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Battery. Tons crushed. Gold - Big Eiver .. ... ... ... - ... 2,000 1,983 Golden Treasure ... ... ... ... ... 315 146 United Italy ... ... ... ... ... 100 420 United Alpine ... ... ... ... ... 2,215 713 „ (for Tyrconnel) ... ... ... 44| 254 (for Croesus) ... ... ... 101 28$ (for Lyell Creek) ... ... ... 42 6 „ (for Alpine tributers) ... ... 65 70 Progress and Globe ... ... ... ... 4,830 2,306 Venus ... ... ... ... ... ... 158 129 Wealth of Nations ... ... ... ... 1,095 260 Golden Fleece ... ... ... ... ... 130 38 Keep It Dark ... ... ... ... ... 2,559 2,264 Cumberland ... ... ... . . ... 125 128 Dillon Extended . . ... ... ... ... 90 52 Inkerman ... ... ... ... ... 60 27 Sir F. Drake ... ... ... ... ... 1,150 447 „ (concentrates) ... ... ... 3i 19 (for Al tributers) ... ... ... 30 171 Golden Lead ... ... ... ... ... 18| 124 Victory ... ... ... ... ... ... 226 624 Zala's ... ... ... ... ... ... 12 8 Totals ... ... ... ... 15,3691 10,2171 The foregoing returns show that there is a decrease of 7,576 oz. compared with last year's yield. This falling-off is in a great measure due to the nature of the work carried on, especially in the mines taken over by the Consolidated Goldfields of New Zealand (Limited). Operations in those mines have been chiefly towards opening up the reefs by sinking shafts and driving long tunnels and levels ; consequently, attention could not be directed to mining quartz and keeping the batteries employed. There is every reason to hope that when the new plant for treating quartz is completed no difficulty will arise to prevent this company's battery of forty stamps from being continuously employed, thus improving the future yield from the mines. Any addition to the yield of gold cannot for a considerable period be expected from the newer claims at the Paparoa and Victoria Eanges, as, even after they are proved to contain valuable ores, the introduction and erection of machinery suitable for the treatment of quartz will be costly, and much time must elapse before the recovery of gold will take place. In the other mines the new works to be undertaken consequent on the introduction of fresh capital can scarcely be expected to effect any marked improvement in the yield until after development works are carried out. The future outlook in quartz-mining throughout the district is of a hopeful nature. The mines are to be opened in a systematic manner, and provision made to provide reserves of quartz, in order that dependence need not be placed on any one particular block, but all parts of the workings be made to produce their quota of ore to keep the mills going with profit. The peculiar formation of the reefs, in which occur blank portions containing neither quartz nor gold, points to the necessity of a system of mining being adopted to keep prospecting works always in advance of immediate ore reserves. Otago District. In this district there is a considerable amount of attention being directed to quartz-mining, and the returns from several of the mines are of a highly profitable nature. It will be noticed from the following lists of special claims and licensed holdings taken up throughout Otago that greater interest is now being evinced, and that more energy is being shown, in this branch of the mining industry than in late years. The introduction of outside capital is leading to more systematic operations being carried on in opening up the mines, and, should development of the reefs show that improved processes for gold-saving are warranted, extensive improvements will be made in the necessary appliances for better extraction.

Abstract of Licenses for Special Claims and Licensed Holdings issued from the Warden's Office, and registered on or before the 31st March, 1897, in the Books of the Mining Registrar.

Date of License. Area. Section. Block. Survey District. Name of Claim. Name of Registered Owner. Arr •oivtoion. 10/11/91 .0/11/91 L2/5/93 A. b. p. 80 3 35 75 2 30 52 3 21 51, 55 56 11,12,23, 29, 49, 52 f 57 1 "I ( 50 1 6 ( 58 I 8 54 37 53 XII. Skipper's Cr'k Farrell's Glenrock William John Farrell. The Glenrock Consolidated (Ltd.). .3/2/94 .0/4/94 22 3 26 74 1 20 XIII. } XII. XIII. XII. XIII. XII. Shotover .. Skipper's Gr'k Shotover Skipper's Cr'k Shotover Skipper's Cr'k Tipperary 1 J " ) - Glenrock The Tipperary Gold-mine (Ltd.). .4/5/95 .2/5/93 .2/5/93 .2/5/93 34 3 26 29 3 12 16 0 0 10 0 0 The Glenrock Consolidated (Ltd.). a