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A company has been formed with a view to prospecting the Lady Agnes reef. Work is to be commenced shortly. Karamea. —Mining is practically at a standstill in this district. A prospecting party is at work up Fenian Creek. Charleston. —The beachcombers on the Rahui Beach have been working fairly steadily, but they complain that the beach is getting poorer every year. Norris and Butterworth are reported to be doing well. A claim at Brighton was taken up by J. Watson, but the results are not yet to hand. Four prospecting licenses to prospect for mica were taken out. A Christchurch company holds two of the areas, which are being prospected by Mr. Dennehy, who has discovered some very rich seams. Two tons of the mica has been sent to England, with a view of testing the market. Lyell. —A slight improvement in the number of mining applications was noticeable. The New Alpine Syndicate, at Lyell Creek, with eight men, has been prospecting the various levels during the past year, and has lately struck a payable reef between levels Nos. 6 and 7. A few crushings have been taken out and pul through, with good results. The Victory Gold-mining and Development Company (Limited), a Christchurch company, is still prospecting the old Victory Mine and the adjoining country thereabouts, but, so far, has met with little success. The Crown, an old abandoned mine situated about a mile from the Lyell Township, has been taken u|> liv Wellington investors, who paid £50 for the old battery. Two men have been employed during the past six months driving on the lower level, but have nothing yet to report. A few parties have been out prospecting, but also have nothing to report. Two dredges (Old Diggings Dredge and the Buller .function), belonging to Hansen and Smeaton's dredging syndicate respectively, have been working steadily during the past year, with fairly good results. I have, &c, E. Rawson, Warden.

Mr. Warden Hewitt, Hokitika. n> the Qnder-Secretary, .Mines Department, Wellington. Sir, Warden's Office, Hokitika, 30th March, 1912. I have the honour to present my report on the mining industry in the Westland District for the year ended the 31 st December. 1911. Hokitika Subdistrtct. AUuvial Mining. Operations have been carried on steadily throughout the year in the Back Creek Terrace, Seddon's Terrace, Governor's Terrace, and Arch Creek districts, the miners engaged, in most cases, making good wages. At Commissioner's and Tucker Flats a fair quantity of gold has been won. Some difficulty has, however, been experienced in getting to the bottom of the wash in one of the claims. Steps have been taken to overcome this difficulty, and I anticipate a steady return from these localities for years to come. In the Mahinapua district a considerable area has been worked by means of a " blow-up." This method is adopted at Mahinapua only at the present time, but as time goes on I expect to see it introduced to work the sea-beach in several parts of the district, and it should prove the means of getting the fine gold which is known to exist in our beaches in fair quantities. The general outlook in connection with alluvial mining is perhaps more full of promise now than it lias been for a number of years past. The result of prospecting operations in the Kanieri district during the closing months of the year by means of a Government Keystone drill prove very encouraging. The locality is commanded by a water-supply sufficient to enable the working of the ground on a considerable scale, and, as it is possible to bring the water into the field without the expenditure of a large amount of capital, active mining operations should be proceeding there at no distant date. Much has been said from time to time with reference to the extensive rimu flats and Han Hau ; but nothing has been done on the ground since my last annual report beyond further prospecting in several places, the result of which is such as to lead me to hope that capital will be forthcoming with which to bring in a water-supply commanding the country. Dredging. Dredging operations are now confined entirely to the Success Gold-dredging Company (Limited) at Hau Hau, from which fair returns have been obtained. Quartz-mining. A considerable amount of development-work has been done at the quartz-mines at Wilberforce, in which district further prospecting is being carried on. ROSS SUBDISTRICT. There is little to report from this subdistrict. The quartz-mine at Donnelly's Creek closed down during the year. Prospecting operations were carried on in Jones's Creek, but met with little success. Driving operations for a reef in Redman's Gully were commenced.