a—s.

48

Deducting from the receipts the amount paid in calls, it leaves the produce of the mine at £8,011125. lOd., thus showing a direct loss on the working for the year of £2,095 10s. Bd. ; but it must be borne in mind that until the new level was completed the workings could not be advantageously carried on. Taking the year ending 31st March last, there was 1,586 tons of quartz crushed, which yielded 2,2990z. 16dwt. of gold. This was obtained by wages-men, whilst the tributers obtained 1,128 tons of quartz, which yielded 1,7100z. gold. The only other mine in the locality of the Waiokaraka where much work has been done, is the St. Hippo, where twenty-three wages-men and four tributers have been employed, the former obtaining 157 tons of quartz, which yielded 1720z. 9dwt. of gold, and for the tributers 75 tons of quartz was crushed, yielding 990z. 6dwt. of gold. Ear aha. There have been twenty-two wages-men and eighteen tributers employed in this locality during the past year, with the result that 349 tons of quartz was obtained by wages-men, which yielded 5380z. 9dwt. of gold, whilst the tributers obtained 276J tons of quartz, yielding 5570z. 3dwt. of gold. This makes a total of 625| tons of stone crushed during the last year for a yield of 1,0950z. 12dwt., as compared with 3,984 tons for the previous year for a yield of 4,9160z. 14dwt., of gold. There is no mine in this locality in which more than ten men are employed. Una Hill and Te Papa. This section includes the Occidental, Pride of Karaka, Magnolia, Homeward Bound, North Star, Just in Time, &c, in which there were during last year nine wages-men and twenty-six tributers employed. There was 251 tons of stone crushed for the owners, which yielded 2820z. Bdwt. of gold, and for the tributers 518 tons of quartz was crushed, yielding 7120z. 19dwt. of gold, making a total of 769 tons of stone crushed, yielding 9950z. 7dwt. of gold; whereas for the previous year there were forty-one men employed in this locality, 1,006 tons of stone crushed, which yielded J,2930z. 3dwt. of gold, thus showing a decrease for last year of five men employed, 235 tons of stone operated on, and a deficiency in the yield of gold of 2970z. 16dwt. Hape Greek. Included in this section are the Consols, Waymouth, New Home Mines, &c, in which eight wages-men and six tributers are employed, who obtained 478-|- tons of stone and 250 tons of mullock, which yielded 2130z. lOdwt. of gold ; whereas for the previous year the same number of men were employed, 338 tons of stone was crushed, and the yield was 2740z. 3dwt. of gold, thus showing a decrease for last year of 60oz. 13dwt. of gold. Puriri. Although this field has been open for many years there has never been a large amount of work done, nor any great discoveries yet made. During last year six men were employed in the mine, and 3J tons of stone was crushed, the latter giving a return of 1330z. 7dwt. of gold. The whole of this may be termed an increase on previous year, as there were little or no mining operations carried on for that period. Tairua. Very little quartz-mining has ever been carried on in this locality, although gold has been found in the reefs for many years, and Mr. McLiver has had a small battery and claim here for a long time. The returns, however, are not great. The last year's operations resulted in three men being employed, and 6 tons of quartz being crushed for a return of 30oz. gold. Ohui. A licensed holding of 30 acres is taken-up in this locality, and during the last year two men were employed. Two tons of quartz was crushed, which yielded 240z. 13dwt. of gold by amalgamation and 21oz. 2dwt. by the cyanide process. Big Pump, Thames. This may be termed the mainstay of the Thames Goldfield, but the expense of working it is very considerable, and this has to be borne by only a few mine-owners now, in comparison to what there were when pumping operations were first commenced. Owing to the workings in the May Queen, the water has been kept down to the 500 ft.-level in the drainage shaft. The following statement will show the cost of working the pump:— Beceipts. £ s . d. Expenditure. £ B . d. May Queen Company .. ' .. .. 1,801 0 0 Coal .. .. .. .. .. 1,799 610 Waiotahi Company .. .. .. 564 711 Wages .. .. .. .. 1,132 19 0 Moanataiari Company .. .. .. 310 2 0 Foundry work, &c. .. .. .. 333 2 1 Hazelbank Company .. .. .. 305 19 0 Cartage .. .. .. .. 216 19 2 Victoria Company .. .. .. 309 12 9 Water-supply, timber, and gas .. .. 123 12 10 Cambria .. .. .. .. 267 15 0 Board's fees and travelling-expenses .. 193 4 0 St. Hippo .. .. .. .. 54 3 3 Salaries, insurance, &0... .. .. 134 19 11 Kuranui No. 2 .. .. .. .. 62 1 0 Miscellaneous .. .. .. .. 42 2 11 Kuranui No. 3.. .. .. .. 46 0 10 Thames County Counoil .. .. 220 0 0 Thames Borough .. .. .. 215 0 0 Coal supplied to companies .. .. 174 3 10 £4,330 5 7 £3,976 6 9 This shows there is a balance to the good of £353 18s. 10d., which, together with the money the Board previously had in hand, leaves about £850 12s. 10d. to credit of the present year's