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Stafford Sctbdistrict At Kelly's Terrace, where H was expected a number of new claims would be taken up m the vicinity of the drainage channel, the only claim working is thai ol Sullivan and party, which has been worked continuously,and has yielded satisfactory returns. Little work lias been done on the property of the Wneel-of-Fortune Company. A number of alterations and improvements have been made, at considerable expense to the company. The management anticipate, with the improved conditions for working, that the claim will prove remunerative. This claim provides employment For a large number of miners. At Tunnel Terrace and German Gully all claims have been working full time, and giving very satisfactory results. At Middle Branch and Goldsborough there are some four parties working at present. Miners in this locality hope for the deviation of the main road, as the ground is stated l>v them to lie highly auriferous. Miners having claims along the road are retaining them, with the view of acquiring portions of the road to work if the deviation is permitted. At Callaghan's three claims are being worked, with satisfactory results. A considerable amount of prospecting is being done in the vicinity. Messrs. Linklater and party, who received a Government subsidy, drove a tunnel a considerable distance without success. The ground was subsequently abandoned. Prospecting is being carried on at Red .lack's, hut difficulty is experienced owing to the nature ol the country being unsuitable for tunnel-driving. It has been decided by the syndicate interested in the locality to procure the Government Keystone drill, which is shortly to arrive in the district. Payable returns have been received by the Stafford Gold-dredging Company from their dredge, which has been operated throughout the year. ROSS SUBMSTRIOT. The chief interest in this sulidist rid centred round t i perations of I lie Uoss (ioldfields (Limited). The company's mine was pumped out and retimbered, and mining operations commenced about June last. The company at this time employed about a hundred men. sixty of whom were miners working underground. After tin , mine had 1 n worked for a few months an accident to the electrical-power line resulted in the flooding of the mine, as the result of which, and the fact thai the capital of the company had become exhausted, the mine was closed down, and subsequently the company went into voluntary liquidation. During the time mining operations were carried on a considerable amount of gold was won. and tin , amount would no doubt have increased as the development of the mine proceeded. During the opening months of the year Osmers and party continued to obtain payable ore from their reef, the quantity actually crushed during the year being '.)" tons, yielding gold to tin' value of £425. The ore at the level a 1 which they were then working became exhausted. The Mont dOr Company has carried on [sluicing operations whenever water-supply has been available, and the results have enabled Ihe company to continue the payment of dividends. A new tail-race at a lower level has been constructed at a Considerable cost. A considerable amount of prospecting has been done in this subdist rict. and although mining operations have suffered a decline during the year, the prospect of*an improvement during 1011 is good. Okarito Subdistriot. Mining in South Westland is practically at a standstill, the only claim in connection with which any work at all is being done is that owned by the Dominion Gold and Ironsand Company, which company are at present engaged in clearing a pipe-line from Lake Alpine to their special claim at the Fivemile Beach preparatory to commencing operations on a large scale. This may give an impetus to the mining industry generally throughout this district. Carrol Brothers, of Gillespie's Beach, have lately been granted prospecting licenses over a fairly large tract of country ; they are also applying for a water-race, estimated to take three years to construct, at a cost of £8,000. Should work be proceeded with it will no doubt tend to improve the condition of the mining industry in South Westland. Cowern and Basham, of Hawera. have formed a company, and intend purchasing a dredge to work their ground, which is on the banks of the Okarito Lagoon. Several parties of prospectors have lately come into the district, but do not seem to be doing very much work, the present spell of dry weather no doubt hampering operations to a certain extent. I have, &c, •I. George L. Hewitt, Warden. Mr. Warden Hutchison, Oamaru, to the Uxder-Secretary, Mines Department, Wellington. Sir, — Magistrate's Court. Oamaru, 29th April, I'.tl I. I have the honour to present my report lor the year ended 31st December. 1910. With regard to the Livingstone Goldfield, operations have been unimportant. The claims on the Maerewhenua River are all working profitably ; some of the miners there, it is believed, are doing really well. On the Livingstone side of the river mining is not quite so active. The accumulation of tailings from the claims on the higher ground, for the present, prevents operations on the lower ground, and so restricts the extent of mining operations there : but when t he upper ground has been exhausted of its gold, operations can be carried nut upon the lower ground. Kxpetl opinion favours the view that the Livingstone field can be profitably worked for several years to come. A large amount of