C.—3.

APPENDICES,

REPORTS OF INSPECTORS OF MINES. Mr. James Coutts, Inspector of Mines, Thames, to the Under-Secretary for Mines, Wellington. Sir, — Office of Inspector of Mines, Thames, 18th February, 1905. I have the honour to furnish herewith the following report on the gold-mining industry in the Hauraki District for the year ended the 31st December, 1904. There is a decided improvement in some of the mines on the Thames. In an especial manner the new discovery at the Waiotahi Mine has given encouragement to shareholders in the other mines in the immediate neighbourhood, and will be the means of causing more development-work to be done in the future than has been done for some time past. The boring operations recently carried out at Thames, are, lam sorry to say, finished. They have not resulted in any fresh discoveries being made. In the Coromandel District mining is at a very low ebb, the prospects being anything but encouraging—the Waitaia Mine at Kuaotuna excepted—but, still, as the rich gold is mostly found in patches, a new discovery may be made in the district at any time. In the Ohinemuri district the Waihi Company's mine is holding'Jts reputation, there being a slight increase in the output of bullion during 1904 as compared with the previous year. Ohinemuri District. Waihi Gold-mining Company. —The operations in, this mine are considerable, as will be seen by the various works herein enumerated and the large number of men that are employed by the company in connection with the mine and the mills for the winning and treatment of the ore. No. 7 level.—Royal Lode, north section : Driving was started in May last on the course of this cross-lode in order to lower the mine-water, and, up to the present, 312 ft. has been driven north and 215 ft. south, making a total of 527 ft. Driving was intermittent, owing to large quantities of water met with. At 212 ft. south of No. 5 shaft, the Royal Lode wasjntersected ; the north face is within 38 ft. of No. 4 shaft. At 30 ft. north of No. 5 shaft, Lloyd Pass was connected with No. 6 level, and is now used as a travelling-way. No. 6 level.—Crosscuts : No. 2 shaft south-east crosscut was extended 537 ft. to No. 5 shaft, making a total length of 1,010 ft. No. 1 shaft north-west crosscut was advanced 150 ft., making a total of 289 ft. from No. 1 shaft; at 276 ft., the No. 2 reef was intersected and is from 2 ft. to 3 ft. in width ; several small sulphide leaders were passed through in this crosscut. No. 1 shaft south-east crosscut was driven 21 ft. from shaft where Albert Lode was intersected 4 ft. wide. Paul: south-east crosscut was driven a total length of 121 ft. from Empire Lode ; at 31 ft. quartz 3 ft. wide was met; at 87 ft., Princess Lode, 2 ft. 6 in. was intersected. Martha Lode, north section : Bullson No. 2 Pass sunk 80 ft. ; Bullson Pass sunk 80 ft. ; Carterson Pass sunk 98 ft.—at 80 ft. down, a lode 22 ft. wide ; Wheelson No. 2 Pass sunk 80 ft. ; Wheelson Pass sunk 99 ft. ; Britson Pass sunk 55 ft. ; Fosterson Pass sunk 80 ft. ; Longson Pass sunk 92 ft. ; Tremson Pass sunk 84 ft. ; Camson Pass sunk 7 ft. ; Leo Pass sunk 100 ft. ; Venus Pass sunk 64 ft. ; Plummer Pass sunk 103 ft. ; Pile Pass sunk 106 ft. ; Manning Pass sunk 48 ft. ; Juno Pass sunk 80 ft. ; Jove Pass sunk 81 ft. Martha Lode, south section : Lumb Pass sunk 87 ft. Regina Lode : Jones Pass sunk 90 ft. ; Ready Pass sunk 103 ft. ; Price Pass sunk 90 ft. ; Nut Pass sunk 80 ft. No. 2 Reef : west of No. 6 shaft crosscut, the level on course of lode has been extended 255 ft., making a total length of 520 ft. opened up on lode ; the average width for the length developed during the year is 3 ft. Winzes : Rickard Pass sunk 118 ft. ; White Pass sunk 109 ft. ; Black Pass sunk 26 ft. Albert Lode : North of Harris's north-west crosscut the level has been driven on course of lode 103 ft., making a total of 206 ft. north of above crosscut; the lode proved to be 4 ft. wide ; the north end of lode junctions with Regina Lode. Empire Lode : Peter Pass sunk 80 ft. ; Hicks Pass sunk 80 ft. ; Muir Pass sunk 80 ft. ; Paul Pass sunk 101 ft. ; Connor Pass sunk 15 ft. ; Harris Pass sunk 89 ft. ; Rolker Pass sunk 80 ft. Royal Lode : After driving south on north section of this lode, attention was directed to intersect this lode at 635 ft. south from No. 4 shaft; now 420 ft. has been driven east and 370 ft. west on its course, making a total of 790 ft. opened up ; the average width is 15 ft. Winzes : Nite Pass sunk 118 ft. ; Snail Pass sunk 80 ft. ; Moran Pass sunk 78 ft. ; Slug Pass sunk 86 ft. Princess Lode : A total length of 281 ft. has been opened up on course of this lode west of Paul's south-east crosscut; the average width is 3 ft. 3 in. J Reef : A total of 120 ft. ha? been opened up on course of lode west of Empire junction ; average width 1 ft. 6 in. No. 5 level. —Crosscuts : No. 1 shaft, north-west crosscut, was advanced 77 ft., making a total of 207 ft. from No. 1 shaft; a connection was made to No. 2 filling-shaft. No. 1 shaft, south-east cross-cut, was driven 30 ft. from No. 1 shaft where Albert Lode, 3 ft. wide, was met. A crosscut was also driven from north section, Royal Lode, to Royal filling-shaft, a distance of 158 ft. Martha Lode, north section, east of No. 1 shaft, north-west crosscut: The level was extended 44 ft., making a total of 837 ft. east of above crosscut. No. 2 Reef, west of No. 6 shaft, north-west crosscut: The level has been advanced 189 ft. on course of lode making a total of 454 ft. from No. 6 shaft; the lode averages 3 ft. in width. Winzes : White and Black Passes have been sunk to No. 6 level; Red Pass was risen to No. 4 level. Regina Lode, east of No. 1 shaft, north-west crosscut : The level has been driven on course of lode 148 ft., making a total of 198 ft. east of the above crosscut. Albert Lode, north of Empire junction, has been driven on from 447 ft. to 679 ft. ; average width, 6 ft. Foy and Swan Passes were sunk to No. 6 level. X Reef was driven on 34 ft. west of No. 2 shaft, south-east crosscut., Princess Lode, west of No. 2 shaft, south-east crosscut has been driven on from 77 ft. to .230 ft. Royal Lode, west of No. 5 shaft, south-east crosscut: The lode has been driven on from

30