C.—2,

19

ANNEXURE A. SUMMARY OE REPORTS BY INSPECTORS OF MINES. NORTHERN INSPECTION DISTRICT (Mr. M. Paul, Inspector of Mines). Qtjaktz-mining. Waihi Gold-mining 00., Lid. (J. L. Gilmour, Manager).—The following is a summary of the principal operations carried out in this mine during the year:— No. 15 Level (I,BBos ft.) —Kdward lode : During tho year a distance of 363$ ft. was driven south on tho course of this lode, making a total of 391 ft. The lode was also crosscut at intervals. Tho assay results obtained wore generally disappointing, and further work on tho lode at this level has been stopped. North section of Martha lode : After driving 103 ft. east of No. 4 shaft north crosscut through layered country, the lodo was intersected at the 235 ft. point; the full width is 6$ ft., and assay valuo £1 15s. 3d. per ton. From the point of intersection 213 ft. was driven eastward and 42 ft. westward, a total of 255 ft. Of this length, 195 ft. is payable oro of an average width of 11J ft. In both ends the reef bocame small and low in value. This work has opened up about 13,000 tons of ore, and stoping is now in progress. No. 14 Level —Edward lodo: A stoping-block known as "Cod" has been oponed up, commencing at 209 ft. south of Dunlop south-east crosscut and extending to the 321 ft. mark, a length of 112 ft. No. 13 Level—Edward lodo : Preparations are being made for the stoping of a block of ore estimated to contain 43,903 tona. Empire lode : Close to the east boundary, and at 58 ft. south of tho Martha lode, a total of 102 ft. was driven west on the Empire lode where it connected to the Martha lode. Tho assay value over this length is f 1 ss. sd. per ton, and width of quartz about 5 ft. No. 12 Level—Empire lode : Commencing from the east boundary a total of 109 ft. was driven west on tho course of tho lodo, a connection being effected there to the level on the Empire soction of Martha lodo. The width of quartz over this length is about 5 ft. of good grade. Some prospecting-work was done on the Empire lode west, near its junction with the Edward lode, but the width was small and value low. No. 11 Level—Edward lode : At 57 ft. below No. 10 level an intermediate level was driven a total of 101 ft. on tho west section of lode without encountering any payable ore. Empire lode : East of Pistol north crosscut the drive was extended 82 ft., making a total of 136 ft. From this point a crosscut will be extended north with a view of locating the run of oro mot at No. 12 level. No. 10 Level—Edward cross-lode : A further extension of 61$ ft. was driven on this during the year, making the total distance from No. 2 shaft 1,979 ft. Assay results obtained were of little or no value. Some prospoctingw«rk was done on two branch leaders but without result. The Piper east crosscut was commenced from the Edward lode at a point 570 ft. south from the junction with the Royal lode, and extended a total of 206 ft. Soveral small loaders of low value were Intersected. For the first 150 ft. the country is favourable in appearance, but tho last 56 ft. is much fractured. On the west lodo south-west of Shark north-west crosscut the drive was extended a further 31$ ft., making a total of 125$ ft., and tho face is now close to the western boundary. Tho formation is a vory low grade mixture of quartz and country. 51$ ft. south-west and 18$ ft. north-oast was driven on a leader situated at 273 ft. on Shark crosscut. The width of quartz variod from 1 in. to 9 in., and assay valuo was low. North section of Empire lode : East of Cow south-east crosscut was continued to 275 ft. the drive from 176 ft. point being in the Grand Junction area. Royal lode : Some good-grado ore was obtained from this lode in tho Junction area close to tho Waihi Co.'s eastern boundary. No. 9 Level—Royal lode : Exploration work on both sides of the eastern boundary produced a substantial quantity of good-grade ore. North branch of Martha : Prospecting-work was carried out on this lode close to the East boundary. The drive was carried on in to tho Grand Junction area, where sections of the Martha and Mary lodes were investigated. Work is now susponded. No. 8 Level —North leader : The north drive was continued from 383 ft. to 400 ft., tho width of quartz being about 12 in. From tho end of this drive a prospccting-crosscut known as " Hopkins was driven to the north 72$ ft. It is intended to further prospect the country to tho north from this crosscut by diamond drilling. No. 7 Level—Martha lodo west (west of No. 2 shaft north-west crosscut) : This drive was resumod and carried to 336$ ft. in a low-grado mixture of quartz and country. North branch of Martha lode (situated at 327 ft. in No. 2 shaft north-west crosscut) : This was driven on to the west 92$ ft., where the lode split up into stringers. No payable oro was met. No. 5 Level—North branch of Martha lode : In a sub-level at 56 ft. down a good deal of prospocting-work was done east and west on this lodo. Although tho width was small, tho assay value was good, and further work will be done here. Surface workings : From adit levels on the western sido of the Martha Hill a good quantity of ore was obtained from the Martha and Welcome lodes and their branches. Tho supply of ore from this area is now almost oxhausted. Diamond Drilling : Two diamond drilling-machines were in commission continuously during tho year. No. 1 hole (large machine; diameter of core, lJt in.) : This hole was commenced from No. 14 level at 290 ft. in Dunlop south-east crosscut. Direction 290 degrees, and inclination 63$ degrees from horizontal, its object being to test the Edward lode. At the close of tho year 1926 the hole had been drillod to 130 ft. During tho year under review drilling was continued,'and at 316$ ft. the Edward lode was intersected. The point of intersection represents a vertical depth of only 155 ft. below No. 15 level, thus showing that the dip of the lode has considerably flattened. Drilling was continued in quartz to 407 ft., where boring was suspended owing to tho extreme hardness of the quartz. The avorage assay value of twenty-nine samples of the reef from this borehole was 2s. lOd. per ton. No. 2 hole was commenced from the same chamber, the direction being north-west and inclination 15 degrees from horizontal. A total of 1,009 ft. was drilled. At 650 ft. the Edward lode was intersected, and the width (measured along the borehole) was 34 ft., the assay valuo being very low. The vertical depth of this hole below No. 15 lovel is over 800 ft. No. 3 hole was drilled horizontally from the same station as No. 2 hole on a bearing of 155 degrees, its object being to test the foot-wall country of the Royal lodo. Beyond occasional stringers of quartz no quartz of any material width was intersocted. With the small drilling-machine six horizontal holes were drilled in various parts of the mine, the lengths ranging from 197 ft. to 412 ft., but no new ore of any appreciable value was discovered. Output: A total of 207,977 tons (of 2,240 lb.) dry weight, was obtained and crushed from the undermentioned reefs: From Waihi Co.'s area —Martha, 64,613-392 long tons; Edward, 40,763-392; Martha, north branch, 21,307-142; North. 8,485-714; Empire, 7,508-928; Royal, 7,096-428; Surprise, 6,280-357 ; Jollicoc, 5,976-785 ; Alexandra, 5,189-285; No. 2 reef, 3,046-428; Martha, south branch, 2,524-107: Welcome, south branch, 2,069-642; Empire, north section, 1,283-928 ; Dreadnought, south branch, 1,054-464; Bell, 739-348 ; Welcome, north branch, 514-285; Welcome, 371-428: II reef, 285-714; Dreadnought, 219-642; North leader, 174-107; Mary, 123-214; Victoria, 15-178 : Total, 179,642-908. From Grand Junction area, 28,333-928. Grand total, 207,976-836—say, 207,977 long tons. The total footage for tho year amountod to 11,327. This includos 2,012 ft. driven in Grand Junction Company's area. In addition to this, a total of 3,402 ft. was bored by the two diamond drilling-machines. The quantity of water pumped to the surface from No 15 lovel was 469,539,900 gallons, or an average of 893 gallons per minuto. Waihi Grand Junction Gold. Co., Ltd. (J. L. Gilmour, Manager).—The agreement with tho Waihi Gold-mining Co. entered into in the latter part of 1926 has continued in forco, and the Junction Co.'s claims have been worked by the Waihi Co.