31

C.-2

Golden Crescent Sluicing Company (Weatherstone's). —Profitable returns were secured from the cement treated during the year. Sailor's Gully Sluicing Company (Wailali una). —A new claim was opened out on the northeast side of Waitahuna Township, from which payable returns are being won. Waipori. —Six small parties of miners are carrying on sluicing operations in this locality. Teviot-Molyneux Gold-mining Company (Roxburgh). —The returns from this claim show a falling-off in the quantity of gravel treated and value of gold won. A new paddock of about 3 acres in extent is being opened up, in which a second elevator has been installed for dealing with the lower gravels. MANIOTOTO COUNTY. Naseby. —Eleven small parties of miners continue to find employment in this district. Scandinavian ll 'a/er-raei Company (Si. Bathan's). —Operations were confined to the Kildare section of the claim. Pet urns for the year show an improvement in the yield of gold. Morgan llras. (Cambrian's). —This party's operations continue to give satisfactory results. Gold to the value of £2,493 was produced. VINCENT COUNTY. Matakanui. —The Undaunted Tinkers Gold-mining Company produced gold valued at £1,066 from shallow gravel deposits. Nevis. —Six claims were worked in this locality. Graham and party were the most successful, producing gold valued at £2,911. LAKE COUNTY. Shotover River. —Campbell and Murray's claim, in the gorge below Moke Creek Junction, continues to yield payable returns. The value of the gold won for the year amounted to £1,527. Other parties working were Smith and Jacobson, Skipper's Sluicing Company, and W. G. Gordon, at Skipper's; F. and D. Ward, at the Branches; and Atley Bros., at Long Cully. Cardrona. —Lafranchi Bros, are prospecting for " Robertson's lead," to the south of the old workings. A subsidy was granted to assist them in the work. WAITAKI COUNTY. Livingstone and Maerewhenua. —A further decline is noticeable in the production of gold from this district. SOUTHLAND COUNTY. Nokomai Hydraulic Sluicing Company. —This company produced 1,787 oz. 11 dwt. gold, valued at £8,547, and paid £2,400 in dividends. Two elevators were kept steadily at work throughout the year. Muddy Terrace Sluicing Company (Waikaia). —The high-level water-race on the terrace was connected with the workings in Nuggety Gully, and an additional 100 ft. of pressure secured. This will enable the company to elevate the auriferous wash at the base of the terrace, where payable results were obtained from boreholes. Blaikely and McListi r (Athol). —This party is working a deposit of sandstone gravel in Old Wakatipu Gully for payable returns. Operations are hampered by a shortage of water for sluicing. WALLACE COUNTY. Round Hill Mining Company. —Only one of the company's claims was worked during the year. Returns show that twelve men were employed and gold valued at £3,304 produced. Ourawera Gold-mining Company (Round Hill). —This company has kept one elevator steadily working. The yield of gold for the year is valued at £2,311. Orepuki. —Six men were engaged in mining in this locality. The total value of the gold produced amounted to £787. Dredge Mining. This branch of mining provided employment for eighty men, and produced gold to the value of £31,362. The Kura dredge, at Frcshford, Waikaia, was again the largest producer, yielding 1,596 oz. gold, valued at £7,982. Minerals other than Gold. Scheelite. —There being practically no demand for this mineral, and the price having fallen to 17s. 6d. per unit, very little mining was done. The total output from the mines within the district amounted to 30 tons 12 cwt. Of this quantity 4 tons 7 cwt. were sold for export in the early part of the year. The balance is being held by producers for an improvement in the market. Petroleum. —The Canterbury Petroleum Company's borehole at Chertsey has reached a depth of 2,170 ft. Emissions of gas and traces of oil were given off from the sands and conglomerates penetrated below 1,368 ft. Drilling has been retarded through the sand-pump becoming jammed in the 4 in. casing at 2,132 ft. Efforts are being made to remove the obstruction. Accidents. No serious accidents occurred ai metal-mines or dredges in this district during 1920.