C. —2,

Blackwater Greek Sluicing Co. (A. Moore, Manager).—An electrically driven pumping plant and a f cub. yd. steam shovel were used in conjunction with the company's sluicing operations. The shovel operated successfully, the ground being ideal for this type of plant, but its output was restricted by the inefficiency of the pumping unit. After operating for nine months, and employing five men, the company ceased operations, recovering for the period 189 oz. 0 dwt. 13 gr. of gold, which realized £1,532 ss. 2d. The total amount of gold won since the claim commenced operations amounts to 351 oz. 6 dwt. 13 gr., valued at £2,762 Is. sd. Antonio's Hydraulic Elevating Co., Ltd. (G. Sutherland, Manager).—Water-race and dam-construction work was completed with a force of eleven men and hydraulic elevating commenced during the year. Approximately 2,000 cubic yards of wash was treated before a serious breakdown in the main race occurred. Mining operations could not be resumed until the destroyed portion of the race was replaced by a considerable length of tunnel. 5 oz. 6 dwt. of gold was recovered, which realized £38 16s. 6d. One hundred and eighty-ibur men were employed in the Inangahua County, winning 1,704 oz. 3 dwt. 20 gr. of gold, valued at £12,339 16s. 7d. These figures include the men employed and gold won by the Waitahu Goldmining Co., Ltd., the Mount David Sluicing Co., Ltd., the Blackwater Creek Sluicing Co., and the Antonio's Hydraulic Elevating Co., Ltd., but not the dredges. Grey County. Deep Lead Elevating Claim, Nelson Creek (Thos. Donnellan, Manager).—Using dredge buckets and electric power, this company employed five men and mined 108,500 cubic yards of wash and overburden, which yielded 268 oz. 5 dwt. of gold, worth £1,895 15s. 2d. The total yield of gold from the claim since the commencement of operations amounts to 1,241 oz. 18 dwt. 1.7 gr., valued at £8,981 2s. Bd. During the year operations were interrupted by a fire, a serious breakdown in the elevating gear, and a flood and damage to the water-race. No dividends were declared during the year. Since the commencement of operations one dividend of £500 has been paid. Golden Valley Syndicate, Genu's Creek. —This syndicate carried out development-work during the year, which included the completion of 2,650 ft. of tail-race tunnelling, and 110 ft. of shaft-sinking, also the erection of head-frame and necessary machinery for the installation of a water balance. The latter is used for elevating the coarser spoil for treatment; it is actuated by a descending water-tank which discharges into the tail-race tunnel when its function of hauling the gravel-tank with its load of spoil has been completed. Water for both the water-balance elevating and the sluicing is to be obtained from the left-hand branch of Nelson Creek, and Kelly's Creek, the distance from the intake to the claim being about four miles. Golden Sands Sluicing Claim (J. M. Dennehy, Manager).—This company, operating on a blacksand deposit at Barrytown, treated by hydraulic elevating 71,450 cubic yards, which yielded 737 oz. 19 dwt. of alluvial gold, valued at £5,967 13s. During the year £2,100 was paid in dividends, making a total of £5,300 paid since the commencement of operations. An average of ten men was employed. A total of 2,804 oz. 8 dwt. 13 gr. of gold, valued at £22,014 10s. 9d., has been won by the company. Moonlight Goldfields Sluicing Claim (R. C. .Bell, Manager).—This claim, which is situated at Healey's Gully about two miles and a half directly north-east of Blackball, has been in full operation during the year, and has treated 178,380 cubic yards for a return of 730 oz. 4 dwt. of gold, valued at £6,393 3s. Id., making a total value of £7,489 10s. 7d. since the commencement of operations. Twelve men are employed. Water is drawn from the Roaring Meg Creek, and is conveyed about one mile and a half to the claim, 30 to 35 heads being utilized. Welshman's Claim, Addison Exploration, Ltd. (A. J. M. Miller, Manager).—This alluvial claim is ten miles and a halt directly south of Greymouth, and is worked by means of two diesel-powered shovels of 1 cub. yd. and § cub. yd. capacity respectively, which dump into 8 cub. yd. tip wagons drawn by a steam locomotive. The gravels are washed in a revolving screen 24 ft. long by 4J ft. in diameter driven by a 24 h.p. electric motor, the screened undersize being passed over gold-saving tables. Water is pumped up to the washing plant by a centrifugal pump direct coupled to a 110 h.p. electric motor ; power is obtained from the Grey reticulation. The number of men employed is twenty-one. Since the commencement of operations, about the middle of the year, 57,000 cubic yards have been treated for a return of 523 oz. 11 dwt. of gold, valued at approximately £4,500. The average depth of the ground is approximately 15 ft. Hohonu Sluicing Claim (J. A. Peever, Manager).—Sluicing operations were continued on the eastern area, 115,000 cubic yards yielding 97 oz. 16 dwt. 5 gr. of alluvial gold valued at £720. Four men were engaged on the work. Since the commencement of operations, gold to the value of £17,652 2s. 6d. has been won. Kumara Goldfields Syndicate (A. E. Langham, Manager).—This syndicate completed its development programme during the year, and in December commenced sluicing operations at Quinn's Creek, Westbrook, and Payne's Gully, on the north side of the Teremakau River. Water is taken from the Greenstone River at a point about eleven miles above the claims, and is conveyed via water-race, tunnels, and syphons to a dam, from which water is fed to both claims by additional water-races and pressure-lines. The six syphons in the waterrace have a total length of 2,850 ft. and the pipes for these, together with the pipes for the pressure-lines were manufactured on the property from copper-bearing steel. At Quinn's Creek a triple drum friction winch driven by dual peltons of 25 h.p. has been installed ; a winch is also being installed at Payne's Gully. Eight men are employed in sluicing operations. Preliminary sluicing yielded 23 oz. 17 dwt. 4 gr. of gold, valued at £179 16s. Id. The total number of men engaged in alluvial mining in the Grey County was five hundred and forty-seven, and the production was 4,429 oz. 8 dwt. 23 gr. of gold valued at £33,645 Bs. 4d. These figures are inclusive of the yields from the Deep Lead, Golden Sands, Moonlight Goldfields, Welshman's, Hohonu, and Kumara Goldfields claims, but not the dredges. Westland County. Lawson's Flat Sluicing Claim (H. Lowther, Manager).—During the year, 90,000 cubic yards were treated or a yield of 479 oz. 8 dwt. 11 gr. of alluvial gold valued at £3,359 lis. 3d. Since operations commenced, a total of 2,490 oz. 19 dwt. 9 gr. of gold, worth £13,943 4s. 9d., has been won. The average number of men employed during the year was thirteen. The company experienced considerable delay and expense owing to the breakdown of the electrical-pumping equipment, and on recommencing operations found that it could not work the ground profitably. Since Ist December the claim has been worked on tribute by Westland Power. Ltd. No dividends have been paid by the company. The total number of men engaged hi alluvial mining in the Westland County was three hundred and thirtyfour, and the production was 2,481 oz. 5 dwt. 22 gr. of gold, valued at £17,632 9s. 7d. These figures are inclusive of the yield from the Lawson's Flat Sluicing Claim, but not the dredges. Minerals other than Gold. Onakalca Iron and Steel Co., Ltd. (In Liquidation).—This company produced no iron ore for the period. Negotiations are now in progress for the reconstruction of the works and installation of modern steel-making plant. Petroleum.—Drilling was carried out by the Maoriland Oilfields, Ltd., on their Kotuku areaj, over which they hold mineral prospecting warrants. Five shallow bores were put down, and 1,188 gallons of oil was collected and used for sample, experimental, and test-distillation purposes. An average of one man was employed by the company, apart from the drilling crew.

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