C.-3.

Waihi-Paeroa Gold-extracting Com pain/ (Limited). This company has worked continuously during the year, an average of twenty-three men being employed. * The appliances for lifting the tailings out of the river, and the machineryinstalled for treating same, have proved so satisfactory that a start has been made to erect a newplant near Paeroa. 23,950 tons of tailings from the river was treated. Waihi Bench Cold-mining Company (Limited). In the early part of the year a start was made to unwater the mine down to the 360 ft. level by means of a Cameron pump. Considerable difficulty was experienced owing to the large body of water to contend with. Eventually, however, the lowest level was drained, and a distance of 75 ft. driven on the reef without disclosing any values. A large cross-lode was then intersected, and, although a little gold was visible, the pump could not cope with the volume of water, and work from the shaft was suspended. Waitehohe Syndicate. Two men have teen constantly engaged driving a low-level crosscut for the purpose of intersecting the reef-formation, which gave g I prospects on the surface. Several small veins have been passed through, and another 60 ft. should see this formation to hand. OWHAROA. Rising Sun Mine. Operations during the year have been chiefly confined to driving a low-level tunnel to intersect the reef, on which a winze was sunk for a distance of 60ft. below No. 2 level, with satisfactory results. Owing to difficulty with water, work had to be suspended in the winze, and the low-level tunnel is for the purpose of draining this section of the mine and facilitating the handling of the ore. Waitekauri. Netv Waitekauri. The whole of the work carried out in this mine throughout the year has been of a prospecting nature. Two small blocks of payable ore were met with in different sections of the mine, and were broken out and treated at the battery. At present the work in hand is repairing the Queen level for the purpose of working a block left in by the old company. 146 tons of ore was treated, for a return of £216. Maori-land. At the beginning of the year a crosscut was driven in an easterly direction for a distance of 174 ft., and the Young New Zealand reef intersected, showing a width of Bft. A total distance of 120 ft. has been opened up on line of lode, and a rise connected with the surface 116 ft. for ventilation purposes. 36i tons treated at the mill proved to be worth £2 .'is. 6d. per ton. New Zealand Jubilee Mine. In this mine 100 ft. has been driven on what is known as Christie's reef, and a branch leader, also a considerable amount of surface-prospecting. On Christie's leader portions of the ore gave a high assay value, but, being of a refractory character, samples have been sent to Australia for treatment. The results arc not yet to hand. Seal ia Gold-mini mi Company. Xo. 1 level was extended a distance of 137 ft.. the lode averaging 2J ft. in width. A winze was also sunk to a depth of 30ft.. the lode maintaining the same width. Xo. 2or low level was driven 240 ft., but so far nothing of importance has been discovered. 116 tons of ore produced bullion to the value of £201 6s. 2d. Kahangahake. Talisman Consolidated '(Limited). A considerable amount of development-work was carried out in this mine during the year. The No. 8 crosscut at No. 11 level was extended to the Crown boundary, or a distance of 1,030 ft. from starting-point. At 540 ft. the Welcome reef was intersected, at a point where it is about 4ft. wide and carrying low values. A little driving has been done north and south on this reef without disclosing any improvement, but further development will be done during the ensuing year. The Xo. 10 crosscut at Xo. II level lias been driven westward from face of south drive for over 500 ft. without intercepting anything of value. It is intended that this crosscut shall be advanced to the western boundary. No. I! Level. —Considerable driving has been done southward in the Dubbo section, disclosing varying widths of quartz, giving low values. Several crosscuts were driven cast and west off main drive in this section without intersecting any parallel ore-bodes. The north drive at No. 12 level has lieen advanced about 300 ft., with varying results. This drive will be extended considerably further, so as to prospect the ground below Woodstock No. 5 level. No. LI Level. —This level was drained in June last, and subsequently the south drive was advanced to and beyond the boundary of payable values. Although the southern boundary of the ore-shoot was reached earlier than expected, the length of payable ore at this level is fully as great as at No. 12 level. After the south drive got Iwyond the ore-shoot the reef became small and very poor, but at the close of the year an improvement occurred both in width and values.

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