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NORTH ISLAND. Puhipuhi Mining District. Operations in this district have not been carried on with much vigour, although attention is still directed to the quartz-workings. The following special claims are. now held for mining purposes : —

Abstract of Licenses for Special Claims issued from the Warden's Office at Whangarei, in the Puhipuhi Mining District, and registered on or before the 31st March, 1898, in the Books of the Mining Registrar at Whangarei:—

Operations in this field have been almost nil during the past year. The owners of the British Company's Mine failed to induce any of the mining syndicates to advance funds to further work their claims, and two of them were surrendered. Another party has taken up the ground, but has not yet made a commencement towards carrying on further works, although two men have lately been prospecting near the surface. Several other claims that had been surrendered were again taken up by fresh owners, and from two of these areas—the Star of England Nos. 1 and 2— it is intended to send parcel of 100 tons of silver-bearing ore to be treated at the Montezuma thermo-hyperphoric plant at Te Aroha. At Kauri Mountain matters have remained at a standstill, and, as far as can be learned, the prospects met with have not been of much importance. Ohaeawai. No further operations have been carried on in working the cinnabar and free mercury deposits near the hot springs. Gbeat Baeeiee Island. Mining operations have not been vigorously carried on. Many of the claims taken up have been entirely neglected, and the results from the chief mines so far have not proved of very great importance. The following list shows the whole of the claims registered, and for which titles were in existence, at the end of the year:—

Name. Locality hi which , h Operations Ca nital are being carried on. k ' British Office. Tokatea Consols Tokatea of Hauraki Triumph Hauraki Gold-mines Tui Gold-mines Union Waihi Gold-mining Company United New Zealand Exploration Victor Waihou Gold-mining Company Waihi Consolidated Gold-mines .. Waihi Gold-mining Company Waihi Grand Junction Waihi Proprietary Company Waihi Silverton Extended Waihi Gladstone Waihi New Waitaia Gold mines Waitekauri Consolidated Gold-mines Waitekauri Central Waitekauri Cross Waitekauri Extended Waitekauri Gold Waitekauri United Waitekauri Union Claims Whangamata Proprietary Woodstock «< Coromandel Tui Creek Waihi .. General .. Karangahake Waihi .. General .. Waihi .. £ 100,000 150,000 100,000 100,000 200,000 250,000 170,000 200,000 160,000 150,000 175,000 60,000 100,000 160,000 100,000 120,000 65,000 100,000 130,000 150,000 150,000 300,000 200,000 150,000 45 and 46, Broad Street Avenue. 63 and 64, New Broad Street. Finsbury House. 8, Old Jewry. 11, Abchurch Lane. 22, Austinfriars. 63 and 64, New Broad Street. 39, Lombard Street. 11, Abchurch Lane. 18, Finsbury Circus. Bishopsgate Street House, E.C. 23, College Hill, E.G. 8, Old Jewry. 11, Abchurch Lane. 82, Gordon Street, Glasgow. Swan Chambers, E.C. 63, New Broad Street. 19a, Coleman Street. 63 and 64, Now Broad Street. 11, Abchurch Lane. Finsbury House, E.C. College Hill Chambers. College Hill Chambers. 6, Drapers' Gardens. Thames .. General .. Waitekauri Hauraki Whangamata Karangahake

Date of License Area. Locality. Block. Survey District. _L Name of Claim. Name of Registered Owner. 12/2/96 A. B. P. 94 2 12 Puhipuhi .. III. Hukerenui Plymouth Rook British Gold- and Silver-mining Co. (N.L.). New Puhipuhi Gold-mining Go. (N.L.). British Gold- and Silver-mining Co. (N.L.). J. Harrison. Waimarie Gold-mining Co. (N.L.). Dr. Jim Gold-mining Go. (N.L.). J. Harrison. George E. Alderton. David Nairn Shaw (Glasgow, Scotland). Ditto. 8/7/96 100 0 0 III. New Puhipuhi 8/7/96 100 0 0 III. Mikado 8/7/96 8/7/96 11/9/96 11/9/96 23/12/96 9/9/97 100 0 0 100 0 0 100 0 0 100 0 0 100 0 0 100 0 0 III. III. III. III. III. 111. Success Waimarie Dr. Jim Success Extended .. Uitlander Great Northern No. 1 Puhipuhi State Forest Ditto 9/9/97 9/9/97 17/2/98 17/2/98 100 0 0 96 0 0 100 0 0 100 0 0 III. III. III. III. Great Northern No. 2 Great Northern No. 3 Star of England Star of England Ext. Montezuma Gold-mining Go. Montezuma Gold-mining Co., Te Aroha.