C.—2,

on a surface leader on what is known as the Middle Star section of the claim, mined a further 20 tons, which yielded 31 oz. 2 dwt. gold, valued at £151 13s. This made the total output of the claim for the year 104 oz. 19 dwt. gold, valued at £544 12s. 10d., which represents the output since start of operations. Dawn of Hope Gold-mines (N.L.), Thames.—Work in the Lucky Shot and Evening Star claims was carried on continuously. The company only employed two men, mainly at repairing-work and doing some prospecting from the Lucky Shot level on a hanging-wall dropper of the Golden Age reef. Some twenty-four tributers were, however, employed in various other parts of the claims. On its own behalf the company mined 47 tons of quartz from the Golden Age hanging-wall dropper referred to, which yielded 87 oz. 11 dwt. gold, valued at £423 10s. 7d., while the tributers mined 111 tons of quartz, which yielded 324 oz. 11 dwt. gold, valued at £1,632 4s. 9d., making the total production for the year 412 oz. 2 dwt. gold, valued at £2,055 15s. 4d. The total output from commencement of operations by the company amounts to 894 oz. 6 dwt. bullion, valued at £4,297 17s. Bd. Of the tributers the most successful party was Sarich and Cropp, which was also working on the hanging-wall leader previously mentioned on the Lucky Shot level. This party recovered 146 oz. 1 dwL gold, valued at £730 16s. lid. Towards the end of the year the company started to drive on the hanging wall of the Golden Age reef from an intermediate level 50 ft. below the Lucky Shot level to pick up the leader at that horizon. Golconda Mines, Ltd., Thames (S. G. Baker, Manager).—Operations were mainly confined to prospecting on the 80 ft. level of the incline shaft sunk from the Moanataiari tunnel-level. A considerable footage of driving and crossoutting was done here, mainly in the country between the shaft and the Moanataiari slide. Occasionally good indications were got, but nothing of a payable nature was located. For the year, 49 tons of quartz was treated for a yield of 20 oz. 12 dwt. gold, valued at £105 Is. Id., making the total since commencement of operations 98 oz. gold, valued at £402 7s. Christmas Eve Claim, Thames (Dabb, Polton, and Clarke, Owners). —During the year this party drove 90 ft. on a leader carrying fair values. For 30 ft. in length the vein was stoped out, and a further 35 ft. was stoped up for 25 ft., where values became poor. Further west another drive was put in to cut the leader 50 ft. above the workings mentioned, and about 150 ft. west of them. Four men were employed. For the year 40 tons of quartz was mined which yielded 58 oz. 18 dwt. gold, valued at £319 13s. 3d., 'making the total output from commencement of operations 73 oz. 13 dwt. gold, valued at £390 18s. 9d. Star Claim, Thames (C. A. Martin, Owner). —Working from a prospecting crosscut put in during the year by the Mines Department and Unemployment Board in conjunction with the Thames Prospecting Association, some 15 tons of quartz was mined from a small leader out during the testing - work, which yielded 25 oz. gold, valued at £124 7s. Bd., which represents the total since commencement of operations. Towards the end of the year the claim was surrendered and incorporated with the Tinakori and Ajax claims under the name of the Progress claim. Victoria Gold-mining Co., Ltd., Thames.—This company was formed during the year to take over the Victoria and Faith-in-Thames claims. On the former a drive was put in for 165 ft. at a point somewhat south of the old Prince Imperial shaft and about 30 ft. above sea-level, and a crosscut was then started northerly to test any reefs that may occur. The company itself did not crush any quartz, but prior to its taking over the property a tributing party mined 45 tons of quartz from a small reef at shallow distance below surface close to the Prince Imperial shaft which yielded 28 oz. 17 dwt. gold, valued at £146 17s. Id. Kuranui Golden Hills Claim, Thames. —This company did not resume operations on its area. During the year three crosscut adits totalling 550 ft. of driving were put in on the area by the Mines Department, Unemployment Board, and Thames Prospecting Association, acting in conjunction with one another, with a view to determining the possibilities of the Kuranui Hill as a low-grade mining proposition. These crosscuts revealed no payable values whatever, and the only values of any kind that were got were in small veins or leaders that had been left. Following the result of this testing the Kuranui Golden Hills Co. gave up any further intention of working the area and started to dismantle its plant. The only gold won from the area during the year was by a party of tributers and amounted to 1 oz. 2 dwt., valued at £5 13s. Bd., making the total since commencement of operations 245 oz. 1 dwt. gold, valued at £1,004 Is. 9d. True Blue Claim, Thames (E. C. Sherlock, Owner). —Working under Unemployment Board conditions, the owner mined 5 tons of quartz from this claim, which yielded 8 oz. 8 dwt. gold, valued at £43 lis. 9d., which represents the total output since commencement of operations. Hopeful Claim, Thames (Rabe and Duncan, Owners). —From shallow adit workings 25 tons of quartz was produced which yielded 47 oz. 7 dwt. gold, valued at £238 Bs. Id., making the total output since commencement of operations 128 oz. 8 dwt. gold, valued at £605 2s. 6d. Blue Jumbo Claim, Thames (E. W. Cole, Owner). —From this claim 8 tons of quartz was mined which yielded 7 oz. 12 dwt. bullion, valued at £36 9s. 7d., making the total output since commencement of operations 31 oz. 17 dwt. gold, valued at £155 18s. 6d. Success Claim, Thames (H. A. Thompson, Owner). —From this claim 7| tons of ore was mined which yielded 21 oz. 16 dwt. gold, valued at £94 14s. , which also represents the total output since commencement of operations. Virginia Extended Claim, Thames (Smith and Howe, Owners). —The owners have been engaged in driving a low-level adit to come under the old workings on the Windfall reef in the adjoining Virginia claim. The only quartz mined during the year was a test parcel of 5 tons, which was sent to the Golden Dawn battery for treatment, and yielded 7 oz. 2 dwt. gold, valued at £35 6s. 4d., and 19 oz. silver, value £1 16s. lid'., which represents the whole output since commencement of operations. Tarata Gold-mining Co., Ltd., Thames. —This company erected a small treatment plant near the head of Tararu Creek, in which 12 tons of quartz was treated for a yield of 1 oz. 3 dwt. gold, valued at £6 15s. lOd. Ida Claim, Thames (Timmins and mate, Owners). —From this claim 2J tons of ore was mined for a yield of 4 oz. 16 dwt., valued at £23 15s. lid. Hauralci Consolidated Gold-mines, Ltd., Coromandel.—This company did no work on its claims during the year, but a number of parties of tributers working near the surface in various parts mined 36 tons of quartz, which yielded 44 oz. gold, valued at £235 13s. 4d., making the total output since commencement of operations 649 oz. 17 dwt. gold, valued at £2,258 15s. Id. Lone-hand Claim, Wailcoromilco (W. J. Pearce, Owner). —A new level was driven about 60 ft. below previous workings, in which the footwall leader, about 5 in. in width, was intersected. The level will need to be driven a further 30 ft. to come vertically below where payable quartz was got in the floor of No. 2 level. A stope on the footwall leader above No. 2 level yielded 11 tons of quartz, which on treatment returned 32 oz. 13 dwt. gold, valued at £177 lis. 4d., making the total output since commencement of operations 78 oz. 3 dwt. gold, valued at £390 19s. Bd. Chapman's Find Gold-mining Co., Ltd., Pulcewhau. —This company in the early part of the year erected a small three-stamp battery in connection with the working of its Gladys claim, and a good deal of development work was carried out on a number of small leaders. On No. 1 leader, 6 in. in width, an upper level was carried in for 160 ft. on good stone, and another level a few feet lower was driven on it for 25 ft. No. 2 leader, 9 in. in width, was driven on for 60 ft. in good-grade ore and for a further 70 ft. in barren ore. No. 3 leader when picked up close to the surface showed good values, but it became dislocated by surface slips and was not subsequently relocated. Several other small leaders were cut, but did not show important values. A low-level crosscut is now being driven to intersect the leaders at greater depth. To the end of the year this had been driven 162 ft. No. 1 leader had been intersected, and it was expected to meet the No. 2 any day. No. 2 leader was stoped from upper level to surface. For the year 78 tons of quartz was mined for a yield of 209 oz. 12 dwt. gold, valued at £1,201 3s. Bd., which represents the output since commencement of operations.

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