C—3.

faultily constructed. It was then decided to let a contract to Messrs. Price Bros., engineers, Thames, for the supply of a new improved sleeve and coupling. The rods have been installed in the shaft, and the pump is working very satisfactorily. The mine has been unwatered to the 1,000 ft. level, and it is hoped that the development of the deep levels, which is to so vitally affect the welfare of the Thames, will be shortly undertaken with all due earnestness. The pump-ing-engines, &c, are in good order. May Queen Gold-mining Company (Limited), (W. Baker, mine-manager). —May Queen section : At the No. 6 level (750 ft.) a lot of driving and stoping has been done on the small leaders in the footwall and hanging-wall of the No. 4 lode. The leaders vary in thickness from 2 in. to 4 in., and the ore is of good general grade. Queen of Beauty section :At the No. 9 level (750 ft.) a considerable amount of work has been done on the No. I reef, a branch leader in the hangingwall of No. 4 reef, and on the Queen of Beauty reef on the south side of the shaft. The prospects have been very- encouraging. At the No. 10 level (1,000 ft.) a drive has been driven through the Government reserve into the Queen of Beauty section for a distance of 200 ft. The Queen of Beauty reef is expected to be cut at any time. Operations at Nos. 9 and 10 levels have been interrupted a good deal owing to the accidents whioh caused stoppages of the Thames-Hauraki pump. During the year 1,315 tons of ore and 3501b. of specimen stone were treated, for a return value of £3,519 10s. 2d. Thirty-two men were employed. Occidental Consolidated Gold-mining Company (Limited), (Thomas Gillan, mine-manager). The company is directing its energies to the opening-up of the No. 4 Una level. Connections will also be effected with an upper level, in order to improve the quality of the ventilation, and to allow the prospecting of several small reefs which exist in the claim. Seven men were employed. Lord Nelson Special Quartz Claim (James Middleton, mine-manager).—Little or no develop-ment-work has been done durii g the year, the owners being content with locating rich leaders in the adit levels. It would appear, however, that the property is well worth being worked on a more comprehensive scale. Sixteen tons of material was crushed for a return value of £696. Three men were employed. Reliance Gold mining Company (Limited), (George Comer, mine-manager). —The mine is being worked from the Moanataiari tunnel. Before the company reached their ground 40 ft. had to be driven, and it is proposed to continue the crosscut to intersect the Reuben Parr reef. The country rock is hard, and no timbering is required. Four men were employed. Glaremont Mine (George Briant, owner). —Very little work has been done on the claim. The owner, who works the claim himself, managed to secure 1301b. of specimen stone, which he treated for a yield of 129 oz. 1 dwt., valued at £348 Bs. 6d. Magnet Gold-mining Company (Limited), (J. W. O'Sullivan, mine-manager).—A short distance has been driven on the main reef at the low level, and two rises made to a height of 105 ft. and 54 ft. respectively. The lode is highly mineralised, but, owing to the defectiveness of the ventilation, work litis been suspended in this particular quarter for the time being. A new crosscut drive was driven at a point 127 ft. vertical above the low level a distance of 212 ft., when the main reef was cut into and driven on for some distance. There yet remains 120 ft. to be driven before reaching a point immediately over No. 1 rise, where it is intended to sink a winze which, at a depth of 45 ft., should connect with the rise referred to. This will facilitate the ventilation of the mine, and also enable a vigorous policy of development being carried out in the higher level areas. Six men were employed. The mine was in good order when inspected. Point Russell Gold-mining Company (Limited), (Henry Brownlee, mine-manager).—The company- is working on a well-defined reef, and is also operating on a section of the lode left in by a former company. Twelve loads of quartz was treated, for a value of £79 6s. 9d. Eight men were employed. Arrindell Syndicate. (Limited), (George A. Dougall, mine-manager).—The syndicate's properties have been under protection during the whole of the year, pending the formation in London of a new company to work the properties. The latest information to hand is to the effect that a new company, to be called the Maori Gold-mining Company (Limited), will shortly be registered, having a capital of £150,000, and it is anticipated that work will be commenced within the next three or four months. Dart Extended S.Q.C. (D. Dunlop, owner). —The present owner came into possession of the property last June, and all his attention has been occupied with cleaning the old drives and repairing the shaft ladder-way, &c. Two men were employed. Fifteen loads of quartz gave a return of 25 oz. 13 dwt. of gold, valued at £69 17s. 4d. New Day Dawn and Norfolk Mines (Limited), (W. T. McCormick, mine-manager).—lhere has been 250 ft. of driving done on the City of Dunedin reef, which is a large body of ore, 20 ft. wide and highly mineralised, though carrying low values. Connections have been made with the upper levels for ventilation purposes. The reef in the main rise averages from 6 ft. to 8 ft. in width, and is very hard, rock drills having to be used. There was 966 tons of material crushed, for a yield of 369 oz. 16 dwt. of gold, valued at £676 Is. Fourteen men were employed. Watchman Gold-mining Company (TAmited), (H. A. Hill, mine-manager).—No. 1 rise has been carried to a total height of 115 ft. on the lode. No. 1 winze was sunk to a depth of 102 ft, on the lode; and at a depth of 100 ft. a crosscut was driven, and it showed the reef to be 22ft. wide. The reef has been driven on in an easterly direction for 60 ft. A low level will be driven to intersect the lode at the bottom of the winze. Five men were employed. Bonanza Gold-mining Company (Limited), (Robert Wilson, mine-manager).—A new level has been driven in the Sunbeam Creek section, but nothing of importance was disclosed. The drive has now been driven a total length of 200 ft., and it is expected that a reef located outcropping on the surface will be intersected. Four men were employed.

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