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for permanent use. Plant and general equipment are in good order and condition. The quartz milled (685 tons) yielded, by amalgamation, 1,059 oz. 3 dwt. bullion, valued at £4,285 Bs. 9d. Concentrates shipped to the smelter amounted to 15 tons 16 cwt. 1 qr. 16 lb., realising £400 4s. 6d. Taffy. —Since the Curtis Bros, reopened this claim on more practical and improved methods of working, returns have maintained more favourable promise, both in quantity of ore treated and va'ues obtained. Go'den Lead. —Messrs. Sweeney and Leggoe, on reopening this old mine in the beginning of the year, mined and bagged 18 ton< of ore, which was crushed at the Big River Battery for a return of 24 oz. by ama'gamation, valued at £96. '"' Golden Point (owner, G. Perotti, Greymouth). —As the result of a trial crushing of ore taken from this property, 100 tons yielded 18 oz. 13 dwt. 2 gr. by amalgamation, valued at £72 13s. sd. Three men were employed. Blackwater Mines (IJmiied). —At the close of the year 1906 preparations were made for sinking the main shaft, the substructure and collar set being then in position, and directly the boiler and engine were installed a contract was let to sink to a depth of 500 ft. Sinking was steadily maintained, and chambers left for Nos. 1, 2, and 3 levels, but the rate of progress not meeting anticipations, the management decided to cease sinking at No. 3 level (432 ft.) and excavate a sump of sufficient capacity (25 ft.) ; total depth, 457 ft. As soon as sinking ceased, the chambers on Nos. 2 and 3 levels were immediately finished, and a crosscut started. On No. 3 level the reef formation was encountered, and on No. 2 level the Joker tunnel was connected by a crosscut. While shaft-sinking. &c, was going on the Joker tunnel was also being extended, and when work ceased for Christmas the total length driven was 1,627 ft. Of this, the first 430 ft. was through alluvial drifts, and approximately 600 ft. of the balance was driven on the reef. Surface-works comprise considerable alterations and additions of importance, and things generally are beginning to assume a more permanent aspect. The permanent head gear erected and made of first-class timber is an excellent job, whilst the permanent hoisting-engine and boiler were at the end of the year in process of delivery and erection, and are now efficiently housed. Carpenter's and blacksmith's shops have been erected and equipped with the necessary labour-saving tools, including a lathe and drill-press. For the convenience of the workmen, a comfortable boardinghouse has been erected, together with a considerable number of huts and four-roomed cottages suitable for families. During the year a large amount of work was done to utilise the waters of Snowy Creek for power purposes, and by cutting a mile and a quarter of water-race on the south side of the creek an approximate vertical height of 120 ft. was obtained at the battery-site. No time was lost in carrying out this work, which was virtually finished at the end of the year, with the exception of a few detailed jobs, such as setting gates and boxes and a few chains of fluming. The route of the pipe-line from the penstock to the Pe'ton had also been graded, and some of the pipes de'ivered. The battery-site selected was covered with dense bush, which entailed considerable work in excavating for the orebins and retaining-walls, the latter, which were built in concrete, being work of a somewhat difficult nature, as, firstly, gravel was hard to get, and the varied handlings before it reached its destination must have entailed work of considerable delay. The power-house and the retaining-wall along the front of the mortar-box are completed in concrete. A sawmill is installed on the north bank of Snowy Creek, to cut timber for mining and building purposes at the battery. Upper Blackwater (quartz-prospecting).—Craighead and party (95 acres) have two men employed driving a surface tunnel and trenching preparatory to sinking a shaft. Mr. Sidney Fry, of Westport, has an option over this area. Barman and Rea (100 acres) have two men trenching preparatory to driving a surface tunnel. Sidney Fry (100 acres) has two men sinking on a small reef, which carries a little gold. Upper Blackwa'er Miners' Association. —Of the subsidy of £200 granted to this association, payable at the rate of half-wages as against actual work performed, the third payment (£64) was made on the 14th March, 1907 ; total "pad, £199. l_ There is no fresh discovery worthy to be reported. Brunner Prospecting'*Association. —Since previous report this tunnel has not been further extended. Upper Grey Miners' Association. —Subsidy granted at the rate of £1 for £1 up to £150. £54 has been paid to prospect the head-waters of the Alexander River. Quartz found, but no defined reefs. Westland. Wttberforce Reefs. —According to information received from Mr. George Fallis, representative of the Kanieri Miner ■' Association, there were only three men on the field, doing some surface prospecting. Tunnelling and sinking were at a standstill. Ross. —Osmers and party having pushed mine-development, and obtained sufficient water-power by clearing and extending an old water-race, prospects were considered sufficient to warrant the purchase and erection of a five-stamp mill. On a later visit the mill was erected and working satisfactorily, but as crushing had only been started a few hours, results were not obtainable. A'grant of £50 was approved towards construction of the road, now completed. Mount Greenland. —John Petrie has pegged off two areas of 90 acres each, under the titles of the Mikonui Quartz-mining Company and the Wellington Mount, Greenland Gold-mining Company. Samuel McNair is in charge. Operations comprise the employment of four men clearing out some old tunnels in order to obtain a ton of ore as a trial crushing, and if values prove payable the"erection of a tenstamp mill is proposed. General Remarks. In reviewing the statistics of workings in quartz-mines, as furnished by the owners for the years 1906 and 1907, the ore milled for 1906 was 100,207 tons, yielding bullion to the amount of 43,952 oz. 5 dwt. 10 gr., valued at £169,928 19s. lid., against 687 persons employed whilst for the year 1907