C—3a.

14

From the opening of the district to the 31st March last 738,006 tons of quartz have been crushed, from which 511,095 oz. of gold has been obtained, representing a value of £2,003,566, out of which £594,368 has been distributed in dividends. The total amount of alluvial gold raised for the same period is approximately estimated at 137,520 oz., representing a value of £510,894. The total production of the district is, as far as can be ascertained, 648,615 oz. of gold, of a value of £2,514,460. The following table will show the calls, &c, made by various companies in the district during the year:—~

I submit for your information the following account of the work done by the principal mines in the district during the year:— Cbushington. Keep-it-Dark. —The principal work done during the year has been the opening-up and development of the new reef which was discovered in the early part of the year in close proximity to the main shaft. The reef was discovered by driving from No. 1 level, which is 150 ft. in depth from the brace. The reef has been driven on in this level upwards of 156 ft., and is fully 9 ft. wide. In No. 2 level, which is 313 ft. down from the brace, the reef has also been disclosed and driven on 174 ft., maintaining the same average thickness as on No. 1 level, with better quality stone. A rise has been put up from No. 2 to No. 1 level, and from No. 1 level to the surface, which gives good ventilation, and will greatly facilitate the filling-in of the mine with mullock from the surface as the reef is stoped up. In No. 3 level, which is 476 ft. down from the brace, a tunnel is being driven to intersect the reef. This drive is now in a little over 200 ft., and it is expected the reef will be met with in about 60 ft. from the present face. Should the reef be of the same dimensions as on the other levels above, it will produce a very large body of stone, as there will be over 400 ft. of backs to stope out. . The only stone crushed during the year has been what was produced by driving tne levels and putting up rises on this reef. By various tests which have been made of the tailings it is found that there is a large amount of fine gold being lost by the ordinary battery treatment. _ The company is at present erecting an extensive plant for the treatment of the whole of the tailings by the cyanide process, and -it is confidently expected that the yield of gold will be materially increased by the process. The plant will be completed and in working order by the end of April. The total output of the mine is 127,696 tons of quartz, which yielded 67,631 oz. of gold, valued at £263,393 Is. 7d., out of which dividends to the amount of £113,416 13s. 4d. have been paid. No: 2 South Keep-it-Dark.— Prospecting operations have been carried on principally in driving a crosscut westward from old line of reef on No. 3 level, which is 475 ft. in depth from brace of main winding-shaft. This drive is directly crossing the strata. The rock passed through is a mixture of sandstone and slate. One or two narrow belts of soft slate intermixed with pug have been passed through, but, with the exception of a few small leaders, no quartz so far has been discovered. The drive is now in 516 ft. from old line of reef.

Company. Calls made. Dividends, Yield of Gold. Value of Gold. £ s. d. 1,600 0 0 666 13 4 16 0 0 58 6 8 £ Tons. 115 Oz. dwt. gr. 25 3 0 £ s. d. 99 7 3 Cumberland Extended Dillon Extended ... Al Company -Kirwan's Beward ... Progress Mines Welcome ... Keep-it-Dark . . No. 2 South Keep-it-Dark Maritana ... Boatman's Exploration Big Biver... 37,500 60 2,184 12 15,563 10 17 1,271 14 0 33 0 0 911 9 13 4 7 12 63,593 3 7 5,315 15 10 131 0 4 3,639 15 11 16 18 10 600 0 0 100 0 0 413 6 8 900 730 t 25 1,355 5 0 165 0 0 18 0 0 5,491 3 10 662 3 4 71 12 0 it •" St. George Golden Lead Hercules ... Snowy Creek Snowy Creek Extended Lord Edward Private companies— Last Chance Sir F. Drake (syndicate) „ (tributers) Other sources 200 0 0 600 0 0 350 0 0 200 0 0 600 0 0 200 0 0 316 0 0 350 1,069 260 132 6 21 384 15 15 181 6 9 1,442 0 0 531 8 4 1,538 2 6 732 5 7 5,764 3 8 Alluvial gol 5,920 6 8 900 42,305 21,487 18 15 2,833 0 0 87,587 11,067 1 0 0 0 Totals 24,320 18 15 98,654 1 0 * 344 tons concentrates treated by chlorination process. t Tailings by cyanide process.