0.—3

51

was continued on a body of high-grade ore. Stoping was also continued on No._ 7 level, the lode being more erratic, but values good. Attention was directed to the necessity for certain repairs to one of the winding-cages, and the matter duly attended to. Throughout the mine the workings were in good order and well ventilated. Battery worked sixteen hours per day. The temperature was 52° at a depth of 1,200 ft. Stone milled—92o tons—yielded 879 oz. 2 dwt. 6 gr, valued at £3,514 Bs. 3d. Searchlight Syndicate and St. George Claims were not visited. Last Chance.— Since Morris and Fleming abandoned this property no further effort has been made to resume operations. Golden Lead. —Pain and party, whilst prospecting on some of the surface outcrops connected with the Golden Lead old working, were fortunate in exposing some rich leaders which gave very handsome values, the work being still continued. Golden Point (John Bray, Manager).—Developments comprise the extension of the low-level on the line of reef, which maintains an average width of 3 ft. 6 in. At 50 ft. a break occurred in the formation, but indications were considered favourable towards a new make of stone. 'New Ulster Mine, Reefton, (A. McCloy in Charge). —Development so far as extended has been chiefly of a prospecting character, without exposing values of any importance. (16/11/05) : All underground work was suspended, the miners being engaged in laying a surface tram-line and clearing a site for a low-level tunnel. Two men employed. Taffy.— -In the early part of the year, Mr. Neilson and party (two men) mined leaders yielding 30 oz. 18 dwt. 17 gr, valued at £125 ss. Bd, but owing to the loose and crushed character of this open face, it is scarcely practicable to estimate the quantity of quartz treated. Croesus Mining Lease is now held by the Garden Gully Company, but the property continues to be shut down, and the battery plant has been removed and re-erected on the Garden Gully property. Minerva. —Nothing further has been done on this property. Garden Gully Gold-mining Company (William Annear, Mine-manager). —When visited in June last all work was suspended in the mine, but ventilation was amply provided to meet the requirements of future development by the rise connection effected between Nos. 2 and 3 levels. Regarding the re-erection of the Croesus battery on this property, the site was practically excavated and portion of the machinery delivered on the ground, while the sawmilling plant was ready to cut the necessary timbers. The water-race was nearing completion, and the contractor hoped that with favourable weather the erection of the battery would be completed and handed over to the company in about two months. (16/11/05) : Crushing not yet commenced, but pipe-lines and other minor works were nearing completion. Whilst removing the old Croesus battery, 1 oz. 1 dwt. of gold was obtained, valued at £3 3s. Birthday, Upper Blackwater. — Mr. P. N. Kingswell, of Reefton, has acquired an option over this prospecting-area for three months, on condition that £100 be expended monthly, and providing prospects afford sufficient promise the property will be purchased for a fixed sum. In compliance with conditions of option, James Morris has charge of ten miners, of whom four are driving south on a 2 ft. body of ore, while sinking has been continued on the south of the lease to a depth of 35 ft. ; 10 ft. being sunk through alluvial drift, and 25 ft. on a fair body of stone, which has widened from 3 1 ft. at top of winze to 6J ft. in the bottom.. In view of further reducing the necessity for all material arid stores having to be carried by manual labour to this mining locality, the County Council thoughtfully let another mile of saddle-track, while the balance, a mile and a half, is laid off in a fairly uniform grade. Craighead and party (two men) are trenching across the hill, with the object of picking up the Birthday Reef, but their efforts have not so far been successful. Hannah and party are tunnelling through the alluvial drifts, in view of picking up the solid country south of the Birthday, but possible results are doubtful. Westland Reefs. Wilberforce (now Westland Reefs). —Respecting the development and potentialities of this extensive o-oldfield. the information necessary to guide the speculator has not yet been acquired, owing chiefly to the exceptionally wet and unfavourable season, together with the unprecedented low snow-line. However to those interested in the venture, it may be useful to know that already there are thirteen prospecting-areas of 100 acres each granted and two others applied for. , Wilson's Reward. —Practically this is the only driving of consequence whereby any values of note have been determined. On the eastern side of the range a reef has been intersected 21 ft. in width at a driven distance of 196 ft, and at a vertical depth of 175 ft. below the eastern outcrop. 44.ssays give an average value of 15 dwt. per ton. Work was necessarily suspended as the whole area was practically under snow in March. It has been further suggested that as the underlie of the field tends westwards towards the West Coast side of the range, future developments would be more advantageously and economically effected from the west and, as a further inducement, climatic influence is exceedingly more favourable, both for prospecting and general mining operations. In view of the advantages stated, steps are now progressing towards the construction of a strong company for the purpose of developing the Westland field. The following is a summary of the areas already granted : Grey's prospectmg-area, situated south and west, has exposed three outcrops, traceable for. 20 chains, gold being obtainable by mortar test, Macintosh and Baucke hold two areas situated west; no person employed. James Billett's area, situated south of Wilson's Reward and Grey's areas —On this property five outcrops have been discovered, one of which is 15 ft. in width, showing gold by mortar test; the other outcrops are smaller (varying to 2 ft.), gold being freely seen on some of the stone as broken off the 2 ft. reef. On Feddis's area, situated south of Billett's, three different lines of reef are exposed by trenching, the reef varying from 1 ft. to 6 ft. in width, giving good prospects by panning the rubble and also by mortar test, while gold can be