C.—2

Long Gully Mine (in tlie Big Slip near the Head of Long Gully).—Active prospecting, sluicing, and mining operations were carried out on the reef lines in this crushed reefing system. When all workable reef had been extracted to the fault line, sluicing operations were transferred to the Upper Pinhead reef, where a slipped portion of this reef was mined by ground sluicing. When this section was exhausted, further prospecting in Long Gully exposed the reef line on the opposite side of the fault. A lens of good ore was picked up. Active sluicing and mining operations are being carried on. During the summer and autumn, sinking operations were carried out in the Hall and Ross section of the Mount Mcintosh reefing system. Stoping operations were carried out on the reef line on the dark side of Mount Mcintosh known as Northcotes. The visible scheolite-bearing outcrops on the Black Peak reefing system are now exhausted and no work has been carried out in this or in the Precipice Creek sections. Bees Valley Mine (Paulin Bros, and Scott), (Left-hand Terrace, Eees Valley, about One Mile North of Precipice Creek Gorge).—Mechanical drilling equipment was installed at this mine and the water-supply previously used for sluicing purposes was utilized for operating the air-compressor. Prospecting, development, and stoping operations have been carried out. Some good lenses of ore were located, and operations were speeded up through the mechanical drilling. Muddy Terrace Mine, Upper Eees Valley.—Trenching and ground-sluicing operations were carried out on this broken, disturbed reef system during the working seasons of the year. Near Oampbelltown the bed of the Bucklerburn has been reworked by an elevating plant operated by L. I. Smith, and then by J. Sanders and partner. Gold and scheelite has been won, but values have decreased down-stream from the gorge. Operations were suspended at the end of the year and the plant was removed to Long's Terrace, on the southern side of the Bucklerburn between the horse-track and the footbridge. Some repair work has been carried out at the Twelve-mile Creek Alluvial Mine near Bob's Cove, Lake Wakatipu. Mount Aurum Syndicate, Currie's Beef, Dynamo Flat, Skipper's Creek.—-During the latter part of the year mining operations were resumed at this mine and 134 tons of ore were treated at the battery. Flood Bum, Upper Shotover.—A sluicing plant is being installed in a difficult virgin section of the Flood Burn Gorge. This work has been rendered difficult on account of frequent floods and shortage of labour. Very little gold-mining is being carried on in the Lake County on account of the shortage of suitable labour through war conditions. Vincent County Very little work has been carried out at the alluvial mine operated by W. Thomas and Son, Lower Cairnmuir. The water-supply proved to be inadequate and it is possible that pumping plant will be employed for future mining operations. Nevis The Williamson Mine, Stone Huts, Upper Nevis.—Mining operations were resumed at this alluvial mine in the latter part of the year. Jones' Mine (late Jones' Nevis), Whitton's Creek, Upper Nevis. —Mining operations were also resumed at this alluvial mine during the latter months of the year. McLean's Mine (Old Township Workings), Mid-Nevis.—Mining operations have been carried on steadily during the working seasons. Very little alluvial gold-mining has been carried out in the Vincent County on account of the shortage of labour due to the prevailing war conditions. Dredging Vincent County Austral New Zealand Mining, Ltd. —This large electrically operated dredge continued to operate on the Athenaeum Reserve below Lowburn until values became low. A channel was then dredged in the strip of land, between the Lowburn Hotel and the bridge. When the dredge had been moved up-stream, opening-out operations were carried out and the dredge is now operating on the Clutha River Flats above Lowburn. During the moving operations the road traffic was diverted until the road could be again reconstructed on its original line. During the annual period ending 30th September, 1944, the dredge worked 5,690 hours, digging an area of 44- aores. The cubic yards treated were 2,882,000, from which 5,513 oz. of refined bullion were obtained. The average recovery was 0-92 grains per cubic yard. The Clutha Biver Gold Dredging Co., Ltd.—The work of refitting this djedge was completed, and operations were resumed in February. The dredge had to dig its way through the tailings to the high virgin terraces on the flats up-stream from Alexandra, where it is now operating. In order to equip this electrically operated dredge (originally built to dredge in the Clutha River) for paddock dredging, extensive additions and alterations had to be carried out, the main additions being the erection of an elevator and conveyors to dispose of the tailings. These had to be capable of stacking from 80 ft. to 90 ft. above water-level, and the distance behind the dredge of the points of discharge had also to be considerable so that tailings would not interfere with the working of the dredge. To compensate for the additional weight of the stacker equipment the whole balance of the dredge had to be altered, and this was done by shifting the superstructure and main gearing of the dredge forward a distance of 18 ft., and provision also had to be made for extra pontoons to carry additional weight. In order to be able to handle and treat the increase of gravels from the close-connected bucket line of eighty-two buckets, the revolving screen was lengthened and extra tables were installed, also extra stone-chutes, dewatering-boxes, and a silt-wheel. In order to provide extra strength and height for the headlines, the forward gantry was reinforced and built up to a height of 60 ft. above deck level. The plans for these additions and alterations were prepared by Messrs. F. W. Payne and Son, of Bickley, England, and most of the material required was manufactured by the Dunedin Engineering and Steel Co., Ltd., and Joseph Sparrow and Sons, Ltd., of Dunedin, and the work of dismantling and reconstructing the dredge was carried out by Mr. W. Curphey, general manager of the company, and his staff. Since the commencement of dredging operations in February an area of 10J acres has been dug ; this yielded 745,000 cubic yards of gravel, and the gold won amounted to 4,609 oz. The dredge of the Molyneux Gold Dredging Co., Ltd., has been tied up all the year. No work has been carried out by the Nevis Crossing dredge. Southland The dredge operated by the Rainbow Dredging Co. at Maitland, Waikaka Valley, has been tied up during the year. Accidents There were no fatal or serious accidents at the mines in the Southern District during the year. Stone-qtjabhies Accidents There were no fatal or serious accidents at the stone-quarries in the Southern District during the year.

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