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Diatomaceous Earth.—Production was as follows: S. C. Crawford, Kamo, 15 tons, worth £l5 ; W. Brake, Ngongotaha, 63 tons 11 cwt., worth £l7O 4s. 9d.; Clays and Minerals, Ltd., Wellington, and Messrs. Forman and Son, Auckland, 31 tons 8 cwt. 3 qr., worth £7B 10s. The last two named companies got their supplies from Mr. W. Matthewson, jun.'s property at Ngakuru, near Rotorua. Bentonite.—The quantity won amounted to 166 tons 15 cwt., valued at £BOO, which shows a considerable drop when compared with the previous year's figures. Mr. H. F. Stoddart, of Porangahau, was the only producer. Limonite.—The total obtained was 5,788 tons, of which Okaihau Quarries, Ltd., North Auckland, accounted for 3,270 tons, worth £10,198 ; W. Whitelaw, Kamo, 2,020 tons, worth £2,020; and J. W. D. Reyburn, Whangarei, 498 tons, worth £1,743. The ore produced by W. Whitelaw is practically all used as a reducing agent in the manufacture of cement, while the other supplies are processed and then sold for cattle licks and top-dressing. Alumina. —The Kamo Potteries obtained and utilized 2,010 tons, worth £236, from its deposit near Kauri, Whangarei. The material was used for the manufacture of firebrick. Sulphur.-—None was mined or sold. Moturoa Oilfields, Ltd., New Plymouth.—Production was as follows : No. 1 well, 5,195 gallons; No. 2 well, 49,999 gallons ; and No. 4 well, 36,018 gallons : total, 91,212 gallons. The oil was disposed of to N.Z. Oil Refineries. Ltd., which got the undermentioned fractions therefrom: — Gallons. Petrol .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 17,655 Distillate.. .. .. .. .. ;. .. 6,335 Power kerosene .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 12,065 Heavy kerosene .. .. .. .. .. .. 12,125 Diesel oil.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 17,705 Residue oil .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 17,880 Total fractions .. .. .. .. .. .. 83,765 Loss .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 4,750 Crude in still .. .. . . .. .. .. .. 88,515 Accidents There were two accidents, one fatal, and the other non-fatal. In the former case the victim, W. J. Henbest, was killed by a wheel which fell on him. There were no witnesses to, the accident. W. Lane was the victim of the non-fatal accident. He was blasting a large stone in an ore chute and miscalculated, for on hearing a report from an adjoining place of work he returned to the ore chute only to receive the explosion of his own charge in his face. He suffered the loss of his left eye and minor injuries- Both men were employed underground by the Martha Gold-mining Co. (Waihi), Ltd. Prosecutions There were no prosecutions. WEST COAST INSPECTION DISTRICT (G. W. Lowes, Inspector of Mines) Quartz -mining Marlborough County Messrs. Straker and Cadigan abandoned the No. 3 level in Empire City Mine at Deep Creek and obtained a prospecting license over the Golden Bar Mine, which was formerly Avorked for gold and scheelite. They erected a light two-head stamp battery and from a dump crushed 66 tons which yielded 25 oz. gold and 8 oz. silver. It is the prospectors' intention to sink a winze on No. 2 level on a short chute of ore that they consider contains payable values. Butter, Grey, Westland, and Murchison Counties Gold mining and prospecting in the above counties is an almost extinct industry. None of the known reefing systems was given any attention, probably on account of more remunerative employment being obtainable in nearby townships. Inangahua County Blaclcivater Mine, Waiuta.—Development during the year fell short of the required footage owing "to scarcity of miners. Labour disputes also retarded operations. The total footage advanced amounted to 1,233| ft., of which 708 ft. was driven on the three lowest levels, exposing 339 ft. on reef averaging 13-64 dwt. over 32-5 in. with 369 ft. off reef. Winze-sinking amounted to 134|- ft., averaging 13-29 dwts. over 18-8 in. and 189 ft. rising, 126 ft. being on reef averaging 14-47 dwt. over 24-5 in. with 63 ft. off reef. Plat and crosscutting amounted to 77 ft. and the shaft was sunk 125 ft. from No. 15 to 16 level, making a total depth of 2,758 ft. from surface to bottom of 33 ft. sump.

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