C.—2.

Associated Gold Dredges, Ltd., have preparations in hand for the construction of five dredges—two at Atarau, .one at Rediacks, one at Marsden, and a fifth at Mawheraiti. Financial arrangements are completed for the erection of a large dredge on the Feremakau River, and a similar plant on the Mikonui River, near Ross, by two companies who have prospected the areas and proved them worthy of exploitation with gold at its present value. Alluvial Mining. Marlborough County. Waikakaho Deep Lead Gold-mining Co.—Operations in this mine have been confined to driving from the bottom of shaft a crosscut through schist rock which will terminate at a distance of about 250 ft. from the shaft chamber and under the deepest part of the gutter proved by boring. ~ , lU Sparke and Party, Mahakipawa.—This party struck a very rich patch of gold in their workings south of the old King Solomon Mine, but drainage difficulties and heavy ground forced them to abandon the claim before the remaining profitable wash could be worked out. . , .. „ . The rest of the alluvial gold produced in the county was won m the Wakamanna and Deep Creek areas chiefly by subsidized miners. Fifty-one men were employed in alluvial mining in this county and won 489 oz. 1 dwt. 8 gr., valued at £3,758 lis. 9d. Collingwood County. Production of gold in this county was confined to the efforts of eighteen subsidized miners, who produced 108 oz. 11 dwt. 12 gr., worth £875 19s. Takaka County. Olover's Flat Syndicate—Manoy Bros, claim : A small yardage was treated by two men and a working manager with the use of mechanical appliances for the handling of heavy boulders and elevating the wash to surface sluiceboxes. A total of twelve subsidized and other alluvial miners won 16 oz. 11 dwt. 8 gr., which realized £124 9s. Waimea County. Twelve subsidized men employed on claims situated on the Baton and Wangapeka Rivers produced 26 oz. of gold, valued at £201 14s. 2d. Murchison County. Olenroy Gold, Ltd.—This claim was worked for a short period after completing the new tunnel tail-race and produced 39 oz. 10 dwt. 23 gr., to the value of £319 9s. 2d., before closing down. Newton Flat Gold-mining Co.—This ground-sluicing proposition was worked lor a few months, only a small yardage being handled. The company's finance has been expended chiefly on the installation of a stoning plant, which did not operate successfully. . The Maud, Maggie, Louis, and New Creek areas continue to produce the bulk of alluvial gold won in the county. b inning of the year thc r e.erection of Tait's drag-line plant in the Maud Creek had been completed bv the provision of a Government subsidy, and an exhaustive test was made of the machine's capabilities. It was proved that the cost of operating the plant was too high, chiefly on account of the necessity for frequent removals and re-setting-up, which was brought about owing to the difficulty of disposing of tailings ; consequently, work was discontinued, and the owner offered his plant for sale as it stands on the ground at Maud Creek. During the year 123 men were employed in the county at alluvial mining and produced 882 oz. lb dwt. 3 gr. of gold, realizing £6,869 12s. 2d. These figures exclude returns from dredges, but include gold won from all other alluvial-mining operations. Buller County. Addison's Flat Gold-mining Co.—The company employed ten men on hydraulic sluicing and elevating operations on their claim and worked 10 acres of ground, which averaged a depth of 12ft. Renewal of plant and adjustment of pipe-line during the period were effected and reduced the working-time on production by three months and a half; also, one month was lost owing to shortage of water m the autumn. A total of 147 000 cubic yards of material were treated for a return of 703 oz. 8 dwt. 12 gr., which realized £5,765 os. 7d. ' Totara Gold-mining Co.—The company operated intermittently on black-sand deposits near Charleston. Fifty-five men were engaged at alluvial mining in this county and produced 1,184 oz. 13 dwt. 2 gr., valued at £9,629 Bs. 2d. ; these figures include all alluvial gold won in the county during the year under review. Inangahua County. Waitahu Gold-mining Co.—Nine men were employed on this claim, and by hydraulic elevating and g rou nd sluicing put 251,500 cubic yards through the sluice-boxes for a recovery of 634 oz. 14 dwt., worth £0,-71 ss. 7d. Mount David Sluicing Co.—No mining was carried out on the claim during the year, but arrangements were made between the receivers and a tribute party to recondition the main water-race and work the claim. The party of four men carried on until all available funds were exhausted, and then ceased operations. During the period under review fifty men were employed in alluvial mining in the county, and the total production was 858 oz. 1 dwt. 3 gr., valued at £6,984 lis. (id. These figures include all gold won from alluvial workings. Grey County. Golden Valley Sluicing Claim.—This claim was worked until March and employed four men, who recovered 33 oz. 9 dwt., valued at £250 9s. 3d. The pipe-line and plant on the claim were partially dismantled on cessation of operations. . . , , , .. , . Golden Sands Sluicing Claim, Barry town.—The company carried on continuous sluicing and hydraulic elevating during the year and treated 154,000 cubic yards for a return of 527 oz. 5 dwt., valued at £4,961 2s. sd. Moonlight Goldjields Sluicing Claim.—Sixteen men were employed by the company in recovering; byground sluicing 1 076 oz 9 dwt. from 243,720 cubic yards of wash and overburden. This return realized £10,388. The 30 in. pipe-line, one and a half miles in length, has been overhauled and relaid, an improvement that will tend to reduce working-costs and lessen the risk of breakdowns and subsequent loss of sluicing-time due to Sh ° Tt WeUhmarts l Claim, Marsden.—Part of the area comprising this claim was worked by Auckland Alluvials, Ltd., successors to Addison's Exploration, Ltd., which went into liquidation. The new company substituted a two-stage 10 in. Thompson pump driven by a 160 horse-power electric motor for the mechanical shovel and wheel transport used by their predecessors, and ground sluiced 6-6 acres. The company ceased operations at the end of the year. Hohonu Sluicing Claim, Greenstone—This claim is now privately owned, and the holder employed four men in ground-sluicing operations on a face up to 200 ft. in height. , Kumara Goldfields Syndicate, Payne's Gully.—Tributers worked this claim for part of the year and won 51 oz„ ValU< Thettotal number of men engaged in alluvial mining in the Grey County was 193, and the gold-production was 2,968 oz. 3 dwt. 22 gr., valued at £25,371 14s. 3d. These figures include the yields from all mming claims in the county with the exception of dredges.

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