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cate, with fair prospects. The Mclsaacs, Nonpareil, Occidental, May Queen Extended, Karaka Mines, Karaka Queen, Manchester, Thames, and Fortuna Mines are all being prospected, with fair results. The Karaka Mines and Fortuna have been disposed of to English companies, who intend carrying on work on an extensive scale. Tararu Creek Gold-mining Company (Limited). —This company has had very good results during the year. Payable ore has been met with, and at present the future of the mine looks very bright. The battery has been kept going with ten head of stamps almost all the year. A complete cyanide plant has been added, which will materially increase the output of bullion. A new highlevel water scheme is to be commenced at once, which, when completed, will enable the full head of stamps to be kept going all the year round. City of Auckland Mine. —This ground was formerly worked by the Sylvia Gold-mining Company (Limited), who took out a considerable quantity of ore, with highly satisfactory results, but the company was wound up through want of capital. The City of Auckland Company is now engaged in sinking a shaft, and intends to open up the lower levels. It is expected that the reefs worked by the old company so satisfactorily will be met with, and, if so, this will prove a valuable property. Scandinavian Mine. —A company to work this ground has lately been formed in London, and is now engaged in opening up the mine. Payable reefs have been worked by the old company, and a good quantity of ore crushed. The new company is now opening out on these reefs, and the prospects continue to be satisfactory. There are a number of miners working in the vicinity of this mine, engaged principally in prospecting operations. Some good discoveries have been made in the Kaiser, Argosy, and Vulcan Mines. Puru District. —A large number of mines are operating in this district, which is rapidly coming to the front. The Puru Consolidated Company continues to open up large blocks of reefs in which gold is freely seen. A considerable quantity of quartz is to grass and ready for crushing. It is intended to commence the erection of a battery when the roads are sufficiently good to enable the material to be carted to the machine-site. This is one of our most important new mines, and should soon be well up our list of good producers. The Big Beef Company is opening up its ground extensively, and good prospects are being obtained. The lodes are large, as is generally the case in this portion of the district. The Grand Triple, Waipuna, Queen of Puru, Ulysses, Bendigo, and Orion Companies are in every instance conducting useful prospecting operations, some of which are attended with very satisfactory results. Waiomo District. —The Monowai property has been taken over by an English company, which is pushing on permanent development works to intersect the reefs at a depth, when, if it is found that the payable ore continues, a new plant will be erected. The Anglo-Continental Syndicate are opening up the reefs in the Broken Hills property, and are conducting extensive works in the Comstock. The company hold options over both these mines. Tapu District. —The Mahara Eoyal property is being developed by the Austin Friars Syndicate, of London, and is opening up well. Excellent prospects are being met with in all parts of the mine. Contracts have been let for the erection of a ten-stamp mill, and the construction of a water-race, which are now being proceeded with. The Sheridan Mine has had a good year. Payable ore was met with, and some hundreds of pounds of specimens obtained. A low-level tunnel is being put in, and it is expected that the reef will come again. An English syndicate is working the ground, and prospects are improving. The Shannon Mine has been prospected extensively, and good reefs, showing gold, met with. A trial crushing at the School of Mines proved highly payable. The Golden Point Gold-mining Company has been reconstructed for the purpose of obtaining capital to prove the reefs at a lower level. The Mata Eeefs Company has been prospecting, with encouraging results. The Golden Horn, Club, Golden Band, and Jessie are all carrying on prospecting operations, and in some instances with good results. Several sluicing claims, a class not often met with in this district, have been taken up in the Mata and Tapu Creeks, but I have not heard of anything of importance being discovered. Whangamata District. —The Whangamata Proprietary Company (an English company), which has taken over the Luck at Last, Luck at Last Extended, and the Wharekawa special claims, is carrying on extensive development works upon the different lodes found, and, so far as these works are advanced, they are considered to be highly satisfactory. Extensive development works are going on in the Golden Mount, Phoenix, Inca, Ptolemy, Prince Charlie, Mikado, Herald, King of Whangamata, Moa, Sybil, Wairoa, Golden Falls, Three Star, and Flemington, all with good results, but nothing sensational has been discovered. Tairua District. —The Broken Hills Mine, in which last year very rich ore was found at the surface, has been taken over by an English company, and developments of an extensive nature are fairly under way. The reef has been proved to go down, and the works now going on are for the purpose of intersecting the lode which yielded such rich assays at the surface. The level is favourably situated for carrying on operations on a large scale, and also as far as the battery is concerned. The company is doing its utmost to develope the property as speedily as possible. Preliminaries are now in progress for the construction of a water-race and a large reduction plant of the latest pattern. The Albert, Tairua Proprietary, and New Year Mines, which will adjoin the Broken Hills property, are prosecuting extensive prospecting works. A great many other claims are being prospected, with more or less success. There is no doubt that this district possesses many valuable lodes which will be worked in the near future and add considerably to the yield of bullion. The class of ore is generally free-milling, and the gold easily saved.