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SOUTHERN INSPECTION DISTRICT (T. McMillan, Inspector of Mines). Quartz and Alluvial Mining. Waitalci County. Livingstone and Maerewhenua. —Seventeen men were employed in this locality prospecting and sluicing in the greensand deposits. Several water-races have been reconditioned, and the Gold Gully, near Livingstone, is being reopened. The gold won amounted to 182 oz. 18 dwt. 2 gr., valued at £881 ss. IGd. Six men were employed at Diggers Gully, Kurow, bringing in water to rework this area. Waihemo County. The Ounce Mine, Stoneburn.—No work has been done at this mine during the year. Golden Point Gold mid Scheelite Mining Co., Macrae's (M. Moye, Manager). — This mine has been opened up by driving, erosscutting, and rising. A compressor has been installed, with the necessary pipe-lines. Hardy hammer and stoping drills are used. A treatment plant, consisting of a Blake type rock-breaker, a five-stamp double-discharge battery, two amalgamating-tables, elassifying-boxes, and two Wilfley tables, has been erected and suitably housed. All the machinery is electrically driven, power being generated by an 88-96 h.p. fourcylinder Crossley horizontal heavy-oil engine direct coupled to a 63 kw. alternator. Active mining and crushing operations commenced in September. The amount of driving was 513 ft., erosscutting 258 ft., and stoping 1,056 square feet; 682 tons of quartz was crushed and treated for a return of 308 oz. 3 dwt. of gold valued at £1,769 10s. Twenty-four men were employed in the mine and battery. Macrae's. —Several parties of men have been investigating the partially worked ground on Macrae's Flat adjoining the Macrae's township. An electrically driven gravel-pump plant has been installed. Power was generated by a tractor, which was an expensive method of power-production. Operations are suspended until electric power is available. The power-lines are being taken to the Macrae's district. When current is available these flats will be tested by gravel-pump mining methods. No work has been done in the scheelite mines on account of the prevailing low prices. Eleven men were engaged prospecting in the Macrae's, Dunback, and Shag River areas. The gold won amounted to 18 oz. 9 dwt. 8 gr., valued at £70 14s. Bd. Maniototo County. Golden Progress Quartz-mining Co., Oturekua (L. E. Autridge, Manager).—Active mining operations have been continued during the year. The reef has been driven on east and west. On the 150 ft. level connection was made by an uprise from the west end to the 80 ft. prospecting level. This level was reconditioned and retimbered where necessary. The uprise and the inclined prospecting-shaft provide a second outlet and a return airway. Stoping operations commenced above the 80 ft. and 150 ft. level in June, and have been actively carried on since that date. The reef is variable in width and subject to faulting. A 10 - head battery, together with amalgamating-table, Wilfley table, berdan, engine and boiler, have been erected and suitably housed. Crushingoperations commenced in May, 1,228 tons of quartz being crushed for a yield of 1,989 oz. 16 dwt. of gold, valued at £10,131 13s. 6d. Kildare Consolidated Gold-mining Co., St. Bathans. —Sluicing and elevating operations were carried on in the barrier left between Scandinavian and the M. and E. claims. When sluicing in debris to strengthen the remaining barrier a layer of quartz drift which had been covered by slipped material was exposed. This deposit has yielded good returns. Preparations have been made to strip another portion of the deep lead at the upper end of the Kildare claim. Nine men employed. The gold won amounted to 381 oz. 12 dwt., valued at £1,720 4s. 6d. St. Bathans-Vinegar Hill. — Eight men produced from this area 100 oz. 6 dwt. 2 gr. alluvial gold, valued at £399 19s. 3d. Cambrian. — Three men were engaged prospecting and sluicing,, and won 43 oz. 10 dwt. 12 gr. gold, valued at £171 10s. Naseby and Kyeburn.—Thirty-two men were employed prospecting, sluicing, and elevating in this area. The gold won amounted to 892 oz. 10 dwt. 21 gr., valued at £4,078 9s. 4d. The largest producer was A. and G. Brown, with 206 oz. 7 dwt., valued at £1,062 12s. 7d. Patearoa and Serpentine. — Sixteen men were employed sluicing and elevating. The gold won amounted to 204 oz. 18 dwt. 22 gr., valued at £838 Bs. 4d. Oturekua, Blackstone Hill, and Wedderburn. —Four men won 11 oz. 3 dwt. 12 gr., valued at £47 14s. 3d. Tuapeka County. Gabriel's Gully Sluicing Co. (D. Murray, Manager).—This company is sluicing and elevating the old tailings in Gabriel's Gully. The gold won amounted to 345 oz. 11 dwt., valued at £1,580 17s. 4d.; total yield of gold since commencing work, 20,945 oz. 7 dwt., value £82,593 lis. 4d. The Golden Crescent Sluicing Co., Wether stones (W. R. Smyth, Manager).—The drive mentioned in last year's report was extended to 776 ft. Cross drives were driven to the north and south of the main dip at the 500 ft. horizon and to the north at the 400 ft. horizon to test the deposit. The prospecting work yielded 24 oz. 2 dwt. of gold, valued at £128 Bs. Industries Ltd. have taken an option over this property and commenced operations on the 16th December. They will install new winding, compressing, crushing, and treatment plant for the purpose of mining and treating a sample of 4,000 tons of the auriferous cement. The Golden Rise Claim, Wetherstones (W. R. Smyth, Owner). —A block of ground alongside the LawrenceWaipori Road is being worked by sluicing and elevating. The yield of gold amounted to 190 oz. 9 dwt., valued at £824 4s. 4d. Paddy's Point Gold-mining Co., Forsyth (R. Webb, Manager). —Sluicing and elevating operations have been carried on steadily during the year. The yield of gold amounted to 346 oz., valued at £1,713. Total yield of gold since commencing work, 793 oz.; value, £3,531. The Sailor's Gully Sluicing Co., Waitahuna (A. W. Eaton, Manager). —Ground-sluicing operations have been continued during the year in the weathered portion of the cement deposit. The yield of gold for the year amounted to 456 oz. 12 dwt. 18 gr., valued at £2,213 19s. 2d. Total yield of gold since commencing work, 13,140 oz. 2 dwt. 23 gr. ; value, £52,262 4s. 2d. Tallaburn Sluicing Co.. Horse-shoe Bend (W. Meyer, Manager).—Sluicing and elevating operations have been carried on during the year for a yield of 122 oz. 9 dwt. 16 gr., valued at £510 Bs. Bd. Total yield of gold since commencing work, 3,498 oz. 17 dwt. 20 gr. ; value, £12,419 14s. lOd. Tuapeka County (Lawrence, Waitahuna, Waipori, Tuapeka Mouth, Roxburgh, and Beaumont). — Fifty-seven miners and prospectors won gold amounting to 250 oz. 15 dwt. II gr., valued at £1,055 6s. 7d. The largest pro. ducer was A. and R. Brown, with 86 oz. 5 dwt. 3 gr., valued at £388 Is. 2d.

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