0.—2,

Six men were employed in the Rees River area on development work on an extension of the Invincible reef. Big Beach Gold-mining Co., Shotover River. —Sluicing operations have been carried on throughout the year. The gold won amounted to 591 oz. 13 dwt., valued at £2,338 ss. lOd. Moonlight Mining Syndicate, Moonlight Greek. —Sluicing operations have been carried on by this company in an old channel of Moonlight Creek. The gold won amounted to 324 oz. 3 dwt., valued at £1,270 Us. lOd. Sandhills Gold-mining Co., Upper Shotover. —This company's operations have been hindered by a period of high rivers. The gold won amounted to 23 oz. 6 dwt., valued at £85 12s. 2d. A. E. Smith and Party were engaged sluicing and elevating in the bed of the Shotover River at Maori Point. The gold produced amounted to 249 oz. Odwt. 5 gr., valued at £981 7s. 4d. Weddell, Oxenbridge, and Party.—This party has been sluicing and elevating in the bed of the Shotover River at Staircase Creek. Their operations have been hindered by a period of high river. The gold won amounted to 11 oz., valued at £44. The Good Hope Mining Go. are prospecting in the bed of the Shotover River at Arthur's Point. The Hawke Mining Syndicate reopened the old Shamrock claim. They have done a large amount of development work, having deepened and extended the tail-race, constructed two dams, &c. The gold won since sluicing operations commenced amounts to 36 oz. 13 dwt., valued at £141 2s. Southland County. Nokomai Sluicing Go., Nokomai. —This company has been actively employed during the year elevating the alluvial gravel to a height of 90 ft. Owing to the high lift and seepage of water into the workings from the creek, amounting to about six heads, the cost of hydraulic elevating is expensive, and consequently the company is not obtaining satisfactory results. The gold recovered amounted to 601 oz. 18 dwt. 18 gr., valued at £2,287 19s. Bd. Copeland and Party carried out sluicing and elevating in the Victoria Gully. The gold won amounted to 142 oz. 19 dwt., valued at £561 16s. 9d. King Solomon Deep Leads, Waikaia.—This company commenced operations in May. Two men drove an adit level from the gully and intersected the shaft at about 45 ft. from the surface. Active shaft operations were commenced in September, bailing-tanks being used to lower the water. An electric sinking-pump was also installed. Sinking operations were resumed in November, and at the end of the year the shaft had reached a depth of 192 ft. A chamber was opened out at 186 ft., and 16 ft. had been driven at the end of the year. Winding Creek Gold-mining Co., Waikaia. —This company drove out the auriferous gravel from the old channel of the Winding Creek. They then commenced driving a dip at the bottom of an old elevating paddock. A narrow lead was disclosed and driven on for a considerable distance. The dip was then continued to a depth of 170 ft. It was driven on the schist floor on a grade which varied from lin6 to lin 3. This dip had to be abandoned on account of the heavy nature of the ground. Prospecting operations are now being carried on near the previous workings. The gold won amounted to 79 oz. 13 dwt. 11 gr., valued at £328 12s. Bdr, Stoney Creek Gold-mining Co., Waikaia. —About 200 yards of driving was done by this company, but old workings were encountered, and work has been suspended. The gold won amounted to 11 oz. 13 dwt. 4gr., valued at £44 ss. lid. Several small parties carried on sluicing operations in the Nokomai, Paddy's Alley (Athol) districts. The gold won amounted to 239 oz. 14 dwt. 19 gr., valued at £926 9s. lid. Mutch Bros, were the largest producers, with 148 oz., valued at £573 10s. lOd. Waikaia.—Twelve miners produced 128 oz. 4 dwt. 6 gr., valued at £513 os. Bd., in the Waikaia district. Of these, H. Nelson, with 48 oz. 7 dwt. 13 gr., valued at £187 9s. 2d., and Jas. Mutch, with 70 oz., valued at £271 55., were the largest producers. Wallace County. During the latter part of the year the Magnetic Cylinder Co. tried out a pumping-plant on the Wakapatu Mining Co.'s claim at Wakapatu. Only a few individual miners are working at Round Hill. The gold won amounted to 31 oz, 9 dwt. 2 gr., valued at £123 10s. 7d. Orepuki.—A few small parties of miners continue to-work the alluvial and sea-beach deposits in this locality. The gold won amounted to 91 oz. 4 dwt. 4 gr., valued at £357 12s. 3d. Dredging. Upper Nevis Gold-dredging Co., Nevis River.—This company's electrically-equipped dredge has been working in comparatively shallow ground. The gold recovered amounted to 290 oz. 10 dwt., valued at £1,149 Is. 6d. This dredge should soon be dredging in virgin ground. Golden Terrace Extended Gold-dredging Co., Lower Shotover.—The erection of the dredge was completed in July and dredging operations were commenced. Several adjustments have been made. The gold won amounted to 407 oz. 16 dwt., valued at £1,714 ss. lOd. Minerals other than Gold. Tungsten.—The scheelite produced during the year amounted to 23 tons 13 cwt. 1 qr. The total value cannot be given, as on account of the heavy drop in the price of scheelite much of this output is held until the market improves. Silica.—The Southern Cross Glass Co., Ltd., Ashburton: The output of silica sand from the company's silica license at Mount Somers amounted to 53 tons 19 cwt. 3 qr., which was valued at 10s. per ton at the site of the deposit. Platinum. —2 oz. 10 dwt. of platinum were recovered from alluvial and sea-beach claims at Orepuki and Wakapatu Beach. Accidents. No serious accidents occurred in the mines or dredges during the year. General Remarks. The very dry season at the beginning of the year hindered sluicing and elevating operations in the Southern District, and adversely affected the returns.

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