C—3

54

of £6,131 9s. 4d. The No. 2 Cardigan lode shows that it is much richer at the level than in the stopes, and also contains a greater width of ore. From what is now known respecting this lode there is every prospect of getting rich ore when the next level is opened up. Becently a winze has been sunk on the Saxon lode. The water having been drained by the pumping operations of the Thames-Hauraki, this winze is down to a depth of 23 ft., but none of the ore has yet been broken out. This winze is being sunk for the purpose of ascertaining the value of the ore prior to commencing operations to open up the mine at a greater depth. May Queen Section: New poppet-heads have been erected at the May Queen shaft; also a large Lancashire steam-boiler for supplying steam for an air-compressor and steam-pump, with all necessary buildings for carrying on mining operations from this shaft. The shaft itself has been enlarged to 12 ft. by 4 ft. 9 in. in the clear from the surface down to a depth of 520 ft., which is at the lowest drainage-level, and below this the pumping compartment is enlarged to 6 ft. by 6 ft. in the clear, with two , winding compartments of 4 ft. 9 in. by 3 ft. 10 in. each in the clear. Hanging beams are placed in the ladder-shaft above the chamber opening into the drainage-level, from which the pumps can be lowered as the sinking proceeds. Two of Cameron's sinking-pumps, having double-action rams of 9 in. in diameter, are on the ground ready to lower into their place when required. Up to the present the shaft is being sunk in a tough impervious rock, and very little water has been met with. The shaft is now sunk to a depth of 40 ft. below the drainage-level, and will have to be sunk an additional 80 ft. before a commencement is made to open out a lower chamber. Prom what is known of the Saxon, Cardigan, and May Queen lodes at the lowest level worked, the May Queen Hauraki Company is likely to have mines which will become large goldproducers, but it will yet take about eight months before they are sufficiently opened up to get on a large staff of workmen. Cardigan Mine (Area, 64 acres 2 roods; owner, Anglo-Continental Gold Syndicate, Limited). —This property was purchased by the Anglo-Continental Gold Syndicate (Limited) from the Cardigan Gold-mining Company at the end of July, 1897, and an arrangement was made between the present holders and the May Queen Hauraki Company so that prospecting operations could be carried on from the lowest or drainage level in the Saxon section of the May Queen Hauraki Company's property into the Cardigan Special Claim. A main level has been constructed from the boundary of the latter company's property for a distance of 335 ft. on the course of the Cardigan No. 2 lode, which is variable in width from a few inches to 3 ft. Since August last 112 tons of quartz has been crushed on behalf of the new proprietors, which yielded 245 oz. 1 dwt. gold, representing a value of £648 os. 9d.; and 97 tons has been crushed by tributers, which yielded 121 oz. 11 dwt., having a value of £331 12s. 4d.: making a total of 209 tons of quartz crushed, yielding 366 oz. 12 dwt., of a value of £979 13s. Id., during the past year. The gold in the lode seems to gradually get less as the stopes go upwards, and some ore which was taken from below the floor of the level shows that the lode is considerably richer in going down, so that there is every probability of a good block of ore being opened up when a deeper level is constructed. Queen of Beauty Mine (Area, 47 acres; owners, Thames-Hauraki Goldfields, Limited; minemanager, T. A. Dunlop). —This mine is to be worked from a shaft the depth of which at present is about 530 ft. The work during the year consisted in the completion of erecting the machinery, and in the enlargement of the shaft. The machinery now in use consists of—One pumping-engine, 1,000-horse power; one winding-engine, 130-horse power; one capstan engine, 95-horse power : all driven by steam, and valued at £40,000. The electric-light plant is driven by a Pelton waterwheel. A crushing of 7-J- tons of quartz when sinking yielded soz. 11 dwt. of gold, amalgamation on plates and grinding in pans. An average number of fifty men were employed. This company's pumping machinery was completed in the end of December, and was first used in sinking the shaft below water-level about the middle of January. The contractors for the machinery had to run it for a period of one month before it was finally taken over. A certificate had to be given by the Government Inspector that the whole of it was completed in a satisfactory manner. This certificate was given on the 14th March. On the company receiving this certificate it suspended operations for a period of about ten days, and again commenced pumping and sinking operations. The pumping-shaft is now enlarged to what is known as the Bth level in the old Queen of Beauty workings. The company intend to open out from this level to intersect the Vanguard lode, which is said to contain a large body of ore payable for working, and at the same time to continue enlarging the shaft to its original depth—namely, 740 ft., where rich ore is said to exist at what is known as the 11th level from the shaft. At present the water is not very heavy in the Queen of Beauty shaft. A steam Cameron double-plunger pump of 12 in. in diameter is able to cope with the water below the 330 ft. level, where the 25 in. plungers are fixed. When the company first commenced pumping they had to work the Cameron steam-pump by compressed air, but the steam-engine which was procured from the Union Ironworks, San Francisco, was not sufficiently powerful to work the aircompresser at a speed requisite to supply air for the pump ; consequently steam had to be supplied from the boilers direct to the steam-cylinder attached to the pump. All the machinery is of the best manufacture, and is capable of contending with the whole of the water in the field when a drainage-channel is constructed. Block XXVII. District. Deep Sinker Mine (Area, 93 acres; owner, Thames-Hauraki Goldfields, ; minemanager, John Somervill). —This mine is worked from a shaft 450 ft. in depth, and at, this level two cross-cuts are driven, one to the north 720 ft. and one to the south 230 ft. No reefs, so far, have been met with. The mine machinery consists of one horizontal engine, 16 in. diameter, 30 in. stroke, and a 10in. plunger and draw-lift pump, with two sets of gear; valued at £1,700. The average number of men employed during the year was seventeen.