50

C—2

Glenorchy. Glenorchy Scheelite-mining Company (Limited). —The main levels have been advanced during the year, and various blocks of stone extracted. This company have reconstructed the treatment plant of the Bonnie Jean Mine, and active operations are being carried on in this property. All ore brought in from the Mount Alaska and Larkin Ranges by private parties is treated at these works. The various parties operating on Mount Mcintosh have continued as usual with their surface work. The long winter and heavy snowfall prevented them getting to the high tops as early this season as has been possible for some years previously. Preservation Inlet. Morning Star Gold-mining Company. —The low-level tunnel was continued for 150 ft. The mine is to be sold. HYDRAULIC SLUICING AND ELEVATING. Owing to the disastrous floods in the early part of the year this branch of mining has lost a considerable part of the available sluicing period. Almost every plant in the district was disorganized by slips or breaks in the races. The companies and private parties managed, however, to survive their difficulties, and got into full operations again. The following brief reports are of the most extensive mines :— Tuapeka. Blue Spur and Gabriel's Gully Sluicing Company. —Work was carried on for a time in the cement face operated on by the late Blue Spur Company, but was discontinued, and operations directed to the large deposits of tailings—accumulations of many years' work—lying on the property. Two elevators are worked, and discharge into the old cement paddock. These tailings are upwards of 70 ft. deep, and cover several acres of ground. Twenty-one men are employed. This company also works a claim in the main gully. Three men are employed, and the face is 20 ft. deep. The ground has all previously been worked by means of low-level tail-races. Golden Bis-e Sluicing Company, Weatherstones. —Ground-sluicing is continued on this property, the auriferous wash being worked to the cement bottom. The large overburden of clay immediately over the wash makes the claim difficult to work. Golden Crescent Sluicing Company, Weatherstones. —This company's operations are now assuming large dimensions. Work ;is confined to the west wall of the cement-deposit, a depth having been attained of upwards of 120 ft. without reaching the gutter-bottom. A large amount of old mining timbers have to be dealt with. This timber was used in the old days, when the rich layers of cement were driven out. Seven men are employed. Kitto and Party. —This party's claim adjoins the Gabriel's Gully Sluicing Company's property, and operations are carried on in the east wall of the cement. The face is 70 ft. deep, and the cement is very hard. Progress is slow, as the available water-pressure is low, and the material requires blasting before it can be removed. Waipori. Bakery Flat Gold-mining Company. —Operations have been carried out at the lower end of the claim. All necessary additions to plant were made to enable work to be done at this point. The ground has been bottomed, and proved to be shallower than was expected. The depth was about 90 ft. An adequate water-supply has enabled the mine to work good average sluicing time. Men employed, ten. Lammerlaw Flat Hydraulic Mining Company. —This company still work their claim on the Waipori Flat. The ground is about 20 ft. deep, and the gold is obtained from a false bottom. A fair area being treated annually, the claim is rapidly becoming exhausted. Post-office Creek, Waipori. —Eleven men find employment in this branch of the Waipori River. Elevating and ground-sluicing are both employed, and the faces average from 15 ft. to 100 ft. deep. The most extensive operations are carried on by Munro and George. This claim is worked to the rock bottom, a depth at this point of 100 ft. 310 ft. of water-pressure is available. Waitahuna. Five sluicing and elevating plants are at work in this district, and employ twenty-one men. Three plants are sluicing in the gravel terraces, and the other two are operating on the cementdeposit. The Norwegian Sluicing party are working on the west wall of the deposit, and the Sailor's Gully Company's workings are on the eastern wall. The Sailor's Gully Claim is located about a mile south of the Norwegian Claim. The horizontal width of the cement at the surface appears to be considerable, and a depth upwards of 300 ft. or 400 ft. will have to be reached before the gutter-bottom will be to hand. Island Block. Island Block Dredging and Sluicing Company. —Sluicing operations have been at a standstill during the year, and the whole of the company's plant is used by the New Golden Run Dredging Company for pumping purposes, and elevating the soil and clay deposit into a race discharged into the Molyneux River. The New Golden Run Company work the ground on a royalty-basis agreement with the Island Block Company.