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QUARTZ-MINING. Ross. Messrs. Osmers and Party (four). —-This party continued to obtain payable ore until August, when all above the adit level became exhausted. Before milling can be resumed development at lower level* must be carried out. During the year 97 tons were crushed, yielding gold to the value of £425 17s. The only quartz-mining in this district other than the above is at Jones's Creek, where Mr. A. Aitken is driving a tunnel (assisted by a subsidy). The leader upon which the tunnel is being driven contains nice prospects of gold in parts. The whole of the formation is heavily mineralized. WILBERFORCE. Developments on the reefs in this district have been slow this year, owing to the lateness of the season, the want of roads, and the difficulty experienced in obtaining the necessary capital. Messrs. Callaire and party have driven 84 ft. upon a very promising formation, which carries ,i nut' sample of gold in places, and is well worth further development. The King Gold-mining Company employed two men for some months on development. The reef shows payable value for the distance driven. As the company is now registered, greater activity in its operations is anticipated. Wilson's Reward Syndicate, during the favourable weather, employed three men cleaning out the drive put in by Hinduism and party, also sampling the various outcrops, with, 1 believe, satisfactory results. Capital for more active development is much needed. Poerua. During the past year William Meats and party prospected in this district, discovering some reefs, which are now being developed. Poerua Gold-mining Company (W. J. LeCren, secretary). —Prior to driving, the company did sufficient prospecting on the outcrops to satisfy themselves as to the value of their property. They have since erected a smithy and explosives-magazine, and have driven 100 ft. on the line of reef. All quartz is stacked for mill treatment. Mr. Sidney Fry, mine-manager, informs me that all arrangements for the erection of a five-stamp mill have been made to permit of treatmeni as development proceeds. Eight other prospecting-areas have been taken up in this district. These are now being prospected, with an average of two men on each area. Whitcombe. The prospectors in this district—viz., Messrs. Singer and North (subsidized) —had numerous samples assayed, which aveiaged in value £5 6s. 4d. per ton. Where cut at a lower level, the reef, although carrying payable value, is very much broken. At present there are only two men prospecting. The locality is so isolated that men do not care to proceed there. DKEDGE MINING. Three-mile Dredge (owner, W. J. Mcllroy ; master and engineer, Mr. E. Brown). —The regulations have received strict attention. The yield of gold for the year was £1,633 6s. lOd. North Beach Dredge (owner, Joseph Taylor ; master and engineer, S. Chapman).—-The regulations have been observed. This year's production amounted in value to £2,565 13s. 6d. The water-supply has not been sufficient for saving fine gold. It has been ascertained here that a higher proportion of fine gold is saved with clear than with muddy water. Stafford Dredge (C. E. Richards, secretary ; George Wilson, master and engineer). —This company have had a profitable year, their dredge yielding gold to the value of £3,738 7s. 6d. The mining regulations have been observed. Success Dredge. —This new dredge is now almost ready to start, operations in Brennan's Creek. It will be one of the most powerful and up-to-date dredges on the West Coast, having the following dimensions: Length, 96 ft. 6 in. ; beam, 30 ft.; depth, 6 J ft. to 7£ ft. ; gantry, 20ft. high; top tumbler, 2 ft. ; shoot, 63 ft. ; dredge-engine, 25 nominal horse-power; pumping-engine, 12 nominal horse-power ; boiler, 43 horse-power. ALLUVIAL MINING. Waikupukua District. (libbs and Friend, with two men, continue sluicing on their area, at Omerua. Operations are confined to development, and are considered satisfactory. Good work is being done with the limited capital available. Peter Hende, the holder of a 5-acre claim at an altitude of 3,500 ft., is not able to work more t han six months in the year, having only one man to assist him. The extreme cost of conveying all supplies to the claim proves a very great drawback, especially when the capital available is limited. A few prospecting-areas are held in this district on which no work has been done; therefore the provisions of the Mining Act, 1908, section 73, have not been carried out. Calliri Gorge. Occasionally when the seasons are favourable a few miners work in this gorge, and invariably obtain fine specimens of gold with quartz. The largest piece I inspected contained in gold 13 dwt. To carry out prospecting operations more systematically, a party should not consist of less than