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Mr. R. Tennent, Inspector of Mines, Westport, to the Under-SECRETARY for Mines, Wellington. Sir, — Inspector of Mines' Office, Westport, 17th April, 1901. I have the honour to report as follows on the gold-mines in the Marlborough, Nelson and West Coast districts for the period ending 31st December, 1900 : — QUARTZ-MINING. Blenheim. Jubilee (Owners, Jubilee Gold-mining Company ; C. D. Morpeth, legal manager, Wellington).— The Jubilee Terrace forms the elevated north bank of the Top Valley Creek, and at an altitude of of 1,150 ft. No. 2 crosscut intersects the lode at a distance of 160 ft. From this point the lode is driven on 60 ft. north and 50 ft. south. A winze connected with the outcrop insures ventilation and a suitable means of filling in. The stone is conveyed by aerial tramway to a steam-driven tenstamp battery at the foot of the hill. On a later visit I found operations had been suspended since November, and that the works were under charge of a caretaker. Wellington (Owners, Wellington Syndicate; Philip K. Watty, director in charge).—This newly opened mine is situated on the Jubilee Range, about a mile and a half further up stream from the Jubilee battery. Mining developments near the cap of the hill comprise a winze sunk to a depth of 35 ft. in the outcrop. The lode varies in thickness from 2 ft. to 3 ft., and is being intersected by a crosscut at a vertical depth of 50 ft. A ten-stamp battery is under construction at the base of the hill, to which the stone will be conveyed by aerial tramway. Collingwood. Taitapu Gold Estates (W. M. Fulton, mine-manager).—Operations chiefly consist of stoping a flat block 7 ft. in thickness in the Anthill section of the property. The stone is much improved in quality, and very encouraging returns have come to hand. In view of testing the auriferous values of the river beds and flats prior to dredging, four men are employed carrying out a series of borings. Golden Blocks, Taitapu (F. Johnstone, mine-manager).—Since the Fraser and Chalmers three-stamp battery was increased by Price Brothers' five additional stamps, crushing operations have been continuous during the year. The quartz-supply stoped from No. 1 level showed a high grade average. Extension of No. 2 level on line of lode is being driven south. The workings in general are in good order, and ventilation satisfactory. Westport. Britannia (Local syndicate; W. Smith, mine-manager).—Mining operations, situated 2,000 ft. above sea, consist of three short crosscuts and several winzes sunk in the outcrop. The broken country affords unfavourable working-conditions, the lode varying in thickness from 9 in. to 3 ft., with no defined position or underlie. A two-stamp battery driven by water-power is connected by aerial and level tramways to the mine. Eleven men employed. Twins. —All work at this mine is abandoned. Lyell. Alpine Extended (R. S. Shallcrass, legal manager).—During the greater part of the year operations at this mine have been suspended, and the works are now under the charge of the batterymanager. Tyrconnel (owners, Tyreonnel Syndicate).—This rich leader is worked by a tribute party of four men, who obtain very profitable returns. Working-conditions are satisfactory, with good ventilation. Boatman's. Kirwan's Reward (Owners, Kirwan's Reward Gold-mining Company; W. Kirwan, minemanager).—This open-faced quartz-deposit, situated about 300 ft. from the crown of the hill, has no defined geological position and varies in depth from 6 ft. to 30 ft. The Anglo-Continental Syndicate, who held an option on the property, spent considerable sums to determine the existence of the supposed lode, but without success. The original company then resumed possession and built a tenstamp battery to treat the quartz-deposit referred to, the gold yield from which amounted to 1,873 oz. 7 dwt. 7 gr. for last year, with a cash value of £4,765 14s. 4d., from 1,763 tons quartz operated on. With a view of intersecting the main lode, the present company have driven a crosscut, 180 ft. in length, from the level of the aerial tramway. Twenty-two men are employed clearing away surface debris. Welcome. —A connection has been made between No. 5 level, Welcome, and the low level, Specimen Hill, from which a back drive was driven a total distance of 1,153 ft. south; then a crosscut of 120 ft. west to cut under the winze, which was connected by a vertical rise. All attempts, so far, to trace the stone down to the low level have proved futile, and now nothing remains to be done but mine out the stone in sight. Six men employed. Just in Time. —After expending a considerable amount in exploration-work on the 400 ft. level the company decided to cease work as the prospects were not encouraging. The mine has since been let on tribute to a party of seven men, who repaired the old Reform level for nearly 900 ft., and effected a considerable amount of repairs on other drives prior to abandonment. The shaft is again full of water. Reefton. Wealth of Nations Group. —The 700 ft. level was opened from the shaft and driven north for a distance of 440 ft., exposing a strong reef for nearly the whole length. Prior to deeper sinking a winze was sunk to the 800 ft. level, and the incline shaft sunk to the same depth, with additional