C.—2.

Except during the severe winter experienced in the Nevis Valley, the Nevis Crossing dredge was operated throughout the year. All other dredges operated continuously during the year. The West Coast dredges recovered in 1936, 34,080 oz. of gold, valued at £271,797, compared with 29,287 oz. in 1935, valued at £231,996. In 1936 the Southern District dredges recovered 3,167 oz. of gold, valued at £23,279, compared with 2,775 oz., valued at £20,427, in 1935. In 1936 ten of the dredging companies declared dividends totalling £62,335, an increase of £23,665 over that of the previous year's dividends. On the Clutha Eiver two powerful electrically-driven dredges were under construction in 1936, one near Clyde and the other near Alexandra. Both were made ready for launching, but the river for a long period was very low. When the rains came it was very high, therefore neither of the dredges could be launched during 1936. To work the inner-beach leads at Barrytown a 1,500 ton electrically-driven all-steel dredge is being built, and will soon be operating. Material has been ordered also for four other dredges to operate on the West Coast. (3) Alluvial Mining. The following is a statement showing the value of production of, and dividends declared by, alluvial gold-mines during 1936 : —

24

Dividends declared. Name of Owner. Estimated Quantity and Value of Gold produced. During 1936. Total to End of 1936 West Coast. oz. £ £ £ Addison Exploration, Ltd. .. .. 524 4,500 Addison's Flat Gold-mining Co., Ltd. .. 416 3,388 .. 2 795 Antonio's Hydraulic Elevating Co., Ltd. .. 5 39 Blackwater Creek Sluicing Co., Ltd... .. 189 1,532 Deep Lead, Ltd. .. .. .. .. 268 1,896 !! "5OO Diamond's Flat Gold-mining Co., Ltd. .. 119 824 Glenroy Gold, Ltd. . . .. .. 106 746 Golden Sands, Ltd. .. .. .. 738 5,968 2,100 5^300 Grove Gold-mining Syndicate . . .. 72 538 Hohonu Gold-sluicing Co., Ltd. .. .. 98 720 Koura Mining Co., Ltd. .. .. .. 6 40 Kumara Goldfields Syndicate .. . . 24 180 Lawson's Flat Gold-mining Co., Ltd. .. 479 3,360 Moonlight Goldfields, Ltd. .. .. 730 6,393 Mount David Sluicing Co., Ltd. .. .. 41 301 Waimea Gold, Ltd. .. .. .. 4 31 Waitahu Gold-mining Co., Ltd. .. .. 803 5,977 Waratea Sluicing Syndicate .. . . 13 101 All other claims .. .. .. .. 8,992 62,615 Otcgo and Southland. Arthur's Point Sluicing Co., Ltd. .. .. 318 2,281 Bell-Hooper Cromwell Gold, Ltd. .. .. 27 202 Ben Ledi Sluicing Co., Ltd. .... 7 46 Central Shotover Gold-mining Co., Ltd. .. 51 358 Coastal Mining Co., Ltd. .. .. .. 196 1,392 Fruidburn Sluicing Co., Ltd. .. .. 22 161 Golden Arrow Mining Co., Ltd. .. .. 353 2,510 275 1,375 Jones Nevis Sluicing Co., Ltd. .. .. 92 684 .. 813 Junction Reward Gold-mining Co., Ltd. .. 133 977 IQ7 Kildare Consolidated Gold-mining Co., Ltd. .. 199 1,403 .. 1 000 King Solomon Deep Lead, Ltd. .. .. 1,958 14,568 .. 19^500 Macraes Gold-mining Co., Ltd. .. .. 1,654 11,905 2,750 5,000 Maerewhenua Goldfields Development Co., Ltd. 233 1,858 Mining House Concessions, Ltd. .. .. 41 299 Moonlight Mining Syndicate .. .. 156 1,094 .. 3,700 Mountain Terrace Gold-mining Co., Ltd. .. 69 474 Nevis Sluicing Claims, Ltd. .. .. ]61 1,274 New Zealand Prospecting and Mining, Ltd. .. 7 55 New Gabriel's Gully Gold-mining Co., Ltd. .. 252 2,005 Nokomai Gold-mining Co., Ltd. .. .. 1,045 7,329 Oxenbridge-Shotover Gold, Ltd. .. .. '54 381 Paddy's Point Gold-mining Co., Ltd. .. 485 3,509 700 2,101 Round Hill Gold-mining Co., Ltd. .. .. 1,8.31 13,914 9,929 9,929 Sailor's Gully(Waitahuna) Gold-mining Co., Ltd. 409 2,900 630 13,925 Sandhills Gold-mining Co., Ltd. .. .. 197 1,403 .. Skippers Ltd. . . .. .. .. 442 3,446 ... Skippers Sluicing Co., Ltd... .. .. 47 329 Try Again Sluicing Party .. .. .. 87 630 52 116 Tuapeka Mouth Gold-mining Co., Ltd. .. 360 2,447 .. 600 Upper Arrow Sluicing Co., Ltd. .. . . 67 482 Waimumu Sluicing Co., Ltd. .. .. 466 3,367 Wetherstones Gold-mining Co., Ltd. .. 2 17 All other claims .. .. .. .. 8,570 61,791 Totals, 1936 .. .. .. • 33,618 244,640 16,436 Unknown. Totals, 1935 .. .. .. 37,134 269,106 7,279 Unknown.