41

C.—'d

delay occurred in getting to work again. Paddock, 6 acres in area ; elevating 90 ft. under a pressure of 375 ft. vertical; twelve heads of water used. United M. and E. Water-race Company (Patrick O'Regan, mine-manager ; William Pyle, legal manager, St. Bathan's). —This claim is worked by hydraulic sluicing and elevating on an extensive scale. Fifteen heads of water are conveyed from the company's dam over twenty-five miles of waterraces. One elevator lifting 64 ft. is employed. The pressure at the elevator-jet is due to a vertical head of 400 ft. Cambrian's. Vinegar Hill Hydraulic Sluicing Company (J. Morgan, mine-manager; E. Morgan, secretary, Cambrian's). —Operations are conducted on this claim on an extensive scale. Twelve heads of water are brought in a distance of twenty miles, at an elevation of 500 ft. vertical height above the claim. One elevator is used, the material being lifted 110 ft. Matakanui. Undaunted Gold-mining Company (T. C. Donnelly, mine-manager).—This claim is worked by the hydraulic sluicing and elevating system. The average supply of water available is thirty-five heads, portion of which is delivered at the claim under pressure resulting from a head of 420 ft. vertical, and portion from 320 ft. vertical. The material is elevated from 45 ft. to 60 ft. in height according to the depth of ground worked. The water-races are over thirty miles in length. Length of pressurepipes, 6,000 ft. Tinker's Gold-mining Company (J. Naylor, mine-manager ; T. Duggan, secretary).-—This claim is worked by hydraulic sluicing and elevating. Twenty heads of water are brought in a distance of six miles to command the claim at an elevation of 600 ft. vertical. One elevator is used, through which the material is elevated 60 ft. Seven men employed. Matakanui Gold-mining Company, Matakanui (W. Norman, mine-manager and secretary).— This claim is worked by hydraulic sluicing and elevating. Twelve heads of water are used under a vertical pressure of 200 ft. The material is elevated 60 ft. Mount Morgan Sluicing Company, Matakanui (James Percy, mine-manager; J. D. Nicolson, secretary).—Area of claim, 60 acres. Since the company started work in October, 1903, 8 acres of ground have been worked for a yield of 537 oz. Ten heads of water are available under a vertical pressure of 120 ft. The material is elevated 25 ft. Four men are employed. Ophir. The Black's dredge, started during the year, has worked with fair success There is a large area of auriferous ground in the flat and on the terraces which would pay well for sluicing. There is no doubt that the extension of the Alexandra Water-raoe in this direction would command a large extent of auriferous ground. Alexandra South. During 1905 the Government purchased the various dams and water-rights, water-races, and plant belonging to the Alexandra-Bonanza Gold-dredging and Sluicing Company. The necessary expenditure having been authorised, a start was made to improve the water-races and extend them to command a large tract of auriferous country known as the Galloway Terraces. This land was all prospected well, but has hitherto been unworkable on a large scale owing to the absence of suitable water-supplies, which being now available, it may reasonably be expected that this district will afford a large amount of remunerative employment. Golden Bend Gold-mining Company, Alexandra South (Wallace Carr, manager).—This claim has been proved to contain rich auriferous wash. A plant on the principle of a dredge ladder and buckets driven by steam-power has been installed, but is inadequate to deal effectively with the large body of material encountered. Tucker Hill Claim. —An attempt was made to work the cement-deposit by means of a rock-breaker driven by a portable engine. The efficiency of this plant was low, which, combined with'the want of a suitable water-supply, compelled the owners to cease operations. Dredging. —The dredging-season during 1906 was again unfavourable for gorge dredging on account of the high state of the Clutha or Molyneux River, and travelling drift. There are still five dredges below the Alexandra Bridge. Fourteen dredges continue to operate on the river or in the banks between Alexandra Bridge and Muttontown Gully. Two of the old type of dredges are laid aside as useless in their present positions, as operations are now chiefly confined to the bank claims. On the. Earnscleugh side the dredges are supplied with water from the Fraser River, and thus work independently of the Clutha River. On the Dunstan side operations are so carried on that the heavy current of the river is directed against the banks, and assists in carrying away the non-auriferous material. Four privately owned dredges are at work |on the Manuherikia River flats, while the Olrig, a public company, is being fitted with O'Brien's application of water-power'to'dredges in*lieu"of?steampower hitherto used. Clyde. With the exception of a few men at work in Blackmail's Gully and on the banks of the Clutha River, sluicing operations are at a standstill in this district. Two dredges continued at work during the dredging-season in the vicinity of Clyde, while the Unity dredge has been sold for removal to the Waikaia dredging-field.

6—C. 3.