C.— 2

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ANNEXURE A. SUMMARY OF REPORTS BY INSPECTORS OF MINES. Northern Inspection District (Mr. M, Paul, Inspector of Minos). Quartz-mining. Waihi Oold-mining Company (Limited), (J. L. Gilmour, Manager).—No. 15 Level (I,BBo| ft.). —North crosscut from No. 4 shaft was continued to 425 ft. At 285 ft. the south section of Martha lode was met, width 28 ft. and value low. At 356 ft. the north section of Martha lode was met, width 15 ft. and value low. At 390 ft. the crosscut intersected faulted country 3 ft. wide, direction 66 degrees (true), and dipping lin 2 south-east. From thence onwards to the face of the crosscut is disturbed country. A borehole was drilled horizontally from the end of the crosscut for a length of 20 ft. and showed no change in the country. On the north section of Martha lode a total of 85 J ft. was driven east. The lode is very disturbed and the enclosing country unfavourable. Work was suspended, and driving was commenced westward on the main crosscut on a reef situated at 241 ft. in. At 29 ft. a fault was met, course 325 degrees (true). From this point the drive was continued in firm country to 98 ft., where the south section of Martha lode was met, width 45 ft. The quartz is very hard and low in value. No. 14 Level (1,752 ft.). —On the north section of Martha lode Moon winze, at 26 ft. east of No. 4 shaft north crosscut, was sunk 79J ft. At 47 ft. unfavourable country appeared on the north side of winze, cutting off the payable ore which existed down to this point. South section of Martha lode : The west drive was continued to 421 ft., where the drive was turned into the foot-wall country for better progress. Edward lode : At 853 ft. the Edward lode was intersected, width 23 ft., of which 7 ft. is payable. Driving south on the course of the lode was commenced from the point of intersection, a total of 89 ft. being done to the end of the year. At 80 ft. crosscutting is in progress from the Edward lode to connect with No. 2 shaft, and 161 ft. has been driven. A change to oxidized country occurred at 20 ft. in this crosscut, and is similar to the country in the present bottom of No. 2 shaft. No. 13 Level (1,578 ft.). —Martha lode: The drive was extended to 666 ft., bringing it to the east boundary. At 600 ft. a south crosscut was driven 67£ ft. At 58 ft. there is a vein of quartz 2| ft. wide, assaying £1 10s. lOd. per ton. At a point 250 ft. west of No. 4 shaft north crosscut a diamond-drill hole was bored horizontally north-west for 415 ft. The country was not favourable. Edward lode : North from Bates crosscut a total of 68Jft. was driven in payable ore ; a total of 331 ft. was driven south, the first 123 ft. being in payable ore. No. 12 Level (1,448 ft.). —At a point 280 ft. east of Bath crosscut on Empire lode a crosscut called Martyn south-east crosscut was driven 99 ft. At 84 ft. the south branch of Dreadnought lode was intersected, width 5 ft. ; a total distance of 34 ft. was driven west on the course of this lode ; the value is low. No. 11 Level (1,301 ft.). —Edward lode : The south drive was carried to 1,220 ft. In this section a payable length of about 150 ft. was opened up. From I,lBoft. the drive followed a cross-lode for 40ft. south; the width was small and the value low. At 1,180 ft. a south-east crosscut was driven 82£ ft. At 53 ft. the main part of Edward lode was met, width 14 ft., assay value ss. 3d. per ton. Drives north and south were commenced on this section of the lode. A total of 53 ft. was driven south, where the lode pinched out in disturbed country. Northward a distance of 41£ ft. was driven, the quartz being of low value. Salmon west crosscut: At 240 ft. in, driving south-west and north-east was commenced on an irregular formation of quartz and country. South-west a total of 28 ft. was driven, and north-east 23 ft. No payable results were disclosed. Leather north crosscut was commenced from the Empire lode at 232 ft. east of No. 2 shaft crosscut and at 80 ft. met the Martha lode. The full width of reef here is 70 ft., "of which 20 ft. on the north wall has an average assay value of £1 12s. 6d. per ton. Driving on its course was done for 90 ft. east and 157 ft. west, and has exposed a considerable run of payable ore. No. 10 Level. —Edward lode : At a point 1,622 ft. south a diamond-drill hole was bored horizontally for 228 ft. on a course of 307 degrees (true). The country rock is favourable, but no payable quartz was intersected. Drilling was stopped and a crosscut commenced on a line of the borehole and is out 29J ft. Lawrie north crosscut: Commenced at 75 ft. cast of No. 2 shaft south-east; crosscut intersected the south section of Martha lode at 182 ft. The width is 37 ft., of which 15 ft. has an assay value of £1 4s. Bd. per ton. A total distance of 33 ft. west and 241 ft. east was driven on its course. London north crosscut: Commenced at 50 ft. west of No. 4 shaft north, crosscut was driven a total of 229 ft. Several small veins were intersected, the largest being 3 ft. wide of low value. No. 9 Level.—A connection was made to the Grand Junction workings from the east ?nd of Royal lode, which improved the ventilation. A foot-wall gangway along the Martha lode has been commenced with the object of winning ore from the Martha lode under No. 8 level. No. 7 Level. —60 ft. sub-level : Ore is being won from arches at three places. 40 ft. sub-levei : Ore is being won from arches at four places. North leader : North-east of a point 144 ft. east of No. 2 shaft north-west crosscut. This was followed to 424 ft. Up to 316 ft. the width varied between 1 ft. and 4 ft., and from thence onwards reduced to a few inches. Assay value was erratic. No. 6 Level. —No. 2 reef : Commencing at Pink winze, a total of 86 ft. was driven east on the course of this reef. The average width is 2| ft., and grade is high. No. 5 Level—North branch of Martha lode : 235 ft. was driven on the course of this lode during the year. The width varied from 1 ft. to 8 ft.; the grade is payable. Western Smithy level: On west side of Martha Hill. A considerable amount of driving and stoping was done during the year. No. 4 Shaft. —No sinking was done, but a considerable amount of repair work was carried out. No. 2 Shaft was sunk 268J ft., making 141 ft. below No. 13 level, or 1,787| ft. from the surface. Ventilation. —Connections were effected to the Grand Junction workings at Nos. 9 and 13 levels, and as a result the ventilation showed a distinct improvement. At No. 10 level on the Royal lode 200 ft. west of No. 5 shaft crosscut a Sirocco fan is being installed, capacity 50,000 cubic feet of air per minute. This will ventilate the workings on the south end of Edward lode. tjj A total of 215,418 short tons of ore were crushed and treated, and was obtained in the following quantities from the undermentioned reefs : Martha, 67,920 tons ; Edward, 38,731 tons ; Royal, 33,504 tons ; Martha, north branch, 18,434 tons; Empire, 16,530 tons; Alexandra, 8,756 tons; North, 6,122 tons; Surprise, 5,717 tons; Jellicoe, 5,342 tons ; No. 2 reef, 4,720 tons ; Dreadnought, 3,088 tons ; Empire, north section, 2,568 tons ; Martha, south branch, 2,035 tons ; Welcome, south branch, 879 tons ; Welcome, 322 tons ; Victoria, 321 tons ; Cross, 250 tons ; Dreadnought, 149 tons ; Princess, 30 tons : Total, 215,418 short tons. Total footage, 13,894J ; 1,214 ft. also bored by diamond drilling-machine. Water pumped to the surface from No. 15 level was 511,388,560 gallons. Waihi Grand Junction Gold-mining Company (Limited,) (A. J. Walker, Manager).—No. 2 borehole having failed to locate the Martha or Empire lodes work was suspended early in the year, and owing to the straitoned financial position protection was applied for and granted. Rising Sun Gold-mining Company, Owharoa (A. McGruer, Manager).—Work during the year has again been confined to stoping south of No. 1 and No. 3 reefs. 1,107 tons of ore treated yielded gold valued at £5,761 9s. 6d. New Zealand Crown Mines, Karangahake (G. N. McGruer, Manager).—The Rose crosscut has been extended a total distance of 824 ft. Several lodes and numerous veins of quartz of low grade were intersected, and some driving was also done on a reef formation 14 ft. in width at 202 ft., with no better results.