Q ,

Notwithstanding that this field proved a failure in the first instance, there is still reason believe that a number of individual miners will find a competent livelihood by working the rei so long as there is a crushing-battery on the field to treat parcels of stone. Were this to removed it would mean entirely shutting down all the small claims, and no prospecting operatic would be carried on. Mount Highlay. : A commencement is again being made to prospect the quartz lodes at Mount Highlay. It said by some of the men working in this locality that there is a fair possibility of getting payal stone from the quartz lodes, which are very large, and low-grade ore could be made to pay : working. The gold in the quartz being in a very finely-divided state, the proprietors of the mi and plant intend to have all the modern appliances for saving the gold, and when a proper tri crushing from the mine is made, and the assay-value of the ore correctly ascertained, to see wr. percentage is recovered, it will then be known if such value will admit of the cyanide process bei used, and if so, it is intended to erect a plant to carry this into effect. Lake District. This is the first district in Otago where quartz-workings were commenced. The reefs w< discovered about the year 1863. Some rich stone was obtained on the outcrop of what was th called the Skipper Eeef, but which has been more recently known as the Phoenix. This was : some time worked by a small party of miners, who eventually sold it to Messrs. G. and F. Bulk and the latter have been carrying on quartz-mining operations here ever since. Some years after t discovery of the above reefs, others were found in the Macetown district, and a considerable gut tity of gold obtained therefrom. Beefs on the Upper Shotover have also been worked, and ha given payable returns. There is no doubt that, had the mines which were worked in the early days been possessed the improved appliances which are now used in connection with quartz-mining and gold-saving, i more gold would have been obtained than has been done. There were a considerable number lodes opened out in the Macetown district, but, with the exception of being worked near t surface, very little work has been done in any of them with the exception of the Tipperary and t Premier Mines. Some three or four years ago the work of quartz-mining in this district came almost tc standstill, and an endeavour was made to get foreign capital invested in the mines in this localr Mr. W. J. Farrell, of Dunedin, proceeded to England for this purpose, and was the means floating companies there to take up the Premier and Tipperary Mines. Since his return he t applied for and taken up several other claims which had been worked in former years, Mr. Farrel object being to place these properties on the English market later on. In the meantime, he r. let one of the claims on tribute to a party of four tributers in order to prospect and develop t property. This claim is known as— The Victor Emmanuel Claim. —lt is now being worked on tribute by Messrs. Grinstead, Fo: Elliott, and Pitt, who took over the mine from Mr. Farrell early in November last. This party hi at the time of my visit, constructed an adit-level for a distance of 180 ft. A leader showing go stone was met with at 135 ft. from the mouth of the adit, and upon driving on this leader widened out to a well-defined lode of quartz in the face, showing all the characteristics of permanent and of a paying quality. The course of the lode is easterly and westerly, and dips only afi degrees from the vertical, having well-defined walls, with the foot-wall casing carrying gold. T quartz is of that mottled appearance which characterizes the gold-bearing stone at Macetow This lode is entirely a new discovery, and is about 100 ft. away from the old workings, and in different line of country. During the early workings of this mine a small crushing-battery was erected alongside t stream, in Bush Creek, consisting of four heads of stamps. It had, however, not been used i many years, as it was covered up by debris from a slip which had taken place from the side of t range. At the time of my visit to this mine the tributers were busily engaged in clearing away t debris from the battery, and had got it pretty well in working-order. It is to be hoped that t new discovery of the lode will repay these men for the energy and perseverance they have d played in opening out a mine which had for so many years lain idle, and which was generally cc sidered to be valueless. The Tipperary. —This mine for many years gave the proprietors good returns for working; It after the lode in the upper levels was stoped out the expense of working it became considerat greater, and it did not prove so remunerative as formerly. An incline shaft was sunk for a cc siderable distance following the lode; but the quartz became of a very low grade, and the quanti of water to contend with was such as to add considerably to the expense of working; as consequence operations in the mine were suspended for a considerable period pending a re-organis tion of the company. After being closed for two or three years the mine was purchased by an English company, ar early in 1894, mining operations were again commenced. A great deal of stone which in the ea] days was considered not payable was left in the upper levels, so the company made arrangemei to work this in the meantime. After having their battery repaired, a tramway was laid down connect the battery with the mine, and a commencement made to take out the stone referred to. After putting 600 tons of quartz through the battery, it was found that it only returned a yi< of 360z. of gold. In consequence of this small return, mining operations on the upper levels we suspended, and a commencement made to construct a low-level adit in order to test the mine deeper levels. This adit will require to be driven for about 1,900 ft. in length; and at the date of i recent visit to the district it was already constructed for a distance of 1,204 ft. The adit is i wide and 7ft. high in the clear inside. It is perfectly straight, and to all appearances it has uniform grade. Indeed, it is one of the best-constructed adit-levels that one will see in inspect!

89