C—2

APPENDICES TO THE MINES STATEMENT APPENDIX A REPORTS RELATING TO METALLIFEROUS MINES AND QUARRIES The Inspecting Engineer of Mines to the Under-Secretary of Mines. Wellington, 19th June, 1950. Sir, — I have the honour to present my report on metalliferous mines and quarries for the year ended 31st December, 1949. QUARTZ-MJNES Martha Mine, Waihi. —The final shut-down of the mine in May was averted due to the increase in the gold price, and output for the remainder of the year was obtained from the reopening of old workings and the extraction of ore from pillars and arches. The ore was won chiefly from the Martha, Royal, Welcome, and Empire Lodes. The output of 80,803 tons, plus 585 tons of residues from the company's old Union Mill, made a total production of 81,388 tons, which was treated to yield 26,604 oz. of gold and 232,450 oz. of silver, valued at £307,180. As was to be expected, output was lower by 14,416 tons than the previous year. The average number of men employed was 394, 55 fewer than in 1948. The mill crushed on 187 days. Blackwater Mine, Waiuta.- -The collapse of a section of the South Shaft some 45 ft. from the surface occurred early in the year, and repairs over a depth of 280 ft. were found necessary, the shaft being out of use for some months. This caused difficulties by affecting the maintenance of the main ventilating return of the mine, but the aircourses were completely restored and improved before the end of the year. As in the case of Waihi, the increase in the price of gold due to the devaluation of sterling gave a new lease of life to this mine, and preparations for the sinking of the North Shaft to No. 17 Level were put in train before the end of the year. Development on the reef north and south at this level will overcome the lack of stope room which developed when a closing-down of the mine seemed inevitable early in the year. Driving on No. 16 Level South and Intermediate, winze sinking from 14, 15, and 16 Levels, and rising from 15 and 16 Levels accounted for the total development of 444| ft., most of it being on payable reef. The men employed averaged 118, and the output for the year was 22,115 tons, yielding 9,540 oz. of gold, valued at £92.006. PROSPECTING AND REWORKING A small amount of prospecting for gold was done in the Karangahake, Thames, and Coromandel districts, but no finds of importance have been made. The higher price of gold has allowed of the treatment of small parcels of ore from several mines in the Thames district with good results, and what is thought to be a payable block of stone has been reported from the old Talisman Mine, Karangahake.

31