treatment of large quantities of the ore. The old Maratoto Mine has been purchased by a syndicate, with a view to English capital being introduced. Karangahake.- —The Crown Mine has been profitably worked. The battery of twenty stamps is being enlarged, and twenty new stamps will be erected. When the forty stamps are in use the quantity of quartz treated will be doubled. The mine is well opened up. The adit-level from the Waitawheta is driven a distance of 1,200 ft. Exploring works are being carried on under waterlevel, and special machinery, driven by compressed air, is to be used for pumping and winding. The Woodstock Company are also erecting a forty-stamp battery in place of the ten stamps formerly used. The mine is well opened up, so that the new mill can be well supplied. The Talisman Company have a ten-stamp battery ready for use, and there is sufficient ore in sight to keep the mill going continuously. Prospecting is being extensively carried on in many places, and all the available ground round about Karangahake, and extending towards Mangakino and Owharoa, is occupied by special claims or licensed holdings, and as English capital is being invested in prospecting the Victor-Waihou, Earl of Glasgow, and other mines fresh discoveries of gold-bearing reefs are being made. Owharoa. —The chief work in this district is carried on by the Ohinemuri Syndicate, who have acquired a large area of freehold. They are driving a low-level adit from the Mangakara Creek, and also carrying on prospecting work on other portions of the mine. Heitman's Freehold Company are sinking a shaft near the Waitekauri Boad junction, and other companies are putting in prospecting drives. Waitekauri North. —The Waitekauri Company are making extensive works in opening up the Golden Cross reef. A low tunnel is being driven, to be about one mile and a quarter in length, to drain the shaft which is being sunk near the workings. They are also constructing a water-race