C—2,

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ANNEXURE A. SUMMARY OF REPORTS BY INSPECTORS OF MINES. NORTHERN INSPECTION DISTRICT (J. F. Dowmy, Inspector of Mines). QUARTZ-MININO. Waihi Gold-mining Co., Ltd. (J. L. Gilmour, Manager).—The following is a summary of the principal operations carried out: — Shafts : No further shaft-sinking was done during the year, but all the working shafts were kept in good repair. No. 15 level (l,Bßo£ft. below collar of No. 4 shaft): No further exploration was carried out at this level, but the breaking of ore in Cow block was completed on the Martha lode, north section, up to the floor of No. 14 level. At the end of the year the block contained 10,182 tons of broken ore, which is now being trucked out. No. 14 level (1,752 ft.): No further exploration was carried out at this level, but the shrinkage stoping of the big low-grade Trout block on the Edward lode was continued throughout the period. The stope is now 60 ft. above the level. The top stope was sampled over the full length of 209 ft., and averaged £1 3s. 7d. per ton. No. 13 level (1.578J ft.): The shrinkage stoping of the Ellis block on the Empire lode, which is partly in the Grand Junction Co.'s ground, was continued in payable ore. Breaking of ore in the Trout block on the Edward lode was completed. At the end of the year the stope contained 17,618 tons of broken ore, which is being drawn off. No. 12 level (1,447£ ft.) : Operations were confined to stoping and trucking, and there is nothing special to report. No. 11 level (1,301 ft.) : Operations on this level were also confined to stoping and trucking mainly. The north branch of Royal lode was driven on for a distance of 59 ft. in a northerly direction from its junction with the Dreadnought lode, but it proved to be small and of little or no value. A small branch vein leaving the main Martha lode near Cow pass was followed in a south-westerly direction a distance of 38 ft., but also proved of no importance. Investigation was made of the junction of the main Martha lode and the south branch about 80 ft. above this point, and a payable block of good value was opened up (see No. 10 level, 70 ft. sublevel). No. 10 level (1,152 ft.) —70ft. sublevel: As mentioned above, the junction of the main Martha lode and the south branch was investigated at 70 ft. below No. 10 level. A stoping-block of a total length of 100 ft. was opened up on the main lode, and is calculated to contain 4,971 tons, of an average value of £2 10s. per ton; this will be known as Cow block. On the No. 10 level itself several important works were carried out. An investigation of the north leader, which runs northward from the west end of the Martha lode, was made. The leader had yielded valuable stoping-blocks at Nos. 7 and 8 levels, and is also being stoped at No. 9 level. The Lowrie north crosscut, situated at 182 ft. east of No. 2 shaft south-east crosscut, was extended 126 ft. to 304 ft. The leader was intersected at 257 ft. and was driven on eastward for 60 ft. and westward for 33J ft. It was 7 ft. in width where intersected, but when driven on eastward was found to be only from 3 ft. to 5 ft. wide, and in the westward direction it was even smaller. Values were low throughout. The country rock surrounding the leader at this level is mostly brown oxidized country of a type that has proved unfavourable in the mine. Further investigation was made of the Regina section of the Martha lode on No. 10 level. A stoping-block, known as Cleave block, was opened up on promising ore, but unfortunately at 44 ft. up the lode proved to be small and mixed with country, and stoping was stopped. A test of the Dreadnought lode was made along a length extending from 18 ft. east to 120 ft. east of No. 5 shaft, north crosscut. Samples along the drive averaged £1 10s. per ton over a width of 5 ft., but at 28 ft. up the value fell and stoping had to be stopped. Following the opening-up of a run of payable sulphide ore in the southern or footwall part of the Empire lode at No. 9 level, just west of No. 4 shaft, north crosscut, London south-east crosscut at No. 10 level was extended into the footwall country. At 17 ft., measured from the north wall of the Empire lode, 4 ft. of sulphide ore was intersected, which assayed £2 Bs. 9d. per ton ; this body has still to be investigated. At 40 ft. the crosscut met a sulphide lode 6 ft. in width, which has been designated " south part of Empire lode " ; this lode assayed £3 13s. sd. where intersected. The crosscut was extended to 66 ft., the last 20 ft. being in country rock. At the end of the year a drive had been extended eastward on this southern part a distance of 61 ft. Samples taken over the full width of the drive assayed from £2 Is. 3d. to £5 ss. per ton. The reef is wider than the drive. 34 ft. was driven westward, samples assaying from £2 3s. Bd. to £4 Is. 6d. per ton. The face was still in good ore. In view of similar ore having been opened up above this area at No. 9 level, it was expected a valuable stoping-block would be opened up here. A promising run of sulphide ore has also been opened up on the southern or hanging-wall side of the Martha lode on No. 10 level, just west of the company's eastern boundary. Operations at this point started with an investigation of the north section of the Empire lode just across the Waihi Co.'s eastern boundary, in Grand Junction ground. The north section is much split up at this point. A small leader, known as " Boundary reef," which headed in a general north-westerly direction towards the Martha lode and back into Waihi Co.'s ground, was followed. At 107 ft. a body of sulphide ore was intersected, which proved to be 5 ft. in width, having the general strike and dip of the Martha lode. This assayed £2 18s. per ton. The boundary drive was then continued as a crosscut through the Martha lode, and a further 74- ft. into the footwall country. The full width of the Martha lode at this point proved to be 37 ft., but the payable ore was confined to the 5 ft. on the hanging-wall. At the end of the year this ore had been followed westward for a distance of 10| ft., assays showing £3 Bs. 7d. per ton, and eastward 5 ft. in ore assaying £2 12s. 8d per ton. Both faces were in ore of very good quality, and driving was being continued. Considered in conjunction with a similar make of good sulphide ore some 200 ft. to the west, this discovery is looked upon as very encouraging. No. 9 level: .. Further investigation of the footwall of the Empire lode just west from No. 4 shaft, north crosscut, was also carried out at this level. The original drives for 200 ft. west of the No. 4 shaft crosscut, and also the original crosscuts, failed to reveal any payable ore, although payable blocks were worked to the westward of this stretch. Starting at a point 62 ft. west of the main crosscut, a new level has been driven along the south wall of the lode. Sulphide ore was met with at 76 ft., and continued till connection was made with the old 200 ft. crosscut. Samples taken over the full width of the drive assayed well, averaging about £2 12s. per ton. Similar ore exists overhead at No. 8 level, and a stoping-block 135 ft. in length, and estimated to contain 25,607 tons, is now being opened up between the two levels ; this is known as Rolker block. Unfortunately, although the footwall section is good, a great deal of the low-grade main reef must be