0.—2

24

West crosscut to No. 2 shaft : Total distance driven, 680J ft. At 652 ft. the east part of the Edward lode was encountered, and proved to be 25 ft. in width, with an average assay value of 3s. lOd. per ton. No. 11 level (1,301 ft. below the collar of No. 4 shaft). —Martha lode (east of Path northwest crosscut) : This drive has now reached a total of 358 ft., but nothing of importance has been discovered. Empire lode, Dreadnought lode, Edward lode : Stoping operations are in progress above this level. No. 10 level (Empire lode, north section): A total of 153 ft. has been driven on the course of this lode. At 132 ft. the full width was 18ft., with an average assay value of £2 12s. Bd. per ton. At 153 ft. this level connected with a drive on the main Empire lode. The lodes actually junction at the 142 ft. point. At 75 I'i. west, when widening out on this lode a branch reef was discovered, 8 ft. in width and with an average assay value of £1 9s. 3d. per ton. Further work will be done on this lode. East on the north section of the Empire lode the drive was widened out for a length of 70 ft., exposing a width of 16| ft. of payable ore. Martha lode east: A good block of sulphide ore has been developed—length 168 ft., width 12 ft. Stoping operations are now in progress on this and the following lodes : Empire, Dreadnought, and south branch Martha and Edward lodes. No. 9 level (Empire lode, north section east) : A total of 143£ ft. has now been driven upon this lode, showing the average width of 5 ft., with the values ranging from Is. 9d. to £2 os. 2d. per ton. Stoping operations are in progress on the following lodes : Empire, Alexandra, Edward and Martha. No. 8 level: The only important development work done on this level was driving on the course of the north branch of the Martha lode. A total distance of 44 ft. has been driven, showing the width of the lode to be 5 ft., and the values ranging from 15s. 6d. to £2 10s. Bd. per ton. Sloping is in progress on the following lodes : Empire, Alexandra, and Welcome. No. 7 level: Stoping operations are in progress on the following reefs : North section of the Martha, and also the Royal. No. 6 level: Stoping is in progress on the following reefs: Martha (south section), Regina No. 2 reef, and Manganese lodes. No. 5 level: On the north branch of the Martha lode, north of Brady's winze, 74ft. of driving was done, showing the width of the lode to be sft., with values varying from ss. Cd. to £10 10s. 2d. Stoping operations arc in progress on this lode. A considerable quantity of payable ore is st ill being won from the arches on the Martha lode between Nos. 3 and 6 levels. Western Smithy level : Ore was won from the Welcome lode and branches, south branch of Martha, Bell lode, and Welcome lode. A good deal of ore has also been won from the open-cuts, which supply the filling for the various stoping-blocks. During the year 32,762 tons have been sent down to fill the depleted stoping-area. Waihi Grand Junction Gold Company (Limited). —The pumping-compartment of the main shaft has been sunk to a depth of 1,473 ft. A distance of 105 ft. was sunk in quartz of low value. At 1,425 ft. the south dip of this lode carried it out of the shaft area. It is proposed to open out at 1,440 ft. for No. 9 level. The water-temperature at the bottom of this shaft is 95°. No. 8 level: The drive on the Empire lode was advanced east 235 ft., with values low. This makes the total distance driven 1,243 ft. No. 4 winze: Depth, 36iJ ft.; average assay value over an average width of 41 in. was CI Bs, per ton. No. 6 winze: Depth, 36ft.; lode, average width, 36 in.; average value per ton, 18s. 10d. No. 7 winzo : Depth, 33 ft.; average width, 48 in.; average value per ton, £5 Is. Bd. No. 10 winze: Depth, 55 ft.; average width, 45 in.; average value per ton, £1 9s. 6d. No. 11 winze: Depth, 32ft.; average width, 41 in.; average value per ton, 3s. 7d. From 32 ft. to 55 ft. down average value over an average width of 37 in. was £1 16s. 9d. In each case walls not exposed. At a depth of 40ft. in No. 11 winze a crosscut was driven, and the lode proved to be ft. in width. The first 9 ft. on the south wall is worth £2 3s. 6d. per ton, and the next ft. Is. 2d. per ton. The Empire lode crosscut at 210 ft. east was advanced 47 ft., making a total of 78 ft. This will be used to transport filling from main filling-shaft to Empire lode. At 57 ft. north quartz was met with, and driven upon east for II ft. and west for 12ft.; average width, 53 in.; and value, £3 6s. 6d. per ton. Royal lode (No. 8 winze): Depth, 60A ft. A crosscut at 25ft. down shows the lode to be 237 in. in width; value, lis. 7d. per ton. Extended section (No. 6 level, Mary lode): The drive east was advanced 575 ft., making a total of 945 ft. From 370 ft. to 624 ft! is low grade. At 635 ft. east the lode was 69 in., and worth 17s. Bd. per ton ; at 710 ft., width 52 in., worth £1 lis. per ton; at 795 ft., width 48 in., worth £1 9s. per ton. No. 5 level : The drive east on the Mary lode was advanced 390 ft., making a total of 827 ft. From 426 ft. to 820 ft. for a width of .SO in. the assay values were 13s. 9d. per ton. Walls exposed. No. 4 level: The drive east on the Mary lode was advanced 225 ft., making a total of 939 ft. From 71 I ft. to 801 ft. over an average width of 33 in. the values were 17s. 4d. per ton. At 870 ft. the lode was 101 ft. wide, worth 4s. Bd. per ton. This lode was broken out and timbered for stoping from 280 I'i. east to 322 ft. east. Assays averaged £] for width of 90 in. No. 3 level: From 487 ft. to 845 ft. over an average width of 50 in. the values averaged CI Is. Id. per ton. At 809 ft. east the lode divided into two branches. The south branch from 809 ft. to 845 fI. over a width of 40 in. gave assay values of CI 16s. 2d. per ton. Walls exposed.