99

c.—3

was found to be 48 ft. The opening-up of the No. 7 winze block, and this last reef in No. 8 being sufficiently far advanced, the battery was started at the end of September, and has continued running since. Nine hundred and twenty tons of stone has been milled for a yield of 879 oz. 2 dwt. 6 gr., valued at £3,514 Bs. 3d. The reef in No. 8 stopes averages about 3 ft. wide, but has been rather irregular and difficult to follow. In No. 7 winze stopes, the reef has been of good quality, but small and broken in places. In the battery one of the latest pattern No. 5 Wilfley concentrators has been installed to extract the concentrates from the sands from the mill. This will be running early in the new year, and should materially add to the values being won. " Main Reef Gold-mining Company. —This company's property is situate in the vicinity of the Kirwan's Reward battery, and was taken up to secure a discovery of a reef made by Mr. W. Kirwan. The reef was energetically prospected by the company (a private one), from four to six men being employed in driving a tunnel and sinking on the lode. After giving the find an extensive trial it was found to be unpayable, so operations were discontinued and the ground has since been abandoned." New Discoveries. —The only new find of any importance in the district is that which is now known as the Blackwater reef. In the month of November a party of prospectors from Blackwater were successful in locating what appears to be a very valuable reef in the locality of the Snowy Creek reefs. The property has been acquired by Mr. P. N. Kingswell, who has now a number of men employed developing the reef. Other outcrops have been discovered in the vicinity of KingswelPs lease, a,nd in all probability a valuable quartz-field will soon be opened up in this portion of the district. Alluvial Mining. —With regard to alluvial mining, very little is being done in the Reefton subdistrict. There are still a few miners, both European and Chinese, employed at Upper Blackwater, Antonio's, Merrijigs, and Capleston ; but the alluvial drift is being gradually worked out, and the Chinese are leaving for other localities. Dredging. —Dredging operations are still being carried on in the Boatman's Creek district, Blackwater, and at Slab Hut Creek. At Boatman's, the Reeves Proprietary No. 1 dredge has been dismantled owing to the pontoons becoming decayed, and the prospects do not warrant rebuilding ; No. 2 (or Merrimac) dredge is still working with varying success. The Al Company is operating in Redman's Creek, a branch of Boatman's Creek; and the Boatman's Creek dredge, which is now owned by a local syndicate, has been refloated after being submerged for some six months, and will shortly resume operations in the creek close to the junction of Redman's and Boatman's. At Blackwater, the Ikamatua dredge is still lying idle, while in the adjoining claim the Blackwater River dredge is kept constantly working and gaining good returns. Extensive improvements in the machinery have been made. At Slab Hut Creek dredging operations commenced about the month of June, and the dredge has been kept C6n- : tinuously working with payable results. The dredge is small, but suits the claim, as it is not deep wash ; it is being worked very cheaply owing to the railway-station being close at hand. It will, in my opinion, be a regular dividend-payer for some time to come.

Gold-yield, Reefton District, for Year 1905, from Quartz-mines.

7 " I . Tons treated. Yield of Gold. Value of Gold. ■ '-- ■ Name of Company. Calls. : Dividends. treated _ i I £ £ Progress Mines of New Zealand J Nil 34,375 ' 60,000 (Limited) Consolidated Goldfields of New Nil 12,118 Zealand (Limited) (1.) Golden Fleece ... ... 13,985 (2.) Wealth of Nations ... 11,970 (3.) Welcome* ... ... 45 (4.) New Inkerman ... ... Nil Keep-it-Dark Quartz-mining Com- Nil 6,750 12,730 pany (Limited) Kirwan's Eeward Gold - mining Nil 2,100 6,250 Company (Limited) Ulster Gold-mining Company (Li- 800 '■ Nil Nil mited) Big River Gold-mining Company 1,500 ) Nil 920 (Limited) United Gold-mines (Limited)t New Scotia Gold-mining Company+ Private companies— New Scotia Syndicate ... 1,150 Nil 250 Main Eeef Syndicate .. ... 420 i Nil Nil 3,870 | 55,343 | 106,150 Oz. dwfe. gr. ! 24,897 13 15 j 6,541 10 0 I 4,702 3 2 53 0 0 Nil 5,021 2 21 1,949 19 15 £ s. 96,851 8 26,507 12 19,083 15 212 0 Nil. 19,351 15 7,764 16 d. 6 9 7 0 1' 7 Nil Nil. 879 2 6 3,514 8 3 46 15 0 Nil 177 3 Nil. 0 44,091 6 11'I 173,462 19 9 "Let on tribute. f Company wound up.