X—7

8

Report of Assays performed at the Otaqo School of Mines at Fixed Bates by F. B. Stephens from 20th November, 1897, to 20th November, 1898. Nov. 26. Sample of quartz from W. J. Hopkins, Christehurch. Jan. 17. Sample of quartz from J. Logan, Dunedin; sixteen samples of gold bullion for Bank of New Zealand. Jan. 27. Assay and testing of sample of tailings by cyanide process; sample of quartz with arsenical pyrites from Preservation Inlet; three samples of quartz from Eobert Hay, Dunedin. Feb. 20. Four samples from W. G. Hopkins, Christehurch ; sample of quartz from A. Williams, Christehurch; two samples quartz from George Richardson, Invercargill. Feb. 22. Copper-pyrites from Hon. H. Reeves, Nelson, for gold, silver, and copper. Feb. 23. Sample of iron-pyrites, for gold, from D. Reid, jun., Dunedin ; sample of tailings from D. Reid, jun., Dunedin. Feb. 28. Sample quartz from W. G. Hopkins, Christehurch. Mar. 8. Sample quartz from Hindon. Mar. 10. Fifteen samples of bullion from Bank of New Zealand. Mar. 15. Sample of tailings from Scott, Common, and Co. Mar. 16. Berdan tailings, Morning Star Mine; sample quartz from A. Williams, Christehurch; two samples of pyrites from Mineral Springa, Taieri; sample of quartz from F. Gough, Mornington. Mar. 17. Sample of quartz from Preservation Inlet; sample of quartz tailings from Cromwell. Mar. 18. Two samples of quartz from H. A. Mac Donald, Invercargill; 11 cwt. quartz from James O'Dowd, Riverton, crushed for a return of 9dwt. 9gr. per ton. April 20. Sample of quartz from James Brown, Invercargill. April 22. Sample of quartz from James Harvey, Invercargill. April 27. Sample of quartz from Phillips, Preservation Inlet. May 2. Three samples of tailings from 0. G. S. McDoul, Oamaru. May 5. Two samples from Richard Allen, Invercargill. May 11. Sample of quartz from James Brown, Invercargill. May 13. Sample of quartz from James Browu, Invercargill. May 16. Sample of quartz Chicago Mine, Thames. May 23. Two samples of quartz from H. A. Bruce, Christchurch. June 13. Sample of pyrites from Win. Brown, Dunedin. June 22. R. Story, Merrivale : Four samples of quartz and mullock. July 20. Sample of quartz from W. B. Compton. Aug. 5. Sample of alluvial from E. Trythall, Dunedin ; sample of quartz from R. Story, Merrivale. Aug. 8. Two samples of limestone from J. A. Chapman. Aug. 9. Four samples of tailings from Bendigo. Aug. 30. Sample of quartz from W. Winnotautau. Sept. 3. Six samples of quartz from O.P.Q. Company. Sept. 6. Two samples of quartz from Thos. Aitken. Sept. 26. Sample of quartz from D. Booth, Hampden. Sept. 28. Sample of limestone from W. Sharp, Invercargill. Oct. 7. Sample of tailings from Cromwell; sample of tailings from Murray Russell. Oct. 11. Sample of pyrite from D. Reid, jun. Oct. 13. Sample of quartz from H. Mac Donald, Invercargill. Oct. 17. Sample of quartz from L. O. Beal, jun. Oct. 21. Sample of quartz from M. Wadsworth. Oct. 27. Four samples of tailings from Coromandel. Nov. 3. Sample of sand from Harty and Co. Nov. 6. Sample of ironstone from Alex. Smaill, Dunedin. Nov. 16. Two sample of berdan tailings from Reeves, Dunedin; three samples of»quartz from W. Batchelor, Invercargill. Nov. 19. Three samples of quartz ffom D. Reid, jun., Dunedin. Parcels of Ore Treated by the Testing Plant. Mar. 19. Crushed 11 cwt. of quartz for James O'Dowd, Riverton. May 2. Tested 2 tons of sand from W. Cutten, Dunedin. June 3. Crushed 1 ton of quartz for John Wren, Esq. Nov. 28. Tested 4 tons of sand from Coromandel Harbour, and performed ten assays on same. The limited extent to which the testing plant, as just shown, has been made use of by mining men during the year is—as it was last year—doubtless due to the boom in dredging enterprises which, for the time, have driven prospecting for auriferous quartz reefs into the background. There is, however, some hope for an early improvement in this respect. Determination of Mineral and Bock Specimens (made by myself and not charged for). Feb. 1. White mineral from Windsor Park Estate sent by editor of Witness, proved to be common quartz of no value. Feb. 8. Grey and white coating on rocks near St. Bathans, forwarded by editor of Witness, turned out to be impure iron alum, probably formed through decomposition of pyrite. Idar. 11. Samples of rock supposed to be asbestos, sent by editor of Witness, proved to be talosse schist,