1864.

VICTORIA.

REPORTS

Oll'THE

MINING SURVEYORS

AND

REGISTRARSQ

QUARTER ENDING 30TH SEPTEMBER, 1864.

PHESENTED TO BOTH HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT BY HIS EXCELLENCY'S COMMAND.

}S~ linuttllfit)}:

JOHN FERl~ES, GOVERNMENT PRINTER, . !IIo.18. '.

APPROXIMATE COST OF PRI~PA1UNG REPORTS.

DETAILED PAnTICULAUS~ AMOUNT.

£ s. d. cost of Preparation, abnut,,· r~ Y 7 0 0 l'rlnting.. .• 75 13 4 AlteraUons and Corrections after being In' Type 5 5 '0 TOTAL £ ---s718-4 ; If 'r -

.. ~. • .. ,': I SU,RVEYURS"' A.Nlf REGISTRARS' MtNING,' , ,RE'I>ORTS.. ,', '

" . ,~ . l ' .. ~ ,,~, ., "q .... ' ••- No. f nmsION .. " Mr. Rohen Davidson, Milnim{}: S'Uft"I}eyor and Regi8trar. , .•.•• J

' .. ~. .. . , • "!'

Europeans. I Chinese•. Toml for the t .. i . , Divi.slon. . ' " Alluvial MiIiers ... , .... ,1,280 . Quartz Miners ... '

J----J--~-I-----I " Total 1,280

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINBRS ~S'TlIUS-DISTRIBUTBD:-'

Frenchman's Lead 90 Inkermann Gully; 55 W oolshed Lead 45 White Flat .. . 35 Redan Lead ... 115' 'Sago Hill ~, .. . 120 Golden Point Lead _.0:.; 210 Campbell's Gully 62 Inkermann Lead -233" , Bunker's HilI:.. :--- _. -" 130 Swamp Lead '" 45 Suburban Lead 65 Total ... 1,310 Dead Horse 'Lead ,105

. "t. : THE MA.CHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:..,... , r ~. ~ •. , t • ~ .." •• ) • ) . .' I r \

---'.' . --

.Aggregate At Work I' Idle. , I,HOl1!6-l!

,,:. " ',\ ... ; .. : t ~t'f .\: ~ .:.. I Steam Engines 58 5 820 1 28 50 Puddling Machines 56 3 e 1" .~ ~.. Whims 8 2

Whips - 2 ...... _J~: _H. " .. - - . _..... - Total value of mining plant in the division, £36,750.1 Number of sq~e miles of ~lluvi8J ground which is bemg, or,may have boon, actually worked upon, Ii. . .. - N!Jlllber of distinct quartz reefs which: have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present'time, 5. .., .. ,- - - . .. i

The price of gold during the quarter in the~i:livision h:~s been frQlV. ;£n9~. 6d. to £4 Os. 6d. per oz. 4

TBE FOLLOWING INFORlUTION ms BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO TBE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ CRUSBED DURING TBE QUARTER, A.ND THE GoLD OBTAINED TBERBFROM. I Where Quartz waa Totel Yield of ' Remarks relative to the Name of Company. , obtained. Quartz crushed. Yi!i~:ld Depth ..t whioh tho per ton. ,Gold. Q1Ii!.rtz was obtained.

ton cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Great Extended' ... Great Extended Reef 50 0 0 o 12 0 30 o .0

I have the honor to state, that during the past quarter mining operations in this divislOn have been prosecuted with more than ordinary vigor, in consequence of the unu8ually large yields of gold from our principal claims. An impetus has al80 been given to speculation by most of the well.established companies dividing their shares in serips of say from forty to sixty scrips to a share, thUB enabling many persons of small capital to make investments which heretofore were beyond their means. Since my last report, the Band of Hope Company have obtained 8,282 OZ8. of gold from the gutter immediately south of the Great Extended workings. They have paid in dividends £24,000, giving £7 lOs. per share or scrip, on 3,200 scrips. The yield from the Koh-i-noor Company, Golden Point Lead, has also been very good, the amount of gold obtained being 6,537 ozs., value for £24,543, of which £15,600 have been paid in dividends, giving £390 per share on forty shares. The Great Extended Company's yield has been tolerably good, being 3,036. ozs., which allowed of dividends to the amount of £126 per 80th share being paid during the quarter. This company in their alluvial researches some time back: strnck a quartz reef, from which fifty tons of stone have been crnshed, . yielding an average of 12 dwts. to the ton. The company are now driving to cut thc,reef at a deeper level; after doing which they propose, if it be equally rich at the point of crossing with that already tested, working it on an extensive scale., , The Cosmopolitan Company's returns for the quarter are as follow:-Yield of gold, 1,477 ozs. 15 dwts. ; disbursed in dividends to the amount of £99 ppr 42nd share, current expenses, and a balance carried to the reserve fund account. '. The Spes Bona Company, Golden Point Lead, have strnck a tributary gutter of the Golden Point, apparently flowing from a north-westerly direction, and joining the main lead in the ground formerly worked by the Homeward Bound Company, which the discoverers are now reworking. The Albion Company, Frenchman's Lea4, continue working, but with indifferent success, their receipts for ,the past quarter being 1,199 ozs., allowing of two dividends of £15 and £10 respectively being ~aid. .- The Hand-in-Hand' Company's drives have been swamped out for several weeks by a rush of water from the drift above the Republican gutter, which it is believed was accidentally tapped. Several members of the Great Republic Company, whose claim was bought lately by the Royal Saxon Company, have reorganised, and repurchased that portion of the old company's claim containing the Inkermann Lead, a large extent of which has never been efficiently worked, and which the new company (Ascot Company) are satisfie(i Will pay for reworking. " The sinking of the Royal Saxon Company's shaft progresses steadily. The Extension Company, Dead Horse Lead, have, for several months, been working in the gutter, with but indifferent resUlts. This was caused, not by the poorness of the washdirt, but from their not having drives sufficiently extended to allow of any large quantity of washdirt being obtained. Up till the present time, they have been working with but one puddlin/! machine; but from the speed with which the laying qualities of the claim are now being developed, it has been found necessary to erect a secon machine, which it is anticipated will have a great effect in increasing the returns. At'Sago and Bunker's Hills, matters remain in the same state as mentioned in my last report, all spirit of enterprise having seemingly deserted those localities. A fair prospect has been obtained from the Sailor's Gully Lead by the Carpentaria Company, but nothing positive as to the real value of the gutter has yet been proved. With the exception of that already referred "to in my remarks concernin$ the Great Extended Company. there are no quartz :workings being earried on in this division on which to report.

No.2 DIVISION. Mr. P. 0. Fitz Pairick, Minving BU'l'1JeyOT and &giBtratr.

TBE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINBRS IS A.S FOLLOWS:-

TotAl for'the I·Euro~' ! OhInese. Division. Remarks.

Alluvial Miners ...... 125 550 675 Quartz Miners ...... 680 ... 680 . Total ... 805 550 1,355 5

THE MA,CHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:-

ALLUVIAL MINING. QU.Ul:rZ MINmG. .

Description of MlIcbI.neS. - I Aggrega.te Aggregate At Work. Idle. , At Work. Idle. HOrse-Cor HOJ1ID..~~rOf Steam . es. : Steam meso --- , Steam Engines employed in pumping, wind- ing, puddling, &c. '" ...... 1 ... 12 , ......

Whims ...... 2 • oo ... • oo ......

Puddling Machines 'OO oo. ... 52 ...... oo ...... Steam Engines employed in pumping, wind·· ing, crushing, &c., &c. 'OO ...... 14 2 312 In course of erection ...... 1 ... 20

i

. Total value of mining plant in the division, £34,000. Number ofsquare miles of alluvial ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon, 1. N!1mber of distinct quartz re,efs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to t4e present tlme, 7., . The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been from £4 to £4 Is. Od. per oz.

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ, AND QUARTZ TAILINGS AND .oEMENT ORUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND 'rHE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM.

Wheze Quartz, &c., were Total Yield Remarks rolative to the Name of Oompany. I Quartz crushed. of Gold. DepthatwldohtheQuartz obtained. Yi~~ldper • was obtained, &c.

- ton cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. 0 .. dwt. gr. Black Hill ...... Black Hill ... 18,500 0 0 0 1 91 952 0 0 Open cutting 70 feet deep Independent ... Ditto ...... -3,808 0 0 0 2 6! 398 0 9 Open cutting 65 feet deep Temperance ... Band of Hope Reef 491 0 0 0 7 0 172 0 0 360 feet deep Sisters' ...... Ditto ...... 1,385 0 0 o 10 15~ 788 1 0 About 140 feet deep Band of Hope ... Ditto ...... 880 0 0 o II 18,\ 5i8 4 0 About 360 feet deep One and All ... Ditto ...... 120 0 0 0 5 8 32 0 0 240 feet deep New Monte Christo Co. Monte Christo Reef 436 0 0 0 5 17! 125 0 0 40 feet deep Little ... Ditto ...... 742 0 0 0 7 181 287 15 0 45 feet deep Clydeside Company ••. Dimock's Reef ... 185 0 0 0 9 22 91 15 0 25 feet deep Robertson and Company Ditto ...... 25 0 0 0 7 5 9 0 0 Under 30 feet deep Caledonian '" ... Monte Christo Reef 16 10 0 0 o 19i1r o 13 12 70 feet deep 239 0 0 3 Nil Desperandum '" Ditto ...... 0: 5! 38 15 0 70 feet deep

o ! Total ... 21,822 10 0 3 2 3,363 3 21

Companies engaged in CTWIhing Alluvial and Cement. Majestic ...... Black Hill and Mo- 6,000 0 0 0 o 16 199 17 0 From surfuce to 20 poke Gully feet deep Two Ton ...... Black Hill 3,000 0 0 0 o 14t 89 1 0 From surface to 40 '" feet deep

Total ... 9,000 0 0 0 o 15i 288 18 0

There has been no change of any importance to report on for the last quarter, save that some of. the quartz companies on Little Bendigo are about to explore the reef (Band of Hope) to a depth of 450 feet. ... "To', .. ~

L' M,~. Thomas Oowan,; Minimg Swrvey<», (ll/ul Registr(JJ'f.

THE 'TOTAL NUMBER OF, ,MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:-

: i ; Toto.! for the EuropeMl•• Chinese~ Division. Remarks. -i ~' " Alluvial Miners 381 888 769 I. Quartz Miners: 123 123

:' , Total 504 388 892

THE TOTAL NUM1HlR OF MINE~S IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:- Gum Tree Flat 78 Dalton's Flat... 64 Golden Point... 34 Sinclair's Hill , 22 Old Post Office Hill 45' Canadian to. 64 Poverty Point .23, Madman's Flat 58 Red Streak ... 21 NewChUin 42 Specimen'GullY" :.. ; . 48' Sailor's GUlly .. , 42 Black Hill Flat 15 Prince Regent ...... ·98 Eureka 22 _ Terrible Gully'. ": .. , 6 Caledoriian ... 19 Miners' Right and Monnt Pleasant . .''::" 15 Lady Barkly ''', 10 White Flat 19 Brown Hill ,,, - : I ., 49- , "'~' Ashes' Lead ... 16 Total 892 Clayton's Hill ... 36 Pennyweight Flat 46 "

THE MACllINERt IS 'AS FOLLOWS;-

QU.ARTZ MINING.

At Work.

'J .'::.' Steam Engines employed 'in wind· ' ': , - . 4 7 129 7 128 304 ing, crushing, &c. ... , . " Borse Puddling Machines 46 9 Steam Puddling Machines 7 9 n. .> t'tT "'" ;:;·'fJ.~ ; ~. ~ .; . Whims 14 4" ... 'I.;;'" " .:~

, .~ -. Total value of mining plant in the division, £53,000. . ' , , '. 'Nii~ber:Af ,squat:e D.J:ilt;s of ay~viaIgrouna~which is J?~!r!g, or,Ill':'y ha!~ been;'actually'w~rked upon, 3~~b~i~t ~;s~iict ~uartz r:~f~ 2hi~h h~ve\~e:~'ac~a~~'p~V~d' ~"~~"~~~ferou8' to~h~'~;~:~'Ii~" time, 6. '", .. _ ..,' --... - - .. "-i ' .. ; The price of gold during the quarter in the divistqn lias been £4 per oz. , , • f ,..:. .' ~ , 'l I •. 1'.:..0

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ, AND QUARTZ TAILINGS AND CEM:~NT CR1;~HED DURING iTHE QUARTER, AND 'THE GoLD; OBTAiNED' THEREFROM. I

• 'i' • i ' , , ,j' ,; ,:. :;: Remarks .. " , ! "I ; Avera .,n ,I reb>tive"~'~,,' Nl>mc of Company. Wbe~ ~artz"&C" :we~ • Quartz crushed." Yield of ~Id • T!,toJ Y,el!1 of Deptha.t which theQua,rlz . o milled. , 'j per Ton. • Gold. .. wa.s obtruned, &C • : .."....:.~ ., _ ... ..1 ... .. '" .. , I :oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. , , ~.. Ii I ',J,;, , ~.~ton. c~~ \~J j :';1.\-: 1 2,350 0 1'<)'3 21i 458 8 90 feet Union ... .o •• Golden Point '" 2,685 : ,0.... 20 " 268 10 0 60 to 140 feet Old Post,Office .. " ... , Old .Post Office Hill o ° ° Britannia ...... Specimen Gully ••. 1,140 0'''0 ° 3 19! ' 217 9 18 40 to 60 feet ,~14, ..Q. , 90 feet Endeavour ...... Ditto ... -"~: " 1- 4 • • 11 ;,.... ~58, ~" .?" :,.0, 4, I}} ': . .1 . ,. ',~ .- c' . - .. °.. ,. . " .. ~ .. ~: ., Total ... 7,133 'd':'" 6 1,158' 7 18 Qua1·tz Tailin.qs and Cement crushed. 120 '0 0 Surface," to 6 feet ~apd Friday ... Specimen Gully ... 4,200 0 0 0 0 13~ .. , I have the honor to forw~d'the following report of mining operations in my division during the quarter ending 30th September, compiled from inform'ation obtained by visiting the several claims, and making careful observation on the spot. '

ALLUv.iAL MINING. . Sin'ce the date of my last report, there has been a marked decrease in the extent of alluv~al operations in the division, many companies having ceased to work, while no new ground has been dIS­ covered. The following are the companies that have given up operations during the quarter, namely,­ the Confederate, Nonpareil, Success, Lady Darling, White Star, and Gravel Pits Companies, MOrrISon and Co., and Ah Sing and Co. Of the operations still proceeding, I have to report as follows :- Black Hill Flat and Brown Hill. On this ground, 'some six small companies, about half of which consist of Chinese, are engaged in sluicing and puddling the old surface workings. ' The Dalton's Flat CompanJj, Dalton's Flat. ' , This company is engaged in erecting a steam engine and machinery. , The Windsor (JowpaWJI, PenWJIweig'!tt Flat. ' This is the enterprise that was reported upon last quarter as the Ballarat East Company. They have driven about 180 feet in the direction of the Old Eureka Gutter, which they expect to strike when , they have driven 50 feet further. The company have been washing ~ feet of earth, which has averaged from 4 to 5 ozs. to the machine. A great influx of water has very considerably impeded the operations of the company. They expect better returns as soon as they reach the deep ground. The Red Streak CompanJj, Red Streak. This party have been idle for the 18.!lt t~6 months, p in new lifts, an~ sinking their shaft 21, feet deeper, for the purpose of workmg the deep to greater aavant~e. ,The company have called for tenders for driving 80 feet from the present level, at which pomt they expect to reach the gutter. The BarklJj (JompanJj, LadJJ BarklltJ Lead. . This is a new company, who have taken up twenty.four men's ground, to work a portion of the old lead. The proposed depth of the shaft is 110 feet; present depth, 90 feet; This company have purchased, and are erecting the engine and plant of the late Confederate Company. . , , The Blue J'aclCet Eitended (Jompa'fll§. " . " This is a new company, which has taken up the ground formerly held by the Cornish United Quartz Mining Company, Gum Tree Flat, and who intend reworking the old Gravel Pits Gutter and Reef. 'l'he quartz lode whIch traverses the company's ground from north to south, has been profitably worked by the Llanberris Company, immediately to the 80uth of the company's ground. The BarklJj Bridge (Jompan!l, Golden Point. This company are engaged in washing the old'headings, tailings, and surface, to a depth of 10 feet, and intend to sink their old shaft to a depth of 50 feet, to wprk the reef, which they anticipate will yield a profitable return. The company consists of eleven men, and the weekly dividend is from 45s. to 65s. per man. . , ,The.. ClaJjton's Hill CompanJj. ' This ~ompany consists of ten men, who are ~ngaged in was~g from the surface to a depth of 30,feet, which they perform in a very ~ystem.atlC mauner. Thell".rt:lturns are from £3 to £4 per week per man. ' "~.' , , ,Sailor's GullJj. The ground in this locality is still being thoroughly reworked, partly by Chinese. One party of the latter have recently struck rich patches, some of which they found in old ground, and some in various little branches or tributaries of the main le~d. The returns of one company aJ;'!l said to have been as high as £25 per man for one week; and ranging from' that amount down to £3. Pyke and another, working in the same neighborhood, recently unearthed a specinIen weighing 30 oz., which realized £90. New Chum, and Madman's Flat. This ground continues to support a few puddlers, chiefly Chinese. Canadian GullJj. Here a few parties, Europeans and Chinese, are making good wages, some weeks dividing as much as £9 per man. , Victoria Cement CompanJj, Golden Point. This company wash everything before them to a depth of 30 feet, for an average yield of It oz. to the machine, and a weekly net dividend of';£3,pcr'man (ten in number).

. QUARTZ MINING.

I Th~ Llanbl3'l'ri~ Compan.~, Gum Tree Flat. This company have been engaged during the past three months in repairing their shaft, and sinking it to a further depth of 40 feet. They will open out at a depth of 270 feet, as soon as the water, which has been very heavy oflate, has been overcome. , The Union (JompanJj, Golden Point. This company are at present raising quartz from their 90·feet level, where the lode is well defined, and from 15 to 20 feet wide. For the last few months, the yield h~ heen improving. The net weekly returns art> from £7 to £8 per man. The Old Post Office M?:ning (JofnpanJj, Old Post Office HiU. The returns from this company's claim still continue to be remunerative. The machinery has lately Ul:dergone a thorough repair, previous to letting the mine to a fresh party of tributor!!, who have el}tered mto an agreement t~ work. the ground for two years; terms, 9s. 7 d. in the pound on the gross Yield. The new shaft, referred to III my last report, has been sunk to a depth of 258 feet. A chamber has been opened out at 250 feet, but in cutting the chamber they struck too much water to be kept under by a whim, and have ceased further operations, pending the erection of steam machinery. ' 8

Tke Speed!weU Company, Povepey Point. This company are still idle, but negotiations are now pending with the mortgagee'for resuming operations in a few weeks. , Tke Enterprise Compa'TII/I. Golden Point. . This company have not raised any quartz during the quarter, but were engaged for two months out of the three in continuing the prospecting of the drives described in my last report, without, how­ ever, making. any useful discovery. The company are still prospecting further to the south (nearer to the Union Company), and at a depth of 70 feet, ill search of paying quartz. The alluvial workings in the company's ground have been let on tribute since 3rd September, but with very little success, except during the first two weeks, when the tributors made good wages. Tke Good Eriday Company (late East India Company), Eureka, . continue to crush quartz tailings, old headings, and' cement, to the extent of abo~t 1,400 tons per month. Their net weekly returns are from 408. to 459. per man. I. Madman'8 Flat. - Here a company of eight Europeans are raising cement from a depth. of 60 feet. From a trial -c:rushing of five tons, 3 ozs. of gold are said to have been obtained.

No. 4 DIVISION. Mr. M. O'Malley, Mimitng Surveyor and Registrar.

", THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:-

Total for the Europeans. Chin_. Division. Rellllll'ks.

, Alluvial Miners ...... 1,57.5 539 2,1l4 Quartz Miners ...... 212 ... 212

Total ... 1,781 539 2,326 .

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED :- Sebastopol 202 Frenchman's Gully 100 Cobbler's ... 120 Break o'Day ... 40 Cambrian Hill and Winter's Flat 126 Paddy'S Junction 101 Black Lead . . . ' 105 Bulldog ... 400 Napoleon and Dogtrap Creek 100 Moonlight ... 37 Race Course, old diggings 16 Mount Misery. Creek ... 134 Glasgow Ranges ... 5 Kangaroo Hill and Gully ... 52 Watson's Hill ... 30 Long Gully ...... 17 Whim Holes 30 Italian Gully .. . 40 Little Hard Hills ...... 130 Staffordshire Reef 150 Sawpit, Hockey's, and Jackson's Gullies .. . 51 Spring Creek...... 65 TOTAL 2,326 Grassy Gully .. . 175 Pinchgut .. . 100

THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:- I , ALLUVIAL MTh'"ING. QUARTZ M:miNG.

Description of Machinery. Number I Aggregate Number , Aggrel!llte At Work. Idle. of Stamp , Hors6-~Of At Work. Idle. of Stamp Hoods. Steam . es. Hoods., Sbeam 1llngiiteil. ------Steam ...... 29 2 .. . 762 5 2 114 155 Steam (crushing 10 cement) ... '" 1 ... 6 ...... Whims ...... 1 ...... 3 I ... ~.'; :2 Whips... . '" ...... 5 ...... Horse Puddling Machines ... 56 13 '" ...... f

Total value of mining plant in the division, £60,500. Number of square miles of alluvial ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon, 5. Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time,S. The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been £4 per oz. 9

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND QUARTZ TAILINGS AND CEMENT CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM.

a Total Yield of Rema.rJm relative to the Name of Company. Where Quaryz, &c., were ! Quartz crushed. Yietr:r8:,ld Depth at which the obl.amed. per Ton. Gold. Quartz was obtained, &c.

From surface to 140 ton cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gl'. oz. dwt. gr. feet, and from 9 Staffordshire Reef Co. Staffordshire Reef... 7,041 0 0 0 2 9i 847 9 12 different and distinct lodes, averaging in width about 6 feet. Comet Company ... Ditto ...... 1,027 0 0 0 4 13 233 2 0 Depth 160 feet, lode 5i feet thick Oriental Company ... Ditto ., . ... 850 0 0 0 5 34 90 0 0 Vadous depths, and from various lodes, average width of which lI,bout 41 feet Prince of Wales Co .... Cobbler's Reef ... 2,007 0 0 o 12 st 1,240 16 12 Depth from surface ------about 3S0 feet, lode Quartz Taz1ings and Total ... 10,425 0 0 0 4 15; 2,411 S 0 12 feet thick Cement crushed. ------Federal Company ... Frenchman's Gully 400 0 o I 0 3 12 70 0 0

I have the honor to report that mining matters throughout my division continue in a healthy condition, indeed, gencrally I may say, they are steadily improving, inasmucli as the old companies in receipt of dividends continue to obtain, for the most part, satisfactory returns; and in addition there appears to be a general disposition to prospect and take up new ground, especially in and around the neighbourhood of Grassy Gully and Bulldog, where, I am glad to aay, the great bulk of the minera are doing weli, and moreover disposed, to further test the auriferous resources of their district. Three small rushes have taken place during the quarter, two at Grassy Gully, and one at Bulldog, but neither was of much importance. Some few: parties, however, at the former place have been realizing satisfactory returns this time back, for instance, a party of two obtained 16 ozs. of gold in a fortnight, and two other parties (I believe of three each) obtained, respectively, 12 ozs. and 11 ozs. in the same period. The large companies at Bulldog continue operations energetically, and have arrived at various stages of progress, but as yet gold has not been reached; their prospects, however, are looked on favorably by local speculators' and others, as will appear from the fact of some scrip, with only £2 paid up, being worth £11 or £12 in the market. The Watson's Hill and Whim Holes District, I am pleased to say, is also now again beginning to attract some attention as there have been several large block claims taken up here during the quarter, and quite recently five large frontage olaims, embracing 5760 feet of gutter have been registered on the Old Whlm Holes Lead, about a mile and a half to the southward of the Buninyong Race Course, and indeed I may say there appears to be just now a general disposition to further test such localities as the Whim Holes which were, no doubt, formerly abandoned and pronounced worthless, too hastily and without proper trial. - I The Prinee Alfred Extended Company, Watson's Hill, after many struggles for the last two years, is likely to be soon rewarded for its perseverance, as from recent indications met with in driving, the company feel satisfied that they have reached the close proximity of one of the leads that are expected to traverse the locality. And judging from the excellent prospects obtained a few weeks since by their -neighbors (the Cliffs of Old Tynemouth Company) hlgher up the lead, there is every re;tson to expect that the gutter, when struck by them, will be, at least, "payable," as the last· named company, on breaking into it a few weeks since, as stated, obtained some 4t ozs. of coarse gold from a few loads of stuff, and thereupon at once determined to procure steam power, which has been recently purchased. The Fortuna Company, as well as their neighbors, the Caledonia Company (Race Course) continue with unabated vigor to prospect their respective claims, but as yet, I believe, neither has been fortunate enough to light on paying stuff; there is scarcely a doubt, however, that they will finally succeed in doing so. The Sons of Freedom Company, Napoleon, have been engaged during a considerable portion of the quarter in putting in a lower level, so as to be enabled to work the dee portion of their claim to advantage. which will account for the small quantity (468 ozs.) of obtained; however, the company is now in good working order, and likely to be fairly rewarded ill the future for many years dead labor of the past. The Seottish and Cornish Company, while working in their old claim, on Black Lead, discovered, about the middle" of July last, a new gutter, which they named the Scottish Lead, and which, I am glad to say, promises quite fairly. The last quarter's receipts were 908 ozs. of gold;' but as matters look at present, the reeeipts in future are likely to be much higher. The Great Gulf Company are just about commencing, if indeed they have not .already commenced, to open out for the gutter, at a depth of 330 feet, and ~s they found some 6 feet dip in their shaft upon bottoming, they calculate on reaching the gutter within a sliort distance. On the whole, the prospects of this companyaro, at present, very good, and as a consequence, shares that could be bought a few months since for £80 or £90, are now worth from £400 to £500. 1'he Alston and Weardale Company shares are also in much request at present, and generally the prospects of the company look well. The receipts for the paat quarter were 1,116 ozs. of gold, but, like the Scottish and Cornish Company, matters are likely to improve in future with this company also. The Sebastopol Companies continue to do well, and now that the complicated network of litigation, in which they have been these years back involved one with another, is nearly if not quite got rid of, their prospeots, consequently, look much brighter. The Nelson Company obtained 3,248 ozs. of gold during the quarter. The Defiance Company 2,1430zs. The Prince of Wales Company, from alluvium, 1,358 OZS" from quartz, 1,240 ozs. And No. 13,a. 10 the· Working Miners Company, after thoroughly testing and prospecting, during the last two years, the northern portion of 'their claim, and, finding it unremunerative, have recently determined to, sink their shaft some 60 feet deeper, and put in a lower level some 2000 feet in length to reach 'the 'southern llortion, which, if once reached, would most probably remunerate them for their vast' labor and outlay during tIle'last sjears: ", " '.. '.... .'. '"

BUNINYONG DIVISION.

,{.\~<, r '.~:"" ... ~~ .... "'," .. 'I IJ ~ 'f." ,.. • , ~ ':"\.

.' d ...... ··'Mr. 'Robt. M.lIdtrvey; Mining Surv'eyor 'and 'Registr(J;'/':"

.. THE TOTAL NU~B~R OF ]\~INERS IS AS FOLLOWS:- '" Total for the Chinese. Division. Remarks.

Ali~vial Miners"'> 1,32Q 1,620 Quartz Miners . 250 250 Considerable incri?ase, 320,',: , ., " " Total 1,570 300 1,870

'"I!

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF ]\hNERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:- .. ' .~'. - . Uurham 500 Hiscock's ... 170 .Green Hills, 40 WhiteHorse 150 Scotchman's 120 Magpie .. ; 100 E:rithklyn' '. :',' ~ ;. 80 Cobbler's .. . 80 ,Napoleon ••• 150 OueEy\') .. . 30 Devonshire .... 50 Green Hills .. . ••• j,• 50 ~yder's ... 10 New'Chum : .. 40 Hard Hills ... 100 Black'Lead ',,: ,100· Total , 1,870 Winter's Flat 100

THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:-

". , . " QUARTZ MINING• • ~ t;, ...J:)~~ription of,Machinery,' Aggregate At Wo/k. Idle. H orse~power of Steam Engines. steam Engines, 3' 10 3 88 232 ! til "'':1' ,~. Puddling· Machines' '50 I t.-1 . , .' \ Whims; 35 " , "

" : Toull ~8Ju~ of ~ining plant in the division, £55,000. " ' . .• dll., • .J~rumbw" of,sq:uq.r.e rp.~les of.a,lll1vial'grqu,nd 'Nhich is boeing, or ,may have been, aetually ;worked upon, 121. . " " Number of. distinct ,quartz reefs which h(tve .l?een actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 12. .. ., The p~oe of gol!,! duri~g tl,J.e qu.arter in the division has h.eeu from £3 18s. to £4 per oz.

;r~:Ei ·FqLL9~ING. I~!-wn~TION"'.H~ BEEN; OBTAINED, REL{l'IVE TO TIlE ,QUANTITY OF ,QUARTZ ,''';' : .:,..... JORUSHED.DURIN!3-. THE QUARTER, AND .THE ,GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM:.

i Avern.!6 T tal Y' ld f 1 Remrucks relo.tive to the Wh,ere ,Quartz wa.s Yield,of old o Ie 0 Depth at whlch ,the o~ined. ,1.Quart~ e~Cd.· " . pe~ :ron. . Gold. • Quartz was obtained, &c.

----~---

• 1, I.. ton ewt, qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr: .' . I··f .... , . . , Erin~go·Bragh Hiscock's Reef ... 700' 0 0 0 3 16 . '128 6 16 110 feet . . r:'jt, . I . : , Standard 'Company ... Ditto ...... 1,610 0 0 0 4 12 362 5 0 80 feet } I .'" . , '. '" Imperial. Company.... ,Ditto 1,740 0 0 0 3 21' 335 16 6 170 and 200 feet ... , " ~ j: , .. ':f l •.. '. ; 'j One and All Company Ditto 2,600 0 0 0 2 20 281 5 0 '" .

Total, Quartz... 6,050 0 0 0 3 15~ 1,107 12 22

" 11'

• I have the honor to repo;t, regarding mining in No. 0, Division of'th,e Balliirat Mining'District, dunng the quarter, as follows :- . .. , , ' , . , In quartzmini~g, the, oldqompanies maintain their former yields, the stone being poor, but from the quantity crushed, and from t/le eXIJerises 'being" srnall, fair dividends are being obtained. The Devonshire Reef, situate close to the southern boundary of the Buninyong Municipality, and which was partially prospected four years since, has again been takcn UIJ for a lengtli of one and a half mile, the lll1mediate eause being that some Ivery rich specimens of gold-bearing quartz have been obtained on the Burface, and within a few feet of the same, supposed to be the cap.ofthe reef;. although I do not consider it probable that any- blllk of qUart~ wjll be pptained so rich as what the prospectors can at present find, still there is little doubt that Ii payable quarti reef' exists mthis locality; meanwhile it is in high favor with the practical miners of the. district, and much eagerness has. been.shown ,to secure claims. The opening of the Devonshire Reef has led to the Mt. Helen Reef, also prospected several years since, being again taken up in.severallarge claims; this reef is nearly due north &om.theDevonshire but, on the northern side of the Buninyong Mu:p.icipalitY; vigorous .operations are to be commenced at both of these localities at onee, and a thorough trial given. The quartz reefs:in the. division are very numerous, and of great extent, varying &om 2 to 12 feet in width, and many visible on the surface; both in the Franklyn Company and Pioneer Company, gold-bearing reefs have been struck in their work' . the gutter at a ,depth of over 200 fect; these comFanies have secured quartz claims, and 'will 8h est the value. of the stone ;"in tlie Pioneer,' the ree is tliree feet wide; and in the Franklyn; Ii few inc es more. ., A very great impetus has' also been given to alluvial mining in this district during the quarter just ended chiefly through the finqing, by the Waterloo' Company, Jerusalem, of a rich run of washdirt, containing alittle fine gold, but very numerons nuggcts; one of which attained the size of 100 ozs., and though a drive has been carried along the centre of the gutter for three hundred feet, there has bcen no break in what may be called the run of nuggets; a quartz reef exists close to the casteru side of the gutter, and a run of deep ground· has been found to-junction with the Waterloo, supposed to be from the Victoria or Kitty's Lead. The.l:?ons of ]):eedom, the ne~rest claim to the Waterloo, and working in the Napoleon Gutter, obtained improved yields; they expect the junction of pp-e Water\oo w,ith t!:!~ Napol.<;lon. ,. / . .,,'. ..'. . . " . :rne otlier claims working in the diifereI!t lead~ of;t4is,dj.stricta:t:e all:obtaining gold in payable quanb~~es, but, no new claims have struck the gutter: dupng th~ quarter.. .:.; .... ,', A decided improvement has taken place in the Garibaldi, the lowest gutter claim on the Durham, thus brightening the prospects of the lead below. The number of miners has increased nearly 400 during the quarter, and thiE! division is at present attracting the attention both of practical miners and capitalists, giving promise that its resources will have a fair chance or. being developed.

I No.6, OR DIVISION • . ~' I" ,~- • '1' , Mr. ,John, Lynch,. Miming Surveyor and llegistTq(f.

'THE' TOTAL NUMBER OF MINJi'RS IS AS FOLLOWS:~

Toto.lfor ·the EuropeanS. Divirdon.

All)lvial Miners 3,05p ,580 3,630 Quartz Miners .' 80 80·

Totals ••• l 3;130 580 3,7JO

.- ~ -. .1 ..

THE TOTAL NUMBE~ OF ~frNERS IS THUS DISTIUBUTED:- • f , 1'. 'I. Smythesdale 230 , inchiding- Scarsdale 750 . Bottle Hill...... - ••• J ,100 Brown=s ..... '...... 180 Preston Hill 100 Monkey Gully and Long-thought-about Lead 100 Snake Yalley and Hard Hill .... 400 Italians ... .. : ...... 150 . Snake Valley Quartz Reefs .',. ,"... 60 /Springdallah, inolu,ding- . Linton • .:, .'.~', . ... ! 270 New Chum Lead .. , 420 Springdallah Creek and Happy Valley 750 . Springdallah Quarti·Reef '20 Derwont Jack's... 180 " Total 3,710

QUARTZ MINING.

Aggrega.te, . :·1' . Idle' . I Number Aggr~g3te ' :At Worli ·Idle. Horse-power of ·.At WO;k. , .' I of Stamp Horse.pOwer of Steam Engines. . Hea.ds. Steam Engines. __~_ .. ,.... __ I-~ ___ I__ -'- __I ____ I...L. .. _ .. ·~~ .. c, Steam Engines 73 6 1,600 'i 40 150 Whims 22 4 ,,' Horse Puddling:Mll'chi~~~ I 81 24 .''' .. ' . " I .' .. 12

Total value of mining plant in the division, £80,000. Number of square miles of alluvial ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon; 40. . N umber of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time,9. . The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been £4 per o~.

THE FOLLOWING· INl'Oll.MA.TION HA.S IlEEN OBTAINED ll.ELA.TIVE TO THE Q,UANTITY OF QUARTZ CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OIlTAINED THEREFROM.

Where Qun.rtz was Total Yield I Remarks relative to the' Name of Compa.ny. IQuarlz ClUlIhed. IYield Avera~ of Id. I of Gold. Depth . at wmOO the obtl>ined. , per Ton. Qua.rtz wa' obtained, &0. I-~--I . ton cwt.qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Britannia. Carngham 2,614 1 0 o 7 1~ 924 7 0 280 . feet deep, width of reef 8 feet, getting good as it is getting deep Result Carngham 300 0 0 0 3 16 55 0 0 160 feet deep, width i of reef, 6 to 8. feet, ditto Springdallah Quartz 232 0 0 0 5 2 58 18 22 60 to 100 feet deep, Mining Company I Spci_ """I I width of reef 5 feet Total, Quartz 3,146 l' 01 0 6 14!: 1,038 5 22 i I I The manager of ~he Springdallah Quartz Mining Company states as follows :-" The quartz was obtained, about one half, from a depth of 60 feet, the remainder from a depth of 100 feet. Memo;­ The quartz below the 60-feet level down to the lOO-feet level, is strongly impregnated with mundic (pyrites), for reducing which, a furnace has been erected, and will start operations this week. From prospects obtained, I am convinced that the returns of the mine will be greatly augmented. Average width of reef, 5 feet, stronger as it goes down. Two hundred and thirty-two tons crushed, the remains, about 50 tons of sand, to be reduced by furnace and amalgamation, which would materially increase the amount of returns." I have the honor to forward the following report of the state of the mines in this division. There is a marked improvement since the date of my last report. The mines are, in general, yielding better returns ~han at any, previous period; the value of mining interests has risen and is rising steadily; neW ground has been taken up; and, in general, the appearance of affairs is healthy and encouraging. " . A large tract of alluvial ground has been taken up at the northern extremity of my division since I last reported. There is one claim of a thousand shares taken up, and occupying a lineal length of about two and a half miles. Further on, another claim has been applied for. This land was advertised for sale in July last, but withdrawn in consequence of its being reported to be auriferous. Immediately. upon attention being thus drawn to it, enterprising miners stept in to occupy it, and I believe. that it will be soon proved to be a rich and extensive gold field. The trend of the lead is towards the north·west, where it will join the Carngham Leads, also trending in the same direction . .A.nother branch of mining much neglected in this division has been revived since the winter set in, namely, ground sluicing. The want of water in dry weather prevents o,!?erations of this nature being carried on, but during the rainy season it could be profitably resumed, as IS evidenced in the ease of Boden and party, on the Hard Hill, Brown's; and Thomson and party, on Watson's hill, who make about £1 each per day. , The old Alluvial Flat, along the valley of Smythesdale, continues to give a living to a large number of Chinese, who are paddocking it. The Phamix Company, near Darlot's pre-emptive right, are sinking a new shaft, and removing their machinery thereto. They have, to a eonsiderable extent, proved the ground, and when the new shaft is opened out matters are expected to go on well. An immense amount of labor and money has been expended on this claim, which nothing but the good prospects aWaIting them would warrant the company in continuing. . On the township of Smythesdale and Warren's Lead there are only four steam engines at work. There is not much doing in.either of the claims with which they are connected. The ground in this locality is well nigh exhausted, scarcely giving wages w,hen at work. At Scarsdale, the state of things is different; most of the claims there are yielding well. The Bute, on private property, still continues its regular yield. It has been paymg well for some years back. The Avonclift, next to the latter, has considerably improved, and is now in excellent repute, giving good returns. The Morning Light, on the Oldham Lead, bottomed a few weeks back, and have got first.rate ground, the average of their washing is about 13 ozs. to a machine. The North Grenville has improved 100 per cent. at least, since my last report. The gutter in this claim is found to be rnnning parallel to the southern .boundary, and will give them several hundred feet in length more than the company expected. The Azimuth and Luck's AU are not paying expenses, but some hopes are entertained that things will take a better turn. The Wheal Kitty are blockmg out and doinlS' well; they have driven to their lower boundary. This company- (co.operative) has been from Its commencement a very prosperous one. The Golden Stream IS improving much; about 70 ozs. per week is the yield. The Scarsdale Great Extended have opened out at a depth of 284 feet. A short time will suffice for this company to arrive at the gutter. The above are the principal claims on Scarsdale, and although there are no extraordinary. finds to record from any of them, still they are for the greater part steady.paying claims and safe. investments. The Caledonia Company, at Brown's, is giving wages. This claim has been 'at work since 1856. The Big Gun and, Grace Darling are scarcely making wages, though occasionally the former comes upon a good patch. At Monkey gully, there has been a small rush. One or two claims got a good prospect near the Cherry-tree Hotel, and forthwith several claims were marked off'. The gUlly looks promIsing, being wide, and, as far as has been tried, deep. In another small gully, not far diStant, a shaft was bottomed about a week ago, and 13 ozs. obtained from half a machine of dirt. The Garibaldi is the only claim now at work on the Black Ball Lead. The 13

All Nations have worked out their claim, and have taken up the abandoned ground of the Aurora company, and are erecting an engine thereon. The Nardoo, on the long gully, are making something about wages. These are the only claims on Italian's employing steam power. Mining interests in Springdallah and around the Devil'a Kitchen stand higher than ever they stood-before. The Grand Trunk has, during the last quarter, risen at least 100 per cent. The ground, as far as has been explored, looks remarkably well, from 10 to .?O ozs. to the machine being about the usual produce, the only drawback to frequent dividends is the hardness of the bed rock; but the further it is driven, it is found to become the looser, and the more easily worked. 'rhe Try Again, in the Devil's Kitchen, are not doing well of late. This claim is liable to a 'great many fluctuations; it is sometimes at the head of the district in repute, and at other times comparativcly low. The Alpha, the second claim in the Devil's Kitchen. obtain more regular returns, about 600zs. a week is their average, a quantity that leaves excellent proSts. the company being small. The Atlas, sinking in the table land above the Try Again, have not yet bottomed; they are not far from the proper depth. The Golden Lake, situated between Brownsvale and Clarksdale stations, are sinking with great success. They are over 160 feet deep, and as yet not much troubled with water. The Golden Horn, in Clarksdale station, have been greatly impeded by water. They have not made much progress for the last twelve months. The difficulties they have had to contend with have lowered greatly the value of the mine. but I think they will be able to surmount them all. The Archer is also sinking in this rock. '1'he claims on the New Chum Lead are paying moderate wages. The Queen of England, Star of the West, and Dicky Sam are paying there. The Alchymisi Company have completed the erection of their machinery; they have a very good steam engine fitted up, and every. thing is readv for a start in the course of a few days. The Exchequer, on the main lead, after repeated trial bores for theJast two years, have decided upon sinking, and have let a contract for that purpose. The claim has considerably improved in value since the shaft has been commenced. The Cape Clear has. during the last three months, risen from £50 to £105 a scrip. '1'he shaft is expected to be soon bottomed, and from the levels taken when the shaft was commenced, it must be contiguous to the deep ground. At Happy Valley, there are several companies doing remarkably well. The British (lease) has turned out some of the richest stuff that has been found of late years in this district. Although it IS not yielding so well now as it did some three months since, still it stands ,Pre. eminently above any other claim in the locality. They have divided over £220 a share. The Robm Hood adjoining (lease) have not been so fortunate as their neighbours, the British. Their ground, so far as has been tried, has turned out very poor. The Grand Junction Block Claim is a very good, paying claim; they have an immense quantity of washdirt, and from this forward the claim will ).lay well. The Nonpareil has driven into paying ground. The Cleft in the Rock (lease) is looking a little better. When they begin to block out, the yield will, of COUTSe, increase. This company has been greatly retarded by hard bars of reef across the gutter. The Volunteers Company still pays first-rate. a great length of gutter traverses this claim. . There is no part of the division where the miners have been better remunerated than at Snake Valley, Carngham. There are seven companies there using steam power, and for years back they have been getting excellent paying ground. Scarcely have the weekly returns ever falJen as low as working men's wages. The gofd which in 1859 and 1860 was believed to be confined to a narrow lead, has since been found to be spread over a wide expanse in a series of parallel leads, covering the entire of Snake Valley flat. The present companies have taken up their claims afresh, and have extended them aeross the valley almost from range to range. So much of the ground has been now proved to bo auriferous that it will take several years to exhaust it. There is a large tract of shallow ground on the Hard Hill and Coffee Hill, whieh gives employment to a large Chinese population located there. On Bottle Hill, Oarngham, there are only two steam engines at work and foUl' whims. It has not turned out so well as was expected from the prospects obtained from some of the claims immediately after bottoming. On Preston Hill, there are six steam engines employed, and in each case, I believe ,the companies a:e gettin~ :veIl paid, notwithstanding a large per-centage which t.he owner of the land gets for the rIght of mJlllllg thereon. At Linton, there are but few companies at work at present, but it is expected that very shortly matters will take a brisker turn. There are nearly two miles of the main lead running through private property, and negotill:tio~s are pen~ing which will have the effect of openin~ up that portion of the lead. The Atlas ClaIm IS now paymg from 24 to 30 ozs. a week for about thIrty men, and as there is ground in the cl~m to beop~rated upon for years, it follows that the prese~t dulness of Linton cannot be of long duratlOn. The VIctOry are through the rock at 110 feet, and mto black clay. 'I.'here is every indication of bottoming on the deep ground. Bryant's Gully, a newly discovered one westward of Linton, is turning out moderately well. There are three companies making more than wages. One of these companies (Dodds and party) is getting from 12 to 20 ozs. a week for six men, and from the appearance of the adjoining ground, I believe several good, paying claims will be found there. Upon the whole, this division is more productive now than at any former period, the general yield being more regular, and the extent of ground operated upon being considerably more, and mnch better worked.

CRESWICK DIVISION. Mr. James Stevenson. Mining S'iJffVeyor and Registrar.

THE TOl'AL NUMBBR OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:-

Total for the Europeans. i Chinese. Division. .Remarks.

Alluvial Miners ...... 1,200 800 2,000 Quartz Miners ...... 550 ... 550 Total ... 1,750 800 2,550 14

THE TOUL NUMBER OF MINERS' IS' THUS DISTRIBUTED:..!.. Clunes ... 570 I Portuguese Flat 130 Rocky Lead .;. .; .. J 190 ' Humbug Hill ... 100 Pinchgut Gully . ... 150 Mopoke Gully , .~ ~ ~ 200 Scandinavian Reef 10 Slaty Creek ... 200 Red Streak Lead 160 Bald Hills 80 New Chum Gully SO Cobbler's Gully 60 Union Hill ... 20 Diamond Gully , 20 Eaglehawk Gully 50 Longpoint 140 Spring Gully 110 Sulky Gully 40 Creswick' 140 Back Creek .150 I. Total ... ,2,550

THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:-

;1 ALLUVIAL MXNlNG. Description of Machinery. I - .. -·--;-·--,.----,------1-Aggregate . Number I Aggr<)gate At Work. Idle. Horse·power of , At Work. Idle. of Stamp Horae-12~wer of Steam Engines. Heads. Steam .Engines. ,-----1----1----- 'Steam Engines 13 7 280 24 1 174 580 I: Whims • 38 6 2 Puddling Machines ... ! 180 6 \. . ::: I ·1 Total value of minfug plant in the division, £111,200. . Number of square miles'of alluvial ground which is being, or may have been actually worked , upon,7t· N umber of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 12. The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been from £3 Ills. 9d, to £3 193. 6d per oz.

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND QUARTZ TAILINGS AND CEMENT c:m;'SHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM.

J$o~u::J

! i Avera e &marks relative to the Name of Company. Where Quartz, &c., Quartz crushod. I,Yield of &Id' Tot~l Yield of Depth at which the were obtained. I per Ton. Gold. Quartz was obtained, &c.

ton ewt. qT. oz. dwt. gr. oz •. dwt. gr. Port Phillip Company Clunes Reef ... 13,8U 0 0 o 7 18! 5,38813 12 From 300 feet Victoria Company ... Ditto ...... 2,898 11 0 0 5 161 826 2 12 ,From 406 feet CIunes United Company Ditto ... ." 2,218 0 0 0 6 14! 731 9 18 Fowler and Party ... Cobbler's gully .. , 27 0 0 7 14 12~ 208 12 0 1 to 10 feet Lone Star Company .•. Springhill ." 15 0 0 0 6 11~3 ! 4 17 0

Total, Quartz ... 19,029 11- O' 0 7 12i 7,159 14 18 ,

. Quartz Tailings ana Cement crmlwd. Hard Hill Company ... Hard Hill .... 1,200 0 0 0 3 0 180 0 O. SlIl'face Wld 70 feet ' , 780 Enterprise Company ... Ditto ... .., 0 2 6'~ 88 7 I' ~21.70 feet, Total ... 1,980 :: I 0 2 17 I 268 7 12 s I have t,he honor to report that there haA been a_ general impro.ve_ment in mining matters in this division during the quarter, all the claims at the Red Streak have commenced to get gold; there is, therefore, good reason to expect that the deep leads in that locality will be profitably followed up, and open a large tract of untried country. The quartz reefs at Cluues have also improved, especially towards the termination of tlle quarter;. and at CreswJck a very rich leader of..quart~ has been found at Cobbler's Gully; commencing from the surfaiie, which i:m help 'fo di'ssipate the opinion that has been entertained in the district, viz., that the quartz reefs at Creswick are not payable, unless at a considerable depth. : . .' .' . At Sulky Gully tw~ cla~ms only are now at work, the other companies haV'e worked out the . payable portions of theIr claIms, and a~andoned th!'lm. In the early part of the qu~rter a party of Ballarat miners made arrangements WIth Mr.. Redmll,ll, of Sulky Gully, to work hIS paddock, tbey sunk a shaft 60 feet, and obtained a pl~6spect of an ouncc to the set of timber, but operations have been suspended for the last month. The yield of gol~ for the quarter has been ;- . -... - _. oz. dwt. gr. All England Eleven Oompany, 4 men 149 5 0 Ben Bolt Company, 8 men : .. 84 3 12 At Bald Hills, all the claims on the lead have been abandoned. At Graham's JIill, Schaelle and party have worked out the eastern side of their claim. and are . . 15

now sinking a shaft to work the western portion of it; the Garibaldi Company has also been. engaged for six weeks in making main drives, consequently its yield has not been so large at it .0therWl~~ would have been; two Chinese parties are engaged in sluioinK on this hill, and are, I beheve, domg- well, but it is impossible to get any information from them. The yield of gold for the quarter has been ;- oz. dwt. gr. Republic Company, 12 men '" 100 0 0 Schache and party, I) men ... 60 0 0 , Garibaldi Company, I) men 40 0 0 At New Chum Gully several small parties are at work, the ground is shallow-from three to ten feet-and the miners are paddooking it out, the gold obtained is rough and, nuggety, .s~veral good sized nuggets (the largest being 160 ozs.) have been found; four of the partIes, compnsmg 17 men, have, during this year, divided about £5,000; another party of four men, in a branch gUlly, have obtained 150 OilS. m this quarter. At the Red Streak, the original Red Streak Company has been obliged, for the present, to leave the deep ground, the influx of water being too great to work to advantage; arrangements have been made for the supply of a winding engine, so that the engine at present in use can be constantly k~pt pumping. The Junction Company continue stoping to the south of their shaft. The Impe1'l81 Company is driving to the north west in washdirt, and also is putting up an incline to the south.west of the shaft to reach the same level as the Hit·or-Miss and Junction Companies; the company has now got a puddling machine 'erected,. and commenced washing' regularly. The Sir Charles Darling Company has also struck washdirt, erected a puddling machine, and commenced washing. The Hit.or·Miss Company has driven upto the north boundary of claim, and broken through to the Junction Company. The Rose of Allandale Company has succeeded in clearing out the lower level drives which had been swamped out, and is putting In a main drive to the west. The Last Chance Company has, for the last two months, been sinking a new shaft and erecting a puddling machine, The yield of gold for the quarter is as follows :- " .Q\l. dm. gr. Hit·or.Miss Company, 12 men ,,' 484 13 12 Junction Company, hired labor .. , 590 0 3 Original Red Streak Company, hired labor 299 1 21 Rose of Allandale Company, hired labor 185 0 0 Sir Charles Darling Company, hired labor 41 17 18 Imperial Company, hired labor... 25 3 12 Last Chance C0n;tpany, 5 men •.. 20 0 0 At White Hills, the Princess Alexandra Company (5 men) has now completed the tunnel, 1600 feet in length, which has not only drained the company's OWl! clainI, but all the adjoining ground, so that four other parties have been able to get to work; since the completion of the tunnel (three weeks ago) , the Princess Alexandra Company has got 32 ozs. of gold. At Reeky Lead, the You Know Company has worked out the western end of its claim, and is enga~ed in erecting the engine at its new shaft; the Garibaldi Company has also iust completed the erectIOn of engine at new shaft, but has not yet commenced driving; the Golden Gate Company has let the putting in of a main drive in reef at £1 per foot, it is now driven 100 feet; the Jupiter Company has now got fairly to work in the gutter, has one pudaling machine constantly at work and intends to erect another; tlie Lennon's Paddock Company has the erection of the engine completed and com· menced again sinking; the yield of gold for the quarter has been as follows :- oz. dwt. gr. Golden Emporium Company, 24 men 216 10 5 Smythesdale Company, 16men ... .. 280 6 8 You Know Company, 16'men ... 187 17 11 -Jupiter Company, 24 men, 6 weeks 120 0 0 The William Tell Company, on the Scandinavian Reef, Bullarook, is getting an engine and battery of twelve heads of stamps erected. . On the eastern side of Cobbler's Gully, a small quartz reef, or rather leader, varying, sofaI' as has been worked, from eight inches to a foot in thickness, has been discovered; the quartz has been vcry rich from the surface, as will be seen from the tabulated return; the party has driven along the reef about 70 feet, 'but the greatest depth yet reached is only 10 feet; several other claims are taken up north and south, none of which have yet had any rcturns. At Clunes, the Port Phillip Company crushed during the quarter 13,871 tons of quartz raised by the Clunes Company, the greatest depth being 300 feet, the yield was 5,3880z. 13dwts. 12grs. of gold; a marked improvement is visible in the quantity lately raised, the average of gold for the last month being lOdwts. 2grs. per ton, Two Chilian mills have been erected for the purpose of operating on roasted sand, the machinery is of-a very superior description, and the mills are so arranged that one man can attend both, and thus a considerable saving of time and labor is effected. A large sottling pond has been excavated and trougl1s made to concentrate the tailinl1,'s from the upper batteries; the stonebreaker is being removed into a position where it may be worked by shafting from the machinery of the upperbaUery. The BuddIe is still operating on refuse sand, aud the results are satisfactory. The Glendonald shaft has been further sunk during the quarter 92 feet, making a total of 250 feet, ; a quartz reef was bottomed on, but has not yet been .explored, plats have been opened out at 230 feet and a crosscut driven east in search of thc reefs. ' The Clunes Company's south shaft is dOWl!390 feet, and sinking is being continued; a plat was opened on No.3 level and crosscuts driven from thence east and west to intersect the eastern, western, and Robil\son,s Reefs, they are each in about 135 feet; the crosscuts in the northern shaft are being driven east and west, and driving on the course of the lode on the eastern reef is also being carried on ; . stoping is being continued as usual at prices varying from 4s. 6d., to lIs. per ton, the number of men employed on the mine is 257; the receipts for the quarter were £9,874 4s. 5d., and the expenditure £9,397 8s. lld. In the South Clunes Company's Claim, the communication between the engine and northern shafts has been established on the eastern vein at the 223.feet level, and the deep workings are, therefore, wcll ventilated; Robinson's lode has been crosscut west from the bottom of the engine shaft, and found to be 13 feet wide in the stratum of blue slate now proving so productive in the claims of the two adjoimng companies, viz., the Clunes United and Criterion; a crosscut has been driven west in the nortlieru shaft and Robinson's Lode intersected at a distanee of 76 feet. 16

'l'he Clunes United Company has been stoping on Robinson!s Reef in No. 1 level north, north and south on No.4 level, and also driving south in the same level; a drive is being continued on No.3 level to cut the Welcome Reef, and preparations are being made for sinking the shaft 88 feet deeper. The quantity of quartz crushed during the quarter was 2,218 tons, the yield 7310z. 9dwts. 18grs,; the _current expenses were £2,208 78, 9d, and the surplus was expended in liquidating old accounts, The Victoria Company has sunk the main shaft 66 feet below the No. 4 level; a drive has been ]Jut in about 30 feet west on No.4 levd, south; the lode appears to be about 6 feet wide, and very promIsing for quartz; the Welcome Lode, on _No. 4 level, north, is from 4 to 6 feet wide, and a:j?pears to be increasing in size under the back, with every indication of a large body of quartz; on the No. 4 level Robinson's Lode, which has been for some time abandoned as unprofitable, is being again worked, a quantity of stonefrom thence has yielded 6dwts. of gold per ton. Various trials have been made from No. 4 level, and the following are the results; from western side and cap of Robinson's ,Lode, ~dwts. per ton; Robinson's Lode proper, 6dwts. -per ton; Western Lode broken and in a disordered state, lidwts. per ton; Welcome Lode, 6~ dwts. per ton. / The Company is now only" waiting the arrival of the necessary rope from Melbourne to haul all the quartz up the main shaft, and thus effect a considerable saving of both time and money; the quantity of quartz crushed during the quarter was 2,898 tons 11 cwts., and the greatest depth from which it was raised 406 feet, the yield of bar gold was 826ozs. 2dwts. 12grs., and 80 men are employed on the mine. The CIunes Alluvial Company is making preparations for receiving a supply of water from the ,Clunes Company, the quantity received at present from the New North Clunes Oompany being inadequate for pudgIing and washing, a new level is being driven in a westerly direction in order to reach the good ground in. the vicinity of No.2 shaft old workings; the yield of alluvial gold during the quarter was 3380zs. 12dwts. 2grs. ' The New North Clunes Company has sunk the shaft 550 feet, and the ground is still very tough. A vein of quartz about It inch in' thi!?kness, and underlying east, has been met with, and is considered an indication of an approach to the reefs. The additional boiler has.been set, and everything is working satisfactorily. A llewalluvial company, termed the Clunes Extended Alluvial Company, has been formed for the purpose of working the alluvial ground believed to exist at N ortll CIunes. The company has taken posseSSIOn of, and is clearing out, a shaft sunk several years since by the Eureka Company, and expect to have it bottomed during the week. ' Mr. Sutherland has had an arastra erected, which is to be driven by an overshot water wheel twenty feet in diameter and eighteen inch breast. The water and tailings upon which it is proposed to .operate will supply the motive power, and will be conveyed in lunders from the batteries of the Victoria Company on to the wheel. and thence into setting pits. The pan of the arastra is six feet in diameter, and the furnace for roasting is built of brick, and is eighteen feet long by six feet in width.

GORDON DIVISION. lrfr. J. B. Ousack, MVning Surveyor and Registrar.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWs:- ! I Total for the Europeans. CWnese. Division. Remarks.

Alluvial :Miners ...... 23 ... 23 Quartz Miners ...... 35 .. . 35 ---- ~-~-- Total ... 58 '" 58 I

TIlE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIDUTED:- Mount Egcrton- All Nations Gully 17 South Gully. ... 2 Bi& Hill Reef (quartz) 35 Gordons- Parker's Reef 2 Parker's Gully 2 Total 58 ; , THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:-

ALLUVIAL ~rnlnw. QUARTZ MINING.

Description of Machinery.

I Steam Puddling .. , ... 1 .. , 8 ...... r ... Horse Puddling I 5 ...... I ... '" Steam Crusl1ing ...... , .. . I 2 43 53 Double Horse Wllip ...... 1 .. , ...... I ...... Horse Whims , ...... , ...... 4 ... .. , ." I I 17

Total value of minin~ plant in the division, £9500. Number of square miles of alluvial ground which is being, or may have been actually worked upon;2!. Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actnallyproved to be auriferous to the present time, 17. The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been from £3 178. 6d. to £4 per oz.

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION' HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ ORUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM. , I Where Qun.rtz WllS Tot&l Yield of BelMrlm relative to the NlWle of obta.lned. I Qua.rtz crushed. Yi.;tI~n':)ld - Gold. Dspth at which the Oom=. per ton. Qua.rtz was obtained, &:0.

~

ton cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Mount Egert

The Mount Egerton Quartz Company have not as yet commenced to work in the solid reef. They are clearing out the old works on the reef from, the surface down. More than one.half of the stuff' crushed is clay. slate and sandstone, which is mixed with the refuse quartz in the old mine. Their average yield IS consequently much lower than may be reasonably expected when they get into the solid reef. The SteanI Puddling Company have worked but ten weeks during the quarter, being short of water for a fortnight. They put through 3600 loads of stnff, which averaged t dwt. per load. The ground varies in depth from one to fourteen feet on the side of the hill. It averages from the surface to the bottom rock about the SanIe (f dwt.). . One party working in the deep (lower) end of .All Nations Gully are driving at a depth of 80 feet. The bottom is dry. They work out the ground to a width of from 10 to 30 feet; the depth of wash·dirt varies from one to three feet. The gold is of a coarse water-worn character; they got one piece 2 ozs. weight, but many pieces are got from 8 dms., down. Gordon.-In Parker's Gully two men are ground.sluicing. The surface contains gold from one foot to three feet deey" This they are washing off; it yields about 2 grs. per load. On the west SIde of Parker's reef two men are working, part surfacing, and also sinking. The surfacing in some places will yield 3 dwts. per load, and at eight feet sinking they find about a foot thick of wash.dirt, which yields from 2 dwts. to 4 dwts. per load.

STELGLITZ DIVISION. Mr. Tlws. Woolgrove, Mining S'UroeyOT UII'Iil RegiBtratr.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS A.S POLLOWS:-

TotaJ for the EuropellllS. Chinese. I DIviSion. Ee!Mr1m.

Alluvial Miners ... , .. 511 223 \ 734: Increase by Chinamen and Mun- roe's Rush, Quartz Miners ... .., 152 ... i 152 T9ta1 ... , 663 223 I 886

TIlE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED :- Europeans, Alluvial. Morrison's and Teatree 400 Evans's Rush 48 Wallace's Rush 35 Dolly'S Creek 14 Steiglitz ... 8 Munroe's Rush 6 Ohinese, Alluvial. Dolly's Creek- Brown's Hill 55 Table Land 70 Fiddler's Hill 20 Charcoal Hill 25 Sailor'sHill - 30 ~~P~ U Steiglitz . . . 5 Quartz Min&1's. Steiglitz 116 Stony Rises 36

Total 886

No. 18, b. 18

.' '.

~ .".,; ... ". "'H~ <", .. ">.'I :- ""\ "",.M.J;i!,~·.~IN'(\ •• :1 ',,!I .. I l~ .. )".\qrl.,. Q;q~:r:7L~~:;"" . '"

"DescriptiQ.n. oj: JI!:;t

< ,,--...-- a. """:' Engines.:, , Hea.?s: Engine~:"

...-"" ""'" , . , . STEIGLITZ.

Steain:J~nirt!!e~,.~~i;igaged in' iwi~d-., ,.' 1",,;, \. > • < ., ..... • f

~j',:'~ii~lchishiD:g' :~. j. ... ~ ~ .. 2 12 20

. :.r. ' MORRISON'S.: J: :I', 1 "- I Steam Engines engaged in wind· 3 2, 91' .;-...... t.., 1-' 1)-->, ••• 'j, ing,',p:U:I;llP~!!g, pud~g, ,&c..;o "" 1.I,h' " ',. HBrsel\t~.d}ing,Ma~'lm~:" ':...'. ~ ..

,:' : Tot~(vaIueT'ormlniifg piantiin·tlie division,£30,500. " . ~'o~~;.,r:~es ofl~qu~i~~7~of,alluvia} ground w~?~. is~ei~g, or m~y h~ve ~eim~:tu.allr*orked ..:~~u~j§ller:?~

ton" 'cw1;, qr. 'oz. dm; gr. "oz, dwt. gr. lfalakhofl' Company ... New Years Reef, 600 0 0 0 19 2Z 573 0 0 Quartz from lowest Steiglitz depth, 230 feet; and mullock from ". old workings Forty-feet Claim, fidt/ 'Ditto""" \~'.r1:r· '12Q;',-:b [(dt:' "t,2 \1''1;;1-2: :267, :d~.· 0' /: .From lowest work· ings Ditto, ditto, second Ditto...... 50 0 0 " 2 ~~, 0 140 0 0 Ditto Ballarat Company ... Ditto " .•• ,'. ".~;. ,"400'" 0 to ?, 0 ,3. O. ) 60' ;.0 0 Ditto Yankee Reef Company "Yankee Reef, Steig- 5. 0 0 3 .4 .... 0. .16 .. 0 ,0 ., At 120 feet depth ' litz '... .,: Albion Company" ,', ":.. Portuguese' ':;:Re¢f;i 15'; 0" '0 : 99 0 0 At 150 feet depth Ne;-Chu~ C~;np~ny... Ne~etf~~! Reef ...200tonsinulloCk o iflOf; 95 0 '0" "From' old' workings, "'li~:;~ ~r'H :";1f"1C!i",;-;' .. : i,e :",,;,t fl' &25ton~':.quartz i and ~QQ fe!3t dep1;h Redan Company, .• , 'Ditto., ... *1750 0 0 o ,.2 0 i7:J 0 0 From old' workings~ i" , I and surface -~~. ··.. 150 0, 0 ·0 .... 1 16 12 10 0 Mullock from old No.1 South Company Boxing Reef, Steig- '. . , 10.-, ',~' litz 1 "J. ; ,.' .. workings Dreadnought COg,lpa~y, Yic!'?rt!1lt\!ef,Steig- 400 , 0 0 0 3 12 70 0 0 From old workings, litz .. Illoto 130 feet depth 21 !() '0 O,,! 15' 0 0 From about 50 feet R •. ,0' Yorky's Company ...-",' Yorky.'s·Reef,' Stony . J Rises depth from surface --,---~~:\~ f.-,-·j~ Total, Quartz and} '3736 0' 0 1 0"'8' 2:1. 1,5.1, .5.,10 _' o' .. Mullock- ..... ,' . -3 t, , ' ',1'

_...... , . .,...... ~; .,..ii i~. T f ". " ~._

.": 350 tons m~lock weekly for last five weeks. ~ ... 1;' :;, •• , .. AtLUVIAL JYIINING RETURNS. .,ri:...;J )~'::: ,,~.t •• , f' ''''' '> \, '" ~ ,!,-. - - _ -. Morrison's Diggings, 60 ozs. per week average. " ',,'. '~:"I;:;,~;" ,.:.., '.,. ' Teatree Diggings, ~O ozs. per week a>:erage. ... ' I;; '., ,.". " Dolly's Creek Digglngs, 30s,per week per man for 223meu, a~d 14 men (Europeans), Steiglitz (Proper), t oz. per.week pe~:man. '.: :,,;, 'I;'~' 'r ~':;; Evans's Rush, 49 ozs. per w!l.ek per man. I;: r ;"J'" i Wallace's Rush (vide RepoJ:'t). ,.. . " .' 'J:;:';:'! The remarks':~ to abqve will,. aP12ly as~inention~a in last' quart~r'i ~e'~ort:: :Large' quantities of tailings are stacked for future operations. No cement crush'ed frO!ll. want., of' ri'ccessary appliances; large quantities (miles in extent) ar~ to be f' .•. ~ ',.:'.:. '.,' No, 1 South, on the same reef.-175 tons of mullock and quartz are raised ready for,crushing. A late c;ushing. of 150 tons. g~v~: a yield (total). of ,12. ozs • .10 dwts. ,In ~l.thes!l ~c!l§,e!l. where' The country !laa been opened the vern IS remarkably rich throughout. ',' . .. . • The claim known as the Old' Malakoff c1~im, .now kn.9.wn .as .Co~per's claim, has cOnimenced crushing about 200 tons of mullock. The result will 1.e known 111 a few days. ,. ~ .j' j Hw i: •• '~ J ('Il , .•""r I. 'i' ."~~ .~+ " f~" •. ,."" "' .... 11 . , .,,: .:, 'V , •. '.:'. ISTON:y RISis.-QUARTZ.· '.: ' .' ',' ...... ' .. Quartz mining opcrations have been ';ery dill in this' part' or'the divis!Qndiuring the past quarter, from the cause of the Yorky's Reef'Company having· been· broken,up,:.and ·from :the.delay.,of the Rpyal Chatlie .c.ompany (who,now;holg. the entire Royal Oharlie Reef) in completing' the erection of their ateam'epginc s~a:q;tping 'batt!lry:.~!)· .. ::; ..:;.1." I'"" ',' :'~:7,. ,.,c.,' i .... " "'''.' . Th~ ~oyal qe~rge Comllany have commenced sinking: a riew winding land pumping shaft, and do not antICIpate cuttIng the lo~e under 230 feet. ·· ..N·o WUshlllgS have taken place from thIS ground, . . .. , l't:Io~RisON'S; ,TE.!T:&]:E~ "EvA.,,;·s';i··ANb .w ALLACE'S.-ALLUVU~ MINING, • , .' " • • • # • ,," . The Golden ],{ivers JunC?oi! Compa~y h.ave.completed the repairs ~o ,t~eir main winding. ·and pumpmg sh.~~.; .. 1;he:y .a,re ~usily engage4 m smking, but up to the present t~Ine and presentrdepth (nearly 400 .f~et) nq' mdlCabon of·bottomIng. The shareholders ar.e.most s!j;nguIne of ultimate success. Shares have risen from £10 to £30. 'I .. " .•' . ,.... .! : On the ,old work.ings on Mot:rison's, i.e. wl:f.at is usually termed the "fats'e·.bottom;!' th~:same averag,e retllE!ls. as 'preVlou~ly {nearl:y-) . !pay" bel repqrted: ~he .s:all1tt.,jviJLapp'~y to t4e Teatree ap.d Evans s ~,us~'; Ibut III Ute latte~ ca.se ,t IS. bemg. found out that the yi~ld~'~:r?m the longe~t.tunnels> .~nd furthest mto the.'~able.IJan9. are not so nch as those nearest the entrances...... : I "';' .:' >;. . 0!1 Walla:ce's:Rush; up to t?-e· middle of last wee]" n? ..was~g~ -up ha~, t~e~' place?, i:n!l~~ly trymg different' p~ospe,cts fro~ dIfferent parts oD.·the wor~mgs,.~and!m all c~es:;wJ.th ,e.oeo1fl:aging results. The flu,lIllngs and 1.Olqngs from the Table'Land are'm,com:se'of completIon...... On Dolly s Creek, fr~sh claims-he:,:e been taken-·up by the Chinese. At the early part of the quart~r some ~umb.e~s lef~"for ,Snowy ;RIver, but~they have .been xe.placed by others, .and operations .are bemg clU'l'led on m slwclllg.,energetlCally, ,_ ..... ____ _ , :";.. . ,). " : ;1 ~ _ ~" I...... '~I ·STONY RISES!~ALLUVIA.L.' . r '~,' ~ 'V':l' ~ £,: " Ii 11 .Withthe.exception of. the. Australasia .Gold_Mining _CoIIlPll,ny, J19 111111.!j.!tL~ini!).gj!l ca~ed. on , 20

on Sto~y Rises. I ,have not been able to ascertain the results from the said company's puddling operations, but from reports they are at present very poor. ' STBIGLITZ.-ALLUVIAL. Few are now engaged on this field in alluvial mining, and those with poor returiis.

BLACKWOOD DIVISION. il1r. Bug8'M G. Magnus, Mining Surveyor and Registrar.

THE TOTAL NmnlBR OF MINBRS IS ,AS FOLLOWS:- , I Totalfor th\ Europeans, Chinese. Divillion. Remarks.

·Alluvial Miners ...... 625 458 1,083 Qu,artz Miners ...... 230 ... 230 --'--- Total ... 855 458 1,313

·THB TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTBD:- Golden Point 300 . Yankee Gully 110 Red Hill ... 215 Yankee Reef 30 Johnson's Reef 9 Garibaldi ... 17 Jackson's Gully 7 Ballan Flat 30 Simmon's Reef "', 120 Goodman's Creek 25 Sebastopol...... 90 Splittree Gully and Ranges 95 Main Creek, velow Sebastopol .. . 190 Barry's Reef 75 Total 1,313

THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:-

~gate Number I A.ggregs.te At Work. Idle. Horae,~w~ of At Work. Idle. of Stamp Steam .l!lngines. Heads. SteamHors&-~':':: . es. or ------1-----1------1----- Steam Engines ... '" 15 5 3 58 136 Water Wheels' ••. .. . 9 1 ·76 Whims '" .,. .. . 1 6 ...... 'Water Wheels for drainage .,. 2 1 Borse-power Puddling Machines 1 1

Total value of minin~ plant in the division, £27,400. Number of square miles of alluvial ground whioh is being, or may have been aotually worked . upon, 19. . Number of distinct quartz reefs whioh have been aotually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 12. The price 6f gold during the quarter in the division has been from £3 16s. to £3 17s; 6d. per oz.

THB FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BBEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND QUARTZ TAILINGS A.ND CEMENT CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM. - Remarb relative to the Name of Comp&ll1. Where ~ua.rtt.. &C. were Quartz crushed. lA.vera~Yield of ld Total Yield of Depth at which the o tained. parTon. Gold. Quartz was obtained, &e.

ton ewt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Crown Company ... SimmoIls's Reef ... 3,838 0 0 0 1 8t 257 17 7n- 40 feet Cornish Company ... Ditto ... 100 0 0 0 1 0 5 0 0 45 feet Williams Brothers ... Ditto ...... 900 0 0 0 2 0 90 0 0 50 feet Imperial Company ... Ditto ...... 550 0 0 0 o 15 17 3 18 70'feet Robin Hood Company Trewhella's Reef '" 500 0 0 o 12 0 300 0 0 75 feet Blue Mountain Quartz Mining Company ... Yankee Reef ... 200 0 0 0 5 12 55 0 0 40 feet Barry's Reef Company Barry's Reef ... 130 0 0 0 6 0 39 0 0 6 feet Federal Company ... Yankee Reef ... 40 0 0 011 0 22 0 0 30 feet Garibaldi Company ... Garibaldi Reef ... 142 0 0 o 12 - 0 85 4 0 60 feet Lerderderg Company ... Simmons's Reef ... 140 0 0 0 2 8 16 6 16 70 feet Macredie and Company Atkins's Reef ... 250 0 o '0 6 9 79 13 18 72 feet Barris and Company ... St. George's Reef ... 40 10 o I 0 14 0 28 7 0 12 feet

Tota.l Quartz .. , 6,830 10 0 0 2 22 995 12 ll;: , Quartz Tailings and I Cement crushed. i Wood and Company .•. Pyrette Plains ... 120 0 0 0 3 0 l 18 0 o : 70 feet. ~l

There are several claims for fifty men each, taken up lately, between Splittree Gully and the Oastlemaine boundary. Gold, inlaying quantities, has been traced about three-quarters of a mile up the spur from Splittree Creek, an running towards the Blue Mountain; most of.the western slope of which is taken up. There is every indication of a deep rock lead. Atkins's Reef is now looking very promising, there being a great body of stone, all of which is payable.

BLUE MOUNTAIN SOUTH~ SUBDIVISION.

Mr. R. H. H or'TIte, Mining Registrar.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOW8:-

Europeans. Chlnese. Total for th& Subdivision.

Miners 45 45 The other populatIon Alluvial ...... '" amounts to 17 on Quartz Miners ...... 35 .. . 35 the Union Reer, and ._--_ ..... about 20 elsewhere • Total ... so ... 80

THB TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTRD:­ Kilkenny Hill 10 Wilson's Gully 5 Case's Gully 10 Snake Gully ... 5 Yankee Oreek, north...... 10 Swampy Flat or Lower Road, behind Police Camp 10 Union Reef, No.1, and all clai]ns to the northward 30

Total ... 80

THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:-

ALLUVIAL MINING. QUARTZ ML"IING.

~pUonof~hlne~. Aggreg.. te Number Aggregate At Work. Idle. Hor.... \lOwel of AtWorl<. Idle. of Stamp Horse-co! Steam EDgin.... Heads• Steam . es.

. Sluicing Machines ... 3 2 ...... Long Toms ... 2 ...... Whips ...... 3 6 ...... Water Wheels ...... 1 ... 8 S

Total value of minin~ plant in the subdivision, £1200. " Number of square miles of alluvial ground which is being, or may have been actually worked upon,·~t· .1:<1 umber of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 3. The price of gold during the quarter in the subdivision has been from £3 17s. 6d. to £3 17s. 9d. per oz.

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ CRUSHED DURING THB QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM.

Average Yield Remarks relative to the Where Quartz was I Quartz crushed: Total Yield of Name of Company. obta.i:ned. of G<>ldpel G<>1d. Depth at which the Toll. Quartz was obt.a.ined.

------~-~--"-- ton cwt.qr. 0'. dwt.gr, oz. dwt. gr. Union, No. I, Prospect· ing Claim ...... Union Reef ' ... 150 0 0 0 6 0 45 0 0 70 feet. Union, No.2, north ... Union Reef ... 60 0 0 0 2 0 6 0 0 62 feet. Total Quartz ... 210 0 0 0 4 20! 51 0 0

I have the honor to make the following additional statements :- The comparative inaccessibility of the auriferous reefs which lie within the line of this sub. division, with regard to any cumbrous machinery, and indeed to heavy dray loads of any kind, more especially during the winter months, has still deferred the working of the quartz claims, at least as to any profitable results adequate to previous expectations. There was scarcely any summer here during the summer months; and the winter having begun very early, and being even now. followed up with frequent heavy rains, lasting two or three days consecutivel:y:. renders the precipitous descents and ascents leading to the Union Reef, a labour of the greatest difficulty to convey even ordinary weights to the locality of the several claims. Being defi.cient in pumping and other machinery, the accumula­ tion of water in the shafts and workings has been very great. ":"'c':, lii;~dditiont~'lhe abote'cailses'of tho' fuffifferelit success';oNhe claiins on theUnion'~:Reef, the 'folloWing must be stated ':-The;' quarfz' was., crushed' iit''if machiiie";worked' 'by It water:wheel;:noar at hand, an~ the machinory has be~n,co~ider~d sO,'iplp'erfect .thli.t,th~qoss of gold' in ~he P!ocessis'esti. mated at 3 dwts. per ounce. Thls refers' chlefly to the' quartz crrislied from 'No! 1 olaIm,:' " , $: :I: *11f'::1 '11"* • i* ,tc.: *~' .. :-«r:'t 1· .. ·*., .... ** '.' '. * *' *' *' * * * *oil< '-"'II"* -"""**' ,... --,.,* ,-.'- ''II'* *,. * ,. ~ etw comP!l'nies arod~o'." . .1!e ,9f fQr.wJl.tJ~)l, . *;l~cJ;L" ?,f, ~e!ll ~]!~()~c;ling to bring up the most appropna e machinery an " .' "'." ; T I ,'. There are various al aims and sluicing companies at work in this subdivision; but they are, for the most part, unregistered~~ at "present, and· appear. to be trying' the ground in different localities,

,1! • '"

• . ~ ! .1----, '."T' BEECHW'ORTH --:M1N-ING' DIS-TRICT-.",

.. , _ i BEECHWORTH StiBDmSION.- \ i .. , Mr. John' U8n£r, }Wi., Miht1mg 8'1ltrVeyor ana; RegiStrar: ,'- ." •• " 1i ~. f • -, '. '.': ,'. , -' THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:",,",: 0;1' ' ': i

Total for the ,Europeans. ' Chinese, Subdivision.::> . ".,"'; ,' .. t . • < 'I . (~'r ,I,' L. .,. If, ------'------I-=-'-'--"---"-'""-'--~I",-"''"-'---''-'--':-'1''":,7. '-:J.- .. -_."'.--"'-'""-'------Alluvial Miners 670 925 i,595 Quartz Miners, .. 54 ." 54

Total - . 724" 1,649

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:-, . ,,' .peimyweig~t ::tf)~t ... '.. ' .... ~'... '::: ...., ,'~40::!: Napol?on,Fla,t,.Re~dy Creek 47 ()ne-Inile-Greek-··­ ... ..: 25· Jllldorado Lead, Reedy Oreek 100 Two-mile Oreek ...... --... - .. --48 ... -M'\ll'mungee Lead, Bowman~s Forest 110 Three-mile Oreek ... '". 270 Knee.b()nes Gully, Bowman's Forest 12 Six-mile Creek , . 22 Ohinaman's Lead, Bownian's Forest h f" i35 Hurdle OreeL,'" "j 20 Myrtleford R:eefs, .. 1,. ... .r .~:_.~. "34 Deep Oreek ... , 25 Buffalo River"..' . ,,,_ ".d '.' ... ~:,.,'. -~o Mopoke Gully , '.. 13 Sheep,Station Oreek, ." 13 Silver Oreek: .. , "-! ... -"-38 BlacK.sand Oreek ...... 5 Madman's Gully '" , .. 15 I " ¥agpi\l Oreek . 60 Spring Oreek... . 156 'W:oorragee -Flap ,.,' .... :. , 'l'" ", 75 Reid's Oreek ... 84 Woolshed Creek., ,,, 250. Total S~b~topol, Reed~ Creek 112 ',,1-.•-14- -, I' THE MACIUNERY IS AS FOLLOWS:-

I .. _ ... _ ,L.li.", 1 , ALLUVIAL l\IlJ:

';:,~"~:_:~~es~p~~~,~tM~Chfu.F1? ''''ii~'~~{II' , .., '~:!."""""." ! .~.~~ ,----'=--='-'-,~"--..:.. ..,"-I=---'.:.:.., ""'''" ... ' ~ .. ~' ~,! . -.:,- .. ,,~ " ___ ----1-----

• 1 ~. ~ ...... , ..... ' .li".to-' Steam Engines 14 3 171 2 l' 30 40 Puddling Machines 4 , , .. ',;.:.~ " ' Whims and Pulleys '10 '" ... Whips . "5 '''2 Horse Pumps ..... , I,. t Sluices and Toms 180 I Wat-er Wheels, ' 22, ··"l Hydraulic Hose l Sluice Boxes , 2;2'40:, ,.. " - ..•f' .", : ~ '.5 2 Crusbi~g M~~ines , ' ...

, 1-'.

Total ,value of;minin~)plant,in t~e inibdivision" £2~,OOO...... ',.; ,'.. '" : d, , ' ':-, - , Number of, square miles· of alluVlal:ground WhlCh',lS,. bemgi or may have been actually worked upon;:S:'::'·l:' '; r".",. .'. 'on ,", ~. L :",;t 'n )' '~ ... r ' -;' ,11). -'1 .~: . !Jt • ....': " '~:"'''Nilmberof distinct quartz roefs which have beon actually proved-to,be auriferous tothepres13nt time, 10. . '.,' , J .J . L:-.! . -'1:; .: j "', ; ',' • ';: .I,.. \ " :. .,_,' .'. ~: '~", '\> The price of gold during the

THE FOLLOWING INFGRMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED R'ELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND QUARTZ TAILINGS .L'fD'·C~MENT 'CRUSHED :DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM. I Wbere Quartz, &c., were Yi!i~ld Total Yield of i ~~Jo; !f"~hll' ~g: • '. • ob~ined. . per Ton. \ Gold. ',' Qua.rtz was obtained, &c.

-..-. --,,'------1--,,------1--, to-n-c-wt-.-q-r.-I-o~ dwt •. gr. I' oz. dwt. gr. HobsGn ••• ... LGndon Reef; ... , 110 0 3 5 '0' 4 17 12' 15 feet deep WilliamsGn ... '" Reilly's Reef •.. 8 3 ,0, '0' 9 15' 3· 18 11 120 feet deep Wbite ... '... Poverty Iteef ... 19 0 0 0 .. 52 4 16 14 12 feet Hobson ..• London ... 2 0 0 1 9 0 2 18 0 15 feet Ho'bs6u·· ... · :.:" "'... Chepstow " 5 15 O' 0 ,10 ·0' " 2 ',17 12 IOfeet. . Smith and Company.:. Boyd's ••.. ,... 21" o, .. () 0 1 12' 2 0 12 Sflrface to. '5 'feet White ...' ... New PGverty. " .•• 10 0 0 0 6 0 3 0 0 5 feet Smith and CGmpany ';', Lunn's...... 22 0 0 0 7'0 7 14 0 15 feet , " Tot!tl, Quarti _ .:. Quartz Tailings iinil Cement crushed: • "I ' ;. , 87 Smith and Breach ... ' Poverty Reef if 0 0 1 6 5 8 , 18 Surface .. Nolan: arid CompanY.·~· IReilly's Reef ... . 74 0 0 0 3 14 13 5 4 Slll'fice Wil~iamson .;::: "Reill~'s R,eef , .. , . '84' 5' 0 0 289 16 14 Surface Wbite ...... Poverty Reel' ... .. 69 o· 0 0 4 3 '. '14' 4 1'5 Surface Cassidy .." ... ~illy's R~ef ...... llO 0 0 0 1 12 \ 8 5 ,0 Surface Nolan ,...... Reilly's Reef .: •. 286' 0 0 0 2 1 3 22 Surface -. '. ". i .f!} ", -'---'--- ',~ ". '·'Tota.~'Quariz Tail-}" 710 ings and Cement , '5 () b 2 61-180 4 1 .. . 1 Not being favored with a return from Bowman's Forest, it is here given approximately, viz:- 300 tons, at 15 dwts. per ton.

"'" ... YACKANDANDA:U'DIVISION.' M'¥'. Thoma8 G. ¥ennan, .Mining SUTVeyo'¥' Ulna RegiBtra'¥'. ; >:, .: .'" " ~ • " • ~ . • .• , '

.,\ " ,,',.l." 1:'4;· I...... ~.* ··'oJ· . Eu:topeo.ns. Total for tho " .... &mesa., Division; .. ~Ill;e.t:~._ -'

~." ~ , t':. 'f ~ . " " Alluvial Miners ...... 1;.I.73 ;I,10P. l 2,27,3 These items were ascertained .. by inspecting each below..'Irientioned Quartz Miners ...... 50 ... 50 " locality• Tota}. ... \. 1,223 1,100 2,323 I T:i:U~-TOTAL NUMBim of'MINEnihs'TlIO'S »IsTRImJTJm::"" German's Flat ". '. ,.'...... '10 lJlan's Flat .. . '10 Muddy Creek •.. .., ...... '" . ", ';;,' .62 Staghorn« ... . 55 Murphy's Flat' " , ":~'. " '. ;""', '. '15 ~c~ina;on's Creek 60 Hiiyes Point ... • ,. >'_ ~ ••,:.~.~ 20 ~t s reek ... ,.84 Kerby's Fat ...... : 31 Clear Creek 124 Bell's Flat ... . ;;.' '3'1 SanCly Creek 650 McCarthy's Flat 60 Little River ... ,.. .. , ... 10 Wliiskey Flat .• n· ,.: , 1'15 ~ie8 between Yack ~ee~ and ~inch~n~: Townshlp Hills "::-. '.:- 50 ·::ton Creek ... .. " .... .:,1, 50 Pike's Flat ... !' .. :' "180 '.J . .Rowdy Flat , .. .:;' '.250 Total 2,323 Osb'orne's Flat I .. > 210

THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS!-

ALLUVIAL MlNING.: QUARTZ MlNING.

Description of Macbinel'1. NUInber I Aggregate , AtW:Olk.. i,of Stamp , Horae·power of ; > Heada. ' Bteam .Engines. • I----~·~)~·~·~I'----~--I------·-----I------Wltter W~eel;-for,)ra.inage , :IlurpOSj'lS _ .,." .. Steam Engines: ..'" Wbims ... ;3 Puddling Mills .• ~ , ... ·1 .. Water Wheels and Statppers 'I 0('80 feet dia~eter, 8 1. " ! " 25 ,,','" 4'- 1 "25",, 4 16 24

Total value of mining plant in the division, £3000. Number of square milEls of alluvial ground which is being, or may have been actually worked upon, 9. . Nuinber of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present tIDle, 21. ' - , ' The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been from £3 18s. 6d. to £3 198. 6d; per oz.

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN . OB-rAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY, OF QUARTZ 'CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED T~EREFROM. - . '

I I Where Qua,rtz Wf!o!I ' Avera e i IRem .... ks relative to thO Name of Company. obtained. Quartz crushed.j Yield of ~d !. Yie11~}aboJd Depth ~t whl~h the I per T on. . Quartz wa.s obtained &0 I

--~,~

ton ewt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Caledonia Reef ... Clear Creek ... 50 0 0 3 0 0 150 0 0 120 feet level Little' Bangor Reef ... Ditto ...... 160 0 0 o 10 0 80 0 0 30 to 40 feet 125 0 40 50 Short's Reef ... Twist's Creek '" 100 0 0 1 5 '0 0 to feet Danish Reef ... Ditto ...... 50 0 0 2 5 0 112 10 0 80 feet Pola.r Star Reef ... Ditto ...... 50 0 0 2 0 100 . N ot asce~ained i I ° ° ° I Total 410 0 1 7 16i 567 10 0 i ···1 ° I With regard to the Caledonian Reef, I hardly think the information eorrect.' The other returns I believe to be correct. No matter of any importance in mining matters has occurred during ~~~~ .

lNnIGO DIVISION. Mr. Robert A rrowsmith, Mining SUII'veyor and Registrar.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:-

Total for the 1",_1 Chinese. Division. .Rema.rks. , Alluvial Miners ...... ! 890 1,094 1,98.( Quartz Miners ...... I '49 . ... 49 Total ... :-- 939~-1 1,094 I 2,033 -

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:- NEAR CHILTERN .-Alluvial. Alluvial. Indigo Lead .. . 470 Wahgunyah Lead ." 42 Devonshire Lead .. . 10 Lanarkshire and Robert Burns 88 Durham and Caledonian 87 Garibaldi 40 Victorian Lead 20 Rose of Sharon 40 New Hibernian ... 130 All England 140 Skeleton 23 Glencoe 24 Suffolk Lead ... 18 Hibernian i 60 Chiltern and New Ballarat 460 Clydesdale 224 Lancashire and Canadian ... 52 Newcastle 38 Clare '8 Reeft. Union Lead 10 Barrambogie 15 Attres ... 10 Magenta 8 Total 2,033 Higgins 12 Reefs unnamed 4

THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:-

- ALLUVIAL MINING. ~ QuAltr~ MINING.

Description of 11-1l1Ohlnery. 1 Aggregate N~ber I 'APPte AtWork. I Idle. Horse~~of At Work. Idle. of Stamp Horae-~er of St~am . ea. H~da.' I Steam gille,s. ---- Steam Engines ... 25 5 378 3 ... 24 38 Steam and horse-power} Puddling Machines 97 ...... 50 .., Horse Whims ...... / ...... 78 I ... Whips ...... , ...... 25

Total value of mining plant in the division, £45,000. . Number of square miles of alluvial ground which is being, or may have been actually worked npon, 50. Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 9. . The l)rice of gold during the quarter in the division has been from £3 19s. 3d. to £3 19s. 6a. per oz. .

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ ORUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM.

I Average I . Remarks relB.tive to the Nama of Company. I Where QUArtz was I Quartz CI'Ill!hed. Yield of Gold' Total Yield of Depth at . whlch the obtaiued. per Ton. Gold. Quartz Willi obtained, &0.

~--...

ton cwt. qr. oz. dwt.l!l'. . oz.' dwt. 'I!l'. Magenta Company ... Magenta Reef ... 600 0 0 0 4 0 120 0 0 Open cut from sur- face to 35 feet

NO.1 Company ... Ameriean Ree~ 150 0 0 0 2 0 15 0 0 Open cut from sur- Barrambogie face to 34 feet in depth Prospectors ... American Reef, 1,500 0 0 0 3 0 225 0 0 Open cut from sur- Barrambogie face to 34 feet in depth Total ... 2,250 0 0 0 3 ¥. 360 0 0

The returns from the quartz companies in this division are very imperfect, in consequence of the stone being carted direct to the stampers without being weighed. There are no means of ascertaining the exact quantity, and the returns are consequently, at the best, but a rough approximation to the actual quantity. . The prospectors on the American Reef continue to obtain good returns, but No.1 claim has not maintained its previous yielG, and it is doubtful whether it will be worked much longer. The lessees of Higgins' Reef, the Golden Bar Company, have completed the erection of their crushing apparatus: it is the best in the division. A trial crushing of a few tons has been made with a , view to test the machinery, which was found to work admirably. I have not ascertained the exact yield from the stone but I believe it is very satisfactory. A party have discovered a reef on the range between Skeleton Creek and the Lancashire Lead, the width is stated to be about 1 foot, and the specimens shown by the prospectors appear to be payable: they are sinking a shaft. ~' Alluvial mining is still in a very prosperous eondition. Although some few leading elaims have been worked out during the quarter, others have been commenced on a larger scale; and in no instance has any mining machinery been removed to other parts of the district. The Alliance Company have. removed their engine and plant to the Victoria Lead. a branch of the Indigo, below Christmas Town. A new company is in course of formation to work the ground situate between the Township Claim on the Indigo Lead, and the Victoria Company's Claim on the Vietoria Lead. The ground is supposed to comprise the junction of the Indigo Lead, the Durham and' Caledonian, and the Victorian Leads. The Indigo Lead, after running a considerable distance in a due westerly direction, suddenly changes its course to due north round the point of a range where it is joined by the other leads heaaing from the opposi forming the grand trunk lead of three of the best leads opened in the division. At R n, there is nothing new to report, some few of the claims on the Clydesdale are but no improvement of any consequence has taken place during the quarter.,

BUCKLAND DIVISION. Mr. R. Holden Stone, Mining Surveyor' ana Registrar.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:-

Euro);llJ&ll8. Total for the Chines•. Division. Remarks. .... __.. - Alluvial Miners ...... 212 1,970 2,182 The return and distribution of population has been made as Quartz Miners ...... 330 .. . 330 accurately as possible, from ob· servation and enquiry. Total ... 542 1,970 2,512

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS TI:tuS DISTRIBUTED:- Buckland River­ Harrietville ... 142 Lower Flat 680 Hit-or-Miss Reefs 20 Camp 50 East Branch, Ovens 100 Camp to Junction 120 W oolshed Flat 30 East Branch 250 German Town .. . 160 ~W est Branch ... 80 Bright .. . 120 Lower Flat to Sideling 100 Ovens, below Bright 100 Morse's Creek ...... 370 Growler's Creek 190 Total 2,512 No. 13, c. 26

, ... ~ THE MACHINERY'IS AS' FOLLOWS:- ',.' .", '\~1 ;" . .1 ...·.ni. 'I,'':J) -, lc .'~ .1" ".'l,J.',,-. ';,;t

-4J.:. "or ""''''J~~~~,ll',~;ii -4. ,;.; !..~··!"'·""·i ,----.-----.------!--~-~----.... ~--~~~~~ :A.ggreg.ite' ' Number Hor ....pow.r of At Work~ IdJe, of Stamp Steam Engines. ~ Heads,

>!' J

.... '

I'· • ~';fl':; 0', U " I ' 'ri "~" "i ! 81 136

5 92

t.,. 1 It' h d';" £40 0 ' I ,'Wi' ru T.• q",·Y~.v.rP. tal 1 f npml).g,pan, (Int e.,lVlSlon,: . ,.oq·'!c"\' '" ,;r,1 i .., .".. "1-- .... ,: :li ",·iI 1~{ui!1.be.r.,,9r square miles of alluvial ground whichJ is being, or ,way hav!'l been actually worked upon 27 ;,._,', I. , " , ':,H' ;DN~b~~,:of;d~stitl.Ct,quartz: reefs which llave' beBn ,~tually proved to be, a)xriferous to the'present tline"8~'~e\iii~i;of ~old during· the quarter in thedivision1has b~~~;;~~ ~3 'l7~. to £3 17s. 6d. per oz. , I. ;} ~'P" ,~.:- •. ; f g qq- I' -, ~ : 'J.:f.I!_Jl'~!,bR'rI,~~ ..~~l1~q~.~t,rlp~<,~.ItA.~ .. ¥¥}It\",,g.BT~~~D . Ij-,lP,LA~I'y~ ,~ •. 'J'~1jl Q~..Al~}.'I1'Y. ~F9uAJ

i,,'::; h, i·'~~'I~C~lI;FS.~]l:·l? :QP;'f,I;f

, . ... ' •• " I '", , ','''';,,': , " 1~¥1 .... [; \" , .••. ~ .... L

~~~;;e~"~~:;~ .,.l ..... ,.~:'. ";o~~·~~~l~~" I,. "',;0' ~'lo'I'!'~ ~2 6 j,' 4217 '12" S1irl'aceto50~rl~to:~ Tooias"Brothers -' '-- .. :' 'Elgin Reef 'i ... :'" 20" 0 "0' 0 13' '0' 3 0 ° Surface to 100 feet Gregory:and 9ompahY-: Ebemezer Reef . ;.::~ , 189' 0' '0" '0 17 ·0" 160 '13 '.0 Average'of 150 feet Mack!l;Y',and'9ompany,.' R~li3:nceRe,ef" ,.:.• ~" 650 0. 1,0 I o· .5,/:0' ,16210, 0 Principally surface Rowe and.C)ompany ' •••. t "Richardsqn s ,·and ...., 480·,0- 0, •. 0 16,.. 0 > 144,.0 - O· Mixed .. ;.from· -both :'" ,>oj .• ; " •... '.: Heap's Reefs ;; " , I' ,.. ,.... .reefs\pr~!lcipaUy

'7.,;.,",[,,,,, .. """'~"" ,,','" P. \ "" d'" .mullock., ..... " Q,,JIolsti!,n...... ' " .... Lis1;>on, Re()t, .. ," ,45. 0, ° i',o," 7 . 0 15 15 O' 140 feet :J3o:w,!t!!~Company .. d .Ro~e,,~Th~st}!'l'·i~4 ,·· ..T50,,0 .. O,i,',.'l, .. 0,··0 1,150 0 ° ),!OOfeet ,.,'. _T:'" ,. ",'.. ', .. 1,., .. 1", Shamrock - ',..,' ., Tliirlow,,"yand Company '.J;iTilDespera,ndu.in ':•. ~ ,.. :96: ').... ()':, .. ~ 1 0, ° :.. 96 . 0 ,0,;, 50 feet ',l'. WHl{~\1's9n',,;:'.'~ ,c.' ::'.':H

,'" ""'""i~:;'. ~.:.t;:;;:"';::;~~·;~·::'·';Tiiai~' q,<;;'~~ 'il':~~6:'~'~On 0 0'8 ;14 1'5;0'07 '15 'i2'i":-' t" ,'" . "..... ,,_...... ' .. I, .

I have the honor to report that .dtirin·g'tli'~:':quatter;: mining has been generally prosperous in my division, as will be observed 'by the above ret1,lrn, soJa;r as regards .qu,artz . mining. It will be seen that, although the average ,yield has beelt.less!th~nduring.the ',last~ quarter, tue'-quantity crushed, and the aggregate amount of gold raised in this branch of mining, has been considerably in excess of the last report. . '-',., 11f' .. Rr." -, .. '.-.. "'·C' '" The most profitable yield' was"that obtained fromtIie Oriental Reef by Messrs. Wood and Stenhouse (in whose 'claim the reef is fro~ eight to twenty.four feet in thickness), thc whole being crushed; andJ~~rr~f.emain8 everYiP:t:Osl?~~~Wf its, cPR,tinuing,JC!)~~!)td as well as hiiher~o. .. The Aust'ralasla Company have·tllereeft):tirty.tmee,feet Wide, at present, the YIeld of that bulk being·about-3·dwt, per-ton,butthe average' yield of',the" quarter's crushing -is reported -by them: as in ~~e t~j.Jle,,;~h,~ch report,J; hil',ve.e.v.er~ reas,op to believ~.correct. "The ma~ager also states.. that;·the'small liehir!!-bove :tp.entio'!ied!;wilLpay,exp,enses of raising, crushing, &0. , . Iv l'i:,+h~,{.9-plil-.en,:Bar., a,~d:xA:Iome Reefs have. been crushed:. together. for some time past;' I·.havti, therefore, PQjnformation'as.to·;their,separate_value,. __ .. - . The John Bull Reef, former.ly I1an;t.~d· the Sil,!!jan, has yielded some good ,quaJ;tz; and another large crushing will be commenced next week, and is. expected to turn out ~qually well. .~s. reef)s one'of-severalcformerlY'abahdoned; 'ahd Jiow' 'furtller prosp'ected,' " ". - ., . The Ebenezer Ree(ii>\ Il-ga,in;being mp, tahly worked"than' for a-long time past; but owing to the extr,~me hardness of the rocks, and, ~ht1:~mallness of the reef, a small quantity only ~an :be got out. The coinp'any s~ate, however, thaq~.paiB,gg:6~;w.agtls:"T: " ',,(',7,.;:.,.. ' ;rh.-~ RelIance Company. (Ma.c~l!:y,~~~a ,Q~.) haye had'several delays dur~ng the"past q~arter, otherwJl!fa much gre~t?rquantity of... ,q~ar~~ ,'I'I(oul~ have .been c~u~ed fron;t,.theI,r,.r,eef.",.The YIeld of 5 dwts.p~ys a good dlVldend, the qu~y~~bel.ng, e,a~Ily obtamed, 'prlIlClpally neal' and on ,the i',1,lrface. ~p'we lInd Company have eo.m.men:ced.:wQ~k ou· !.Ie~p·s 'and Ri~hardson'8 ;Ryef~, b)lt up to ~he presen~ .,tIme they have crushe~. b~).t li~tle ,~o~l~ ,q1J;~rtz, ~~VlIlg fIrst to' dIspose Qf a,con~ldt;rable quantIty of mullock left by the former occupants. . , ~. ','C ,. ,j' "" , :Biir;Iittle quartz .4as been obtained this quarter from the Rose, Thistle, and Shamrock Reefs, owin&, t,o,'Kp.~rtion of the claim 'having been sold, and also to the tunnel not ha.ving yet struck the reef. t,T.,. 27

!tis prqp.osed to:continue this tunnel to th~'Hit-or.';Miss Reef,:whioh,is onthe'sll,nie spur. Should this be done, there'is every probability ofthatreefbeing\pr'ofitably re-worked;' "T ~. ','" .' '~, '. , Messrs; Bow and Sritliffe have.disposed of the ,wllOle.of'ftheir plant'and'inrerest'in the Wooislied and Wejlt Briton -Reefs,-Ovens Rivor;to Mr. John Alston Wallace; who has since formed'a' company td work them, ind who also proposes, to' prospect more thoroughly several· 'other 'of the Ovens River reefsl which have been hitherto .unprofitable. If the new' company is successful~ on the West Briton and Woolshed,:I ,have no. doubt thattlieOvens Riverside 'of the range will :ultimately' be worked as profitably as the reefs on Morse's Creek:> Hitherto, the capital employed ,there has tbeen most illjudiciously .laid out, and the actual 'I1orking of,the'reefs been 'carrIed on with bUt little' energy,,· ! ...,' , ,·The 'tunnel to the Eionet'r :Reef is not'yet, completed •. · Mr.,:Wallace has driven 330 yards, .wid there remain about sixty yards to be driven before' the old 'workings can' b'e rc'opened:: : : . ' " The Nelson Reef, Buckland, is now again'being worked, but as yet I ·have no return of any. stone, being crushed. -The Nelson is thi{only reef now occupied on tlie Buckland,River..... :'" . . Alluvial mining has continued prosperous. during .the quarter, and new. ground is. continually being opened, by the Chinese principally, especially onthe Ovens Rive:aiats, and at 'some distance back! from the river. One party of Chinese obtained, in 'one 'of ,these clainls, the largest piece.of·gold and qUllFtzyet;found ill 'this division~ weigbing10 ozs',;' 30 ozir;·beinggold, and +he remainder quartz: . >"'Messrs. Gitchell and,Corhave also:formed a.company.,:to.usinkl,to.tlie main.bottom,on·Morse's Creek, expecting to find a deep lead: Their.. shaft',has been,sunk to fiftyfeet,l~ndthey are now preparrng to erect an engine for pumping. The'drainage is very heavy'; six men being'unable to lower the water by baling. The false bottom is about, sixteen feet from the surface, and I am informed that gold has been found in two layers-of.drift below the false ·bottem.--· Should, a deep lead exi~t, there is great probability of its continuing for a considerable di~tance, and it would be likely,to be intersected by several quartz reefs, as the lines. o("p,ll.,t.l!-e,re.efs .?.It,,~or~~:B JJreejr would, if produced, eross the

general course of the valley at from 30 to 45-'deg: ' ." J "'.. ", t, I have no other information of interest. to .r,eport for .tI!.~.1ast quarter.

: .;. JAMI~S9~~ ~JJ~~m~I?~. ";,_" .• ~-, ... ,,~., ,nJ' .., "(Part,of-.-Jordan--North.),-,-,,,-, ~.,.,,,,, :"~M¥. Sarnuel K .. ,J[i);ke~,!MinVng SU'l'veyorr:Aand Regisflrar.

t ... ~ ." ~"H : .1\., , Total for'the , Europeans., Chinese.i ··1 . .Silbdivision, ! Remarks •

: .. (I~~': • Alluvial Miners 230 45 275 , -' 1--, ~"'""'I":'':t' ~ T' ~ Quartz Miners 1'10 lui

Total ',t.. ' ".'i " ., ..

, r

.- -",~-. ..• Totlil·:::'"··..,.,"·7.~,"·~ "':-:: .~'.

{.'f' -(p' ::::-t.:7 )-: • }""t' __ '., _ .;;~ '9 .hW.! ! . -Number of square miles of. alluvial.groundsvhich is.l?eing, or may have been actually worked upon, ,about, 4t. '. .' .,':. .~'U,"!"":L ,', "=;'yj'~",,._. · '< :~~nt!)er.;:Qfjdistinc.li_! qu:a!l~z,:r.e~fij~~w..:w.~li;';'!i~are 1)!'l!;l1l ~~~J\llY1.. proved to be auriferous to the presen£CtIme; 2 .•.. ,-. , """~/h~! l . The price of gold during the quarter, in the subdivision, has. been £3 15s. 3d. per oz... ._ · . I hav:~,t~e hon~r to furnish the f,ollowing information with reference to,VW,tPl'9~e.~,~

. On the Mack's Creek ranges, quartz mining is being carried on with renewed energy. The Switzerland Company, working on. the Star of·the West Reef, Mack's Creek, after driving a tunnel 300 feet in length, wIthout sueoess, have just discoverd a surface leader of extraordinary richness within ·the boundaries of their claim. Judging from the portion of this vein which is at present exposed to view, it appears to be of that description denominated" rotten;" the quartz composing it being of a ferruginous and friable nature, intermixed throughout with decomposed sandstone and slate, and at present possessing no defined walls. From two dishes of this material, taken indiscriminately from the paddock and partially crushed, I have seen an ounce weight of gold washed. The holders of the prospecting claim on the Star of the West Hill have raised about 100 tons of. quartz, and are now constructing a small. two-stamper crushing machine, to be' worked by manual labor, with whieh they intend to crush some of the richest of the stone, with a view. of enabling them to erect, at an early date, II steam machine suitable to their requirements. . A few quartz claims have recently been taken up at the Devits River and at Merton, but these districts have not yet been sufficiently tried to permit a definite opinion being formed as to the success likely to attend their working. I may mention, however, that all the gold found in the alluvial workings. at these places is of a decidedly quartzose charac'ter. . Some progress has been made in alluvial mining during the quarter, several fresh patches of ground have.been opened with tolerably good results. The alluvial workings in this division, excepting those at Merton, are not however of an extensive or important character• .* * * * * * ~ .* * * * *

WOOD'S POmT SUBDIVISION. (Part of Jordan North.) Mr. fl. B. Ailnsworth, Mining SU'l"IJeyor wnd ·Registrar.

THE TOTAL NUMJlER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS!-

Totl>J for . Europea.na. ~ese. I i Remarks. i the Subdivision. :

.Alluvial Miners '" ... ,140 ... 140 The Crooked River rush accounts Quartz Miners for the excess in last return: ...... 806 '" 806

Total ... 946 ... 946 I

THE TOTAL NUM13ER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIJlUTED.:- Wood's Point, and Morning Star... 450 Never-Mind Reef 24 Maori Creek . _. '" .. , 15 Gooley'S Creek 16 Deerlove Creek 25 Track to Jamieson 24 Perkin's Oreek ...... 10 Track to Matlock \ ... 16 Heads of .Right-hand Branch 30 Track to Oherry's Point... 14 Down the Goulburn ... 80 Harper's Creek ... 8 Waverly ... 20 Kelly'S Creek ...... 4 Left-hand Branch .. . 50 All Nations, and Cox's Creek 80 Total .946 Goulburn Fall of Divide 80

THE M..lOlIINERY· IS AS FOLLOWS:-

QUARTZ Mnmm. . I Number At Work. : Idle. of StwnP Heads. ------I....,.--I~·----·-"------1---- CRUSHING MILLS. Water Wheels ,- Hurley and Scott's ... I • 1 15 20 McDougall (1) 1 a 12 McDougall (2) 1 12 16 Steam Engines ;- Drysdale and Company's· ... 1 16 16 Lloyd and Company'st It 16 16 Puddling Machine ...

* Dl7"dale MId Co. have erected another b"ttery since last return• 1 Crushing one week ool,y. .t A clerical erfQl' in la.st return g&ve ~iht&mpers to Lloyd ..nd Co. Total value. of mining plant in the subdivision, £18,200. Number of square miles of alluvial gro:und which is' being. or may have been actually worked upon, 1.' .. .• Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be aunferous to the present time, about 60. . , The price of gold during the quarter in th.e subdivision has been from £3 3s. to £3 17s. 6d. per oz. 29

THE FOLLOWING INFORlItATION HAll BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ OlmSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM.

Average rel&tive to the Name of Oompany. Where Quart. was Quartz crushed. Yield of Gold ToW Yield of Ree at which the obtained. '\ per Ton. Gold. was obtained.

ton em. qr. oz. dwt. gr. - oz. dwt. gr. Wood's Point Reefs'" 1,425 0 0 3 9 31 4,926 0 6 Dittot ... 2,163 5 0 2 15 O! 5,951 o 0

Total Quartz 3,588 5 0 3 o 15 10,877 0 61

• JI'ul1 pa.rt!culars of thew (lrUsbinga have boon lodged in the office of the Mining Department; but, at the request of the olaimholders, they have not been pubUalled. . t Estimated resu\te of certain crusIrlnga of which the :Mining Surveyor was ullJ>ble to ohtain the particulara. Amalgamating barrels, char mainly by Youngson's process, are erected at Hurley and Scott's (Age of Progress), Dr and Company's, McDougall'S No.1, and the All Nations. The results obtained from the blanketings have varied from 7 oz. to 200 qz. per ton of blanketings; the first result being obtained at Hurley'S, the latter at Drysdale and Company's machines. The returns from the All Nations do not include the blanketin~B. which will be rich, as there is a great quantity of pyrites in the stone. The stone at present extractmg is superior even to that giving the above results, and the claim is admirably managed as regards economy. I have the honor to report on the present state and prospects of my subdivision of the Beech­ worth District. The population is distributed as follows :- Township of Wood's Point, and Morning Star 1,250 Maori Creek, 15; Deerlove Creek;. 25 ... 40 Perkin's Creek, 10; Head of Right Branch, 30 40 Waverly...... 22 Left Branch, exclusive of Cox's Creek 60 All Nations, and Cox's Creek 180 Goulburn Fall of Dividing Range, including Matlock 200 Gooley'S Creek, 20; Harper's Creek, 8; Kelly'S Creek, 4 32 Never Mind Reef '... •.• ... •.. 24 Track to Jamieson 40 Track to Matlock ... 36 Track to Cberry's Point (including settlement) 26 Down the Goulburn 110 Chinese 25 Roaming Population, 1 per cent. 20 2,105

The necessity of seeking shelter, and the suspension of the majority of the claims on the ranges, have caused many miners to turn their attention to their trades and seek employment during the winter in the centres of population. The number of Chinese in the district is on the increase, but they confine themselves now to domestic duties and gardening, which pursuits engross the attention of EuroPtlans more every day. The number of suspensions in this district caused by the great rain and snow fall in the ranges, and the absence of pumping machinery, as also by the scarcity of money in the winter season, owing to difficulty of access for man and goods, materially affects the prosperity of miners and storekeepers. The winter, of which we hope to have seen the worst, has been severe, and the depression amongst the mining population consequently great, while overtrading and eJrcesaive competition have injuriously affected the interests of storekeepers and publicans. The district has made material progress in mining, notwithstanding, and its prospects are bright and promising. A fine-looking reef, called the Never-Mind, has been struck below the junction of Gooley's Oreek, on the south bank of the Goulburn. The stone is very rich in fine gold, and seventeen claims have been marked off on it. The All Nations crushings, which, with the gold yet to be eJrtracted from the blanket tailin8's, will eJrceed 15 oz. to the ton, have tended greatly to restore public confidence, and the tone and actiVity of the sharemarket. . Mr. George Wrigbt's contract of bringing the Alpine Company's machinery ul? the Yarra track has caused the clearing of a roadway from Kelly's, down the Waverly spur, to thIS township. The saving in distance will be about miles as compared with the road through Matlock, and tlie saving of expense will be proportionate. This then will eventually be our main road. • Ten prospecting claims and fifty-three ordinary claims have been registered during the quarter.

MORNING STAR RBEFS. Hurley and Scott's.-Under able management, this claim is daily rising in public favor. The quartz hitherto eJrtracted by day labor is now delivered at an average of os. 10d. per ton at tbe tramway. The reefs worked vary in thickness from 5 to 17 feet, and the batteries can be kept going with ease. The bad foundations of the stamp bed have been hitherto a source of much loss of time; this is now partly remedied, a new bed log supported by heavy cross pieces having been fixed. The batteries are now again .in full work, the copper tables have been impro\;ed, new blanket tables added. the water supply increased and regulated, and an amalgamating barrel constructed, which, when charged by Youngson and Co.'s process, gave payable results from their blanketings, the return being at the 30

rate of;7.ozs; to·the ton of·tailings. The last.seven fortnightly returns of.thisoompany;,1m9wn as.the Age of ~rogress; sh?w a ~r\ldulil jncrease, ..due ,to. the. increasing richn.ess.of the·~tQ,ne, the perfection of the machmery, ap.

". '~he.w oods Point. Qua* MiIli.ng .,9o~p'any; l;ll,tve nqw a~o:u.~ .2Q; tons' rea'dy for. crushingj they h'ave. been 'sinking' a new sliaR, sloping levels, 'and 'driVinif to the south:west of the old shaft. The Hope works have been stopped since the 1st instant, their claim being flooded from Drysdale and CO:8 works, which are also partly stopped. The Hit-or-Miss tunnel is in about 290 feet. : The United and Red Jacket tunnels, started~a.shornime;ago: are ,making good progress .. :The.Great,Extended tunnel is in about 94 feet. l ';., "" .' .' c..' , ",.,~\!; i Returns from the Hope, Messrs. Dr:ysdale and Co., Scott and Cherry, and the prospecting claim, being refused, the returns are only ·approximate. The other elaims on this hill remain for the most part suspended. ' WAVERLEY REEF. On this reef.N:o~ '3: S,Qutli, ~_~llnnel il! in abo:ut 120 f~et; at 90:fe.e.t it passes.througn a reef about tbxee'feet thick,' said to be auriferous;' Nos. 1 and 2 North, 'and the px:ospectors' amalgamated tun.nel" is in about 170 feet. : . . :'"'' :ui' " .,; " ','" ,.'\' " ",:.,,',". r · .. d'''·.~·',,,:. " PRINCE OF WALES,AND ALL NATIONS • . ,.. 'fh~ .:All N:ations struck in their, ~Un!1el at ,a aep~l:uif abo,ut. 120 fe()t., a re.()ta~o~t . 24 f'lep thic.~, through .which a· sea~ .of blayk stpne, ayeraging',two, feet, pa~ses; this:seam~ ~s. eXtr~mely rich, and fro¢ 'it .is mainly talie'n, th'e"(jliar,t~ crushed,at pre~~nt.. 'The wliole'reack. '. " , .,' '." . ;~~OLEY~S CiuiEK" :.. : '. I .:1' " Prospecting has ev.entuated in the discovery of the Never.Mind Reef, a most· promising addition to our· auriferous reefs, ..,' .: ...... ,,~.\ '.. '.:.. ~., '.,' ,. I . . EDWARDS' REBF·.,~,hi":' .~;, ( I"''''~ .. .1.h."tl~~< ~ : ... The iltone~in Edwards' Reef;contiilU,es ~ery'fair,the(se~ona 10 'tons'ej:us!ied,!;Pfoduced within a fraction of 2 ozs. per ton, and ~he prospectoi'E(areanX16usly'waiting 'f~:r tht,> profuised'machinery. : ALLUVIAL CLAIMS. .' [ ~. ;. , , . . • • • • t '-" r,;,. l ,~ ~'ll~I,' • The first puddling. machill,e. has bet)n erected on the .claim knowD,'11#l ;Foley;s, on this township, the returns, whICh, were .:r;tot encouraging a~·first;:have:·imprp;ve(hll).llch~lately'. ·tAtlluVial mining, how. ever, continues on, the decline. and with the except~on of a few c1airps.J~n ,thtlJLo:w:e~ Goulburn and on Pheasant Creek, seems unremunerativt),. ',' ,~if~:) .'t . " ,

GAFFNEY'S CREEK SUBDIVISION. , , " ...... J. " " ,,#l~ < f ,;1". . ,;'. '\ ,,:/:. :.,":~ (Part of J?rda¥ North~). ' , .' ,:. 1'k ..:,. :.~'

,.-,; • .Mr. . .': ,. , :c~;"'l' .. ("' '. :.~, Ro.~ert'l4.lascm,: llfimitdy'.S~'1jJ,ey,f!{'~jletii8f?i:Wr~~, • ,'", 'VP q" { I , ,'p !.:;, \1,,·, '). ~!III.' •. .' • ," ';'.,\ 'hTRE.TOTAL NUMllER OF 'MINERS IS AS; FOLLOWS :- I, .. (", .• :. ,t., .:.1 . ...!t. , :

;. Quartz Miners

t"':·.:·i~}.. ,;,.r.' ....~. 1. ,.' '!, 1. ' . ~H~ TO'1'~L p():f:ULAT,ION :IS.!~~I!~ DIS'1'B~~U~!il:P ::-:-:-.",i,'\;·;;..," .') , i::l 'l!'.", I, ;~', "BigRiv;erjunction, ' ..'!':) ,'J '... :' ,;.'; !"', ..:,'" ,,'1';: ..• ,.300., . ,.;·;···:Enoch's'Point ';Ii! '.!!~.~ ') ";:,h,':;. ';1,: ~',H:F ::','f'I I •. : ,:~,.,. 300 :... jl;: ,,' .. ,p J Warner'srCreek., , .. ',.'.!.' "':'.' ;',t ..l. ~I.f:' .,.s;.' t1 ...... ' 'l,>tl 1.'''1,1 :00 . )"'l"{!'i.. "': I~I ••~.W\j·H:

'Ii OI:ee.k<,. ~.I.. " ',.,J.,,,:J j ~·.·i, • JtI •••• '. ," • ;.~;, .... 4:Q ,q"I.. ,'\. reek .. , :..:40 Patterson's ... 20 Flour-bag Creek ,;.' n:- ':;/" t. I:,,· ,,[p:.t' 6 "',, .~--, ' .. ' Moonlight Creek, , .. ,,' ,.. ;...... ::: .. :{".... ·i.). " ... i.'.(,~h.:~ ,. ... , ....~ ...."'1 '.' t.1'" rJ)rumIllond's .Point .. ".,., j1 ..:., '".: ';;;;'" : •• :.", ,,., .,o'.,! "J.: ,,, .. 'J .2.00 :'.1.' en :,,,',.~,: ~!'( ,' ...... " ".' , ,:.Ra!!pber:ry,Cre.ek; .,. . ,' .. 1 ,.. ' .. , ; ',,', •.•> ..... 1 [ i ..·,· 'i ::'.c .... ,?po, ';1.-;:' ,.,1' ., .. ,I !·"Cannon;s·C:r:eek '. ,;,~ ,:,:','.: ., ... , ':: ...; " " . i., "1;" 'p'.:, '·'4.". . .. ,.: r,,:' '~yan's Crejlk, " ., I .. , i:' ..•. ','; '1''':':;-.' ""i ,:"'.' 'ii,j""'"

; ". 1~,:,.· •• ":; 4: : '.:. ' > " ;.» '';' t ' .. ' .' '" 1 "t ",Total,;,!: 'd. ~,:,,; "'::":" .',: ,: '''''i':' ; , , '\ . I.! ~ •.:..~ ,:,~t ." .. 't~"~ '~i~' .. ·.:·~,; .... ':";~·.v.'~,<:..L:~· if)"' . .!. ' .. t.. 31

, " THE· MACHIN~RYIS AS ~OLL0W:B::-"

'1'• 0< . , , QU.U!.:1:Z ll[n'-:INQ,

DeseriptiOll of Moohinery. , 'I AWosn.te' ' r , i I .Aggregate At Work.. Idle" Hora.,..~w~r of At Work. Idle Number of Horse-~wer of , Stea.m .JjJnginea. • • StampHeo.da. Stea.Dl ]lnginoo.

- ~', ': .J .. Water-Wheel,Shakespeare~s- ',-' -4 Drummond's l' 8 " Drysdale and Co. 1 12 Dempsey's 1 8 Cannon's 1 4 " Rose of Denmark ... ,..- .... ""---~.~- 1 12 " O'Connor's : ~ J • 1 . ,',' 8 Warner's Big River 1 4 " O'Connor's Wallaby 1 4 " '1 5 " Hunt's .. " : ~

Total value' of mining plant 'in ~he Bubclivisjon, 1?10,qoo. ., " Number of square miles of alluvial ground which is being,. or· may have been actually'worked upon,lO. . Number of distinct quartz reefS which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 16. . The price of gold during the quarter i,n t,he, subdivisi?n haB been from £3 58. to £4 per oz.

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY' OF QUARTZ CRUBfiED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE ,GOLD 'OBTAINED THEREFROM. :

" .. ' , 'n ., Wber"', .:.' . 'No; 2, Outward Bound, have hid It trial crushing, which gave 10 oz. per ton. Hogarth and Company, Cattle Reef', obained 31 oz, per ton from a lot of quartz, about hvo tons. Another lot of 85torui; gave 109 ois/' , .," . . The Root H~15 or Die hav~ a large quantity, ofstone .o~: the surfii~, a~d are m~king arrangements to ereet a steam engme. ; .' . The Guiding Star Line, Moonlight Creek, have got some first-class quartz. The several claims on-tIlls reef:propol!e'forming a eqmpany. '.... ' , Several ne!w reefil have been:opened in the Big River 4istrict, and .. steam machinery is about to be erected in conjunction with Warner'!! water wheel. 'The Gaffney's Creek Gold'Mining'Company have increased their capital from £2000 to £6000, the, amount ofincrease to be' expended in steam machinery. About.10 tons of quartz will shortly be crusheo. as atrial. There, is a large well.d~fined reef, supposed to average about 1 oz. per ton, being a' continuation of Shakespeare's Reef.. . .. , 32

JORDAN SOUTH AND PART OF OMEO SUBDIvisIONS. Mr. T. H. Duncan, Mining Surveyor and Registrar.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:-

I Tot ..l for the I EUl'QJ)eans. Chinese. Remarks. Subdivillions. I

\ Alluvial Miners ...... 452 150 602 - Quartz Miners ...... 492 ... 492 ,

Total ... 944 150 1,094 " . THE, TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:- Alluvial Miners. I Quartz Miners. Jericho 90 Jericho , .. 6 Ditto, Chinese '4() Charleston Reef 24 Upper Jordan River and spur claims 50 Canadian Reef 30 B'B, between Jericho and township 80 Let-Hcr-Rip Reef 10 B B, right bank,!(lreek and bank claims 40 Hit.or.Miss Reef 10 "left ", " " 32 Toorak Reef 30 Garibaldi Creek-4l£ '...... 15 Alabama Reef 30 J ordan, below jericho, creek and bank' Loch Fyne Reef 80 claims 150 Noble Reef 30 Red Jacket Creek 30 Garibaldi Reef 20 Blue Jacket Creek, .. . .. , 10 Eldorado Reef 10 Aberfeldy Creek and bank claims 4() Blackwall Reef ... 60 ThomSon's River ... , .. 25 Prospecting parties, two each 50 Bald Hill Volunteer Reef 12 Matlock and neighborhood 90

Total ... 1,094

THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:-

ALLUVIAL :MrN:rNG. QUARTZ MINING,

Descripti~n of lIfachinery. I Aggregate Number Aggregate At Work. , Idle. Horse-pewer of At Work. Idle. of Stamp IHorse-pewer of Steam Eugines. Heads. Steam Engine•• .. _-_._. ------'---" Quartz Crushing Machine, worked psrtly by water, Dry Creek ...... " ...... worked 10 18 Steam Machine, Loch ]'yne 1 12 12 ...... '" Quartz Crushing Machine, Black- i partly wall Reef, water power- ...... worked 12 18 Water Wheels on alluvial claims ... 50 20 ...... Sluice "Boxes ...... 650 200 ...... j Total value of mining plant in the subdivisions, £9450. Number of square miles of alluvial ground which is being, or may have been actually worked upon,3. Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 18. ' The price of gold during the quarter in the subdivisions has been from £3 14s.,to £3 15s. per oz. TnE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND TIlE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM.

i Average \' Y' ld f t Remarks relative to the • Name of Company. Whor.: Quartz was Quartz crushed. '. Yield of Gold Total 16 0 Depth at which the obtamed. I per Ton. Gold. i QUlIrtz was obtained. ---... - ..._--_ .. _. __ . ------'---:---. toll cwt. qr. Oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. - I I BlackwaU Prospect Blackwall. Reef, I Claim Mount Useful ... 120 0 0 I 0 .5 oil 31 7 0 30 feet

Ml!.Mo.-In the absence of the managers of the Loch Fyne machine, and Scott's machine, I must defer sending any report on ,ilie amount of stone crushed, and the yield, as I can only obt.!\in hearsay information until those gentlemen return. I have ilie honor to forward the following Report on Mining operations in these subdivisions:­ ALLUVIAL lIINING.-On the several creeks the miners are, 'as a rule, makin~ good wages; !lnd there are claims on the B Band Jordan which will be remunerative for a long penod, while some are still producing weekly amounts of gold far ~bove what is generally understood as wages. 33

Many of the men who have fairly worked out the creek beds and flats in their claims, have recently turned their attention to the spurs, leading down from the heavy ranges; and races have been brought on to them with good results. Water.worn gravel is found at heights varying from 20 to 40 feet above the present beds of the creeks; and the result of sluicing these spurs has shown that there are still considerable deposits untouched in those slopes which have not been denuded to the rock. The character of the gold in the spurs is different to that which has been generally found in the .creeks, being less water·worn, in many instances being sharp and spicular, pointing to the probability of quartz lodes in close vicinity in the hills above. A consequence of the abOve facts is, that the upper Jordan, which had been nearly deserted, has been recently reoccupied to a considerable extent, and the men are now employed in forming new races at high levels, and I anticipate good results from their work; the same is the case on the lower Jordan, and the Aberfeldy. ' The miners at work on the Thomson River have, With the exception of three claims, been obliged, by the rise of the river, to abandon work during the floods; but on the subsidence of the water the river will be more extensively taken up. The country is diflieult of access, but the river and its tributaries will be explored this season to the source. It will be observed, that there is a slight increase in the number of alluvial miners, which is to be attributed to the Ohinese, who have purchased creek claims, and generally work together in larger numbers than Europeans on the same space ofyound. ' QUARTZ MINING.-In my last report, stated that the spring would witness a reaction in quartz mining. For the quarter now. ended, there has not been much work except in those claims .which were previously opened. Prospecting has certainly been carried on, but languidly, and many presumed reefa were suspended almost as soon as marked, for want of funds.' , The Loch Fyne Reef sustains its character, and is improving in quantity and quality. As it is traced onwards, it promises to join the Emerald Reef at Matlock. . .;" , The Prospect Claim has had some good crushings" and the stone in No.1, N ofth, is very superior. No.2, North, has struck the reef, and 30 tons are to bank. A trial will shortly be-made of this stone, of which I will forward particulars when obtained. Ii' The Alabama prospectors have at length sent six tons for a trial crushing to the Loch Fyne machine. I may not be able to forward the result in this' report, but if not, will report on it separately as soon as it is ascertained. They have now to bank a large quantity of stone, and I trust their trial crushing will induce them to procure machinery forthwith. . The Oharlest6fi Reef, traced on both sides of the B B Creek, promises well, and stone of good quality has been struck. The reef is sufficiently well defined to warrant my previous assertion of there being quartz dykes on the southern side o£ the Dividing Range, which may yet be found equally valuable with those to the north. ' - . . The Prospect Claim has one shaft 80 feet decp, and one of 30 feet. Nos. 2 and 3, North, amal­ gamated, have sunk a shaft 70 feet, and are now tunnelling. The reef here, though 'not compact, fills the shaft, and about 15 tons of good stone have been raised. The men are now cutting a track to the Loch Fyne (about one and a quarter miles), to convey a trial sample to the machine. No.3, _North, has sunk 100 feet, and a drive is being put in towards the hill. _ The reef is situated about two miles above Jericho on the B B Oreek. A crushing on the l3lackwall Reef, at McMillan's new machine, has not produced the results .anticipated. This I believe to be attributable to the want of proper system in taking out the lode. I believe that at least as much of the non·gold.bearing adjacent stone was crushed with the quartz; and that with good management the yield per ton crushed will be greatly increased. No reef has yet been struck in the Haphazard Tunnel. It has been carried in 265 feet, and a. tramway and trucks are ill course of construction. ,An: inspection of the tunnel shows a number of quartz leaders, one of which is a foot thick. At the inner end, the harder rock is alternated at every few feet with small seams of decomposed slate, very soft, and having small quartz veins in them. Iron pyrites is observed wherever these soft veins occur. , The escorts from the local bank have not been large; for June and July the amount sent down was 1,020 ozs., and no escort has been despatched since. The amount remaining in bank is about 600 ozs. This, however, is no criterion of the yield, as the greater part finds its way to Wood's Point by other channels. The leases already grauted will stimulate other parties to apply, and as capital is brought to bear in new country the development of this district will rapidly follow. Scott's machine, on the Dry Creek, haa been employed crushing the eompany's stone, and has made a trial crushing of the Blue Jacket Prospect Olaim. ' . Notwithstanding the continuous rush to the Crooked River, the number of miners is on the Increase.

OMEO CENTRAL SUBDIVISION. Mr. Wm. Phipps, MinWng Registrar.

THE TOTA.L NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS;-

Total for the Europeans. Chinese. I , Remarks. I Subdivision. I Alluvial Miners ...... 140 260 400 Quartz Miners , ...... '" I . i ---- Total ... 140 I 260 400 No. 13, d. , 34

10 220 .-' ,2Q' •••• 1" ~t'" Q... , .. ~ ,'110 ' ",' ,/';'515 .';, .. lp, ' ".'l.: ..

1: ffl ,,~, •. H­ " ' Total ... 4DO

... ·:~J";=~'·i·ir •.: i,a· ~ .. !.~.;'d.~.f;. 1.. ;.,. .• ~I • .vJ..t • ,' .• ,(,'{" I f I }

'" J',' ", ,', .. <' "TEi:E,,1\UCHINERY,IS AS'FOLLOWS:-r e~~'

'. "( ' •• f'1 QUAlt'rZ Jllnmm. , , , • ~ :'" • i"' .....

,I, ~~pti?:,o.!,;IlfarNn61'Y,~"t,., , '~~~~; ",", I, . I Number I AgSregate .;.-,-< .. ~~. ::...~.:;f! "..-'·t; .:,.~ .. :~ .. , "t,AtWork. " Iill!,: ,Horse'EOwer,of At Work.. , "Idle.. ·1 of, Stamp I,Horse-power of, Steam' J

Total value' of1minjng, plant in the subdivision, £280. , ' Number of ,square' miles of.. anuvial:ground'which is,being, 'or may 'have been, actually worked upon,.5.. . 1:"'" " :.", .... ~II ,.':.'""1 I~ :'. ("t ,~ •• "'. ,'sj- -" . '. • '. _ :ti umber Qf distinct quartz reefs' which have been a~tually proved to be auriterqus to the present tIme, 1. ,: ; , " '", . ," The price of gofd during the 'quarterlinthe'subdivisiori has been from £3 8a;' to £3 15s; per oz. I~i:;.: >." t;· r'. ~,~.~. ,.~ ..... : ", ;':"" :;.j '.J ~ ... ~~ .... , '~.~ _~_:_ ...... p h· .. ·· , , Very little new ground has been opened during the past quarter, the winter being too severe for muchprospectin~n"but the mi:tlerS generally, both European'ahd'Chinese,·ar'e earnin'g'good"and 'steady wages in their. old· claims.!. ," .. ,. ,. _, ' .?L, !:"H~" ," , , . , .~'" ~~tf': ."~ ,: '-; ... :7" I','''~' 1 ; ~ "" .•.• ~ T_ :~

11 ~. 11 :1':- • f t '. ;":'j' ,L: ,'J t. • J STANLEY . SUBDIVISON.. . . ,'J . ;. , , ,,' • , ,~v "[~ "~",.r\ ,Mr.- ;Tohn .. Scar.lett, .'Miming Registrar . .. "

;, :

.:\1)

Alluvial Miliers' .< ::'~'.. ' ""406 ""369 'J .. '. 775 The number of miners has been ". I.,,: j : !l ' 'p, 32 .. > '32 .. taken from a personal visit' to Quartz Miners all the claims in the subdivision '. Total ."; : ... "

"·'f~<'.U;U f."; ·"pvj.~ t. ... ,I.l~!.·l'· Jlt :,~/.' '" 'l;~" I •• THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:- Upper Ni¥e.mile 156 , :Back Creek 27 Poverty Gully." 72 Lower Nine-mile 28 Frenchman's Creek 12 Wombat Creek Europa Gully '" 807 N uggety Gully

, •. ',,, ,TB::~ MACHINERY IS AS FO~LOWS:- i

.' .1': "::t'(;.h

Description ofl\1acbinory.

Puddling Mills Quartz Mills ... Total value of mining plant in the su.bdivision,.:£6,400.* ,\...:' ," .,. '. ... ;.'; .:•• N2.~.ke!,. of Jl,9,u~? .;rp~!s•. o{. ay~y~l.~?~~~ ;:!H.~~ ~~. p,e.in~, ~; !l!~r~ h:~!e..~~e~~ ~~?iI1-}}Y worked upon, 1 . . Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been aetually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 12. ." ' ", ' "·,J'·'l','. ,t.·,,·., ", «. ..; .. , The price of gold during the quarter in the subdivision has been from £3 19s. to £4 per ,OZ .. '

.:oT.JIEFOLLOWING INFORMATION',:IIAS.• BEEN,,'OB!liAIN:ED";RELATIrE TO· iHE QlI;ANTITY,.OF QUARTZ • • CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOL:Q, OBTAINED THEREFROM. . .1' ~ .' ., . ~ ;l !,-,.' "I':~. '.:'! t • ~

_ . I ,Average T tal Y' Id f R€lllarka relative to the '. ,",.Name·of (loinpariy. WhereQUMtzwasobtained; 'Quartzermihed: ,iYieldofGold • ? '601'3:' q, .DepthatwhlchQUMtz . ;i I, 't 1 '·'f.lf, Pef~on...'.,,~,;,.... was ..9 b;taJned. -----~--'7""·i~. ~,-·---...,I,.-".,:..,-;.-.,.. . .,...".""-. h·--L-", I-.,.-"\";.,.,,,.,, .• ,,,,~..,... +..,,-,..,.------ton owt. qr.· oz: dwt.f!f. 0":': dWt .. g,.. '. .•. .' , Homeward Bouild·, .l'. Rocky Poiht ,631 0 0" 0 17 15~· 562 '0 6 From·50feetto150 -feet . .;!: ",' f {. ~

All the miners, both sl~i~ers and puddlers, have been fully employed:·during·thequarter. ,The supply of water has just been enough to give full time to the sluicers, but there are great fears expressed respecting the supply during the ensuing summer months, owing to the water s eing much less during the winter than last year. Should the weather between this and Christ dry, nearly all of the sluicers will be on short ~jmQ,_a1!.d.m!!!lY_,"Q.fJI!.e!ll_nQtmore t~n three days a week. The Ben Rimes Quartz Company struck the reef about tWb 1veelfs ago, after having driven 144 yards of tunneL They are now prospecting the reef, which is about thirteen inches in width, at a depth of 150 feet from the surface. From prospects obtained, they reckon upon a yield of 6 dwt. to the ton. The reefs at Rocky Point have not yielded so well as formerly, In the shaft, the reef has all but run out, but in the tunnel, which the proprietors have just completed, th~, ~eef is fQund •• ; T!J.ey have laid down a traD.lway from the tunnel to the mill, and, in: 'additioI\; 'have-ntlarly completed the erection of an over-shot water­ wheel, which, with the tunnel and tramway, will enable them to work the reefs and crush at an immense reduction in the cost oflabor, and fuel for steam power, They will, at least, have sufficient water to drive their wheel for seven months'"iii.'tlie year, and' very possibly, by a series of arrangements, for the whole year. A new reef has been discovered, 'about a mile higher up the ranges, about eleven inches in width, which is expecte

SNOWY CREEK SUBDIVISION. , Mr..-

I Tota\forthe . SubdivisiOll.

,:i . Alluvial Miners ---93 _ .. I" I 78 111 i .... I'r, I Quartz Miners -". ',~

. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS . Tiiuii};DI~T~rirti±~D'::.... 1 ,.... ;;;·~;":1;:r'4 "'. Junc'~on of Snowy Cr.~ek and Mitta·mitta R,iv~tlt9·S.an,dy:~:!'~eli: L:\",: •. ,:,.:. .;;. 28 . GranIte Flat ... '...... " .,.; .;., "','"r...... , ".':.; •. ' " ... :' 98 Rig.lit:hand Branch of Snowy Creek ... ,. "<'l"." l'i"J~ 'J,: ',''''.' .. ;:." 20 Mitta~mitta from Sno!vy Creek to Wombat Creek,; .r; to:> .;:. ':::"':'.;,,. :l1.. 25 Total 171

THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:-

• A'. -', ~A '~Ir -t~t:::t,rin -:!ll. x Jl:.kl!' ALLUVIAL MINL'iG, QUARTZ .lI1n,mG.

--,";~:.' - =·""~~-=-=':",C:::=·='"-'~I~'":"'::':'- -"''--''--''''--"C''-~'...''~~'-c.:::-,---,,--c,-­ Description o:.:Mi'~;" " .. ______. ___~~ ._:ldJe•

. .. ~~ .

t . P.r: • ,~- ... ; l,

.,1'•• 1

'. ,,,,~, !. t . I I • • Th~.iallitafinve.ted in ~aterrightsli.not'ie .. than £40,QOO. There i!i'asligJtm,' crease uithe value of mining ma.:t cinsq~ m ?,n''';'luence of t~e proprietors 01 the qu~ ~i.11, at .R;ocky Point .M~s:.~re~te\!. ... ~!er ~he~I •• il!.J!d. .:q~"!I to.~te1!Ill pOFl!t"., "._ 36

Total value of mining plant in the subdivision, £450. Number of square miles of alluvial ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked p.pon, 2t. " " , . Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present tune,2. " 'The price of gold during the quarter in the subdivision has been from £3 68. to £3 129. per oz. , No quartz reefs as yet opened.for work .

.I have' the honor to state that mining on Granite Flat is for .the most part confined' to ground that has been worked for several years; and the yield of gqld is gradually decreasing, yet there are many places likely to be aUriferous scarcely tried, a small paddock or two only having been opened, and as no gold :was found no further search was made.. . . On the Mitta·mitta River, more is now doing, in consequence of there being more·water than in the summer months. On the Right.hand Branch of Snowy Creek, vel'Y little has been done for the last three months, owing'to the winter floods; but a few parties are now preparing to work the creek bed, where they expect to make good wages.' .

SANDHURST MINING DISTRICT.

KA.NGAROO FLAT SUBDIVISION.

Mr. ·H.- O. Oampbell, Mining S'I.IIr1Jeyor and Registrar.

'.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLL0:WS:-

Total for the Europeans. Chineso, Subdivision. ll

• THE TOTAL NUMBER OF 'MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:- Bendigo Flat and Sandhurst ... 980 Ironbark and Long Gully· .' ". 530 :Ka.ruraroo 'Flat and Crusoe Gully 450 Golden Gully and Kangaroo Gully 320 Back Creek and Spring Gully 240 Milkmaid's Flat and Axe Creek 210 Total 2,730

THE MAOHINERY IS AS POLLOWS:-

ALL'OYIAL l\I:I:NI:lro. '. . QUAlIlrz l\I:I:NI:lro• . - D~ of Ma.cb.bierJ. ! . , Aggregate Number I 'Aggregate , At Work. ldio. IIIorse-power of At Work. Idio. of Stamp Horse--ljg,w~r of Steam Engines. Heade. :, Steam .gmes.

, --.~ Horse .Puddling Ma.chines ... 330 187 ... t·· ...... Whims ...... 40 12 ...... Stea.m Engines 87 4 { About 820 ...... i 500 } i . 37

Total value of mining plant in the'subdivision, £80,000. Number qf square miles of alluvial ground which is b~ing, or may' have been, actually worked upon, 5. Number of dist-in~t quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 55. The price of gold during the quarter in the subdivision ~as been £3 17s. per ounce.

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OB'l'A.INED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ CRUSHED DURING. THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM.

Rerruuks relative to the Name of Company. Where Quartz was Quartz crushed. YietJ~~a~ld Total Yield of Depth at which the obtained. per Ton. Hold. Quartz was obtained. " , ton cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. New Chum Company Various Reefs ... 1,388 0 0 o 19 15 1,362 0 0 Various Bird's Reef Company ... Bird's Reef ... 600 0 0 o 18 23! 569 0 0 Ditto Glasgow ReefCorc.pany Glasgow Reef ... 2,659 0 0 0 8 23t~ 1,195 0 0 Ditto Victoria Reef Gold Victoria Reef ... 1,500 0 0 0 3 8 250 0 0 200 feet Mining Company Denmark Company New Zealand ... 100 0 0 0 I 14g 8 0 0 60 feet Energetic Company ... Various Reefs ... 1,800 0 0 0 4 0 360 0 0 Various Rae, and ('ompany ... Ditto ...... 3,985 0 0 0 2 23~ 595 0 0 Ditto 11 Endeavour Company Victoria Reef ... 1,153 0 0 I 0 5 2 292 0 0 Ditto I 7~ Confidence Company ... Ditto ...... 764 0 0 0 4 7 165 0 0 220 feet Adventure Company ... Ditto ...... 1,078 0 0 0 6 14~ 356 0 0 Various Sterry and Company Ditto ...... 1,000 0 0 0 9 0 450 0 0 200 feet ------Total ... 16.027 0 0 0 6 23! 5,602 0 0

I have the honor to inform you, that during the last three months, quartz mining has proved very successful in this division, a large guantity of very rich stone having been discovered on more than one reef. In the Hercules Claim, on the Victoria Reef, quartz yielding more than 3 ozs. to the ton has been just struck; out of the crushing from this claim, for the last three months, amounting to 600 tons, the yield has been '569 ozs., but the greater part of this has been from tbe la~t 200 tons of stone. On a reef named the- Pigeon Reef, near the head'of Long Gully, some very rich stone has been struck, but I have not been able to procure any particulars, though I have reason to believe the yield is at least an ounce per ton. It is impossible to get full returns of the quartz crushed, or the yield, many declining to give any information, and in other cases, where it is tlie custom of letting to miners a battery of stamps, there are no means of ascertaining, as no account is kept by the owners of the machinery, so that the return I send is not nearly what is crushed, but there is every reason to believe that the average I give is a fair representation of the yield generally in the division. Quartz mining is gradually increasing, and ground formerly abandoned as unremunerative is now being taken up and worked to advantage. There is a great extent of ground still unworked that presents 'all the appearance of being auriferous, but the expense of .prospecting, at, present, prevents its being properly tried. Cr'- , '.' There is no alteration in alluvial mining since my last report, no, new ground has been discovered, and the puddling is, for th~ most part, confined to ground that has been worked previously. The puddlers seem to be doing very well, but there are no means of getting any returns from this kind of working. . '

EAGLE HAWK SUBDIVISION.

Mr. G. W. Hart, Mining Surveyor and Registrar.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF 'MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:-

-=.-== Total for the Europeans. Chinese. SubdiviBion. Remarks.

Alluvial Miners ...... 3,022 650 3,672

Quartz Miners :! ...... 1,424 ... 1,424 Total ... 4,446 650 5,096 , . ,,:'1' .:' :d Idl.. !'.,. r i, . : .•. .\ THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS lS THUS DISTRIBUTED :-

Mining Popu·Zation:-Rellj's. < Min~g P~ulation-Reqfl-()ontinued. Windmill hill 130 LightniQ.g .. 8 JolIDson's 98 • i Glo'ster','" ". 4 ·St. Mungo ... 42 Oloul5hs 24 Devonshire "', 6 Catherine ...... , '.""".,,', ' ., ... .' 78:3. : . ;D.ar.~lJ;lg.".... 6 ". Sebastopol' .... I 6 Robert Burns 32 Foresters 2 Star 56 Nightingale ... 4 Cla:rence 41'··j 'rince of Wales ..... _ 30 East Johnson's 25 Dead Horse (Pegleg) .. . 22 Wallace 11 Dead Horse'(Napoleon) 46 Oollins 4 Horstiana i 16 Korong" ..... '... 4 Moonlight 13 South Devon: 4 Leicester 12" PriD.cess Royal . . ... ~ .... ' .. 8 Bignall's 24

On Quartz Reefs ...... " ' . ... 1,424 Aliuviall\Iinerii ".f. '3,672 " } ,'.' :.'. ". ;j- Total, Mining Population ... , 5,000

• 1

• ,r" ,(j!;'J~' t4 ~ .:" :"iy.;~ :,' Q1JA:R'l'Z MI:N:rNG,'

Description or Machinery.

16 173 70

~.. I Total value of mining plan~ in the ditbdiyisioi1;' ,l£HQO,OOO'.' i: ,.. Number of square miles of ~lluvial gromid which ~s being, or may ha.ve ,been, actually" worked upon, 4t· ' j ..· .. · .._ ...... 1 "-'~'''''''r ...... - NU:mber of distinct quartz reefs'which hhve beeh lI.~tualli ·proved·to be auriferous to the present time, 47...... ~, ...... ,,}. " ' J'he price of gold during the quarter in the subdivision has been £3 178. per oz. 39

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND QUARTZ TAILINGS AND CEMENT CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM.

A v.rage Total Yield of Rem.... ks relative to tho "Where Quartz, &0., were Q1l!Il'tz crushed. Yield of Gold Gold Depth at which the obtained. I per Ton. • Quartz was obtained./Iro., , . ton em. qr. oz. dwt. gr.. oz. dwt .. gr. Pegleg Company ; '" Prince ofWales~ Reef 1;300" 0 '0 o 5 0 825 0 0 and public , I. . v Clarence Reef Company Clarence Reef"and' " 1;700') 0" '0 '0"'2' 22 250 0 0 public . f Star Reef Company .. , Star Reef ...... 1,164 0 0 1 0 12 1,198 0 0

Eagle Company Specimen hill and 1,4_~0".o 0 0 10 0 720 0 0 public Pease and Company .•. Devonshire Reefand 692 0 0 0 14 « 490 0 ,0 public Nelson Reef Company Nelson Reef and 1,900 0 0 "'0 14 11 1,375 0 0 public j European Company ... ;SoRhia Rief and";· 600' 0·'0 I'. 0 0 \ 600 .0 0 ' public Wallace Reef Company Wallace Reef and 400 0 0 0 a 12 70 0 0 public . '" McNair and Company Spe?imen .Hill ... 1,580 0 0 i 0 11 11 876 0 0

--~" ... -- Tot~~ QUa~z.. I 0,:26 0 0 0 11 0 5,899 0 0 Qual·tz Tailings and 'Cement crushed. , 2nd White Hill Com­ 2nd White Hill 8,120 0,0 0 1 12 234 0 0 pany" aJid public ! Sampson Bros. Epsom and public I ,~50 0 0 I 0 5 13 875 0 0

Roberts, and, Company Epsom and public 1,170 0 0 0 1.1 8 195 0 0 Lewis and Company ... Epsom and public 700 0 0 02 14 90 0 0 Ajax Company Huntly and public 1,300 0 0 o 10 18 700 0 0 Hardie and Company Hu.ntly and public 600 0 0 0'10 0 300 0 0

Bon Accord ... Ironstone Hill and 2,250 0 0 o I 21 210 0 0 public : ,,, , , Independent Company Huntly... '" 600 0 0 o 4 J6 140 0 0 Rising Sun Company... Huntly ... 45500078 162 0 0 North Star ••• .•• H1:Ptly ... 2,000 0 0 044 410 0 0 All England Eleven Huntly ... 540 0 0 o 10 0 270 0 0 Company .__ . Caledonian Company, •. Epsom and public 2,600 0 0 o 7 18 1,010 0 0

Thomas and Company l£psomi !'Ind, publiq ,: 1;599 0 ,0 0 6 9 480 0 0 Mitchell Bros. Epsom and public 2,600 0 0 0 5 0 650 0 0 Thomas and Company Huntly...... ~_~ ~~I~~ T~tal Quartz Tail-} 21 695 0 0 0 5 1 5 486 0 0 ' lUgS and Cement ' ,

~_.-=-=~ ____~ i __==~-. __~ __~ i ______~ ______~ ______~d6===c==~======]\f.y last reporfstated, that mining matters were improving; since then there has been a marked incrcase in the number of paying claim~, and many reefs, th~n scarcely defraying ex~enses, now yield handsome profits. Alluvial mining has also been followed to more advantage. Bntt's Claim on the Huntly Lead, which has been for some time unworked for improvements, has just recommenced, and other ground, formerly lying waste, is now affording profitable employment tO?lo inconsidera~le number of persons; among others, the, Ballarat; and Bendigo Company may be mentioned as workmg on the cooperative principle; they have obtained good returns; while the North Star Company, Pottery Flat, has been especially fortunate •. It is a matter ,of regret, that large portions of leased ground, in close proximity to some of these con;tpanies, r'emain' unworked, and that no effort is made to test their richness, and to follow up the course of the lead now sought for at a great expense by miners holding claims under miners' rights further north. But the quartz reefs are still the main support of the district, and quartz mining is making rapid strides, both in the public and privat;e companies; they are now working with more energy, and many- mines arc now being thoroughly prospected, which were lately all but neglected; one cause of this 1S the very low rate charged for· crushing, which renders stone of small yield payable, which it was not formerly. I regret, however, to say, that the exertions of SOme of the owners of pumping engines have been cOlJlpletely paralysed, and some have been even obliged to stop pumping and aJlow their claims. to become flooded, to their great detriment, because the owners of the other claims on the same lines cannot be forced to contribute a fair share of the expense, though they. Il;re quite willing to enjoy It fair share of the advantlj,ge. , .. '. ': ._ ' Among the recfs that are now being most worked, are the Star and the Devonshire. Nearly all the claims held under miners' rights on the~e lines are in full work and giving good returns; and thou~h I have especially mentioned these, the same may be said of all the reefs in the division. One 40

remarkable feature and improvement is, that lately many of. the old and abandoned reefs have been taken up and re-worked on the modern and improved method of perpendicular shafts and spacious drives instead of the old style of underlie. shafts and narrow drives, which certainly more resembled burrowing til the earth than mining. • . Prospecting, both for quartz and alluvial, is still carr~ed on with great vigor, certainly with more vIgor thau success; for though scarcely a week passes ·without . the announcement of some new rush, always flattering at the outset, hitherto ell(}ing in nothing remarkable, excel?t the gathering together of a few miners' tents and shanties, to be dispersed--in a few days as rapidly as they were collected. This'is essentially the cliafaeter of the'Whipstick rq.shes, where the entire c<;mntry is more or less auriferous, but very patchy; but this character is prorlu'ctive of gr'eat advantages, inasmuch as it opens up the COuntfy with its dense scrub, draws public attention to that unknown district, and gives constant employment' to a hardy and industrious race of men; who, I hope, may soon fall in with another as auriferous a patch, as the Raywood patch was, when it was first discovered.

KILMORE DIVISION. M?'. Martin Meagher, MinVng SUryJeyor and Registrar.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF' MINERS, IS AS ,FOLLOWS

, , " Total for the , Europoons. Chin• ..,. Division. Remarks. ,--- : ' Allu vial )liners '" ... 245 ... 245 Population, including miners (ap- 4900 in this Quartz :',![iners ., proximately taken)...... 65 . 65 division. Total ... 310 I ... 310

THE - TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS', IS THUS DISTRIDUTED:- Teatree, Welcome Reef (Soraghan and Reedy Creek, Aibert Reef' ... 5 Oompany) ,'" ...... 6 Reedy Oreek, Oaptain's Reef No.1 6 Flat Lead (Ward and Company) ditto .. . 3 Kihrioro old diggings' (L. :Bourke and Yea; Providence l\-fining Association's Ooinpany) ... '" 25 Reefs (Webster and Company) '10 Reedy Creek, Alluvial Miners... 215 Yea (McIntosh and Company) ... 2 Snob.'s Il.Ild Dry Creeks:. ... 30 Reedy Creek Quartz Mining Company (J. Terrell and Oompany) 8 Total . 310

TIIE MAOHINERY IS AS. 'FOLLOWS :-

ALLUV~L limING. I QUARTZ MINlNO. ~ _____ Description of Machinery. i Aggregate \ I Number Agg!'

Steam engine, Kilmore gold field I' 8 10, (L. Bourke and Company)

Total value of mining plant in the division, £7,415. Number of square miles of alluvial ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon, 15. Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 30. ' - , The price of' gold during the quarter in the division has been from £3 15s. to £3 16a. per oz.

I 41

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RIlLATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUA.RTZ CRUSHED DURING· THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM. I Average . I llexw.rks rel ..tlve to the Where Qll!\.Ct.Z U';{lt Yield of Gold' Total Yield of! Depth ",t which the oow..ined, r.el'Ton. Gold. ! Quarb, wtl.ti Qbta.illed, &C.

f LOn cwt. qr. oz., dwt.. gr. oz. dwl.. gr. I Albert Reef, Thompson Heedy Creek, 011 j 2 0 ~ 2 10 0 I 30 0 0 }l'ourshafts,from 100 and Company McKenzie's Run I . to 230 feet deep , I (2 to 3 feet thick) No.1, Captain's Reef, Reedy Creek, on I .7 0 0 3 0 0, 21 0 0 Two shafts, from 98 Hayes and Company McKenzie's Run to II 0 feet deep (from 2 to 4- inches) Kilmore Gold Mining Government land, 1,040 0 0 0 32<* 200 0 0 Several shafts sunk Company (L. Bourke farmers' common in this ground from and Company) 50 to 107 feet deep

Total, Quartz ... 1,059 0 0 0 4 17* 251 0 0 i The winter being continually wet up here, the works flooded, and want of pumping machinery, especially the companies' claims at Reedy Creek and Yea, is the cause of this drawback. Those parties, having now pumping steam machinery on the ground, say they will commence immediately. The quartz claims at the Flat Lead and Yea have each a few tons of quartz raised; cannot crush until Webster and Company's mill will be ready to crush for them. I have the honor of sending my report on the state of mining in the Kilmore Division of the Sandhurst Mining District for the quarter. . Reedy Creek Alluvial Mining.-There was a rush on part of this creek last July, about two miles north of Cunningham's Hotel, on a branch called Nuggety Gully. About 400 miners were said to be then on the creek. A man named" Ballarat Jem" found a piece 13 ozs., and several others smaller pieces of I! oz. and 1 oz., &c., all coarse gold. Several shafts were sunk in the gully at the time, but nothing remunerative was found. At present about 215 men are working on the creek, and making what they call reasonable wages. I am lately informed prospecting parties are working on the range over that gully searching for a quartz reef from which the gold mus.t come; it is supposed they have got the reef. (D~vis and ~arr~son.) There .are only four creek claIms ~alren up on the creek. They have three puddlmg machmes m use, and one water wheel, and a few slUlce boxes. The others are in small detached parties along the creek, using only a tub, a dish, and a cradle. Reedy Creek Quartz Mining Reefs.-In this description of mining little has been done here during this quarter, the works ~being flooded; but there is an improvement, more energy, and con­ fidence, as new machinery is procurcd and employed on the claims. The company here commenced work again on the 20th instant. They- have a six:-horse:power steam engine and apparatuB taking the water up, and drying their works, whICh were flooded.:. I expect they will be in full reefing work by the 1st of October next. Eight men employed. . The Albert Reef (Thompson and Company) crushed only: 12 tons this quarter, produced 2-l OZB. to the ton; five men employed. Crusher, a pair of Chilian wheels, worked by horses; crush 3 tons per week (day shift only). / No.1 Captain's Reef (Hayes and Company) crushed only 7 tons this quarter; produced 3 ozs. to the ton; six men employed. Crushing apparatus, a small basin with two. balls, turned by hand; crush two tons per week. None of the claims describcd in my last report were~taken up since. Report the same . .King Parrgt Reefs.-None of those taken up since last reIJorted. Report the same. 'J'eatree Reefs.-None of those taken UIJ since last reported. Report the same. On one of the claims called the Welcome Reef, Soraghan and Oompany state they have about 30 tons of rich quartz raised during this quarter; none crushed. Expect 5 or 6 ozs. per ton. Reason assigned-distance between the claim and the machine over two miles, a deep swamp in the'passage, and could not bring down the quarl;z. Six men employed. Flat Lead Rccf.-Ward and larty crushed no quartz during this quarter; their works were flooded. They have a few tolls raise ; cannot cr)lsh them until Webster and Company's mill crushes for them. Three men employed. , Yea Quartz Mining.-McIntosh and party have a few tons raised, waiting until Webster and Company's mill crushes for them. This claim adjoins Webster and Company's at the north side. Two men em"ployed. . Providence Mining Association, near Yea, Quartz Reefs.-James Daniel Webster and Company have applied for a lease of part of this gold field. They have, within this quarter, removed their steam crushing machinery and fixtures from the former site to the reef, for the purpose of pumping the water out of their :dooded shafts, winding, and erushing also. They are likely ,to do well. Tiley crushed none during this quarter. The principal work done bj' this company during the quarter is erecting their machinery, sinking a main shaft to get under the old works, and making the necessary sheds, huts and buildings, all of which are now nearly complete, and will soon commence operations. 'Kilmorc Quartz Mining Company.-Laurence Bourke and Company have lately taken a lease of twelve acres·of land for gold mining purposes, eommonly known as Kilmore Old Diggings. They are working at intervals during this quarter. They have not yet found the reef, and are working abreast of the range, about 50 feet under the surface, consisting of a compound of quartz leaders, sandstone, and gravel. They have crushed 1,040 tons of this compound this quarter; produced 200 ozs., equal to 3 dwts. 20t grs. to the ton; twenty. five men employed on it. Their prospects are brightening, and satisfied as it is paying expen~es in the beginning, rather sure it will soon turn out better if water holds . .Alluviall\1ining at Snob's and Dry Creeks.-The miners here have been flooded out during the most part of this quarter, and have done very little, as the workings are at the ends of the creeks falling into the Goulburn, and alon_g the near bank of the river. Thejopulation here is about 50 or 6q, among them 20 or 30 miners. They seem to be making a living an a home here, no one interfering WIth them. ;No. 13, e. 42

'Aballdoned Creeks.-'l'eatl'ee Creek, .Boundary Creek; near 'Yea;' and King' Parrot Creek. ,C?n the'25t~ July; 1,864;aq.ford and}]allarook'i'",-*bout twentysh¥:ts"were belllg' sUiik; 'and"a' large rusn was expec e .!

\ 't..! ).-:1' .!o:l , ; (.', ". J\l :~' 'I "'" . "," >::~;,;':::",::.·H~ATHOOTE DIVISION AND WARANG~' SOUTir 'SUBDIVISIO;:-,·'t.:~ :8 ·:\;'I.l ... d1f:!!":~ .'~"l' C. 1 I' I.. ' • ';~'~~~,~: ';~,~. ?':'lJ!t; John Tredgold Strong, Mining Surveyor "and Registrar. i:i1U:" -P:"l!~"j j:... T:';~ ::. I' : ", :: '. ,_ ", ~ " ,': ,. [~: "\" lo ~•.. ']..t·!. :'" ,L H: '", _ J J' " ~ "'" .. ~. '", .", "

Total for the r • EU;;opeans. Chinese. Division and"~ Remarks. ~~bdivision. ,. .' 'i. , .. · Allu~Hil~Miner~-:.~·:·'· ,:.. ••• ~. -> ! " :4;"9'411 115 I. 609 ·r , '. • I .• • , "~Q~a~t~ M~~,~s .tt·'~i~I'~· '.'~'.'!l. 1;1~~"j .::_ r • ~~'''~80t. H 480

:.1 Total 974:" , !, . "lli; "J ,0' 1,089

. : •. ~: ~ f " • '1

· " . , 'l'~!l TOTtI;L: N UM.BER OF ~INERS IS THUB .• DISTBIBUTEP:--: "";!;'" ,., "', ·'li-·Heathcote' (proper) , .~ ,-,' , ... ,. ... ' ',:575 n ,",·.Ii \"""-"." Redcastle, ' , 140 ,d: .: , .... , ::., Gosterfield' q\::;i,;, I, ' ", I" '220 'j: ~;.;" ' Wild"DuckCre~k "., ',;:.. , 113, ,2 ";J"';' ," :~:~~ ~~;~~d':o~he~B:::' " .... ·20 ,j";';,:; ':"" ,." ,;;Campaspe'and Colibau'. .'" 19 '-.' -:<;":"~,r; ;'~~~~' .':.: ;:,"( , • '":. 1':,-_'- , J'; , I 'rotal 1,089 :.; .... ~. . -, ·1 '. ;: .';. ','

~.J J ". , .• , . ,:(~ 1;-:" -:' ~~c t."-'i " ttl

.,'_ '~.' .Desc~~~?~ ,of M.a~hin~: ;J 'Agg,.egate -.'~ ..... ,.., .:: t;·;., \ ;I:; I: '. 0 .. I ~'.~ " ,At Work. Idle. Horse-power of At Work. , Idle•. Steam Engines.

------::~,~il~:~·,~·--:~',~i-=.'~I:~I:~\--:1!------'------,'-,-,-,-.,-.. --~..~.~.~,:~ ---.------;"( -1-..,,---- Horse'Buddling'Machin~s'; .1. '. ,53 " ll, Steam Engines 7 10 116 330 Ohilian Wheels .. J, .. , ' .... '. .;.. 4 Horse Whims fl' ~II; , ...... ,/J ) "\'.:"~: 5 I 4 I,'" ;"""I'("Tot~bali1e of mining plant 'in 'tiie division 'and subdivision, £40,000. . : :1' 'ijumBer' of square" miles of' alluvial ground which is' being, or mllY have been actually wo~J-ed ,g.P~!,l, ~1." '" , . " ' ,', . " .. , .~:>~ N;J1l;I\ber~of .distIDct quart;?; .reefs ,wh~cl;t hav,e .be¢n,,!lct;ually_ pro,ved to be .. auriferoi,ls,; to the present hme, 88. . , '", Th~ ,price ,9f gol!i du~~ng\~he ,quart~r in ~he div~sio~ a~d, subdivisio~' has :be;en. .from £3 149. to i£4 .. per 01'\." ".. ., ,., .... , .:. " , , :.., :.., .' .' .. " ,,', , THE FO.fLOWING INr,ORMATlPN HAS BEEN OBTAIN,ED RELATIVE TO THE QUA;r'TIT,Y (}F QUARTZ 'AND t' "'; QUAR.TZ· .TAILINGS' AND : CEMENT CRUSHED' DURING THE QUARTER~ AND THE GOLD OBTAINED "<",,Il THEREFROM:" ,. ''',. . .',:

Average Remarks relative to the " ,"" Name of Company .. Where :Quartz;·&c., were 'Quartz crushed. ' Yield of ~ld Total Yield 'of Depth at which the .. ft .• " \: ,.:1 ,. , , obt'ained. , per Ton. ' Gold. Quartzwasobtained, &0. ---...,.,..~7'--'----I-~--~-~ -----1------'-'-' ------:-'------

~. I" ~ (!',. ,,~ , .... ; .: ' .' j (. • ~¥AT:~IC~:rE;( : ' ton owt: qr.... oz.' dwt. IO!' oz, dwt. gr. Po.tter, a~~kC,ompany, 'Qaled~nia: G-~liYI .26.,,0 O. 0 3 13 4 12 0 ·100 feet , Manchester R.eef. , :' Potier ~:arid,:Qompany, . Ditto' .'.1,0 0 ,,,0,4 3 9,0 ,75 feet ... :' Phrehix Reef' 'Parker 'and' Company': 'Ditto' 65 0 0 0 7 7 23 14 12 87 feet' .~ t Butler's Reef" .' . I I Kirby' and Company, Ditto' 51 '0 0 <> 5 20 14 17 12 '100 feet ., .. Scandinavia Reef' r I Nelson l and Company, Ditto '4 0 0 5 3 012 62 feet .. . ,Butler'siReef,.' " I' 0 43

INFORMATION ;'RELATIVE, TO. QUARTZ ().!lySfJ:Jilp ..... continued.

" 'Wh Quart &' ~ '-' ~ ,:~., '.:.: t'" 1'\:Jiv~rage ~ 'i U:Z'~'ld" f' &mn.rksrela.tivetothe Nrune of Company. ere, Z, 0 •• were Quartz orushed. ;Yield of &lId 0 ' 1. 0 Depth at which the ______' obtamed. ~. __'_' __I per Ton. &lId. Quartzwa.sobtalned,.tc.

"j ,. ~ ., "',' .. ',/ Heathcote-continued. ',,-' r' ftOn ewt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Adelaide Reef !'"T" , Caledonia Gully 92"'10 :t·O '0"13"20 64 2 0 35 feet Walters. and Company, Long Gully _....., .. ; 24· 0 '0 1 .2 17 27 5 0 84 feet Norris Reef I Kirkhams Reef Ditto .' ... 6''':0 0 0<'''2 4 o 13 ...0 97 feet·,.:' , " ::ll;', Humboldt Reef Ditto 23 0 0 027 2 13 0 51 feet Baker's Reef ... Ditto 6 0 0 0,1'420 1 9 .• 0 101 feet: :"~ ,:t-r"" Miller aI!d Company ... White Gully I 35 10 0 2"5 8 ,80 10 0 120 feet. ." Coronet Reef , Smith and Company .. . Red Hill ... . ," ... 13' :0 0 11 0'eO'·,'·30 feet. . Parkin's Reef .. . Bald Hill... i 2 10 0 3 0"'0'

COBTEBFIBLD. . A::" ,) ...

Coster, ~eld, and Co.... Costerfield,,::", ~, . , ... \ j" ',.1 ..'." u~· \' '" ;1 I '" Minerv~¥ining Co. '... ,Ditto " 'Kt:preseritcrushing Vft. {', ,,:;.';~. ~\ " jI,,; ~ 'l7!tailiirgs V King. B:ibbage, and Co. Ditto ... ';:. 62 : 0 0 o 13 5 40 19. :8" 147'feet-'·. ~' New Brunswick Co. ' .. ,Ditto '.'.. 7 :to 0 1 10 0 11 5 6! tJ5feet.; ..· .. r Gladstone Mining Co ... Ditto ~>.~ ',' •• ; 71: 0 0 0' 3 12 . 12 11 AI :7jl,.fe,~t:., Margaret Reef Ditto' ...., i 10 0, 0 o 6 5 3 2 Q. 3~fee~;,.:, ': Kemp !Lnd Company, .. Ditto " ... , '.' ..... 24: 0 6 7 20 9 7 15, ,Mullock, " CJ •• l' ,,1,"', " ·t {~ " " , ! ' I .r '..1 • ;.., -;' ~I.. " • it " tl -., WIiD DUCK, "/ -r, I • ,._\.' 'T' \~:: :.:.~ .. Ji::'l Great Leviathan Co.... Wild Duck Creek';.: ' , 75 b 0 o 13 23 52 7, 0 170, feet

, .,

I; .~ RimcABTLE. I! 1.' "," , ,r,n "",'j" { Collins's Mary Ann Redcastle '." .•.. ,''''39 0"0 .. P 0 9 o 15 0 ,133 f~~~ . , Reef '. ... :~.. " it Clarke's; Mary AIm Ditto 'j ,..... *10' 0'0 9 0' 14 10" o'~:"l f~~f;~!":,. Reef­ '*. ~. Clarke's;Welcome Reef Ditto ... "56, d 0 "2 18 Hi 163 14 6' 3dbfeki i i :;, Carter's. Clarke's Reef Ditto , .... ; 0 1~. 0 o 12 0 II o 9 Q 95 feet'. , Perry and Company ..• Staffordshire :Flat .,. 37 0 0 3 7 11 ' 124 13, 0'" ,40 feet' .':< ' Reid and Company ... 10 () 0 140 12 0 '0", 180 relit" .,' Ditto .... , C·: Spiro and Company ... Curly Dog ~ully 13, 0 0 0' 12 II 8 '2'6 120 feet· ," Hit-or-Miss Company 'Redcastle.;;' _ .' .1' 35 ;U)' 0 4 18 15t, 175 2 0300'feet; X Blondell and Company Ditto .. ;! \, 2610\~,0 1 12 13 43 3 0 90 feet Hay and'Qompany ... Ditto 20 I O~ '0 o 16 16 16 14 0 40 feet Todd and Company ... Ditto 17 0 0 o 17 21 16 18 0 40 feet V arioue ~rial crushings l Q 0 o 13 23 52 7 0 ' :;; " .~. ,-;i 1-;---'--;.....:;:.....·-·:----,..-1-----··--1, 'i;:':i ,:>:~\. ' k'··· .' . ,"'" r~l .,' 'r .. Total, Quar,~z ... 944 ,15' 0 I! 994 5 5 .:fI' ";.'

I-----~---:----~--I------

Quartz Tailings and Oement crushed. ~';';:.' _-:r. w;, ", ",~, Frenchman'L_ . _'_~'''_ Old Racecourse 20 8 12 Surfacing Norris Reef .. , ... ' Long Gully 2 15 12 Mullook BOCk 'and\Co's"'~Claim; Ca)~don, ia ,Gul.ly ,,'_ 2 17'~IB l'surfaCing Butler's ,Reef;:.;, ..!' I 1I-'-'---'-'----i--- Total, Quartz Tail- } ~ I' ~- ings and Cement 586 0 , , ,,~~~ :,:",~~J"";,, ,''', ... ~.:.

I , , 'r 1, , I" ;. ~ .. MullOCktwith&lit~eQu.artzmixed~,.:j. ! ',JH~d '~Iil"~'b:~~ '''~'\' ! I' 'I '''' ~<" I d. • dl<, t .. 1 ,J ,i',"I.~ There is no change'in mining matters to reco~d in 'this division since date of my last report; , ;" " Some new ground on the old Racecourse· has ,been taken up, but, without any satisfactory results

uptothepresenttin?-e. ,otL ," "",i '>"1 ~. t' # ' • . .', A P!l;rty~o~:mmers.hltv:e,t!l;ken up a quartz prosP,eptin.g claiD;l'!lt\!hel~ead of tlie Cormell!l Creek, a,bout three miles N.E. of Re~castle, a!1d h~ve 'struck gold'; but as they hi!;ve beeh~at'wo~k but"ll short time, and ~aye yet made, no trIal cf,Ushmg, It wou.Jd be pr:ematur~ to ,conclude ~~etl:J.er lt may" prove remuneratlve or not. ' ' . Tw!, parties haveappIied for licenses ·to cut races from the McIvor Creek, for the purpose' of sluicmg some old a'bandoned ground neal' the Township of Heathcote: The results of their operations wi!l be given in my next report . 44 , WARANGA NORTH SUBDIVISION: Mr. Henry Boyns Nicholas, Mining Surveyor and Registrar.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS' AS FOLLOWS:-

Total for the I Europeans. .! Chinese. Subdivision. • Remarks.

----~-'-.------~:-----

Alluvial Miners' 243 89 332

, Quartz Miners ' 158 158

Total 401 89 . 490

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:­ Rushworth: Whroo: Old Lead 17 Nuggety Gully 19' Main Gully - 17 Ballarat Flat .. '. 1 Antonia Gully 3 Chinaman's Flat 6 Storekeeper's Gully 2 Main Gully ... 24 Black Joe's Gully· 8 Champagne Gully 3 N uggety Gully .~" 6 Butoher's Gully 8 Growler's Gully 7 Sootohman's Gully 3 ParamaHa: Gully 5 Gravel Pits ... 1 Mousey's Gully ... 5 Graveyard Gully 1 Skiting Dick's Gully, 4 Poverty Gully ... 9 Shelback Gully 14 . MOSqllltO Gully 13 Billy Button's Gully ·7 Long Gully ... 5 Chicken Flat ... 6 Two-mile '" 2 Diamond Gully .' 5 White Hills ... '3 Old Ned's Gully 14 Blackwall Gully 8 Canadian Gully ... 11 Fontainbleau .. . 5 Chinaman's Flat 54 Siberia .. . 3 N uggety Reefs 30 . RUmore Road 7 Charcoal Reef 3 Balaclava Hill 31 Cockatoo Reef " . ,15 Malakhoff Reef '" 2 Main Gully Reef 2 Happy-go-Lucky Reef .... 3 Growler's Reef 11 Albert Reef ...... 7 Crocker's Reef 14 Stockyard Reef ... 3 Chinaman's Reef 4 Carr's Reef ... . 5 Perseverance Reef 4 Peep-o' -Day Reef 2 Belfast Reef 8 Johnson's Reef 2 Victoria Reef ... 2 276 -- 178 New Rush: , Coy's Reef 4 Rushworth 276 Jones'Reef 2 Whroo. . .. 178 Coy's Gully 30 Coy's New Rush 36 36 Total --490

THE. MAOHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:-

ALLUVIAL MINING. QUARTZ lIfmING.

DeScription of Machillery. ' I I Aggregate i I Nwnher Aggregate l'At ~ork.·\ Idle. 1 Horse-power of I At Work. Idle. of Stamp HOrfle-power of , steam Engines. I Head•. Steam Engines. , -~--

Steam Engines- % Quartz-crushing, pumping, and '" ... ".". 1 .. , 12 16 _ winding , 5 1 66 66 Crushing ..• .. '" '" I ... .-. Horse Puddling Mills .•• ... 54 ...... '" ...... Horse Whims ...... 6 ...... '" Hors~ Whips .. , 15 ...... , , ... '" I. I '" '" Total value of mining plant in the subdivision, £17,000. Number of square miles of alluvial ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon, '35. _. .. N umber of distmct quartz reefs WhlCh have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 63. The price of gold during the quarter in the subdivision ~as been from £3 15s. 6d. to £3 17s. 6d. per oz. • 45

THE FOLLOWING INFORMa:l'ION HAS fUUllN OBTAINED 11.lliLATIVETO THE QUANTITY OF QUAB1'Z, AND QUARTZ TAILINGS AND CEliEN1' CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFR01>L

!; Ave e I Tot:>l Yield of I Remark. relativ~ to tho Name of Gompa,ny. Where Quartz, &c., were Quartz crushed. IYield o~ld oot:>ined. per,Toll. : Gold 8~z!;" ~g;~n~~e ------i------... ---~--- .. - 1-----1------ton ewt. qr. oz. dwt. i,'l'. oz. dwt. gr. Lewis and Menzies Balaclava Hill 3,499 0 0 0 2 18 480 13 0 95 feet Barratt and Company' Johnson's Reef 16 0 0 I 18 3 30 In 0 20 feet to 180 feet Baud and Company ... Happy - go - Lucky 19 0 0 1 9 11~ 28 0 0 130 feet Reef Bailey and Thompson Carr's Reef 3 0 0 2 0 0 6 0 0 40 feet Bailey a.nd Thompson Carr's Reef 9 0 0 0 4 lOi 2 0 0 70 feet Crago and Hicks Malakhofl:' Reef i1 0 0 o 14 13 8 0 0 80 feet Donoghue and Company Belfast Reef 12 0 0 I . 3 18 14 I) 0 130 feet Coy, Anderson, and Co. , Nuggety Hill Reef 45 0 0 1 9 11 66 6 0 90 feet Stewart and Smith South Nuggety Reef 5 0 0 I 18 7 9,l1 12 140 feet P. Sinnatt Pararnatta Reef 3 0 0 I .4 10 3 13 6 Surface Crocker and Ahern ... Crocker's Reef 13 0 0 22 11 8 293 7 6 150 feet T. Longman ... Belfast Reef 10 0 0 0 9 17j 4 17 6 Surface Coy and AQderson Growler's Reef 19 0 0 1 13 20! 32' 3 0 180 feet 12 0 0 o 12 6 7 7 0 40 feet Schultz and Company Frenchman's Reef ... --- Quartz Tailin.'ls Ulld Total Quartz 0 0 986 13 61 Oement crus/ted. J. Thompson Nuggety Gully .•. I 12 0 0 I' 0 10 2 6 1 0 Stewart and Smith Nug~ety Gully ... i--~~ _0 . 5 2i~~' ~otal Quartz Tail- } 92 0 0 I 0 6 2! I . 28 1 0 mgs and Cemcnt I I 3 i. '. In consequence of the refusal on the part of one of the proprietors of a. crushing machine to supply me with the amount of quartz crushed by him during ·the quarter, I am not in a position to furnish the entire amount of quartz crushed in my subdivision during the three months. Q,uartz Mining.-I am pleased to report, that cOllsiderab.1e impetus has been given t.o the prospecting for new, and reworkIng of old reefs, by the success whwh has attended the prospecting to which I refelTed ~n my last quarter's rcport. 'I.'he trial crushing from the reef discovered by Coy, on the Bailister Run, produced 1 oz. 3t dwts. per ton; and from the Malakhoff Reef, Whroo, Crago's quartz averaged 14 dwts. per ton, which pays well. At the late Albert Reef Company's Claim, Auglade and party are raising quartz, which they anticipate "till yield 3 ozs. per ton. The quartz from O'Donoghue's Claim, on the Belfast Reef, ~ushworth, went about H oz. per ton; and a few days since the reef had so much improved, tliat they picked over 3 ozs. of gold from the last bucket of quartz broken. From the Cockatoo Reef, no crushing has, as yet, taken place, but the reef is reported looking well. On the Nuggety Hill Reef, some of the best claims are "exempted" from work, and singullll'ly so, whilst the claims were making good returns, but, apparently, it is solely for the purpose of prospecting other reefs. Crocker's Reef is again yielding remarkably rich quartz" 13 tons, crushed about three weeks since, realized to the fortunate claimholders 2930zs., or upwards of 22t ozs. per ton. Before the orushing, the proprietors had taken from it about 60ozs. of rioh specimens. Messrs. Stewart and Smith, at South Nuggety Reef, are vigorously prosecuting their search for the reef, but unfortunately are too often stopped by their pumping machinery. At Balaclava Hill, Messrs. Lewis and Menzies are fast extending their mining operations. The mine is well laid out, and they riohly deserve the profits derived from it. Upon reference to the above table, it will be seen that the quantity of gold obtained from their quartz averages only 2 dwts. 18grs. per ton, still the thoroughly eillcient machinery which they possess, and their method of working the reef, enables them to declare regular dividends. Alluvial Mining.-,-The rush whioh I reported on the 13th inst., between Whroo and Spring Creek, caused by Coy and party finding payable gold, is progressing satisfactorily. About thirty miners were at work to-day in the prospecting gully, aU getting a little gold, and some doing weU. The depth of sinkin~ about five feet, and the gravel or wash dirt contains gold for eighteen inohes from the bottom. In antIoipation of a scarcity of water, the prospectors are paddocking for a dam. There are no stores nea~er than Whroo, distant seven and half' miles. A little excitement has also been felt in tho township of Rushworth, by the finding of l?ayable gold between the head of the Old Lead and the foot of Growler's Gully. The depth of sinkmg is from 10 to 15 feet, and the run of gold is trending through .the centre of the township. Every facility is afforded to miners who are desirous of working upon the streets. Two other smallmshes have occurred, the one to oement claims near the junction of Nuggety Gully with the Old Lead, and tlie other to a branch gully off Chinaman's Flat, but 8S the area of ground to bc worked was very limited, the whole of it was soon occupied. On the 13th September, Mr. Mining Surveyor Nicholas forwarded a report to the Honorable the Minister of Mines, stating that gold had been found in the south portion of the Waranga North Sub­ division, distant about seven miles S.E. from Whroo, and on or near the Bailiston Run. The Mining Surveyor reported that thc discoverers, Messrs. Coy and Anderson of Rushworth, found gold in surface quartz: that they had applied. for a prospeoting claim, and had shewn him some rioh quartz specimens taken from the reef. They had also- washed two tin dishes of a.)luvium, taken from about 4 feet deep, whioh yielded at the rate of from Ii to 2'dwts. per tub; the scaroity of water prevented li.ny further trial of the alluvium. On the 15th September, the Mining Surveyor reported as follows :_H Starting from Whroo I followed the Bailiston traok in a south-easterly direotion to the Four-mile Creek, which, as may be inferred from its title, is about foUl' mites from Whroo; crossed the creek, and followed it westward for three-foUl'ths of a mile; then striking nearly due south along the ranges. for about four miles, arrived at the gully in whioh thf) prospecting claim is marked out. I found about 30 men at work in that and the nClghbouring gtiJ.lips. The. prospectors had just bottomed a second hole within their claim. From this I saw a prospeot taken and washed: the yield of gold was at the rate of 2! dwts. per tub. This was about the same as their first· prospect. The gold was coarse and waterworn, the sinking 5 fcct, and the washdirt 9 inohes thiok. Gold was found in every hole tested during my stay, but , \

46 payable (ro~' one only; besides, that was in the' next guny"westwards. Quartz reefs:" crop out"· oii all' tl1e"ranges;'and' I saw' sonie very good sp'eciniens taken from' tlie' 'reef which irH:ieiiig'wor1l:ed by thy same J?rospectors. The b~at:ing of this reef was we,st l~o north; there ~e others With:north and south bearmgs. The discoveries so fur have not been very nch, but as the hills' and gullies for some ~les are' of. similar formation, ~,sh~u).d judge_}ha~, :v~th ~cr!!~El~, ~opulll..tioll and p~gsPec~in~~ they wIll,develop.moo-a new gold field:', .. ,~r." t". . ,;,f ,l •• " . I'

"i' ".

, J t I_~"it, RAYWOOD DIVISiON. ,,1 ; ~~,.. . , '. "4 1_. "f ',;f1 '. ,." r ..... M~. ;~. !f~.!?m;mett, MinVn9Regi8r1>~?":': L,.of i"f' ·-t :.1 ..:" . : .. - ;. - - ... ,.' .J! < ~,;' "".I "t. .It._ THE ~OTAL NUMBER. OF :MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS ':- .

Total for the ." .~.' ! • DiVi8ion~ . ,

Alluvial Miners 1 •• 2,180. 100 ' 2,280 Increase 'If quartz miners; slight decrease of alluvial miners. ' QuartE :Miners ,'aDo , :: 3.00 Total " "'1 ~-' 2,480 I , ,100 .. 2,580 .1

, I I ,. .:. THE TOTAL NunlBER OF MINERS 18 THUS DISTRIDUTED.:~ I Coulter's, Welbourne, Pioneer, May, Star, Elysian Flat Rus!J.es ""I 300 Christmas, Pembroke, Dennebrok, See, ,Kamarooka ... ,. ... . 100 and other reefs ' 300 Philip Gully, .... : 40 Ilj-glewopd Hill Lead '," 400 Shl'lpherdinl>', ~OllStl'Ucting dams, earting, Raywood' Lead . " , " , '. 350 and washmg 1 , .,:, ,450 Sailor's Gully Lead 250 ' ' .. , Sebastian .,,'" ... 'j' .'" ',"140' )"Total '.:, . ;i~5§0' Elysian Flat '2150 d'

TB:E MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS ;-

\'1 : '\ ,ALLUVIAL ,MINnm. " ~'1" .... " QUAR~Z M'4'lP!G" " : '. ". "

" .: ,.~;;;~~ta '1-,-.--'1----, ,"-!-N-um"":-b-er-I-,-A8gr~-e-ga,-te~ At Work.' Idle, HOl'lle-powerof At Work, Idte:' of Stamp Horse-l2.0werof : J Steam Engines, " Reads.. Steam .Engines. ____ I ____~-I------~f,~·---II~--~-I~-~-~- ! Steam Engines . '1 2 :24-' . 45 Puddling :Mills 'I ..... 'I': .... ·1 • •• ;1 . , ,',:. " I' . I' .r .\ \.~ ".,~ .. I· . . NOTE.-Two stOllm mills'going Up--Q1ll) On Glass Reef,·anQtlier on Leasehold IWef,Sol1th,So'bastia.n-n~t yet ca.lcUiate(I:\ ,- ~=b:~~f ~~:~~r1:~} i~:ti~V;~~~d:e~~~~:·ls' p~ill~. 'o;:may '1lltV~"~~~~,: a~tiiill;~~~~~~~ upon, 2;t.. : 'd ,i. \ I , ... . ~ -:' tiIri~; 8~=g e,r ?f ,distine;, ~~.a:t?;r~efs~~c~ '~a~~, b~~~ .a:~~~HY ~~roV~d to be~w;i,f~to~~ '~,~~~:,pre~e~~ . The prlce of g9ld durmg. the quart~r Jll the: dmslOU .h.as been, from £3 178. 6d",to £3 18s. 6d. per,oz. ' ~'. h' '.~;:I'\''':' [. ", l~:.' 'jI .' • i \ .~ ' .• " "; ~:'.ol~' :,' .r.: '~'J ·;;'t·,~ ... ~~~·~~,':. TIlE 'FOLLOWING INFORlLl.TION HAS ,BEEN 'OBTAINED 'RELATIVE TO 'JIliN' QUANTITY" OF QUARTZ AND: . '. CEnIENT: CRUSHED DUI~ING' THE QUARTER, ,AN!! THE ,GOLD· 0l!TAINED TlIEREimOM. j'" J 'U. ', .. " ' .,'. { tl .~,.~', :I" .'1,' -".'~j"~:'~

-'------

.j. / j ,t .•, . , .....

• No mining oompa.ny formed here yet. 47

, QUARTZ MINING." " The development of quartz reefs in the district has steadily progressed during the past quarter although comparatively small quantities of the matrix: have' been reduced, owing to the various companies being engaged in sinking new shafts, and otherwise testing the ground. An encouraging feature in this description of working is the ascertained fact of the stone boing auriferous at the respective depths, of sixty.four (64) and eighty {SO) feet, the greatest depth yet reached here. This lias proved the case on the Coulter's and Pioneer Reefs; the latter is situate to the eastward of the Coulter and Christmas line. Several surface, discoveries of auriferous stone have been made, which are being energetieal1y tested. The most promising of these appears to be ,at Kamarooka, about twelve miles N. by E. of Raywood, a quantity of stone from which will be tried here this week. At Sebastian, two new quartz-crushing machines are in course of erection by' companies having !l!)q]lired mining lease~. " " .• - :·ALLUVIAL'MiNING. No new discovery of alluvial has taken place in the imm,ediate vicinity of Raywood. • EI,Ysian 1i1at, Glenlynden, and r>russian Gully about a stationary population. The yields from this lOCalIty vary considerably, owing to the patchy nature of the ground. . '1:he discovery of rich matrix at Kamarooka has attracted considerable attention amongst alluvial miners, and extensive prospecting is being carried on in the locality. Gold has been obtained in small quantities, in one instance at a depth of forty (40) feet, and it is not improbable that a rush of Bome importancc may shortly take place in the' neighborhood. The sinking, strata, and nature of wash correspond strongly with the Inglewood Hill Lead on Raywood. The winter here has proved unusually dry, the water supply not having been nearly sufficient for general mining purposes. ' , ' , ',.. : The popUlation oth~r than miners may be taken as ... 2,550 Miners ... ' ... :.. '... ' .. ; 2,580 Total 5,130 NOTE.-On the 22nd August, 1864, Mr. Mining Registrar Emmett forwarded II report to the Honorable the Minister of Mines, stating that two or three rushes had taken place in the locality of N eilborough, Elysian Flat, bordering upon the Whipstick. The sinking was from surface to 50 feet; about 150 ounces per week were then being obtained from these rushes.

,..<. ••, ~ " '," • MARYBOR.OUGH MINING DISTRICT.

MARYBOROUGH DIVISION. Mr. D. O'Leary, Milfl/Vng Su?'veyor and Registrar.

. , THE TOTA.L NUMBER OF MiNERS IS AS FOLLOWS:-

, , \ I ,I . Europejw.. ChInese. Total for the Remark•• ! " " Divillion,

1--'1,256 Alluvial Miner~ ...... 3,300 4,550 Quartz Miners ...... 480 ... 480 -'--~-~-~--'- Total ... 3,780 1,250 5,030 I ,. TllE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTBIBUTED:- Maryborough, Main Lead, and Blackman's 150 qhinaman's and adjacent reefs ... 550 Cuddy's Flat .. , .. , ,.. ..' 120 Majorca, including Gibraltar ... 2,300 Waterloo Flat and Bell's Gully ... 70 Adelaide Lead and adjacent reefs 390 Mosquito Flat and adjacent reefs 500 , Alma and Balaclava. 120 Old Man's Gully and adjacent reefs 250 Golden Point and Four-mile Flat 150 Total ... 5,030 McKenzie's Gully ... SO /-- Havelock and adjacent reefa 350 1

TllE MACllINEBY IS AS FOLLOWS:- ' ..

, ' ALLUVIAL :MnrINa. QUARTZ Mnn:N'a.

Description of Machinery. I Aggregate I I Number Aggregate ~tWork, Idle. At Work. I Idle. of Stamp IHorse-Power of :~r:-~~;:,~ , , I llends. Steam EIl,,"ines.

---~-~ --.. -----. ----~--i--~--

Steam Engines employed in 8 ... 146 ... H' H' I ... pumping, winding, &c. i I , ' i I . Whims '" ' .. 102 ...... , I ...... Puddling Machines ... 208 85 ...... 'j ...... Steam Engines employed in ...... 9 1 170 170 pumping, winding, '" I crushing" &0. ! I I

, 48

Total value of milling plant in the division, £40,800. Number of s'll1are miles of alluvial gronnd which is being, or may have been, actually worked "poII,50. i"in,,,be" of disrifl"t ({"adz t'eel:~ wl"e!. jll',v;; belen ",~h,"li;' pl'vl'ed t,) Gfl "',rifel'(,,,, to the pt'e~elli, illllt:~ 1.1 b. • 'J'flt; l.ll·'l\~' (.f" g()ld alll'ill,:; :~ll(-! tillar"rel' ill thr: tiivir.;liHl I"I~ bt~{'n ft"~lnl :£:; lS;.:. 1;(. £~t .I~s, ijd. Ptjl' I} 1',.

TH.E VOl.rIO'\\'IS(: J,'ic'V.I{)t,\.Tli)X li.~S Inn;''\" OH'I.'.\I .... '·:1J HJ,;-r •.'\1't\'li T(; TJ:fl': Q,iJ.'N'J'I'l"Y (t}' QUAU'l'1'. A~O GDt ~'8T Gll IfSHJH) Ilf11: I1W T In: QIJA'H'rE~, ,\ '" Il 'l'H',~; G'o 1,1) Oll'1'A.1SED l'l!El!EI1!W)l.

i 'I\nl,ere Q ··~z ". we Avera"" Total ",'old I Remarks relative to the Name of Company. I " ,~~, ,,,",v,, re I Quartzcruohed, Yield of Gold of~ld Depth at which the f. i otta.med. per Ton. . j Quartz was obtained. ~ --~~~~~_~~~_I _____~ ______, I ' I ton cwt, qr. oz.dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Houghton anc1 Williams ll3lu?her's, :Frec1ks" &c, 1,625 0 0 0 9 6 751) 1 6 60 to 240 feet Ballarat Company ... I LeViathan Reef '" 1,528 0 0 0 15 4 1,158 14 16 90 to 120 feet Close Heef Company... ::I'lariner's Reef ,1,420 0 0 0 3 12 248 10 0 80 feet Hansen nnd Company. From different reefs 2,160 0 0 0 17 O' 1,836 0 0' Different c1epths Boughton and Williams, Blucher's ", '" 450 0 0 0 12 0 270 0 0 240 feet late Seers and Sons GreenawayandWal1ace Britannia,SYc1ney,&c./ 630 0 0 0 1.5 12 488 5 0 /50 to 150 feet Johnston anl! Sons ... II Ironstone, Dorset, &c. 720 0 0 0 16 0 576 0 0 100 to 160 feet Watkins and Company ]'iagstaff, Telegraph, "'840 0 0 0 II 8 I 476 0 0 40 to 100 feet , &c. Total Qnartz ... /--;'373 _ 0 0 _0. 12 9¥: 5,805 0 22 i Cement crushed. Johnston and Sons '", Majorca ' ~oo 0 0 0,14 0 I 63~ 0 0 60 to 100 feet Honghton and Williams Ditto ... 460 0 0 0 1 g 0 299 0 0 Ditto ' Greenaway & Wallace Ditto _'::':500 ~I_l~_ 1,650 ~ Ditto Total Cement... 2,860 0 0 0 18 oq 2,579 0 0

• Forty tons of this paroel, out of the Old Flagstaff Reef, realized 3 oZ!!. to the ton. The Old Blueher's Reef i. also paying well lOt ~ depth of 240 feet. The price of gold (amalgamated) hasreached £4 10, per ounce. I have the honor to report, that duri.ng the quarter, mining operations generally in this division have been steadily pursued, while on the'various workings the population has much of the appearance of a settled charaeter. ~' MAJORCA. On this gold field, the tracing of the lead, in a northerly direction, has been checked, in consequence of the present inefficient system of working. In the absence' of machinel'y, in the deep and wet ~ound, the .miners have evidently b~en ul!a~le to p~o,ceed any further, On the south- end, including Glhraltar Hill, they find themselves III a SImIlar posltlOn, and have, therefore. arranged to cut up this section in extended claims, varying in area from one to seven acres; there are, at present, nine claims taken up, area, 32a. 2r. 29p., on the sonthern boundary of which is the claim of the United Kingdom Gold Mining Company, employed profitably for the last three years; depth of workings, 114 feet; washdirt, 2 feet thick; weekly dividends, according to treasurer, amount to one o~nce per man. I ALMA. For the last three years, workings or ally magnitude have ceased on the Alma; the miners afte";: having, as in other places, traced the leads into the deep aud ,wet fiat, had' to ahandon the ground. 'There are three of those leads, the Alma, the Balaklava, and the Grave Yard Lead, which appear to converge so rapidly that aj~llletion in,the Alma Flat ~ay be expected, To tcst this supposed junction ground, a strong, company IS nOw bemg formed, haVlng secured a lease of 58 acres; and with the assistanee of efficient machinery will, doubtless, be enablecl to discover the lost leads of the Alma. Two other leases of 30 acres each have been applied for. ,

CnINAM.A.N'S Fr,AT. The ~lluvjal workings and quartz reefs of this gold field hold a first.cl~s position i:Q. the division. The Hit-or-Miss Company has been working at the 136-feet level; washdirt from 3 to 4 feet thick; weekly dividends sometimes as high as 84 ounces (19 shareholders). The United Company. next claim north, has been working at three different levels, viz,. at 110; 130, and 150 feet, arising from the undulation ,of the bottom. Washdirt and dividends similar to the Hit·or-Miss. (20 shareholc1ers.) The Magnum 11onum, north of the United, has only bottomed at a depth of 159 feet; and this was no sooner accomplished than the stability of the shaft, seemed affected, after reaching the bottom drift, wllich resulted in the loss of several months hard work in a' few minutes. 'i'he cOllll?any, how e,er, is about being re-organised with favorable prospects, and a fresh application is bemg made for an extension of ground" . The course of the lead, as traced in the claim of the United, hal'ing been ascertained to trend in a norih-'eastel'ly direction, it is now supposed that in pla.ce of it intersecting the Timor Creek Village Reserve, its prohable course will yet continue on the east side of the Bet-Bet Creek.

• QUARTZ MINING. , . !t is grati~yin~ to be in a positio,n to report that most of the quartz reefs being work!,d in the diVISIon have, durmg the quarter, YIelded satIsfactory returns. A~ongst those well-paymg reefs the Leviathan deserves special mention, five claims on which keep the crushing m(~chine of ~he Ballarat Company constantly at work. 'rhis reef, at tIle present level of 120 feet, is 25 feet thick. Average yield, 15 dwts. 4, &,,1'8. pel ton. 49

AMHERST DIVISION. IIIr. Oharles Oole, Mining Surveyor and Registrcur.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:-

I I Total for the Europeans. Ohine ... Division. .Remarks.

Alluvial Miners '" ... 2,870 400 3,270 A decrease has taken plaee in the - Chinese population during the Quartz Miners; ...... 340 ... 340 quarter• I Total ... 3,210 400 3,610

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:- Rocky .Flat Lead ... 400 Adelaide Lead (south) 360 Mount Greenock Lead 420 Kangaroo Flat ... 450 Gibraltar (south end) ... 200 Nuggety Gully 100 McCallum's Creek 250 Scandinavian Lead 90 Cockatoo Gully 250 Mysterious J... ead 50 Blacksmith's Gully 350 Splitters' Creek lQO Daisy Hill Flat 250 Mia-mia Flat 340 Total 3,610

THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:-

Description of Machinery. ---1=!-=-if~iA.w~I'''I·tsI ' Steam Engines employed in pump- ing. \vinding, crushing, &c. 8 4 151 2 3 40 86 Puddling Machines 254 51 Horse Whims 45 12 3 6 Hydraulic Hoses 2 Sluice Boxes ... 14 4

Total value of mining plant in the division, £21,870. N umber of square miles of alluvial ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon,4O. . Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually pI'oved to be auriferous to the present time, 4.4. The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been from £3 18s. 6d. to £3 18s. 9d. per oz.

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUA..~TITY OF QUARTZ AND QUARTZ TAILINGS AND CEMENT CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM.

I Avera. Remarks relative to th Name of Company. I Where Quartz, &0., were Quartz crushed. IYield of ~Id ITotal Yield of Depth at whioh th" i obtained. per Ton. Gold. Quartz was obt.ained. "

.~ . ' , . ---~---..------, ton owt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. I oz. dwt. gr. Germain Company ... Windermere Reef ... 50 0 0 0 6 0 15 0 0 50 to 60 feet White Star Company White Star Reef 65 0 0 0 9 0 29 5 0 70 to SO feet Dunston and Company Prince of Wales Reef 80 0 0 I 0 10 0 40 0 0 50 to 60 feet White Horse Company White Horse Reef ... 30 0 0 . 0 8 0 12 0 0 40 to 50 feet Chas. Fox and Company Wednesday Reef ... 35 0 o I 0 15 0 26 5 0 20 to 30 feet Bush aDd Company ... North Western Reef 15 0 o 0 3 0 2 5 0 70 to 80 feet Freestone and Company North Bri tish Reef 8 0 o ,0 6 0 2 S 0 20 to 25 feet Dana Company ... Dana Reef ... 25 0 0 3 0 0 75 0 0 7 to 24 feet Ellison and Company Dana Reef ... 35 0 0 o 15 0 26 5 0 16 to 20 feet Costick and Company Laura Reef ... 720 0 0 0 6 0 216 0 0 liS to 130 feet Pattison and Company Finche's Reef ... 20 0 0 3 15 0 75 10 0 130 to 140 feet Potter and Company ... White Horse Reef ... 6 0 0 o 10 8 3 2 0 20 to 30 feet Everexon and Company Ballarat Hill Beef ... 6 0 0 I 1 10 18 9 4 12 50 to 60 feet Crabb and Company ... White Star Reef ... 12 0 0 . 0 5 0 3 0 0 70 to 80 feet

Total Quartz 1,107 0 0 534 14 12 Quartx Tailings and I-o;.~~. Gernent c-f'ushed. Bartlemore ...... Various places ... 302 0 0 0 6 IS! 102 5 12 i I 1 Price per ton for crushing quartz, from 128. to 158. Price per ton for crushing cement, from 9s. to 128. No.1S,/. 50

I have the honor to report, that during' the ql\arter, considerable progress has been made in mining matters throughout the division. In fact, almost every day discloaes something which tends to prove, that as regard,s ]l1iWng, ,tjJ.is-,dirisiqI\ is l1lere1y ill its ·infancy. ,', A rush of much importance has taken place within the last few days to Splitter's Creek, situated ' about three and a half miles north of Mount Glasgow, about five miles south of Majorca, and three miles east of Mount Greenock Creek..' ,.~ , " The prospectors bottomed at a depth of 80 feet, and reported having obtained of!' the bottom, a 2.oz. nugget, and 1 dwt. of sm:¥l gold. This. caused no little excitement, and at one time there were nearly"'I:,OOO miners on the_ground. However, as fiye or six unremunerative claims were bottomed in succession, the rush quickly subsideg, and at the present moment not over 60 miners are on the ground. These are determined to give the place, a thorough trial, as its appearance is decidedly of an: 'auriferous nat'ure~" ' ., ' . ," "', In' addition to this; scveral minor rushes have occurred, principally on Kangaroo and, Mia·min Flats; but'beyond a few good patches having been 'found, nothing particular was done. ' , Mount Greenock Load.-On this)~~~ the conp,-derice of the ininers in its. permanency remains unabated, and there can be no question that they deserve great credit for the struggles the majority of them are making to develop it with the small means, at their command." Many of them have been compelled from necessity ~o sacrifice a ll!orge portion of their shares to business people, for the purpose of obtaining the means of subsistence during thc time they are sinking their shaft. On no portion of this lead that is at present leased will it 'cost ~ess than £450 to sink a shaft, and but few small parties of miners have this sum at their command. The want of capital in the district is severely felt. ' Those claims that have .bottbmed and opened'!out are yielding very satisfactory returIis;'more especially the All Nations, Talbot, Perseverance, Oriental, Black Ball, Darlin~, Victoria, and Prince of Wales Companies; The Pioneer Company have struck payable gold, but have not yet sufficiently opened out to enable them to declare"dividends. The Undaunted Company have commenced to sink, .alldJuive proved their ground, from the shaft of the Oriental Company, to be highly auriferous; thus proving that the lead here must be of exceedingly great width.' The Southern Cross Company are not yet -through the rock; they find the water exceedingly heavy. The Search and Find It Company expect to penetrate the rock in' a feW days. 'This company have purchased a steam engine of 25·horse power,' and are now engaged in' removing it to their ground. The Homeward Bound and' Lone Tree Isolat • Companies expect to be in a position, in: a. few days, to commence operations. The Golden Ball,Company have commen!Jcdto,sink. The.Koh.i.noor.and 'Grand Junction Companies have likewise commenced to sink. '. " ', ..N~r;:RockY Flat'Lead.-Here progress is likeWise going forward. The Band of Hope are engaged in erecting a steam eirgine of 12·horse power." The l~ising Sun Company have completed the erection of their machinery, and havc commenced to open out their ground. The Paddock Company are receiving good weekly:dividends, from £5 to £10 per man per week. The Britannia, Prince Alfred, and IrishLas~ Compa,nies are. al!!o being well rew}trded for t)J.~ir ll;'bor. , , . . . . " .. ._; . , The engllle of the Royal Standard Company, lll'~aunders s Paddock, was started 'afew days, sllW,e, and the company will soon commence t9 open out theIr ground. ' , . ,'" In Dunn's and Taaffe's Paddocks, between Talbot and Amherst, a rich lead of gold ha~"b,eim found, supposed to be a continuation of the old Daisy Hill Lead; and as it is supposed to trend through several of .the adjoining paddocks, these ha.v~ been leased from the owners on reasona~le terms. . QUatrt;z Mining.-A new and promlsmg reef, named the" Dana, " has been discovered a little to the north-west of Amherst. The fust trial- crushing' of 25 tons yielded an average of 3 ozs. to the ton; or a totRr of' 75 ozs. The lode was found at a depth o'f 7 feet from the surface, and is about 2 feet thick. Ellison and party (No.1 North) have struck the reef, and the first crushing of 35 tons yielded 15 dwts: to the ton. ,Three other parties are sinking for the reef. ,It. appears that the success of the, ~reat Eas~ern 9ompany,. on G~braltar Hill, was to be of a temporary' nature, for shortly aft~r obtall;UIlg'the rIch y~eld ment~oned III my last r~p~rt, the lode suddenly disappeared, and all theIr exertlOns to re-find It have failed. It seems as if It had been merely a bloc~ of ,reef, qu~te isolated from any other, extending only a few feet in depth in the bed rock.,. - -. " .

, ••• ~ ,-r . AVOCA"SUBDIVISION. ¥ r .. Richard .E'M}Ush, :M:ilr/.,irJ,g Surveyor and Registrar.

•. - II

~ t "

THE TOTAL NUMBER, OF MINERS" IS A8 FOLLOWS:-

,'\, , Total for the : ,: Europeans. . Chinese. Subdivision. ---:;---...... :.---~----I'---- -.-- ·----I!----~------'~·~·--

Alluvi~ ¥iner~ , 946' 510 1,456 Quartz Miners 19 ... 19

~~-'- '.' Total 965 510 1,475

THE'TOTAJ;. NUMBER OF MINER!)' IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:- 120 Avoca 650 Lamplough ... '120 'No.1 Creek ,:. '''AO Homebush 110 Amphitheatre 290 Fiddler's Creek 100 Mountain Hut Total 1,475 Green Hill Creek 45 .Si

. j THE MACHINERY is AS FOLLOWS:-

QUARTZ MINING.

Description of Machinery. Number Aggregate I '~gr_te I Horse-power of Idle. Horse.~ of l. "At.. Work. Idle. . of Stamp At Work. Steam' . es .. Heads. Steam Engines.

. 1.. --!.... .' ~ r ,c' 20 18 Steam Engines employed 5 146 '" 2 winding. pumping, crushing, &c. , ., Puddling Machines ... 70 16 ... '" ...... 2 2 2 ...... Crushing Machines ...... -- ..... --- Toms .. , ... 20 7 '" ... , ......

Total value of mining plant in the subdivision, £10,000. . Number of square miles of alluvial 'ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon, 19. Number of .distinct quartz reefs which have been actually' proved to be auriferous to' .the present time, 7. . , The price of gold during the quarter in ~he ,sup.division has Deen from,.£3 17s. 6d, to ~4 per oz.

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS' BEEN OBlAINED RELATIVE TO TUE, QUcANTITY OF QUARTZ ·TAILINGS AND CEMENT CRUSHED DURING. THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROl\1. .. Average Remarks relJl.tive to the 'Where Quartz, &c., were Total Namaef Company. Quart. crUShSd.1 Yield of Gold I Depth at which the obtained. per Ton. Yield of Gold. Quartz was obtained.

---~"---'-- ---.----- I ton ewt .. qr. 0," dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Harrison and Company Tucker Bank, Avoca 600 0 0 0 2 0 60 0 0 Lead Harrison and Co~pany Avoca Lead . 200 0 O• 0 4 0 40 0 0 Harris and . Company Lamplough .... 2,000 "- O· .( 18 175 0 0 , ': ~'::1 I < Jlosanke and Company ·AvocaLead .... 1,200 0 2 6 I 135 0 o ' . . .. ! Total, ... 4,000 0 0 0 2 I! -I 410 0 0

. . I have thtl honor to report, 'that in quartz mining I have no change to communicate this quarter, whilst alluvial is steadily improving. . The Hit' or Miss (Hocking and Company), Avoca Lead, after considerable difficulty in . draining their ground, have at length succeeded, and have· fllSo struck payable .drift, yielding on the ~verage 3 ozs. to'the machine, which gives £5 to each of the shareholders (who are all working men) per week. Harrison and Company have suspended all operations for, the purpose of reorgani:l;ation with increased capital and appliances, which cannot fail in being remunerative, inasmuch as their last yield gave 18 ozs. of .gold ~o about 90 tons of drift, besides obtaining a small portion of rich ce~ent. The Avoca Gold Mining Company (Lambert's Lease) have been driving several weeks for the deep gro have now struck some of the old workings for which they were driving, and expect to get ift in two or three days. The Avoca Gold Mining Association (Pascoe's Lease) have bottomed their shaft and obtained a payable prospect; they are now sinking their well, and commence to open out immediately. This portion of the lead was very rich, and with such perfect appliances, will be a very payable investment. The Star Company (Homebush) are erecting their! machinery, and will be ready to commence mining operations in a short time. Several other applications under the Leasing Regulations are about being made for ground in this locality. I have no doubt that the continuation of the Four-mile Flat Lead will be found payable 'in the wet ground, and should one of these companies succeed, there are several miles of this ground equally attractive and yet untried. The Amphitheatre Diggings give remunerative employment to a settled number of miners; frequent patches of new and payable ground are found (in most cases) upon some one or other of the many comcally formed hills, which abound in this I!art of the district. It has also been stated to me, that a company is about being constituted to more efficiently test the fiat ground near Glenlogie Township and in close proximity to the Avoca River ..As this in deep and wet ground is the only outlet from the surrounding gold workings, which are of considerable extent, I think sufficient inducement is held out, in this part of the district also, for profitable investment. - Fiddler's Creek maintains a population of a settled description, including the Ohinese portion'; the whole are making1a good living. Another prospecting party have gone out for the summer months into that extensive tract of new and unexplored country, lying between Lexton and the Amphitheatre. This part of the district certainly presents every appearance of being highly auriferous. . In the other portions of the subdivision, I have no change sip-ce my last to report. 52

DUNOLLY DIVISION. Mr. R. J. McMillan,MVnVng Surveyor and Registrar.

THE ~OTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:-

EuropeaDB. Ch.illese, I Total for the' Remarks. I Division.

_~ __~I

Alluvial Miners ...... 1,980 363 2,343 Quartz Miners ...... 622 ... 622 Total ... 2,602 363 2,965 /

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTBD:- Dunolly-' Inkermann­ Main Lead 130 Flat ... 190 Western Rush 35 Wattle Flat ,/ 110 Wilson's Lead 42 Eastern Rush 65 German Gully • 65 Reefs 28 Hard Hills ... 56 Moliagul 280 Reefs 18 " Reefs 67 Ison's Flat 35 ­ Burnt Creek­ Puzzle Flat 250 Gooseberrv Hill 169 Scattered .. 104 Splitter's Hill 115 'l'arnagulla and Cays ... 741 Flat ... 130 Jones's Creek and Bet Bet 270 Reefs 65 Total .2,965

THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:-

ALLUVIAL MINING. Qu AAl'Z MINING.

------~-.-----~-- DeBcription of Machinery. I Aggregnoo Number Aggregate : AtWork. Idle. Horse~~of At Work. Idle. Of Stamp Horse-power of Swam . eB . Heads. Steam Engines. .--. ------Steam Engines employed pump- ing, winding, and crushing ... 4 2 77 19 \0 212 424 Horse Crushing Mills ... .. , ...... 1 3 ...... Whims ...... 9 4 ... 8 4 .. '" • 9 •• Puddling :M:achines ... '" 140 140 ......

Total value of mining plant in the division, £52,000. N umber of square miles of alluvihl ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon. 12t. . Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 156. . 'l'he price of gold during the quarter, in the division, has been from £3 178. 6d. to £4 per oz.

THE FOLLOWING INFOR;\fATION- HA~ ~EEN OBTA~NED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND QUARTZ TAILIN'GS AND CEMENT CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM.

. I I -- Remark. relative to the N ... me of Company. Where Quartz, &0 .• were Quartz crushed. IYie!il Avcra~ of !d Total Yleltl of De])th nt which the obtained. Gold. j I per too. Quartz was obtained. I ~~.--- j ~---. : ton. cwt. qr.1 oz. dwt gr. oz. dwt. gr. Thomas King ... Poverty Hec,f ." 410 0 o I 'I 1 12! '441 ' 1 0 385 feet deep. j New Chum He,)f J. Dal'ies ... Sandstone Heel' '} 1,820 0 0\ 0 9 OJ 819 12 0 I! Maiden Reef Kirks ...... Burnt Creek, in nu- llitlrOUS small par- I cels from various reefs ...... 1,040 0 0 0 5 2-r1J 265 0 0

-.~--~.-~ ~--~-- Total Quartz ... 3.270 0 0 0 9 8 1,525 13 0 Quartz Tailillg& and Cement crushed. G. E. Wright n. Bealiba ...... 3,020 0 0 0 5 15~ 853 0 0 Glamorganshire Co. ... Ditto ...... 3,250 0 0 0 5 1I! 889 0 0 D. Kirks ... Burnt Creek ... 600 0 0 0 3 0 90 0 0

._._-,-----~-- TOlal. Quartz Tailings and Cement 6,870 0 0 5 8 1,832 0 0 ..... '" - 0/ -

, , 53

In alluvial mining during the quarter, several small rushes have taken tlace in the division, but none of them have as yet proved to be of importance, and the bulk of o.lluvia miners are employed in the old workings. They are, evidently, beginning to turn their attention, more than hitherto, to the taking up of extended areas to be worked by machinery; six different parties having taken up such, within tlie last two months. With this exception, there IS nothing of importance to· report about this branch of mining. In quartz mining generally there is no change to report; only one new reef has been discovered during the quarter, which has given a prospect of 1 oz. 8 dwts. per ton, from about 30 tons; it is named the Derby Reef, l\;foliagul; but several prospecting claims have b.een taken up on old aban. doned reefs, two of which, viz., Oheshire n.eef, Burnt Creek, and Skipper's Reef, Inkermann, have yielded about 5 ozs. per .ton from crushings of a, f~w tons. On Poverty ;Reef, , all mining has been suspended durlng the last two months, m consequence of pendlllg ~rrangements among the various claimholders for leasing the ground and erecting more extensive machinery, and consequently about 100 miners have been thrown out of employment on this reef for the present, but new and powerful machinery is being erected by the claimholders conjointly, and will probably be in working order in about two months time. .

------_._---_.

KORONG 'DIVISION • .Mr. John S. Robertson, Mining Surveyor and Registrar.

~'HE TO'fAL NUMBER OF MINER~ IS AS FOLLOW';:-

Total for tho European •• Chinese. Division. Remarks.

Alluvial Miners ...... 1,100 500 1,600 Quartz Miners ...... 1,200 .. . 1,200

Total ... 2,300 500 2,800

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS TIlUS DISTRIBUTED:­ New Inglewood 1,500 Old Inglewood 20 Korong 4.00 Jericho 50 Kingower 250 McIntyre'S 20 Sinnott's 20 Bourke's Flat ... 70 Loddon and Kingarra 4.00 Caledonian Flat ,." 70 Total 2,800

THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:~

ALLUVIAL Ml:NING. I QUARTZ MI:NING.

-_. <-- Description of l\Iaohinery. I Aggregate I Number Aggregate At Work. I Idle. At Work. < Jdle. of Stamp Horse-power o{ ft~~:~:;~~ Heads. Steam Engin.... ---.. -- I Steam E!;lgines employed pumping ...... I 3 . ... 30 .. I Steam Engines employed crushing ... .,. .. . I 16 2 159 I 239

~ Whims ...... I ...... 23 ...... \ .. ~ Whips ...... 20 ...... I ... I Puddling Machines ...... 75 20 ...... I ... I I I I I

Total value of mining plant in the division, £33,850. Number of square miles of alluvial ground which is being. or may have been, actually worked upon, 30. Number of distinet quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be, auriferous to the present time, 139. The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been £3 178.6d. (alluvial,) £3 18s. 6d. (amalgated,) per oz. .; THE FOLLC)WING ,INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED, RELATIVE TO', THE QUANTIT!, 9F QUARTZ , CRUSHED DURING THE ,~UARTER, AND THE GOI!D OBTAINED, THEREFRO.M~"

Remarks relative to' the Where Quartz was Yi.tJ~f~~ld '-rotai Yield of Name of Company. obtained, Quartz crushed, Depth at whieh the per Ton. Gold., Quartz was obtained.

ton ewt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Granite Company's· Jericho ... " 1;500 0 0 o 12 15i ,949 0 ·0 i Crushing Machine Harvey's Machine ... Inglewood '754 0 0 o 11 8~ 428 0 0 Victoria Machine ... Ditto .. . 749 ,0 0 o .. 8 12~ 319 0 0 Albert Machine Ditto', .. . 929 0 0 o 6 -141 307 0 0 Lady Darling Machine Ditto .. . ,1,096 .. O. ,0 o 10 ~lr 570· 0 0 Lane's Reef Machine ... Korong :.: 276 0 0 o 10 19k 149 0 0 Union Reef Machine .... Kingower ... 846 0 0 o 7 17~ 327 0 () March Reef Machine... Inglewood 729 0 0 1 2 I! 804 0 0 Various small crush- 500 o. _Q. o J~ .0_. __ .300 0 0 ings, approximate

Total... -7,379 0 0, 0 11 6+ 4,153 0 0

The mining population of this division has altered" very little since tny last report, ,a few more Chinamen have arrived (about 150), but these are all engaged in agricultural pursuits. Quartz mining has not been so remunerative' as it was during the,last qu!U'ter, very nearly half of the crushing machines h,ave been idl!J for a portion of the past three months. Very little surface mining'is going 'on at p~esent, owing to the scarcity of water; this, however, 'applies to the ground above the level of the reservoir, as all the machines which can 'be supplied from the reservoir are kept fully at work, and with good results. I , . A good deal of excitement has been caused up here during the last month by S0me Day lesford and ·Ballarat miners making application for some alluvial ground. The.Inglewood miners, have followed their example, and about 200 acres of ground have been marked ojf.~ Should the expecta;tions of the prospectors be realized, a new class of mining will be introduced in the division which cannot but add materially to the prosperity of the place. '. The March Reef (Inglewood), which I mentioned in my last report as proving that quartz reefs in Victoria do not get poorer as they get deeper, still maintains 'its character, i. e., it gradually improves as.it gets deeper. '. , , -" , At Korong, very few quartz reefs are being worked. A good deal of gold has, however, been obtained from the alluvial workings, principally by Chinese miners. .' McIntyre's is almost deserted. Noone working there.except the men on the ground which was reserved from sale at the last Government auction; At Jericho, the only mining operations carried on are in quartz, and; as will be . seen from the crushing, with a very satisfactory result:· _-- Only a few men are at work at Sinnott's Diggings, and they are hardly making wages. A great deal of the ground which was abandoned at Kingower has lately been' taken up for quartz mining; this rush was occasioned by a piece of gold weighing nearly 7 ozs. being picked up near the m~uth of a shaft which had been abandoned about eighteen months pr~vio1).s,ly:· _

. I; REDBANK AND ST. ARNAUD SOUTH SUBDIVISIONS. Mr. William Byrne, Mining Surveyor and Registrar.

.. - . Total for the Europea.ns. _ Chinese. Subdivisions . . Remarks. ~',~, : Alluvial Miners ,. 680 '20 '700 Qnartz Miners 250 250

Total 930 20 950

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS' IS THUS DISTRiBUTED:­ Redbank " 250 'Hines 30 Donkey Hill 40 ... 60 1",1(" Emerald Flat 30 Victoria and adjoining Gullies 120 . Forest Hut .. . 40 Stuart Mill .. . 80 Dllrling Flat 300 '. Total 950 55

" THE MACHINERY IS. AS FOLLOWS;-

... 'I A~_'''_ •. QUAR~Z MINING . Description or Machinery, . ~STegate Number AgSTogate Idle. Horse·)JOWllr of At Work. Idle. of Stamp Horse-=!eOf i Atw~rk.l Steam Engines. Hends. Steam . s. I I ... -..... ~ , I~~-I ~uddling Machines ...... 10 6 \ ...... Whims ...... , ... 4 ...... Steam Engines employed in pump- 1 ...... 3 ... 26 49 ing and crushing . ; • Total value of mining plant in the subdivisions; £950. . Number of square miles of alluvial ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon, 6. Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time,23. . ' . The price of gold during the q!larter in the subdivisions has been from £3 18s. to £3 18s. 6d. per oz. -- "

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN ,DBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUArl'TITY OF QUARTZ CRUBHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THER.llFRO!I.

I I '1 Where Q···.... z w"s i Avera e i RemB.rks relative to the Nouneof OompallJ'. on.Eli. ~ Qua.rtzCl'lll!hed. 'Yieldof~ld' TotaJYieldof Depth at which the I u"""""'" per ~l'on. of G1>ld. Quartz was obtained. -----,----I------I-----i----I,.--=----I------I ton ewt. qr. 0,,- dwt. ST. oz. dwt. gr. The Redbank Crushing Pyrenees Reef 39 0 0 1 5 15~ 50 0 0 Company Ditto ... 3 0 0 200 600 Ditto '" 4 0 0 o 10 0 200 Ditto .. . 18 0 0 o 7 18! 700 Ditto .. .

, I ~ Ditto .. . 117 0 0

About a month a~o, a rush took place to Darling ~at, ;near Rostron's; but, as the g:round haa not proved so remuneratIve aa was expected, the populatIOn 1S now reduced to about 300 miners in that locality. .' . \ ,. .

j ST. ARNAUD NORTH SUBDIVISION. Mr. John iphillips, Mining Surveyor and Registrar.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:-

Europeans. Tots! for the Chineae. Subdivision. Remarks. , . I .A:llu vial Miners '" ... 594 50 644 There has been much rushing from place to place, and men leaving Quartz Miners .. , 109 109 ., , ,*, . ... ,. ... as well as coming .

.. Total: .,. 703 50 .. 153 , , .. 56 .

'I'll}] TO~'AL' NUMBER 0)' MINERS IS 'l'HUS DISTRIBUTED:- Douglas Hill ...... ]0 ! Wagner's Hill ... -2 Silver and Sebastopol Reef ;32 Peevor's Flat (Moggs) ... 14 Sawpit Gully Reef 4 Cochrane's Hill " .. 6 Freiberg ... 10 'runnel Hill 6 Master's Reef 2 St. Arnaud 2 Sindersky'S Working ,.1 Bcigg's Hill 10 Yarrow's Engine ...... 3 Greenock Reef 15 Chapman a?-d others" Chrysolite Hill 14 Spinster and Sailor's Reef 4 Frenchman 8 ... .;. .. . 11 Peter's ' 205 ()arapoole Bank 7 Dogbury 45 Forty-feet by Peter's 30 Emu 6 Brlstol Reef ... 4 Rost.ron's 60 Butcher's Engine 7 Four.mile Gully 4 Shuring's Reef 10 Doctor's Gully.. 4 Gap Gully ... 175 New Bendigo 67 Total 763

TnE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS;- , ALLUVIAL MINING. QUAltTZ MINING.

DellCriptl.on of Machinet)"'. Number AglU'egate ---.--.! --~~"'umber I Aggregate. I At Work. Idle. of Stamp HOrllo-powerof AtWorl<. i Idle. of Stamp Hor.e..powero( He.w. Steam Engines. I Heads. Steam EDgines. --~·-----~--~----~----·~-----~I-~------:------1------1 Steam Engines... '" 14 23 5 84 - 177 Steam Pulverizer (Balfonr) 1 r~~ = 8 ... One Appleton's Breaker ... 1 .. , ...... Whims ...... 8 6 ...... Chilian l\-lills... .., 4 1 ...... Puddling Machines ... 12 i '" ......

Total value of min,ing plant in the subdivision £29,700. Number of square milcs of alluvial ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon, 15. Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 45. The price of gold ~uring the quarter in the subdivision has been from £318s. 6d. to £4 Is. per oz.

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND QUARTZ 'fAILINGS AND CE]tfENT CRl;SlIED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM.

Remarks rel.otive to the Where Quartz, &0 •• were Total Yield of Name of Comp"ny. Quartz crushed. Yi~d~~ld' Depth at which t~ obtained. parTon. Gold. Quartzwas obtained, &0. . .. ------~~.~--- __ --_.-

ton ewt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Silver Mining Associa- Sebastopol Heef ... '196 0 0 0 6 17¥. 66 0 0 50 to 100 feet tion Freiberg Company ... "Walker's Reef ... , 16 0 0 1 15 0 28 0 0 100 to 150 feet Yarrow's el,lgine ... Sundry small work- 250 0 Q ·0 7 0 8i 10 0 60 to 120 feet ings I) Butcher's ...... Ditto ...... 461 0 0 13 10T'u 309 7 0 50 to 200 feet 587 0 0 5 150 0 0 100 to 200 feet St. Arnaud United .. , Wilson's H!1l ... 0 ".-~ Greenock Reef' ... Prospectors and 193 0'0 o 15 5-r'n 146 16 0 150 about others, south Benson's Company Spinster's Reef ... }. I 4q '0 0 1 2 13¥ i 48 10 0 sO to 130 feet Prospectors ...... Sailor's Reef

Total Quartz 1,746 0 0 9 13' 836 3 0 .. ----- Qu~rtz Tailings and ------~ -_ Cement crushed. , Eddleston's and Com- Carapoole Hill caps 468 0 0 0 7 0 163 16 0 pany . Williams' engine ... Peter's Hill tops 936 0 0 0 lO 0 468 0 0 216 tons of tailings I Butcher and Comp'wy , ...... Nothing known by McCreuie and Company 144 tons of tailings I the public of the ------yield , Total, Quartz and 1,404 0 0 0 9 0 631 16 0 - Cement

• 29 tolllJ of thiS from a depth of about 40 feet gave over 30 OWlce ••

. The silver mines have thrown up 775 tons of quartz, yielding 1,476 OZS. of mix~d metal, worth 178. per ounce. ' I have the honor, herewith, to enclose my ret1l1'l1s, for three months, to this date, and thus to report- It will be sean from them that'the suspension of the deeper wrought mines has occasioned a greater average yield than that of the preceding period, and that if one other lot raised from a depth had been

./ 57 taken away. the average yield in favor of the shallow workings would be still greater. The difference, in point of yield, between the upper and lower raisings being owing to nothing, as I look at it, but the gold's different mode of existence. . 'l'he temporary suspension of our largest mines has driven the miners tu explore for alluVlal deposits, some of which are well paying close by. There are many miners, formerly here belonging, who have gone away, and some fifty, more or less, scattered about prospecting, whom I have no means of counting. . The use of the reservoir supply would be the means of ,augmenting th~ raisings of gold for a year or two, it is a pity no use is made of the water there reta!ned, and which. ~emg let out as wanted to fi!J. little dams, at a money charge, would be doubly beneficIal. 'rhe reserVOIr 1S leased to the Borough OouncII of St. Arnaud. , The race owners have failed of water this winter, the rain being less than usual, and rather than remain idle they are going to puddle portions of their grounds. 'rhe Greenock and 'neighbouring reefs, near Stuart Mill, sustain their yields abov~ par. I bave not had time, as r hoped, to give the particulars from the beginlllllg of our reefs most pursued. . Although some of our largest operations are suspended, it is fair to expect early renewed, workmgs under better circumstances. The silver miners, 8 in number, are subject to fluctuating results, which sometimes disappoint. At the present time they are recording some hundreds of ounces of mixed amalgam daily. During the last week, they have had 3590 ounces, value yet unknown. The gold tributors in the same concern have 250 tons which they reckon to yield half an ounce. The alluvial discoveries, Mogg's Plain, and Oochrane's and Wagner's Hills, alongside, are retaining a few miners, and affording gold to pay tbem. There must be deep and very probably good ground nor~h,east, and west, of M"ogg's Diggings, but the miners have not the needful support to test the deeper portIons. Gap Gully, towards St. Arnaud, is paying some fairly well, and others very well; there is no spare ground here. r omit Darling Flat until I have run the boundary of my subdivision. NOT.E.-On the 31st August, Mr. Mining SurveYOI' Phillips forwarded a report to the Honorahle the Minister of Mines, stating that two rushes had taken place; the particulars of one of which were as follow :-Depth of sinking, 30 feet; dry sinking. in cement, with very large waterworn quartz boulders; thickness of washdirt, [) feet; average yield. half an ounce of gold to tl\e ton or load" sample not very coarse but shotty gold. '\ppearances encouraged the belief in permanency. The miners on the ground were few, hut the numbers were fast increasillg. The bed rock was soft clay slate. The surveyor was not of opinion'that the discovery was a "gutter," but stated that it might lead to the confluence of the upper tributaries somewhere in tbat direction. '£he workings were called Mogg's Diggings.. On the 14th September, Mr. Mining Surveyor Phillips, referring to the above rush; reported as follows:­ H The rush at Mogg's is being dispelled, in consequence of few or none, excepting the prospectors, bottomiug on gold." .. ;« * '*' '*' ,:;, '*' "'l'he miners are passing forth, and back between this and Darling l!']at, and until something more encouraging is met with, this discovery will be unimportant. Tbere are other new points, here at Mogg's, presenting gold at the surface. The prospectors, at Mogg's, are getting paying dirt, the last report being half an ounce to the load, depth of washdirt 1 foot, as now taken. The deepest shaft is 56 feet, without gold. I do not feel sure that the bottom or pipeclay, there'terminating some of the sinkings, is underst.ood." '*' * * * *' * On Hie 15th September, Mr. Phillips wrote as follows ;-" It cannot be said, as r was given to understand, that the holes had not been bottomed; there was one instance of false or deceptive strata, inducing the belief, on the part of the sinkers, that they had bottomed; but it has sinc.e been resumed, and bottomed at 53 feet, without gold: this being the only one so much deeper than the rest, varying from 15 to 20 feet, it should have heen driven to ascertain the dip of the bottom, if for no other purpose; this hole is 100 yards or more from the prospectors' and other sinkings. Looking at this, and the depth, and positions of the otber holes bottomed, the deep ground seems more to the north, in tbe direction of this 53-feet 'hole, but it is possible that there is deeper close by. The prospectors' appearances, at one time, dwindled to nothing, but they have again struck gold. There is another party whom I saw with a good show of gold, from t,wo buckets taken from another claim, and in which, they told me, the ground gave gold 3 feet high; the quantity f~om two buckets was about half a pennyweight. Two parties speak of a bucket yielding 2dwts. These facts are unimportant, except that they show the locality is gold giving; and, r think, should be sufficient to induce Dlore trial in the deeper ground. It seems stIange that so little is done in the neighbourhood of the deep hole, and that there should be deeper ground, on two sides of the prospectors, almost untouched. There are about 20 people shepherding, and otherwise, around the prospectors; other 20 havl1 gone to a near hill which yields 4dwts to the load, dry sinking, 40 feet; the greater number havin~ left the place for Darling Flat, and elsewhere," On the 26th September, Mr. Mining Surveyor Phillips forwarded a report to the Honorable tbe Minister of Mines, as follows :-" I do myself the honor to report on late rushes in my division, beginning with ]\fogg's (by the miners called .Peevor's Flat). The first gathering of miners having very nearly all dispersed, the place exhibits a small, but sound beginning, that, by no means, belies the general indications of the loeality, there being some half dozen claims giving over half an OUllce to the load, as I understood the chief storekceper. Then near this, about three· eighths of a mile away south, on a made hill called Cochrane's Hill, another prospecting claim has been registered, dep,th 38 feet, It feet of washstuft', dry sinking, pipeclay bottom; this place attracted sorue 40 01' 50 miners, un til a third discovery occurred in shallow ground, about five-eighths of a mile N. W. of St. Arnaud, in Gap Gully, but taking, apparently, down in the township, on which there are, to-day, over 100 miners, some of whom, they say, are getting 3 ozs. to the load,-there are, unquestionably, many over half an ounce. r have heard it asserted there are quite ten holes showing over an ounce; sinking not 20 feet. The ground in this gully is marked out close down to the private property, so that there is no more room for new arrivers. It would seem the first l'11sh at Mogg's has had the effect of exposing those appearances, which must strike the eye of every practical alluvial gold miner corning into this division. '*' '*' * '*' * * 'rhe workings in Darling mat have quite a- normal appearance, there being some 20 persons carrying on business. I am told there are 100 claims affording a living- to the workers, and some p"ying well. The yield is stated to vary froin 2~ dwts. to 2}; ozs. to the load. The gold is rough and nuggety washdirt 1 to 3 feet thick, depth of sinking rarelj' exceeding 20 feet. The number of people is stated: by 3 or 4 persons, to be 100!), but there is a baker, who -has a better chance of knowing than men of other business, who stat,es 600," "" * * * '* * ~ '*' No. 13, y. .58

------:,' . C.ASTLEMAINE DIV'ISION •..

Mr;T. L, Brown; Miming -Surveyor' and Registr'ar . .l '

---"--' _. ," _.... "

,. '"

Remarks. '.-" -.- ---~1'--:' -.~~-~' .• ~-~.-

> , .Alluvial 'Miner~' , 1,343 Mt',499 2,842 " Qu~rtz M.iners , .... ,414 414

Total , .••• 1. 1,157 "I," 1,499.,.• =-:-;,256" , I,,"

• •• ~<, ( I ., ••• '. '/~ i 1 fl , 'i , t ~'J," •• l~" 1 '. 'THE TOTAL' NUMBER"OF' MINims is THUS DISTRIBUTED :-' 1. Golden Point·', ,...... 303 2. Forest Creek 371 3. Sailor's 'Gully" " , ... . "'236'" . ,~. ..,., . i 4. Little Bendigo, 332 '5. Castlemame' ; .... .:r' ,.' Tfr~.:,' , ... ' .. ""'1S1: ;,. ... ;~., 6. Moonlight .~ , 35S""" 7. Campbell's Creek 704 S. Below Five Flags 355 . 9. Guildford ... 181 10. Barker's Creek 235

,I" Total 3,25~

.. ,

I· ,.; :.J:;..!, ...... ,~ ....:', . -, ", Gupy or Flat. Tota.l. :Pud.u~:B. ) . O~;;:~~. Puddlers.' ' 0:r~" --~-'---'-'~~----'---'--".:.:--~'-' ---"-i -.:-.~~ 1---,-:"""- 1-'-...;....-----1-·'.....,"-'::':-':'-.

1. GOLDEN POIN~:"-:' .,. , . '!' New worki"ngs, Mitchell's Fa'5s ..••. .'., ' 15 ,! •• Lonifand 'Oolden Gullies ': -, ... 4, .... .S_. Donkey Gully arid Po,irmal1's Flat 3 .12 10 -Donkey Flat and Deadmari's Gully i, .. 17 .. Black's Hill and Flat 3 12 ~. Poverty Gully Hi ·S Trapp's Gully 2 3 IS O'Neil's Flat ... 26' S , tit: _~3 , .. Tipperary Bully , .. " -. 4 9 L... :2 Shepherd's Flat· ·S'f',C. 12 -II .. 28 .------244'. 2, FOREST. CREE~ EAs?:, .:- . Charcoal Gully, Post Office Hill .. 6 5 j .... .;Sonnet Flat . ',',,, ',•. ': ...;. 3 ~! Ji 8 Argus Flat, Sh~ep:s Head.GUlly . 1'1 . Golden Gully...... • , 32 8 27 Adelaide Hill'and Flat ,:, , .. 28 8 10 .8 Wattle Flat and Gully' ... 49 6 14 Dinah'Flat and White I-Jorse Gully '. Il 6 Nl!w workings, Milkman's Gully .. ~ .. 21· • ·1 , ~ I ------296 . 3. STEEL'S GULLY,) ETC. :­ Butcher's and i-iteel'a Gullies 14. 9 ... ".8 l\i R.neJie~ter Flat. "', .' ~~. 7 29 . ,.;-- Sailor,'s. Flat, &e .. , ...... 10 2 , 27·.. · . .,. 26 . Sailor's GullJ:' and brauches . 29. 13 15 ---- 1.89 4. FOREST CRlH:lt HILLS ,...:. " . ", Montgomery Hm:and Flat 24 13 20 Kampf's Gully and White'Hill 39 8 'Red Hill and l::ipiny Flat .' ' ... 21 "- 3 Little Bendigo. Coomb's Gully, &e. 27 13 7 24

Scott's Hill and G.ully ' .. "' -,,'. ~ 12 1 Abtrdeen?ill and' Gully 10 13 I-I~ ------262 59

. . ALLUVIAL' ·MINERs-continued;.,

: I 'c .:}EUltoPEANB. I_~FSE.~ I TotaL ' '. Ordinary' ; . ,I puddlt;"'. Ordinary Puddlers, Mining.! ~ ~.• i',',,:_ \"[•• 'Hf-,~~" "~H ¥i?ie~· ...2=¢=-'-:~;-,.-~~=------:---~~,~ __~-I. ___-I ___-:i- __

5. CASTLEM.AINE:- Victoria Gully, ; 11. .. 9 2 , Forty:-foot Hill and Flat •. : 14 13 28 CJink~r's' Hill and Castlemaihe streets 51 , " \ New Chum, Jones, and Deadhorse Gullies 14 J7 s i 167 ---- 6. MOONLIGHT ·FL'AT, ETC.. :­ Pennyweight Flat 1 28 14 46 44 .• 8 Wesley Flat .•• ·::: .. I-··.. i~··· i2 Moonlight Flat .• , ; .. ,r· 32 16 Dogleg and Dirty Dick's Gullies . .. 1 11 12 ':::"'Lady alid ;Nicholsoh's' Gullies J ' 3 14 ---_. ------_._- 329 7. ,CAMPBELL'S CREEK:- " , :J, : .... ~,:. ,:" :.' .• ;2 Winter's and Preshaw's Flats 7 5 22 Siaughteryard Hill and Adelaide Gully 21 10 Diamond Hill and Gully 9 11 .2.9 88 Seventy-foot Hill and 'Flat·...... ": ... " 15 'j 1'6 Johmo'Gro.at's and Cemetery Flats .';.' .. . . ' ..:~ . 194· . Crow and Specimen Gullies . 27 19 16 White Hill and Flat 10 12. 102 , ' ------1------704 S. B~ow,.. FlVE:FLAGs. .!-:-: . '_.1';" ... i. ~ ... rr ~ • • t,) '. i .eoverty Gully and· Flat 't"·' 14 '18 Hobby's and Red Flats p 56 Cheshire'Flali .•.. . 49 Shicer Hill ...' ..., ..; . .' , 6 5 24 . ..;Blanket Hill and Gully 20 9 ... Nuggety. and 'Railway Gullies ... I' .. ,~ 6 ' 10 . ... • 3 .. ..: " -:: , ~ '__ .) ___ -'--. -,,-_., 239 9. GUILDFORD.;-::, : .. . Rabbit Flat and Taylor's Paddock 7·...... 88

Bald Hill 1 i 1 14 17 Donkey Hill ~nd Gully... ,~ , __ ~I_~ ._. _=_._":'5_, 181: ' )0. lliBXER'S CREEK:- • l' ..," Castlemaine to Specimen Flat ... .n·1 ~. • Specimen Fla.t and Gully. &))) ••• ;, 29 . 1 34 15 :Qlapli;.Jack's and Uncle Billy's Gullies' 4 35 ... •.. iBoatswain's to Harcourt I: ... : ,- 3 ! f. 6 ...... 1__ ' ___ 1_'___ ' ,.-1-:------1 231 I 684 '. ..~~~. \. 228 1,271 !2.;~

." " , ; . N.B.-The European population a.nd Chinese puddler. ,were counted as .een"at :work. '':Fhe ordinary Chines<> were .takez>, by counting:thei!:' tent,"' and calculating two ~ to each tent. . , '. . . , • ~U.!RTZ MINERS. i'

No. of I' No. of : i' I No of No. of Name ~f Reef. Olaims. : Men. Name of Reef. Olaims. Men. ______,_~_, __~-_-'- __, __ 1_' ___ 1___ --''-- ______'

1. Nimrod Reef 42 4 California 1 3 Diamond, or Perseverance -,~ '-1. 4 Log 2 ~ Lucknow ... 3 I liampiil ... 2 4 Burns'" s 10 'Hoyal I 2. 2. Post Office Hill 2 5 5. Town 2 4 Hard Hill ... 3 8 London ... 3 1'0 Argus 3 12 6. Sebastopol ... i 2 14 Sheepshead 2 4, Welcome 2 6 Chewton'" ... 2 '6 Northumberland ... I 3 Cemetery 2 4 Cemetery 2 4 Wattlc Gully S 26 Fiddlers .. . 1 2 Callanders 3 6 8. Bolivia .. . 6 48 Shanks 1 2' Cumberland 1 4, Monks I 2' .. Poverty Flat 2 20 3. No Name 2 6 . Diamond 1 2 Lucknow Nicholson's '1 I 2 East Boli via" I 2 ·Manchesh~~f...... ~ ·8 Nuggety .. , 6 38 Lancashire* ~. 'I 2 . Little Nuggety 1 2 South American'" 6" i .17 10. Cranky Ned's 1 2 Dead Cat'" ... ·.r4 i 8 Gordon's 1 2 Blg.,Hill", ;',2 l 4" 4. Vin!lyard •.•• 9 i 29 Eureka • .,,5·1 .26 Total 414

Tbose claims inarked • IU6 newly discmred, 60

THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOW,,:-

I ' A,LLUVIAL ~~mG. _I QuaT" MINING"

I Aggregate ' ; Number of Aggreg ..te , At Work. Idle. I Horse-~wer of At Work. Idle. I Stamp ,Horse-power of ___ '_~,~ ______~_' _~ __ I- ~ ___ I Steam lSllgines" ______I JIea.dS. Isteam Eugines.

Steam Engines 23 9 548 Crushing Machines 31 8 328 " Puddling ~ills 254 21

Total value of mining plant in the division, £68,000. , Number of square miles of alluvial ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon, 25. Number of distinct 'quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 89. The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been from £3 148. 9d, to £3 ,178. per oz.

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED .RELATIVE TO THE Q'L"ANTITY OF Q'L"ARTZ AND Q'G'ARTZ TAILINGS AND CEMENT CR'L"SHED D'G'RING THE' QUAETER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM. ! 1Remarks rel&tive to th ""here ~I &c., were I Tot~l Yield Na.meofOOIllPany. o 'ed. Quartz crushed. IYiet(r';;~ld of Gold. • Depth at which th 1 I per Ton. Quartz w,," obtained. &0.

~- -_.- ton owt. qr. I oz. dwt. gr. Oz. dwt. gr. Mclnt{)sh anq Company Viueyard Reef .,. 203 0 0, i 1 5 6t 256 8 0 '120 to 200 feet Tullock and Company Ditto .' .. ... 239 0 0 0 9 21! 118 5 12 Ditto Fairbairu a,nd Company Ditto ... ." 202 0 0 0 6 8f 64 2 6 Ditto Robertson and others ... Ditto ...... 76 0 0 I 9 15! 112 12 20 80 feet Walker and Company WattIe Gully . ... 191 0 0 0 4 171 45 5 0 Surf,lce to 40 feet Lloyd and others ... Ditto ...... 132 0 0 0 5 17} 37 17 8 Walker and Company Manchester Reef ... 219 0 0 () 4 15i 50 15 0 80 to 130 feet Small and others ... Hard Hill ... 141 0 0 0 8 20 62 5 6 40 feet Logan and Russell ... Argus Hill ... 314 0 0 0 4 Of 63 5 3 120 feet McWaters and Company Burns Reef ... 90 0 0 0 13 12 60 15 0 ' 130 feet Salmon and Company Ditto ... ., . 48 0 0 1 7 22£ 67 1 12 New claim, 40 feet from surface Jones and others ... Nimrod Reef ,~ ... 182 0 0 1 0 123 186 13 0 Various depths Smith and Company ... Sheepshead ," 44 0 0 o 15 0 32 19 6 40 feet Hawkins and Company South American ., . 140 0 0 o 10 9~ 72 16 8 Opened 23rd July. .. surface Bennett and others ... Ditto ...... 139 0 0 0 6 23! 48 8 10 Ditto Thomas and Company Shanks reef ... 48 0 0 0 5 3 12 6 0 64 feet Powell and Company ... Chewton Reef ... 100 0 0 1 3 Ii! II5 6 19 Surface to 38 feet Ajax Company ... Bolivia Reef ... 2,457 O' 0 0 2 16i 331 12 8 Surfa~e to 12Q. feet Moscup and others Ditto ...... 148 0 0 1 4 7;! 179 16 17 56 to 60 feet Nuggety Company, ... Nuggety Reef ... 468 0 0 0 621-& 161 5 0 Various depths Moore and others ... Ditto ... ." 160 0 0 I 7 15f: 221 5 3 120 feet Streade and Lewis ... Sebastopol Reef ... 714 0 0 0 416~ 167 9 18 Surface to 100 feet Williams and Company Welcome Reef .-. 63 0 0 0 8 18 27 II 12 48 feet Symes and Company ... Cranky Ned's ... 31 0 0 0 15 1 12 36 feet Several parties ... Vadous reefs ... 156 0 0 0 ~ gi! 68' 1 6

---,~'-~- Quartz Tailings and Total. Quartz 6,705 0 0 0 7 16t 2.579 5 18

Cement er1l.hed. ~------,-- Williams ,., ... 1\{ontgomery Hill ... 40 I) 0 0 5 20 11 14 22 Campbell ...... Ditto .. , .., i 68 0 () () 4 6! 14 10 12 Annear and others ... Various ...... I 27 () (I () S 23i! 12 2 0 Tregonning ...... Blanket ... I· 480 0 0 I 0 I 18 42 0 0 Perseverance Forty-foot . ... 1 1,200 0 0 iJ I 0 I' 60 0 0 T~tal. Quartz Tail- \ I~~~- -o-;:~, -1-'4'''0'-7-10'- mgs and Cement J • !

I have the honor to report that mlllmg operations have improved during the quarter, by the opening and successful working of several new quartz claims; of these, the Burns, ,Chewton, South American, Dead Cat, and Sheepshead Reefs are yi!?lding very good returns. There are at present 107 quartz claims held in the division, which give employment to 414 men, 'independently of those employed carting, wood cutting, &c. , In alluvial mining, the annexed table shews that there are 684 European and 228. Chines~ puddlers, and 659 Europeans and 1; 271 Chinese otherwise engaged. 'rhe major portion of the Europeans employ the primitive tub and cradle. There is only'one sluice-head of water available, which is used by 3 parties; and only 16 men engaged tunnelling. The Chinese either wash headings by the ordinary cradle, or paddock deeper ground, washing their "dirt" in long-toms. ' • NEW WORKINGS. , The rush t{) Milkman's Gully, reported last' quarter, continues, heavy gold. being found for nearly a mile iu length. Pieces of gold fr:om ,2 to 14 dwts. each have been found in the gully, much water- 61

worn, apparently having come from a large reef on the range dividing this gully from Fryer's. The sinking averages 12 feet of fragmentary schist and quartz. Another rush has occurred to Mitchell's, or Expedition Pass, at the head of Golden Point, in the granite formation. Gold has frequently been found there, but was supposed to have been deposited by the earliest miners on the Forest ~'reek Gold Field, the locality having formed the first camping ground, and auriferous dirt having been taken there to wash at the springs. Since that time, the waters have formed a creek's course on the solid granite, in the interstices of which, under the banks of decomposed granite, 6 to 12 feet deep, the gold is being found. It is heavy, and much water-worn. The available ground is limited by adjacent private prop~rty. MACHINERY, ETC. The appliances so long erecting for the purpose of extracting the gold supposed to remain in the quartz tailings, are not found efficient, Roberts and Co., at the Ajax, having already ~iven up and dis­ posed of their" rollers;" and Flude and Co. do not report success, although it is SaId they obtained a prospect of 8 dwts. of gold per ton before erecting their machinery. Mr. Hayes' new crushing plant has been working, but the returns are not very satisfactory, the operations hitherto having been upon mullock and tailings. Messrs. Fairbairns and Company's new plant, in Wattle Gully, is not yet completed, being delayed while siuking the engine shaft. The Perseverance and Victoria machines and plant have changed hands, and will be used for crushing from the Bolivia and Wattle Gully Reefs. 'l'he purchasers of the Old Quartz Hill plant have commenced repairing their dams and machinery, preparatory to' farther opemtions. 'rhe Nuggety Company's mine and plant have been let on tribute; the terms are, 75 per cent. of the produce of the mine, less half cost of wear and tear of machinery. The tributors are opening up the mine, with very good prospects. . The Bolivia, or Lady Barkly Company, have not yet recommenced operations; they are re.forming the company, for the purpose of increasing their capital. The adjoining claims on the Bolivia Reef are much improved in yield. . The Old Specimen Gully and the Cumberland mines remain unworked. The reefs in Barker's Creek are almost entirely deserted.

FRYER'S CREEK SUBDIVISION. Mr. R. ,L. ilf. Kitto, Mining Surveyor and Registrar.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:- I Euro~s. Chinese. Total for the Remarks. I - I i Subdivision. , , Allu vial Miners ...... 1 1,498 i 1,820. 8,818 Quartz Miners ... '" Hi8 ... 158 Total ... I 1,651 1,820 8;471 THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:- Fryerstown 383 Strathloddon .. . 180 Golden Gully 167 Loddon Valley .. . 80 Spring Gully 185 Guildford (Proper) .. . 120 Blacksmith's Gully 60 Pickpocket and Loddon 420 Specimen Hill 80 Holcombe .. . 83 Church's Flat 164 Rae's Hill .. . 20 Chapel Hill • 86 Smyth's Hill 5 Belle Vue ... 190 Glenluce 134 New Year's Flat 187 Kitto's Hill 13 Vaughan 624 'l'arHta 290 Total 3,471

THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS :-

ALLUVIAL MININO. QUARTZ lIInm!o.

Description of Machinery. I Number I Aggregate I Number i Aggregate At Work. Idle. of Stamp I HOrs ..~ of At Work. Idle. of Stamp HOrse.~ of HeadB. 'Steam ..... Heads. Steam . ell. -_.- . --I - Stcu.m Engines, washing. crushing cement, and I pumping i 1 50 138 ... '" ...... '" ... Horse Puddling Machines 815 30 ...... , . '" Whims 8 8 , ...... '" ...... Whips 22 4 ...... '" ......

Horse Pumps 68 4 ~.. ' ...... '" ...... Sluices and Toms 70 ... 4 ...... , ...... Water Wheels ...... 4, 1 ...... Steam Engines ...... 5 .j 84 164 Whims '" '" ...... 4 2 ...... Whips ...... u • 8 8 "'1 ...... " 62 : .J:, ' ,. :Total v~l~; of mining plant ill the subdivision, £52,700. '. :' ," , " l,.' ,','; N Ulnber of. squ!tre miles of alluvial groUli<;i,whieh is being, or ~ay hav~ .been, actually. worked upon, 16~." ,'~,' ';' "Nnmber,of distinct quartz reefs which have, beep;.acttlally proVed,to be auriferous to the present tIme, 95 ' , .' ,'." ' , ',,,,,,'''. :', . ''''The'p;ice of g~I

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OD'l'AINED RELA'.dvE 'ro THE QUANTITY 'OF QUARTZ AND QUARTZ TAILINGS AND CEntENi' CRUSHED' DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED " , . TIIEll.EFROY,l. .,

[ 'f tal Y' ld f Remarks ':relative to the : Name of Compa.ny, Wher~ Quartz, &0., were 'Quartz Cl'ushed. Yi.tJ~~ld o Ie 0 Depth at 'which the ... , obtained. per T.on. Gold, Quartz was obta.ined, &c,

------,-----.....,.--I--~-c__-I-~-,I - ---,- '~-"---.--.,-~

.. , ton owt. 'qr. oz. dwt. gr. 0.. dWt. !,'f. Ferron's Reef Company Ferron's Reef' ... 213 '0 o 0 5 0 53 Ii 0 Various depths Cattle and Company... Cattle's Reef 160' 0 o 0 15 01 120 0 0 'HO feet' Rowe'and Company;'.: Clarke's Reef' , .. 40 0 o O. 40 800 50 feet Matthews and Company Heron's Reef 30 0 o 0 7 0 10 10 0 67 feet Baker and Company... Bullock's neef .•. 24 0 o I 3 8 28 0 0 110 feet Ditto ... .•. Ditto .. : 20 "0 o ",I "0 0" 20 0 0 Ditto Meyer and Company... Ditto '" 3lio 0 o 0 12 0 234 0 0 140 feet Hand of l!'riendship ... Emu Reef 70 0 o 0 4 0 14 0 0 Various depths Ditto ...... Ditto , .. 63 0 o 0 5·0 15 15 0 Ditto Ditto ..• ... ,Ditto ... 68 () o '0 Ii 0 17 '0 _ 0 Ditto Ditto .. , Ditto ,.. 103 0 o 0 4 0 20 12 0 Ditto Ditto '" ... Ditto... . '.: • . no 0 o 0 4 0 22 0 0 Ditto Ditto ... .•. Ditto .•. '" 132 0 o 0 5 0 33 0 0 Ditto Cattle and Company... Cattle's Reef ... 34 0 o 2 14 2i 92 0 0 30 feet Ditto ...... Ditto...... 32 0 16 0 0 Ditto o 0 10 0 Miller and Company... Prinee of Wales Reef 18 0 o (ll40 I 12 12 0 60 feet Ditto ...... Ditto ... 18 '0 00'7 18i 700 Ditto Ditto ..• ... ,Dit~o ." 20 0 o 0 5 3J 530 70 feet Ditto ... .., ' -'Dit'o ... 21 0 o 0.8, :119 8 14 0 105 feet Roland and Company... Bristol Reef 8 0 o 0 7 0 2 16 0 30 feet Ditto •.. ... Ditto , 8 0.0 2 2 18 17 2 0 40 feet Ditto '" '" Ditto II 0:0 4.2 ~0-A 45 11 6 47 feet, -~----~I------I------I Total, Quartz... 1,593 0, 0 0 10' 2" 803 0 6

QUal'It lailings and Cement crushed. I:;ir H. Barkly Company Strathloddoll ... 260 0 0 1 10 0 390 0 0 I Cement ':, Ditto '" .. . Ditto...... 130 0'0 1 10 O· 195 0 0 Cement Ditto ...... Ditto...... 260 0" 0 015 0 195 0 n,·rCement 990 0 0, Odgers, and Company. ,':rarilta ... , .. ,.. o 2 12" ~ 123 15 . 0 /1 Tailings Ditt.o ...... Ditto...... 73 0 .. 0 o 6 '5 22 13 10 'Cement . Ditto ... .., 'Ditto ..... : ... 131':0 1'0 "0' 5 Hi' 37 2,10, Cement Ditto ...... Ditto ...... " . 32 O. 0 o 6 20 10 18 22 Uement Ditto ...... Ditto ... " ...... ,,24 iO ;:9 OS' 2! 7 6 5 'Cement Jenkin and, 'Company: .. Dittl? ,. .... I:. j ~!!:;': ')iJt(o ,0 :,.0' o 5' 0 162 10 O. Cement"'}l' Total;'Q~a~tz'riil!;'}'" 1;);-'-,~i1u 08 23~ 1,144 5 1' "."; ~; ...!i:.,::· " ;" ings and Cement 2,550 O. 0 23 i : Nothing worthy of special notice oc~~rred duriIig: the early part of the past quarter; as .Spring advances, however, the prospects of the lIlining community begin to brighten. The excitell!-ent 'whieh has lately 'existed in the mining share market at Daylesfo'rd and Ballarat, has had not a little to do with tJ:il change in this di.>ision for the bette:, slight as. it "is. The wh?le of t~e ,basaltic for~ation, ly~rig_ between Daylesford and Glenlyon, havmg been leased llnd occupled by illllllllg compallles, attentlon began to be directed towards the area~ of s~milar cha~aeter on the Fryer's Creek side of the Loddon, in the district of Glenlyon; and the consequence is, 'the' occup'aUon of nearly the whole of the available country lying between the latter place and Glenluce, near Fi'yerstoWn. The,following registrations have already been· effected :.;.:;;' .. , •. , .. . .r. Wildish, 20 men's frontage; Holcombe Hill C. J. Sta9CY,,8Q men's frontage, H9lcombe,IIill , Rae and Co., '20 men's frontage, Rae's Hill ' Riddickand Co.,. 10 men's,frontage, Heron's Hill Plunkett and Co., 8 acres, Verdon's Hill . Landy and Co., 8 aeres, Verdon's IIill .. Carmichael and Co., 100 men's frontage, Buscombe's Hill Walker and Co., 50 men's frontage; Glenlyon And applications lodged for 311 men's ground more; viz. :- j,. J , Birrill and 00., ~ m~n'€i frontage, 'Sullivan's Hill Hedges and' Co., 10 men's frontage, Rae's Hill Ricks and Co., 3? men's frontage, Holcombe ' Dyer and Co., 85 men's frontage, Buscombe's Hill ." iVIayze and Co., ~O men's frontage, Kitto's Hill Gray and 00:, lO'men's frontage, Verdoh's Hill Rutherford and Co., 20 roen's frontage, Kitto's'Hill Cannon and Co., 50 men's frontage, Smyth's Hill Graves and Co., 20 men's frontage, Racecourse. 63 I . If the parties applying for the above areas intend to work them in a proper manner, a very considerable impi'ov.ement will he discernable in a short time. Messrs. Plunkett Brothers, the discoverers of gold in Verdon's IIill, have very fair prospects. They washed six disl;les of auriferous earth in succession, and obtained 3 dwts. of the precious metal from them. They consider their prospects good. Rae and Co., the prospectors of Rae's Hill, obtained gold a,fter sinking about 55· feet .through. the basalt, and are now driving a tunnel, in order to work their claim the more efficiently. The Holcombe Company, after prospecting the shallow ground with varied success, .have commenced a shaft in the deep ground, which is estimated to be nearly 200 feet from the surface to the bed-rock.' .. I am of opinion that a gold field, likely to last for many years, has been opened between Glenlyon and Fryerstown. I forward a tracing, in order that you. may the more readily ascertain the position of the various hills abovenamed. Quartz·Mining.-In quartz mining there is a gradual but continued improvement. The yields have been improving very steadily for about twelve months. The aVel'3.ge for the last quarter is con~ sidel'ably over ·my usual returns. One .fact, worthy of more than passing notice, is that of the discovery by Meyer and Co. in their claim on Bullock Reef of about 70 ozs. of pure ~old in the crevices of the quartz rock, at a depth ofl40 feetfrom the surface; one nugget weighed 14.ozs. 13 dwts., and another 12 ozs. 13 dwts. Pieces of gold of such a size are rarely found, I believe, at such depths from the surface. - Cattle and Co .. have been engaged during the last two months in removing their crushing machinery from its old site (about three-quarters of a mile from the claim) to a point in the immediate vicinity. They expect to resume work in about eighteen days. I am sorry to have to report, that the machinery on the Eldorado Mine, Specimen Hill, as also that of the Alexander Company, Blacksmith's Gully, has been idle during the quarter. The Hand of Friendship Company are obtaining regular yields, and expect to do conSiderably better as soon as their new shaft is at the proposed depth, viz., 100 feet, which it will reach sometime this week. In puddling and sluicing tlIere is nothing worthy of note.

HE~BURN DIVISION.

Mr. Ambrose Johnson, Mining S~!rveyor and Registrar.

THlil TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:-

Euroll"IIDS. Ohinese. 1 TotM for the Division. "

Ailuviai Miners ...... 3,253 1,310 I 4,563 Quartz Miners .. , ...... 750 .. . 750 :

I Total ... 4,003 1,310 5,313 , I

THE TOTAL NUMBER -OF MINERS-IS- THUS DISTRIBUTED:- Pickpocket 233 Sailor's and Jim Crow Creeks 723 Forty-foot .... 190 Glenlyon and Comoora 328 Boots 442 Dry Diggings ...... 170 Brandy-hot 264 Spring Creek and Race Course .. . 421 Blind Creek .. . 157 Doctor's Gully and Welshman's 382 Blanket Flat .. . 512 Daylesford and Wombat . 572 Stony Creek '" 304 Wombat Creek 425 Total ... 5,313 Connell's Gully 190

THE MA.CHINERY IS A.S FOLLOWS:-

ALLUVIAL lIfININO. QUARTZ M'mI:OIG.

Descriptlen of MAchinery. Aggregate AI, Work. Idle. AtWO!'k. ldle. Horse-cor Swam .•••

Steam Engines employed in pump- 17 3 ing, winding, puddling. &c. Steam Engines employed in pump- 26 I} 278 533 ing. winding, crushing, / and driving stamp heads Crushing Machines-water power 1 1 16 Whims ...... 29 8 24 5 Horse Puddling Machines 210 25

Total value of mining plant in the division, £57,800. Number of square miles of alluvial ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon, 80. N:unber of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present tIme, 81. ' The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been from £3 148. 9d. to £3 17s. per oz. 64

THIl }'OLLOWING INFORMA'.l:ION HAS BEEN OBTAL"ED nELA:rln~ '.1:0 THE QUA..."TITY OF QUARTZ AND QUARTZ TAILINGS AND CEMENT CRUSHBD DURING 'rUE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THERE~'RO~l.

Name of Company. Where Quartz, &e' l were obtained. Quartz crushed.

ton ewt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. Charles Wilson (for hiro) Various localities ... 240 0 0 o 1.5 0 180 0 Charles Morrison ... Christmas Reef, Yan­ 170 0 0 I 0 0 170 0 doh o " 80.feet Victoria Mill (for hire) Various localities .•. 182 0 0 o 10 0 91 0 0' Dannevirke Quartz Mi­ Ailelaidc Heef ,•. 150 0 0 1 11 14. 237 0 o 90 feet ning Company Sir Chs. Darling Mill Various locali tics ... 600 0 0 o 10 12 315 0 0 40 to 70 feet (for hire) Lucini Quartz Mining Doctor's Heef 1,200 0 0 o 15 0 900 0 0 60 to 125 feet Company , Imperatrice Engenie Eugenie Reef 800 0 0 o 7 12 300 0 0 Heef Company Wonderful Quartz Mi­ Wonderful Ucef 720 0 0 050 180 0 0 ning Company Sportsman's Quartz Mi- Sportsman's llcef .,. I 140 0 0 o 15 0 105 0 0 40 to 70 feet ning Company " ,Piont!er Quartz ~1ining Pioneer Heef 120 0 0 060 36 0 0 Company Prince of Wales Quartz Glamorganshire Heel' 700 0 0 o () 0 175 0 0 i 55 to 115 feet Mining Company Hobson's l\Wl (for hire) Various localities ... 480 0 0 050 120 0 0 William Tell Quartz Federal Reef 740 0 0 1 10 0 1, II 0 0 0 20 to 50 feet Mining Company Cornish Quartz Mining 'Vombat Reef 1,800 0 0 o 7 12 675 0 0 Company CQfnish anilYork Quartz Queens berry street, 480 0 0 o 10 0 240 0 0 Mining Company Day lesforil Specimen Hill Quartz Specimen Reef ... 1,200 0 0 050 300 0 0 Mining Company Daylesford Quart? Mi­ Collier's Reef 1,800 0 0 050 450 0 0 Company Nuggety Quartz Min­ Various localities ... i 170 0 0 o 15 0 127 10 0 ingCompany (for hire) Havelock Quartz Mining Collier's Reef 1,000 0 0 050 250 0 0 Company' Boot's Quartz Mining Boot's Heef 800' 0 0 060 240 0 0 Surface to 35 feet Company Golden Eagle Quartz Welshman's Reef ... 40 00 I I 0 42 0 0 Surface to iO feet Mining Company Liberty Quartz Mining .Liberty Reef 50 0 0 o 10 0 25 0 0 ;:;urface to 50 feet Company Brown's lV1i1l German Reef 150 0 0 o 5 0 37 10 0

Total Quartz ... 13,732 0 6 o 9 4i 6,306 0 () Quartz Tailings and OeTII<'t't crushed. Charles Wilson (for hire) Various localities ... I 600 0 0 050 150 0 0 Cement Charles l\Iorrison (for Hard Hill, Yandoit 87 0 0 o 10 0 43 10 0 Ditto hire) Victoria Mill (for hire) Various localities ... 1,200 n 0 050 300 0 0 Ditto Cornish Company· ... Wombat Hill Gold 2,167 0 0 o 15 O~ 1,62:'; 10 0 Ditto Mining Company Total, Quartz Tail- } 4,054 0 0 ings undCement o 10 10th ~,119 0 0

In submitting my report for the quarter, I am en allied to state, that mining in general in this divisioll is in a most satisfuetory condition, ·more especially as regards alluvial mining. Although in mORt instances local capital has been found sufficient for present requirements, a considerable amount of foreign eHpital has been introduced, giving a great impetus to mining enterprise, and greatly enhancing the general value of scrip; in fact, tl;te desire to invest has ill some instances been carried so far as to partake more of speeulation than legitimate enterprise. There can be no doubt that this field offers in all respects every fair chance to capital, yet it is to be apprehended that when capital gets crowded into Ihn market, shares may he hought beyond their real value, anticipating a still further advance in the marl~et, and when the iuevitable reaction takes place, a great proportion of scrip will be in hands of persons unable to keep them up, and companies will be hampered in their proceedings, still further deterring already unwilling capital. During the last week, the share market has l)een quiet as compared with the preceding ones, and it is to be hoped that no mischief has been done as yet, and that capital seeking investment here may gradually bc bona fide employed as such only, and that the spirit of speculation lately entertained may ha,e no consequences fatal to the general prosperity. Quartz mining has, during the late excitement, been almost lost sight of; yet that this branch of mining is satisfactorily progressing will be at once admitted on referencc to my tahular statement, the particulars of which I have every reason t,o believe arc correct and authentic. There have been no lIew discoveries of any note, but everything proceeds in its usual quiet course. PlidrUi17g and Slllicin.9.-In comparison with former winters, the nnmllcr of miners engaged is but fmall, owing' to the h'lct, that most lowlying and easily available grouLd has been worked out, and Messrs. Coppock and Company's and Croker and Company's races have not been found sufficient to supply aU the claims taken up in the early PMt of the winter, and the deep sinking in and about Daylesfol'd has generally been f01ll1d the mQst attractive employment during this season. '1'he yield has so far proved 6.5 remunerative; and amongst the principal events, I may mention the find of one 46-oz, nugget in a sluioing olaim at Whisky Lead, and one of 26 o:-:s. in Kecp-it-Dark Gully. Messrs. Coppock and Company are sluicing Sulky Gully, once so famons .for its nuggets, and IIlthough they have not washed up their tail­ ditch, they have occasionally picked out sufficient to prove that the grollnd is not yet entire:y depri~ed of the presenoe of gold. 'rhe race from Langdon's Creek, known as Pretswich and Company 8, of whlCh so much was expected, doeR not appear to be in lise this winter, but from what cause I am unahle to say. TUllnelling does not afford any new features of public inte::est. There has been no new ground opened, but the old favorite hills are still well patronized, and generally give fair returns. At Deep Creek, the Ballarat Company, I understand, are treating with a. company for the sale of their claim, tunnel and plant, and £20,000 is mentioned as the purchase sum. At Glengower, McKay, Leith and Company's prospecting tunnel is now driven upwards of 7(10 feet; and the question whether a main deep run through the hill exists will probably shortly be set at rest. Farther down the plain, the Glengower Gold Mining Company have got their shaft down about 80 feet, and have met a heavy wash, and several claims have lately been taken up both above and below the company. This land has all been surveyed, and some anxiety was felt by the shareholders in consequence of its beiug advertised for Bille, and in accordanoe with instructious from the Mining Board, I communicated to that Board the fact of the land being occupied for mining purposes. At Book Hill, a number of tunnels are being worked from Weeks's Flat, and these, as well as the tunnels under the adjoining Elevated Plains are all clearing fair dividends. In Italian Hill, the usual activity exists, and shares have lately experienced a rise in conseqnence of the gutter being struck in the Royal Standard COlUpany's claim (Rowe's paddock), and the value of the gutter becoming more generally known. Paganetti and Company are, I believe, about selling their claim and tunnel. Veep alluvial sinking is, just at present, the main attraction about the division, and will to all appearances remain so for years. Since my last report, the Royal Standard Company have got their engine started and have struck the gutter, and shares rose in a few days from £40 to 1:350. The Nelson Gold ;\Hning Company bottomed comparatively shallow, on what the company supposes to be the eastern reef, and a number of eompanies at once spraug into existence and secured all available ground in the neighborhood, both Crown lands aud private properties, and shares were eagerly t.aken up at from £2 to £10 premiulU, and in a few days double and treble that sum was asked, and in many instanoes, paid. The lead is supposed to trend in a uorth-easterly direction towards Glenlyon, and in that direction the California Company has proved the existence of deep ground, and the O'Uara Burke Company actually struck gold altbough comparatively shallow. The excitement spread, and, I believe, there is hardly at present, fl'om the township to the junction of Kangaroo Creek and Loddon HiYer, ,a block ,of private property or Crown land that has not been leased or secured under the mining bye-laws for mining pur­ poses. In the meantime, a company who had leased .:vir. Parker's Station, and for some time been boring, demonstrated the existence of an ancient river bed in th~tt locality, and from the deepest bore obtained a fair sample of the preciolls metal; and farther down, on the supposed course, the New Year's Company and Franklinford Company also found deep ground, and the rush, in consequence, found vent ill that direction. Between the heads of Wombat Creek and Kangaroo Creek, the Wombat Extension Company are now down about 170 feet, and expect shortly to bottom; and,ground in that locality has lately been taken up for 600 men, the companies being now in course of formation. All this has, however, taken place so recently, and nothing definite is as yet known beyond the faot of, deep ground existing; but in the meantime everyone is benefited by the outlay of capital in the developing of our vast resources, and there is every reason to believe, that the best permanent results to the district will accrue from the present activity in mining. Shallow alluvial mining is at a discount all over the district, except at Shicer's Gully, where a patch of good payable ground has been discovered at the foot of the hill; but only of sufficient extent to employ miners living in the immediate vicinity.

TARADALE SUnDIVISION. Mr. Thornas T'Wl'7Ufl', Mining SU'N)eyo'l' and Regist'l'(JII'.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:-

Europeans. I Chinese. Total for the , Subdivision, Remarks.

- .. ,~'".-. Alluvial Miners ...... 283 283 566 Quartz Miners ...... 126 ... 126 Total ... 409 283 692

THE TOTAL NUMlIER OIl' MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:- Taradale ;Park Lead,.. 96 Kent Reef.,. 4 Talbot HIll Lead 51 Alluvial workers 12 Scorpion Lead 18 Star Lead ...... 34 Belit?pper Lead 24 Campaspe River, Barfold 4 Archilles Reef 11 Coliban River, Metcalfe 16 Hanoyer Reef 9 Grey's Reef, Banold 1 AllUVIal workers ...... 48 Steed's Barfold 11 Belltopper Reef and Alluvial... 13 Latrob~'s Barfold 3 Taradale Township '" ... 187 Gibbins','Barfold 6 Burra-a Reef _ ...... 6 Prospecting parties 4 Alluvial workers 6 Kangaroo Creek 68 Orr's Reef ... 42 Coliban Reef 12 Total 692 " N.R-There,., are four Chinese oamps at North Re~esdale, comprising 26 miners, but when I Vl~lted th~ fi:ld. (2/th'Se]J.tember) all of them were worklllg on the Western Bank of the ColibRn River, whIch IS In the Sandhllrst District. . . No. 13, II. 66

'THE MAOHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:-

ALLUVIAL MININo. I Description of Machinery. I Number Aggregate Number I Aggregate At Work. Idle. of Stamp Horse-power of AtWark. Idle. of stamp Horse'll?w~r of I Reade. Steam Engines. ,Reads.' Stca.D:! Engines. -''------:.:... ---~I --- I----,-~-··-,-I~---,-,~,·· ------.\----!-.,,..--.,.-- '. , ,- \ S:t~~m. .Engi~es for.crushing: .:: 1 1 ... ., Ii 3 1 '4S , 40 Ditt,o, !Jrushing and pumping ...... 2 2 32 " 52 .. Ditt91,.pu.mping and puddling 3 ... 3'0' ...... W:ater Mill tor crushing. ' ... '1 4 6 '" ;, ...... Horse Pudilling Machines ... 9 ...... , . ... '" ... '" ., ... Horse Whims and Whips .•.. 5 ... '" ... 3 ... ._. ," ... ,,: '" " ., ,. .. I " .' . Dams and reservoirs, 7. occupying about 5· acres. Races, 5; extending about 2~ miles~ _,Total ,value of mining plant in the subdivision, £i2,500. . ". ,. Num'ber of square miles of alluvial gro~nd which is being, or may havc been, actually worked upon,10.. , .. .'. . : 'N umber of distinct quartz reefs which have been' actually proved to be auriferous to the present time,22. " ...... ' The price of gold dur~~g the'quarter in' the subdivision has been from £3 17s. to £3 178. 3d. per oz., " " '., '. " .

TH,E: FOtLO)VING, I~FORMATION ,HAS BEEN OBTAINED ;RELATIVE, TO THE QUANTITY,. OF QUA,~TZ AND .. .A.P,U1fl~L EARTH C~USRED DURING THE .QUAnT.ER, AND TIlE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM• .. , .. ; Remarkstelativeto Average;· , ','Name ofOompliny. , Wliere ~uartz, &c., were ' Quartz

~ ..~. - ~ "AUuviiil Earth crushed. ... ------Load •• • I '~. , f;t'a~i;~!:i' " ',. 72 0 13 23 50 5 0 Claim No.2 ...... ·":" .. t;.t ... , i)itto ...... Ditto ...... 61 0 11 11l~ 3-1, IS 3 . .;::." II ; . Claim.... No.3 ...... Ditto . ";: .. 43 0 11 lOt 24 11 " ' , , .. .'. , " Total klluvial Earth , ... 176' 0 12 llt 109 14 14 ,., .. , . ,\ . -.'... " " .. . I " " .. " ••• ·4 .' .. I : ,! N .B.-The miners on the StD.~·Lead fi~d it more :advantageous to reduce their wa8hdirL in It stea.m crushing mill, than in a horse pil;qdlirig macJ1!.nco:: cartage being the same in both ,cases. '" I' ," • ;,', • .,. ',,~ ; ",. • " • ",l • Taradule Park Lead.-Operations are going on here as usual, without any increase or diminution, except that one of the two steam,enf,{ines used for crushing and puddling auriferous earth has been taken away; i,t i~ being erected at th~ Belltol?per Reef. This old wor-ked reef is again occ~pied •. ". . '. '- , ~J albot Ii ill Lel1d.- \3111 s party IS the only, one that has yet struck gold, and It contlllues to do well. Five other parties are sinking for this (sub-basaltic) lead. • ' . Scorpion Lend.-A third party have commenced sinking on this lead, named the Cambrian Company_ :mdeed they'are now 60 feet deep in the baSaltic rock, and must go about 200 feet before 67

they can expect to "bottom.", The Scorpion Company is the only one that has yet reached, and is working oli the auriferous deposit; 't" '-',." • ' '.' , , Belltopper Lead.-The HercyniaCompany are persevering with their tunnel, which is now 630 ftiet in.lerigili. ' . " ' " , ' ,"';,,:1" ' .", :About ,50' Chinese'are ocetipied ;;on Hie old-worked grounds, hereabouts, and also 'a few Europeans. , ., '" _' " At a spot ono mile and'a quarter nortliward of Taradale, a discovery has l?een made of a little auriferous deposit quite io a new field; but ,it has not excited much interest as yet. +t is merely surfacing, not exceediug' 2 f"et in depth. The discoverers have appropriated two acres· and a half as a puddling elaim. .' " I ' , At Lauriston, there has been a discovery of a new quartz reef" situate 'in Mr. NfcCracken's paddock. ,. The fir8t crushing has yielded over 2-11 ozs. per ton. , , Orr's Reef is a locality of great attraction from the extent of auriferous reef lately opened' up; and as Mr. Holliwell's steam-crushing mill erected on the spot is how in full operation, mining is likely to be pursued very profitably in this quarter. ' ! Kan.garoo Creek.-This,is gtlcoming greatly l1h~ re!!9r~.9,f..Chinpse, upwards of 50 being he~e now. The Kangaroo Reef ~is again deserted., The last yield of gold. from, it averaged 5.dwts .. 15..g.rs. per ton. . ' , ," ,I,' I Barrold Ranges.-The Hit-or-Miss Rtlef has been completely worked out. At 230 feet depth the reef entirely disappeared. It has been wOliked for'l1length of about 300 feet with good results: ' Steed's Reef has been reoocupied"and some stone crushed therefrom, yielding 1 oz. 6 dwts. of gold per ton. ,,'," ., " Middleton's Reef has been again abandoned, and whilst the yield Wrul'S dwts. per ton. Viewing the w:hole Subdivision of Taradale, very little change has taken' place since I '}iult reported. - , , ., ,

MALDON DIVISION •

• ! ~ , Mr. 'RQbt. Nankiv,ell, Mining Surveyor and Regi,strar.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OJ!' l\IINE~S IS AS FOLLOWS::""

Europeans. Ohines •• ; Total for the Dltislon. Remn.rks. ", - .. Alluvial Miners' ... . , " 724 377 1,101 Quartz Miners ... 536 '" 536

Total J,~60 377 1 (m ... ., ... r,'

THE TOTAL"NuirBE'jCo]rMINEns IS THUS DISTBIBUT1j:D ::.:.... Porcupine Flat .... ,116 '. Gardner's Gully 32 Pegleg Gully , , L " '. 67 LOrig"Glllly Md~ 18 N ug'gety Flat 149 Ironbark' 14 Bradford '" "\!,' 16 Armstrqng's 4 L911.g QuJly .",. _ _ 82 Hard Hills , .. 20 Eaglehawk ... .. 150 Hunter's Rush " 27 Mount Tarrangower IUO Rack Creek .. ' 44 Beehive Hill-' " 110 Fryingpan ... 8 Sandy Creek 250 Green V alley 35 Pickpocket .. . ,89 NewstE'ad .. . 114 Total ... 1,637 Frenchman's Gully 42

THE MACHINERY'IS AS FOLLOWS:-

" ALLUV,IA.L MIN;ING, QUARTZ MlNIHG. .. Description of Mooblnery, I i Aggrellllte Number Aggregate At Work, i Idle, R orse~}}ower of At Work, Idle. of Stamp Horse~~er of Steam Engin.s, Hellds. S\O!lJll gines. ------Steam Engines employed in pump- 5 2 71 17 5 312 532 ing, winding, and crushing , ' Whims ...... , .. ... , ... 35 7 ...... Derricks ... , .. ... 2 3 ... .. , ...... Puddling Machines .. , ... 65 9 ... .." ...... Toms ...... 12 ...... '".. Water Wheels ...... , 3 ......

Total value of mining plant in the division £67,350. , N umber of square miles of alluvial ground whic,h is being, or may have been,:actually worked upon,10, ' , . Number of distinct quartz reefs'which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 53. The price of gold during the quarter in tjJ.e division has beeu from £3 ]78. 3d. to £3 198. 3d. per'oz. . 68 THE FOLLOWING lNroRMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ'AND QUARTZ TAILINGS AND CEMENT CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM.

Avera.ge NftoI!l60r Comp!lIlY, Where QlllIJi;z, &e., were Total Yield of R

---~--.~- ton ewt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. Beehive oz. dwt. gr. ... Beehive Reef ... 1,705 0 0 O' 6 1714 575 0 Eaglehawk Eaglehawk Reef 0 150 to 270 feet ...... 228 0 0 o 18 7i 208 18 6 30 to 180 feet Union ...... Eaglehawk Reef ... 1,620 0 0 Linscott's ... 0 4 Olh 324 2 0 100 to 260 feet ... N uggety, Lahns, and 492 0 0 I ;; 17 632 8 6 Eaglehawk Reefs 50 to 200 feet Wellington ... Linscott's Reef ... : 1,030 0 0 5 Oswald and Co. 0 O~ 259 6 6 180 feet ... Manton's, Nuggety. 1,287 0 0 2 6 2,979 16 18 Eaglehawk, and 7! 10 to 350 feet North Briton Reefs Phmnix ... '" Manton's, Wilson's, 954 0 0 1 5 13 1,218 8 0 and German Reefs 20 to 280 feet Great Western Beehive Reef I ... ••. I 714 0 0 o 19 01 679 6 0 150 feet Otago Reef , Otago Reef...... 206 0 0 0'19 2Dg 204 9 0 120 feet Chrystal and Co. ... Nuggety Reef ... 1,212 0 0 14 21! Union o 902 6 '0 300 feet ...... Thonhill's Reef ... 246 0 0 0·10 21,', 133 16 0 Alpha Beehive Reef 280 feet ... '" ... 355 0 0 o 15 5fr 270 0 0 120 feet Salter and Co. ... Nuggety and Victoria 650 0 0 1 4 15 800 5 12 . Heefs 210 to 320 feet Globe Smith'a Reef ...... I 93 0 0 0 4 8! 20 3 18 120 feet Total ... 10,792 0 0 o 17 q 9,208 5 18 Quartz Tajlintls and -~.------~-- Cement. Eaglehawk ... Quartz tailings and 1,740 0 0 0 I llA 128 5 9 Surface cement Union ... Ditto ...... 1,220 0 0 0 2 12i 154 3 6 Ditto Linscott's ...... Cemen.t ...... 417 0 0 0 1 3! 23 15 0 Ditto Prince of Wales Ditto '" ... ' 2,300 0 0 0 1 171. 199 9 6 Ditto Chrystal and Co. ... Quartz tailin gs .. . 152 0 0, 0 1 18A 13 '8 0 Ditto Nicholson and Co. . •. Ditto ... ' .. 480 0 0 0 3 19~ 91 10 0 Ditto Welsh and English ... Ditto ... '" 1,200 0 0 0 1 13b 92 15 8 Ditto Toy Brothers ... Ditto ...... 657 0 0 0 5 24 197 o 18 Ditto Hope ...... Ditto .. ' '" 667 0 0 0 2 9$ 80 5 0 Ditto

-_. - -.-~-, . Total, Quartz Tail-} ings and Cement 8,833 0 0 0 2 5i 980 II 14

ST. ANDREW'S EAST SUBDIVISION. Mr. R. Brazill, Mvning Surveyor and Registrar.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:-

I Tota! for the I Europeans. Chinese. Subdivision. ; Remarks.

Alluvial Miners ...... 475 89 564 The" other prpulation " resident in in this subdivision is about 1400 • Quartz Miners ...... 90 ... 90 '" I Total ... 565 89 I--~'- I I

''cHE.TOTA.L NU:I1Blllt OF ~IJNERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:- Salter's Rush 8 W nlahe's Creek and branches 10 Old Caledonia Creek 25 The Yarra, at McMahon's Creek 36 Smith's Gully 12 Muddy Creek .. , \, 4 Boomer's Gullv 3 The Two Peninsulas 10 Ford's Gully .~. . ... 4 Scotchman's Creek 12 Shotton's Reef, Yow Yow 4 Warburton Gold Field 40 Barker's Reef 4 RoddIe's CrtJek " 18 Allan's Reef .. .:1 Emerald (old workings) 34 One Tree Hill 4 Queenstown ... 47 Oram's Reef ... 36 Wild Dog Gully,. 10 Whitehair's Reef 2 Yow Yow Gully and Creek 9 Mountain Rush 30 Back Creek (part of) 37 New Caledonia 20 Ironbark Gully 6 ,Welcome Flat. . 12 Red Shirt Gully 7 Anderson's Creek (the creek) 54 ·Cherrytree Gully 12 Whipstick Gully 8 Bakehouse Gully 7 'Thomson's Bend 20 Long Gully .. ' 25 Jumping Creek 8 Ferntree Gully 20 Parson's Gully 4 Whiskey Gully 8 Ross' Gully ... 4 '-- .Darling Gold Field :16 Total '654 69

THE MAOIIINERY IS AS FOLLOWS :-

ALLUVIAL MlmIlG. Qll'A.Rrz Ml!nl!o.

Description of Machinery. Aggregate Number Aggregate At Work. Idle. At Work. Idle. of Stamp M::~~~:: Heads. _.,. ~E.~~ ~--~'~-~--~----"'-~-'- --~-,------~------Quartz Crushing }tachines ... 2 I 33 30 ...... I Horse Puddling Machines ..... 20 4 ...... H • ...... , I Water Mill for crushing quartz, ... '" .. 1 ... 4 .. . about 6-horse power I. Water Wheel for pumping ... 1 ...... , I ...... Whips ...... 3 ...... i I I I Total value of mining plant in the subdivision, £7,240. Number of square miles of alluvial ground which is being,or ma'V have been, actually worked upon, 17!. Number of distinct quartz reefs which 11 ave been actually pro\'cd to be aurifero11s to the present time, 51. I'he priee of gold during the quarter in the subdivision has heen from £3 J 55. to £3 178.6£1. per oz.

THE FOLLOWING In'oRMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED HELATIVN ~'o THE QUAN1'ITY oj)' QUARTZ ORUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED TlIEREFRO~!.

I 1 Avero.ge Remark. relative to the N a.m. of Company. Where QUlIrtz was i Quartz erushed. Yield of Gold Total Yield of Depth a.t whieh the obtained. per Ton. Gold. Quartz was obtained, ke. J ------ton ewt. qr. oz. elwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Carlisle and Company 52 0 0 I 18-& 54 0 0 I Oram's Reef ." I o Neill and Company ... Ditto ...... 121 0 0 1 0 3"TI 122 0 0 Fowler and Compauy ... Ditto ...... 5 0 0 0 3 12j o 18 0 Trial lot, 60 feet deep Oralll and Company ... Ditto ...... 34 0 0 1 0 0 34 0 0 32 0 0 I 36 10 0 D. Rcllanck ...... Barker's Reef ... 2 19~ I D. Horan ... '" Ditto ...... 24 0 0 0 19 14 23 10 0 I () Hirt and Dodgin ... Allen's Reef ... i 30 0 1 0 0 30 0 0 Quarman and Company Oram's Reef ... 12 0 0 I 0 0 12 0 0 ! . ---~--- --~---I Total ... 310 0 0 1 0 4 312 18 0:

Mining operations have been, to a great extent, suspended during the last three months, oVi;ng to the flooded state of the country, the destruction of bridges, the badness of the tracks, and the height to which the Yarra has risen. On the Darling Gold Field, another reef about 3 feet thick, the "Excelsior," has been discovered, and it is likely to prove very productive. Some crushing has been done in this locality by Messrs. Ward and Marston, on Christmas Reef, of stone taken from their ow,n, the Prospeoting Claim, but th!;ly posi. tively refuse to give, either to me or to the miners, any information as to the results, which doubtless, however, have been very good. . Several oompanies have applied for leases of portions of the bed and banks of the Yarra; the constaut success of small parties, working with imperfect appliances in the river, at the township of Anderson's Creek and elsewhere, having demonstrated the auriferous character of the river deposits, which, worked on a large scale, should be highly remunerative. At Anderson's Creek, there are about 80 miners, anxiously awaiting the subsidence of the floods, to resume operations in the river bed, where they have had great success, as described in my last report. The applicants for lease, No. 28, of a portion of the great Peninsula Upper Yarra, have just completed their tunnel, and suocessfully turned the river, obtaining a very good prospect (from 5 to 6 grains to the dish) in the few dishes of stuff they washed. On the Caledonia Gold Field, t)1ere is little doing, either in quartz or alluvial mining, except at Oram's Reef, where a most excellent crushing mill was started for work by the owner, Mr. Nickinson, on the 19th August ultimo. It consists of a hattery of six revolving stampers, with 6 feet of a copper table and 12 feet of ripple board, driven by a lO·horse, high pressure, horizontal engine. I' am happy to be able to inform you, that the judicious expenditure of a few hundred pounds by the Government has rendered travelling safe, shorter, and not very difficult, even to the locality of the Darling Reefs. the highest point where work is doing, on the left bank of the Yarra. I would add, that although little has been achieved in the way of mining, during the quarter, yet such preparations have been made, as will lead t,o great activity, when fine weather sets in.

ST ANDREW'S WEST SUBDIVISION. Mr. George Frwncis, Mining Surveyor and Registrar.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:-

I Total for the 'Europeans. I Ohinese. Suhdivision.

Alluvial Miners 10 10 Quartz Miners 185 185

Total 145 145 70

...... , ,,':" .. ' .! i 't.' ,'",' t t .. T ~ , TIlE TOTAL ,NUlI1f!El!. O"fo',lIX!NERS lSTIlUS DIS~~IBU,TED ::-:- }lcDougall ,,' ' ... 4 Diamond' Reef;.'on' p' rivate land Phipps and Co .... 42 . ... Orme's party; , ... 25 , Vernon and Hill 5 Ditto', . on Crown lands, Seddon and Co,,,l . 3 Gibb's Reef, Tourrong, private lan.d, three parties : ,. 20 Quailes' Reef, east of Plenty, 6 miles south of Whittlesea: ... , ,6 ... Ophir Reef, in the Bullancrook Forest, 5 miles N.W~ of \lisborne: ... ..'.. .., ,5-. .. ~ ew discovered reef, parish of Tyab, county of Mornington, '8 miles east of Frankston ,~,. 25 Alluvial-Back Creek, W.' Eltham "3 Ditto, S. E. of Mount.Martha 7: - 'fotal. 145

THE MAOHINEltY IS 'AS FOLLOWS :-- . :" "'" .

ALLUVIAL lllnmw. QUARTZ MINIHG.

.. Description of Mac!linery. .. .,". '. : Aggre~te N b f ASj!regate AbWork• Idle. Horse-c'of At ~ork;: 'I Idle. in um er 0 > I B or6e~£wer of . Steam· . ea. Stamp Heads. Steam gines. ',1 • ,.., '. " .' --~-- -~~ ;. . j-'-'-- Diamond Reef, Phipps and Co., -- ...... 1 ... ,12 20 steam engine I I I G!bbs' Reef, steam engine ...... 1 ... 6' 16

I Back Creek. W. Eltham. . horse ...... ····1I ...... "' I puddling machine , .. . .. w!<_' ~" .. .. I " :1 , " Total value of mining, plant in the subdivision, £3,500. ., :. Number of square miles of aJ.iuviai ground which is being, or may have been actually worked upon, 5. . , Number of distinct,quartz I'eefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present tlme,5. , . The price of gold during the quarter in the subdiVi~ion has been from £3 1'68. to £3 3s. per 011.

Tlllj) FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED .RELATIVE TO THE' QUANTITY OF 'QUARTZ ORUSHED

DURING THE QUARTER,' AND T'IlE' GOLD OBTAINED 'THEREFROM. . 'j

Remarks relative to the " N..me of Compru,y. . Wbere was . Q. Uartz, Crushed.,.j·.. ' Depth at; which the obtain~Quartz~.• Quartzwa.s obtained. ;, ., ;' '~.~ ': \---··--"-.·-·-;-1----·-----.-- ton. CIVt. qr. oz. dlVt. gr, . oz. dwt, gr. Phipps and Co; Diamond Ree~ 'McDougall ~:'; '," :.. Ditto'! ,'~.:: .l( t·" ,::::,,:.: ' .. : ,; ::' 4:: ,: ,: j' __ • ~I' f , , , ·1 50'to ISO,feet Orme \ Ditto ,).36 0 0 I 2 7 lSi .' : 86 0 0 . , I : .. 9:'.-0 ,'0" 2 0 0 18 0 0 j'.: '... f' Hill and Vernon I Ditto I -,-1-.--- Total , .lJd' I 2~~ 0 0 I ~ 6 204 581 0 0 Gibbs's Reef;-Machlnery only;just now completed.. No crushing as yet. . c, 'Ophir Reef, and New Reef, papsh of Tyab:~Ope[atioiis only recently commenced, ·t!ie fir¢; about the middle, and the last within the last ten days. . '...... '. .' , ..

I have the honor to forward herewith returns for the past quarter, and to report that in this subdivision, during the last quarter, quartz mining appears to have progressed very satisfactorily for the parties engaged, as shown by the increase in the number of men employed on the claims which have been developed, as well as in. prospecting fQr n~w,re~fs., ',.: , .. ,...... h'.' ,. ~ ; The Diamond Reef, 'which is now being worked at a depth of about 130 feet, yields as good an average return as it has ever done; and will, I believe,prove a.lasting,source of wealth to the different parties working it. '., . , .'. ", . : :,' The other two reefs, GIbbs sand QUalles', also promIse well .. J\fachmery for crushmg on the first has just been .completed, and on the Ia.tter, the, prospectors are A,riving across to the reef, at considerable expense, with a view of draining; and'future operations on a'large sca~e. ,. .. Two new reefs have been reported'to me as haviqg been discovered : the first near Gisborne, in the Bullancrook Forest, and the second about eight miles easterly frok Frankston. The prospectors are sinking on the first, and are very sanguine of success; and on the last-n,amed, five other parties as well as the prospectors are at work, opening, the surface Over the reef. Soine quartz specimens, exhibited 'as coming from this reef, contained unusually large pieces ~f gold. ' As soon as I have had a.n opportunity of i~sp!;lcting ,it,_ I propose t!> report to you fully.. . In reference to mining for coal, there is no change since my last report. 7I

BLUE MOUNTAIN NORTH SUBDIVISION. Mr. R. H. H01"fI.,(!" Mim/iJng Registrar.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF M!NERS IS All FO~LOWS:-

Europeans. Chinese. ToW for the Subdivision. Remarkll.

-- -~---~,~~- Alluvial Miners 755 10 765 The other population, ...... of all classes, Inelu- Quartz Miners 325 325

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED: , Trentham.,...... 50 Newbury, including the Rocky Lead, Stony Creek, and all the Main Flat within a mile of Trentham ...... 75 Garlick's, Kirk's, and the Glue Pot, including Blue Creek and Blue Gully... .., .•...... '" 575 Doctor's Hill, Canadian Hill and Gully, Dead Man's Hill, &C. 25 Alma Reef ... 295 Nil Desperandum Reef 10 Amelia Reef ...... 30 Other localities without name .. . 30

Total .., 1,090

THE MACHINERY IS All FOLLOWS:-

ALLUVlAL MINING. I QUARTZ Ml::!iI:NG ---_._---,------'-,~--.. --.,.'-- Desoriptlon of Machinery. Aj!grega." , At Work. I Idle. HO~~':':: of At Work. I Idle. Horse-Power of S.... mEngln ... Ste&m EngInes.

--i-~-'--'--'-r------~---

Puddling Machines , .. 8 ,2 ... ••• I ••• '" ... Sluicing Machines 4 2 .. . I,ong Toms ... 341.). I Whims 3 I ! Whips Steam Engines ; .24' I 12 12 I

Total Yalue of mining plant in the subdivision, £4,700. Number of square miles of alluviru ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon,10. Number of distinct quartz reefs whicn.'hl1ve been: actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 5. The price of goldduririg the quarter in the sulidivis.ion \las 'been ,from £3178. 6d. to £3178. 9d. per oz.

'l'HE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ CRUSBED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GoLD OBTAINED THEREFROM. ! Renmrkll relative to the Name of Company. Wh"". Quartz was I Avera~ Total Yield obtained. - • Qun.rtz crushed. Yield of ld of Cold. Depth at which tho j perTon. Quartz was obtained. I .-.~-~- ~~~---

ton cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. o~. dwt. sr. Alma Compa.ny ... Alma. Reef, No.1 ... ,300 0 0 I 0 0 sob 0 0 90 feet Prospecting Claim ... 120 0 0 o 17 12 105 0 0 NO.2, South Company'" Alma. Reef ...... I '" Amelia Company t , .. Amelia. Reef, No. t 533 0 0 I 010 0 1 266 10 0 75 feet .Prospecting Claim i i ; NIl Despcrandum Com, Nil Desperandum I 24 o· 0 i 0 2 0 2 8 0 I pany Reef, No. I . I ' Total 1---;;-; 19+. ~-o-I

• No. 2, South Company (Alma Reef, originally called "Stokes~ Rush"), have crushed not~duriDg the l ...t quarter, h&vlng been :£1ne;;.1n raiSing atone, with much labor, o":,,,g to the frequent overflow of water In the ah"ft. f:y h&ve at thi.tlme 100 tonsre.a.dy for t Amelia Reef, No.1 Prospecting CompllllY ; originally ...Ued the "German Company;" then the "Emilien;" but now, more generally tho"~~~ .' • 72

In addition to the foregoing tabular statiRtics, I have the honor to make the following state­ ments:- The very brief period of summer at the Blue Mountain Gold Field was reduced to less than its usual nnmber of weeks, in the last period s.o Hamed; and even during that time the rains seldom ceased heyond two days in snccession, while the actual winter commenced vcry early indeed, and is here still, with respect to heayy rains frequently, and hurricanes. The road.ways and bush·tracks from Woodend and KYlleton, on the one side; from Blackwood, on the other; and from Daylesford to the s<:lUth-west of Garlick's, have been comparatively impassable these four or llve months by drays with heavy loads, and even now, a rainfall of eight.and.forty hours reduces them again to a condition almost \lqual to their worst in the winter months. The machinery, therefore, which has been ordered, und constructed for lUany claiJ;ns, still lingers on the way, and ill some cases, has not yet commenced the journey. As I hm-e previously reported, and must emphatically repeat" this gold £leld cannot advancc to any adequate development of its very extensive, though probably not richly auriferous wealth, without the almost general adoption of machinery, and the formation of companies with capital, knowledge, and energetic enterprize to carryon their respective works. '1.'0 the forep;oing statements, and the opinions deduccd from them, this important fact has to be added, viz., that while thero appears to bc alluvial gold, more or less, in almost all localities not abso­ lutely of a quartzose or other silicious nature, it is, ill most illstanees, of so very fine a qu1tlity as t:l be, not only invisible, but beJ'oud the power of all ordinary machinery to arrest. The miners here are, at last, beginning to discover that the adoption of chemical agents, and of impl'oved chemical agents, is now indispensable. The first company 'which has arrived at this conclusion is McPherson's steam-puddling complj.ny, at Newbury. Their engine, which keeps two pllddling machines coustantlyat work, has proyed very efficient, as to working thc machinery; but the flower of gold escapes. Payable gold is all that has at present been obtained; the larger quantities of profitable gold returns with th:} sludge to the muddy flats and lower swampy grcund of Newbury. Applications for many claims, for new and large companies, have been taken out during the last quarter; some of which have heen permanently re15istered, while others are at present held in abeyance, pending the warden's decisioll on objections urged against them. ,. 'it *~ ;; * ;; ~, Claims for companies of 50 mcn have been chiefly taken out in the vicinity of Garlick's; but two have recently betlll takeu out at Trentham. Another large company, for tunnelling 'and sinking, is also in course of formation close to the Blue Mount, consistiug of 100 men's ground; fifty claims having been taken in the Castlemaine .District, and fifty 011 the Ballarat side of this subdivision. This new company intends to sink shafts in th,c Blue Mount itself, and drive tunnels ill at the base, following the design of a company since dissolved. This new company is called the" Weird Krook," which is the native name of the Bluc Mountain, with II slight variation in the spcllinn-. Several mining accidents have occurred, by men f~ling down deep shafts, in returning home during very dark nights; and there has been an explosion of the steam boiler of the 130undary Lead Gold Mining Company, by which ponderous masses of iron and other maehincry were :!lung a distance of many yards; but. by extraordinary good fortune, no loss of life occurred in any of the above accidents, and no serious injuries. 'rhe alluvial gold purchascd by the manager of the branch bank of Australasia (in Blackwood) from the Blue l'vIountltin Gold Ficlds, during the last quarter, amounts to 412 ozs. 6 dwts. 4 gTs. from Newbury, and 315 qzs. 12 dwts. 23 grs. from Garlick's, making a total, of alluvial gold, of 727 ozs. 19 dwts. 7 grs.; which, with thc addition of 673 o~s. 18 dwts., produced from the quartz reefs, gives a total of gold of N-Olozs. 17 dwts. 7 grs. .

A"RARAT MINING D I STRICT.

ARARAT DIVISION. Mr. Henry Grimes, Mining Surveyor and Registrar.

THE TOTAL NUMBER .OF MIKERS IS AS FOLLOWS:-

Total for the EUl'Opeans. CbInese. Division. Remark•.

_. -. -- .. ~ ------I Alluvial Miners ." ... 700 I 800 1,500 Quartz Miners ... .. , 120 ---~~~--l . Total ...'''1 820 I 800 1,620

'l'HE TOT AT, N UMBER OF MINERS IS TIl US DISTRIBUTED:­ Ararat .. , 450 Cathcart 43Q' Rocky Point 20 Opossum Gully 280 Armstrong's 300 - Moyston 140 Total .. : 1,620 I 78

THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS!- .. ALLUVIAL MINlNG. Ql1AltTZ MlNlNG.

Description of Ma.chinery.. _, 1 Ailgregate . Number I Aillll"'i"te A~ :work. Idle. Horse-Power of ·AtWork. , Idle. of Stamp Horse-Power of Steam Engine•• Heads. Steam Engines. 1---- Steam engines pumping_ and !- winding ...... _4 42 2 .. . ., . 37 Ditto and crushing ...... , ... 2 I 24 40 Steam engines for crushing ...... 2 ... 16 24 Puddling machines .,. .. , 40 5 , ...... Sluices and toms 250 ...... 1 ...... I Total value of mining plant in the division. £13,000. Number of squaro miles of alluvial ground which is being, or may have been actually worked upon, 22. Number of distinct quartz reefs which haye been actually proyed to be auriferous to the present time, 14. The price of gold during the quarter in the division has beeu £3 16s. 6d. per oz.

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED Rl!LA'rIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM.

I A vcrago T y' ld Ilmnarka ralat;.e to tlle Quartz CI'llSl1ed_ Yield of Gold,I ot...~. 10 of Depth at which the per Ton. I Gold. Quart. was obtained. __ -=:e~:~::'__ 1 Wb.~~=.Z was I - ~2~ "O't· 6r . !~;:Tit. ~. 4~·718t .. t'.:~-·-----·- Hatton .and Co. '''1' Campbell's Heef, Moyston I No.3 :South ...... i Ditto 178 0 0 i 0 7 15~ 68 0 0 No.4 South ...... Ditto 20 0 0 . 0 8 14~ 8 12 o !)rospect Claim Ditto 33:f 14 0 I 7 Oh 453 5 12 Kangaroo Ditto 49 10 0 0 8 04 19 16 18 I Extended Suuthern Ditto 84:30 070~ 29 10 o Cross Kangaroo Ditto 93 14 0 1 0 Ob 93 14 12 Prospect Ditto 221 4 0 : 1 7 O~ 298 13 12 1;3;;-S -0-1-1-2 13i 1,469 10 6

In my report for the last three months, I have much pleasure in stating that a great improvement has taken place in this division. That whereas, in my report for the previous quarter, I was compelled to give a rather gloomy account of the results of mining, I now have the satisfaction to state, that it has been more successful during the quarter just ended than during any previous one for the last two years, Twenty prospecting claims have been registered with me, viz., four at Cathcart, six at Opossum, five at Ararat, and five at Armstrong's Diggings, the chief lead being that at Cathcart, which was opened up in the previous quarter, and upon which there have been from 200 to 400 men working. At Shay's Flat, Opossum Diggiugs. there was a small lead opened up lately, most of the claims doing well. This fiat seems to be highly auriferous, several prospect claims have been granted therein, and to-day a Chinaman registered another prospect claim situated at the head of the fiat, which gives a prospect of 2 dwts. per tub, including a 14.dwt. nugget, th.e depth of sinking being 7 feet. Nearly the whole oHhe alluvial gold has been obtained from the shallow diggings, from 6 to 30 feet; the deeper leads at the Britannia, Victory, and Junction Claims, having been, for the time being, abandoned. The only reef from which we obtain gold is Campbell's, at Moyston, the produce of which has been- For the 1st quarter of this yeul' 1472} ,,2nd " 980 In all 3921 ozs. ,,3rd " ... 1469 against 2000 ozs. for the whole of last year. 'fhe produce of the alluvial diggings, for the quarter just ended, I estimate at 623() ozs.

PLEASANT CREEK DIVISION. Mr. John D'.Alton, Mining Surveyor and RegiBtra'l"

THE TOT,!.L NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:-

Europeans. Chinese. ToW for the I I Division. ------,-----__ ~ __ ' ___- ----,- Alluvial Miners • '~f ...... 723 300 1,023 Quartz Miners ...... 470 ... 470 "------~ Total ... 1,193 300 1,493 No. 18, i. THE TOTAL NUMBER, ,OF MINERS IS. TRUS DlSTBIBUTBD:­ Deep Lead .... 260 Oommercial Street 160 Ironbark ' 50 Elizabeth Creek ... 50' Four'Posts '" ': 15 Forty.foot ...... , ':,. 10 Cooper's Flat and Taylor's Gully ... 18 German Gully .. , 10 ".' Quartz Reefs ..'. 420 Great ,Western . 500 "-'-'-'" '; Total 1,493

1'HE MACBIN'BRY IS 'is FOLLOWS:~

QUARTZ Mnmm. (! i " --,-----'-"",,----I--~,-,,·~-,-,----:'---,,-- Deacription of lIllIChInery. Number I A;jgrego.ta .. , At Work. Idle. : Idle. of Stamp Horae'l!!'wer of Heads. JSteam l!lnginaa. -,-, ---''-,------,------,,-I--~--.--- Steam Engines 5 70 9 3 330 Crushing Machines 6 6 3 216 7 Puddling Machines.- Whims' " ... 1 6 17 9 Whips 3 ·3, 3 Sluice Boxes 36 ... Sluices and Toms ... 38 Hydraulic Hose ... i 1 Total value of mining'plant in the 'division, £6i,200., . .' . ' ':'. ::: ' Number of square miles of alluvia~ ground which is being, or may have been actually worked upon,11t· . Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the prese'ut time, 17. The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been from £3 lOs, 6d. to £3 16s.,,,6d. per oz.

THE FOLLOWING IN~'ORMATION HAS IlJilEN 01lTAINJiD RELATIVE '1'0 TIlE QUANTITY OF QUAR'fZ AND QUARTZ. TAILINGS AND CmlENT CRUSHED DURING TIlE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM.

Name of Compauy. "" ~~r6 Q~~.Obta.ined. '&;0 •• were Quartz crushed.

ton ewt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. " Victoria Compa.ny Sloan's 'and Flying 1,~91 0.0 '0 15 ~ 819 12 0 170 feet Doe Reefs .. :(\foonlight Company ... C~oss and Moonlight 1,620 0 0 0 12 3, 982 0 0 From 300 to 170feet Reefs ., Lamont and Company Cross Reef ' .,. 2,769 ~ 0 1 q 19; 2,884 2 0 Pleasant Creek Co. : .. New Ch'um and 1,68i, 2 I 3 o 10 8 868 16 0 From 300 to 462 13cotchman's feet. the deepest workings in Pleasant Creek Wimmera Company ... Perthshil'e :IDd ' 1,000 0 0 o 7 8 366 13 8 220 feet Scotchman's, a.nd .. , ., Sloan's .".. ·.. ·..·1', ..... - 1--' ,--- ~---,,------'-.. - Total, Quartz ... 8,161. 2:; 0 14 12t 5,921 3 8 Quartz Tailings and \ Cement crushed. Allen a.nd Lhiining .. , Deep Lead 1,248"0 0" 0'·: 'I 194 113 4' 0 N. and S. Wales Co .... Poverty Point and 1,420 0 0 o 8 3' 576 17 13 . Ironbark Cambrian Company ... Silver Shilling .. . 980 '0 0 o 6 ·O~ 295 0 0 Alluvial Company ... Deep Lead' .. . 348 0 0 o 6 91 III 9 0 Independent Company Deep Lead j .. . 368, 0 0 ,0 ,3 1 55'19 S Tweedy and Company Commercial.street .. , ·86 0 0 o 6 0 25 16 0

-~------~--"-- Total, QuartzTail-} I 4,450 0 0 0 5 ~!' 1,1'78 '521 ings an~ Cement '11) .

, Six hundredanc)..sixty.two tons of quartz, taken .from a depth of 462 feet, averaged 14 dwts. 6 grs. per ton; from a depth of 400 f~et in$e same claim it only averaged 8 dwte. ; '. QUARTZ:~ , Theprinoipal event of mining'interest 'which -has occurred during the quarter now -ended was the discovery of several new auriferous r~efs, two of which are situated in entirely new country, namely, at Elizabeth Creek, about five miles north of the township of Stawell, and on the eastern slope of ,tlie Ironbark Ranges; the stone crushed froni the prospectors' claims varied from 9 dwts. to 1 oz. per ton. A line of claims has been taken up along the course ,of the above reefs, extending upwards of half a. IPjJe! . . On the Cross Reef,. it is. encouraging to find-that very, payable stQne has been raised from the deep levels of claims N 08. 3, 4, and 5 North; and in No.6 South (where the original reef had run out) a number of tl1.in leaders were followed for a considerable time with great perseverance, and at no little cost. A new flat reef has at length belm struck at 300 feet from the surface; from the appearance of this stone, I would estimate its yield at 3l oza. per'ton. ,- , On Sloan's Reef, Petrie and Company's claim eontinues to make retUrns of over 3 ozs. per ton. Adjoining the northern boundary of the Pleasant Creek Company's leased ground, a new reef (if not a continuation of th\l New Chum 'Reef) has been driven into; and 30 tons of stone, taken from a depth of 150 feet; yielded 7 d~ts. per t<;I1. . . The Scotchman's Reef IS producmg very fine stone from olalm No. S North, and contmues to yield with great regUlarity from 1 oz. to It oz. per tOri; the remaining claims on this line of reef, with the exception of the Rose of Denmark and another, are not working, in consequence of having reached the water level. There are but two claims at present working on the Perthshire Reef. The Moonlight Reef. is worked by the Moonlight Company in their leased ground; it pays expenses, but has not been' prospected to any considerab1e depth. ,. With reference to machinery, I may state that three crushing machines have been idle during the past quarter,. viz., .t~e Perthshire, the Great Northern, .and t~e. SaiIl:t George's'; tli~ latter, h~wever, wa~ on}y statl::maryl!l con~equence of ~he eompaJlY <¥lding Chiliru: mills ~ the machme, and bemg en­ gaged m altermg theIr engme from a hIgh pressure to a condensmg engme. The Rose of Denmark Company have erected twelve head of stampers'i.D. counection with their pUmping and Winding engine, and Lamont and Company are preparing to place a winding engine on one of the southern claims on the Cross Reef. ALLUVIAL. The alluvial prospects of this division have decidedly improved during the last three months. At the Ironbark, the cement, in one claim produced 14 ozs. per ton. The rush to Concongella Hill ' resulted in only one payable claim and caused much disappointment; however, to this rnsh may be attributed the discovery of the two 9,uartz reefs before mentioned, which are distant about two miles from this hill. The old workings at Commercial street are again attracting considerable attention, as the pipe clay can be sluiced with con,!iderable profit; small leads of cement have also been met with, and the workings are gradually extending, so that it is not improbable that some of the lost leads may again be take!). up ; there are a considerable number of Chinese on this flart of .the diggings. , There is nothing' of importance to report respecting the Deep Lead and adjoining workings, except that the mining population there has considerably diminished; this may be attributed to various rushes which have taken place in the neighborhood. . A very healthy-looking rush has set in at the Great Westeru in new ground named Beyman's Lead, seven' or eight claims have already got payable gold, but the sinking is heavy and tedious, as part of the ground is wet and must be slabbed and puddled, so,that it is difficult as yet to ~ay what will be the result; the depth is SO feet, with decomposed graniw bottom, the gold is fine and scaly, and, were not ~h_e chitra,cter of ,the locality plI:~chy. a good and permanent lead miglit. be confidently looked for.

N oTE.-On the loth AUb~st, iS64, Mr. Mining, Surveyor D'Alton forwarded a report to the Honorable the Minister of Mines, stating that a rush had taken place to Concongella Hill, a low spur to the east of the Ironbark Range; and about three miles north of the township boundary of Stawell •. ['here were ab.out 300 miners on the ground, inclusive of a few Chinese. The gold was being obtained both in.surfacing and deep sinking; ground to a depth of seven inches was payable on the surface. At' a'distance of about 50 feet from the prospectors' claim, gold was found at a depth of 20 feet, the !linking being through 3 feet of red clay, 15 feet of cement of-medium hardness, 'and 2 feet of washdirt. The prospect ,obta,4led was half.an ounce to the load. The ground was altogether new, and was remark­ able on account of its being th~ first place where gold had been found to the east of the' Ironbark ltange. The Mining Surveyor stated, that it was probable that a lead would be traccd between the rush an~ that at Ironbark on the one hand, and into the Sheoak Flat on the other, and that a permanent diggings might be looked for. There were no indications of quartz reefs in the immediate neighbor. hood • ." ,On.the 27th September, i864, Mr. Mining Surveyor D'.A1ton forwarded a report to the Honor­ able the Minister of Mines, stating that a considerable rush had taken Jllace to the north-west of that portion of the Great Western Diggings known as "the Old Hill." The sinking was through clay, gravel, and drift, to a depth of 80 feet, the washdirt varied from 8 inches to 3 feet in thickness, the bo~tom was decomposed g!'[lnite. The,re were upwards of 500 miners on the ground, inclnsive of 100 Chinese. The prospectors had washed 5 ozs. 4 dwts. of gold from four loads. The ground waS new ' and presented indications;of a permR11ent diggings.

RAGLAN DIVisION., Mr. Edward Wm. Bagskawe, Mining S'U,?'veyor and Registmrr.

THE TOTAL NUMDER OF MINERS IS' AS FOLLOWS;-

I Total for the Europeans, Ohineoo. Division. Remo.rks,

Alluvial 'Miners ...... 601 510 ],t11 The European minera are slightly Quartz Miners ... 7 ... 7 dispersed,and blJ,t li.ttle difference ,., amongst the Chinese. The total population ofthe division is a.bou~ " Total ::: I 60B c. ': 510 t,lIS the same, viz" 3,100. 76

THE TOTAL' NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:- Sailor's Gully 73 Old King Charlie's Gully 20 Jock's Gullv 70 Charlton Gully ... 35 Old Lead .... 384 Sulky Gully ... 9 Beaufort '" ... 272 Swampy Gully 12 New King Charlie's Gully ·19 Tipperary Gully 18 Sawpit Gully ... 20 Oharcoal Gully 9 Shicer Gully 16 Waterloo ... 28 Surface Hill ... 25 Perseverance Gully 27 Total 1,118 Paddy's Gully 51

THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:-

ALLUVIAL MINnIG. QUAltTZ 111jJ,iINO. , Description of Machinery. Aggregate Aggregate At Work. Idle. Horse-~or At Work. Idle. Hor.... =of Steam • es. ~::W~. ~team . es.

Steam Engines employed in pump·I--l~-- S 200 ...... ing winding and puddling , Steam Quartz Crushers i ...... 2 12 15 Puddling Machines ... ::: I 57 6 ...... '" Whims and Pulleys , 11 3 .. ... / ...... Horse Pumps ...... 2 ...... '" .. . Sluices and Toms .. , , .. ! 4 ...... I '"

, Total value of minin~ plant in the division, £11,200. Number of'square miles of alluvial ground which is being, 01' may hav,e been, actually worked upon, 15. Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 2. The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been from £3 18s. 6d. to £3 198. per oz.

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE ,TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ CRUSHJj:D DrrRING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM.

Remark> relative to the Where Quartz was Average Total Yield of Nama of Company. I Quartz orushed. IYield of Gold . Gold. Depth at which the obta.ined. . I .perTon. Qunrtzwasobtained,.tc.

--~-~~--"-- -~----'------i ' ton ow~. qr. I oz. dwt.gr. oz. dwt. gr. Red Hill Quartz Reef Red Hill ... Nil I About 20 ~on. raised and ... , ...... '" waiting to be C1'UlIhed when machine is up. I I I have the honor to report, that mining matters generally, as regards companies, have been anything but successful in the division, the returns of gold purchased by the bmlks showing a consider- able falling off. . ' Two small local rushes, one on the Old Lead and the other at New King Oharlie's Gully~ having turned out failures, both having' been well prospected by, numerous shafts, are now entirely abandoned. The party of prospectors who went out in consequence of the advertised rewards, have returned from a locality nbout two miles from Waterloo. towards Lexton. having bottomed at 130 feet, and not finding any payable wash. This party, I may state, only comprised four, and we,re, after many attempts to augment their strength without success, obliged to abandon further prospecting. At Chariton, Old Lead, and Sailor's Gully, where puddling machines are principally employed, the miners are making fair. wages, from £1 lOs. to £4 per week per man; and were it not for these places the escort returns would be still further reduced. . . The prospects of the Burke Company and the Perseverance, at Waterloo, I am happy to inform you, appear to be looking better than they have done for some time; two shares have changed hands in the Burke at greatly advanced prices. The Prince Alfred Company, adjoining the Burke, have been and. are still putting in their main drives, and have crossed the lead m some places, which shows every prospect of a good yield and hand­ some dividends in "blocking out." The next claim on this lead, the late Golden Stream Company, have abandoned their lease, and sold their engine and plant .for £500, to the,Search and, Find Company, Talbot. At Surface Hill, mining matters are on the downward scale, very small dividends being realised. The Beaufort Junction Company, the best company of the district, in which the main hope ofthe mining community here was centered, has been at last compelled to succumb to adverse circumstances; the engine, plant, &0 .. which cost upwards of £1,600, were sold last week for £600 cash, which will just clear the present liabilities. This plant i,s being removed to one of the deep wet claims at Creswick. The Hope Company. although having some very good ground to wor.k, when they think proper, are endeavouring to trace the le~d towards the Homeward Bound Company, but without success a!! yet, though from the prospects of the latter, they soon expect a favourable result The Homeward Bound Company (late Banditti), are at present putting th,Gir main levels in, and expect to be in thorough working trim with the best/rospects before them. The Southern Cross Prospectors have declare good dividends for the last month, and although "main driving," have divided as high as £5 per week per man; not long since, this claim was supposed to be worked out, after three years sncces~ul operations, but from present prospects, and the position of their drive, it is possible they may be enabled to work nearly as long again. 77

Seward and Oompany, ill the Police Paddock; have commenced operations, and are sanguine of success. ' On the Yam Holes Hill, a few fossickers are still at work, making but scanty wages, although fortune sometimes rewards them, as instanced about three weeks since, when two men obtained about 150zs. in about three days. The Sluicing Oompany on this hill are making steady average wages, i. e., £2 to £3 per man weekly. I am also happy to state, that the Garibaldi Company, so long getting but small dividends, have at last struck the lead again, and will, in all probability, have fair returns for some time to come. In conclusion, I think that although there has not been so much gold produced thialast quarter, from the prospects of the claims at present workiug, I trust I shall be able to furnish a more favorable report at the close of the year. . Since my last report, the Waterloo Quartz Mining Oompany has been wound up, and the plant and machinery sold to the prospectors of the Red Hill Reef, Old Lead, who are at present erecting the same; and should this claim turn out according to expectations, a great impetus will be given to qua.rtz reefing in this division, which has been very much neglected. The following is a list of plant and engines stopped for the reasons hereinbefore named (­ The Beaufort Junction, lease; sold. The Olive Branch Oompany, claim; worked out. The Royal Mint, Waterloo, claim; not payable. The Golden Stream, Waterloo, lease; sold. The Royal Standard, Beaufort; sold in Ballarat. The Allen's, three· horse quartz; no employment. The Waterloo Quartz; sold. The Daughters of Freedom; sold. I have been unable to obtain the escort returns for the past quarter, but I think that there is a. falling off in the yield of over 15 per cent.

BARKLY DIVISION.

Mr. John D'Alton, MinVng Surveyor and Registra;r.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:-

Total for the Europeans. Chinese. Division. &tna.rkll. ~-~----~------,~~ .. ~--". ---,_.- 1---- ~ I AUurial Miners ...... 70S 170 875 Quartz Miners ...... I ... I '" I-~------, Total ... 705 170 875 I

THE TOTA~ NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:- Landsborough 100 Glasgow Lead 280 Malak hoff' .. . 200 Ba.rkly .. . 100 Frenchman's 80 Slaughteryard 40 Glenpatrick 25 Total 876

THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:-

I ALLUVIAL Mnmra. QUARTZ MnmrG.

Description of Mf.cbmery. Aggregate I Number .Aggregate At Work. Idle. Ho"....Powerof of Stamp At Work. Idl•• Horse-Power of ____Steam EDgin.... !I Heads. Steam Engln~ 1---- I ------Steam Engines ...... I .. . 12 12 ...... Crushing Machine ... 1 ...... I ...... Puddling Machines ...... 10 18 ...... , ...... Whims ...... I ...... Whips 2 3 ... '" ...... l'iuices and toms ... 28 18 ...... ,. Sluice box . . 1 i ... ::: , ...... I ...... I 78

~l'otal value of mining plant in the division, £3,500. Number of square miles of allurial ground which is being, or may have be~n; actually worked upon,13. . Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to'be aurif~ro~ toiha present time,6. ., . '. : The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been from £3 17s. to £3 17s.9d. per oz.

TnE F9LLOWI:~G; INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE ToiTRE QUAliTITY OF QUARTZ 'l:.uLING8

. AND CEMENT. I ORUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM• •. , •..... '

.. ,'j Quart~ Tailings .' Name of Company. Where ~, &:c., were nndCement Yi~d~~ld Total Yield of :Remarks. '0 ined. crushed. perTon.. Gold. .. " - I I ton ewt. qr. oz. dwt.gr. oz. dwt. gr. Dummitt and Company Malakhojf ... 985 . 0' O· 0.10"0 492 10' 0

------" Total ... 9~.il: 0 0 o 10 0 492 10', 0

·,t· QUARTZ. The only thing I have to report, with reference to qUartz mining in the ~bove division during the quarter, is that some interesting and encouraging experiments have 'been 'made'with stone and tailings taken from ~he Gl.endhu Reef, by one of the partn~rs,in the Milne Lease, ..which.gave.a·return (from three cwt. of stone tested) at the rate· of 15 dwt. of gold, and 1 dwt. 16 grain.of silver:per ton •.

ALLUVIAL. Alluvial mining is in anything but a prosperous condition, and the Darling Jj'lat and Great Western Rushes have had considerable influence in redUCIng the mining population. No new ground has been opened, with the exception of a very limited patch at the Frenchman's. A great want of energy characterises mining enterprise in this division, which, beyond the mere labor, is conducted without capital or the aid of machinery; the consequence is, that the ground is im- perfectly worked, or dO!le so at much disadvantage by small and isolated parties. '

By Authority: JOHN FERRES, GovemmentPrinter, Melbourne. 'f

SUMMARY.-GOLD MINING STATISTICS FOR THE QUARTER ENDING 301'H SEPTEMBER, 1864.

TABLE showing approximately the NUMBER m' MINERS employed, the MACHINERY in use and its Value, on t,he several Gold Fields in the Colony of victoria,; Compiled from the Mining Surveyors and Registrars' Heports for the Quarter ending 30th September, 1864.

Alluvial Miners. I Quartz Miners. Machinery emjlloyed in AHuvial Mining. Machinery employedlu Quam: Mlnlug. Approxl, INumber -----'-~--~--~ -c---"'~<, ~at. sq~~re Price of Gold DISTRICT, DIVISION, Total I Steam Engine. . I Steam Ellglnes .!Ii .; Value of Mil., per oz. Number oflemployedWinding, ~ .:g lemPloyedWindlllg, ~ 'lil I Alluvial AND S ~ l'umplng, &c. '" '" !Q ~ ~ Crushing, &c. e a Q ;8.U Hround :J ;j '"ii:: o '" SUBDIVI:'lION. ~ Miuers. " ... I'< 'i'j J:::I I'<--~<'--- ~.ilI. J:::I MinIng aetnally ------!Aggregate "" ~ Ii ~ !Aggr~g.&.te ~.S I worked '" ~ .i:J E a S' e ~ No. ,I HOl'se­ ;;;" .~ '5 § I No. Horse- ~!il !l upon. From To j Po; I e ,ryant. .:l § power. ~ ! i:l: til " it.! >=l Cij power. ~ ~ ~ rJ1 ! . I ~,--I---'I--- - 1-- --< BALLARAT ; .£ £ •. d. £$.d. No.1 1,280 30 l,aIO 63 820 (i9 10 2 I 50 28 36,750 It 3 19 6 4 0 {) No.2 1~5 550 680 1,355 I 12 52 2 16 312 3 126§ 34,000 I 4 0 0 4 I {) No.3 381 388 123 892 II 129 71 18 .. 16 304 128 .0,000 31 4 0 ° 4 °{) No.4 1.575 539 212 2,326 32 772 69 1 6 7 156 7 114 60,500 5 4 0 ° 4 0 0 No.5, Bunlnyong ., 1,;j~W ,800 250 1,870 25 430 50 35 18 232 88 55,000 12i 3 IS 0 4 {) ° No.6, Smythesdale 3,Oil0 580 80 3,710 79 1,600 105 26 8 I 150 40 ,80,000 40 4 () ° 4 °() Creswick i,200 800 550 2,500 20 280 186 44 .. 25 liSO 174 111,200 7~ 3 171) 3196 Gordun t3 35 58 I 8 6 1 3 53 43 • 9,500 2! 3 17 6 4 0 ° Stelglitz 511 223 •• 886;; 91 I..'.. •• ., •• •• 13 226 92 30,500 811 3 16 3 3 19 a 625 458 l,3t3 I 15 2...... 3 .. 8 136 10 Blackwood.. •• .. 1 134 27,400 19 3 16 ° I 3 17 {) I 8 < ,1,200 211 3 17 6 3 17 9 Blue Mountain, South 45 I______•• 80 .:, ...... -.- -_9 --1--", 7 __.... __ __".,.... ____ --1--.. , ___.. _ ~ Total ., ~~~ 2,3471, .. 16,350 1~ __ '4,151 601 136 12 •• 7 _~I-~!-'-' ___6_1~~--,-I--::'-I-~" 12 975 ~05ol 103!

BEECHWORTH: - -I1 BMehworth 670 925 54.. 1,649 17 171 4 10 5 2 180 22 1 .. 2,240 3 40 7 .. 4 .. .. 5B' 24.0001 8 3 18 6 4 0 Yllekandandall p7a 1,100 liO.. 2,323 1 2 1 3 .. ._ .. 40 .. •• •• ...... 3 •• .. 16 :3,000 9 3 18 6 3196° Indigo •• .... 8~0 1,f)~ 49.. ~,~3.1 30 37~ 97 50 78 •• ...... 3 38...... 24 ~5,000' 50 3 19 3 3 196 Bnekland and part of Omeot 31>2 1,990 430.. 2,182...... 102 8.. 10 136.... 9 .. .. 173 40,300 32 3170 3 17' 6 Jordan, North 970 45 1.~16.. 2,201.. .. I...... 2 32.... 13 .. .. 136 28,200 1511 3 30 4 00 Jorda".South,andpartofOmoot 652 180 1,438.. 2,270...... 70 .. .. 850 6 62 3 .. 3 .. .. 96 21,450 16~ 3 14 0 3 193 Omeo, Central 140 260 .. .. 400...... 14 ...... "280 5 3 80 3 150 Stanley.. 406 369 32.. 8l17 .. I .. 25.. .. .~.. •• .. .. I 12...... 8 '6,400 12 3 19 0 4 00 Snowy Creel!: --93 - ______78 ., .. 171.. 1______...... 5 400 ,------i...... ------·-----1--'-,- ,...... '450 2~ 3 6 0 3120 Total 5,356 6,041 3,269 .. 14,666 48 561 128 63 83 2 180 234 9 19 3,490 25 3~0 III .. 32 .. •• 511 169,080 150l SANDIIURST: 1--,- -~-- --1--',- 1------,------,------:-:-- KangarooFlllt 1,000 ,720 1,010.. ~,730:. :: 517 ...... •• ...... 41 820.. 52 •• .. .. 500 80,000 3 17 0 3 17 0 Eaglebawlt .. 3,0'22 650 1,424.. ",096 31 363 51G ...... 281 24 403.... •• .. .. 233 100,000 3 17 0 3170 !Glmore .. .. 245,.. 65.. 310.. /.. 9...... I .. .. 80 8 90 2 •• .. ., .. 64 1'7,415 3 15 0 3 16 0 HeaUleote and War.nga. South.. 494 115 480.. 1,089.. ..' 64 .. .. •• ...... 11 330 4 9 ...... 116 40,000 51 3140 4 00 Warllnga, North .. 243 89 158.. 490.. . , 5~ 6 15 ...... 7 82...... 78 p,OOO 35 3 15 6 3 17 6 Ra,ywoed.. 2,180 100 300.. 2,580.. .. 4'...... ," 2 24...... 24 16,750 2:1- 3 17 6 3186 • ----1------1-1-:---;,--1------1------Total .. 7,184 1,674 3.437 .. 12,295' 31 363 1,205 6 15 .. .. I .. .. ao 281 99 1,749 6 61 .. •• .. 1,010 2?1,lG5 112! MARYBOROUGH: ------1-1-- -'----1------1-1-----'- MaryborouglJ.. 3,300 1,25Q 480.. 5,030 8 14fi 293 102 •• ...... 10 170...... 170 16,800 50 3g0 a 18 6 Amherst' 2,810 400 310 •• 3,610 12 151 305 57 ...... 2.. /18 5 86.. 9 .. .. •• 40 21,810 40 3 18 6 3 IS 9 Avoca 946 510 19.. 1,475 7 146 8~ .. .. ._ 27 ...... 4 2 18 2 ...... •• 20 io,oOO 19 an6 4 00 DunoHy 1,980 863 ,622.. 2,96. - 6 77 28C I a .. .. •...... 29 424 4 12 ~. .. .. 212 02,0110 12~ 3176 4 00 Korong .. .. 1,100 600 1,200.. 2,800.. .. 95 I ...... 21 269.. 23.. 20 159 33850 30 3 17 6 3 18 6 Redbanl!: andSt. Arnand, South.. G80 20 250 •• 950 I 10' 16 .. .. • _ ., ...... 3 49".. i. .. :: .. 26 I '950 6 3 IS 0 318 {) St. Arnaud, Nortll 594 50 109.. 753 2 23 12 ...... 14 9 177 7 14...... 92 29,700 15 3U6 4 I 0 ---1------~

• Thl, Information Ilavlng been omitted by Ill. Milling ~urveyor, has been taken from his last report. ' t information having been furnIshed for this part of Omco, Subdtvlslon, the have been taken from" tile last repOrt received. t No ieport baving been received from th. Mining Surveyor for a purtion oj thi, division, the lnlormation Ilas been taken from his § inlormation not having liMn furnlsbed by the Mining Surveyor, tbe number estimated In this omce. last retnrns. R. BROUGfI SMYTH, Mining Department, Melbourne, 8th October, 1864. Secreta.ry for Mines. . ;~ No. 13.* J