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cross-cut has been extended a distance of 240 ft. The country in this drive is very tight at present, but a change for the better is looked for at any time. 100 tons of quartz was crushed, for a return of 270z. lldwfc. of gold; value, £80 18s. 6d. Thirteen men have been employed. Prospecting work has been carried on in the Karaka Queen, Molsaac's, Rose, and Duplex Mines, one and two men being employed on each mine. Una Hill. Occidental Mine, —The North Star low level cross-cut has been extended a distance of 157 ft. with a view of intersecting the well-known Loyalty and Hague Smith reefs. Since the last-men-tioned reef was cut it has been driven on for a distance of 90 ft., and most favourable prospects met with. Stoping operations have also been carried on on the North Star leader, and a good deal of prospecting has been done on the reefs at the upper levels. 89 tons 10 cwt. of quartz has been crushed, for 84 oz. 4 dwt. of gold; value, £227 6s. lOd. Seven men have been employed. Hape Ceeek. Hauraki Fortuna Mine. —ln the beginning of the year a considerable amount of work was done in opening up the reefs in the surface levels on the Gibraltar, Magnolia, and Jupiter reefs, and in which a little gold was frequently seen in the quartz. The Gibraltar reef was driven on for a distance of 200 ft. at the No. 1 level, and a winze sunk on the foot-wall of the lode to No. 4 level, and, as the indications met with in this reef were of a favourable character, the company decided to erect a small pumping- and winding-plant on the Old Dart shaft, and when this was completed the water was pumped out of the shaft down to No. 3 level, a depth of 200 ft., and work was then carried on for a time on the No. 2 reef, which was driven on for a distance of 230 ft. The reef varied from 4 ft. to 6 ft. in width, and was highly mineralised in places, amongst which a little gold was frequently seen. In the No. 2 level operations are being carried on on the No. 1 reef, and this reef is similar to the No. 2 reef at No. 3 level. A five-stamp battery was erected near the mine, and a tramway constructed to carry the quartz from the mine to the mill; but, after crushing 110 tons of quartz, from which only 1 oz. 19 dwt. of gold was obtained, the battery was stopped, and trial crushings put through some of the other batteries. The total number of tons crushed was 349 tons 10 cwt., for 61 oz. 3 dwt. of gold; value, £158 2s. 9d. Eighteen men employed. Ethel Beefs Mine. — This company has vigorously carried on prospecting work on the various reefs and at different levels, preparatory to commencing stoping operations. The Jupiter reef is a large body of quartz about 20 ft. in thickness. The other reefs vary from 18 in. to 6 ft. in width, and from which encouraging prospects are obtained. The company's four-stamp battery crushed trial parcels of quartz from time to time with the object of testing the reefs as the work proceeded, and with a view as to the advisability of erecting a twenty-stamp battery to treat the ore, the twenty-stamp mill being in the company's possession and stored near the mine. However, the erection of the battery has not been commenced yet. The company crushed 655 tons of general dirt and 86 lb. of picked stone, for a return of 176 oz. 10 dwt. of gold; value, £467 14s. 9d. Kieikiei. Fleming's Mine. —A considerable amount of work has been done in this mine during the year, and a four-stamp battery erected. Since the battery was completed 77 tons of quartz and 15 lb. of picked stone have been treated, for 108 oz. 7 dwt. of gold ; value, £292 19s. 9d.; and lately Mr. Fleming has given an option to a syndicate over the property. Bight men were employed in the mine. Pueiei. Empress of India. —ln the beginning of the year there was a good deal of work done on this property, but the company that had an option over it gave it up, and the ground was then protected. 50 tons of ore was crushed, for 34 oz. of gold; value, £91 16s. Puriri Gold Estates (Limited). —There was very little work done on this property for some time, but lately the eight-stamp battery situated at the bottom of the hill has been repaired, and is to be used for crushing the quartz as it is won from the mine. No returns. Neavesvillb. There has been little work done in this district, but a party that has lately taken some ground on tribute is at present repairing McLiver's battery and water-race, with a view to starting operations in the mine. Taieua. Broken Hill Mine. —There has been very little work done on this mine during the year, and partial protection has been granted to work the ground with eight men. At present a trial crushing is being taken out, with the object of treating it to see what it is worth. No returns. Albert Mine. —Six men were employed on this ground in the early part of the year, but little or no work has been done on the ground for some time past. Ohui. Last Chance. —There has been very little work done on this ground for some time. A small battery was erected, and a parcel of 25 tons was crushed, which only gave a return of 15 dwt. of gold. Whangamata. Whangamata Proprietary Mine. —This company has done a very large amount of work during the year in constructing a water-race, excavating a battery-site, and opening up the mine. The