93

a—3

Waihi-Grand Junction Mine (Area, 280 acres). —This mine comprises two blocks of land—the Grand Junction section, of 190 acres, adjoining the Waihi Mine, on the north-east; and the Waihi West section, adjoining the Waihi Mine, to the south-west. In the Grand Junction section a shaft has been sunk to a depth of 507 ft. and a cross-cut driven at that level 167 ft. to the northward and 199 ft. to the southward of the shaft. The shaft was sunk for the first 250 ft. through the rhyolite deposit, and the remaining distance through the andesite or favourable rock, similar to what is found in the Waihi Mine adjacent. The reef, however, has not been cut in this end. In the Waihi West section a shaft was sunk to a depth of 170 ft. and a drive put in to the northward for 601 ft. To the southward a drive was put in, and at a distance of 430 ft. from the shaft a reef was cut, supposed to be the Martha reef, worked in the Waihi Mine. This drive has been further extended a distance of 350 ft., with a view of intersecting the Welcome reef, also in the Waihi Company's mine. The machinery used at the Grand Junction shaft consists of one 40-horse-power multitubular boiler, 16 ft. by 5 ft.; one Tangye 7Jin. by 12 in. winding-engine, with 4 ft. 6 in. drum; three Tangye vertical special pumps, throwing about 5,000 gallons of water per hour each from a depth of 507 ft. : at the west section, one 30-horse-power multitubular boiler, two Tangye boilers, one Davy pump, two Tangye vertical special pumps, and one hauling-engine with pair of 6 in. cylinders. Mr. J. M. Chambers, the secretary of the Waihi-Grand Junction Gold Company (Limited), of London, informs me that "the company has expended £18,000 in addition to £5,000 by the syndicate before the company was formed. If a good reef is discovered more machinery will be put down to develop the mine and a crushing plant will be erected." Forty-eight men were employed. Waihi Consols Mine (Area, 2,000 acres). —This mine adjoins the west section of the Grand Junction Mine. A shaft was sunk to a depth of 160 ft., but further development was not undertaken from there. The shaft in the west section of Grand Junction was then used, and the northern drive continued for 200 ft., but no discovery was made. Six men were employed. Prospecting was done in the Mount Waihi and Sir Julius Claims, of 100 acres each, but, as sinking must be carried on, work has been suspended pending further arrangements being made. In the Waihi Extended and Star of Waihi very little work has been done, and in the Waihi Eeefs a shaft has been sunk to a depth of 170 ft., with a view of striking the Amaranth reef. No further work has been done in the Queen of Waihi. Martha Extended (Area, 130 acres). —In this mine, which lies about three miles north-west of Waihi, a considerable amount of driving has been done from different drives, one 383 ft. and the others 125 ft., 102 ft., and 112 ft. Several well-defined reefs have been cut, carrying a little gold and silver. Six men were employed. Waihi Monument (Area, 100 acres). —This mine lies about four miles east of Waihi Township. The shaft was sunk to a depth of 110 ft., and a drive put in from the bottom of the shaft 86 ft. It is intended to sink to a depth of 160 ft. in order to get into more solid country, and then cross-cut for the reef, which on the surface is from 12 ft. to 15 ft. in width. Eight men were employed. Great Northern Mine (Area, 100 acres). —The land is situated about five miles north of Waihi, and near Wharekiraupunga. Two reefs were cut in surface drives, and a low level advanced 211 ft., in order to cut the reefs 100 ft. deeper. The first reef is 4 ft. in width, and the other, which is of a flinty nature, is 45 ft. wide. It is expected that the reefs will be cut in the low level when the drive is extended to 330 ft. Four men were employed. King of Waihi (Area, 89 acres). —Three prospecting drives were put in, of a total length of 500 ft. ; a large reef of flinty quartz 20 ft. in width was cut, and also a number of quartz veins. Three men were employed. Mataura Mine (Area, 86 acres). —Driving to the extent of 648 ft. has been carried on to cut a reef 12 ft. in thickness, consisting of hard flinty quartz. Four men were employed. Waihi South Mine (Area, 128 acres). —This mine is situated to the westward of the Waihi Township and to the south of the Waihi West. A shaft has been sunk to a depth of 150 ft., and a drive put in from the shaft to the southward 50 ft. and northward 150 ft. No quartz has yet been cut. Two Tangye boilers, with pump and steam-winch for winding, is all the machinery used. Thirteen men were employed. Prospecting works have been carried on in the Waihi Golden Pinnacle, Waitete, Waitete Extended, Waihi Proprietary, Queen of Waihi, Ohinemuri, El Dorado, Waihi Eeefs, Waihi Welcome, Waihi Mint, and Flower of Waihi. Wharekiraupunga District. A large amount of prospecting has been done in the Eoyal Standard Mine. The reefs are being opened up and a tramway made to a point on a creek where machinery can be landed. A large battery of forty stamps is to be erected near the mine, and, as there is ample water-power adjacent, this company will be in a position to treat quartz of low grade. The mill is to be fitted with all the latest appliances in gold-saving. Mr. J. G. Ealph, the manager, gives the following account of the mine and works :— The low-level tunnel has been driven a total distance of 151 ft., at right angles to the general course of the various lodes traversing the property. This is sufficiently large to admit of a horsetram line being laid. The country-rock is a very hard, splintery, close-grained andesite. The Eoyal Standard main lode will be intersected at this level, at a total distance of 640 ft., giving 380 ft. of backs, and affording crushing material for years to come before sinking is resorted to. The Le Messurier level is being driven along the foot-wall side of the Le Messurier reef. Bore-holes are drilled at equal distances along the lode, and the borings assayed, which proves the quartz to be highly payable. A cross-cut is to be commenced at a point 200 ft. from the mouth, and driven