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0.-3

Waitaia Mine (Area, 85 acres 2 roods). —This mine is situated near the top of the range dividing the Kuaotunu and Waitaia watersheds. The land being precipitous gives facilities for opening the mine from surface drives: No. 1, a surface level, 36ft. ; No. 2 level, 320 ft.; No. 3, 380 ft. ; No. 4, cross-cut, 280 ft. ; No. 5, cross-cut, 309 ft. The principal work done during the year was extending the drive on No. 3 reef at No. 4 level 180 ft., extending the drive on Barrett's reef 60 ft. at No. 2 level, rising on Barrett's reef 40 ft., driving on No. 5 reef 23ft., driving on No. 4 reef Bft., rising on No. 3 reef from No. 4 level 50ft., and driving No. 5 cross-cut 309 ft. When this cross-cut has reached the reef the country will be drained and the mine well opened up. The different reefs vary from 2 in. to 6 ft. in thickness. 81b. of picked stone yielded 6oz. 10 dwt. of gold. The number of men employed was nine. The present owners are in treaty with an English company for the purchase of the mine, and no machinery has been erected pending completion of negotiations. Golden Anchor Mine (Area, 146 acres and 17 perches).—There are nine gold-bearing reefs, varying from 1 ft. to 15 ft. in thickness, and generally of a flinty character, already discovered in the ground. About 237 ft. of driving has been done on the different reefs, and a cross-cut 328 ft. has also been driven to prove the value of the reefs at a depth of 300 ft. from the top of the hill. Seven men were employed. Neio Mint Mine (Area, 27 acres). —Work was commenced on the ground in August last. Quartz was discovered in surface trenches, and good mortar prospects of fine gold obtained from No. 2 reef. A cross-cut is being driven to cut this reef at a depth of 100 ft. from the surface. 196 ft. must be driven before the reef is reached. Four men are employed. Premier Mine (Area, 77 acres). —A considerable amount of surface trenching and cross-cutting was done and four reefs cut in the low level, 100 ft. below surface. A drive was put in on No. 2 reef for 20 ft., on No. 3 reef 47 ft., and on No. 4 reef 63 ft. The reefs vary from 2 in. to 4 ft. in width. Four men were employed. Superb Mine (Area, 100 acres). —Four reefs have been discovered on this property, one of the reefs apparently being hard conglomerate quartz about 3 ft. in thickness. Three men were employed. Al Mine (Area, 105 acres). —This claim has been amalgamated with the Oriental Mine, and a considerable amount of prospecting work has been done. Three cross-cuts were driven : No. 1, 50 ft. ; No. 2, 235 ft.; and No. 3, 66 ft. Several quartz veins were cut, from Ift. to 3 ft. in thickness, and 28 tons of quartz was crushed, for a yield of 6 oz. of gold. A fresh cross-cut has lately been put in, intended to reach a reef from which good dish prospects were obtained on the surface. About 70 ft. of driving will cut the reef. Four men were employed. Wheal Bassett Mine (Area, 94 acres). —There are five reefs opened, in this mine on No. 1 reef, which is 3 ft. in thickness, and the quartz of a promising character. Prospects of gold are obtained by pounding the stone in a mortar ; in No. 5 reef also a few colours of gold are obtained by pounding. The quartz formation is 8 ft. in width, white, and of a friable character. Five men were employed. Opito and Kuaotunu No. 3 District. A number of claims have been taken up, but no returns of gold have been received. Mahakirau District. A number of claims have been taken up in this district, and extensive prospecting work carried on, but no return of gold has been received. Moewai District. Areas taken up and prospecting done, but no return. Hahei District. No record has been given of any discovery in the land taken up. Boat Harbour District. Very little work has been done here, and no valuable discovery has been reported. Kauri Gold Estates Company. This company now owns the following blocks of land, taken over from the Kauri Timber Company for mining purposes : Otanguru, 4,092 acres; Owera, 4,502 acres ; Wairoa, 444 acres; Opitonui, 8,837 acres; Waitekauri, 4,190 acres; Te Ranga, 467 acres; Hikutawatawa, 1,650 acres ; Kaeaeu, 88 acres ; Hurungoherehere, 533 acres; Moewai, 882 acres; Weiti No. 1, 2,315 acres ; Whakau, 933 acres ; Kaimarama, 1,600 acres ; Willis's, 1,797 acres ; Graham's, 1,650 acres ; Taparahi No. 1, 3,078 acres ; Matakitaki, 1,010 acres ; Ngarahutunoa, 210 acres; Maungatapu, 32 acres; Opera, 20 acres ; and Whangapoua, 62 acres. On the company obtaining possession of these lands active prospecting operations were at once commenced, a staff of about a hundred men having been employed. Operations were resumed in opening up the Lanigan's Mine at Whangapoua, the Owera, and also the Otanguru Mines, and machinery for pumping is being imported to sink one or two shafts in the Whangapoua district. The company secured the valuable services of Mr. A. Montgomery, formerly director of the Thames School of Mines, and latterly Chief Inspector of Mines for Tasmania. The large area of land held, and the many localities where the rock is of a promising and "kindly" character, favourable for gold-bearing reefs, indicate that mining operations will prove of a successful nature, especially as, since the opening of the Coromandel Goldfield, rich parcels of gold-bearing quartz have from time to time been obtained from several of the above-mentioned blocks of land.