C.-— 2.

Golden Sands Sluicing Claim (J. M. Dennehy, Manager).—This company, operating a hydraulic sluicing and elevating plant on a beach-lead deposit near Barrytown, treated 100,320 cubic yards which yielded 759 oz. 16 dwt. of alluvial gold, valued at £6,176 lis. 4d., and paid £1,866 13s. 4d. in dividends. Since the commencement of operations the company has won 3,564 oz. 4 dwt. 13 gr. of gold, valued at £28,191 2s. Id., and has paid £7,166 13s. 4d. in dividends. The average number of men employed was ten. The company .worked consistently throughout the year and used extensive suction-pipes, which did not necessitate the shifting of the gold-saving tables. Moonlight Goldfields Sluicing Claim (R. C. Bell, Manager).—During the year this claim, which is situated at Healey's Gully has operated continuously and treated 177,000 cubic yards for a return of 825 oz. 13 dwt. of alluvial gold, valued at £8,421 17s. lid. Since the commencement of operations gold to the value of £15,911 Bs. 6d. has been won. The average number of men employed during the year was seventeen, with two faces in operation. The company paid £990 14s. in dividends during the year. Welshman's Claim, Addison Exploration, Ltd. (A. J. M. Millar, Manager).—This claim, which is situated near the old Marsden Road, is worked by a 1 cubic yard " Osgood " shovel, diesel-driven, the spoil from which is hauled to a washing-plant by steam locomotive and compressed-air dumped wagons of 8 cubic yard capacity. During the year 179,315 cubic yards was treated for a return of 1,171 oz. 14 dwt. of alluvial gold, valued at £7,495 9s. Since the commencement of operations this company has won 1,695 oz. 5 dwt. of gold,. valued at approximately £11,000. The average number of men employed during the year was twenty-three. The average depth of ground was 15 ft. Hohonu Sluicing Claim. —During the year this claim was sold by the Hohonu Gold Sluicing Co., Ltd. (in liquidation), to private interests. Before handing over, about the middle of the year, 26 oz. 19 dwt. 14 gr. of alluvial gold was produced, and this realized £196 lis. 7d., making a total of £17,848 14s. Id. since the commencement of operations. Kumara Goldfields Syndicate (A. E. Langham, Manager). —Sluicing operations have been carried out continuously during the year at Payne's Gully, with some sluicing during the first half of the year at Quinn's Creek. The average number of men employed during the year was eight. During the period 266 oz. 7 dwt. 10 gr. of gold, valued at £2,186 Is. 7d. was produced, making the total since the commencement of operations 290 oz. 5 dwt. 2 gr. of alluvial gold, valued at £2,365 17s. Bd. The total number of men engaged in alluvial mining in the Grey County was 365, and the production was 4,873 oz. 13 dwt. 22 gr. of gold, valued at £37,331 os. 9d. These figures include all small alluvial claims, and are inclusive of the yields from the Deep Lead, Golden Valley, Golden Sands, Moonlight Goldfields, Welshman's, Hohonu, and Kumara Goldfields Claims, but not the dredges. Westland County. Lawson's Flat Sluicing Claim (N. Lowther, Manager). —During the year this claim has been worked under tribute by Westland Power, Ltd., and has produced 316 oz. 11 dwt. 22 gr. of alluvial gold, valued at £2,356 18s. lid. The average number of men employed during the year was thirteen. SincS the commencement of operations a total of 2,807 oz. 11 dwt. 7 gr. of gold has been won, valued at £16,300 3s. Bd. Mcintosh, Hyndman, and party (S. Hyndman, Manager).—During the year six men were employed in this claim, and the work was mainly confined to stripping barren material and opening up a new face near the old Jerk Claim. The total number of men engaged in alluvial mining in the Westland County was 227, and the production was 1,500 oz. 1 dwt. 22 gr. of alluvial gold, valued at £10,832 14s. 6d. These figures include all the small alluvial claims, together with the yield from Lawson's Flat Sluicing Claim, Mcintosh, Hyndman and party's Sluicing Claim, but not the dredges. Minerals other than Gold. OnakaJca Iron and Steel Go., Ltd. (In Liquidation).—During 1937 this company pi'oduced 150 tons of iron-ore, valued at £37 10s., and employed five men for a short period to quarry this amount. The product was crushed and iron oxide sold ; no smelting was carried out. Petroleum. —No drilling was carried out during the period. The Kotuku field produced 1,487 gallons of oil from oil-wells put down in former years. Of the above amount, Maoriland Oilfields, Ltd., produced 1,287 gallons, and N.Z. Oil Concessions, Ltd., produced 200 gallons. The former company transferred its interests to the latter company in November, 1937. Asbestos. —The Hume Pipe Co. (Aust.), Ltd., holding a mineral license in Upper Takaka, produced 2,200 lb. of asbestos-bearing rock from the deposits which they are prospecting. It was transported by pack-horse team, and shipped to Sydney for experimental purposes. Prospecting. During the year 1937 many areas throughout the West Coast Inspection District were prospected for reefs, the investigation work consisting of both surface and underground operations. The principal areas dealt with by organized surface parties were Paringa, Bullock, and Copper Creeks, Waikukupa and Cook Rivers, all in South Westland, the Waikiti area in the Upper Ahaura district, and the Wakamarina district. Both surface and underground prospecting were carried out in the Reefton, Lyell, and Mokihinui districts, and also at Moonlight Valley, Taipo Valley, and Totara Valley, Ross, and at Wakamarina. The South Westland special prospecting parties and the Reefton goldfields prospecting operations were carried out under the joint control of the Mines and Labour Departments. Practically the whole of the other reef-prospecting work throughout the; districts mentioned above was carried out by the Labour Department. The prospecting of alluvial areas by dredging and other interests was actively pursued throughout the year, a total of 728 boreholes being put down on thirty-one areas. While this represents a reduction of 52 per cent, in the number of boreholes and a reduction of 44 per cent, in the number of areas when compared with the previous year, the dredging industry is in a strong position as a result of boring in earlier years. One new dredge commenced operations during the year, and construction was commenced on four others, while the fabrication of the steel for a fifth dredge was commenced. The investigation of alluvial areas which might be worked by hydraulic or mechanical means other than dredging received attention by various interests, unfortunately without any pronounced measure of success. Accidents. There were no fatal accidents during the year. On the 11th January, Otto Hansen, a subsidized miner working under the gold-prospecting scheme, Westport, was injured by a fall of gravel in his claim at Coal Creek, near Westport. Hansen was engaged in widening the tail-race by undercutting the bank with a pick, and then falling it from the top by crowbar. He undercut one slab deeply and this slab fell without warning, partially burying him, and rendering him unconscious for a short time. He sustained a fractured collarbone and lacerations of the head. On the 18th February, Eric Gray, a miner employed by the Addison's Flat Gold-mining Co., Ltd., suffered a broken bone in the foot as a result of a fall of clay which occurred at the claim. On the 19th June, Robert J. Murray, dredgemaster of the Bundi Dredge, Camerons, met with a serious accident which resulted in a compound fracture of one leg, two broken ribs, and a scalp wound. Murray was in the act of jumping from the gangway on to the bank when the latter subsided, precipitating him sideways on to the buckets which were in motion. A second fall of the bank caught him before he could get clear, and he was dragged through the debris for four bucket lengths before the bucket drive could be stopped. On the 16th July, E. Lines, employed by the Blackwater Mines, Ltd., at the Waiuta Battery, met with an accident whilst using a circular saw. He suffered the loss of the ring-finger of his left hand, and had two others cut.

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