C.—2,

Mossy Creek Dredge, Inangahua County (Duncan Mcßae, dredgemaster).—Using 225 horse-power supplied by the Grey Power Board, this dredge, using four cubic foot buckets in ground averaging 15 ft. in depth, treated 500,000 cubic yards of material for a return of 1,783 oz. 13 dwt. 15 gr., which realized £13,381 15s. Bd. Dividends paid amounted to £3,750, and employment was given to ten men. Brian Boru Dredge, Grey County (W. Hepburn, dredgemaster).—2so horse-power supplied by the Grey Power Board is used for operating this dredge, which operates nine cubic foot buckets in 45-ft. ground. Dredging operations were carried out for the first two months of the year only, and during this period 74,510 cubic yards of material was treated, which yielded 113 oz. 12 dwt. 7 gr., valued at £841 12s. Bd. The total amount of gold won since the commencement of operations amounts to 2,590 oz. 11 dwt. 16 gr., which realized £20,338 4s. 7d. Dividends amounting to £1,350 were paid during the period between commencement and closing down. Fourteen men were employed whilst dredging was in progress. Argo Dredge, Grey County (A. Fischer, dredgemaster).—Using 210 horse-power supplied by the Grey Power Board, and operating five cubic foot buckets, this dredge, working in 30-ft. ground, dug 120,000 cubic yards of material since commencing operations in August, for a return of 588 oz. 12 dw T t. of gold, the estimated value of which was £4,000. The dredge is equipped with a 32-ft. screen and a 70-ft. belt conveyor, which carries and stacks the tailings clear of the paddock. The dredge was originally designed to work with stern spuds, but, owing to breakages, the spuds were abandoned in favour of head lines. The latter method proved more suitable, and the efficiency of the dredge was considerably increased. The average number of men employed was eleven. Maori Gully Dredge, Grey County (D. Caithness, dredgemaster).—This dredge absorbs 205 horse-power supplied by the Grey Power Board, and, operating with four cubic foot buckets in ground of an average depth of 17 ft., has dug, since being put into commission in March, 373,980 cubic yards of gravels for a return of 1,439 oz. 16 dwt. 9 gr. of gold, which realized £10,677 Is. Bd. Of this amount £2,400 was paid in dividends, and employment was given to twelve men. Bundi Tin Dredge, Grey County (R. S. Poole, dredgemaster).—This steam dredge, requiring 500 horse-power for the operation of a line of ten cubic foot buckets, screen, winches and pumps, has dug 518,500 cubic yards of material for a return of 2,242 oz. 0 dwt. 14 gr. of gold, worth £17,480. The dredge, w r hich is the second largest in New Zealand, was put into commission in September, having originally been used for tin dredging in the East. Direct employment is given to thirty-six men. Indirectly many others are employed in mining and carting coal to the dredge. Stafford Dredge, Westland County (D. M. Pettigrew, dredgemaster). —This dredge utilizes 220 horse-power supplied by Westland Power, Limited, to operate a line of eight cubic foot buckets and auxiliary plant in 18-ft. ground; 440,896 cubic yards of material was treated for a return of 2,181 oz. 9 dwt. 15 gr. of gold worth £18,517 10s. Bd. The total quantity of gold won since the commencement of operations amounts to 2,509 oz. 13 dwt. 18 gr., valued at £21,058 Is. 9d. An average of nineteen men was employed by the company during the year. Rimu Dredge, Westland County (F. B. Lewis, dredgemaster).—This is the largest and most efficient dredge operating in the Dominion at the present time. Working 41 - ft. ground, with twelve cubic foot buckets, 325 horse-power is utilized, which is supplied from the company's own power-station. The dredge was in operation for a total of 6,552 hours and 19 minutes, which represents 88 per cent, of the possible digging time, the percentage being below normal on account of unavoidable delay due to the big flood which occurred in February. A superficial area of 43-95 acres was excavated during the time stated, and from this a total of 2,951,492 cubic yards of material was dug and treated. This yardage constitutes a record, being the largest number of cubic yards treated in any one year during the lifetime of operation. Gravel was treated throughout the year at an average rate of 450 cubic yards per digging hour. From the yardage treated a total of 13,634 crude ounces oi gold bullion was obtained, having an estimated value of £114,274 75., New Zealand currency, representing a gravel value of 9-29 pence per cubic yard with gold at the present price, or 5-5 pence per cubic yard w r ith gold at £4 per ounce. The total yield since the commencement of operations amounts to 176,428 ounces, valued at*£920,580. Dividends amounting to £13,813 12s. Id. were paid during the year, making a total of £77,882 2s. 4d. paid since the commencement of operations. Except for the extremely heavy flood which occurred in February, and which did considerable damage to the Kanieri Electric's race system, thereby causing a prolonged interruption of digging, the year's operation has been uneventful. An average of forty-five men was employed on the dredge during the year. Fourteen men have also been engaged by the company in carrying out active prospecting and boring operations on new areas. Okarito Five Mile Beach Dredge, Westland County (D. A. Mitchell, dredgemaster).—This dredge, operated by water-power which drives the pelton wheel on the dredge, uses five cubic foot buckets digging a 20 foot deposit of blacksand. , 331,169 cubic yards of material was treated for the period, with a resulting yield of 1,665 oz. of gold, which realized £12,354. The total yield since the commencement of operations amounts to 11,698 oz. 18 dwt., worth £74,652 6s. 3d. Dividends paid during the year amounted to £7,000, making a total of £31,500 paid since the commencement of operations. An average of eleven men was employed by the company. Gillespie's Beach Dredge, Westland County (D. Sutherland, dredgemaster).—22s horse-power is supplied to this dredge from the company's power-station to operate a line of five cubic foot buckets and auxiliary plant. Digging a beach deposit of blacksand to an average depth of 19 ft., 503,379 cubic yards was handled and 1,622 oz. 5 dwt. of gold recovered, which realized £11,965 Is. 2d. A total of 3,357 oz. 17 dwt. of gold, worth £24,425 18s. 9d., has been recovered since the dredge was put into commission in February, 1934. Dividends paid during the year amounted to £1,750 2s. 3d., making a total of £4,666 15s. 7d. distributed to shareholders. Employment was given to sixteen men. Alluvial Mining. Marlborough County. Mahakipawa Mine (F. C. Calvert, manager).—This company ceased operations from the main shaft early in the year, after mining 5,000 cubic yards of gravels for a return of 315 oz. 10 dwt. of gold, valued at £2,409 10s. lOd. Since commencing operations in 1928 this company has won 7,656 oz. 17 dwt. 9 gr. of gold, worth £47,458 2s. Bd. Fifteen men were employed during the period in which the mine worked from the Golden Gate and Alice Fell shafts, which were reconditioned in order to work the south end of the company's holding. Flooding of the mine workings was caused by penetration of the solid ground between the main and old workings. The only work now being carried out on the claim is shaft sinking by four subsidized miners, who are attempting to reach bottom south of the old King Solomon shaft. One hundred and seventy-one men were employed in the Marlborough County, winning 764 oz. 17 dwt. 17 gr. of gold valued at £5,483 12s. lid. These figures include the yield from the Mahakipawa Company's work. Murchison County. Glenroy Sluicing Claim (J. Thornton, manager).—This company employed five men and treated 55,176 cubic yards of gravels for a return of 202 oz. 5 dwt. 21 gr., which realized £1,472 7s. Id. Since the commencement of operations a total of 308 oz. 11 dwt. 22 gr. of gold, valued at £2,228 14s. 10d., has been recovered. Four hundred and sixty men were employed in the Murchison County, winning 2,946 oz. 19 dwt. 6 gr. of gold, valued at £21,398 Bs. Bd. These figures are inclusive of those pertaining to the Glenroy Sluicing Company's operations. Buller County. Giles'' Terrace Sluicing Claim (L. Morgan, manager).— This sluicing claim, employing four men, treated 11,400 cubic yards of wash and overburden for 57 oz. 4 dwt. 2 gr. of gold, which realized £424 os. 9d. The material which has to be removed comprises 90 ft. of alternating layers of boulders and sand beds overlying a 10-ft. band of wash. The mass can be cheaply worked, water-supply is good, and ample storage room for failings is available.

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