c.—c

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lease have been issued for a considerable number, and over sixty are held under certificates of occupation. The current year opens with every indication of success, and, as far as may fairly be judged from present appearances, will show a marked improvement upon last year. I have, &c, The Under-Secretary of Mines, Wellington. Frank Bird, Warden.

No. 9. Mr. Inspector Gow to the Under-Seceetaey of Mines. Sib, — Nelson Creek, 4th April, 1887. I have the honour, in conformity with your instructions, to make the following report on inspection of the quartz-mines. Boatman's. Homeward Bound Quartz-mine (3rd March, 1887). —This claim has a long tunnel—2,22sft. —■ driven from the face of the hill to the supposed line of reef. At the end of this tunnel there is a large chamber lately constructed, where it is intended to sink a shaft 500 ft. or more, to open out on the reef traced to the south boundary by the Welcome, Company. It was in this chamber, while under contract, that F. Coveny was killed on the 26tft" February last. The chamber is a substantial piece of work, is quite dry, and well ventilated by tubes leading from the mouth of the tunnel, where a jet of water having a good pressure does the work very efficiently. The tunnel is well timbered, and in good order. There is a turbine water-whoel and air-compressor at the mouth of the tunnel.

Name of Company. Calls made. Dividends Quartz ,,. . . declared, crushed. "em> Value. Welcome Quartz-mining Hopeful Extended Quartz-mining Specimen Hill United Quartz-mining Phoenix Extended Quartz-mining Big River Extended Quartz-mining Progress Quartz-mining Lone Star Quartz-mining Multum in Parvo Quartz-mining Nil Desperanduin Quartz-mining Eclipse Quartz-mining Bannoekburn Quartz-mining Happy Valley Gold-mining Gladstone Extended Gold-mining Homeward Bound Extended Quartz-mining Venus Extended Quartz-mining North Venus Quartz-mining No. 2 South Keep It Dark Quartz-mining Golden Point Gold-mining Dauntless Extended Quartz-mining Wealth of Nations Extended Quartz-mining Wealth of Nations Extended Quartz-mining Keep It Dark Quartz-mining Globe Gold-mining Rainy Creek Extended Quartz-mining Eureka Extended Quartz-mining Suez Gold-mining Inglewood Extended Quartz-mining Reform Gold-mining (no liability) Chicago Gold-mining ... Britannia Extended Gold-mining Fiery Cross Extended Quartz-mining Inkerman Quartz-mining Just in Time Quai'tz-mining (registered) ... Inangahua Low-level Tunnel Quartz-mining South Hopeful Quartz-mining ... Britannia Quartz-mining Eoyal Oak Quartz-mining Walhalla Quartz-mining Morning Star Quartz-mining Golden Treasure Gold-mining ... £ s. d. & 0,750 Tons. 2,002 95 Oz. 4,530 222 £ s. a. 17,877 0 0 838 0 0 333 6 200 0 2,750 0 600 0 600 0 200 0 1,437 10 600 0 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1,200 310 20 400 33 1,585 0 0 127 0 0 200 0 0 1,200 0 600 0 100 0 400 0 0 0 0 0 2,100 8,608 2,212 8,61017 6 100 0 1,625 10 0 0 100 Tailings 9,072 420 62 229 5,254 408 240 16 2 900 4 0 20,622 0 0 1,611 0 0 1,800 0 700 0 600 0 100 0 1,000 0 1,150 0 150 0 50 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 13,000 300 920 328 495 224 1,908 0 0 878 0 0 1,833 6 233 6 600 0 666 13 416 13 250 0 100 0 200 0 800 0 8 8 0 4 4 0 0 0 0 6,600 3,227 800 3,033 4,212 262 2,600 16,668 13 7 1,034 19 2 10,269 5 0 3,500 Alluvial gold 21,596 6 33,450 23,930 21,143 3,620 83,170 15 13,756 0 5 0 24,763 96,926 15 5