35

C. -3,

Shotover Quartz-mining Company, Skippers (T. 0. Bishop, mine-manager).—Mining operations at this mine were quiet during the year. Work is now confined to the main level, which is being pushed ahead with the expectation of opening up a further shoot of payable quartz. The mine is well equipped with battery and cyanide plant. Macetown. Premier Sunrise (New Zealand) Gold-mining Company, Macetown (William Patton, mine-manager).— As indicated in last year's report, the mine-manager, acting on instructions from the London board of directors of the company, stopped all operations, closed down the mine, and offered the mine and plant for sale. The property was purchased by Messrs. Sligo Bros., who have not, however, reopened the mine. The water-power available is being used to work the Premier Gully by hydraulic sluicing and elevating. New Zealand Consolidated Gold-mines (Limited) (L. 0. Beal, jun., legal manager, Dunedin). —The employment of a few men at various times during the year is the only evidence that interest is still taken in these mines. Mr. Farrel!, the owner, is still in England, with the object of forming a company to work the property. The manager reports, " The mine has been idle since October, 1904, when a crosscut tunnel was driven as an intermediate level to cut the Homeward Bound reef. The crosscut was 210 ft. in to the reef, and the drive was extended 50 ft. along the reef. The backs gained by this level were 223 ft. This tunnel was cleaned out and timbered up at the latter end of 1906, when the claims were jumped, and settling up the jumping cases exhausted the funds of the company in New Zealand. It is understood that a new company is being formed." D. McKay and Party's Quartz Claim, Caledonian Gully, Macetown. —Area of lease, 20 acres. The area has been increased by the purchase of Balch's lease. The acquisition of this lease will enable both claims to be worked to better advantage. McKay and party have worked their mine to advantage during the year. The tailings and concentrates are being saved with a view to future chemical treatment. The mine-workings are in good order. Timbei well used. Ventilation good. Pour men employed. Anderson, Hannah, and Party's Quartz Claim, Scanlon's Gully, Macetown. —This party have continued to prospect and develop their property during the year. A five-head battery is to be erected, previous crushings having been performed at McKay and party's battery. Cromwell. Cromwell Mine Syndicate's Quartz-mine, Bendigo. —During the year this property was purchased by J. Stevenson, Dunedin Engineering Works. A small company was formed to resume operations. The water-races were repaired and a pipe-line laid down. Sluicing was then commenced on terraces bordering j;he Bendigo Creek. It is understood that it is not the intention of the syndicate to resume operations on the quartz reef at present. Bannockburn. Go-by Quartz-mine, Carrick Range (J. B. Holliday, owner). —Active operations were not continued at this mine during the year. Exhaustive tests of the stone from this mine and elsewhere on the Carrick Range, made at the Colonial Laboratory, proved that the values could not be saved by plate amalgamation or by the chlorination process, but that the cyanide process followed by amalgamation gave excellent results. As an alternative it was suggested that the concentrates could be shipped to Dapto, New South Wales. Messrs. Lawrence Bros., Carrick Range. —This party own the Star of the East and Day Dawn batteries. No progressive work is being undertaken. Operations are confined to mining and crushing small parcels at intervals. Carrick Range. —Some attention has been directed to the quartz reefs and mineral lodes of this range during the latter part of the year. With the exception of the work done by the Antimony Syndicate, operations as yet are confined to the prospecting stage. Bald Hill Flat. • White's Reef, Bald Hill Flat (R. T. Symes).—During ground-sluicing operations some good blocks of stone were met with from time to time. These were saved and put through the battery. An extension of the lode having been discovered in solid country, a drive was put in and some good quartz extracted. The Excelsior battery (Gray reef) was purchased and removed to the new mine. Mr. Symes is hopeful that operations in the new mine will be more profitable than during the past few years. Excelsior Mine, Bald Hill Flat (R. Gray, owner). —The shoot of stone having pinched out in depth in the level, underground operations were discontinued, and the owner resorted to ground-sluicing on the surface. This work was not attended with success, and Gray abandoned the mine. The battery was sold to R. T. Symes for removal to White's reef. Campbell's Gully, Obelisk, Range. —A syndicate composed principally of Roxburgh shareholders has secured a lease over Parker's reef, Campbell's Gully. The shaft sunk to a depth of 50 ft. many years ago will be extended to a depth of 100 ft. or more. Should the reef be proved continuous in depth, a battery will be erected. Alexandra. Conroy's Gully Reef, Alexandra (J. Robertson and party, owners). —Unfortunately, the continuity of the reef was cut off by a slide, and as the party were unable to mine the stone from depth owing to