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tests made of the different reefs on the property, the superintendent is sanguine that when the works are all completed, and battery working, there will be no doubt as to its ultimate success. Two hundred men are employed. Matarangi District. Very little work has been done in this locality, and no returns have been published. Kuaotunu District. Mariposa Mine (Area, 101 acres; owners, Mariposa Gold-mining Company, Limited). —A considerable amount of work has been done in this mine during the year—2,3B2 ft. of driving, 660 ft. of rising work, sinking winzes 200 ft., and sinking main shaft 6 ft. A new reef, called the East lode, has been discovered in a cross-cut driven from No. 2 level, and 300 ft. has been driven on the quartz, which has all proved payable. A cross-cut is being driven at No. 3 level to intersect this reef at a depth of 150 ft. below where it is now worked. During the year the battery has not been continuously employed on account of scarcity of water for the tables and sumps. This has naturally lessened the output from the mine. The quantity of quartz crushed was 4,740 tons, for a yield, by amalgamation, of 834 oz. 8 dwt. of gold, value £1,876 10s. 2d.; and, by the cyanide process, 895 oz. 2 dwt., value £1,901 3s. 6d.: total value, £3,777 13s. Bd. Forty-seven men were employed. It is now imperative to sink a shaft for the purpose of opening the reefs at a greater depth, as the shallower levels will shortly be exhausted. On this matter the mine-manager, Mr. John Goldsworthy, has afforded the following information: "Deep-sinking: From indications at present low level (No. 4) we have every reason to hope that our deep-sinking scheme will be a success. A petition has been forwarded to Government by the townsfolk here praying for a subsidy to assist us to carry out this deep-sinking scheme with greater facility; we have also made formal application for the same. Mine machinery : Of this we have none at present, but there is on the way from Home a consignment of machinery consisting of steam pumping and winding plant for use in our deep-sinking scheme. We can at this juncture give no plans or particulars ; we are not in possession of same. We are making preparations for the deep-sinking. A large chamber has been cut out at No. 4 level and timbered; the main shaft sunk to a depth of 6 ft.; smoke-passage, rope-passage, and rise for poppet-heads are all but completed. The steam plant will be underground, in this chamber." The Jupiter Mine is now owned by this company. Irene Mine (Area, 67 acres; owners, Irene (Hauraki) Gold-mines, Limited). —A considerable amount of work was carried on during the year. 1,050 ft. was driven on the strike of the Try Fluke reef, and 300 ft. of cross-cutting. A hundred tons of quartz crushed at the Great Mercury Mine yielded, by amalgamation, 27 oz. 10 dwt., value £58 Is. lOd.; and, by the cyanide process, 15 oz. 13 dwt., value £23 13s. sd. : total value, £81 15s. 3d. An average of ten men were employed. Kapai- Vermont Mine (Area, 35 acres 2 roods 30 perches; owners Kapai-Vermont Goldmining Company, Limited). —This mine is the most southerly of the gold-producing mines on the line of the Try Fluke reef, and hitherto has been worked from levels. During the past year the development works have been somewhat limited. The main low level (No. 3), at a depth of 308 ft., is now in a distance of 790 ft., the reef averaging about 2Jft., but during the extension of the last 300 ft. the ore obtained has not been payable. A cross-cut going east was commenced at a point 360 ft. along the line of reef in the low level, with the object of intersecting any lodes that might traverse the property in that direction, but after a distance of 132 ft. had been penetrated this was discontinued, nothing of an encouraging nature having been met with. With the exception of the works above mentioned, the operations have been almost entirely confined to stoping out the block between No. 2 and No. 3 levels. This has been exhausted, and further development by sinking is now necessary. The manager is awaiting the instruction of the Board of Directors to proceed with the sinking of a shaft on the underlie of the reef to a depth of 300 ft. When this work is carried out there is every hope that the mine will again take a prominent place among the bullion-producers. The quantity of quartz crushed during the year amounted to 3,027 tons, for 2,048 oz. of gold; value, £4,668 Bs. This was all recovered by the cyanide process. The cost of mining the quartz was Bs. lid., and the cost of milling and treatment 15s. 9d., per ton. The number of men employed was twenty-nine in mine and mill. Waitaia Mine (Area, 85 acres 2 roods ; owners, Waitaia Gold-mines, Limited). —A large amount of work has been done in mine development during the year—l,Bo7 ft. of driving on reefs, 341 ft. of cross-cutting, and 192 ft. sinking and rising. No bulk of quartz has been crushed pending the erection of a mill on the company's own account, but a parcel of specimens gave a return of 14 oz. 19 dwt. of gold; value, £40 14s. 9d. Twenty men were employed. Juno Mine (Area, 28 acres; owners, Juno Gold-mining Company).—Two men were employed during the year. Twenty-five tons of quartz was crushed, for a yield of 19 oz. 5 dwt.; value, £55 16s. 6d. Prospecting work was also done in the Invicta, Haridsworth, Golden Anchor, Aorere, and other mines, but no yield of gold has been recorded. Great Mercury -Mirae.—Operations are confined to the Red Mercury section of the mine. The lodes under development are three in number—viz., Just in Time, Red Mercury, and Foot-wall Reef. The ore-bodies vary from 6 in. up to 2 ft. in thickness, and are very patchy in character ; and, as a result, the stone has to be selected. The ore is free-milling, and in consequence there is no trouble with the cyanide process. The extraction is from 85 to 90 per cent., and the cost of treatment is 4s. lOd. per ton. 470 tons of quartz and 433 tons of tailings have lately been treated, for 332 oz. of gold. Sixteen men have been employed in the mine and battery. Mercury Bay District. Prospecting operations have been carried on in the Moehau and Mahakirau districts, and, in order to enable the miners to test any quartz, the Government is about to erect a small crushing plant for that purpose.

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