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C—3

Karaka District. Karaka Mines Mine (Area, 84 acres 3 roods 20 perches). —The land comprises that portion of the field lying between Collarbone Creek and Karaka Creek formerly known as the Prosperity and Little Nell Claims. The claim was protected during the greater portion of the year, but since the beginning of 1897 operations have been commenced by the Austinfriars' Syndicate, of London, and the old low level, near the Karaka Creek, cleared for 460 ft., and a drive on the reef, which is 4 ft. in thickness, put in 50 ft. Five men were employed. Claremont Mine (Area, 3 roods 13 perches).—This mine is owned and worked by Mr. George Bryant. The workings are on the north side of the Karaka Creek, and on a line of flinties. Several small reefs and veins run across the belt of flinties at right angles, and it is at and near these junctions where the gold is retained. Specimens of rich quartz are found where the flinty is severed by the quartz vein, showing that apparently the flinty vein is of the oldest formation, in that the fissure filled by the quartz must have been formed subsequent to the formation of the flinty vein. A parcel of 521 lb. of quartz was crushed, for 402 oz. 6 dwt. ; value, £1,126 Bs. 9d. One man was employed. May Queen Extended Mine (Area, 47 acres). —The work carried on during the year in this mine was mostly of a prospecting nature. The low level worked through the Lone Hand and Adelaide ground has been driven in the May Queen Extended ground about 200 ft., making from the mouth of the tunnel 2,200 ft. A cross-cut in the Onehunga section has been put in about 20 ft., and a drive 120 ft. on a reef averaging 2 ft. wide. From a large 18 ft. reef in the creek 81 tons was crushed, for 13 oz. 17 dwt. gold ; value, £37 7s. lid. A drive is now being put in on a 5 ft. reef in the Hokianga section. The company has purchased Bull's battery of twenty-three stamps and thirteen berdans. The 81 tons from the Big Eeef is all that has been crushed for the company, the battery being mostly employed in crushing for other mines. Four wages-men were employed. The New Hauraki, Only Chance, and other claims have been taken up in this district, and more or less prospecting done. Adelaide Mine (Area 21 acres 3 roods). —This mine is situated on the western slope of the Una Hill. The shaft has been sunk to a depth of 410 ft., and a level driven on the reef. A winze was sunk from the adit to the low level. Portions of the reef were stoped out, and a cross-reef also worked on. A parcel of 81 tons of quartz was crushed, for a yield of 63 oz. 17 dwt. ; value, £187 16s. 6d : and a small party of tributers crushed 25 tons, for 14 oz. 19 dwt. ; value, £43 lis. Twelve wages-men and four tributers were employed. The Thames Claim, of 51 acres, consisting of portion of the Una Hill, has again been taken up, but very little work has yet been done. Gloucester Mine (Area, 87 acres). —This mine is situated in the Upper Karaka, and includes the ground formerly known as the Lucky Hit. Prospecting has been carried on during the latter three months of the year, and a commencement has now been made to sink a shaft 12 ft. by 5 ft. in the clear, for the purpose of testing at a low level the No. 2 and Good Fortune reefs, from which good returns were formerly obtained in the surface levels. Eight men were employed. Prospecting work has also been carried on in the European, Duplex, Lincoln, Bell Eock, Manchester, Mclsaacs, and Young Australia, all situated in the Upper Karaka. Little Willie Claim. —A parcel of specimens was crushed, for 20 oz. 13 dwt. of gold; value, £57 16s. sd. Two men were employed. Una Hill and Te Papa District. Occidental Mine (Area, 59 acres). —This mine now includes the old North Star ground. The chief workings were conducted from the adit known as the Una low-level tunnel, and driving was done on the Hague Smith reef, from which small parcels of gold were obtained. The workings in the North Star section are, however, the best for turning out payable quartz. It is the intention to continue a low level from the adit, to prospect the reefs in this district at a greater depth than has yet been attained. A parcel of 119 tons of quartz yielded 239 oz. 2 dwt.; value, £645 lis. sd. Seven men were employed. Fortuna Mine (Area, 61 acres). —This mine has not been vigorously worked. A crushing of 28 tons yielded 9oz. 8 dwt.; value, £25 7s. Bd. Four men were employed. Homeivard Bound Claim. —A crushing of 10tons 10cwt. of quartz yielded 6oz. of gold; value, £16 2s. One man was employed. Hape Greek. Anchor Mine. —This claim was granted to Mr. Adolph Kohn in the latter end of 1895, and the ground for a time protected; but latterly a large staff of miners have been employed in prospecting and reopening some of the older workings. The following extract from the New Zealand Herald gives a very correct description of the work carried on : — " This mining property, which is situated on the left-hand spur of the Hape Creek, just above the Old Consols Mine, and comprising an area of 96 acres 2 roods, is being developed most vigorously by an English syndicate known as the Hauraki (Auckland) Goldfields Syndicate (Limited). Operations were commenced at the latter end of October, since which date the syndicate have not only reopened and repaired no less than five different levels for. a total length of several thousands of feet, and commenced operations in each of them, but also erected a four-stamp battery, with three berdans, for the purpose of practically testing the various lodes that exist in the property. At preseut a staff of thirty miners is employed. So far the prospects met with have been of a very encouraging character, quite good enough to warrant the expenditure being incurred. Several reefs that have in past years and at higher levels yielded excellent returns of gold trend through the whole length of the property. The works now in progress will eventually test these same bodies at a greater depth below the surface. One of these