H.—l7

16

Albion, Columbia, Victoria, and Bendigo United Mines. —Prospecting drives have been carried on in these mines, but no gold of any consequence has yet been found. However, they are still persevering with considerable energy in the endeavour to get on the run of those reefs which have been so rich in the Alburnia and Whau mines. Waiotahi District. —The Pinafore, Little Maggie, Spero Meliora, St. George, Camelia, and Primrose Claims have all paid well, and a number of other claims are getting fair returns. The ground lying between the Waiotahi and Moanataiari Creeks, which, until very lately, failed to attract any attention, has again been occupied, and small parcels of quartz tested from there have in most instances given satisfactory returns. The Hopeful, Luck's All, and Bright Smile Claims, near the head of the Waiotahi, are being well tried, and several payable reefs have been found : 40 tons of quartz from the Bright Smile yielded 200 oz. of gold. Karaka Creek District. —City of Manchester and Adelaide Claims are both paying well, and a few claims further up the creek are being worked on the small veins, where parcels of specimens are frequently got, and the miners making good wages. In the upper part of the creek a number of men have taken up claims since the formation of the dray-road, as it is now possible to get quartz conveyed to the mills ; but when wet w-eather sets in this road will be impassable, so that the place is not likely to have a fair trial before next summer. Hape Creek District. —The Hape Creek Company's mine has produced sufficient gold to give profitable employment to a number of men who are chiefly tributers, and several claims on the creek have been taken up, and from some of them fair returns of gold have been got. Te Papa Gully District. —Star of Te Papa Mine : This mine has paid very well indeed ; the reef is from 4to 14 feet in thickness, and the quartz yields from 15 dwt. to 2 oz. to the ton. The proprietors have purchased a crushing machine at the Hape Creek, and are in a fair way to get handsome returns. They have also acquired the Major Claim, and from one of the old levels in that mine, by driving a short distance, they can cut their reef 80 feet deeper, when a splendid block can easily be got at. The other claims in this district are being steadily worked, but the returns are only moderate. Tararu District. —The returns of gold from this district have not been satisfactory; the crushing from the Sunbeam reef did not prove payable, and the claims at Fiery and Ohio Creeks not yielding as was expected. Tairua. —The Reward Claim has been worked by a party of tributers, who have met with fair success, and the New Golden Arrow, Filibuster, Deeside, and New Guinea Claims had payable returns. Ohinemuri and Owharoa Districts. —Radical Mine : The tributers in this ground have had several rich returns, which was the cause of other claims being taken up and worked. The Smile of Fortune Claim is also paying, and good returns are expected from the new claims. Waitekauri District. —Waitekauri Mine: Fresh discoveries have been made which greatly improved the prospects of this part of the field ; parties of tributers have met with rich returns, and large paddocks of quartz are now waiting to be crushed as soon as water can be had, and in the Welcome and Diamond Claims rich specimens have been found, so that, on the whole, the prospects of the district are now much brighter. Waihi or Waitete. —The large reef mentioned in my last annual report has been further tried, and a great improvement in the prospects has been the result; drives have been put through it in two different places, and a trial crushing from each yielded at the rate of 1 oz. per ton. The shareholders of the Martha Claim intend to erect a battery, but before doing so they are driving a level from the south side of the hill, which will cut the reef much lower, and thoroughly prove that the gold will extend downwards. The reef, where tried, is of great width, and a return of an ounce to the ton will pay handsomely, as water-power for crushing purposes is available at the Ohinemuri River, about a mile from the claims, and as the country is flat the expense of conveying quartz to the mill will not be very great. Fair prospects have also been obtained from several claims near the Martha, and should payable quartz be found in the low level there is no doubt but that a crushing machine will be erected without delay. A very favourable opinion of the future success of this district exists among all wdio have visited the claims and inspected the reef, and as no great difficulty will be experienced in making a good road to the claims, the place will soon have a fair trial. Tapu District. —Several parties of prospectors have been searching for payable gold in the ranges, but with what success I have not yet been made acquainted. The following return shows the quantity of quartz crushed and gold obtained during the year :—

Month. Quartz Crushed. Tailings Treated. Yield of Gold. Lpril, 1880 £ay ,» une „ uly „ Lugust „ leptember, 1880 )ctober „ November „ December „ January, 1881 February „ ilarch „ Tons cwt. qr. lb. 2,077 10 0 2 2,532 6 1 22 2,789 19 3 26 2,795 2 12 2,998 18 3 2 2,283 3 3 15 2,867 19 0 16 3,875 5 0 14| 3,617 15 3 26 2,695 2 2 21 1,700 5 1 26 2,171 5 0 17 Tons cwt. qr. lb. 771 9 0 0 1,453 15 0 0 1,243 10 0 0 1,603 10 0 12 1,684 18 0 20 778 10 0 0 1,288 10 0 0 1,558 0 0 0 1,097 15 0 0 936 10 0 0 417 0 0 0 295 0 0 0 Oz. dwt. gr. 4,380 15 6 5,396 14 0 6,547 9 18 3,468 2 0 4,754 10 0 4,561 9 6 3,606 2 21 4,671 4 6 6,699 5 6 3,054 1 2 3,102 6 0 2,912 2 12 Total 32,404 14 3 21i 13,128 7 1 4 53,154 2 5