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OHINEMUBI COUNTY. Mabatoto District. Hikutaia Gold Syndicate. — This company's mine is well opened up. The reef, which is from 6 ft. to 14 ft. in width, has been driven on at No. 5 level for a distance of 1,250 ft., and 600 ft. at the bottom level. Winzes have been sunk from one level to another, and in consequence the ventilation is all that can be desired. A considerable amount of prospecting has been done at the surface-levels with encouraging results. The ore, though of low grade, is said to contain gold in sufficient quantities to pay for breaking-out, crushing, and other expenses in connection with the working of the mine, and still leave a small margin of profit, and there is enough quartz in sight to keep a hundred stamps steadily working for years. Thirteen men are employed. Walker's Maratoto Mine. —There has been a considerable amount of prospecting done on this property during the year, but no important discoveries have been made to warrant the erection of a battery. From five to sixteen men have been employed. No returns. Prospectng operations in the Volunteer, Lord Salisbury, Eetreat, and the other claims in this district have, been suspended. Komata District. Komata Beefs Company. —This company has done a considerable amount of excellent work during the year. A twenty-stamp battery has been erected suited either for dry or wet crushing, with cyanide-vats and some of the latest appliances for saving gold. Dry crushing was tried for a while, but it was deemed advisable to try the wet-crushing process, as in some of the other mines in this district wet crushing was being carried on with similar ore, and is said to have given better results than the dry crushing, and this company is now satisfied the ore from their mine can also be more successfully treated by the wet process, which must be admitted is a great benefit to the men that have to handle the ore in the mill. The company considering there is sufficient ore in sight to warrant the outlay is also erecting another twenty stamps, with vats, &c, necessary to treat the stuff after passing through the stampers. The ore is conveyed from the mine to the mill by shoots and ground tramways, which act admirably. The mine is well opened up, and the reefs that are being operated on are the Komata, Argale, Hartridge, and the Lavington. The reefs vary from 9 in. to 8 ft. in thickness, and, as the ore fluctuates a good deal in value, it requires careful attention so as to save the portion that contains the gold in payable quantities ; but there is no trouble in getting abundance of quartz to keep the mill constantly employed. During the last five months 2,380 tons of quartz was treated, for 10,628 oz. of bullion, valued at £8,018 13s. Id. One hundred and four men are employed in the mine and mill. A large amount of prospecting-work was done in the early part of the year in the Komata Queen, Komata Amalgamated, Byron Bay, and several other claims in the district, but operations in those mines have ceased for the present. Kaeangahakb District. Woodstock Gold-mining Company. —This company has done a large amount of work during the year, and it is to be regretted that owing to the long drought the mill has only been worked intermittently, thereby causing considerable loss to the company. Experiments in wet crushing at the battery have given satisfactory results, and in consequence the forty head of stamps will be converted to wet crushing during the next few months. In the No. 1 level, Marie lode, the reef has been driven on for a distance of 550 ft., and is said to contain gold and silver in payable quantities. At the intermediate level the reef has been driven on south of the cross-cut for a distance of 350 ft., and is connected by rises with No. 1 level, the vertical height of the block being 120 ft. between the two levels; the lode is 4 ft. in width, and is of a payable nature throughout. The Marie reef at No. 2 level has been driven on for a distance of 810 ft.; here the lode varies from 4 ft. to 5 ft. in thickness, but the bulk of it is of good quality, and it is all sent to the mill for treatment. The cross-cut west at this level has been driven a distance of 700 ft., and five distinct reefs have been cut through, carrying more or less gold and silver. The principal lode is known as Shepherd's, and is about 12 ft. in thickness. A considerable tonnage of quartz has been crushed from here, giving good payable results. The Marie reef has been driven on at No. 3 level for a distance of 950 ft., and has varied from 3 ft. to 15ft. in thickness, carrying a high percentage of the precious metal. At No. 4 level the Marie lode has been driven on for a distance of 684 ft., from which good crushing-ore is being obtained. The cross-cut west at this level has been driven a distance of 400 ft.; this drive is being put in for the purpose of intersecting the Woodstock lode which runs parallel with the Marie lode, and at the point where the lode is cut at this level there will be 380 ft. of backs. 11,355 tons of quartz was put through the mill during the year, for 52,454 oz. of bullion, to the value of £35,172 7s. Two hundred and one men were employed. New Zealand Crown Mines. —This company have done a very large amount of work during the year on what is considered outside work. A water-race has been constructed a distance of miles to convey the water from the Waitawheta Stream to drive the air-compressing machinery for working the rock-borers in the mine and the pumping and winding plant, which are all erected in large chambers cut out in the rock at the mouth of the low level. The company are also erecting another forty head of stampers, which will be completed in the course of a few months, when they will be in a position to treat doable the quantity of ore that they are doing at present, with very little extra expense. The different works in the mine are being pushed ahead. No. 4 level is in a distance of -1,960 ft., and is still being extended in a southern direction on the reef, and stoping operations are also proceeding over this level. In No. 6 level the reef has been driven on for a distance of 1,860 ft.; the reef is, on an average, about 8 ft. in thickness, and is all being broken out and sent to the mill for treatment. Fifty-two men have been employed in driving and stoping over this level. At one place in the level underhand stoping has been carried along the bottom of the