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C.—3

middle of February, and is now in a distance of 1,179 ft. So far only a few stringers have been out. A tramway has been constructed from the tunnel to the foreshore, a distance of 350 ft. Also a small up-to-date plant installed for driving rock-drills, &c. An air-compressor and a ventilation-fan are also provided. Seventy-two tons of ore was treated, and yielded gold to the value of £252 ss. 3d. Twelve men were employed. Watchman Mine (H. A. Hill, mine-manager).- —The low level was driven an additional 225 ft. In the No. 1 rise on the Windfall reef an intermediate level was started, and has been driven 58 ft. The Charter level was cleaned up and a crosscut driven for some distance, when the Windfall reef was intersected. The crosscut was continued into the foot-wall, A rise will he m&de to cut into a reef senile 200 ft. higher up. The City of Dunedin reef is also being driven on, and good results are being obtained. From 74£ tons of ore treated, a return value of £233 11s. Bd. was obtained. Seven men were employed. Bonanza Mine (R. Wilson, mine-manager). —The company is assisting the Waitangi Company to drive the Beach level, which will run through the Bonanza property into the Waitangi ground. Good progress is being made with the driving, and the class of country passed through is favourable. The reef will be prospected when the drive has entered the Waitangi Claim. Three men were employed. New Dull Dawn and Norfolk Mines (W. J. McCormick, mine-manager). —The City of Dunedin reei has been driven on from the battery low level a. further distance of 287 ft. The ore-body is 8 ft. wide, lull the ore is low grade. The main drive, will be advanced a certain distance, and a rise will then be put up to connect with an upper level. A connection has also been effected with the Dunedin level. During the year L9O Inns of ore was treated, and yielded £290 19s. Eight men were employed. Dixon's Mine (A. Wilson, mine-manager).—A winze was sunk on what is believed to be a branch of the Windfall reef, and the reef driven on some distance ; but the ore proving low grade, work was discontinued in this quarter. The No. 2 level was driven on the Windfall reef about 200 ft. No. 1 level was driven also to cut the Windfall reef at a point 100 ft. above No. 2 level. The reef will be driven a certain distance, and a winze then sunk to (■OHIUI-γ with the bottom rise. Six men were employed. The mine was examined during the year, and found to be in good order. New Sylvia Mine (E. A. Daldy, mine-manager). —The main crosscut was driven through the reel into the foot-wall, and a winze commenced, but a heavy inflow of water caused operations in this direction to lie temporarily suspended. The winze is being sunk to test the ore-values at a greater depth. The company have decided to drive a new low level to cut the reef at a distance of 1,100 ft. At about the end of the year 450 ft. had been driven. The company is erecting a special mill to treat its refractory ore. The plant will include five I,oBolb. stamps, one tube mill, six B. and M. tanks, one vacuum filter-press, one stone-breaker, cyanide-tanks, &c. During the year 627 tons 16 owt. ill ore was treated, for a. return value of £2,940. Twenty men were employed. The mine was examined and found to be in good order. Ajax Mine. —Work consists of prospecting, but has not been carried on extensively. Four men were employed. Scandinavian Mine (W. McConnell, mine-manager).—The company spent a deal of capital on the testing of its lodes, but the ore was found unprofitable to work, and the mine was closed down. The reefs are large and well-defined mineralized bodies, and may yet be worth while prospecting. Four men were employed. Temple Bar Mine (W. C. Kelly, mine-manager).—A considerable amount of prospecting-work was done on a quartz leader (12 in. wide), but it proved unpayable, and the company wound up its affairs. Tararua Mines (J. Jobe, mine-manager).—At the Eclipse low level a crosscut was extended 216 ft., when the Vulcan reef was intersected, and driven on a distance of 134 ft. Six men were employed. The mine was examined during the year, and found to be in good order. Monowm Mines (W. Holns, mine-manager). —Mine-developments were well advanced during the year. The company have gone to considerable expense in renovating the milling plant, installing a, cyanide plant, erecting a suction-gas plant, reconstructing the water-race, and laying down a ground tram-line. The treatment of 100 tons of ore gave a return value of £455. Twenty men were employed. Zeehan Consolidated (L. E. Autridge. mine-manager). —Operations have been confined to develop-ment-work on the No. 5 reef. In the upper level the reef has been driven on 200 ft., and quartz of an apparently payable character has been disclosed. From this level a winze, has been sunk rather more than 80 ft., and specimen stone secured. A low level has been driven a distance of 540 ft. The intention is to develop two oilier reefs known to exist in the property. Water-rights and a batterysite have been secured close to the mine. During the year 15 tons 19 cwt. 3 qr. of ore was treated, and gold worth £176 7s. 10d. obtained therefrom. Seven men were employed. The mine was examined during the year, and found to be in good order. Crown and Golden Crown Mines (S. T. Williams, mine-manager).—Three levels were driven lor a total length of 412 ft., and several lodes and small quartz leaders met with. The results were satisfactory, and the company have now decided to erect a nulling plant. The mill will be modelled on up-to-date methods, and driven by water-power. The company mined 6 tons of material, which was treated for a return value of £15 16s. Twelve men were employed. Portia Mine (W. Moorecraft, mine-manager).—This claim has been taken up by a syndicate, who, alter cleaning out and repairing an old drive, have commenced driving on a lode which has given good results. Driving is also being done on another lode previously worked from the surface. A crushing plant will be erected at an early date. Two men were employed. Two tons of quartz and 65 lb. of specimen stone gave a return of £192 9s. 6d. Agnes Mine (D. Sheridan, mine-manager and owner). —The owner did a little work on the claim during the year, but failed to make any important discovery.