91

C—3

Chelmsford. —Work was resumed in this mine about the middle of the year, and small blocks of the reef at the surface levels were taken out and crushed, but were found not payable, and work|was discontinued. The company is now in liquidation. Ore treated, 741 tons, yielding £1,167. Tairua Broken Hills. —Early in the year the main shaft was sunk a further distance of 90 ft., and the reef opened up to the 80 ft. level. Payable ore was discovered here, and driving was proceeded with north and south of the shaft. The Blucher reef was driven for 290 ft., and 150 fathoms of ground stoped out. Towards the end of the year a crosscut was put in from the battery level and a new and payable reef discovered. Taking everything into consideration, it looks as if the former prosperity of this mine has returned. Ore crushed, 2,151 tons, for £4,669. Men employed, fifty. Coronation. —This mine being supposed to contain a large body of payable ore, a small plant of five stamps, driven by steam, was erected. After 103 tons of ore had been put through for a return of 25 oz. 3 dwt., value £57 17s. (which was not payable), crushing was discontinued and prospectingworks undertaken in order to find more payable ore. Two men were employed. Neavesville District. Golden Belt. —Work during the year has principally been the erection of a crushing plant of forty stamps, and extending the low level to 1,600 ft., which brings it under the winze from the smithy level. A rise of 92 ft. has been put up to the bottom of the winze, and now there is good ventilation. The reefs from the lower level to the surface can also be worked economically. The reefs are said to be payable, so that when crushing is commenced this mine may become a dividend-payer. Eight men have been employed. Champion. —During the year two men have been employed prospecting. A large body of ore was discovered at the surface, which gave very good results when panned off. A low level is being put in to cut the reef at depth. If this reef goes down and is of the same character as that found on the surface, a good payable mine has been discovered. Efforts are being made to float a company to find capital to further prospect the mine. Kiri Kiri. —Towards the end of the year, a company was formed called the Kiri Kiri Mines (Limited), which took over the ground from Mr. J. H. Fleming. The company at once commenced a low level at the southern end of the mine to intersect the reef cut in the upper levels some time ago. In the upper levels the reef is composed of numerous small stringers which contain good gold. It is expected that the reef will solidify as it goes down. If it does, then the prospects will warrant the erection of a battery. The company has secured a site some 100 ft. below the low level. Five men have been employed. Omahu District. The mines in this locality have all been more or less under protection ; indeed, for a time the Capstan, Sheet Anchor, and Klondyke were abandoned. Lately the Capstan and Sheet Anchor were taken up again, and a company is being formed to prospect them more extensively than previously. The surface prospects were good, but as the reefs went down broken country was met with and the reef heaved about considerably. It is intended to put in a drive at a lower depth than hitherto to ascertain if the reef makes again. Four men are employed in this work. Waihi. Waihi. —The Waihi Company has been vigorously working the whole of this year, and its returns have increased to £61,890, from 24,698 tons, for the month of March last. Great activity is displayed in all branches of mining on this property, which finds employment for upwards of thirteen hundred persons in various capacities. The total output had reached £4,557,762 in March, and £1,962,896 had been paid in dividends up to the Ist March last. The prospects of this mine still continue cheering, and, from all accounts, the lower levels are turning out as well as the higher ones have proved to be. There is thus every prospect of the present prosperity remaining with the mine for some years to come, and developments in the lower levels may prove its resources to be unlimited. It is the mainstay of the Upper Thames portion of the field. Extensive pumping machinery has been erected during the past year to enable the water to be removed from the lower levels. The mine appears to have a good future before it in every respect. Waihi Grand Junction. —This company has'-'perseveredi for some years under somewhat difficult circumstances and at great cost, mainly owing to the great quantity of water it has to cope with. This difficulty now appears to have been got over, and the development-works have been actively carried on, and have proved sufficiently encouraging to warrant a battery being erected, which will shortly be completed; and I trust when reporting next year to be able to chronicle another fairly rich mine. This company deserves success for the very plucky manner in which it has persevered in endeavouring to make a profitable mine of its property. The company has expended some £200,000 in mining operations without receiving any result so far for the expenditure. This company has recently acquired the properties held by the Consols and Waihi South Companies. Upwards of two hundred men have found employment under this company during the past year, and if the operations during the current year turn out as successful as it is anticipated, probably five hundred men will be engaged, Waihi Extended. —This company has been working during the year with some fifteen men, endeavouring to make a mine of the property. A portion of what was reported to be one of the Waihi Company's reefs was cut on the boundary of this claim, which gave the management some hope of eventually discovering a payable ore-body. With this object, developments have been carried on, but so far nothing of value has been unearthed. It is hoped that between this and the next report discoveries may be made which will place this in the class of gold-producing mines.