C.—2,

Lake County. Glenorchy Scheelite-mining Co., Ltd. (D. VVylie, Manager).—Six men were employed in the mine from the beginning of January until the middle of April. The mine was then closed down until mid-December, when operations were again resumed underground. The work carried out consisted of driving the No. 1 level ahead, driving a crosscut between No. 1a and No.l level, and a semi-crosscut from No. 1 level in the direction of No. 2 level. Small but steady quantities of ore were encountered. Two men were employed at the treatment plant. During the year a new roaster has been installed in order to save a larger percentage of scheeiite. There is a small percentage of gold in the quartz, but this is proving very difficult to extract. The scheelite-ore producod from the mine during the year amounted to 280 tons, producing 4 tons 2 cwt. of scheeiite concentrates, valued at £963. The treatment plant has also been treating scheeiite ore for other parties of scheeiite miners. Tungsten Minerals, Ltd. (G. Reid, Manager).—At Glenorchy. work was carried out on the slopes of Mount Judah, east of the Glenorchy Scheeiite Mine, and a Diesel-driven compressor plant and pipe-line were installed. Trenching, driving, and rising operations were carried out under £>. McKenzie, mine foreman, at the Twelve-mile, near the Rees River Road Bridge, driving and stoping being carried out under the supervision of George Paulin, mine foreman. Work was not resumed during the latter part of the year. Ten men were employed from January to June. Rees Valley.—Scheeiite-prospecting operations were carried on during the working-seasons, and some good scheeiite was obtained from slip materia] overlying Muddy Terrace on the eastern side of the Rees Valley; Oxburn or Twelve-mile.—Driving operations are still being continued by M. Petersen, and other prospectors have been looking for scheeiite in this area. , Bucklerburn, Glenorchy.—Subsidized and other miners are employed on the banks and in the bed of this creek prospecting for both gold and scheeiite. Sunshine Mine, situated on the north-eastern slopes of Mount Judah. —Very little work has been carried out at this mine during the year. The Elliott Bros, are now driving in the Bonnio Jean Gorge. Heather Jock Mine, situated on the the slopes of Mount Judah, overlooking the Bucklerburn Valley, and at an elevation of 4,000 ft. (Wylie Bros, and Thompson, Owners). —J. Wylie, manager, and five men employed. Driving and stoping operations have been carried out at the mine. A rock crosscut has also been driven in order to provide easier transport for the ore from the mine to the upper end of an aerial ropeway. This ropeway has been erected during the year, and is 2,000 ft. in length. The scheeiite ore is partially treated at the foot of the aerial, and the concentrates are then conveyed to the end of the motor road above the Glenorchy Scheelite-mine by means of a caterpillar tractor. Stores and timber are taken as back loading up to the Heather Jock and other mines. This syndicate has shown energy and initiative, and the advent of the caterpillar tractor has speeded up the transport of scheeiite ore from the mines near the Bonnie Jean track. Sharpe Bros, are driving in the Bonnie Jean Gorge below the old Boozer Mine. They have installed an air-compressor and drilling-plant, and have erected an aerial ropeway, 800 ft. in length, for the transport of the ore produced by the Elliott Bros, and themselves through the difficult part of the Bonnie Jean Gorge. J. R. Tripp has opened up the mine, known as Groves Mine, alongside the Bonnie Jean track, and is installing a small treatment plant. R. Paulin and Son continue to work on the slopes of Mount Mcintosh. McLaren and Partner and MacPherson and Son, on the Black Peak Field, have worked steadily during the working-season. Tho treatment plant in Long Gully, on the southern slopes of Mount Mcintosh, is used by the Black Peak and Mount Mcintosh miners. Subsidized and other miners have been working steadily during the working-season on the slopes of Mount Judah, Mount Mcintosh, Black Peak, The Precipice Creek, Rees Valley, The Twelve-mile, and the Bucklerburn. Twelve-mile Greek, Lake Wakatipu.—Operations have been continued steadily and 43 chains of head-race have been reconditioned, and 20 chains of flaming and 2 chains of intake pipe-line have been erected. The old storage dam has been cleared out and another dam constructed for extra storage, and the main pipe-line and sluicing-plant have been installed. Three to four men have bene employed during the year. Mining operations are being carried out at the Seven, Eight, and Nine Mile Creeks. Very little work has been done in the Moke Creek during the year. Moonlight Valley Gold (No Liability), (E. T. Anderson, Manager; F. Carter, Engineer).- -Work was continued on the mine access road, and it was completed by April. The pipes and other plant were then transported by motor-lorry from Queenstown to the site of the Old Moonlight Station House, taken across the Dead Horse Creek Gorge by means of a ropeway, and conveyed by horses and jinker to the Upper Moonlight, the headracc, and Butchers Creek. The work necessary for the completion of the head-race was expedited as much as possible under the circumstances. This work was difficult, as the race is carried through very rugged and, in many places, precipitious country. Two 36 in. syphons were placed in position. Many chains of rock benching were widened and, in other places, stone walls were built to carry the fluming on a solid foundation. The race was carrying water in November. The race-line was extended down Slieepyard Terrace and the necessary pipe-line and sluicing equipment was installed on the north side of Butchers Creek, and a sluicing-face was opened up and shift-sluicing operations were commenced on the 31st December. Permanent quarters, smithy, and stone sheds have been erected on the south side of Butchers Creek. Oxenbridge Shotover Gold, Ltd. —The tributers discontinued operations in the bed of the Moke Creek and then removed plant to the Shotover Gorge. They increased the storage capacity at Staircase or Devils Creek, installed a pipe-line, and commenced to wing-dam the beach. Flood conditions did damage in the early part of the season, and as the water-supply failed on account of the dry season, very little could be accomplished during the year. The Wheeler Party continued to operate near the entrance to the Shotover River Gorge, above Arthurs Point, but the shortage of water retarded operations. Arthurs Point Sluicing Co., Sugar Loaf Mine. —James McMullan continued his mining and prospecting operations at the lower end of the mine in an attempt to open up the back lead. Eour men were employed. Sandhills Gold-mining Co., Ltd., Upper Shotover (A. E. Smith, Manager).—Sluicing and elevating operations in the bed and on the benches of the Shotover River, below Waterfall Creek, were actively carried on during the working season. Three men were employed, and the gold won amounted to 546 oz. 19 dwt., valued at £3,996. Short and Party, Ltd., below Ballarat Creek, Junction Shotover River.—The river below the Big Beach was very narrow, therefore the plant had to be removed downstream to the beach at the lower end of the big slip. The main race was extended over the slip by means of a pipe-line, and mining operations were carried out on this beach below Rogers Terrace. Skippers Ltd. (Maori Point and Skippers Point), (J. Stephens, Manager). — Sluicing and elevating operations were carried out in the bed of the Shotover River above and below the power-house site at Skippers Point until the middle of June. Results were poor and operations were then discontinued, and a caretaker was appointed for the balance of the year. Mountain Terrace Sluicing Co., Skippers Creek (R. McDonald, Manager).—Stripping and sluicing operations were carried out during the early part of the year, and then operations were suspended. Skippers Sluicing Co., Skippers (E. Sainsbury, Manager).—Mining operations have been carried on during the season on the western Shotover Terrace workings, between Pleasant and Stoney Creeks. Central Shotover Gold-mining Co., Ltd., Deep Creek, Shotover River (George Vernon, Manager).—Mining operations in the bed and beaches of the Shotover River have been carried on during the year. The up-river limit of the plant had been reached and the plant was then shifted to the river section of the claim below the Deep Creek Junction. There were five men employed, and the gold won amounted to 297 oz. 4 dwt. 15 gr., valued at £2,189 14s. Od.

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