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other means whereby stores and the necessary prospector's equipment could be transported from place to place, so that this part of the country is practically unexplored. Leaving the Heaphy, we come down to the Oparara-Karamea Valley. There are several parties of miners working alluvial claims in this locality, and they are doing very well. No quartz-mining is being carried on, but it is believed that in tha future rich quartz reefs will.be discovered in the vicinity. The miners report that when washing up they frequently find quartz adhering to any coarse gold they get. Further inland is Fenian Creek, a tributary of the Oparara River. Here are several parties of miners working alluvial claims. Lowe, Allen, and party have two 10-acre claims. They are at present engaged in bringing in water from Fenian Creek. In this locality there are hundreds of acres of alluvial ground that would probably pay well if water could be got that would command the area. In the future it may be found advisable to go to the expense of bringing in a long race from one of the larger rivers. This would require the expenditure of a considerable amount of capital, an expenditure beyond the powers of a small party of working-miners. In the same district are two more alluvial claims of 20 acres each, one owned by E. H. Donaldson and the other by Bennett and party. It is reported that these claims show a face of 50 ft. of wash that has averaged 6d. per cubic yard. The drawback here is the want of a good, supply of water. The ground is exceedingly heavy, and the water available is not nearly sufficient for requirements. The expenditure of a considerable sum of money would be necessary to bring in a supply of water to work the ground effectively. A party of men are now engaged in opening up a new face, and the prospects are said to be excellent. Indications of the existence of a good quartz-bearing reef in this locality are numerous. In the Karamea River valley itself, the settlers in the early days made very good wages- in washing the river-sand. The first six miles of the river from the sea still contains river-beaches that would yield good wages to energetic miners. The next four miles is a very rough gorge, with here and there little beaches and crevices. These are said to contain very rich wash, but the inaccessible nature of the country renders mining at present impracticable. Here, again, we see the necessity for constructing tracks, thereby opening another field to the hardy prospector. About ten miles up the river it is stated there is good open country containing considerable areas very suitable for sluicing, with plenty of water procurable, and good terraces carrying payable gold. The great drawback to the immediate development of this locality is the difficulty in getting supplies through. Two or three reefs carrying a small percentage of gold have been found in this district, but they have never been prospected for the reasons above mentioned. Coming still further south, we get into the Little Wanganui Valley. Here the country is also very rough and almost trackless. A considerable quantity of alluvial gold has been taken out of this locality in days gone by, and it has always been a tradition amongst the miners that some day a rich gold-bearing reef would be discovered hereabouts. It is just possible that the anticipations of the old miners will not be disappointed in that respect, as a party of prospectors (Johnson and party) are said to have discovered a large gold-bearing reef. The party is so sanguine of the value of their find that they have pegged out and applied for several prospecting licenses each, and intend beginning prospecting operations at the earliest possible moment. It is also alleged that silver and copper exist in considerable quantities in this locality. , From here we come to the Rough-and-Tumble - Mokihinui basins. Several quartz claims have been taken up. Gilmer and party have a 100-acre claim, and are just commencing operations. Bennett and party, and Quinn and party each have a 20-acre claim, and have been working for some time. They have so far only found leaders, but are hopeful of striking the main reef which should prove very good. Application has also been made by the Nine-mile Gold-mining Company for a 20-acre claim. The Red Queen Gold-mining Company (Limited) hold a 20-acre quartz claim in the Mokihinui district, about eleven miles above Seddonville. This company, after many vicissitudes, has gone into liquidation. The claim is now being worked by three men on tribute. The gold-bearing quartz runs in a narrow lead of from a few inches to a foot in width. There is a two-stamp battery driven by a Pelton wheel attached to this mine. The stone in the lead is fairly rich, averaging an ounce to the ton, but as the lead is so thin a lot of dead-work has to be done. We next come to the Birchfield district, and here we find the Britannia Gold-mining Company (Limited) with a claim of just on 100 acres granted in September, 1901. There is a four-stamped battery driven by a Pelton wheel attached to the mine, and the company has just completed the erection of a very complete cyanide plant. There are eighteen men employed in and about the mine, and there is every indication that the shareholders will receive a good return on the capital invested. The company has since its inception crushed 3,658-J- tons of stone for a return of 3,387 oz 6 dwt. 16 gr. of gold, valued at £13,292 16s. 4d. After leaving Birchfield we come to the Waimangaroa River, most of which was acquired as.dredg-ing-areas during the boom. No dredges are at work now, but in time to come this river-bed is likely to be dredged as the wash is considered to be rich. It will, however, take^very powerful machines to contend with the heavy ground. At Christmas Terrace, near Westport, a party of miners (Crawford and party) are working an alluvial claim, and are reported to be making wages. On the sea-beach, from four to eight miles up the coast from Westport, there are about twenty old miners at work. These men have in the past made very good wages. After crossing to the south side of the Buller River we find several parties of miners at work on Bradshaw's Terrace. Lowther and party have an 18-acre alluvial claim which they have been working and crushing the cemented sand. Good returns have resulted from their operations, and there are good prospects before the party. They intend in the future to work their claim by means of sluicing. Jamieson and party hold a 14-acre alluvial claim also worked by cement-crushing. This party has