C.—2.

Green Hill Gold-mines, Ltd., Coromandel.—Crosscutting work, as referred to in last report, was carried up to and beyond the borehole, without results, as no reef was encountered. The country is disturbed and faulted for the latter half of the crosscut. No. 2 winze was sunk to 50 ft., where a crosscut advanced to the east intersected the main reef at 35 ft. Values are low. Kuaotuna Gold Recoveries Syndicate, Kuaotuna. —This syndicate, operating on freehold property, treated 790 tons of tailings. Hardy's Mines, Waiorongomai.—Operations were confined to the 1,400 ft. level of the Hero reef, and resulted in the winning of 2 tons 7 cwt. of selected ore. Bobino Operations. Drilling Prospectors, Ltd., Thames.—Operations on the foreshore portion of the company's claim were continued, three holes being drilled to depths of 222 ft. 1 in., 128 ft. Sin., and 109 ft. 6 in. respectively. Prospecting. The greater part of the prospecting was subsidized and carried out at Goromandel, Thames, and Karangahake, but the number of men so employed fell from 17 to 7. Miscellaneous. Mercury Mines, Puhipuhi.—Opcncast methods of mining have been successfully adopted, the face being 80 ft. in depth and about 2 chains in width. The ore treated amounted to 1,300 tons, from which was recovered 2 tons 10 cwt. 2 qr. of mercury, valued at £5,042. Untreated concentrates are estimated to contain an additional ton. Ascot Cinnibar Claim.—Towards the end of the year the Department applied for and was granted an area which covered this old claim at Karangahake. Two men have since been engaged at driving on the deposit. Serpentine.—This is being mined in Waiwera and Mahurangi Survey Districts, North Auckland. Supplies are limited, and probably do not exceed 50,000 tons. Manganese.-—Cloudesley Mines, Moumoukai, South Auckland : The total production was 603J tons, valued at £2,423 19s. lid. Practically all of this was sold to the Challenge Phosphate Co., Otahuhu, Auckland. Mirandite Products, Ltd., produced 58f- tons, worth £210 14s. Bd., which was sold to the Broken Hill Proprietary Steelworks, Newcastle, Australia. A further 90 tons was mined but not shipped. The deposit operated by this company is somewhat troubled and irregular, but trenching northward from the present working which are opencast, has proved a slight extension of good-grade ore in that direction. Silica.—Mr. J. B. Gilberd's mine, Aramoho, Wanganui, produced 265 tons, worth £450. Some was exported to Australia, but the greater portion was used by the owners in their factory at Castlccliff, Wanganui, for the manufacture of high-grade abrasive soap, and in the glass-bevelling, valve-grinding, and dental industries. Chemical and Colour Industries (N.Z.), Ltd., Auckland, mined 148 tons, valued at £531 lis. 4d. The material was obtained at Totara North. Three tons, valued at £3 55., were won from Tucker's Mine, Aramoho. Pumice. —This is obtained in Wanganui, and is brought down by successive floods of that river. The finer grades are used for the manufacture of sandsoap, while the coarser ones are used by cool stores for insulation purposes. Production amounted to 150 tons, valued at £328. Fuller's Earth.—The quantity obtained was 109 tons 2 cwt., all of which was got from the estate of the late A. Crawford, Kamo, Whangarei. It was sold for £381 17s. Id. Diatom,aceous Earth.—A total of 96 cubic yards was got from the property of Mr. S. C. Crawford, Kamo, and 15 tons 2 cwt. from that of Mr. W. Brake, Ngongotaha, the selling-prices being £3 10s. per cubic yard and £4 per ton, respectively. Bentonite.—This was all produced from Porangahau, Hawke's Bay, and amounted to 136 tons, worth £578. Sulphur.—No deposits were worked. Limonite. —Okaihau Quarries, Ltd., Okaihau, mined 959 tons, valued at £2,735 ss. sd. Reyburn's Lime Co., Whangarei, produced 275 tons, worth £1,067 13s. Petroleum. —The Morere and Midhurst bores, which are referred to in last report, were sunk to depths of 6,683 ft. and 10,918 ft. respectively, and then abandoned. Geophysical and geological work was also carried out in several districts and is still taking place. Moturoa Oilfields, Ltd., obtained the following from its three producing wells : 4,058 gallons from No. 1, 66,496 gallons from No. 2, and 23,361 gallons from No. 4, or a total of 93,915 gallons, all of which was treated by N.Z. Oil Refineries, Ltd. Accidents. One fatality occurred, the victim being Mr. A. Yarr, an employee of the Martha Gold-mining Co. (Waihi), Ltd. Mr. Yarr met his death by falling down an open winze, which is situated in a surface drive, and about 200 ft. from the portal. There were no witnesses, and it is assumed that Yarr misjudged distances, and accidentally walked into the opening through being dazzled by strong sunlight, for he had previoulsy been in the open. He was working at the winze, and the instructions given him before commencing were to cover and make it safe generally. There were two serious non-fatal accidents, in one of which Mr. W. Lunn suffered a broken right forearm, and in the other Mr. S. Merry sustained a broken right femur. The former was struck with the handle of a windlass, and the latter by falling ground. Both are employees of the Martha Gold-mining Co. Prosecutions. There were no prosecutions. WEST COAST INSPECTION DISTRICT (G. W. Lowes and R. C. Puffin, Inspectors of Mines). Quabtz-mining. Marlborough, County. Mountain Camp Scheelite-mine (Mines Department).—After crushing 25 tons taken from various points the mine was abandoned on account of the low grade of ore, and part of the plant and buildings were transferred to the mining area formerly held and worked by the Dominion Consolidated Mining Co. Golden Bar Mine (Mines Department).—After the necessary plant had been erected, driving south on No. 2 level in untried ground was commenced. All previous workings had been to the north. Butter County. Red Queen Mine.—Work ceased at this mine owing to serious deterioration of the track to the mine. Transport of plant, building, and mining material by water was attempted, but the swift currents of the Mokihinui River made the task impracticable. Inangahua County. Blackwater Mine.—No. 11 Level Drive North : This drive was advanced 97 ft., of which 56 ft. exposed reef averaging 4-77 dwt. over a width of 12 in. No. 12 Level Drive North : This drive was advanced 29 ft., of which 18 ft. exposed reef averaging 18-61 dwt over a width of 8 in. No. 13 Level Drive North : This drive was advanced 72 ft., of which 55 ft. exposed reef averaging 16-36 dwt over a width of 19 in. No. 14 Level Drive North : This drive was advanced 251 ft., of which 213 ft. exposed reef averaging 11-72 dwt over a width of 32 in. No. 14 Level Drive South : This drive was advanced 216 ft., all of which was on reef averaging 13-04 dwt. over a width of 36 in.

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