C.—2.

Shannon Claim, Blatk Swan Creek, Tapu.-About 100 ft. of driving and 4ft of winze-sinking was done or this claim for the year. Winze work was discontimr d on account of the presence of water, and it is hoped that this trouble will be overcome by the driving of a low level, which is in course of construction. Mountain Kinq Claim, Pulwi.—k limited amount of development work only was carried out. Ilector McDonald Claim, Practically nothing apart from stoping on a narrow reef was undertaken. Golden Ridge Claim, Puru.—'The ore won from this property amounted to 25 tons. . Virginia Claim, Thames.—Operations have been suspended, and it is doubtful if they will be resumed. Advance Claim, Hape Creek, Thames.—On tribute to a party of three men for a part of the year, and these produced 5 tons of ore, worth £30 9s. 9d. Sylvia Gold, Silver, and Base-metal Mines (N.L.).—This company was formed to reopen the old Sylvia Mine, Thames, and develop a line of reef of the same name. The reef carries gold, silver, lead copper and zinc and averages about 5 ft. in width. It has been extensively stoped from the lowest level (No. 5) to the surface for a length of about 500 ft., and from No. 4 level to No. 3 level of from 200 ft. to 300 ft. It stands nearly vertical, and alternately increases and decreases in width in some of the workings, but at Nos 4 and 5 levels is rarely under 5 ft. wide, and occasionally exceeds 10 ft, with intrusions of country rock Development work now in hand consists of sinking a shaft in the firm rock away from the propylitized country of the reef system at 1,600 ft. from the portal of No. 4 level. The shaft will be sunk to a d, 3 pth of 200 ft so as to make available an unstoped block above No. 5 level and provide an additional block of 80 ft. from below that point. It is also proposed to crosscut at 190 ft. m order to intersect the reef below No. 5 level, and simultaneously crosscut to No. 5 level itself, and then possibly sink to 470 ft. or 10 ft below sea-leveh The shaft measures 12 ft. by 4 ft. 6 in. Sinking is in progress, and had been carried to a depth ot 39 It. at the end of the year. Una mil Consolidated Gold-mines, Ltd.—The reopening of this mine (closed for several years) was undertaken on 4th January, and operations were conducted without interruption for the year. Development consisted in the sinking of two inclines (Bft. by 6 ft. each) with a connecting intermediate crosscut 30 ft in length The first incline has a length of 140 ft. for a vertical gain of 103 ft. The second had been sunk to 120 ft at. the end of the year for a vertical gain of 85 ft. The object of the work is to locate the junction of the Occidental and the No 2 reefs at 200 ft. below the old No. 4 adit, at which depth they should also converge on a fault line known as No. 1 flinty, where good values should be got. Water was encountered at 85 ft. m the upper incline and this necessitated the cutting of a 6 ft. sump in continuation of the incline for pumping purposes. Water was again encountered at 85 ft. in the lower incline, and two pumps were therefore installed and are now in operation, with satisfactory results. A leader, cut at 45 ft. in the upper incline, showed gold freely in the stone, and its position has been marked for future development, but no work was done to open up the leader In the lower incline the flinty break was met at 85 ft. and went out at 10.) ft. Orood reehngcountry was found on its hanging-wall side, and at 120 ft. a vertical leader of specimen type was cut. It is probable that this is a "dropper" from No. 2 reef, which should be met with a little farther on. The leader varies in width from a mere line to a mixture of stringers and country rock over a width ot 12 m., and some very good specimens have been recovered therefrom. The gold is generally very coarse or in thick lea,!, but is found in the stone itself in many samples. In other cases it is superficial and loose, particularly in the vughs, but the development is promising. It is proposed to continue the incline so as to intersect JNo. I reef and then plan developments in relation to the fixed position of all the known features. Commissioner Claim, Thames.—Work here has consisted of testing several narrow veins of quartz, which were intersected (within a narrow compass) at about 500 ft. from the portal of the main crosscut, with by no means satisfactory results, and operations were given up in consequence. Ventilatmg-pipes and all plant are to be removed from the property. Lap Claim, Thames.—Sixty cubic yards of old tailings were buddled. Hopeful Claim, Una Hill, Thames—A small amount of driving and sinking, practically all on reet some 2 inches in width, was done. a (nl „i, Waitanqi Mine, Thames—Nos. 3 and 4 levels were reconditioned and connected with one another. A trucK road was laid down in each, and the sampling of some 2,000 ft. of exposed reef was undertaken in 5 tt. sections therein. Work was suspended at about the middle of the year. „ ProarenK Mine, Waiotahi Creek.—The main reef formation drive has been extended for a distanoe ot 30 tt., and No 2 leader has been driven on seaward and billward for 72 ft. and 35 ft. respectively. A block of stone in No 2 winze has been stoped from the intermediate up to the main level (approximately 20 ft.) and over a distance of 85 ft. A section of stone, 100 ft. in length, on No 2 leader has been timbered and is ready f ° r S SmMatid Claim, Tokatea, Coromandel — Some rising and sinking and a large amount of driving has been done on this claim, with fair results, though output figures are low. The claim is several miles from the State mil in this area, and is difficult of access, and the owners therefore decided to purchase and erect a treatment plant consisting of a 2\ ton ball mill, &c. t , , flAf , Speedmint Claim, Coromandel—Operations were carried out on the top level exclusively, and comprised 60 tt. of driving, 17 ft. of winze-sinking, and 40 ft. of stoping. . Pukewhau Claim. Tiki Hill, Coromandel..—Stoping lias been carried out on the main leader inside the rise, but the ore generally was not so good as that worked in the past year, though blotches and colours of gold were met from time to time. A rise was put up to a height of 10ft. on a small leader in the hanging-wall, and from this a little gold was obtained. Subsequent investigation revealed that the leader referred to was only a fragment and that the greater portion had been extracted many years ago. Some surface prospecting was undertaken, but this proved disappointing. Hauraki Mine» Consolidated., Ltd., Coromandel.-^Tributers got 1 ton of ore which gave a return ot 1 oz. 16 dwt. of bullion, valued at £11 os. 3d. Opitonui Consolidated Gold-mining Co., Ltd., Opitonui.—No great amount of work was done tor the last six months of the year at the company's mine or battery, but 350 tons of ore which was won and treated over previous months yielded 91 oz. of gold and 39 oz. 10 dwt. of silver, valued at £685 16s. Bd. All work ceased on the property during the latter part of the year, and has not since been resumed. . . New Royal Oak 'Claim, Coromandel.—A total of 250 ft. of driving, 100 ft. of rising and 50 ft. of stoping was done in the main and other levels. The ore won was 1 ton 2£ cwt. only, and from this was obtained 23 oz. 6 dwt. of bullion, worth £130 10s. od. Lone Hand Claim, Coromandel.—The intermediate level was advanced for 25 ft. on a reef 1 ft. wide showing small prospects of gold. A small quantity of ore (1J tons) was produced, and this gave a return of 7 oz. 6 dwt. of bullion, worth £42 13s. sd. 1 ~ Heather Bell Claim, Boat Harbour, WhenuakiU.—Operations suspended, but preparations tor a resumption thereof were put in hand towards the end of the year. Coromandel (now Green Hill) Gold-mines, Ltd., Coromandel—'Vhis mine was idle almost up to the end ot the year, but the boiler was then retubed and the shaft top and surface cleaned up and restored with a view to starting work in the early part of the present year. . , , Hardv's Mines, Waiorongomai.—Thv Hero or 1,400 ft. level was the only place worked during the year, and from this was obtained 104 tons of ore which, on treatment, gave a return of 71 oz. 1 dwt. of gold, worth £663 16s. 3d., and 64 oz. 15 dwt. of silver, valued at £4 17s. 6d.

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