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4,000 ft. of cross-cutting, while at the same time the drivages on the lines of reefs have been about the same distance—4,ooo ft. The dividends paid by the company to the 27th September, 1896, have been £112,000. The expenditure in the colony for the year ending the 31st December last was £22,987 17s. 3d., while the total expenditure since the company's registration to that date was £42,714 7s. lid. Golden Pah (Hauraki), Limited. —This company has a nominal capital of £62,500. The total expenditure since registration to the 31st December last has been £1,087 locally. The area of the property is 18 acres 3 roods. A permanent shaft is in course of being sunk, now down 100 ft. from the surface. An adit-level from the road is constructed 400 ft. in length. The company has also a second adit-level 100 ft. in length. Two tons of quartz has been raised from the Jewellers' leader, which yielded 3oz. 19 dwt. bullion. The average number of men employed by the company is thirty-four. A very substantial poppet-head has been erected at the Pah shaft. The shaft itself has been very securely timbered with frame sets from the brace to the bottom. The size of the shaft is 7 ft. by 11 ft. within timber. The excavation for machinery is in a forward state for a permanent plant, both for pumping and winding purposes. Smith's and carpenter's workshops, mine office, and material-house are completed. A very substantial engine-pool or reservoir has been constructed to contain water to supply the boilers for the permanent plant. The machinery to arrive shortly consists of one 22 in. by 48 in. horizontal high-pressure pumping-engine, with balance-bobs, bridles, caps, bolts, shaftings, crank, main gudgeon, plummer-blocks, caps, brasses, and all complete ; one pair of 10 in. by 15 in. winding-engines, with slot-link, reversing gear, drums for winding, foot-brakes, clutch-gear, and all their equipments complete ; and two steel Cornish boilers, each 22 ft. 6 in. long by 5 ft. 6 in. diameter, with fittings and. all complete, supplied with donkey-pump, 4 in. steam and W\ in. ram for feeding boilers, exhaust-pipes, horizontal condenser, and all intermediate gear complete. A temporary plant is being constructed to carry on sinking the main shaft pending the arrival and erection of the permanent plant. This company proposes to cross-cut from the 180 ft. level cross-cut from the Union Beach shaft to come under the Golden Pah shaft ; in so doing reefs will be cut through, and 100 ft. vertical will be available below the 80 ft. level from the Pah shaft, on the Golden Pah leader, the Jewellers' leader, and other leaders. The result of working these leaders when fully laid open is expected to yield fair quantities of gold. At present nearly the whole of the miners are engaged in preparing for the reception of the new plant. From a mining point of view, there is every reason to suppose this property will be a good gold-producer. Kathleen Gold-mine (Limited). —This company adjoins the Hauraki to the east, on the sections where the Hauraki Company's principal workings are conducted. The area of land held consists of 56 acres and 2 perches under Land Transfer title, freehold. The situation of the property is unique, as it embraces the junction of two well-known auriferous belts, in which are traversing in all directions a considerable number of reefs. The number of persons employed by this company averages forty-two. An engine-shaft has been sunk in a site to command the working of all the reefs therefrom to the best advantage. The shaft is now down below the surface 240 ft., all timbered with frame sets 11 in. by 7 in. At a depth of 200 ft. two cross-cuts have been driven north and south. The cross-cut southerly has been extended a distance of 80 ft. In this cross-cut a reef was intersected, known as Carlyon's reef, and has been opened on north 27 ft. and south-west 28 ft., the average size of the reef being 9 in. Visible gold has been met with in this drivage, and, from its appearance, on being fully developed throughout the property, should yield payable gold. The 200 ft. level cross-cut north has been extended from the shaft 100 ft. The andesite rock passed through in this drivage has been very largely charged with iron-pyrites, and is in every respect characteristic to the rock that produced the gold in the reefs found therein in the famous Hauraki Mine. In this cross-cut we intersected a large reef, at its intersection 6 ft. wide, carrying two welldefined walls, running nearly east and west and dipping north. We have seen colours of gold in the quartz occasionally. The quartz formation in this reef is almost identical in character to the Hauraki main reef, carrying considerable quantities of iron-pyrites, and very heavily charged with water. We have opened on the line of this reef north-easterly and south-westerly 40 ft., the average size of the reef for this length being about 4 ft. This continuation of the cross-cut north is going in the direction of the Hauraki North and Golconda series of reefs, and, speaking from the character of the rocks being penetrated and the large volume of water we have to contend with, it points to a good future for the company in this direction. The cross-cut southerly will also cut a large number of reefs, which on being cut and opened up on their line will make junctions or intersections with other reefs that cross them ; so that, putting the prospects of the company together, there is a great probability of a successful mine before the company. The pumping-engine is one of Tangye's combined coupled horizontal steam-engines, having high-pressure cylinder, diameter 16 in.; low-pres-sure cylinder,24in.; stroke,3oin.; fly-wheel, 13 ft. ; width of face, 22in.; the engines being coupled together. The whole is complete, and erected upon concrete foundations. The pumping-engines were set to work on the 13th February last. The winding-engines consist of one of Tangye's couple-geared winding-engines, with two drums, having steam cylinders 10 in. diameter by 22 in. stroke, with eno-ine-bed, crank-shaft, cross-head guides, and all complete, built upon concrete foundations, and housed with buildings. These were set to work on the 24th December last. To work the engines two Tangye steam Cornish boilers, each 25 nominal horse-power, are built in and connected with the engines complete. Poppet-heads have been erected over the shaft, with patent cages drawn by Bulivant's patent steel-wire ropes. The cages work by patent safety detaching-hooks, all complete. The pitwork consists of one 13 in. plunger-lift, with 14 in. pumps from the 200 ft. level to surface, the main rods being 10 in. square. Everything is in working-order, and doing a considerable amount of pumping. Carpenter's and smith's workshops, magazine for explosives, changing-house for the miners, company's office, and a road from the main road to the shaft are all completed and in working-order. Shafts have been sunk 336 ft. —viz., main shaft (Hartridge's), 240 ft.; puddling

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