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ANNEXURE'A. SUMMARY OP REPORTS BY INSPECTORS OK MINES. Noethbbn Insi'eotiok District (Mγ. M. Paxtl, Inspector of Mines). Quartz-mining. Waihi GoJd-mitthi'i Company (Limited). —During the yoar No. 4 shaft was sunk ft. ; total depth, 1,616 ft. It was intended to open out No. 13 level at 1,600 ft., but owing to the shaft passing through a soft carbonaceous seam between 1,588 ft. and 1,599 ft. it was decided to open out at No. 13 level at 1,678} ft. On the south side of the shaft the north-west crosscut was extended 197 ft. where the Dreadnought lode was intersected, having a width of 23 ft., the assay value of the last 18 ft. being Bs. 3d. per ton. In the south-east crosscut the total distance driven was 319 ft. At 258 ft. a portion of the Royal lode, width 7 ft., was intersected, worth 6d. per ton ; at 279 ft. another section of this lode, width 5 ft., was met with—assay value, 12s. ; at 202 ft., quartz 3 ft. wide, assay value Is. Id. per ton. Driving east and west is in progress on the richest portion. No. 12 level (]4,447|ft. below collar of No. 4 shaft). —Dreadnought lode: Total distance driven east of No. 4 shaft, 530 ft. ; width irregular and values low. At this point the junction of the Empire lode was met with. Beyond the junction the drive has been extended 54 ft. over width of 5 ft. ; assay valuos vary from (is. Bd. to £1 7s. 2d. per ton. Bath north crosscut extended 136 ft. ; total, 209 ft. At 150 ft. for a width of 10 ft. the ore assayed at 4s. 7d. per ton. At 191 £ ft. a crosscut proved the Martha lode to be 60 ft. in width, of which 8 ft., near the centre, has payable values ; from 38 ft. to 40 ft. ore assayed £1 Bs. por ton ; balance low grade. Drive east, 141 J ft. over width of 5 ft. ; assay value varies from ss. to £3 9s. 4d. Crosscut proved width of lode 58 ft. ; values varying from Is. Bd. to £1 14s. lOd. per ton. Drive west, Martha lode : Distance driven, 104 ft. ; assay values, of width of 5 ft., vary from Is. Id. to 19s. 9cl. Crosscut at 95 ft. west proved the lode to be 00 ft. wide, and valuos from Is. sd. to £1 2s. per ton. Empire lode west of Bath crosscut: Drive extended 182} ft. ;at 50ft., lode lift, in width, value £1 per ton; at 118 ft., lode 8 ft. wide, value £1 os. 10d. West crosscut from No. 2 shaft: Advance! 108 ft. during the year', making a total distance 833 ft. At 052 ft. east part of the Edward lode was met with ; assay value, 3s. lOd. At 705 ft. the main portion of the Edward lode was intersected ; width, 25 ft. ; average value, Is. sd. per ton. At 827 ft. a rise was put up and connected with the bottom of No. 2 shaft, which provided adequate ventilation. No. 4 shaft, south crosscut, advanced 92 ft. ; total, 487 ft. The Royal lode was met with at 414 ft. ; width, 15ft. ; value, 4s. od. per ton. 23ft. was driven east and 11 ft. west; values low. No. 11 level (1,301 ft. below collar of No. 4 shaft). —Salmon west crosscut: This is being extended for the purpose of testing the Welcome and Martha lodes at this level; distance driven, 429 ft. At 237 ft. a lode 4 ft. wide! was passed through ; assay value, 11s. per ton. No. 10 level (1,152 ft. below collar of No. 4 shaft). —North section of Empire: The level was widened out to full width from 41 ft. to 91 ft. west. At 75 ft. an irregular reef was found going into the south wall; width 8 ft. ; value, £1 9s. 3d. per ton. The Soldiers' south-east crosscut was extended 87 ft. with a viow of testing this lode, but nothing important was met with. North section of Empire lode : The level has been widened and timbered for a length of 200 ft. ready for stoping. No. 9 level (1,004 ft. below collar of No. 5 shaft): Charters' south crosscut advanced 184 ft. Regina lode intersected from 25 ft. to 37 ft. ; payable samples were obtained, but on driving oast and west the ore proved low-grade. No. 8 level (1,852 ft. from'collar of No. 5 shaft): North branch of Martha lode advanced 124 ft. ; at 122 ft., 4ft. of hard quartz and country, mixed, assayed £1 17s. 7d. per ton. The level was heightened to lift, from 36ft. to 113 ft., and 5 ft. wide. No. G sublevel: No. 2 reef driven 120 ft. in payable ore 4 ft. wide. No. 0 level: Albert lode, south of the Martha junction, driven 140 ft. in payable ore, over 6 ft. wide. The Jellicoe lode was found 94 ft. in the south-east crosscut from No. 2 shaft: width, from 2 ft. to 5 ft. ; assays vary from £1 11s. od. to £10 Bs. Id. No. 5 level : Jellieoe lode driven on for 242 ft. ; width varies from 9 in. to 5 ft., and values from £1 18s. 3d. to £10 15s. od. A considerable amount of payable ore is still being won from the arches at and above No. 7 level. The new high-lift turbine-pumping plant commenced operations on the Ist September, and has run continuously since that date. Waihi Grand Junction Mine. —No. 1 shaft was sunk 12£ ft., making the total depth below collar 1,473 ft. At 150 ft. below No. 8 level a crosscut was driven 39 ft. through quartz; value, 10d. per ton. The object of this crosscut was to tap the main body of the water 30 ft. below the random of No. 9 level. No. 9 level was opened up at 120 ft. below No. 8 level. A water-cistern (capacity 10,000 gallons) has been excavated at No. 9 level. The drainage-water from the level is directed into this cistern, and from hero pumped to the main pumping-station at No. 8 level. This arrangement will enable the sinking of the shaft to proceed under improved conditions. During the year 205,823,855 gallons of water were raised, to the surface. No. 9 level: The main south-east crosscut was driven a total distance of 170 ft. ; from 21 ft. to 33 ft. is quartz valued at 4s. Id. per ton, from 32 ft. to 87 ft. country rock. At 87 ft. a lode, 45 in. wide, value 3s. 7d. per ton, was passed through ; from this lode to 140 ft. is country rock. At 140 ft. the Empire lode was intersected, and proved to be 24 ft. wide. The first 7 ft. is quartz, value 7s. 3d. per ton ; the next 10 ft. quartz and country rock, value 2s. 6d. per ton ; and tho next 7 ft. quartz, value £3 2s. 4d. per ton. From 104 ft. to 170 ft. is country' rock. Empire lode : East drive driven 140 ft. The average assay value is 15s. Bd. per ton for a width of 50 in. ; south wall is exposed. A crosscut at 105 ft. east exposed both walls. The lode is 10 ft. wide ; the first 5 ft. on the south wall is worth 10s. Bd., and the next lift. £1 Is. lid. West drive driven 210 ft. Value from crosscut to 75 ft. west over width of 59 in., £2 17s. 4d. per ton ; from 75 ft. to 107 ft. over width of 62 in., 7s. 2d. per ton; from 107 ft. to 125 ft. over width of 50 in., £1 13s. per ton; from 125 ft. to 190 ft. over width of 54 in., £2 Is. 9d. per ton ; from 190 ft. to 205 ft. over width of 58 in., £1 4s. 10d. per ton. A crosscut at 05 ft. west exposed 14 ft. of lode, of which 5 ft. is worth £2 Bs. 10d. per ton, and 9 ft. worth is. 7d. The north wall is not exposed. In crosscut at 150 ft. west the lode is 17 ft. wide ; the first 6 j ft. on the south wall is worth £2 13s. 10d. per ton, and the next 104 ft. 2s. 4d. Early in February, acting on report given by Mi , . H. Stansfield, consulting engineer, the directors decided to close down the battery, suspend stoping operations at the upper level, and confine expenditure to development work at No. 9 level and sinking the main shaft, which at that time of writing had reached a depth of 80 ft. below No. 9 level. Rising Sun, Owharoa. —Work in this mine has been confined to sinking a shaft below the low level, which was started 20 ft. south of the main crosscut and sunk to a depth of 100 ft. The available capital, together with Oovornment subsidy of £2,000, having been expended, work was suspended, and an effort is now being made to raise further capital to develop the reef system from the bottom of tho shaft.