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18

ANNEXURE A,

EXTRACTS FEOM THE EEPOETB OF INSPECTORS OF MINES.

NORTHERN DISTRICT. ■ Me. Matthew Paul, Inspector of Mines, Waihi. Waihi Gold-mining Company (Limited). —The amount of work done is small compared with last year, owing to the enforced idleness caused by a strike, which lasted from the 13th May to the 2nd October. The supply of ore is now proceeding satisfactorily, but deep-level development cannot be resumed until the water is lowered to No. 10 level, which it is anticipated will be early in March. No. 10 level (1,151 ft. from the collar of No. 5 shaft): Martha lode, south section —East of No. 5 shaft north crosscut the level was advanced from 153 ft. to 352 ft. At 153 ft. the lode is 30 ft. wide, and at 200 ft. it is 25 ft. wide. At 302 ft. the lode pinched to a track only, between two slidy walls. At 329 ft. flinty quartz was found, and at 350 ft. a very hard quartz 6 ft. wide, but of no value. West of No. 5 shaft north crosscut the level was advanced from 121 ft. to 419 ft. At 200 ft. the lode is 80 ft. wide. At 300 ft. the lode- was partly crosscut, exposing 15 ft. of ore. Elk pass was connected at 220 ft. west. Empire lode —East of No. 5 shaft north crosscut the level has been advanced from 135 ft. to 395 ft. At 210 ft. the lode is 20 ft. wide, and at 300 ft. it is 12 ft. wide. West of No. 5 shaft north crosscut the level has been advanced from 155 ft. to 446 ft. Between 408 ft. and 446 ft. the lode split into small stringers of quartz, and a crosscut will be necessary to prove if it has pinched. At 292 ft. the lode is 22 ft. wide. South-south-west crosscut, from No. 5 shaft was advanced from 114 ft. to 147 ft. The Royal lode was intersected at 115 ft., and proved to be 14 ft. wide. Royal lode west-ward—-The level has been extended on the reef 174 ft. Eastward the level has been advanced 186 ft. From 0 ft. to 17 ft. the level was driven in the reef, but from 17 ft. to 120 ft. the level was driven in the country on the south side of lode, owing to proximity of No. 5 shaft ; from 120 ft. to 186 ft. is in the reef. Between 150 ft. and 170 ft. the hanging or north wall country rock is exposed, and is of an unfavourable class. No. 9 level (1,003 ft. below collar of No. 5 shaft) : Royal lode—The level has been widened out to full width of lode in ore from 50 ft. to 425 ft. east of No. 5 shaft south crosscut, and also from 490 ft. to 575 ft. in ore. Stoping has been started, and a shrinkage block is in operation east and west of Frog pass at 66 ft. up. Reptile south-east crosscut has been extended 7 ft., making a total of 1,223 ft. from Royal lode. The country rock is of a favourable class. Driving had to be suspended owing to exudation of gas with a falling barometer from the reefs passed through. Empire lode, winzes— Paul pass has been sunk from 63 ft. to 106 ft. ; 3 ft. of quartz is exposed. Rose pass was sunk a total of 38 ft. ; the quartz pinched. The winze was situated on the north branch of lode. Power pass was sunk a total of 101 \ ft., but the pass followed a small stringer in south wall and got off the main part of lode. Coleman pass, situated 500 ft. east of No. 5 shaft crosscut, was sunk a total depth of 80 ft. North crosscut from east end of Empire lode was driven from Empire lode to Martha lode, a length of 376|ft. The country penetrated is favourable. A 12 in. calcite vein was found at 344 ft. from Empire lode. Edward lode, winzes—Perch pass has been sunk to a total depth of 80 ft. Lode proved by crosscut at bottom shows 29 ft. of sulphide ore, with west wall only showing. Eel pass sunk 65 ft.; 3 ft. of sulphide ore exposed ;no walls seen. Salmon pass, situated 350 ft. south of Perch has been sunk a total of 101J ft. The winze is situated in the rubbly portion of lode (3 ft. wide). The lode has been partly crosscut at 100 ft. down, and 22 ft. of mostly sulphide ore has been exposed with east wall only showing. Trout pass, situated 100 ft. north of Perch crosscut, has been sunk a total of 131 ft., and 3 ft. of reef is exposed, containing a good deal of manganese-dioxide, and at points unfavourable reddish-brown oxidized country rock is exposed. Sole south-east crosscut—This crosscut has been driven from Edward lode towards Royal lode a total of 92 ft. in a favourable class of country rock. At 69 ft. there is a quartz vein 5 ft. wide ; course, 88° (true) vertical. Welcome lode—Part of the widening on this level was timbered. Filling in : Approximately 92,757 short tons of filling material have been obtained from the various filling cuttings on the surf ate and from deadwork crosscuts, &c, underground, and put in stopes. Waste rock hauled up the various shafts and dumped on surface was 8,149 short tons. Shafts : No. 2 shaft was sunk from a point 1 ft. below No. 9 level to 100 ft. below No. 9 level, making a total depth from surface of 1,179 ft. The water rose in this shaft to within 10 ft. of No. 9 level, owing to stoppage of pumps. At 1,110 ft. quartz 4 ft. wide came in on north side of shaft, and passed out again on south side at 1,149 ft. No. 4 shaft was sunk from a point \\ ft. below No 10 level to 66 J ft. below No. 10 level, making a total depth from surface of 1,214£ ft. No. 5 shaft was sunk from a point 29 ft. below No. 10 level to 117 ft. below No. 10 level, making a total depth from surface of 1,268| ft. At 1,180 ft. the Royallode was met on south side of shaft, and at 1,251 ft. the reef passed clear of the shaft to the north side. The reef contains fissures which give out 1,000 gallons ofi water per minute. The 28-in.-diameter draw-lift coped with the water. The country rock at bottom is a good class. It is close-grained, and is letting out no water. The water was conveyed down behind the timbers from the reef to the bottom of the shaft. Hora Hora hydro-electric scheme : Good progress has been made during the past year on this work. The main race is practically finished, and water will shortly be admitted. The power-station has been built, and the machines will soon be ready for a trial run. The plant consists of six 1,500 b.h.p. turbines direct coupled to three-phase alternators, to run at a speed of 187 ■■ volutions per minute, and