C.—2

(2) Government Prospecting Drills. The following table gives details of the drilling done and the results obtained for twelve months ended 31st December, 1935:—

Drills used: Diamond and Keystone drills. Percussion and Hand-placer drills.

(3) Subsidized Roads on Goldfields. The expenditure in the form of subsidies and direct grants upon roads on goldfields amounted to £1,051 18s. 10d., as compared with £766 13s. Bd. during the previous year. The absorption by the Labour Department of officers of the Unemployment Board in no way interrupted the excellent work done by the qualified mining engineers who had been working for that Board, and they continued to render much assistance to the District Inspectors of Mines. Through that assistance and the gradual lessening of work required of the Inspector at the Cromwell area, it became practicable to transfer one of the two Inspectors from the Southern district. Mr. G. W. Lowes was transferred from Dunedin, where he had been assisting Mr. T. McMillan, to Eeefton. Mr. E. J. Scoble, who had been the Inspector of Mines stationed at Eeefton, was then transferred to Waihi, where he relieved Mr. J. F. Downey, who was transferred to Wellington. The duties of the West Coast Inspector have for some time past been gradually increasing in volume. To relieve an overtaxed but uncomplaining officer and to ensure full efficiency of the inspection work, it was decided to appoint a second Inspector for that district. I desire again to acknowledge the very efficient help and co-operation rendered by all the District Inspectors. I have, &c., George Duggan, Inspecting Engineer of Mines,

29

o?Holes Depth, I 'i a g°. ter To whom lent - Foot, 1 »/ Foot® 6 / J 0 ? 4 °, f Remarks, drilled, in Feet. of Hole - scra S ht - drilled through. Drilling. Transport. s Ft. In. I s. d. s. d. s. d. 18 307 6 Gold Gravel .. Alluvial Holdings, 12 2 0 4-5 Ltd. 5 1,591 6 Gold Clay and sand .. Argyle Mining Co. 10 2-2 I 2-08 2 79 6 Gold Gravel . . Austral Malay 8 4 6 10 Tin, Ltd. S 218 6 Gold Gravel .. Brian Boru Gold- 4 3-2 6 11-1 dredging Co., Ltd. 28 518 6 Gold Gravel .. Consolidated 14 1-7 4 3-6 Goldfields of N.Z., Ltd. 4 90 6 Gold Gravel .. Consolidated 7 11 6 5 Goldfields of N.Z., Ltd. 4 167 6 Gold Gravel .. Consolidated 13 7 2 8 Goldfields of N.Z., Ltd. 16 388 6 Gold Gravel . . Dredging Develop- 8 9 3 5 ments, Ltd. 3 197 6 Gold Sand and gravel.. Ferntown Dredg- 10 0 3 4 ing Syndicate 49 4,260 6 Gold Gravel .. Investigations, 11 1 1 1 Ltd. 14 1,269 6 Gold Gravel .. Investigations, .. .. .. In progress. Ltd. 3 75 6 Gold Gravel .. Learmont and .. .. .. In progress. party 63 979 6 Gold Gravel .. Mataki Gold- 7 9 0 6-7 dredging, Ltd. 1 901 2J Gold Andesite and Mining Trust and 25 3 0 2-5 1 9-5 quartz Finance, Ltd. 1 395 2£ Gold Andesite and Ohinemuri Gold .. .. .. In progress. quartz and Silver Mines, Ltd. 7 .314 6 Gold Gravel .. Provident Invest- 8 2 2 0 ments, Ltd. 135 4,219 6 Gold Gravel .. Rimu Gold-dredg- .. .. .. In progress. ing Co., Ltd. 43 1,433 3J Gold Gravel and schist Unemployment Board 20 628 4J Gold Gravel .. Unemployment .. .. .. In progress. Board 11 618 6 Gold Gravel and clay.. Unemployment .. .. .. In progress. Board 3 1,444 2§ Coal Sandstone and con- Puponga Coal- .. .. .. In progress. glomerate mines, Ltd. 1 171 2 Coal Coal and shale .. Sparks and party 4 2-9 0 11-3 010-4 2 246 2 Coal Sandstone and shale Goldlight Co-op. 5 4- 7 0 6- 9 0 5- 8 party 2 320 2 Coal Shale and sandstone Duggan and party 44*1 05-38 02-3 440 20,827