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on the tribute system, with very good results. The quantity of quartz crushed during the year was 272 tons 12 cwt. 2 qr. 161b., for 995 oz. 9 dwt. of gold, valued at £2,951 18s. 4d.," for owners, and 1,604 oz. 14 dwt., valued at £4,680 7s. 6d., for tributers; total value, £7,632 ss. 10d. The machinery consists of one Cornish direct-pumping beam engine, 75-horse power, steam; one winding-engine (rotary), 24 nominal horse-power, steam; one 13-horse-power horizontal engine, driving battery, steam ; one 12-horse-power portable steam-engine; three rockdrills, driven by compressed air ; one 10-horse-power air-compressor, complete ; one 10-head battery ; two berdans, driven by steam. An average of fifty-five wages-men and twenty-seven tributers were employed. The manager, Captain Hodge, gives the following particulars about the mine : — " Work has been carried on extensively here. Our measurements for twenty lunar months, ending 17th September last, totalled over 10,000 ft. in shaft-sinking, cross-cuts, driving on reefs, rises, winzes, sloping, clearing levels, &c. The most important development in this mine has been below the 420 ft. on Scotty's Eeef, from which has been raised rich gold. It is only last month that we effected a communication to the 500 ft. level, thereby opening up a large section of ground, which, if it yielded as well as the portion already stoped away, assures a good future for the company." Scotty's Mine (Area, 68 acres and 27 perches ; owner, the Scotty's Gold-mine, Limited ; minemanager, Francis Hodge).—The depth of the shaft of this mine is 415 ft., and a locomotive-engine, 36-horse power, is used for winding. No pumping is required, the water in the workings finding its way to the Kapanga. There are five levels—viz., Battery, Golden Point, 72 ft. ; Corby, 156 ft. ; No. 3, 300 ft.; No. 4, 400 ft. Operations have not been continuously carried on during the year, but latterly thirty-one men were employed. Captain Hodge gives the following particulars with reference to the mine :— " A very considerable amount of work has been carried out here. The most important feature during the year has been the discovery of Scotty's Eeef, in the Golden Point level, close to the new shaft. It has since been cut in the Corby level below, and is being worked as the principal development of the mine. Judging from its indications, and comparing its character to the Kapanga, there is every reason to hope that we shall have good discoveries as we proceed." Blagrove's Freehold Mine (Area, 128 acres ; owner, Blagrove's Freehold Gold-mining Company, Limited ; manager, H. Battens). —Mr. H. Battens, mine-manager, gives an account of the workings in this mine as follows: — " During this period the eastern shaft has been sunk a further depth of 48 ft. When we had gone 150 ft. the water became more than we could contend with, having only a tank. A Tangye pump was obtained and lowered, but in order to do this it was found necessary to enlarge the shaft. To the depth of 150 ft. it was 6 ft. by 3 ft. within timbers, but below that depth it became necessary to enlarge it to 7 ft. by 4 ft. This was done, the shaft securely timbered, and with centres, guides, and ladderways complete. 50 ft. below the adit-level we cut a chamber 8 ft. by 7 ft. by 7 ft. Here the No. 1 leader (which went down vertically with the shaft, and had a strike from east to west) junctioned with No. 3 reef, this having the same strike, and dipping north at an angle of 45 degrees. We drove east and west on the junction of Nos. 1 and 3 reefs, getting gold in each direction. East we got some very rich specimens. A considerable amount of driving on No. 3 reef at the 200 ft. level has been done, and the reef right through proved itself a fine compact body of quartz, encased in two well-defined walls, and running through a good country rock. It had varied in thickness from 6 in. to 4ft., and at times produced rich specimens, though not in quantities sufficient to prove payable. We have also driven south on No. 2or Scotty's Reef for some distance. Just before suspending operations the reef faulted, and in driving to the left to pick it up again we came across a leader composed of quartz, arsenical and iron pyrites, having visible gold in the stone. This may prove to be the No. 2 reef. At the same time we merged into a splendid class of country, consisting of kindly sandstone, nothing approaching it having been met with since we started to drive south from the main cross-cut on this reef. The marked improvement in the country is no doubt accountable for the presence of gold at this point. In driving south on No. 2 or Scotty's Eeef in the old workings in the spur we intersected No. 1 reef, from which we got the gold in the eastern shaft. We drove some distance on it, occasionally seeing gold. We have also done a good deal of driving in the spurs, with a view to prospecting the property, but nothing very favourable was met with, though gold was occasionally seen. A large amount of cross-cutting has been done during the year, most of it being necessary to establish the connection with the eastern shaft. We have risen on No. 3 reef, timbered up same, formed mullock-pass and ladder-way, and also on the footwail branch of No. 3. From the 50 ft. level, east of eastern shaft, we sunk a winze on No. 3 reef, and obtained strong colours of gold in the quartz, but an influx of water caused us to abandon work for a time. From the adit-level a winze was sunk to connect with the 50 ft. level below. A considerable amount of stoping has been done on the various reefs and leaders, from which we have obtained a quantity of low-grade ore. The connection of the eastern shaft with the main engine-shaft is a matter of very great importance, all work now proceeding from the latter resulting in a great saving of labour and coal. We erected a portable boiler on the eastern shaft to drive the Tangye pump. The big pumping-engine has also been started, and all necessary alterations completed in the pitwork to allow of a 6 ft. stroke in the shaft. The mine is now equipped-with a first-class plant, and all the necessary appliances for the safety of the men employed are of the most complete kind, and no accident of any kind has as yet occurred in the mine. The tutwork measurements are as follows : Drives on reefs and leaders, 521 ft.; stopings, 2,351 ft.; rises, 164 ft.; winzes, 106 ft.; shaft, 48 ft.; cross-cuts, 510 ft." New Hero Mine (Area, 26 acres and 32 perches).—This mine is situated north-east of Scotty's. The low level was continued with the view of intersecting at this depth Murphy's reef, which was worked on at the surface-levels in the early days, and from which a considerable amount of gold