23

C.—2

at which point it was still about 5 ft. wide, but was mixed with pug. A crosscut was also driven east from the top of the rise, but no reef was met with. The drive north on the hanging-wall branch of the Orlando reef was extended 48 ft., making the total 303 ft. from main west crosscut, on reef averaging about 12 in. wide, in which colours of gold were occasionally seen. At 30 ft. back from the face of this drive a cross-leader came in from the west wall, from which 30 lb. of picked stone was taken. A distance of 23 ft. was driven on this leader, a rise was put up on it for 12 ft., and a winze sunk for 8 ft. A rise on the hanging-wall branch of the Orlando reef at 70 ft. north of main west crosscut was put up 43 ft. on reef averaging about 2 ft. in width, in which colours of gold were seen at times. A drive was also extended north for SO ft. on the foot-wall branch of the Orlando reef. A little stoping was done on the hanging-wall branch of the Orlando reef, but no stone was crushed. Nonpareil Gold-mining Co., Thames. —No work was done on this company's claim, which was under protection for the main portion of the year. Caledonia-Kuranui-Moanatairi Hold-mining Co., Ltd. (S. G. Baker, Manager). —Driving was continued on the main reef from the bottom of No. 2 winze, also on the foot-wall dropper, but as a break came across the face and displaced the reef work was discontinued, as it only meant waste of money in looking for it at this point, the work being only 30 ft. below the main adit. As the winding-gear was in a bad position for hauling, a chamber was cut out in the hanging-wall of the reef, and the winch was shifted to this point on the main adit about 70 ft. seaward of the main rise. A rise was put up from the workings below to connect with the chamber, and sinking was then commenced on the main reef, with the intention of sinking to water-level and then opening out. Very encouraging results are said to have been obtained from the quartz broken out in the sinking. Over the main adit a stope was taken along from the main rise, which disclosed another reef in the hanging-wall, lying very flat. This reef could only be worked economically from a lower level. At a point in the main adit about 90 ft. seaward of the main rise a crosscut was projected for 50 ft. into the foot-wall to try and pick up the main Cambria lode, but was not carried far enough to effect its purpose when all work was stopped at the end of October on account of shortage of capital. During the year 116 tons of quartz were treated, for a return of 83-95 oz. gold, valued at £326 17s. 7d., and 26-58 oz. silver, valued at £2 16s. 4d. Kuranui Cold-mining Co., Ltd. —From two to four men were employed for portion of the year prospecting various parts of the property without successful result. Occidental Una United Gold-mining Co., Ltd. —During the early part of the year operations were confined to exploring-work in the northern end of the property on No. 5 level, where the Occidental No. 1 reef ran into the old Una claim. A big block of ore was opened up here; and a trial crashing of 90 loads of general dirt, together with picked stone, returned bullion valued at £321. Later in the year work was transferred to the south end of the mine, with a view to testing the extension of No. 2 Occidental reef south of the shaft on No. 5 level. This lode for about 300 ft. north of the shaft on this level gave the late Occidental Co. its main run of gold, but as the reef became disturbed near the shaft the old company did not follow it south. Driving in this direction by the present company during the year revealed that a body of ore from 4 ft. to 8 ft. wide extended in this direction. Some eighty loads taken from this part and crushed returned bullion to the value of £296, which was considered payable, and further crushings will be taken out. For the year 246 oz. 6 dwt. bullion, valued at £617 18s. 3d., was recovered from 250 tons (170 loads) of ore. Lueky Shot Oold-mining Co., Ltd. (J. Smith, Manager). - The most important development work consisted in driving 8 ft. on a hanging-wall dropper of Golden Age reef on the main adit level, and 50 ft. on the same dropper at an intermediate level 50 ft. below the main adit. To connect two winzes on the latter level, 75 ft. was also driven on the Golden Age reef. A little driving, rising, and sinking was also done north of the break on the main reef. The old Half-moon (or Bird's) adit was also put in repair, and was extended to come under the intermediate level referred to, and rising and sinking was in progress to make connection between these two workings, which are about 80 ft. apart vertically. No crushing was done. Zeehan Consolidated Cold-mining Co., Thames.—No work was done on this company's property, but a new company was in process of formation, which hoped to resume active mining early in the new year. Cambria Cold-mining Co. (A. F. Sawyer, Owner). —A little prospecting-work only was done on this property, but at the end of the year a strong effort was being made to float a new company to actively work the claim. Belgium Claim, Thames (A. Geraty and H. Adams, Owners). —No mining-work was done on this property during the year, but a clean-up of about 1 cwt. of stone previously picked out yielded 26 oz. 14 dwt. gold, valued at £70 6s. Haurahi Mines Consolidated, Ltd., Coromandel (H. F. Shepherd, Manager).—Practically no active mining was done, underground work in this company's property having been seriously limited owing to a heavy influx of water from the seaward face of the 400 ft. level. The flow was considerably above the capacity of the main plunger-pump, and this fact, combined with the exceptionally wet weather experienced, compelled the replacement of the cages by bailing-tanks to cope with the water. While the change was being made the water flooded the bottom plunger, which eventually gave out. A draw-lift had then to be assembled and installed, and while this was being done the water rose to 8 ft. above the 300 ft. level. After a series of heavy rains and machinery breakdowns the water was eventually lowered to the 400 ft. level by the end of the year. Father's Hope Claim, Toleatea. —A little prospecting only was done, without any very favourable result. Mount Welcome Claim, Tokalea. —The company previously working this claim was struck off the register during the year, but a small party has since taken up and done a little prospecting on it. Handsworth Claim, Kuaotunu (S. James, Owner). — A little prospecting was done, and about 151b. of picked stone secured, which on treatment returned 10 oz. 13 dwt. gold, valued at £24 12s. 6d. Umpire Reefs Gold-mining Co., Whangamata.— Two men were employed for part of the year doing a little prospecting, without successful result. Muir's Reefs Ltd., Te Pulce. —In the early part of the year the main crosscuts to the Muir and Massey reefs at the 500 ft. level were cleaned up and repaired. In the crosscut to Muir's reef, at a point 635 ft. from the shaft, a drive was started south on the course of the lode. This drive was subsequently advanced about 189 ft. without finding anything of value. At 62 ft. from main crosscut a quartz lode was met with, which proved to be 42 in. in width, and the drive continued on this lode to 134 ft., the average width being 33 in., and the average assay value 6s. 2d. per ton. To 173 ft. the average width was 3 ft., and values varied from 3s. 6d. per ton to I3s. lid. A small amount of crosscutting, totalling about 90ft., was also done from this drive, and a drive east on Muir's reef crosscut was extended for 20 ft. This was practically all the work done on this level. On No. 3 level the winze was continued down to 291| ft. below the level. From 210 ft. to 262 ft. the winze was in country rock containing some quartz stringers. In order to find out if the winze was off the lode, a crosscut at 245 ft. down was driven 8 ft. into west wall and 8 ft. into east wall,' but country rock only was penetrated. On the east side of winze, at 260 ft. down, there was a vein of clean quartz 12- in. wide. At 280 ft. down a crosscut was driven 13 ft. into the west wall, but only exposed unfavourable rook, while another crosscut into east wall for 18 ft. showed small stringers and fragments of quartz. About the end of May underground operations ceased, and the only work since done on the property consisted of diamond-drilling from the surface. Two boreholes were put down, one of which reached 540 ft., when it had to be abandoned owing to having got out of line. This hole was in very broken country, and required cementing three times. The other bore reached 940 ft. It was also in very broken and slidy ground. No results of value were obtained.