C.—2.

in hydraulic mining where the water must be used to the best advantage. During the year four permanent and one casual hands have been employed on maintenance and repairs to water races and fifteen men have been employed on the claim working three shifts daily. Approximately five acres of alluvial ground has been worked for a return of 928 oz. 8 dwt. 10 gr. of gold, valued at £6,716 10s. Id., and 11 oz. 1 dwt. 12 gr. of platinum, valued at £60 lis. 9d. The installation of the larger pipe-line has increased the speed of treatment very considerably. The Pahia Gold-mining Company purchased a freehold area from M. Tecofsky on the banks of the Orouri Creek Mats close to the Pahia Township. An electrically-driven gravel pumping-plant, consisting of a 6-in. Kershaw gravel pump, belt driven by a 28 h.p. motor and a 6-in. Kelly Lewis nozzle pump, belt driven by a 30 h.p. motor, together with the necessary pipes, valves, nozzles, and fittings, also sluice-boxes and gold-saving tables, was installed. Power was supplied by the Southland Power Board. Operations were commenced and a large paddock was opened up. Values did not come up to expectations and operations ceased. The Orepuki Mining Syndicate has continued its sluicing operations in the previously-driven area in the old township. Two men were employed. Try Again Sluicing Party, Orepuki (L. Cross, manager). —Active sluicing operations have been continued in the mid-section of the old township where island blocks and previously-driven areas are being sluiced. Three men have been employed. A total of 141 men has been employed in the Wallace County (inclusive of the above-named companies) winning 1,961 oz. 13 dwt. 23 gr. of gold, valued at £14,126 7s. Bd. The chief producers have been Orepuki Mining Syndicate; Try Again Sluicing Company, Orepuki ; J. Brooklands, Te Wai Point; A. C. Pahl, Orepuki; A. T. Campbell, Te Wai Beach; J. Robertson, Te Wai Beach; Braid and Shaw, Orepuki. Fiord County. In the Fiord County nine men have been employed fossicking, prospecting, and mining, winning 29 oz. 11 dwt. Bgr. of gold, valued at £210 Bs. Bd. Lake County. Bees Valley.—Miners, subsidized and otherwise, have been employed prospecting and mining, chiefly for scheelite. Oxburn, or Twelve Mile.—M. Peterson has driven a considerable distance in an endeavour to locate a back lead. Work is being continued. There are both unsubsidized and subsidized miners prospecting for gold in the Buckleburn Creek. Glenorchy Scheelite Mining Company, on the south-west slope of Mount Judah, Glenorchy (George Reid, manager).—Work has been carried out in the No. 5 level during the year and prospecting work has been carried out in No. 1a level. A block of good quality scheelite was located in the No. 5 level, about 300 ft. from the mouth of the drive. Pour men have been employed. The amount of ore won from the mine amounted to 196 tons which yielded 7 tons 11 cwt. of CaW0 4 concentrates, valued at £755. Messrs. Thornton and Elliott (R. E. Elliott, manager).—The mine is situated on the northern slopes of Mount Judah. Much development work has been done during the year on account of the erratic nature of the reefing system. There are several small mines operated by small parties of miners in the Glenorchy District, on the southern, western, and northern slopes of Mount Judah, Mount Larkins, Mount Mcintosh, and the Precipice Creek sl'ope of Black Peak, and the total production, apart from the output of the Glenorchy Scheelite Mining Company, has been 24 tons 14 cwt., valued at £2,920. Lake Wakatipu District. The Twenty-five Mile, Twelve Mile, and Seven Mile Creeks bordering the lake are being worked with varying results. In some cases sluicing plant has been installed. Moke and Moonlight Creeks.—Unsubsidized and subsidized miners are working in the bed and on the terraces of the Moke and Moonlight Creeks and in several eases sluicing plants have been installed. Moonlight Mining Syndicate (P. Soper, manager).—Three men employed. On account of the exhaustion of the Moke Creek end of the area the plant was removed to the upper or Moonlight end. The necessary portion of the plant has been installed and work resumed in the previously worked upper end. In order to prevent a blockage of sluicing operations a rock tail-race tunnel is being driven. When completed this tunnel will provide more fall for the tailings. The return for the year amounted to 89 oz. 11 dwt. 19 gr. of gold, valued at £656 7s. 9d. Moonlight Extended G.M. Co.—No work has been done on this area during the year. Ben Lomond Gold-mining Company, Ltd. (J. Seffer, manager).—Three men were employed installing and erecting a sluicing plant near the bottom of the northern slope of Ben Lomond. Operations were suspended after a short trial. The amount of gold won was 9 oz. 19 dwt. 12 gr., valued at £71 Is. Id. Oxenbridge Shotover G.M. Co., Ltd.—The bed of the Moke Creek below the dam is being worked on tribute. P. L. Weddell, manager, and five men employed. The gold won amounted to 30 oz. 3 dwt. 12gr., valued at £214 15s. 3d. The Wheeler Prospecting Party.—This party has done a considerable amount of driving in the slipped ground on the left hand bank of the Shotover River above Arthurs Point. The Arthurs Point Sluicing Company, Ltd. (G. Vernon, manager).—Eight men employed. Active sluicing operations are being carried on at this area on the south terrace of the Shotover overlooking the Big Beach. Two faces are being worked and a large percentage of heavy boulders has to be handled. Eight men are employed and the gold won amounts to 195 oz. 10 dwt. 8 grains, valued at £1,423 12s. Upper Shotover Gold-mining and Hydraulic Elevating Co., Ltd. —Worked for a short period during the working season. Seven men were' employed and the gold won amounted to 36 oz. 9 dwt. 6 gr., valued at £276 ss. Bd. The Sandhills G.M. Co., Ltd. (A. E. Smith, manager).—The blocking of the natural channel was completed and the water now flows through the artificial channel. Work has been carried on during the season, sluicing and elevating in the natural course of the Shotover River. Pour men have been employed winning 105 oz. 3 dwt. 16 gr. of gold, valued at £791 2s. 4d. Mountain Terrace Sluicing Co., Skippers Creek (R. McDonald, manager).—The construction of the waterrace and flumi'ng was completed during the early part of the year. A sluicing plant was installed and the sluicing of this partially-driven area on a high terrace on the right-hand bank of Skippers Creek was commenced. Six men were employed during the working season and won 54 oz. 12 dwt. 11 gr. of gold, valued at £384 9s. 3d. Gaspers Flat, Bullendale, Skippers Cove.—No work has been done on this area. Skippers Ltd., Maori Point and Shotover River. —R. Climie, manager, and twenty-five men employed. Operations were continued but, on account of the shortage of gravity water, owing to a long dry period and the prohibitive cost of running the mechanical equipment provided to pump water for mining purposes, only about two months constant mining has been carried on during the year, although 1935 was a good year for river work. This company has now decided, to instal a hydro-electric plant, using water from Skippers Creek. This plant is expected to give 300 h.p. which will be used for pumping water under a pressure of 100 lb. per square inch. Enough power will be supplied to enable work to continue twenty-four hours every day the river conditions are suitable. The installation of this plant is now proceeding. The gold won amounted to 307 oz. 12 dwt. 3 gr., valued at £2,250 lis. lOd.

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