C.—2

MoMhinui District.—Under the direction of the Buller Mining Executive Committee and using Unemployment Board's funds, and later under direct control of the Department of Labour (Employment Division), the pack track from Seddonville to the upper reaches of the Mokihinui River was reconstructed, the original track having been destroyed by the 1929 earthquake. Access to the field having been restored, active prospecting of the Red Queen and Lady Agnes lodes became possible, and work on both claims is proceeding. The testing of a large lode situated in the Granite Belt at Anderson's Flat is being carried out by the Department of Labour. The deposit, 1,400 ft. above the river-level and 1,700 ft. above sea-level, is 30 ft. wide and carrying up to 2£dwt. of gold per ton. It has been traced for half a mile on the surface, and has distinct possibilities. Other lode outcrops in this district are receiving attention, but so far the work done has been confined to stripping and sampling. Karamea District. —A London syndicate carried out some prospecting on an extensive mineralized granite belt situated between the Fenian and Scorpion Creeks, in Blocks VI and X, Oparara Survey District. Sampling bv one engineer gave values ranging from 3 dwt. to 39 dwt. over a width of 40 ft. Over the same width an engineer, representing the London Syndicate, obtained much lower results, and, on his advice, the option over the property was not exercised. This difference of opinion is accounted for by the nature of the deposit. Either sampling with a core drill or the erection of a pilot plant for bulk testing is necessary to ascertain the true value of the mass. Nearly 1,000 ft. of driving and crosscutting was completed before the holding syndicate and option-holders ceased operations. The option holders financed 415 ft. of driving and 130 ft. of crosscutting before ceasing operations in October. Inangahua County. Blackwaier Mine.—l. R. Hogg, manager, and one hundred and ninety-seven men employed. During the ■ i under review development footage amounted to 2,489 ft., which is summarized as follows : Driving, r^t l ft. • risinc, 354 ft.; winzing, 504£ ft. ; crosscutting, 311 ft.; fan chamber, 25 ft. No. 10 level Inter- ' j■ , "V. This was extended for 29ft. from a winze 90ft. north from the south shaft, and exposed media e 22 in. wide of a value of 10-20 dwt. No. 12 level north: This was extended 47J ft. and disclosed reef aver os • w hich averaged 15-16 dwt. over 22 in. This drive now appears to have reached the a turt ier main ore shoot. No. 13 level north : This was advanced 548J ft., of which 526J ft. nortner averaging 13-82 dwt. over a width of 22 in. No. 13 level south was extended a distance of fWttft n and like the No. 13 north drive gave very good results, disclosing pay reef for 382£ ft. of an average dtVi f 22 in and assaying 14-56 dwt. Development results are most satisfactory and indicate continuity 1 tl Ore reserves at 91,174 tons show slightly lower than for the previous year, development having h tailed during the period in which the north shaft was under repair. The north shaft was retimbered been cur' 3go {t _ during the opening months of the year and has operated satisfactorily for the of the year. The steam winding plant was superseded by the electric winding equipment, which remain er s j noe installation. The aerial ropeway came into commission simultaneously with the has iu electric winder and is entirely satisfactory. Additional plant installed during the year starting-up stamps, complete with all accessories. A depth of 2,300 ft. has now been reached comprise aīl< j although the mine is ideally situated for natural ventilation, this method will be !r rled°in favour of mechanical appliances which will supply a constant volume of air under a regular discarc e spective of seasonal changes of surface temperatures, which tend to cause undesirable fluctuations pressure . t current. Arrangements were put in hand to obtain better ventilation by means of a fan m tne . Chamber of the No. 12 south shaft. The battery crushed 41,990 tons, which returned fXf' in , r. a wt, bv amalgamation, 2,606 oz. 1 dwt. by cyanidation, and 1,572 oz. 10 dwt. by the treatment f tncntrates making a total of 19,024 oz. 6 dwt., which realized £153,894 os. 2d. The total yield since the "commencement of operations amounts to 538,792 oz. 10 dwt., valued at £2,527,261 Bs. 6d. Dividends paid during the year amounted to £37,498 16s. _ Alexander Mine.—J. Bolitho, manager, and thirty-four men employed. Operations during the year were fi d t the development of No. 5 and No. 4 intermediate levels and production of ore from stopes between confined o j eve l g Development work consisted of the following: No. 4 intermediate south was opened Nos. 4 goft ' down the winze sunk from No. 4 level. To the southward driving was continued to out on s ' var 'ying from 1 ft. to 3 ft. in width, the drive then passing through the strike of the lode, tj 4 "intermediate north was advanced to a point 160 ft. north on winze on lode from 3 ft. to 6 ft. in width. T °'i sft ' width is still showing in the face. A winze was sunk from the end of this level to 35 ft. and Lode 5 . m rige £ rom No. 5 level. Stone wider than the winze was followed, the eastern later wa No g oro sscut was advanced from 998 ft. to 1,041 ft. from the portal. At 1,030 ft. in the reef track was passed through carrying large boulders of stone and reef-track filling. No. 5 north drive : uuc iooi carried out on the above reef track to 354 ft. from the main crosscut, 195 ft. being on Driving n r 10 ft. in width. A fault-line appeared in the level, cutting off the stone about 2 ft. below stone tr °™ • {md continued for the distance driven on lode. A crosscut was put out 14 ft. in an easterly the leve p , , ~ downward continuation of this block. The stone was driven on for 78 ft. and direction a 1Q width; and is living very strongly underfoot. No. 5 level, No. 1 rise: proved „j.„ rtpr i rft north of the main crosscut and put up 71 ft. making a connection with the winze Rising was 4 level. The country passed through showed no stone of any value. No. 5 level. No. 2 rise: TV was put up 46 ft. and a connection made with the winze sunk from the north of No. 4 intermediate . s, rIS J con tin UO us ore-body has been proved to exist between No. 5 level and No. 4 intermediate, a distance i at ft tbe width varying from 3 ft. to 6 ft. No. 6 crosscut : This lode is showing so strongly underfoot +1 t mutations are being made to drive a crosscut 150 ft. vertically below No. 5 level. This work has that prep BT mroach has been excavated and the opening set put in position. The approximate distance been stated t e app i6oo {t . Battery . During the period the mill crushed 4,114 tons of ore for a return t q aqr t\rj oHwt of melted gold, valued at £16,963 lis. sd. The cyanide plant during the same period t H 2 586 "tons' of sands for 519 oz. 15 dwt. of bullion, valued at £4,150 12s. sd. In addition to this return treated , t he cleaning-up of the roaster cyanide boxes, which have now been out of com- . °?* , ' gevera l months. Gold in concentrates shipped for treatment to Australia amounts to 213 oz. tL Trnliip realized' from these concentrates together with the bullion from the roaster cyanide boxes 14 dwt. >■ ■ maki the total yield for the year 2,813 oz. 19 dwt., valued at £22,804 9s. Id. The ]Ti - l 1 ->f o-'nld since the commencment of operations amounts to 29,077 oz. 15 dwt., valued at £174,371 12s. 2d. Trends paid during the year amounted to £3,750. Kin River Mine H A. de Lautour, manager, and twenty-four men employed. After completing extensive 1 ft repairs development was concentrated on driving a new crosscut from No. 5 level chamber to intersect 8 ehrdies proved to exist below No. 4 level by the sinking of three winzes below this level on good-grade ore. At 300 ft east of the shaft a lode channel, that proved to be 25 ft. wide, was met by the crosscut, which At duu . 03 j ft from the shaft. Drivhig south was carried out for 25 ft. the first 17 ft-., being on a leader STTmed values the next 8 ft. being on a lode 2 ft. wide, assaying 13 dwt. per ton. Stoping operations wmcn cai 'block of ore over No 4 level. 450 tons of quartz was mined and treated for a return were con ne Amalgamation 260 oz. 6 dwt.; cyanide plant, 76 oz. 14 dwt. ; from concentrates 33 oz. 12 dwt., recovered as follows which realized £2,847 8s lid. The total yield of gold since the reconstructoni the Company amounts to 4,213 oz. I dwt., valued at £33,702 4s. sd.

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