C—2

Floodburn, "Upper Shotover.—Frequent floods have hindered operations in this area. The Scheib-Sutherland party, who took over Short's River Mine, were also hindered by heavy floods. River mining operations have also been carried out in the Shotover River between Long Gully Deep Creek by G. Thompson, and the Atley Bros, have carried out prospecting operations at -their river mine between Long Gully and the Moke Creek junctions. Very little work has been carried out in the Arrow River Basin, but the Golden Arrow Sluicing •Co. intend to resume operations in the bed of the Arrow River above Arrowtown. Vincent County Driving operations have been carried out at the Nees' Long Drive Mine near the Gum Trees, Roaring Meg, on the right-hand terrace of the Kawarau River. Sluicing operations are also to be resumed on the Gees Mat at the Homer Mine. The Nevis Valley alluvial mines operated actively during the working season. Williamson's Mine, Stone Huts. —Sluicing and elevating operations are being carried out in the auriferous lead downstream from the Stone Huts. J ones' Mine, Whitton's Creek.—Sluicing and elevating operations are being carried out in the new .area to the south of Whitton's Creek. McLean Mine, Old Township Workings, Mid-Nevis. —-Sluicing and elevating operations were •carried out in the new area at the upstream end of the old workings. D. Adie is ground sluicing at the downstream section of the old township workings. Dredging Vincent County Austral New Zealand Mining, Ltd.—This large electrically operated dredge has continued to operate on the Clutha River flats above the Lowburn Bridge. During the early months the dredge worked in an upstream direction in the river channel and then turned and dredged downstream in the western river flat. During the year ending 31st December, 1946, the acreage dredged was 49-5, and -this yielded 3,407,000 cubic yards for a recovery of 10,873 oz. of bullion. The average dredging depth was 49 ft. This dredge is now in good running-order. Clutha River Gold Dredging, Ltd. —This electrically operated paddock dredge continued to dredge the Alexandra Flat, continuing its first cut to the east (downstream) until the ground formerly dredged by the Kakanui (Alexandra Lead) was reached. At this point a turn to the west was made, and the course is upstream towards the river and on the north side of the ground dredged in coming east. The •dredge operated for 4,930 hours and dredged 19 acres, treating 2,114,000 cubic yards for a return of 6,556 oz. of gold. The average depth of the gravels was 68-2 ft. The height of the bank above waterlevel in the dredge pond has been as much as 50 ft., the average being about 46 ft. The greatest depth below water-level was 44 ft. The tailings were stacked at times to a height of over 80 ft. above waterlevel—probably higher than tailings have been stacked by any other dredge. The dredge is now in good running-order. The electrically operated dredge of the Molyneux Gold Dredging Co., Ltd., is still tied up in the Kawarau River at Scotland's Point. Southland The dredge operated by the Rainbow Dredging Co. at Maitland, Waikaka Valley, resumed •dredging operations early in 1946. This is a small diesel-operated dredge suitable for working shallow ground. Accidents There were no fatal or serious accidents in the mines during the year. Quarries Accidents There was no fatal accidents during the year. There were three accidents of a serious nature : At the Totara Lime-quarry, in the Oainaru district, on 15th March, James Bryan, quarry foreman, suffered very serious injury to his right arm, which had later to be amputated just below the shoulder, through falling over the quarry face. On 2nd October at the North-east Valley Quarry, Dunedin, Gerald Francis Shiel suffered a depressed fracture of the skull through being hit by a piece of rock thrown from a shot. On 19th November at Willock's Clay Quarry, Benhar, Ivan Edwards suffered a fractured left tibia and fibula through the tilting of a large lump of clay jamming his leg between the back of the lorry and the clay.

31