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On several other claims work is being proceeded with vigorously, but I have not details of what is being done. From all information that I have been able to get, I consider the prospects of Preservation Inlet as a permanent and payable quartz-reefing district are distinctly encouraging. I have, &c, The Under-Secretary, Mines Department, Wellington. J. W. Poynton, Warden.

No. 15. Mr. N. D. Cochrane, Inspector of Mines, to the Under- Secbetaby for Mines, Wellington. Sib,— Inspector of Mines' Office, Westport, 26th May, 1897. I have the honour to report as follows on the gold-mines in the Marlborough, Nelson, and Westland Provinces for the year ending 31st March, 1897 : — Wakamabina. Golden Bar Quartz-mine. —(7/10/97) : From the old low-level cross-cut, 224 ft. in length, to the reef driving is being done to north-west on the lode by two shifts of two men each. The face is now 80 ft. in from the cross-cut, and of this about 30 ft. has been driven recently. The width of the vein is a little over 4 fc, and the dip is north-east at 68°. The reef is very hard, and the country strong, so that no timber is required. Air fairly good. No copy of the Act or rules, so I notified the legal manager to provide them. This company has acquired the ground formerly known as the Empire City Claim, but nothing is being done there at present. Five men in all are employed. Waikakaho. Ravenscliff Quartz-mine. —(3/10/96): The only work doing is in the No. 2 level of the Waikakaho lease, where two men, who have been working on tribute at the face of this level, are now starting to take out 2 tons of stone as a sample at a point about 100 ft. in from the mine-mouth. This, with like quantities from the Kapai and Southern Cross leases, is to be sent to England for testing. Eules posted. At the Kapai Tunnel there are 200 or 300 tons of stone stacked at the mine-mouth. The reef at this mine cuts through the country, which dips differently on the opposite side of the lode, so the latter probably marks a fault-line. COLLINGWOOD. Johnston's United Quartz-mine. —(20/2/97) : No work is doing at present, only Mr. Johnston and one man being at the mine, which is under offer to a syndicate. Golden Bidge Quartz-mine. —(25/9/96) : This mine is on the Taitapu Estates, West Wanganui, of which Mr. James Coutts is general manager and Mr. Eadford is the mine-manager. An adit has been driven 125 ft. into the hill, and, although bending round, is said to have been in quartz all the way. At the face the width of the lode was about 2 ft. 6 in., but thicker further back. The course was north-east, and underlie to south-east at 45°. A winze is down 47 ft. from a second drive, which branched off from the first. This winze was on quartz for some 35 ft., then 10 ft. of blank ground, and is on quartz again in the bottom. Six men work in the winze and six in the level, in three shifts. Air-current by hand-fan, which gives a strong current when worked ; but the fan is to be shifted to a better position outside the mine-mouth. No copy of Act. Beport duly kept. A copy of the plan has since been sent me. The country-rock is different from what is usually met with in this province, being quartzite instead of slate, although there are alternating beds of the latter which clearly show flexuring of the strata, and it is in these folds that the quartz occurs. Hence the lode presents the appearance of a saddle reef, and may have great possibilities. The Australian Gold Trust is also mining on this estate, having put in a prospecting drive 85 ft. on the track of a reef, at which two men are at present employed, but this has since been stopped. In addition to mining, a number of men are engaged road-making and other surface work for the company. (18/2/97) : Three shifts of two men each are now driving at a lower level to make connection with the bottom of the winze, and at present are in 60 ft. The face is in a banded and jointed slate. No work is doing in the mine above, but a tunnel is being driven through a spur at a lower level for the water-race to supply power for driving the battery. This tunnel will be 1,000 ft. long, and driving has been started at both ends. The eastern drive is in 196 ft., and the air is good ; the western end is in 206 ft., and, although a hand-fan is used for ventilation, the air is not as good as in the other, owing to the prevailing wind acting against it. Mr. Eadford has since written me that it has been improved by altering the arrangements. Australian Gold Trust's Mines. —(18/2/97) : No. 2 prospecting drive is in about 120 ft., employing three shifts, of two men each. It is being driven with a view of cutting a reef which has been sunk on by a winze to a depth of 125 ft., and which is now stopped. No. 3 prospecting drive cut a bedded reef 5 ft. thick at a distance of 105 ft. in. From this driving is being done on the course of the lode to north, employing four men, in two shifts. The width at the face is only 18in., but the average may be taken at 3 ft. No rules, but these will be obtained. Ltbll. United Alpine Quartz-mine. —(16/9/96) : No. 9 level is being driven to the south, and the face has just struck the north end of the north block proper, although a short block of quartz has been passed through, and is now being stoped out. This was 50 ft. long in the level, but about 30 ft. higher it is only 25 ft. in length. Two shifts, of two men, are stoping here, the width of the lode being only 2 ft. Three shifts, of two men each, are employed in the level. Timbering all right; air sufficient, but 3 in. pipes are being Jed from the battery to the mouth of No. 7, in addition to the present line, and this will provide power for a fan if necessary. These pipe-lines convey the com-