C—2.

"Vincent County. Central Mines, Ltd. (J. Gordon, Manager).—Sluicing operations were resumed in the early part of the year. The ground has been very rough and values have been poor. Operations are being continued. Cornish Point Gold-mining Co., Cromwell. —Work was resumed at this mine and further driving and prospecting was done without locating a payable lead. Operations are now suspended. The gold won amounted to 10 oz. 17 dwt. 10 gr., valued at £45 Is. 6d. Total yield of gold since commencing work, 24 oz. 5 dwt. 4 gr.; value, £100 17s. 4d. Nevis.—Eighteen men in seven parties have been employed sluicing and elevating for a yield of 399 oz. 10 dwt. 15 gr., valued at £1,605 16s. lOd. Graham and party (F. Jones, Manager), with' a yield of 319 oz., valued at £1,289 15s. 9d., was the largest producer. Boring operations were carried out on the claims of the Upper Nevis Dredging Co. in the Upper Nevis. Murchison Bros., Fourteen-mile Beach. —This claim is situated in the gorge of the Molyneux River about half-way between Roxburgh and Alexandra. The material is very rough and the lower portions can only be worked when the river is low. The year's working yielded 68 oz. 5 dwt. 3 gr., valued at £272 10s. 4d. Kawamu, Cromwell, Bannockburn, Clutha, Clyde, Waikerikeri, Black-man's Gully, Alexandra, Cardrona, MataJcanui, and Drybread Areas. — Ninety men were engaged prospecting, sluicing, driving, and sinking for a yield of 355 oz. 2 dwt. 7 gr., valued at £1,663 Bs. sd. Lake County. Glenorchy Scheelite Mining Co., Ltd., Glenorchy.—On account of the prevailing low price of scheelite development and maintenance work only has been done at this mine. Two men have been employed on development work, driving, sinking and rising on the northern slope of Mount Judah. Big Beach Gold-mining Co., Shotover River.—Sluicing operations have been carried on throughout the year. The gold won mounted to 366 oz. 12 dwt., valued at £1,786 18s. 7d. Total yield of gold since commencing work, 2,683 oz. 2 dwt.; value, £10,713 15s. sd. Moonlight Mining Syndicate, Moonlight Creek. — Sluicing operations have been carried on throughout the year. The gold won amounted to 210 oz. 4 dwt. 18 gr., valued at £867 18s. 3d. Total yield of gold since commencing work, 1,119 oz. 12 dwt. ; value, £4,393 7s. Id. Sandhills Mining Co., Upper Shotover. —This company has been again hampered by high rivers and floods which carried away the diversion barriers. Operations are suspended for the present. The gold won amounted to 18 oz. 2 dwt., valued at £85 12s. 4d. The New Skippers Sluicing Co., Skippers, Shotover River (E. Sainsbury, Manager).—The gold won amounted to 56 oz. 11 dwt., valued at £253 lis. 9d. A. E. Smith <i?id Party, Maori Point, Skippers.—This party have been sluicing and elevating on the beaches of the Shotover River at Maori Point. The gold won amounted to 595 oz. 14 dwt. 14 gr., valued at £2,953 18s. lid. liope, Oxenbridge, and Party (below junction of the Moke Creek and Shotover River). —This party have been engaged in wing-damming and elevating in the bed of the Shotover River. The paddock having been filled with debris several times an attempt is being made to tap the lead by sinking in the schist on the riverbank and driving under the lead. Hawlce Mining Syndicate, Shamrock Claim (Hayes Gully).-—Work has been continued at this claim. The gold won amounted to 53 oz. 15 dwt., valued at £280 ss. 6d. The Crystal Mine, Saivyer's Gully, Skippers, is being reopened by Mr. J. R. Tripp. Work is being carried out on the outcrop of the reef. A one-stamp battery driven by water-power has been erected for treating the outcrop material. Twenty-one tons of quartz has yielded 11 oz. 2 dwt. 15 gr. of gold, valued at £60 10s. lid. Macetown, Shotover, Glenorchy, Rees River, and Dart River Areas. — Forty-four men have been employed prospecting, sluicing, and elevating and won 203 oz. 17 dwt. 16 gr. of gold, valued at £880 Is. lOd. Southland County. Nokomai Sluicing Co., Nokomai.—This company has been actively employed during the year elevating the alluvial gravels to a height of 90 ft. Owing to the high lift and excessive seepage of water, the successful working of this claim has become a difficult matter. The gold recovered amounted to 379 oz. 17 dwt., valued at £1,788 7s. Bd. A new company is being formed to work the claim by a combined drag-line method. Electrical power will be generated for the purpose of driving the machinery. Total yield of gold since commencing work, 2,559 oz. 18 dwt. ; value, £9,993 12s. Id. King Solomon Deep Lead, Ltd., Winding Creek, Waikaia (R. Ruffin, Manager).—Active operations have been continued during the year. The shaft has been refitted and cages installed. A 15 in. sirocco fan directdriven by an electric motor, 9 in. galvanized vent slating-pipes, and a four-stage centrifugal pump direct-driven by a 25 h.p. motor have been installed, and hoppers and sluice-boxes with an elevated covered gangway from the shaft have been built. The Winding Creek plant and water-rights were acquired, and the pipe-line has been extended to the mine, ensuring a steady supply of water for the sluice-boxes. Underground the drives were extended into the auriferous wash which lies on an irregular floor. The north section was first developed. A main level was also driven to the southern or Radford's section, where considerable development work has been done with fair results. The northern section has yielded the best results; several rich patches have been blocked out. The floor is very uneven. Dips have had to be driven in the northern section, the water being pumped by electric auxiliary pumps. Some of the drives are very wet and all have to be timbered with sets, close lathed.. Development work is being carried on in both sections. Preparations are being made to provide a second outlet near Radford's section. The gold won amounted to 1,493 oz. 16 dwt. 12 gr., valued at £7,747 16s. Total yield of gold since commencing work, 1,498 oz. 16 dwt. 12 gr.; value, £7,775 10s. 9d. A. Copeland and Party.—Sluicing and elevating in the Victoria Gully, Nokomai. The gold won amounted to 90 oz. 6 dwt., valued at £462 4s. sd. Winding Creek Gold-mining Co., Waikaia. —Prospecting operations failed to disclose a payable deposit, and operations were suspended in April. The gold won amounted to 7 oz. 1 dwt. 11 gr., valued at £27 /s. 2d. The plant and water-rights were sold to the King Solomon Deep Lead, Ltd. Stoney Creek Gold-mining Co., Waikaia. —Further prospecting failed to disclose a payable deposit, and operations were suspended in April. The plant was sold to the King Solomon Deep Lead, Ltd. Waikaia.—Six men prospecting, sluicing, and elevating produced 81 oz. 5 dwt. 19 gr-., valued at £384 6s. sd. A. Mutch, who has leased H. Nelson's claim at Waikaia, is ground-sluicing in Happy Valley, and has produced 223 oz. of gold, valued at £864 Is. 4d. The Dome Creek Syndicate have reconditioned part, of the Muddy Terrace water-race, and have prospected a considerable area on the river-flat and the right-hand terrace of the Dome Creek in Mr. Sutton's Sluicing operations were carried on in the right-hand, terrace. ihe gold won amounted to 25 oz. 0 dwt. / gi., valued at £127 lis. 4d. Athol, Nokomai, and Paddy's Alley Areas—Eight men prospecting, sluicing, and elevating produced 240 oz. 6 dwt. 2 gr., valued at £1,170 16s. 7d. The largest producer was Mutch Bros,, of Athol, with 146 oz. 8 dwt. 6 gr., valued at £690 Is. 2d.

5—C. 2.

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