C.—2

18

The following is a statement of the quantity of quartz treated, dividends declared, and the number of persons employed by the principal gold-quartz mining companies during 1917 and 1918 :-

The following is a brief summary of the operations at the principal mines during the year ; more detailed references are contained in the Reports of the Inspectors of Mines appearing in Annexure A accompanying this report :— Northern Inspection District. Waihi Gold-mining Company. —At the lowest or No. 12 (1,448 ft.) level no development was carried out, this level being under water. At No. 11 (1,301 ft.) level quartz of low value was proved in the Empire and Royal lodes. At No. 10 (1,151 ft.) level the Empire lode was proved to conta ; n payable values. A small decrease occurred during the year in the production of ore and bullion, but the average value per ton was maintained. Waihi Grand Junction Gold-mining Company. —Development was confined to No. 8 (1,320 ft.) level owing to suspension of pumping from the lowest level of the adjoining Waihi Mine. At No. 8 level the Empire and Royal lodes where exposed, contained low values. There was a decline in the production of ore and of bullion, also in the value per ton treated. Talisman Consolidated. —Operations at the lowest or No. 16 level ceased during the year and pumps were withdrawn. The ore treated was obtained principally from stopes in the Bonanza section immediately below No. 13 level; little of this rich ore now remains to be sloped. Prospecting by means of a Government diamond drill is now being carried out to prove the Woodstock lode under the crosscut driven 70 ft. below No. 13 level ; also the Bonanza lode from holes to be drilled at the bottom of winzes Nos. 6 and 12 respectively, being approximately from the horizon of No. 15 level. The annual production has slightly declined, but the value per ton increased from £8 12s 5d to £9 os. sd. Waihi-Paeroa Gold-extraction Company. —This company, which since March, 1912, has recovered and re-treated tailings from various mines deposited in the Ohinemuri River, a proclaimed sludgechannel, during the year went into liquidation and offered its extensive treatment plant for sale. Since the commencement of operations 907,138 statute tons of tailings were treated for a return of £276,211, being an average value of 6s. Id. per ton. The total expenditure by the company was about £320,000. Dividends amounting to £25,000 were declared. The reason for the failure of this undertaking is obvious, values obtained being too low to cover costs. Muir's Gold Reefs, This recently formed company, the mine of which is situated on freehold land near Te Puke, having developed from adits a moderate reserve of ore, has installed a ten-stamp mill and small cyanide plant, which will be in operation at an early date. This company received a Government subsidy during the year for driving a level on its proved lode. West Coast Inspection District. Boatman's Consolidated Mine.— The old Fiery Cross shaft having been retimbered and continued to a depth of 1,025 ft., a crosscut was projected eastward to intersect the supposed course of the Fiery Cross lode, profitably worked in the upper levels many years ago before the shoot of ore disappeared. The, results so far attained have been negative, only a series of parallel fissures or faults having been encountered in the vicinity of the supposed lode course. The operations of this company were subsidized by the Government to the extent of £10,000. Blackwater Mines.— Development at No. 7 (1,065 ft.) level at a distance of about 750 ft southward from the shaft proved the lode to be faulted and horizontally displaced about 95 ft. The lode

Name of Company. Quantity of Quarti treated, 1918. 1918. Dividends paid. Total to End of December, 1918. ■ 03 . «,= >>CQ 0„OH Q3 -Tri xs vt a bC ag°.s -Sr3k If. f.— S3 as C TO Ph 3 a Quantity of Quartz treated, 1917. j | Northern District— Waihi Gold-mining Company (Limited)* Waihi Grand Junction Gold-mining Company (Limited) . . Talisman Consolidated (Limited) Waihi-Paeroa Gold-extraction Company West Coast District— Wealth of Nations Blaekwater Mines (Limited) Now Big River Gold-mining Company (Limited) Progress Mines of New Zealand (Limited) Murray Creek Gold-mining Company Other quartz-mines throughout New Zealand Statute Tons. 108,748 71,010 13,805 99,181 38,438 34,500 0,250 £ J 5,238,87(1 ! 207,004 1 1,133,722 ) 25,000 553 325 131 60 [Statute Tons. 171,198 103,087 10,007 3,720 31,728 4,163 1.0,320 9,749 27,379 12,500 .2,400: ' 2501 I, 174,994 , 100,800 320,502 21,727 I . 24 108 36 75 5.1 17,133 34,417 5,201 19,840 9,728 32,105 Totals 347,288 193,519 7,288,745 1,751 409,310