C—3

48

shafts, 96 ft. Levels have been driven 100 ft. on the line of reefs. Cross-cuts have been driven 264 ft. The cost to the company for sawn and mining timber for the above developments is very nearly £1,000. The total expenditure of this company since registration to the 31st December last was £9,125, the nominal capital being £75,000. As far as the future of this company is concerned, any blast on the line of reefs (and the same remark will apply to the cross-cuts) might discover a rich property. Bunker's Hill Mine (Area, 3 acres and 12 perches).—This mine adjoins the Hauraki Mine to the northward. The shaft was sunk to a depth of 285 ft., and No. 2 level opened at 270 ft. The cross-cut at this level was driven 364 ft., and two reefs were intersected, as well as several leaders. No. 1 reef averages 18 in. in width—a compact body of quartz, in which dabs of gold are seen. 94 ft. of driving was done on this reef. No. 2 reef is of a puggy character, 1 ft. in width, on which no work is done. No. 1 leader is 2 in. in thickness, and was driven on 30 ft. A considerable quantity of quartz has been raised from the drives and in stoping on No. 1 reef, but no crushing was done during the year. Seventeen men were employed. Hauraki No. 2 (Area, 6 acres). —A shaft has been sunk 208 ft., and a level opened at 200 ft. This was in hard rock for 90 ft., and no reef is cut as yet, The winding is done by a steam-winch, and a Tangye pump raises about 1,300 gallons of water per hour. Ten men were employed. New Golconda Mine (Area, 5 acres). —The shaft was continued to a depth of 140 ft., and a chamber formed at 130 ft. Driving has been done in cross-cuts 266 ft. in a north-east direction, and 75 ft. to the north-west. Several leaders, from a few inches to 15in. in thickness, were cut and about 200 ft. of driving done on these reefs, and, although some of the quartz looks promising, no gold has been seen. Winding is done by a steam-winch, and a Tangye pump raises 3,000 gallons per hour. Twelve men were employed. Zealandia Mine (Area, 24 acres). —The shaft has been sunk to a depth of 157 ft. The manager, Mr. Bichard Harrison, gives the following description of the workings : — Since taking charge of the Zealandia on the 15th June, 1896, I have sunk the shaft from 90 ft. to 157 ft. The shaft is lift. 6 in. by 4 ft. 6 in. in the clear. At 150 ft. a chamber lift. 6 in. by Bft. and 10 ft. high was cut out. We have driven a main drive from the chamber 234 ft. going south-east and 200 ft. going north-east. We have cut several leaders in these drives from 2 in. to 3 ft. thick, and have driven upon some of them. No. 1 leader is a fine-looking body of ore about 9 in. through. We have driven 30 ft. upon this leader, going north-east (towards the Hauraki). The country-rock is of a good description for gold, being a nice-looking bluish sandstone. No. 2 leader is a splendid-looking body of stone 3 ft. thick. We have driven 40 ft. upon it, also going north-east. The country is like No. 1 leader. We have driven 9 ft. upon this leader, going southwest. We have also driven 16 ft. upon another leader, but so far we have not been fortunate enough to get gold. Welcome Find Mine (Area, 8 acres 1 rood 8 perches).—Work in this mine has been continuously carried on during the year. The main shaft was sunk a further 60 ft., and is now 190 ft. in depth, the No. 2 level being opened at 170 ft. from the surface. There are four reefs intersected, varying from 2 in. to 6 ft. in width, the quartz being of a hard and white crystallized character. About 750 ft. of driving, mostly cross-cutting, has been done, 120 fathoms of reef stoped out, and 56 ft. in rising and sinking on reef. Of general quartz, 54 tons was crushed, for a yield of 227 oz. 10 dwt. of gold, and a parcel of 2701b. of specimens yielded 304 oz. ; being a total of 531 oz. 10 dwt. of gold ; value, £2 16s. 6d. per ounce. The company having no battery, the quartz had to be crushed at the Thames. Fifteen men were employed. Hauraki North Mine (Area, 142 acres).--The shaft was sunk 50 ft., and is now 150 ft. in depth. 205 ft. of driving was done, and a winze sunk 40 ft. on the reef. The reef is nearly vertical, and has a width of 2 ft. The machinery used is one 8-horse-power Tangye tubular boiler and a steamwinch for winding, and a No. 4 Tangye is in use for pumping. The crushing machinery consists of a Bobinson ore-crusher (equal to three stamps of 7 cwt. each), one stonebreaker, one Bobinson's concentrator, and two berdans. The quantity of quartz crushed was 120 tons, which yielded 291 oz. of gold ; value, £3 per ounce. Sixteen wages-men were employed. Hauraki South Mine (Area, 17 acres 1 rood 25 perches).—This mine is now owned by the Hauraki South Gold-mining Company (Limited), of London. Very little work was done during the year, but towards the end of March a commencement was made in excavating preparatory to sinking a shaft, in pursuance of the new scheme of development. The shaft is to be 13 ft. 8 in. by 6 ft. clear of timber, the frames 8 in. by 8 in., with 9 in. by 3 in. sheathing, and will be divided into three compartments. A temporary winding plant consisting of a 10-horse-power boiler with winch is used. It is intended to sink 200 ft. before opening out. Wynyardton Mine (Area, 8 acres). —The shaft has been sunk to a depth of 90 ft. No. 1 level was opened at 85 ft., and two cross-cuts put in and a small leader of quartz cut. Six men were employed. Kathleen Crown (Limited) Mine. —Captain Argall has furnished the following account of the work done : The area of this English-owned mine is 95 acres, and is joined on the north by Blagrove's Freehold and on the south by the Kathleen. During the year a temporary steam plant was erected, with which sinking operations were carried on ; but recently a pumpingengine has arrived from England, and is now erected ; also the usual buildings—viz., blacksmith' s and carpenter's workshops and offices. Considerable anxiety, and no little difficulty, was experienced in obtaining good foundations for the poppet-legs to rest upon; the ground being so unreliable, it was found absolutely necessary to lay down solid concrete beds. The legs are fine sticks, 60 ft. high. The shaft has been sunk 185 ft. and securely timbered, cage-roads and ladder-ways put in; also new pit-work. A new and powerful winding-engine is en route from England, and when erected the mine will be fully equipped. During the period of the present ownership a considerable amount of prospecting has been done, with the result that several reefs