C—2.

Nevis Diesel Electric Dredging Co., Ltd., Upper Nevis, Vincent County.—No work has been done during the year. Negotiations have taken place with an Auckland Syndicate, which proposed to purchase the dredge and equipment for the purpose of dredging areas upstream from the present claim, but they have not been finalized. Bendigo Goldlight Dredging Co., Ltd., Bendigo Flat, Vincent County (W. Cummings, Dredge-master).—This dredge operated for a short period only daring the early part of the year. Operations then ceased and the dredge was beached. This dredge is operated partly by steam power and partly by Diesel power. There were eleven men employed during the dredging operations, and the gold won amounted to 35 oz. 2 dwt. [7 gr., valued at £248 4s. 3d. The Molyneux Gold-dredging Co., Ltd., proceeded with the erection of the powerful electrically operated modern dredge on the right-hand bank of the Clutha River, opposite to the town of Clyde. On account of the abnormally low river the launching of the dredge was delayed for several months, and, as a consequence was not completed at the end of the year. There were twenty-five men employed on construction work. The Clutha River Gold-dredging Co., Ltd., proceeded with the erection of the powerful electrically operated dredge on the bank of the Clutha River above the Alexandra Bridge, in the Vincent County. On account of the abnormally low-river period, which continued until August, the launching of the dredge was delayed for several months. When the river rose in August it continued to be abnormally high for several months, and this further delayed the completion of the dredge, which had to pass under the Alexandra Road Bridge before it could be finally completed. On account of these delays the dredge was not completed at the end of the year. There were twenty-five men employed on construction work. Both the Molyneux and Clutha dredges will be electrically driven. Power will be obtained from the Otago Central power scheme at the Roaring Meg. Aitken's Dredge, Maitland, Waikaka Valley, Southland County. (R. L. Smail, Dredge-master),—Average dredging depth 16 ft. and dredging is being carried out in freehold land. This dredge is steam-operated. There were nine men employed, and the gold won amounted to 1,236 oz. 8 dwt. 3gr., valued at £9,432 Bs. Rainbow Gold-dredging Co., Ltd., Waimumu, Southland. County (A. Cook, Dredge-master). —Average dredging depth 7 ft. This dredge is Diesel-operated. There were two men employed, and the gold won amounted to 169 oz. 14 dwt. 3 gr., valued at £1,106 J.2s. lOd. Waipapa Beach Gold-dredging Co., Ltd., Waipapa Stream, near Otare, Southland County (N. Matheson, Dredge - master). — Average dredging depth 14 ft. This dredge is Diesel - operated. There were nine men employed, and the gold won amounted to 960 oz. 2 dwt. 9 gr., valued at £7,002 Is. There was a total of forty men employed on dredging during the year, and the gold won amounted to 3,167 oz. 10 dwt. 3 gr., valued at £23,279 9s. 4d. Minerals other than Gold. Platinum. During the year 29 oz. 11 dwt. 3 gr. of platinum, valued at £186 lis. 4d., was obtained by the Round Hill Gold-mining" Co., the Coastal Mining Co., Ltd., Try Again Sluicing Claim, and the Orepuki Mining Syndicate. Scheelite. The Otago Scheelite-mining Co., Ltd., Macrae's, treated 11 tons of ore for a return of 1 ton 2 cwt. concentrates, valued at £143. Glenorchy Scheelite-mining Co., Ltd., treated its own product and also purchased ore from the small mines for a yield of 20 tons of concentrates, valued at £2,335. Other producers at Glenorchy and Macrae's obtained 7 tons of concentrates, valued at £970 2s. The total yield of concentrates from all sources was 28 tons 2 cwt., valued at £3,448 2s. Fatal Accidents. There were two fatal accidents during the year, as follows: — On the 4th April, John William Jonas Clingin, miner, of Glenorchy, was killed by a fall of rock when he was fossicking for scheelite in an open-cut on the western slope of Mount Judah, Glenorchy. The cause of the accident was the slipping of a mass of schist rock off a hidden clay parting a few feet back from the face of the working-place. He had just proceeded to investigate a showing of scheelite near the floor when the slip took place, completely burying him. On the 10th August, George Henry Russell, a miner employed by the King Solomon Deep Lead, Ltd., was killed (through being buried) by a fall of gravel in the eastern section of the King Solomon Mine. Deceased was employed in the rise division of this section, on face woi'k. The working-place collapsed and buried Russell, who mot his death by suffocation. Non-fatal Accidents. There were two non-fatal accidents during the year, as follows : — On the 20th June, Neil James Neilson, a nozzle-man, employed by the Round Hill Gold-mining Co., sustained a fractured pelvis through being hit by a large piece of pug which rolled from near the top of a face. On the 29th October, W. H. Gibson, Drill Superintendent, employed by the Labour Department (Employment Division), sustained an injury to his right hand. An operation had to be performed and two joints of the first three fingers and one joint of the little finger were removed. Mr. Gibson was working the Government No. 4 Alluvial drill, and had put the engine put of gear to clear the pump-line on the drum when the clutch slipped in and the fingers of his right hand were caught on the friction drive. General Remarks. Prospecting by means of boring has been carried out in many areas, and possible dredgmg-areas have been located in the Vincent County. The large mining companies interested and the Employment Division of the Department of Labour are boring the areas thorouglily and systematically. Quartz mining has not made mueli progress during the year. The increase in the quantity of gold won by quartz mining amounts to 261 oz. 19 dwt. 6 gr., with an increase in value of £1,875 13s. The number of men employed decreased by seven. In the alluvial field there was a shortage of water during the early months of the year. This was a hindrance to the ordinary alluvial mining, but was beneficial to the miners working in the beds of the Bucklerburn, Sliotover, and Arrow Rivers. The weather broke in August, and there was then a plentiful supply of water for sluicing purposes, but river conditions then became difficult. The electrically operated gravel pump has materially assisted the production of gold in the Southern District, where no gravity water can be obtained, or where there is a shortage of gravity water. Gravel pumps are now in operation at Macrae's, where two pumping plants are working, Adams Plat, Glenore, and Little Waikaka. Another plant is being installed at: Nokomai, and also at Waimumu. The advent of electric power into the Maniototo County would be of material assistance to the alluvial miners.

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