C—2.

37

Deep Greek Gold-mining Syndicate. —The company's plant has been moved to work a river-beach. The removal necessitated race-continuation and the erection of 2,000 ft. siphon. Hazel Terrace (Ward Bros.). — This party have opened an alluvial terrace at the branches (Upper Shotover). Hydraulic mining equipment, consisting of 1,100 ft. of 9 in. pipes and accessories, has been taken on to the claim. A mile and a quarter of race is constructed. The ground has been previously worked to a false bottom. Three other large claims are worked at Skipper's. Oardrona. Criffel Lead Sluicing Company. —A tail-race at a much lower level is being taken up. This will occupy about two months' time, when the wall will be reached. Should the back reef hang up, a better yield is expected this season. Water is plentiful. Matakanui. Undaunted Gold-mining Company (Limited). —The lower portion of the claim —that is, the shallow ground on the false bottom—is exhausted, and sinking is now proceeding at the foothills. Tinkers Gold-mining Company (Limited). —Paddocking on the back reef is continued, and owing to tendency of the reef to slide into the paddock the work is slow and expensive. The year's work resulted in a profit being shown. St. Bathan's. Scandinavian Water-race Company (Limited). —Stripping of overburden has been extensively carried on, and a very large paddock has been opened out; the work in the lower levels is consequently safer. A second lift was sunk below the main 120 ft. level to a depth of 33 ft., and a small paddock taken out on the Kildare main lead, yielding fair results. Electric light has been installed. United Mining and Elevating Water-race Company (Limited). —The season has been mostly devoted to the deepening of the channel to work a portion of the claim without elevating, and work in the deep levels temporarily suspended. Golden Terrace Gold-mining Company. —This company was organized during the year to test a deposit located near St Bathan's. The claim was previously worked. A narrow run of gold was followed until it ran out, and the present company intend testing the deposit in other directions. Livingstone. Five men are ruining on these diggings, and gold to the value of £798 ss. 4d. was obtained. Maerewhenua. Twelve parties, totalling thirty-five men, are employed on this field. The faces range in height from 20 ft. to 100 ft. Plenty of fall is available, and the work is mainly sluicing. Gold-saving is difficult, and requires long tail-boxes. Gold to the amount of 2,204 oz. 15 dwt., valued at £8,062 125., was obtained. Naseby. The forty men engaged mining in this district have experienced a fair average season from a water point of view. No new developments have taken place, and there is little to comment on, the conditions being little altered. Hamilton's. Hamilton's Sluicing Company. —Operations have been mainly directed to the removal of the tremendous overburden slowly tiliding down the back reef. The race has been widened, and now delivers upwards of twenty heads on the claim. Electric-lighting plant has been installed. Patearoa. Three claims are worked here, the depth of ground varying from 30 ft. to 70 ft. Nevis. Nine hydraulic mining plants are at work in this valley, and employ forty men. Sluicing and e'evating combined is the method adopted to treat the ground. The depth of ground on the river flat is from 10 ft. to 30 ft., and the terrace-faces worked reach to the height of 200 ft. The wash is, on the whole, tight and good standing ground. Gold to the amount of 1,576 oz. 18 dwt., valued at £4.803 19s. 10d., was returned from the district. Waikaia. . Muddy Terrace Gold-mining Company (Limited). —Sluicing was more continuously maintained than during the previous year. An additional mining-area of 87 acres was purchased by the company.. The Boundary Creek water has been brought in, and the Steeple Creek race-construction is being pushed on, and nearing completion. All the main points of the works have been connected by telephone, and the race-section men can communicate with each other. Thirty men are employed. Argyle Sluicing Company. —This property changed hands during the year, and work was continued as before. Winding Creek Claim (Round Hill Mining Company, owners). —A large paddock was stripped to the free outflow. A downthrow fault in the alluvial beds, having a displacement of more than 100 ft., was encountered near the creek-boundary of the paddock. Sinking on the downthrow side