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Bell-Hooper Cromwell Gold, Ltd. (G. Carson, manager).—Two men employed. Maintenance work was carried out during the year so that the No. 1 and No. 2 main levels and the various main crosscuts could be kept open. Low-grade areas were driven and the return of gold amounted to 73 oz. 5 dwt. 10 gr., valued at £541 16s. sd. New Cornish Point Gold-mining Co., Ltd. (M. Moye, manager).—Six men were employed until operations were suspended ; low values only having been located in the prospect drives put out from the western incline shaft, it was decided to proceed with the eastern incline shaft. This was sunk for a distance of 80 ft. at a grade of 1 in 4 and driving to the north was carried out. Further prospecting failed to disclose other than low values and, as a result, operations were suspended. The gold won amounted to 5 oz. 15 dwt. 19 gr., valued at £42 lis 3d. Cairnmuir Sluicing Company (W. Murray, manager).—A company was formed to work an area at the upper end of the Cairnmuir Flat below the junction of the Bannockburn Creek with the Kawarau River. The use of one of the existing irrigation races was secured and this race was widened, strengthened, and extended ; pipe-lines and plant were installed, tail-races constructed, and opening-out operations were proceeded with. Results did not come up to expectations; therefore operations were suspended after a short time. Seven men were employed, winning 8 oz. 7 dwt. 19 gr. of gold, valued at £59 12s. 9d. Driving operations were continued on the Cairnmuir side of the Kawarau River during the year by unsubsidized and subsidized miners between Robertshaw footbridge and the Cairnmuir Sluicing Claim, with varying results. No work was done by the floating, elevating plant owned by Mr. D. Jansen, at the upper end of the Lady Ranfurly dredging area. Jones Nevis Sluicing Co. (F. Jones, manager).—Eight men have been employed and work has been carried on continuously during the working season, and the increased water-s.upply speeded up mining operations. The gold won amounted to 450 oz. 13 dwt., valued at £3,257 ss. 7d. The McLean Bros, are now sluicing and elevating between the Upper Nevis Road and the foot of the left-hand terrace in the old Nevis Township workings. Sutherland and Party.—Sluicing operations have been carried out during the sluicing season. Small parties of unsubsidized and subsidized miners have been employed in the Nevis Valley during the season with varying results. A small showing of cinnabar was located in Cinnabar Creek in the Upper Nevis. Further work will be done on this area during the coming year. Subsidized men have been employed at Luggate and Quartz Reef Point. Waenga.—Unsubsidized miners have been sluicing when irrigation water was available, and subsidized men have been driving and a drilling programme is also in progress on this area. Unsubsidized and subsidized miners have been working on the Earnseleugh Flats, Manorburn, Conroys Gully, Blackmans Gully, and on the banks and terraces of the Manuherikia and Clutha Rivers ; also in the Matakanui and Devonshire fields. The Reward Gold-mining Company (W. Carr, manager). —Two men employed on an area between the Alexandra, Roxburgh Main Road, Gorge Creek, and the Molyneux River, have been digging and earting auriferous gravels to the Fruitlands Creek, winning 77 oz. 0 dwt. 19 gr. of gold, valued at £565 7s. Bendigo Rise and Shine Gold-mining Co., Ltd. —H. T. Gordon was manager during the early part of the year. When he left to take up an appointment with the Waiuta Mine of the Blackwater Company A. J. Walker took over the management. During the year the main shaft was timbered where necessary. A winding plant, driven by a 10 horse-power Lister Diesel engine, and a deep well pump, was installed and underground operations were commenced. At first hand-steel was in use but, during the year, a compressor, belt-driven by a 36 horse-power Lister Diesel engine, was installed and machine-drilling speeded up mining operations on the 60 ft. level. Stoping was started on the reefs between the crosscut and the rise. An adit level was driven into the hill on the line of the North-South lode, a distance of 100 ft. Crosscuts 65 ft. east asd 70 ft. west were put out without exposing any definite reef of importance. The pilot battery was erected and by the end of the year had to be considerably altered to deal with the arsenical pyrites. In the course of various treatments 50 tons of ore was treated for a return of 46 oz. 7 dwt. 8 gr. of retorted gold, valued at £340 18s. Id. The New Bendigo Gold-mining Company (L. Bell, manager).—Operations were resumed in January and driving operations were carried out in the low-level tunnel, and a total distance of 1,901 ft. had been driven by the end of the year. The tunnel was extended for a distance of 1,000 ft. by a party of contractors during the year. Work was continued in January until the 1,960 ft. mark was reached, when, as indications of faulting had been encountered, work was discontinued pending a report on the area. It is intended that work be continued and the tunnel driven ahead in order to intersect the main reefing system. The Carricle Range.—A subsidized reef prospecting party has been engaged on this area during the spring, summer, and autumn seasons, but nothing of importance lias been located.. Symes Reef, Old Man Range, Fruitlands. —No work of importance has been done at this mine during the year. The treatment plant installed at Conroys Gully for the treatment of subsidized prospectors' ore was in operation for a short time, and was then closed down on account of the shortage of quartz, prospecting having failed to locate values in the locality. A total of 622 men has been employed in the Vincent County (companies included) winning 2,873 oz. 11 dwt. 19 gr. of gold, valued at £20,665 12s. Bd. The chief producers were R. W. Coulson, Dunstan ; W. J. H. Homer, Kawarau ; D. J. Adie, Nevis; Dunedin Party, Kawarau; and F. McLean, Nevis. Ashburton County. Rdkaia. —The gold won from the Rakaia Area amounted to 64 oz. 3 dwt. 9 gr., valued at £455 2s. 3d., nine men being employed in this area. Dbedge-mining. Goldfields Dredging Company, Ltd., Big Beach, near Arthurs Point, Lake County (J. S. Ritchie, dredgemaster). —Ten men employed. Operations have been continued on the Big Beach, average dredging depth 23 ft. The gold won amounted to 503 oz. 8 dwt., valued at £3,543 4s. 9d The dredge is electrically operated. Nevis Crossing Dredge, Lower Nevis (S. C. Fache, dredgemaster and owner). —Six men employed. Operations have been continued during the working season in the island blocks above the Nevis Crossing bridge. The average dredging depth was 7 ft. This dredge is steam operated. The gold won amounted to 378 oz. 18 dwt. 20 gr., valued at £2,802 12s. 6d. Nevis Diesel Electric Dredging Company, Limited, Upper Nevis, Vincent County.—Drilling was carried out on the claim until the end of the working season in May, since when the dredge and plant have been in charge of a caretaker. Bendigo Goldlight Dredging Company, Ltd., Bendigo Flat, Vincent County (W. Cummings, dredgemaster).— Eleven men employed. The dredge was completed during the early months of the year and dredging was commenced in May. Unforeseen difficulties, however, were encountered and operations were held up very considerably as a consequence. The gold won amounted to 70 oz., valued at £499. This dredge is steam and diesel operated. The Molyneux Gold-dredging Company proceeded with the erection of a powerful modern dredge on the right - hand bank of the Clutha River opposite the Town of Clyde, Vincent County. On account of an abnormally low - river period it has not been possible to launch the pontoons. The erection has proceeded as far as possible and the dredge cannot be completed until the river rises to the launching-level. All the material for the final equipment is now on the claim.

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