C.—2

Matatapu River. —The operations of Smith and party did not disclose payable alluvials, and operations were discontinued. The plant was rented to E. Sainsbury, and Beale and Menzies had the use of the plant for a further period, but little of importance was located. The subsidized miners were withdrawn and transferred to other areas in February. Luggate.—Drilling operations were carried out in. this area. There were 231 men employed (inclusive of the companies) in Lake County during the year, and the gold won amounted to 3,468 oz. sdwt. 2gr., valued at £24,876 4s. Id. Vincent County. Kawarau River. —Free and subsidized miners have been employed on the river terraces from the Victoria Bridge to its junction with the Clutha River. A narrow auriferous deep load, in an unnamed gully on the Cairnmuir side of the river, was located during the year, and several parties of miners were employed thereon during the winter season. Frye-Giddens Syndicate.—No work was done during the year. Bell Hooper Cromwell Gold, Ltd. (G. Carson, Caretaker). —Two men were employed in the No. 2 mine during the early part of the year on maintenance and tribute work. Three men, were employed in the No. 1 mine on tribute work during part of the year, and the gold from both mines amounted to 86 oz., valued at £626 Os. 4d. W. Kilgour mined a portion of his freehold area by agreement with the company. R. J. Bell (Horn's Freehold). — A little intermittent prospecting-work was carried out in the north or 146 ft. shaft, but nothing of importance was located. Lady Ranfurly Claim.—No work was done by the floating elevating plant erected by Mr. D. Jensen at the upper end of this claim. Cairnmuir Sluicing Co. —Very little work was done on this area during the year. A considerable amount of driving has been done by subsidized miners on the Cairnmuir side of the Kawarau River, and also on the Cornish Point side of the river a few chains upstream from the junction of the Kawarau and Clutha Rivers. Messrs. Degan and Williamson, Upper Nevis, are sluicing an area in Cameron's Gully. Jones Nevis Sluicing Co. (F. Jones, Manager).—There were eight men employed in the Whitton's Creek area, Upper Nevis, between the left-hand bank of the Nevis River and the foothills. The season's operations have shown that, at some early period, a huge slip has ploughed through the auriferous gravels, right down to the schist bedrock. The gold won amounted to 92 oz. 9 dwt. 18 gr., valued at £684 Ss. McLean Bros. —Sluicing and elevating operations have been continued during the working-season between the Upper Nevis Road and the foothill near the upper end of the Old Township workings. Four men were employed. D. and J. Adie continue to work the high-level terraces above the Old Township workings. Nevis Sluicing Claims, Ltd. (J. W. Johnston, men were employed on the high left-hand terrace of Schoolhouse Creek. A plentiful supply of water is being used to work this heavy deposit during the Nevis working-season. The gold won amounted to 161 oz. 9 dwt. 15 gr., valued at £1,274 Is. Sutherland and Party are sluicing shallow ground near the old workings, a mile north of the Nevis Sluicing Co's claim. Waenga. — The drilling programme was completed during the year. Driving was also carried out, but, as nothing of importance was located, mining operations have practically ceased in this area. Subsidized miners have been working on the Earnscleugh Flats, Blackman's Gully, Conroy's Gully, Manorburn, Matakanui, and Devonshire areas, and on the banks and terraces of the Manuherikia. and Clutha Rivers. The Reward Gold-mining Co. (W. Carr, Manager).—This is an area between the Alexandra-Roxburgh Main Road, Gorge Creek, and the Molyneux River. Prospecting operations only have been carried on intermittently during the year. One man was employed, and the gold won amounted to 5 oz. 18 dwt. 15 gr., valued at £42 12s. 9d. Matakanui Sluicing Co., Donnelly's Gully, Matakanui. —The plant was removed from the Thompson's Creek end of the old workings to a shallow deposit on the right-hand side of Donnelly's Gully. The gold won amounted to 27 oz. 3 dwt. 22 gr., valued at £196 18s. 4d. Bendigo Rise and Shine Gold-mining Co., Upper Bendigo (L. E. Autridge, Manager). — Mr. Walker was manager during the early part of the year, when he left to take up the management of the Big River Mines. A tribute was then let to a party under the leadership of F. Austin. During this period a block of ore, between the 60 ft. level and the surface, was stoped out on the ore body known as the east and west lode, and a small quantity of ore was mined from the surface ore body, known as the north and south lode. Mr. Autridge took charge during the latter part of the year, and development work on the 60 ft. level was resumed. Eight men were employed and 363 tons of ore treated gave a yield of 295 oz. 16dwt. sgr., valued at £2,206. New Bendigo Gold-mining Co. (L. Bell, Manager).—Operations were carried on during July and August, and the low-level tunnel was extended for a further 150 ft. The reports of Professor A. R. Andrew and Dr. J. Henderson indicate that the reefing-system in this area has been dislocated by a " slide." A break in the country was driven through near the end of the present adit level, and at about 2,100 ft. in from the mouth of the adit. No work has been carried on during the year on the Carrick Range or at Symes Reef, Fruitlands. Tunnelling operations have been continued in Conroy's Gully, but little of importance has been located. The Ball Mill installed at Conroy's Gully has been dismantled, and is now installed in the Reefton area, West Coast. Three hundred and ninety-six men were employed in the Vincent County during the year (including the companies), and the gold won amounted to 1,860 oz. 14 dwt. 1 gr., valued at £13,466 ss. 7d. The chief producers other than the companies were J. Homer, Kawarau Gorge; F. McLean, Nevis; S. McCale, Cromwell; W. Murray, Cromwell. Canterbury—AsKburton County. Rakaia. —The gold won from the Rakaia River mouth area amounted to 45 oz. 4 dwt., valued at £316 7s. Bd., and four men were employed intermittently. Dredge Mjlnihg. Goldfields Dredging Co., Ltd., Big Beach, near Arthur's Point, Lake County (J. S. Ritchie, Dredge-master).— Operations have been continued on the Big Beach. The average dredging depth was 23 ft. for the major portion of the year. The dredge was taken up the gorge in order to test the values remaining. Low values were encountered, and the dredge returned to Big Beach, where dredging operations are being continued. This dredge is electrically driven. Power is obtained from Wye Creek. There were ten men employed, and the gold won amounted to 397 oz. 2 dwt., valued at £2,801 15s. 9d. Nevis Crossing Dredge, Lower Nevis, Vincent County (S. C. Fache, Dredge-master and Owner). —Dredging operations have been continued during the working-season in the Lower Nevis, dredging island blocks "and river barrier pillars. The average dredging depth is 7 ft. This dredge is steam-operated. There were ten men employed, and the gold won amounted to 369 oz. 0 dwt. 19 gr., valued at £2,688 7s, 6d,

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