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50 ft. at the No. 5 level, and a drive was extended northward on the reef for a distance of 50 ft. A little stoping was done over this drive, with fairly satisfactory results. At.the present time work is confined to stoping on the No. 5 level and sinking the shaft. I examined the mine during the year, and found conditions fair. 100 tons of ore and 590 lb. of picked stone was crushed, for a return of £2,710 2s. Bd., and an average of eleven men was employed. New Cambria. Mine. —To develop the property the owner has been endeavouring to raise capital. The principal work was done by tributers, who located nothing of payable value. 18 tons of ore was treated, for a return of £44 15s. I visited the mine during the year, and found it safe. Golden Belt Mine.— Work has been confined principally to the low level, where the reef has been driven on for some distance from an intermediate level of the main (No. 2) rise. The ore is of fair quality. At the No. 1 (adit) level a reef has been located and driven on for some length, and the ore averaged £3 ss. per ton. Since October 215 tons of ore was treated, for a return of £665 17s. 3d., and as this ore came from three different levels in the mine, the future prospects of the Golden Belt are promising. I examined the mine during the year, and found it in good order. Ventilation fair. Tairua Golden Hills Mine. —Operations have been confined to stoping over the No. 3 level, and 600 tons of general ore was treated during the year, for a return of £920 16s. sd. Eight men have been employed. Tairua Mimes—Early in the year this claim was purchased by Mr. H. H. Adams, who is now making preparations to work the property, especially a section which is believed to be capable of giving satisfactory returns. As mining in the Tairua district is dormant it is hoped that something payable will be located. Two men have been employed. Daisy Claim. —The owner drove an adit for a distance of about 60 ft., when a small reef was cut into,' and the drive was then continued for a distance of 20 ft. During the year 40 tons of ore was mined, for a return of £162 195., a very satisfactory return. I examined the mine during the year, and found it safe. One man has been employed. West Coast Claim. —Operations on this claim during the past year have been carried on bytwo men, who have been solely engaged in prospecting. I regret to state that, owing to nothing of payable quality having been discovered, the owner has sought protection. A ton of ore was crushed, and yielded gold to the value of £9 2s. Thames Foreshore Dredging-works. —The dredge has been working only at intervals during the year. As the alluvial deposit at times contained stiff clay, alterations in the mode of treatment were necessary, and a Huntington mill was consequently installed on the dredge. The value of gold obtained during the year was £290 ss. 5d., a sum which would hardly pay workingexpenses. AID TO PROSPECTING. Whenuroroa Prospecting Association. —This association received aid to prospecting from the Mines Department, in order to prospect on the Puhipuhi Goldfield for cinnabar. A drive of 200 ft, was constructed, but no lode was met with, although the surface of the drive was covered with cinnabar. An effort is now being made to raise capital to develop the property. I examined the drive during the year, and "found it safe. Two men were employed. Waiparera. Gold-mining Syndicate. —This syndicate received £20 from the Mines Department for the purpose of prospecting for gold at Puhipuhi. Two winzes were sunk on a large lode formation, and were connected by a drive 70 ft. in length. I regret to report that the results of several assays of the ore were very discouraging. Whangarei Cinnabar Company. —A number of prospecting- shafts were sunk to depths varying from 40 ft. to 60 ft., and a surface tram-line connecting one of the shafts with a smelter recently erected was constructed. As this company has spent a considerable sum in the development of their property it is to be hoped that the quality of the cinnabar (of which some assays have been made) will be maintained. Tui Special Quartz Claim. —William Hollis, owner of this claim, received £75 assistance in the driving of a low level to cut a lode which is reported to contain payable ore. This level has now been put in to a distance of 300 ft,, and after another 50 ft. of driving it is stated that the lode should be intersected. General Prospecting. —Hughes and Conole, Lee and O'Brien, and Bentham and George received aid to prospect in the Thames County, but the results were most disappointing, nothing being located. protection. The following mines have been protected during the year : Victoria, Reliance, Thames, Alburnia, Bonanza, Dixon's Consolidated, Kapowai, Good Hope, New Magnet, Lord Nelson, Otanui-Mascotte, Champion, and Tairua Monarch. ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES. Fatal. An accident resulting in the loss of two lives occurred on the 11th January, 1913, at the New Sylvia Mine, David Christie and Joseph Senior being killed by a fall of rock and earth in the stope in which they were working. Non-fatal. Several minor accidents occurred during the year, but none were of a serious nature.