43

C—3.

Accidents : Gold-dredges. Fatal. 26/9/1907 : Thomas Walker, engineer, Enterprise dredge, Alexandra South, was drowned in the Clutha River by the boat being swamped while going ashore. 26/11/1907 : George McLay, dredgemaster, Hartleyj~and Riley dredge, Cromwell, was drowned in the Clutha River by the boat being swamped while going ashore. Non-fatal. 8/11/1907: Wil iam Goodwin, winchman, New Fourteen-mile Beach dredge, below Bald Hill Flat, received severe injuries through the handle of the hand-winch reversing. The left arm was subsequently amputated.

OTHER MINERALS. Cinnabar. Upper Nevis. —Prospecting in the high ranges between the watersheds of the Nokomai and Nevis Rivers has revealed the presence of this mineral in lode formation. Good samples have also been obtained from the Carrick Range. Waitahuna Cinnabar Company. —It is plea ing to report that a small amount of capital has been raised to carry on further development. The best expenditure of this capital would be in driving the level ahead and in rising to the surface. Cinnabar is of frequent occurrence in the form of grains throughout the alluvial deposits of Otago and Southland. Auriferous Ironsands. Although extensive deposits of these sands exist on the south and south-west coasts of New Zealand, they are too low grade to work by any known method unless highly concentrated by the action of certain tides. At Orepuki two plants were erected during the year to treat these sands. These plants relied upon spread of tables for efficiency. These sands are found at various places on the coast-line south from Oamaru to the Bluff, the chief centres being Kartigi Beach, mouths of Tokomairiro and Clutha Rivers, Fortrose, Waikawa, and Orepuki. Platinum. This is found associated with the gold in the black-sand deposits of the sea-beaches, and a small percentage is found in the concentrates from some dredge-washings in the valleys of the Nevis and Clutha Rivers. A quantity—6 oz. for 1907—is saved by the Round Hill Mining Company, Southland, and by the beachcombers on the Orepuki and Waiau beaches. Copper. The most energy has been displayed in connection with the copper lode which exists at Wet Jacket Arm, Dusky Sound. Two prospectors, representing an Auckland syndicate, spent several months there recently. They are now returning to the locality with a party of miners, in order to further open up the lode. No progress has been made in connection with the Reedy Creek or Moke Creek copper lodes. Antimony. Alexandra Antimony-mine, Alexandra (Charles Rillstone, manager). — Winding and pumping machinery was erected on No. 1 shaft, and some driving was done along the line of lode. The shaft was also widened out, retimbered, and fitted with a separate compartment for a travelling-way. At No. 2 shaft a quantity of ore was mined. A crosscut drive was started to reach this shaft, but was not completed. These works were all done to open up the lode for the benefit of a Wellington syndicate, which took in hand the flotation of a large company. Carrick Range Antimony-mine. —A few tons were collected and shipped to smelting-works in Victoria, but the results were not up to expectations, and shipments ceased. Nevis Bluff Antimony Lode.— Operations on this lode never got beyond the prospecting stage. Lammerlaw Range Antimony-mine (James McQueen and party).—A pumping plant was erected and the mine unwatered for some distance. The mine was under offer to a Wellington syndicate, and I am informed that operations are to be resumed. Scheelite. 80 tons are returned as having been produced and exported from the Macrae's and Mount Highlay districts during the year. The only producers in these localities are the Messrs. I Donaldson Bros., owners of the Golden Point and New Zealand Gold and Tungsten Mines. Glenorchy Scheelite Syndicate, Glenorchy (G. Reid, manager).—A considerable quantity of scheelite (57 tons during 1907) has been produced from the scheelite mine at Glenorchy, Head of Lake Wakatipu. This mine has been well opened up, and a battery and concentrating appliances fitted up. As at Macrae's, the scheelite is here found in bunches and stringers through the quartz. General. —Induced by the success attending the operations of the Glenorchy syndicate, and the high price ruling for this mineral, many areas have been taken up in the Otago District. Few of these, however, have been prospected. Scheelite has been proved to abound in the Macrae's and Mount Highlay districts, and also in the Waipori and Head of Lake Wakatipu districts.