70

C—3

of clay and gravel bands, is seen resting on a greensand bed of marine origin. The greensand bed which mayjDe taken as being about 6 ft. in thickness, carries a few colours of gold throughout, and where the " black seam " comes in—as it does on several of the claims —the " prospects " are fairly good, but the best wash is found underlying the marine bed, and varies in the several claims from 1 ft. to 3 ft. in thickness. The pay-wash is resting on a soft false bottom (or " Maori bottom "asit is sometimes called) into which the tail-races are cut into deep channels owing to attrition of tailings and water from the claims. Generally speaking, the material treated is of a free nature and easily dealt with, which is fortunate under ruling conditions of lack of plentiful water-supply under pressure. It is found that the claims on the lower levels are becoming somewhat hampered for want of fall for tailings, but the majority of the claims now being worked are" on the higher ground, where consequently increased fall is gained at the expense of loss of water-pressure. About thirty-seven men are at present employed on the field ; six claims employing thirteen men obtaining water-supplies from private races, while some twelve claims employing twenty-four men are dependent upon the Mountain Hut Race. George Adams. —About five heads of water being brought in by private race from Sheepwash Creek. Five men employed. Becket and Bayley.—Three heads of water-race eight miles in length from Bushey Creek. Three men employed. Joseph Frater. —No. 1 claim : Water from private race brought in from Ben Lomond. Three men employed. No. 2 claim :At Thistle Hill, new claim being opened out. Meikle and McAlinden. —Two claims in the " lower" greensand. Water obtained from the Pioneer Race, a private supply. Claims Supplied from Mountain Hut Water-race. Barnes and Russell. —Opening out new claim on Thistle Hill. Two heads of water used. Two men employed. Thomas Cooper. —Opening out new claim. One man. Thomas Duffy. —New claim. Two men employed Bloomfield and Adams. —Two men employed. White and Donegan. —Claim recently opened up. Water conveyed from race to claim by 600 ft. of piping reduced from 18 in. diameter at intake to 9 in. diameter in paddock. James Brayshaw. —New claim, face 50 ft. in height. Pipe-line, 1,200 ft. in length ; intake 24 in. diameter reduced to 11 in. diameter. Two men. Charles Adams. —Claim recently opened out. Pipe-line 1,000 ft. reduced from 18 in. diameter to 9 in. diameter. Three men. J. Rogers.—One of the new claims. 800 ft. piping 18 in. diameter reduced to 9 in. diameter. Two men. G. Campbell. —New claim. Pipe-line, 600 ft. Two men. George Adams, Jun. —New claim. Pipe-line, 400 ft. Two men. Buckley and O'Donnell. —New claim. Two men. J. O'Donnell. —New claim. Two men. Manuka Creek. Stewart's Sluicing Claim, Manuka Creek. —Mr. Stewart having died during the year there is very little doing now on this property. Waitahuna. German Flat Hydraulic Sluicing and Elevating Company (A. Sutherland and party). —Three men find employment on this claim from which the gold-returns are not large. It is proposed to extend the water-race to a claim in Waitahuna Gully, from which better results are expected. German Flat has proved a poor mining property for the expenditure of capital. Upper German Flat Hydraulic Sluicing Claim (S. Johnston and N. Girvan). —Area, 14 acres. Claim worked by the two shareholders who also employ a third man. The claim affords the shareholders fair wages. Waitahuna Gully. City of Dublin Sluicing Claim (J. Ferris and party).—Ground-sluicing operations are still being carried on in the cement face. Quilter and Sons , Hydraulic Elevating Claim. —This claim has a very poor water-supply, and only affords employment for two men in the daytime. Thompson and party (Norwegian Company) (C. Thompson, manager).—The plant is still operating on the flat in Waitahuna Gully. Sailor's Gully (Waitahuna) Gold-mining Company (Limited) (A. Barr, manager). —Area, 64 acres. This claim is worked by hydraulic sluicing and elevating. Favourable results are obtained from this property on which operations are now being conducted in the cement-deposit. Four men are employed. Waitahuna Gold-dredging Company. —Two unsuccessful attempts have been made to work this property by means of dredging. The dredge is now sold for removal. As the ground is payably auriferous, it is proposed to extend the German Flat Company's water-race on to this claim and work it by means of hydraulic sluicing and elevating. Area of claim, 61 acres. Wetherstones. Golden Crescent Hydraulic Elevating Company (W. Smythe, manager). —Area, 90 acres. Terrace and flat ground. Sluicing operations have been fairly continuous throughout the year with payable results. An average of seven men were employed throughout the year.