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Golden Point Mine (Area, 120 acres ; owner, Golden Point Gold-mining Company). —Operations on the leaders cut in the shaft-workings were carried on for a time, but only a small parcel of 2| tons of quartz was crushed, for 1 oz. 6 dwt. of gold. Mahara Boyal (Limited), Tapu. —ln June, 1896, an option was taken over the Mahara and the Royal Special Claims by the Austinfriars Finance Syndicate, of London, and shortly afterwards it was floated into an English company with a subscribed capital of £30,000. This property is managed by the Thames Exploration Syndicate. When the property was taken over, the Eoyal reef had been cut in the surface level with only a few feet of backs. It was decided, for the future development of the property, to open up a lower level at a perpendicular depth of 80 ft., which, with the underlie, gave about 140 ft. of backs. When the reef was cut at this lower level, driving north and south on the course of the reef was proceeded with, and very fair prospects obtained. Reports were forwarded to London recommending a certain course of action for further developing and opening up the property. When some 300 ft. had been driven on the main reef the construction of a water-race was commenced, capable of driving a thirty-head battery even in the summer. A ten-head stamper battery was also erected, to test the reef for a period of twelve months prior to putting up a larger plant. The water-race and erection of battery were completed about October, 1897, since which time crushing has been continuously carried on. The reef averages about 6 ft., varying from 2 ft. to 10 ft. About 2,200 tons of ore have been treated, for a yield of about 1,000 oz. of bullion, at £3 Is. 6d. per oz. This has not only paid the working-expenses, but has also paid for further development of the property. A drive has been made in the Fluke section of the property with 250 ft. of backs. The reef has been cut, but the value of it has not yet been ascertained. Another new adit has been commenced to cut the Royal reef at a lower level, which will give another 150 ft. of backs on the same reef under the present workings. Some 600 ft. of driving will be required to cut the reef. About 800 tons of tailings have been saved for treatment by cyanide. Various tests made show the value to be about £1 per ton. It is the company's intention to increase the size of the plant, and also to erect cyanide plant, in October or November next. Five tons of ore are now being shipped to London for experimental purpos.es. Waiomo District. Monowai Mine (Area, 89 acres; owners, Monowai Gold-mines, Limited). —A large amount of work has been done in opening up the levels on the reef: At the No. 3b level 500 ft. have been driven on a large reef 30 ft. in width; on No. 3a level 300 ft. of driving has been done on the reef; on No. 2 level a winze is being sunk on the reef to connect with No. 3b level; and winzes are also in progress to connect and ventilate the different levels. Large blocks of reef will be available for stoping as soon as the mill is in order and water for power can be had. A ground tramway 100 chains in length is being constructed for the purpose of conveying the quartz to the battery. Two incline sections are on this line, one 6 chains and the other 14 chains in length. The Gem reef, which has been well opened in the section to the westward of the Monowai, is connected with the mill by a ground tramway 60 chains in length. On this line there is an incline of 18 chains, the trucks being lowered and raised by the use of a brake-wheel and wire-rope. The mill, which consists of one rock-breaker of ten stamps, one berdan, two Brown and Stamford's concentrators, five cyamde-vats, and two zinc filters, is driven by a Pelton wheel for the stamps and a portable steam-engine for the concentrators. The treatment to be adopted is wet-crushing and amalgamation, then concentration, the concentrates to be shipped to England for treatment, and the tailings treated by the cyanide process. The ore in the Monowai reef is highly charged with copper, and has not hitherto been successfully dealt with for the extraction of gold and silver in other than an experimental manner, but the methods now to be adopted give promise of successful application. Forty-five men are employed. Prospecting operations were for a short time carried on in the Comstock, Broken Hill, and other mines in this district. Puru District. Puru Consolidated Mine (Area, 392 acres; owners, Puru Consolidated Gold-mining Company). —The chief work done during the year was the erection of a battery of ten stamps and two amal-gamating-pans. This will be driven by water-power. A race has been cut 40 chains in length, and a fall of 28 ft. is had at the battery. An aerial tramway, 33 chains in length, conveys the quartz to the battery. The mine is well opened up, the reef being about 3 ft. in thickness, and, as gold is visible in the quartz, there is a hopeful outlook for success when sufficient water is available to drive the machinery. Prospecting has been carried on in some other claims, but not to any great extent. In the Alma Claim, situated between the Puru and Tararu Creeks, prospecting work has been carried on for a few months. Tararu District. Tararu Mine (Area, 160 acres; owners, Tararu Creek Gold-mining Company).—Operations have been carried on in extending the low level, which has now reached a distance of 2,350 ft. from the entrance, and at the end is 638 ft. below the surface. Driving and stoping was also carried on on Nos. 3 and 4 levels, and 1,970 tons of quartz was brought to the mill and crushed, for 426 oz. of gold saved by amalgamation, value £1,288 12s. Bd., and 1,995 oz. by the cyanide process, value £1,057 7s. lid. Forty-seven men were employed. On the 25th March the mill was entirely destroyed by fire, and a new plant, consisting of thirty head of modern stampers, with stonebreaker and ore-feeder and six cyanide vats, is to be erected. In place of the old overshot waterwheel a Pelton will be used. Kaiser Mine (Area, 49 acres; owners, Kaiser Gold-mining Company).—The drive on the new reef was continued to a distance of 104 ft., the quartz being from 1 ft. to 3 ft. in width. A low