43

C—3

from 2 ft. to 10 ft. in thickness, but so far no development-work has been done on them. No. 3 level: Driving operations on the course of the Victoria reef have been carried on for a distance of 163 ft. with a view to ascertaining the value of the reef at this level. Although the prospects met with were considered to be of a favourable character, no rich developments have taken place. At No. 1 level a considerable amount of development-work has been done by driving and stoping on the leader in the hang-ing-wall of the Mariner's Reef, which, on the whole, has been of a payable character. Intermediate level, Victoria reef : A distance of 180 ft. has been driven here, and the prospects on the whole are considered to be very satisfactory ; operations in future will be the further extension of the No. 4 level crosscut in a north-west direction with a view to intersecting any other ore-bodies that may exist in the hanging-wall of the Waiotahi Reef, and also driving on the course of the various reefs intersected. It is intended to connect Nor. 3 and 4 levels on the Victoria reef by a rise in order to ascertain its value ; further developments north are also to be continued in various other parts of the mine. 153 tons of quartz was treated for 251 oz. 1 dwt. of gold, valued at £691 4s. 9d. An average of fifteen men were employed during the year. Fame and Fortune. —This mine was worked by tributers until near the end of the year, when it changed hands and a company known as the Thames Gold-mining Company was formed. A scheme being proposed having for its object the prospecting and opening-up of the mine from the Moanataiari main tunnel, air-pipes are now being put in position for the purpose of taking in air to work rock-drills. 175 tons of ore was treated by the tributers during the year for 108 oz. 7 dwt. of gold, having a value of £292 10s. 2d. Ten men were employed during the year. Nowparid. —This mine has been worked by tributers, their attention being directed to working on the various leaders above the Waiotahi Creek level; but, as no new development-work has been done in this ground for some years past, the small payable blocks were becoming exhausted, and the owner sold the ground, which is now included with that of the Thames Gold-mining Company. Sixty tons of ore was treated during the year for 205 oz. 16 dwt. of gold, valued at £560 7s. 6d. Six men were employed during the year. New Saxon. —This mine has been continuously worked during the year but nothing of importance has been discovered. This may be partly accounted for by the company's operations being directed entirely to that portion of the ground above the No. 5 level. Should gold be found in payable quantities at the low levels in the adjoining mine it will give encouragement to the owners of the Saxon Mine to try their property at greater depth. 213 tons of ore was treated for 293 oz. 7 dwt. of gold, valued at £845 os. 4d. An average of nine men were employed during the year. New May Queen. —As work had been suspended in this mine for some considerable time previous to its recently being reopened, considerable difficulty was experienced in establishing ventilation in the workings on account of the foul air, the drives, &c, having closed in. Eventually a fair amount of air was led into the workings, and two old passes were retimbered above No. 3 level in order to reach a block of ground previously left in. Here the quartz had a promising appearance, and a rise was put up on it. A crushing of ten loads was broken out which when treated yielded 11 oz. of gold ; but, as arrangements to open up the bottom levels were made, this was discontinued for the time being, and the work of unwatering the lower workings was commenced. A borehole was drilled from the bottom of this company's shaft to connect with a crosscut put in from the Queen of Beauty shaft enabling the water to be drained off. A chamber was opened out from the May Queen shaft at a depth of 720 ft. below the surface; and here No. 6 level crosscut was driven 233 ft. where the No. 4 lode was intersected and driven on eastwards to the winze, which was sunk from No. 5 level to a depth of 95 ft., the lode being for the whole distance from 2| ft. to 3 ft. in width. As these workings are the deepest in which payable gold has been obtained on the Thames, it is encouraging and augurs well for the prospects of rinding gold at deep levels. With so much work having to be done in the early part of the year before getting to the lode, the quantity of quartz treated was small, but now that the mine is being opened up, regular monthly returns are expected. Should the quartz continue to carry as rich gold as that treated during the year it will again become one of the dividend-paying mines in the district. 214 tons 10 cwt. of ore was treated during the year for 316 oz. 5 dwt. of gold, valued at £901 4s. 9d. An average of eleven men were employed during the year. New Una. —The work in this mine has been confined to that part of the property near the new May Queen Extended Company's mine, and worked through that company's main adit. 614 ft. of driving has been done during the year; 414 ft. of this driving was in extending the main cross-cut, the remainder being done on the Nos. 1, 2, and 3 leaders. The No. 1 leader is 6 in. in width, a portion of which was stoped out and treated but did not prove payable. A block of ground of considerable size was stoped out on the No. 2 leader, and although gold was frequently seen in the quartz in breaking it out, yet it did not prove payable. The No. 3 leader (which averaged 18 in. in width) was stoped out 90 ft. in length and 80 ft. in height; several payable crushings were obtained from this, but as the stopes ascended the ore became poorer, and the last crushing not being payable work here was discontinued. The main crosscut is being extended in a southerly direction for the purpose of intersecting the Loyalty, German's, and McKenzie's reefs, the first named being expected to be cut daily; and as a good channel of country is being penetrated in this drive, gold is expected to be found in payable quantities when the lead is met with and worked upon. 200 tons of ore was treated for 163 oz. 6 dwt. of gold, valued at £458 13s. 6d. Six men were employed during the year. New May Queen Extended. —'The operations in this mine have been confined to. working on the leaders near the boundary of the New Una Mine, and above the main adit level in breaking out the quartz on those leaders. Gold was frequently seen; and although the quartz contained gold to the value of £2 12s. Id. per ton, the ore won was not sufficient to pay expenses owing to the small size of the leaders. In the hope that a patch of good ore might be met with at any time, the company were encouraged to proceed with the work. The company intends raising the water by means of a small