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Saxon Mine (E. Cartwright, mine-manager). —The deep-levels main crosscut passed through the Saxon ground daring the year, and a subsidiary crosscut has been driven for a distance of 350 ft. on the Saxon reef. The main crosscut was driven through several quartz reefs. Three reefs were driven on for short distances, and, lam informed, gold was seen in the quartz. It is the company's intention to continue their crosscut until it reaches a point under their shaft, when the shaft will be sunk to connect with the 1.000 ft. crosscut. The shaft has now been enlarged and retimbered down to within 30 ft. of the deepest level. The work has been hindered by occasional outbursts of CO 2 . The engine. boiler, &c, have been put into working-order. Rules and signals posted. The average number of men employed was four. Victoria Mine (G. W. Horn, mine-manager).—Work has been mostly of a prospecting nature to test the small quartz leaders in the hanging-wall of the No. 4 reef at No. 2 (143 ft.) level. The results were unsatisfactory, and. having tested the small reefs at No. 3 (243 ft.) level with no better success, the company applied for and was granted six months' protection. The company will assist the Waiotahi Company in sinking their shaft to the 1,000 ft., where a subsidiary crosscut will be started to connect with the shaft. The Victoria. Company propose to drive from the Waiotahi shaft to cut a reel believed to exist in their claim at that depth. These companies will work conjointly for economy. Dining the year the company treated 13 tons of ore, for a return value of £16 2s. 7d. Six men wen , employed. Waiotahi Mine ((J. Warae, mine-manager). -The Waiotahi shaft has been sunk a further depth of 100 ft. At a depth of - r )22 ft. the No. 7 level chamber was opened, and a crosscut driven a distance of 300 ft.. when the footwall dropper from the main reef was penetrated, and found to lie '!}, ft. wide, and of hard quartz. Driving has been done on the reef from both sides of the crosscut, and colours of gold have been seen. The driving will he continued until a junction is made with the main reef; a rise will then be made to conned with No. 6 level (428 ft.). A little stoping has been dm i i he footwall dropper at No. 6 level. When the mine is drained by the passage of the main (1,000 ft.) crosscut, the company will deepen the Waiotahi shaft to 1,000 ft., and from thence prospect. The mine was inspected several times during the year and found satisfactory. Ventilation was fail , . The manager is making arrangements for the installation of a Sirocco fan, with a capacity of 50,000 cubic feet of air per minute, to ventilate the mine-workings below No. 6 level, and the shaft while being sunk. .Copies of rules and new signals are posted, and gates have been put on the cages. 204 tons of ore was treated, for a return of £640 14s. 2d. Eleven men were employed. Moanataiari Mine (W. Baker, mine-manager).—The only work done at this claim was the extension of the deep-levels main crosscut through the ground, in which several reef-formations were intersected. Kuranui-Caledonian Mine (G. W. Horn, mine-manager).—The mine has been protected for the year, pending the deep-levels main crosscut reaching the company's ground, when it is hoped that the '.ncmnd will be sufficiently drained to permit of the shaft being sunk to the 1,000 ft. level. Four tributers working in the mine secured 29 tons 2 qr. 27 lb. of ore, which yielded £266 16s. 3d. Refill nee (G. Comer, mine-manager).—Having exhausted their capital in unsuccessfully prospecting the Reuhen Parr reef, the company was granted protection. The mine has been closed the whole year. Thames Mine (James Sheehan, mine-manager). —Early in the year the mine-ventilation was found to be defective, and the company was prosecuted for a breach of the Mining Act. A large amount of capital had been expended on prospecting-work, and, being unable to raise further money to provide for adequate ventilation and to continue prospecting, the company was granted protection. Point Russell (Christie, mine-manager). —After a considerable amount of unsuccessful prospecting to locate a reef, the company closed the mine. Albumin Mine (11. Kendall, mine-manager). —Prospecting has been done on the Sons of Freedom reef at the low levels (Alburnia shaft), also at a greater depth from the Moanataiari level on the same reef. A winze was sunk on the reef to a depth of 30ft. below the floor of the tunnel : but, the ventilation proving defective, the company was prosecuted and fined. Being unable to provide the means of producing ad squate ventilation, the company obtained protection. Kuranui Mine (.lames Hayes, mine-manager). —Battery level (150 ft.): A rise was made on a well defined reef varying in width from it in. to 15 in. Gold was observed at times, but not in sufficient quantity to be payable. A crosscut was driven at a higher level, and the lode intersected and driven on for some distance, when a connection was made with the rise from the battery level. Towards the end of the year an old drive was reopened in the northern portion of the claim, which it is proposed to extend. Four tons of ore was treated, for a return of £31 13s. Six men were employed. Waitangi Mine (\\. .1. Adams, mine-manager).—During the year the No. 4 Beach level (100 ft.) was driven a further 1,831 ft., making a total length of 3,010 ft. Two reefs have been cut, the first being 2J ft. wide, and the second (the Waitangi reef) 60 ft. wide. This low level has been driven in less than two years, and is well timbered where necessary. Drainage and ventilation have been well attended to. At No. 3 level (150 ft.) the No. 2 winze has been sunk 2it ft. on the hanging-wall of the main reef. Rules posted at the mine, and reports entered in report-book regularly. Sixteen men were employed. Watchman Mine (H. A.. Hill, mine-manager). — Charter level (250 ft.): Crosscutting for the Windfall reef was stopped, and a rise was made to intersect the reef in the winze which was sunk from the Sunbeam Creek section. For the remainder of the year mining has been confined to driving on the Windfall and City of Dunedin reefs, the former being a strong body of quartz of satisfactory assay value. The Dunedin reef has been driven to connect with a crosscut drive driven from the Sunbeam Creek low level. A connection was made between the Charter and Sunbeam levels, where the ventilation is now good. The Dunedin reef is a strong, well-defined ore-body of considerable width. Early in the year the ventilation was defective, and the company was prosecuted and fined. 130 tons of ore was treated, for a return of £203 14s. Id. Seventeen men were employed.

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