1868.
VICTORIA.
REPORTS
OF THE lVIINING SURVEYORS AND REGISTRARS.
QUARTER E'NDIN.G 31sT MARCH, 1868.
PRESENTED TO BOTH HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT BY HIS EXCELLENCY'S COMMAND.
);lJ aufljotttp :
JOHN FERRES, GOVERNMENT PRI~TER, MELBOURNE, No. 33.
------~-~---~~--- .APPROXIMATE COST OF REPORTS.
. .. DETAILED. p ARTlCULABS. I AMOUNT.
d. Cost or Preparation, abont .• 1~ ; :o 0 Printing, (1,000 copies) 44 7 6 £ 57 117 0
~~··----·------SU,MMARY. l MINING STATISTICS THE-QUARTE~ ENDING M_ARCH, 1868. FOR I
TABLE SHOWING APPROXIMATE~Y THE NuMBER oF MINERs EMPLOYED, T~E MACHINERY IN usE AN~ ITs vALUE, IoN THE SEVERAL GOLDFIELDS IN THE coLONY ·OF VICTORIA. . - . ' ' i ' . ~ ' ' Compiled .from tke Mining SuPveyors' and Registrars' RepoPts foP tke Quarter ending: 31st Mare!~, 1868. ------~------Alluvial Miners.' Qlllll't. Miners. MACHINERY EJIIPLOYED IN ALLUVIAL MINING. MACHINERY EM;l'LOYED IN QUARTZ MIJI."'NG •.
,----~------1------~--·---c Approxi- Numbe~ Total ·steam Engines · ,. Stenm EnglnM ~ of Number of l'rloe of Gold DISTIUCT, DIVISION, employed In Wind· E employed in Winding, ~ mate Square distinct Number of ing, l,umping, &c. ~ ~ Pumping, Crushing, &c. ~ Value of Miles of Quartz Reefs per oz. AN]) Auriferous actually lii!nlng. Ground. proved to be SUBDIVISION. actually Auriferous. Plant. worlted ; . j • Mmm ' ' j f 1 :; upon. l ~ ~~jj ! 5 §~~~ t ~ ' ;~- " fl;f~~i M j e s§ '" s it g From To I ~ ~ I ·I ~ ~ I ~ ~ 0~ -~ ~ ------'--'-----1--~--- _!_ -~-- _..:::___ -----~ !f~. .;il~ '...!:__ _.£__ --- ~ ~ ~ 1- ~ ~ j 2_ __!f_l!i_ --!--·-~ ~-ji--1--~-- --"'-----·---- -'-----l--,...--.:_1------£ £ s. d. £ •• d. BALLAnAT. 4 1 6 4 2·3 Central Division 6,ssa 570 380 .. 7,803 145 4,206 is 40 14 .. •• • • .. 42 4 21 656 . . 286 •• · 6 416,380 · 7 • 22 1,038 62 .8 1,700 12' 2.)2 50 4 11 1 •• 9 .. • . 12 2 8 158 .. 7S •• 7 2, 29,100 '6 7 4 0 3 4 0 9 , Southern Division •• 4 1 0 4 2 3 'Bunlnyong Division J,OJ8 240 :no .. 1,568 35 685 15 13 .. 11 •• 10 •• 1 .. • • 11 221 .. 76 .. •• • .. 6o,ooo 14 12 ·'160 600 .. 1,360 70 1,341 22 32 • • 65 • • 3 .. 9 • • 5 114 ... 30 • . • • 34,000 11 10 3 19 6 4 0 9 Smythesdale .. 3 19 0 4 0 6 Creswick •• •• ·750 450 600 •• 1,800. 22 418 150 13 2 1,200 • • •• .. 1 12 I 22 694 . I 174 •• S · • • 102,000 8~ , 15 40 22 129 •• 191 1 8 6 •• .. •• .. •• ...... • . I 25 •. 23 •• 2 •• 2,600 21!; 17 3 19 0 4 I 0 Gordon •• •• 3 l6 6 4 I 6 Steiglltz •• .. 260 180 450 . .. 880 I 16 1 .. .. 92 .. • • • • 21 418 160 I 5 3 48,058 If~ 56 550 420 320 .. 1,290 I 15 2 1 .. 1,2.60. .I 27 3 . • 15 10 170 '11 174 .. 9 3 32,000 2! 16. 3 16 0 3 16 6 Blackwood .. •• 3 17 6 Dlue A£ounta.in South 30 10 .. .. 40 .. •...... ·~ •• .. •• .. •• •• .. •• 3 3 3 17 0 ------1- !------1·__:-i----ii-l-1--1------1~ ------1-----1--_...;;_1 Totals .. 11,289 3,084 . 2,251 8 16,632 287 6,941 282 103 13 2,640 I · 49 · S 11 81 7 105 2,456 991 1 32 8 724,138 !58 . - 1------1--;---·------1-----
BEECHWORTII. 3 6 4 0 9 122 1,719 21 5 3,200 . 37 ' .. .. • • 3 34 .. 37 3 85,750 24 48 !9 Beechworth 623 974 146 14 5 3 19, 0 19 6 311 474 10 1,276 2 4,939 12! 23 s Stanley .. 149 3 19 6 8 19 6 8.10 600 34714, ..... 1,797 3,000 30 30 :: :: :: / 11,150, 9 60 Yackandandah ! i~ j·; 5~ -~ ~ 1,100 2 Nil 3 11 6 3 12 0 Sandy Creek .32 123 155 6 .. .. 559 ji), 38 .. 42 :: ·:: :: 1 4 .. 50 40 .. I 29,577 2:\; 17 3 19 6 4 0 0 Indigo •• ' 200 214 46 .. 13 262 42 i~ 1:: 3 IS 6 1,940 30,700 59 186 8 17 6 Buck!and 212 1,892 330 6 s Ill .. .. 2,412 3 . . 58 .. . . • . 11 120 12 200 1 .. 3 17 0 863 ... • 1,468 ·s •• 3r,o .... 1 ...... 5 68 50 .. 1 11,910 ll~ 24 3 15 ·0 J amiescn North .. 500 105 3 10 0 3 1S 6 95 7o 128·. 299 .. 4o0 • • 50 • • .. . • 6 58 9 140 .I .. 28,500 3 13 Gaffney's Creek .• 69,6f>3 IS 3 0 0 4 0 0 Wood's Point 390 ·6 290 6H6 . • 2 380 .. 30 30 1 • • • • 10 155 15 281 . .. 5 2 91 205 12,000 s 3 15 0 3 17 6 Big River !40' / 25 40 8 5 0 s 12 0 230 240 470 2,500 3 1\litta-mit!a ·14,000 6~ 3 14 6 3 16 0 Jamieson South 92 8 50 .150 :: :: '. 2,~g -~ ::3 . I~ :: :: :: ... : .. :: ~-~ :: ·:: • :: :: 15 1 -S-,7-74- --S-,9-12- --2-,23-0 .-6- -;-,9-22- _...;._,42--1---5-19--l---6'-0 1--;i4 --I3,S-I_O-I--6-J40 1 · 1 --;Q3 6 10 8 488 Totals .. 45." m ~ --49---;;w-l---;-;;--- 251,779 152! ------1---i---- 1-i-1- ' i------1------1-----1-,-----1
SANDIIUllST. 3 17 9 a' IS 6 Sandhurst .. • ; .. .. 3 !5' 0 s 17 9 Kllmoro .. •• .. •• 4 0 0 4 0 0 Heatbcote and Waranga'SOuth ••. 3 15 6 4 0 0 Waranga North ...... 3 19 ·o 4 0 0 Rli,YWOOd .. •• .. •• Totals ..
MARYBOROUGH. 118 4 6 ss,oao 5 105 3 IS 0 ' 4 0 0 Maryborough ...... 9 33,580 ·• 5§ 45 3 19 0 ' 4 0 0 Amberst •• .. •• .. 40 10 20 2 12,000 8' 8 3 18 0 3 IS 6 .Avoca ·~ ... •• 49,000 16 168 S IS 6 3 19 6 Dunolly ·and Tarnagulla • • • • 203 31 21 167 22 26 30,000 10 62 3 16 6 3 IS 6 Korong ... •• •• ... 30 3 17 6 3 Ill 0 Rodbtmk and St. Araaud South •• 32 3 2,250 96l 86 16 7 18,119 ~ !11 350 400 St. Arnaud North .. •• ------1------1-----:------1 69 198,479 60i 469 ·Totals .. 672 88
CASTLEM.AJNE. 214 • • 25 43 53,566 9 90 3 16 9 3 18 3 castlemrune • • .. 58 .. 4 9 ~1,700 28Jl: 29 S IS 3 3 18 6 Fryer's Creek .. .. 236 3 35 41 44,000 82 . 85 3 16 6 3 18 9 IIepburn ...... so • • • • 14,020 15 19 8 17 6 3 18 3 Taradale ~· •• ... 277 .. 70 12 90,140 9& 74 3 17 0 3 19 0 Maldon •• •• •• ,34 • • .. S,3fi0 131 55 3 IS 6 4 0 6 St. Andrew's .. .. 85 .. 4 .. 11,310 7 10 3 17 6 S IS 3 Kyneton · .. 24 • • . . •• 7,000 7Jl: 5 ·a 17 6 3 17 6 Blue .Mountrun North •• !------1·----1·-,.------1 9SS 3 138 105 265,096 172! 367 Totals ..
ARARAT. 171 72 2 31,598 17 3 17 6 3 17 9 Ararat •• 313 550 160 •• .. 1,023 5 143 2 • • IS , 5 .. • • • • 6. .. • 2 ' 10 14 378 224 29 2 63,000 30 3 16 0 3 19 6 Plea.sant Creek 392 160 830 1,382 5 78 4 3 6 50 ...... 20 I 63 .. 3,000 7 3 !7 0 3 18 6 Barkly •• 828 100 3 931 2 24 26 2 90 2 12 10,000 4 3 1S 6 3 18 6 Raglan •• 345 530 ' 875 12. 152 40 8 .. 8 ~ ------549 11 .. 296 31 107,598 64! 58 Totals •• 1,878 1,340 993 .. 4,2ll 24 397 72 24 145 .. • • •• 28 83 2 24 ------1------'+,------1------1------
GIPPSLAND. ' .. 3 17 '6 385 600 50 .. 1,035 .. •. •• .. •.• 1,000 •. . 55' •• .. • • • • I 17 1 19 .. •• 6,200 8 27 3 6 0 Omeo •• •• I 9 3 16 0 3 18 0 400 90 30, • • I 520 .. .. s .. .. 100 '30 ...... 2 27 21 2! .. I .. 4,995 3 Mltchell River •. 49§ 332 3 17 6 3 18 6 Crooked River •• 226 155 380 .. ' .7ll ...... •• .. 500 .. 38 35 • • .. ' • • 11 149 4 11S .. • • • • 30,500 3 IS 0 327 50 60 • • 437 .. .. • • .. 270 • • 20 20 • • .. .. 5 70 5 88 • • ' .. • • 23,044 25 '25 3 0 0 Jericho •• 12 3 15 0 3 16 0 7 Donnelly's Creek .. ~i ' 2~~ :: ~~~ :: :: :: :: :: • :: :: .. :: :: :: :: ~ I '2 11! 'i :: :: ·~~;ggg- ~ 9 3 10 0 3 15 0 Stringer's Creek .. ,;g s 4 3 4 0 3 15 0 Russell's Creek ... s2o s 12 .. 340 .. . • • • .. • • 250 .. 25 s • • • • • • .. • • .. •• •• .. • • 481 23 .. .• .. 23 .. •• .. •• .. : •. •• .. .. .• •• .. .. ; ...... •• .. •• •• 3 10 0 3 18 0 South Tarraville •• ------1------1--·1---1--'1---::-ll------!------1----1 1,764 ' 91o ' 751 3,425 · • • 3 ' 2,120 · • • 165 63 • • .. •• ss· 459 12 421 1 ' 1. .. 106,670 1oa Totals •• ------1------1------l-----1---'--1 331 228 2,073,261 807f 2,426 • • 33,216 15,460 13,667 45 62,3SS 479 10,115 1,859 314 301 19,493 9 570 313 233 252 .n 552 10,1SO 70 5,595 15 -- . _NOTE.-The llcf!ning Registrar for the South Tarraville Subd!vlsion, Gipps1and, having failed to forward his report, last returns have ~n o.dopted. R. BROUGH SMYTH, Secretary for Mines. Mining Department, Melbourne, 16th April, 1868. \ ' .No. 33* . · INDEX.
Summary.-Gold Mining Statistics for the Quarter ending 31st March, 1868.
BALLARAT MINING DISTRICT. Page Ballarat Central Division Mr. Harrie Wood, Mining Registrar ... 5 Ballarat Southern Division Mr. J. F. Coleman, Assistant Mining Registrar 6 Buninyong Division Mr. Robert M. Harvey, Mining Surveyor and Registrar 6 Smythesdale Division Mr. John Lynch, Mining Surveyor and Registrar 7 Creswick Division .•• Mr. J ames Stevenson, :Mining Surveyor and Registrar ... 8 Gordon Subdivision Mr. Thomas Cowan, Mining Surveyor and Registrar 8 Steiglitz Subdivision Mr. Henry Davidson, Mining Surveyor and Registrar ... 9 Blackwood Division Mr. E. G. Magnus, Mining Surveyor and Registrar 11 Blue Mountain South Subdivision .Mr. R. H. Horne, Mining Registrar 11
BEECHWORTH MINING DISTRICT. Beechworth Subdivision Mr. Alexander Alderdice, Mining Registrar 11 Stanley Subdivision Mr. Thomas Stubbin, Mining Registrar 12 Yackandandah Subdivision Mr. Thos. G. Kennan, ]',fining Surveyor and Registrar ... 12 Sandy Creek s·ubdivision Mr. Henry P. Devereux, Mining Registrar 13 Indigo Division Mr. R. Arrowsmith, Mining Surveyor and Registrar 13 Buckland Division ... Mr. Lewis C. Kinchela, Mining Registrar 13 Jamieson North Subdivision ••• Mr. Samuel K. Vickery, Mining Surveyor and Registrar 15 Gaffney's Creek Subdivision ... Mr. Hugh St. H. Bhtir, 1:Iining Surveyor and Registrar 16 Wood's Point Subdivision Mr. A. B. Ainsworth, Mining Surveyor and Registrar ... 16 Mitta-mitta Division Mr. Andrew Trench, Mining Registrar 17
SANDHURST MINING DISTRICT. Sandhurst Division ... Mr. N. G. Stephens, Mining Registrar 17 Kilrnore Division Mr. Jarnes W. Osborn, Mining Registrar 18 Heathcote Division and Waranga South Sub Mr. J. T. Strong, Mining Surveyor and Registrar 19 division Waranga· North Subdivision ... Mr. Henry Boyns Nicholas, Mining Surveyor and Registrar 19 Raywood Division ' Mr .. E. P. Virtue, Mining Registrar .... 20
MARYBOROUGH MINING DIS'l'RICT. Maryborough Division Mr. P. Virtue, Mining Registrar 20 Amherst Division ... Mr. Joscph Smith, Mining Surveyor and Registrar 21 A voca Subdivision ..•. Mr. William Byrne, Mining Surveyor and Registrar 22 Dunolly and Tarnagulla Divisions Mr. W. G. Couchman, Mining Surveyor and Registrar 22 Korong Division Mr. R. Mason, Mining Surveyor and Registrar 24 Red bank and.St. Arnaud South Subdivision Mr. William Byr.ne, Mining Surveyor and Registrar 25 St. Arnaud North Subdivision Mr. John Phillips, Mining Survey?r and Registrar 25
CASTLEMAINE MINING DISTRICT. Castlemaine Division Mr. Thos. L. Brown, Mining Surveyor and Registrar 26 Fryer's Creek Subdivision Mr. Mark Amos, Mining Surveyor and Registrar 27 Hepburn Division ... Mr. Thos. Hale, Mining Hegistrar 28 Taradale Subdivision Mr. Thos. Orwin, Mining Registrar ... 29 Maldon Division Mr. Robt. Nankivell, Mining Surveyor and Registrar 30 St. Andrew's East Subdivision Mr. Alfred Armstrong, ;\fining Surveyor and Registrar 30 St. An drew's Central Subdivision Mr. Alfred Armstrong, Mining Surveyor and Registrar 31 Kyneton Subdivision Mr. Thomas Orwin, Mining Registrar 31 Blue Mountain North Subdivision, Mr. R. H. Horne, Mining Registrar 31 ARARAT MINING DISTRICT. Ararat Division Mr. Charles Jas. Wm. Russell, Mining Surveyor and Registrar ... 32 Pleasant Creek Division Mr. John D'Alton, Mining Surveyor and Registrar 33 Barkly Division Mr. John D'Alton, Mining Surveyor and Registrar 33 Raglan Division Mr. John Templeton, Mining Surveyor and Registrar 34 GIPPSLAND MINING DISTRICT. Omeo Subdivision ... Mr. W. Phipps, Mining Registrar 34 Mitchell Ri v~r Subdivision Mr. John Grimes Peers, Mining Surveyor and Registrar 34 Crooked River Subdivision Mr. James Travis, Mining Registrar ... 35 Jericho Subdivision Mr. A. B. Ainsworth, Mining Surveyor and Registrar ... 35 Donnelly's Creek Subdivision Mr. Arthur F. Walker, Mining Surveyor and Registrar 36 Stringer's Creek Subdivision Mr. John S. Patterson, Mining Registrar 3G Russell's Creek Subdivision .••• .Mr. C. Gadd, Mining Registrar 37 '- MINING SURVEYORS' .AND REG ][STR.ARS' REPORTS.
BALLARAT MINING DISTRICT.
CENTRAL DIVISION. Mr. Harrie Wood, Mining Registrar.
THB FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS llEEN OllTA.INED RELATIVE TO THB QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND ALLUVIAL TAILINGS CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND 1.'HE GoLD OllTA.INED THEREFROM :-
RemarkS relo.t1ve to the Name of Company. I Where Quartz, &c., were [Total of Gold. Depth at which the obtained. Gold per Ton. QUArtz was obtalued, &c. """"="'··I"- y .... " tons cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Black Hill ...... Black Hill ...... 4,638 0 0 0 4 3"25 959 0 0 150 feet to 200 feet Llanberris ... Gum-tree Flat ... 5,087 0 0 0 3 8•77 856 0 0 200 feet to 350 feet Temperance ...... Little Bendigo ... 600 0 0 0 7 12'80 226 0 0 550 feet Britannia ...... Specimen Gully ... '1,000 0 0 0 2 0 lOO 0 0 120 feet Two-ton ...... Black Hill ...... 1,500 0 0 0 l 8"64 102 0 0 20 feet New Monte Christo ... Little Bendigo ... 450 0 0 0 4 5'33 95 0 0 100 feet to 150 feet Majestic ...... Black Hill ...... 500 0 0 0 3 14'4 90 0 0 250 feet to 280 feet Endeavour ...... Specimen Gully ... 400 0 0 0 3 14'4 72 0 0 170 feet to 200 feet Total Quartz ... 14,175 0 0 0 3 12'65 2,500 0 0 Alluvial Tailings crushed. Brissenden ...... Sebastopol ... 1,200 0 0 0 2 20 170 0 0 '
, The quantity of gold obtained during the last quarter is considerably in excess of the quantity obtained during the previous.one, and the dividends paid show. a proportionate increase. There is a great falling off in the yield from some of the quartz mining com~nies. This is prinCipally owing to some of them having suspended operations, and others have been engaged prospectmg for new lodes. The Temperance (Quartz) Company have opened up a gold-bearing reef at the depth of 650 feet ; they have not crushed any from· this depth, but, from the appearance of the reef, it is likely to average more than any qnartz they have hitherto crushed from the higher levels in the mine. · · During the past quarter several of the new companies have suspended operations, owing, in most cases, to the difficulty experienced in collecting calls. The Sir William Don Company have only been washing four weeks during the quarter. The Old Post-office Hill and Union Quartz Mining Companies have suspended operations. The Pyrites Smelting Company made a trial during the past quarter; but the bricks of which the furnace was composed were not sufficiently hard, and the heat necessary for treating the pyrites melted them. The manager states that, in every other respect, the trial was most satisfactory; but the company have suspended operations till they can procure suitable bricks for a new furnace. ·
THE FOLLOWING IS A STATEMENT OF THE GOLD OllTAINED llY THE PRINCIPAL MINING CoMPANIES IN THIS DIVISION FOR THE QUARTER ENDING 31ST MARCH, 1868 :-
Name of Co!Jlpany. Quantity. No.me of Company. Quantity. - oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. u nited Extended Band of Hope ..• ... 25,171 0 0 Scottish and Cornish ...... 1,854 0 0 Albion ...... 11,833 0 0 St. George (United) ...... 1,786 0 0 p rince of Wales ...... 11,782 0 0 Rose Hill...... 1,512 0 0 B and of Hope and Albion ...... 7,660 0 0 Great Gulf ...... 1,477 0 0 webster-street Freehold ...... 7,356 0 0 Sir William Don ...... 867 0 0 G reat Northern Freehold ...... 5,790 0 0 Young Dnke ...... 580 0 0 Cricket Reserve ...... 6,466 0 0 Leviathan ...... 547 0 0 western Freehold ...... 5,567 0 0 Sons of Freedom ...... 520 0 0 B alla.rat Freehold ...... 5,287 0 0 Durham ...... 275 0 0 u nited Working Miners ...... 5,164 0 0 Yonng Unicorn ...... 250 0 0 K oh-i-noor ...... 4,735 0 0 New Don ...... 240 0 0 N ewington ...... 4,134 0 0 Inkerman and Durham ...... 239 0 0 p ark' ...... 4,024 0 0 East Don .•...... 150 0 0 B onshaw ...... 3,020 0 0 Emblem of Peace ...... 130 0 0 u nited Hand-in-Hand and Band of Hope 2,904 0 0 Dnke of Edinburgh...... 120 0 0 N ew Ballarat Freehold ...... 2,444 0 0
Total ...... l23;s84 0 0 6
TIIE FOLLOWING IS A STATEMENT OF THE DIVIDENDS PAID DY THE PRINCIPAL }\>fiNING COMPANIES DURING TIIE QuARTER ENDING 31s:r MARC!£, 1868 :-
Name of Company. Name of Company, Amount. ! Amount.
£ $, d. £ s. d. United Extended Band of Hope 67,200 0 0 Koh-i-n~or ...... 10,800 0 o· Prince of Wales ...... 33,372 0 0 Uniwd Working Miners ...... 7,200 0 0 Alblon ...... 29,000 0 0 Newington ...... 6,000 0 0 BaQd of Hope and Albion ,, ...... 22,447' 0 0 New Eallarat Freehold ...... a,ooo 0 0 Webster-street Freehold ...... 15,300 0 0 Great Gulf ...... 2,000 0 0 Western Freehold ...... 14,250 0 0 Eonshaw ...... 1,650 o·o Great No:ithern Freehold ...... 14,082 0 0 Elack Hill ::: ...... 1,240 0 0 Cricket Reserve ...... 11,250 0 0 Total ...... 238,791. 0 0
SOUTHERN DIVISION. Mr. J. F. Coleman, Assistant Mining Registrar.
T:aE FOLLOWING lNFOlUt:ATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED REI,ATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND CE"!ItENT CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBCI'AINED THEREFROM :-
Remarks relative to the Where Quartz, &c;,. were A veruge Yield of Name of Company. Quartz crushed. Totu!. 'Gold. ·Depth ut which the obtained. Gold per Ton. Quartz, &c., were obtained.
tons cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Comet ...... Staffordshire Reef ... 400 6 0 0 5 0 lOO 0 0 30 feet level (2 ft.lode) Kangaroo ...... Kangaroo ...... 500 0 0 0 4 4'55 104 14 18 110 feet level (6ft. lode) Total Quartz ... 900 0 0 0 4 13•19 204 14 18 Cement crushed. . (l11te Con- Kangaroo ... ; .. 400 0 0 0 5 0 lOO 0 0 ~i)ment Er~~!;:;)
Du:i~g !he past quarter minin~ matters hav.e pr~sent~d a much ~ore h~althy aspect than sine~ the collap~e .o~ 1865. Thrs rs m a great measure owmg to the sp1r1t m whrch the residents m the Rokewood portion of the. diVISion are entering into prospecting, stimulated, no doubt, by the fine yields from the Break o' Day Company's claim. One prospecting party, operating 11! mile west of Break o' Day, have got gold, bllt whether in remunerative quantity or not ·is yet unknown. Another instance of health is conveyed in the fact that some companies that have for some time • past been carrying. on operations on a very limited scale, became of a scarcity of funds, •have passed into the hands of a wealthy proprietor, who is making arrangements to proceed to work on a much 1arger scale than we have been accustomed to for some tiine. . A company is being formed to work the Pinchgut Reef. Some good names are uJready on the share list. ·A company is also about to be for'med to work the Garryowen Reef, at Rokewood Junction. The pi'omoters have had a · lease of some 26 .acres :surveyed. A nugget weighing 13 ozs. was found in some shallow workings by Howarth and Party at Grassy Gully recently. · At-Bulldog, Rokewood Junction, and Yankee Hill, the miners are getting excellent wages, £~per man per day not being at all uncommon. 'fhe Break o' Day Company obtained 2,434 ozs, 19 dwts. for the quarter, for which 'they washed 47,894 trucks (9 cubic feet each) of alluvium:·• The depth of sinking is only 30 feet, and the width of the lead 300. A larp;e. number of Chinese have. come to the division lately, and are occupying every available gully in the locality.
BUNINYONG DIVISION. Mr. Robert M. Harvey, Mining Surveyor and Registrar.
T.IIE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS D.EEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO Cl'HE QUANTITY OF QuARTZ CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED TIIEJJ.EFJJ.OM :-
Remarks relative to the Name of Company. Where Quartz was obtnined. Quartz crushed. A vciuge Yield of !Total !Gold. Depth at which the Gold per Ton. Quartz was obtained, &c.
tons cwt. qr•. oz. dwt. gr • oz. dwt. gr: One-and-All (Co-opera- Hiscock's Reef ... . 1,760 0 0 0 3 '14·8 318 8 0 100and 140feet; w~ter tiv~) . . ... 1-- level~ 80 feet Imperial (Lrmrted) ..... Hiscock's Reef ... 840 0 0 0 5 6'2 220 19 0 320 feet ; water level, so feet Duke of Edinburgh (late Hiscock's Reef ...... 520 0 0 0 3 16'43 95 16 0 110 and 160 fe'et level; New Standard) ... 60 feet water level. Erin-go-Bragh ... Hiscock's Reef ... 400 0 0 0 2 ll'l 49 5 0 230 feet level; water level, 80feet. Total Quartz· ... 3,520 0· 0 0 3 21'32. 684 8 0
These ·claims have all had'more or less stoppage during the quarter, which accounts for the small quantity of quartz crushed. · 7 The following ill a statement of the gold obtained during the quarter by the principal mining companies in this division :- · Alluvial. oz. dwt. gr. Buninyong G. M. Company ... 854 2 5 Buninyong New G. M. Company 1,590 2 0 Speculator G. !IL Company 786 1 12 Garibaldi G. M. Company 262 8 0 Duke of Cornwall Company 215 0 0 Leviathan G. M. Company 540 0 0 Independent G. M. Company 370 10 18 4,618 4 11 Quartz. One-and-All Q. M. Company ... 318 8 0. Imperial Q. M. Company ... 220 19 0 Duke of Edinburgh Q. M. Company 95 16 0 Erin-go-Bragh Q. M. Company 49 5 0 684 8 0
Total 5,302 12 11 The following cla_ims have been registered during the quarter:- Miller and Co., S. Kittey's Lead ...... 4 men Buninyong Company (Cuthbert and Party), Union Jack 3 ,. Chenhall and Co., Devonshire ... 10 , Albion Q. M. Company, near Devonshire Reef 8 , G. G. Mackay, Durham 9 ., G. G. Mackay, Durham 7 , Wonderful Company, Black Lead 20 , Speculator Company, Winter's Flat 12 ,, Lucky Find Q. M. Company, Scotchman's 22 , Ormrod and Co., Durham 5 , Thos. Oakes, Magpie ...... 2 , Wonder Company (Water-Right), Scotchman's 1 , Victoria Company, Scotchman's 4 , All the companies on Hiscock's Reef have had stoppages during'the quarter. The Imperial have erected a new winding and pumping engine, and are again at full work; the stone is being raised from the 320 feet level; it is of improved quality, averaging overt oz. to the ton. · There is little change to report in alluvial mining. The Buninyong New maintain very excellent yields. The W ebbville Company are progressing rapidly with their shaft, which is now about 100 feet deep, and still in hard rock. They expect to bottom close to the Soda water gutter. On the Durham the companies in the gutter get little more gold than pays expenses, and nothing new has been' discovered in the claims seeking the deep ground. Little has been doing on the shallow workings, from want of water.
SMYTHESDALE DIVISION. Mr. John Lynch, Mining Surveyor and Registrar. The decrease in the number of miners is accounted for by the failure of the mines from Springdallah south wards, and from Happy Valley, Linton, and ·Browns being worked out, or nearly worked out. During the last three months there was a regular daily migration. from here to Ballarat, nor has it altogether ceased yet. I have procured returns of the yield from the principal mines, which I beg to subjoin:- Springdallak Mines. oz. dwt. gr. Golden Horn Company 2,377 12 10 Atlas ... 1,136 4 6 Try-again .•.. ... 2,575 17 21 Grand Trunk 1,226 4 15 7,315 19 4 Scarsdale Mines. Golden Stream ... 835 19 18 Bute ... 547 18 18 Band of Hope ... 130 19 17 Avonclift 390 0 0 North Grenville 836 11 13 2,741 9 18 Carngkam Mines. City of Melbourne 114 1 4 Magnum Bonum 182 6 12 Happy-go-Lucky 77 5 14 373 13 6
The ~hove are the .P:incipal ;nines in the division, and although .I appreh~n.d a consi~erable falling off in the aggregate peld of the dmswn, 1t 1nll be seen that some of the above cla1ms are g1vmg magmficent returns. During the next quarter I expect a large increase in tho total ,return, from the addition to the above mines of the Golden Lake, recently bottomed, and the- Reform, at Haddon, which is expected to bottom in a fortnight. There are no quartz claims at work at present in my division, but a few have been recently applied for. 8 CRESWICK DIVISIOK. Mr. James S.tevenson, Mining Surveyor. and Registrar.
THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS .BJ!EN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND QUARTZ TAILINGS AND CEMENT CRUSHED, AND. PYRITE~ OPERATED ON·, DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINiW THEREFROM ·- ,
Where Qunrtzt &c., were I Ounrtz crushed ! A verngc Yield of f Gold.! Ucmark> rcluth·e to the Name of Company. obtained. ' · Gold per Ton. !Total Depth ut whkh the Qun.rtz was obtained, &c~
... tone cwt. qr. oz • dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Por.t Phillip . . •. ... Clunes Reefs ...... 15,423 0 0 0 9 O·GS 6,962 6 0 Victoria ...... Clunes Reefs ...... 4,180 0 0 0 12 8'61 2,583 0 0 South Chmes ...... Clunes Reefs ...... 2,081 0 0 0 6 21'68 718 6 12 New North Clunes ... Clunes Heefs ...... 2,097 0 0 0 G 22"53 i27 ll 0 Broadfoot and Party ... Springhill Heef ... 38 0 0 l 11 21'47 60 12 0 .Eaton and Party ... Creswick ...... 69 0 0 0 5 15'04 19 8 6 Stevenson and Party ... Cobbler'~ Gully ... 10 0 l) 0 9 ]3•80 4 18 6 1-- Quartz Tailings and, Total Quartz ... 23,898 0 0 0 9 6"46 li,076 2 0 Cement crushed. 1- - Hard Hill ...... Hard Hills ...... I 300 0 0 0 5 20"38 87 14 IS Pyrites operated on. Port Phillip ...... Clunes ...... : 78 0 0 3 JO 11'07 274 16 0 The followin g are tlie y ields of the princi pal alluvial minin g corn p anies in the division :- oz. GORDON SUBDIVISION. Mr. Thomas Oowan, 1l1.ining Surveyo?' and Registm?'. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS REEN OllTAINED RELATIVE TO TilE QUANTITY OF Q1l.!.RTZ CRUSTIED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE-GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM :- .. Average Yiclcl of Jtcmarks relative to the Nnme of Company. I '\V here Quartz wns obt.'\incd, Quartz cntshed. Goltl per Ton. !total of Gold. Depth nt which the Quartz ·was obtahted . tons cwt. qr. oz. (1Wt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Egerton ... .. ·I Big Hill Reef.., ... 2,825 0 0 0 12 10'4\J 1,756 5 0 130 to 180 feet len~ls 9 , ALLUVIAL. Nothing of importance ha.s transpired in this branch of mining since the date of my last report. QUARTZ. As mentioned in my last report, the exceedingly, good returns of the Egerton Company have induced persons to take up a large el!:tent of ground in the vicinity of the lease of the above compauy. The ground taken up extends . principally to the north, nearly as far as the township of Gordon, where it is met by the ground taken up upon Parker's, Kangaroo Bob's, and Hick's Reefs ; the inducement for taking up ground upon these latter reefs was the favorable prospect obtained frcm Hick's Reef, as mentioned in my last report, and subsequently an equally good prospect obtained from Parker's Reef. The companies who have taken up claims are engaged principally in forming companies, and some of them in applying for their claims under the Gold iVIining Leases Regulations. The only company that has any extensive workings is the .Black Horse Company ; this company has a shaft down 230. feet, and a contract let for driving. . • Work has been commenced by the following companies, viz. :-Prince of Wales, Wellesley, White Horn, South Egerton, Victoria, Parker's Reef, aud Kangaroo Bob's companies. STEIGLITZ SUBDIVISION. Mr. Hem-y Davidson, Mining Surveyo?' and Registrar. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS llEEN OllTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THBBEFROM :- Remarks relative to the Name ot Company. I Where Quartz was obtained. I Quartz crushed, Average Yield of !Total I Depth nt which the Gold per Ton. Quartz was obtained. tons cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Albion ...... Portug~ese Reef ... 915 0 0 2 6 17'57 2,138 0 0 475 feet and 575 feet; water-level 160 feet Stciglitz ...... New Lode ...... 120 0 0 3 6 0 396 0 0 240 feet level Barnes and Party ... Daylight Heef ... 11 0 0 I I 5 10•90 14 0 0 3 5 to 40 feet from surface New Ballarat ...... 275. 0 0 0 2 8'1 I 32 3 0 350 feet from surface .I Total Quartz ... 1,321 0 0 1 19 1•52 2,580 3 0 Mining affairs in this subdivision have, during the past quarter, steadily progressed. Prospecting has been vigorously carried on in various localities, and in many cases very promising reefs have been opened up. · Steiglitz. Albion Comp.any, Portuguese Reef, Steiglitz.-The prospects of this claim can ~mly be described as splendid. At the 330 feet level a run of gold has been found richer than ever known before, and at the depth of .575·feet the lode looks equally promising. The accompanying wood-cut, drawn to a scale of 120 feet to an inch, represents a transverse section of the mine looking north, and illustrates the position and dip of the lode in the Albion Quartz :Mining Company's claim, and also the dip and description of the strata cpn taining it. Thi? lode is the deepest sunk upon and proved on Steiglitz; wa.s found originally on surface, and has kept an uniform dip of 3f inches to 1 foot to the depth of 400 feet; ha.s been throughout strong, steady, and payable, in many places exceedingly rich. At the depth of 400 feet a break occurred, causing what is'termed in mining parlance "a horse," onP. portion of the 220 ft. level. 250ft.. s. vein diverging to the east, the other to the west. It was 120ft. N. fourid on continuing the underlie shaft that this break occurred for about 70 feet, when the portion which had •. dipped east turned again and made west ; upon this a cross drive 30 feet in lengt.h was put in, striking the western por-' tion oflode dipping nearly perpendicularly, strong, of good size, and showing gold. The underlie shaft was then con 330 ft. level. tinued, and at the depth of 573 feet, and by a cross-drive 59 385 tt. N. feet in length, the lode was again struck, very rich, with a slight dip east, evidently making back to its former position and dip. At this· depth two levels, north and south, have been put in on. the lode, w hieh looks in every respect as good as above. 400 re level. 175 ft.N. The strata throug~out dips east, the vein carries down ... with it a strong sandstone back, i.e. on east side, and at the ~''' point where the break, as referred to above, takes place, 473 ft. level. takes the curve or bend of the eastern portion of vein. 730ft. N. (Vide section.) The clay-slate does not appear to be in the slightest degree affect(d by it. On the entrance to the 573 cross drive the snndstone back appears to be turning to it.s 573 ft.level, 71>·-----·--··--··;;c·,>e sg'fi"w 40ft, M. original position and dip. 70ft. N. No 33, a: lO . Steiglitz Company, Boxing. Reef and other Rcefs.-The yield of gold from this claim during quarter small, owmg to the ~mount of dead wo!k m progress_; average yield of gold good, and promises well for: the future. A new lode has lately been struck, bearmg gold, makmg strong sout-h. · I . The accompanying section, drawn to a scale of 120 feet to an inch, shows the relative positions of the lodes already found and worked on in the Steig ljtz Quartz Mining Qompany's claim, and the forma tion and dip of the strata containing them. The veins dip nearly at a uniform a11gle of 15° E., and are parallel, to each other about 90 feet apart ; that marked "St~iglitz Vein" is a well defined, strong, and steady one, and since its discovery has yielded as high as 15 ozs. ·per ton, and still maintains its character to the lowest depth-324 feet. That marked " New Lode " has only been ·recently found, and presents ditl'ereut features in its deposit to one above refe:t:red to; it is what may be termed a" mullockyvein," iQ. some places well defined 165 ~feet and steady, in others full of soft soapy clay mixed level with the quartz, the strata surrounding it being full of small veins or spurs producing gold ; it ·has proved very rich, and at the north end appears to be ~20 feet making steadier. level The large vein, mark.ed "Davis's Vein,'' is the origil)al quartz claim where gol(l was first found on Steiglitz; its average width is 7 feet, and at the 220 feet 'level presents as promising an appearance as when first discovered. . The vein marked "Eastern Vein" has been compar:itivelyunworked, but gold has been found in it; Two other veins are supposed to exist to the westward of these referred tq, but at present not clearly proved. · . The country and strata east of the Stciglitz, and to Da.-is's Vein, is sandstone and clay-slate alternately, dipping west·; that to the west of the Steiglitz Vein, entirely slate, dipping west. . Princess Alice Company, Yankee Smith's Reef.-The ;rection of the machinery is completed. The shaft is sunk to a further dept)l of 50 feet, where it is intended to open out to the west; crushing expected to commence very shortly. In past years very rich returns have been obtained from the reef, principally· above viater-level; but, owing to the accumulation of water in claim, machinery was absolutely necessary, to enable 'the. miners to work below western level. · Ballarat Quartz Mining Company, New Year's Reef.-Although the prospects _of this claim during the quarter have~been discouraging, a few days since an extraordinary rich run of gold has been struck at 350 feet depth, which, if it continues, will.give handsome returns to the company. · . Daylight Ree~ Company, Steiglitz.-This ~ompany has been re-organized; the last crushing yielded 1f oz. per ton; at the present time works partially suspended for the purpose of purchase and ereetion of machinery. Duke of Edinburgh Company, New-Chum Reef.-The shaft in this claim is sunk to· the depth of 190 feet; but, owing to the hard and tenacious qualities of the rock (hard m,ica schist), the progress is slow. Great Central Company, ViCtoria Reef, have been obtaining .very fair prospects at 80 feet depth, and are now opening out blocks for crushing. , Band of Hope Company, Victoria Reef.-Some very rich stone has been found on this claim near the surface; prospects very encouraging. Qalatea Quartz Mining Company, Long Gully, three and half miles S.E. of Steiglitz.-The tunnel completed up to striking vein '93 feet in length; being found dipping very flat, it is proposed by the company to rise on vein in tunnel imd contintt~ sinking shaft on the top of the range to meet the rise. Mr. Wallacc's Statio~ .. On wallace's Ranges two large' claims have been taken possession of south of Mount Egerton, the reefs w~ll defined an~ bearing gold; .n9 crushings up to present time. ' Stony Rises. South Jersey Company, Stony Rises Reef.-Operations on this claim partially suspended, as the company are in treaty tp l:t the mine and workings on tribute. · . Alluvial Min·ing on 'Morrison's, Tea·tree C~·eck, Dolly's Creek, and Sailor's Gully•. In this portion of the district mining matters are very quiet, tunnel claims not giving their ·usual average. Another small rush has taken place at Sailor's Gully; the gold found in patches with no defined lead. Some of these claims have turned out very well, and there is no doubt that a large extent of auriferous country in this locality remains yet to be op_ened. · 11 BLACKWOOD DIVISION. Mr. E .. G.. Magnus, Mining SurveyOT and Registrar. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED !rELATIVE .TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ ClWSliED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GoLD OBTAINED THEREFROM :- .. Remarks relative to the Nnme of Company. Where Qunrtz. wns obtained. Qua.rtz crushed. I A vemgc Yield of Total Yield of Gold. Depth o.t which the Gold per Ton. Qunrtz was obtained. ' ---· tons cwt. qr. oz. dwt. ~dwt.gr. Imperial '.,, ... Simmons' Reef ... 340 0 0 . 0 2 42 10 0 130 feet Imperial ...... Simmona' Reef ... 62 0 0 2 10 0 155' 0 0 150 feet Williams Bros. and Co. Simmona' Beef ... 650 0 0 0 8 0 260 0 0 ISO feet Eight-and-Two · ... Homeward-bound ReeL. 435 0 0 0 4 0 87 0 0 40 feet Homeward-bound ... Homeward-bound Heef ... 592 0 0 0 I 0 29 12 0 Surface to 30 feet Hastings ...... Eqreka Reef ...... Ill 0 0 0 I6 0 SB 16 0 S4 feet Eureka ...... Eureka Reef ...... 67 0 0 0 4 12 I5 1 12 74 feet Flora ...... Trewhella's Reef ... .11 0 0 0 s 0 4 s 0 60 feet Enterprize ...... Barry's Reef ...... 730 0 0 0 1 I2 54 I5 0 a5 feet Norwood and Falkirk ... Split-tree Reef ... 500 0 0 0 3 0 75 0 0 Surface to 30 feet ------Total Quartz ... 3,498 0 0 0 4 I5'44 612 2 I2 Mining in this division during the quarter has been very d~ll. The True Blue Company have been sinking, but are now crushing, and, from present appearances, will !1ave excell.ent returns, .Some p~rties from Bal!ara~ have ll;Pplied for two large quartz claims, and I am m hopes that, with the ass1stance of capital, whiCh they seem mclined to m vest. I shall be able to r.eport very favorably of the reefs in this division in my next.· BLUE MOUNTAIN SOUTH SUBDIVISION. Mr. R. H. Home, .Mining Registrar. This subdivision still continues in the same abandoned state as described in previous reports. BEECH'\VORTH MINING DISTRICT. BEECHWORTH J?IVISION. 'Mr. Alexander Alderdice, Mining Registrar. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED REL:\TIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ ,CRUSHED. DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED TREREFROM:- Avcrage Yl~ld of ITotal· Remarks relative to the .Name of Compnny. Where Quartz was obtained . Qu nrtz crushed. Gold per Ton. tons, cwt. qr. oz.. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Barr, Bryce, and Co .... Forest Range ...... 2o 0 0 4 5 0 S5 0 0 20 feet McLeod and Co. · ... Magpie Reef ...... 30 0 0 2 16 0 S4 0 0 30 feet W allace and Co •. ... Forest Range ...... s 0 0 2 2 12 I7 0 0 Surface McLeod and Co. ... Sunday Ueef ...... 34 0 0 I 4 0 40 16 0 50 feet Tubal Cain ...... Basin Creek ...... 1711 0 0 I 2 0 I96 IS 0 130 feet 0 0 Connor and Co. ... Buffalo ...... lOO 0 10 0 I 50 0 0 80 feet Total Quartz ... 371 0 0 1 5 I2•S7 473 14 0 During the past ,quarter mining in this aivision. has been dull, on· account of the scarcity of water, the sluicers .generally not making more than half-time, whilst some have ceased working in their claims altogether, and employ themselves in clearing or repairing their races or in buildJng reservoirs for the purpose of storing the winter rains. . T.he reefs in the neighhorhood of th_e Three-mile Creek mnge, are all abandoned, with the exception of the Sunday Reef, a crcshing of 34 tons from whiCh gave 40 ozs. · , Bowman's Forest. Messrs. Dean and Co. are about erecting a crushing mill at Cunningham's Gully, for the purpose of crushing the stone-from their reefs-the King, Annandale, and Sol way-and also for general crushing purposes. The erection of this mill in the forest will, no doubt, give an impetus to quartz .mining in this neighborhood, as hitherto the prices for carting· to .Myrtleford and crushing have beeu so exorbitant that none but the richest reefs were considered payable. One or two old reefs which had been abandoned as not payable have now been taken up again, and doubtless will leave a good margin for the miner when he can get the stone crushed close at hand. Dean and Oo. have about 200 tons of stone ready for crushing, and the Eskvale Company about 150 tons. i:' Myrtleford, ~·c. The Tubal Cain Reef is still _turning ?u.t well, viz~; ~verI or;: t~ the ton ; the shaft has now been sunk to a depth of 130 feet, and the reef IS 3 feet wtde. lL 1s mtended to·smk about.oO feet more, and then to erect machinery on the claim. Onl,Y a ·small quantity of stope ·bas been crushed from the Magpie. Reef, the party being engaged· in drivi~g a tunnel'Jor the purpose 6f draining and working th~ r~ef to better advantage; .Th~ Mountain View Company have lost the reef for·the present, but hope to strike 1t agam m o. shaft they are now smkl!jg. 12 Eldorado. The claims here continue to turn out well, as will be seen from the returns below. There is one· serious drawback that these claims have to contend against, viz., loss of time occasioned by their machinery not being powerful enough. · The following are the returns for the quarter, viz.,:--;-: ' oz. dwt. gr. Wellington Company, ...... 735 15 0 '· United Eldorado Company (:\>IcEvoy's) . 719 16 6 Hindmarsh JlDd Company (Knee bone's) 849 10 18 Total 2,305 2 ·o and about 35 tons black sand (tin ore), worth £45 per ton. . ·. The long pending dispute between the Ovens Gold and Tin Mining· Company and Horrocks and Party has at length been satisfactorily settled, Horrocks and Party receiving a number of shares in the company as an equivalent, for the ground which they claimed to be entitled to. The Old Ovens Gold and Tin Company is to be wound up, and a new company has been formed called the United Ovens Gold and Tin Company. The new .company have applied for a lease of the ground, about 450 acres, and machinery has been purchased for the purpose of wo1king it. The ground immediately below this has been taken up by the Great Extended Gold and Tin Mining Company, and a lease of 600 acres granted to thetn. Work has not yet ·been commenced, but the manager, with the boring machinery, is on the road. Before commencing operations it is intended to bore, in order to find out the deep ground, ' and also to fix a spot for the shaft and machinery. STANLEY SUBDIVISION. Mr. Thomas Stubbin, Mining Registrar. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE-QUANTITY OF QuARTZ .CRUSHED DURING TRB QuARTER, A~D THE GOLD OBTAiNED THEREFR0!1 :- Remarks relative to the Name of Company. Where Quartz was obtained. I Quartz crushed, I Average Yield of IT3ta!Ylel YACKANDANDAH SUBDIVISION. Mr. Thos. G. Kennan, Mining Swrveyor and Registrar. THE FOI,LOWING_ INFORMATION RAS BEEN' OBTAINED RELATIVE '!iO ,TilE QuaNTITY .OF QUA!LTZ CRUSHED DURING TilE QuARTER, AND TilE GOLD OBTAINED. TilEJLEFROJl :--' ~--·~-·--· ---~-~-~--- Uc:mn.rks relative to the Avernge Yicm of •r0tal Yield of Gold. Name of Company. Where Quartz was obtained: Quartz crushed, Gold per Ton. Depth at which the Quartz was obtuincd. ··---·-·- tons cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz, dwt. gr. Homeward-bound ... Hillsborough ...... 1,000 0 0 3 0 0 3,000 0 0 125 feet Perseverance ... Hillsborough ...... 39 0 0 ·o 6 16 13 0 0 iO feet Eureka ...... Hills borough ...... 97 0 0 ·o 14 10'39 70 0 0 90 feet Lee and Co ...... Hills borough ...... 105 0 o: 1 5 8 133 0 0 80 feet Birthday Heef ... Hillsborough ...... 159 0 o· 0 12 J·8I 96 0 0 150 feet Mark ham ...... Back Creek ...... 182. 0 o· 0 9 13'~3 87 0 0 60 feet Pride ...... Back Creek ... 269 0 0 1 ·l 8·11 - 287 0 0 50 feet Stringer -...... Back Creek .. . 200 0 0 0 16 0 HiO 0' 0 80 feet Wood's Folly ... Twist's Creek ... 201 0 0 0 4 13'85 '46 0 0 40 feet Sons of Freedom . ... Twist's Creek ...... lOO 0 0 0 7 0 3",) 0 0 50 feet Mite ...... Twist's Creek ... 6 0 0 0 16 16 5 0 0 40 feet Scandinavian ... Twist's Creek ... 8 0 0 0 12 12 .5 0 0 120 feet llose of Australia ... Twist's Creek ... 4 0 0 I 10 0 6 0 0 Surface Exceislor ...... Twist's Creek ... 26 0 0 0 13 20'30 18 0 0 70 fet•t Ingleborough ... Twist's Creek ... 6 0 0 l 0 0 6 0 0 Surface Danish ...... , Twist's Creek ... 19 0 0 0 15 18'~4 15 0 0 180 feet ·Duke of Edinburgh ... Twist's Creek ... 10 0 0 .o 5 0 2 lO 0 30 feet Polar Star ...... Twist's Creek ... 45 0 0 0 12. Io·Jl 28 0 0 Homeward-bound ... Twist's Creek ... 17 0 0 1 17 15"52 32 0 0 ;Sydney Reef.:. ... 'Twi$t's Creek ... ' 4 0 0 0 10 0 2·0 0 .Non pare~! ...... 'fwisfs Creek ,..,. I 34 0 0 0 8 19'76 J:; 0 0 \ ------' Total Quartz:· ... 2,531 0 0. 1 12 2'26 4,061 10 0 - . There has been a fair supply of water during the quarter, considering the time of year, and alluvial miners generally have been enabled to work. Quartz mining has been rather shick, 1herc being a number of claims suspended for want of. funds to carry on with. A number, of tunnels are· in course of driving, so as to drain and work the claims \ more economically. · '13 SAl"'iDY CREEK (OVENS) SUBDIVISION. Mr. Henry P. Devereux; Mining Registrar. The mining population is only in a small eKcess since my last report, and the yield o~ gold from the several claims much the same as last quarter. Two water-wheels and two Pl!-mps h.ave been. ~rected smce last report, and, as more ground will consequently be opened, the amount of gold obtamed wlll, I anttcipate,.add to the next quarterly returns. No further change in mining has taken place. INDIGO DIVISION. Mr. R. Arrowsmith, 'Mining Surve~or and Regu;trar. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND MuLLOCK CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GoLD OBTAINED THEREFROM :- ! Remarks relative to the Where Quartz, &c., were Name of Company. I Quartz crushed. A vernge Yield of Total Yield of Gold. Deptll at which the o!Jtained. , Gold per Ton. Quartz, &c., were obtataed. tons cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. West's Reef ... 906 10 0 0 8 7•77 377 5 12 lOO feet from surface Two-to-One Reef, near } 7 12 16'62 99 5 0 130 feet from surface United Consols Rutherglen .. . · 13 0 0 ... { crushings Trial 0'47 8 4 30, feet 40 feet various reefs fro.~} 33 10 0 0 5 8 to I Magenta Reef ...... 300 0 0 0 5 0 75 0 0 120 feet Magenta ... Minnie Reef ... 50 0 0 0 10 0 2S 0 0 40 feet Parish and Co ..• ... 39 0 0 0 5 15'38 1l 0 0 20 feet ""l ------Total Quartz ... :1,342 0 0 0 8 21•15 595 18 16 Mullock. ------Erin-go-Bragh ... Maiden Reef ...... 17 0 0 0 16 ll•29 14 0 0 Surface mullock There is little or no improvement to report in ,the general state of this division during the quarter : the European population has been stationary, while the Chinese have slightly increased in number on the dry leads, which, from scarcity of water during the summer months, generally remain unworked. In quartz mining there is nothing new to report. The claim of the United Consols Company, on West's Reef, maintains its character for steady remunerative yields. The want of water has caused the other mills to stop or to be only partially worked, and some of the reefs have been suspended in consequence ; but, I believe, as soon as the want is supplied they will resume active operations. The Erin-go-Bragh machine, especially, will be in ·constant work for a considerable time. The claim of the Extended Sons of Freedom Company, on the Chiltern Lead, has paid no dividends during the quarter, a' large amount of labor having been employed in the construction of main drives, preparatory to blocking out, which has recently been commenced. It is miticipated that a very short time will suffice to place the directors in a position to pay handsome dividends. . · The steady returns obtained from the main drives of the Indigo Grand Junction Gold Mining Company's claim are highly encouraging, and prove conclusively the existence of a really good lead. A winding shaft is now being sunk, after which it is intended to commence blocking ouh when the character of the lead will be thoroughly tested. The company have recently extended the claim, which is now about three miles in length on the course of.the lead. The Rutherglen Gold Mining Company are still at work on their main drives, which being chiefly in the rock under the washdirt, no trial machines have yet been washed to enable an opinion to be formed of the ultimate yield of gold. The manager reports that the prospects obtained are very satisfactory. BUCKLA.ND DIVISION. Mr. Lewis 0. Kincllela, M£ning Registrar. THE FOI,LOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAIN:ED R~llTIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND QUARTZ TAILINGS, CEMENT, AND MULLOOK, CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GoLD OBTAINED THEREFROM:- Remarks relative to the Name of Company. Where Quartz, &c., were Quartz crushed. A Yield of ITotal Yield of Gold. I - obtained. Gold~e~age per Ton. Depth at which the i Quartz, &c., were obtained. .. -~· I ·--- Running Creek :- tons cwt. qr. oz. , I 14 QUANTITY OF QUARTZ, &c., ,CRUSHED, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED ,THEREFROM-continued. . Remarks relative to the Nru:nc of Comp~ny; . Where Quartz, &c., were Qllllrlz 1· Avernge Yield · obtiUned •. ' · · · · crushc~.' Gold per Ton. o!Gold. ·Deptli ut which the Quartz, &c., were obtained~ ,. " .. i:: tons cwt. qr, oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. . ' Harrietville Reefs:.:_ J ohnson,McLean,& Co. Johnson's Reef 1,200 0 0 0 5 5"92 314 16 0 160 feet B urdon and Co. ' ... Lion and Unicorn Reef 11 0 0 2· 6 8•72 25 10 0 Surface B urdon and Co. ... Lion and Unicorn Ueef ·42 0 0 0 19 10•85 40 ·17 0 Surface D ale, Hanseu, and Co. Good Hope Reef ... 49 0 0 1 11 22•53 78 5 0 150 feet w . Harrison ... Morning. Light Reef .... 6 15 . 0 3 11 p 2'66 24 0 0 Surface latt, Haitna, and Co. United Miners Reef ... 845 0 0 l 13 19·17 1,428 0 0 llO to 130 feet sloan, Smith, and Co ... Victoria 'ltecf ... . 14 ·o 0 5 2 20•57 72 0 0 ;Not stated M cLean, and Co, ... · Bon .Accord Reef .. . 200 0 0 0 6 0 60 0 0 25 feet .. .. ~uckland:- .. A lta and Nelson Co.• ... Nelso!l Reef...... 250 0 0 0 5 ·O 62 10 0 150 feet I Morse's Creek:- . .. 0 riental Perseverance Oriental Reef ... 8,608 0 0 0 3 11•74 629 9 12 100 feet J . A. Wallace ... Pioneer Reef ... 475 0 0 0 4 1'98 96 19 7 159 feet L ewis and.Co. ... Greenwood Reef ... 85 0 0 0 4 8'91· 7 .13 .o Surface A li Hipg and Co. ... Chinese Heef ... 25 . 0 0 0 10 o· 12 10 0 Surface H are and Co. ... Young Lisbon Reef ... 8 0 0 1 5 16'50 10 5 12 Not stated Growler'~ Cre~k :.:_ s haw andCo. ... Wallaby Reef : ... 61. 0 0 .6 18 0'78 421 0 0 Surface s tephehs and Co. ... Gander's Reef ... 20 0 0 0 6 0 6 0 0 40 feet 0 rehard and Co. ••,• Helstone'-Reef ... ·4 8 0 14 6 ·s·'i2 63 0 0 60 feet R owe and Co. ... Star of East Reef ... 12 10 0 5 0 0 62 10 0 Surface H eape and Co. ... Ston.ewall Reef ... 28 0 0 0 6 2"57 8 Ii 0 Surface . . ... Ovens River:- _: ,, •I M cT..ean, Wallace, and r·. Rose,.Thistle,andSham~ 771' 5 0 ·I 0. 5 0 192 '16 5 500·feet Dale ' rock Reef M orton and Co. ... W oolshed Reef , • •••I 1 95 0 .0 0 5 '22'48 28 .4 0 20 feet " M orton and Co, Woolshed Reef . ,,. ,• ,· 58 0· 0 0 4 12. 13' 1: 0 Not ·stated ·n .. . ergin and Co. ... Star ofErin Reef . ,... ,.; 8 0 0 J 0 0 8 0 0 Surface tepliens and Co. s ..... , Sultanalieef' J/t•. 30 .. o. o. 1 3 s. . . I 85 : 0 0 ·surface M cMillail and Brow'n ... Reliance· Reef ... 90 0 0 0 4 0 is -o 0 Surface ,. , ~otat Q~a:rtz ... 8,406 8 0 0 10 2'45 4,246 4 21 ' " ' : .,, ·. .. .Q uartz Tailings, Cement, .. ·rt ··,'i!"l , .. :1' ... ..,. and Mu/lock crushed. '1\fo~se's C~eek:- '·' . ' .. J . Bettles (mulloc}t) .... Ulster Reef ...... ,. -15 0 0 0 ·7 11'20 5 12 .. o. ' ~. ·•t •• J . nettles (mull9ck) .... Ulster Heef , .. ... 50 0, 0 0 2 12 6 5 0 s . Kinkade (mullock) .... Kinkade;s Reef ... 50 0 0. 0 'I 8"16 3 7 0 s . Stephens (pyrites · Gitehell's Mill.T~~;ilings 20 0 0 l 10 0 30 0 0 from tailings) Total Quartz Tailings } and Cement 185 0 ·o 0 6 16•71 45 4 0 • f " • • *The quartz fromA!tumillw!li crushed in previous quarter, but the return wns not forwarded In time to be included In return of 31st December, 186 The most important local incident· connected with mining :within the Buck land division for the past·guarter has been the stoppage of all the workings in the Birthday Deep Lead Prospecting Claim, on Morae's Creek, which occurred early.in March;. imd although all the claims upon th~s lead (the Premier) are still held under suspension or lease, yet the ground may be looked upo:n as virtually abandoned; and from the heavy losses entailed upon the local' public, through tho .. failure of this' lead, apparently-an· indefinite· time· must-elapse before·:operations··are r~sumed upon it; yet I entertain no doubt of the ·ground b_eing thoroughly worked witb. advantage at some future time. 'l'he Birthday Company drove out about 450 feet; of an average width of' 116 feet, ·and obtained therefrom '1,002 ozs. of gold. · · · · The Phamix Deep Lead Prospecting Claim, near Harrietville, Ovens-River lead, has ten men employed upon it, and is looking well; but," in consequence of a breakage in the machinery-now repaired-little work has been done in the Clahn since. tiJ:!!.e,ofi!IY fo~mer report. On. the day I visited the claim 211 trucks of dirt had been i:'aised for twelve hours, wh1e~ had y1elded 11 ozs. 15 dw.ts. of gold. ' ·· .Wan~ of w;tter has.stopP,ecl many; of our, quart~. mills,_and likewise interfe;ed materially with b~nk sluicing operatwns. However, on the other hand, the r1ver clmms ~aye been wor~ed, to smgular ~.cl vantage ~u.rmg the)Jast. dry season-so dry, th.at I saw.the waters of, the Oyens River, near. :Bnght s, carried past a cla1m m two i2·mch· sluice!boxes. · .. The q:nartz ob~ined fr.om 'the new :r.eefs at Growler's Creek is of remarkable-richness (vide retu.rri.s), and: the;· stone now being. raised is quite as valuable. as. that previously crushed •. · · : · ' ·. · ·, · ' · At Harrietville the rate of wages-hitherto £3 per week-has been assimilated to the ~tandard prevailing throughout the other portions of the ·division-viz;, £2 10s: per week;- - · · · · · · · . · 15 JAMIESON NORTH SUBDIVISION. M1·. Samuel K. Viclcery, .Mining Surveyor and Registrar. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IiAs BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND QUARTZ TAILINGS AND CEMEN}' CRUSHED DURING THE QuAUTER,- AND •THE GoLD OBTAINED THEREFROM :- Remarks relative to the Where Quartz, &c., were A vernge Yield of Toto! Yield of Gold. Name of Compnn;r. obt11ined. Quartz crushed. Depth at which the Gold p_er Ton. Quartz wns obto.inoo. tous cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. d'vt. gr. Lucky Prospecting ... Lucky Reef, Alexandra 17 0 0 0 9 7•05 7 IS 0 No. I North, Lucky .•• Lucky Reef, Alcxandra I5 0 0 1 18 4"80 '28 I3 0 No. 2 North, Lucky ... Lucky Heef, Alexandra 45 0 0 21 12 0 972 0 0 No. 5 North, IJucky ... Lucky Heef, Akx:andra 9 0 0 41 0 0 369 0 0 No. 6 North, Lucky ... Lucky Reef, Alexandra. 20 0 0 0 18 6'00 1S 5 0 No. 7 North, Lucky .. . Lucky Heef, Alexandra 3 ,0 0 0 6 '1\•33 0 IS' 16 Connolly's Lease ... Lucky Heef, Alexandra 8 0· 0 o 3 18-oo I- 10 0 Colleen Bawn ••• J,ucky Reef, Alexa.ndra 14 0 0 0 4 6•85 3 0 0 Mysterious .•• ... Mysterious Reef, Alex- 361 0 0 0 s 23"40 162 0 0 andra. A1 Mysterious Reef, Alex 42 0 0 0 9 12"57 20 0 0 andra Frenchman's ... Mysterious Reef, _Alex ·45·· o o- 0 14 23'46 33 14 0 andra. Never-too-late-to-Mend Mysterious Reef, -Alex 133 0 0 0 s 6"49 55 0 0 a.ndra. Little Wonder .•• Mysterious Reef, Alex 18 0 0 0 7 0 6 6 0 andra. Little Prince ... Mnterious Reef, Alex 15 0 0 0 8 0 6 0 0 andra All Nations ••. ... Mysterious Reef, Alex 36 0 0 0 7 18"66 14 0 0 andra Welcome . .. Mysterious Reef, .Alex 263 0 0 0 13 21•99 183 0 0 andra Eglinton Prospecting .. . Eglin ton Reet~ Alexandra 4• 0 0 5 5 0 21 0 0 Homeward-bound .. . Homeward-bound· Reef, 153 0 0 0 '9 15•84 73 IS 0 Alexandra · No. 1 South, Home Homeward-bound Reef, 20 0 0 9 0 . 0. 180 0 0 ward-bound Alexandrn Robin Hood ... ••• Homeward-bound Reef, 18 0 0 0 2 • 5•33 2 0 0 Alexnndra J1:1st;in-Time .•. Homeward-bound Reef, 23 0 0' 0 10 0 11 10 0 Alexandra Invincible . •. . .. . Steel's Creek ... 13 0 0 0 10 18"46 7 0 0 Independent...... Steel's Creek ... 2 0 0 1 3 0 2 6 0 Nos_ 2 and 3 South, El- U. T. Creek 3 0 0 3 6 16"00 10 0 0 dorado Last Chance, Eldora.do U. T. Creek 14 0 0 0 3. 13"71 2 10 0 Nos. 4, 5, and 6 North, U. T. Creek 12 0 0 · o 3 s·oo 2 0 0 Eldorado No. 7 North, Eldora.do U. T. Creek 25 0 0 0 10 0 I2 10 0 No. 11 North, Eldorado U. T. Creek 17 0 0 9 12 . 22'5S 164 0 0 IJonrion ... •.• Molesworth 6 10 0 0 9 5•53 3 0 0 Union ...... Molesworth 4 10 0 0 I4 5"33 3 4 0 Black Range · ... Molesworth 10 0 0 o 10 ·o 5 0 0 Hayfield ...... Merton ... 8 10 0 1 17 I2"70 15 19 0 United Kingdom Pros- Spring Cr~ek 39 10 0 1 3 13'06 46 10 0 pecting Britannia ...... Spring Creek 8 10 0 0 8 22•5S 3 16 o. Nos. 3 and 4 North, Bri- !:!pring Creek 5 10 0 6_ is 4·36 38 0 0 tannia Darling Lease .•. SlJring Creek 104 0 t) 0 3 12"92 1S s 0 Norfolk Prospecting ... -Spring Creek 7 0 0 1 2 22-~8 s 0 12 Little Topsy Pro@eet- Spring Creek 5 10 0 5 0 4•3() 27 11 0 ing Nuggetty Prospecting Spring Creek lO 0 0 0 9 20'40 4 18 12 Ncs. 7 and. S South, Spring Creek 4 0 0 1 16 0 7 4 0 Durham Waiter Montgomery ... Maindample 32 IO 0 0 I3 20"30 22 IO 0 Christmas • . . Maindample 23.0 0 0 14 6"26 16. 8 0 Prince of Wales Maindample I2 0 0 3 2 12·00 37 IO 0 Duke of Edinborough Maindample 32 0 0 1 4 23"25 39 I9 0 Golden Point ... Maindample 10 0 0 0 2 9"60 1 4 0 New-Chum ...... Maindample 6 10 0 0 13 1•84 4 5 0 Beautiful Star .. . Maindample 21 0 0 1 19 10'28 41 s 0 Reliance ••• ... Maindample 6 0 0 1 6 s·oo 7 18 0 Aehieveme'nt ... Maindn.mple ... 6 o o_ o 17 8·oo 5 4 0 Evening Star ... Maindample - 26 0 0 0 14 3"69 IS S 0 Welcome :Stranger ... Maindample 7 0 0 0 1S 0 6 6 0 Elizabeth ... •... Maindample 14 0 0 ' 0 8 15"42 6 1 0 Emperor ..• .•. Maindample 29 0. 0 0 15 0 21 15 0 Victoria ...... Maindample 2 10 0 1 0 0 2 10 0 Enterprise .. • . .. Maindample 12 0 0 0 11 0 6 12 0 Bon's ...... Maindample 80 0 0 0 4 14"40 1S s 0 Prince Alfred ... Maindample 33 0 0 . 2 I6 23"27 94 0 0 Nil Desperandum ... Maindample 1 10 0 3 0 0 4 10 0 ------1------~1 Total Quartz ... ------I,915 IO 0 110 Quartz Tailings dnd S"27 '2,906 5 16 Cement crushed. . No. 2 North, Lucky ... Lucky Reef, Alexandr:J. 57 0 0 0 s 7'57 23 14 0 Hi The proceedings of the quarter throughout this mining division have been attended with important and gratifying results. At Alexandr:i more than an ordinary degree of energy has been displayed in the development of the mines; the disco.\'eries have been more numerous, aud the quantity of quartz raised for crushing has been larger than during any previous quarter. The total yield of gold, though large as compared with the yields of previous quarters, would have. been augmented had there been a sufficient supply of water for crushing purposes. Several of the mining companies have stored their quartz, to be operated on at a more advanced period of the season, rather than subject it to probable loss from the use of bad or insufficient water in its treatment. . · . · Since the date of my previous report three quartz-crushing machines have been completed; one at Spring . Creek, and two at Maindample. Their erection at this early stage of the goldfield at once evinces confidence, on the part of the public, in the permanency of the outlying reefs, and affords the means of accelerating their ·development. :At :Maindample the proceedings of the quarter have been characterised by an increase in the population, and by discoveries of more or less importance. The recent trial crushings at that place, while giving uo strikingly important results, have been sufficiently encouraging to offer legitimate inducements to the prospector and capitalist. Several quartz prospecting areas have been applied for in various uarts of the .outlying district, but no authentic information as to their value has b~en yet obtained. ' . Alluvial mining commands more attention than it has hitherto received in this district. On the River Goulburn, between Darlingford and Eildon, a number of claims on worked and abandoned ground have been re-occupied, and prove remunerative. Several of the U.T. Creek claims are also oeing re-worked; and on Dry Creek, near .., Merton, some new ground has been opened, which promises to afford remunerative employment to tl)e surplus population of the surrounding district. GAFFNEY'S CREEK SUBDIVISION. Mr. H ugh St. H. Blair, Mining Surveyor. and Registrar. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF Q~ARTZ CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GoLD OBTAINED THEREFRO~[ :- I .Avemge Yield ol Remarks relative to the Nnme of Compnny. Where Quartz was obtained. Quartz crushed. Totul Yield ol Gold. Depth at which tile . Gold per Ton. Quartz wns obtal!ied • .~ tons cwt. qr. oz. dwt. ·gr, OZ. d'Wt. gr. A1 ...... Castle Reef ...... 278 0 0 1 12 2"07 446 0 0 60 feet Castle ...... Castle Heef ...... 30 0 0 0· 8 0 12 ·0 0 SO feet Junction ...... Castle Reef ...... 195 0 0 1 !0 4•55 294 7 0 100 feet Lauravilie ...... Homeward-bound ... 250 0 0 0 6 )!"52 . 8! 0 0 150 feet Hunt's ...... Homeward-bound ... 355 0 0 0 10 0'27 177 14 0 200 feet Rose of Denmark ... l~ureka Heef ...... 1,240 0 0 0 3 6"83 203 13 0 I 160 feet Eldorado ...... Lyre-bird Reef ... !50 0 0 0 3 19"20 28 10 0 I ------\ Total Quartz ... 2,498 0 0 0 9 22"88 1,243 4 ' o I The quantity of alluvial gold bought during the quarter is 581 ozs. • The small yield' of gold returned for the present quarter is chiefly owing to the scarcity of wa~er for motive power purposes, the machines being only able to work from two to four head of stamps. The prospects of the subdivision in regard to quartz mining seem to be improving, as ground that has been abandoned or allo-ved to remain unworked for the past eighteen months is being taken up again, and arrangements made to commence work without further delay. . I regret to have to report that alluvial mining, during the quarter, has been prosec~ted with very unsatis- factory results.· · WOOD'S. POmT SUBDIVISION . .Mr . ..tL B: Airwworth, Mining Surveyor and Registrar. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED UELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QuAitTZ AND QuARTZ TAILINGS AND PYRITES CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTE!l, .AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM:- Ucrnnrks relative to the Where Quartz, &c., were Average Yield of Name of Company. Qunrtz crushed. Gold per Ton. Total Yield of Gold. Depth at which the obtained. Quartz was obtained. ---·---·----·~ tons ewt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. o· Morning Star Prospectors Morning Star. Reef ... 300 0 0 ll 15"6 174 15 0 , No. 1 and 2 North ... Morning Star Reef ... 259 (J 0 1 0 .0 259 0 0 United ...... Morning Star Reef ... 25" 0 0 0 3 22"08 4 18 0 Never-mind Prospectors Never-mind Heef ... 375 0 0 010 0 187 10 0 Prince of Wales ... ~\ 11 Nations Reef ... 62 0 0 4' 5 0 263 10 0 AllNations •...... All Nations Heef .~ . 713 0 0 0 6 14•37 235 5 0 Express ...... Waverly Reef ... 154 0 0 0 6 0 46 4 0 Leviathan Amalgamated Leviathan Reef ... 500 0 0 0 16 10•08 41010 0 ' Quartz Tailings and Total:Quartz 2,388 0 0 0 13 5"90 1,581 12 0 Pyrites crushed. ------Alps Central ... Tailings. and l;'yrites ... 270 0 0 0 2 0 27 0 0 I can rep ort no im p rovement durin g the p ast q uarter in this subdivision. The yields will show how small are the returns for the amount of capital invested in machinery; it'must, however, be borne in mind that the season has been very dry, and that therefore all our water-wheel crushing batteries are of nece~sit:y at a standstill. A large number of our quartz miners have been compelled to take to the ·creeks and banks, and w1th so much success that I trust our alluvial miners will permanently swell their numbers; and as this will necessitate a return of miners to work our quartz mines during the autumn-and winter from the"bounding districts, we could look forward to that season with bright~r ant.~cipations than we did to the winter of 1867, both as ·regards the mining and the commercial interests of Wood's Point. 17 There are sure indications around us that we have past through the worst, and though the recovery will be slow, I anticipate the future prosperity of this mining community will rest on a more permanent basis th~1n ic haB hitherto done, and at the same time feel' assured that my next quarterly report will show a marked improvcmeut in the state of this district. MITTA-1\UTTA. DIVISION. Mr . .Andrew Trench, Mining Registrar. Since my last there is very little change in this division. · At the Junction, a few of the Bank Sluicing claims are paying very g SANDHURST MINING DISTRICT. SANDHURST DIVISION. Mr. N. G. Stephens, .Mining Registrar. THB FOLLoWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBT.UNBD RELATIVE TO THE, QUANTITY OF' QUARTZ AND CEMENT CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINEJ) THEREJ':ROM :- --~-·-~-· ~ Remnrks relnt!ve to the Name of Company. Where Quartz, &c., were Quartz crushed. A vernge Yield of obtained. Gold per ton. Total Yield of Gold. DetJth nt which the Quartz, &c., were ol>tnined. -·--~--- -· ----·---- tons cwt. qr. oz. ·awt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Glasg'ow Reef ... Various reefs ...... 731 0 0 0 8 8'74 305 14 8 Various depths Albert ...... Various reefs ...... 627 0 0 0 2 J·os 64 2 9 Various depths Union Jack ...... Various reefs ...... 321 0 0 0 7 4'27 115 4 4 Various depths Try-again ...... Various reefs ... ,1,400 0 0 0 7 15'96 536 11 9 Various depths llird's Heef ... Various reefs.,. ... 1,569 0 0 0 7 7'45 573 10 12 Various depths :-;tephenson and Dressier Various reefs ...... 1,500 0 0 0 4 15·84 349 10 0 Various depths Great Extended ... Various reefs ...... 450 0 0 0 3 2'66 ' 70 0 0 Various depths Ellesmere ...... Various reefs(principally 1,630 0 0 0 12 23•59 1,058 2 12 Various depths New Chum Reef) B. Lazarus ...... New Chum Heef 1,497 0 0 0 12 1•42 902 13 0 270 feet Metropolitan ... Various reefs ...... 3,343 0 0 0 8 14"12 1,435 11 12 Various depths Fraser 'and Oshourne ... Various reefs ...... 1,124 0 0 011 21'15 667 14 18 Various depths l ndcfatigable ' ... Various reefs ...... 1753 0 0 0 4 3'92 156 15 2 Various depths J,uffsmann, Sterry & Co. Various reefs ...... 2,000 0 0 0 ~ 12 450 0 0 V arions d<'pths W. Rac ...... Various reefs ...... 2,785 0 0 0 7 23·96 1,113 16 0 ·Various depths Denmark ...... Various reefs ...... 991 0 0 I) 6 ]]·77 321 12 6 Various depths Pioneer W orks(H. Koch) Various reefs ...... 3,965 0 0 0 9 20•58 1,954 5 0 Various depths Nelson R.eef ...... Various reefs ...... 1,731 0 0 0 5 11"16 473 0· 0 Various depths Johnoon's Hecf ... Various reefs ...... 3,05::S 0 0 0 4 22'50 753 I!> 0 Various depths Shelback ...... Various reefs .•. ... 1,600 0 0 0 9 6'78 742 12 0 Various depths S. Albert ...... Various reefs about ... 3,000 0 0 0 7 0 1,050 0 0 Various depths Beehive ...... Various reefs ...... 1,700 0 0 0 7 0•!4 !>95 10 0 Various d('pths UatherineRcef (U.C.) Various reefs ...... 5,726 0 0 0 4 9•5} 1,258 14 0 Various depths Huilolph ...... Various reefs ...... 4,800 o. 0 0 7 4'30 1,12a 0 0 Various d~pths Peg-Leg ...... Various reefs ...... 163 0 0 0 6 1•38 49 7 9 Various depths Comet ...... Various reefs ...... 1,584 0 0 0 10 8•07 8!8 12 15 Various depths Alabama ...... Various reefs ...... 697 0 0 I 0 19 724 12 0 Various depths 1\foore and Co. ... Various reefs ...... 236 0 0 0 15 18 185 !7 0 Various depths Hustler's R.ecf ... Various reefs ...... 1,097 0 0 0 9 ,)'4() 494 11 12 Various depths Victoria ...... Various reefs ...... 223 () 0 0 4 6"87 47 15 22 Various ilcpths Alliance ...... l\fcEwan's line ... 1,500 o· 0 0 11 5•76 843 0 0 130 feec Eagle ... Various reefs ... 3,804 0 0 0 15 0•37 2,856 0 ... I 0 Various depths ------0 Total Quartz ... 55,600 0 0 0 8 3"89 22,691 10 6 Cement crushed. ----- Private ...... 225 0 0 0 4 8•53 49 0 0 Guy, Clough and Co .... White Hills ...... 2,325 0 0 0 I 18'72 206 19 0 80 .feet and under Felix ...... White Hills ... 2,353 0 0 0 2 13'83 . 303 2 4 i\1itchcllllros. ... Back Creek, Epsom ... 3,300 0 0. 0 1 8•72 225 0 0 80 feet to 100 feet Ajax ...... Epsom ...... 900 0 0 0 5 0 225 0 0 80 feet to I 00 feet Hardie Bros. ... Epsom ...... 500 0 0 0 4 18 1 18 15 0 80 feet to 1 oo feet Rising Sun ...... Epsom ...... 280 0 0 0 7 0·12 98 I 12 80 feet to lOO feet North Star ...... Pottery Flat ...... 1,089 0 0 0 5 J0•82 296 16 8 80 feet to 1oo feet Cambridge ... Huntly ...... 1,746 0 0 0 5 7'42 463 10 0 108 feet to 120 feet North of England ... Huntly ...... 689 0 o· 0 5 21•80 203 11 0 I OS feet to 1 20 feet Deep Lead ...... Huntly ...... 2,331 0 0 0 4 18•46 .'>55 17 0 1os feet tn 1211 feet Telegraph ... Huntly ...... 1,132 ·o 0 0 4 7•37 243 16 0 I 08 feet to 120 feet Ballaro.t and Bendigo, .• Huntly ...... 700 0 0 0 3 18·34 13! 15 0 108 feet to I:D feet Trne Briton ...... Huntly ...... 1,092 0 0 0 a o·;o ]65 8 0 108 feet tn 120 feel. Morning Light ... Huntly ...... 1,381 0 0 0 5 0•06 346 19 0 I os feet to 1 20 feet ------Total Cement ... 20,049 0 0 0 3 14'99 3,633 10 0 . b. 18 Mining in this division is in 11 prosperous condition, hut in some parts of it ~be want of water is 11 serious drawback. The chief items of interest are tl~e .rich yields from ,the new reefs at M11rong, the. finding·,of. several large nuggets, and the rush to alhwinl diggings on the Bullock Creek...... The reefs at Marong have been turning out better than was at first anticipated, and most of the cbimholders are well satisfied with their prospects. Wilson's claim, on Wilson's line, has. averaged o\·er 6 ozs. to the ton, and the quartz they are now crushing promises to be far richer than any previously obtained from that claim. At a depth of 40 feet the reef is well formed, and from 2 to 3 feet in width. Gray and Company arc getting out large quantities of stOne from their claim on the same line. One crushing of 14 tons from it, from veins within 10 feet from the SUlface, yielded 112 ozs. Several claims on Simpson's and Prince Chm·lie Reefs are also yielding good payable stone. The want of a good crushing machine has hitherto interfered much with the derelopment of the reefs in this locality. Moore and ComiJauy ha,Ye, however, erected one in the neighborhood, but they have not sufficient water to work it, so that the miners have to bring their quartz irito Sandhurst to be crushed. , . Victoria Heef.-On this reef the Energetic Company obtained l65·ozs. from 35 tons, at their 380 feet level. Several other companies ha Ye been doing well on this line; but I cannot get any information from the Endeavour Company, who crush from several rich claims; nor from Messrs. Ballerst.edt and Son. New Chum Reef.-Nearly the whole of this line is paying well. Splendid returns have been obtained from Lazarus' and Menzies' claims; and the lWesmere Company's quartz, at the 275 arid 340 feet levels, pays handsomely. Windmill Hill.-Some of the claimholders on this line have at last made aiTangements for drn.ining the line, by baling with whims, and have already got out some rich stone from Elliot's claim. It is their intention to sink one of the claims a further depth of 60 feet, and th'en drive through a bar of sandstone that will enable the pumping engine on the Johnson's Reef to drain them. This work will involve a considerable outlay, but when completed will be of the greatest benefit. · · Wetheralllteef.-The Coleman and Tacchis' Reef Company have struck a good reef in their claim at a depth of 450 feet. The last 180 tons from it yielded 50!; ozs. of gold. . . McEwacys Line, Golden Square ..-The Alliance Company have come on some better stone; 120 tons of which yrelded 243 ozs. of gold. The Johnson's Heef and Cat.herine Reef Company's prospects have improved during the quarter•. At the Big Hill, Elder and €ompany h<1ve been doing very well; one lot of their quartz (60 tons) yielded 135 ozs. Moore and Company have also reported the discovery of payable quartz ill' their claim, taken up on a reef near Elder and Company. , Perfect Cure Reef, Crusoe Gully.-Allen and Company, at a 'depth of 80 ~eet, have found a well defined reef, commencing small and widening to between 3 and 4 feet, yielding 4 ozs. to the ton. .. Prospecting claims have been taken up on the following reefs :-Lovie's Reef, Bullock Creek; Great Britain Reef, :Bullock Creek; Turner's Reef~ Big Hill; ·white Horse Reef, near Eaglehawk; and Way's Reef, near California Gully. A special holding has also been taken up on Gardner's Reef, Jackass Flat, by Mcintyre and Company, who are raisin'g some very good stoJie. In alluvial mining the large companies have been doing well on the deep lead at Huntly. Myerstown is deserted, except by a few who have pretty good claims·. A rush to some new ground at Bullock Creek has taken place, and it is expected that a good number will find profit.al>le employment there during the "'inter. At tbe present time there are about 300 miners on the ground. Water is scarce, but some are doing very well. The prospectors reported having found stufl:' yielding it oz. to the tin bucket, at a depth of 50 feet. ·The sinking is generally pretty easy, and varies from 20 to 50 feet.· · · At Splitters' Gully, Whipstick, a miner found a nugget 'weighing 275 ozs., within 5 feet from the surface; and in a small gully leading into Crusoe Gully, a puddler found 4 nuggets, weighing respectively, 49 ozs., 8 ozs., 6 ozs., and 2 ozs., in one machine full of stuff. l::>everal others have also been found during the past few weeks. KIL:\WRE DIVISION. ~~r. J ames W. Os born, Mining Registra1·. THE FOLLOWING lNFORMA.TION tL\S BEEN OBTA.INED RELA.TIVE TO THE QUANTITY Ol!' QUARTZ CRUSHED DURING . THE QUARTER, AND THE GoLD OBTAINED THlll!EFl!OM :- I Ucmarks relative to the \Vhorc Quartz was J I A ,·erngc Yield of, ITotal· ])cpth. at ·which the Name of Compan,•. obtained. Quartz crushed. , Gold per ton. of Qnart:r. \VlLS obtained~ -· Reedy Creek: tons c·wt. qr. {)Z. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. I leedy Creek ... ·Lnndridgc's Heef ... 116 0 0 0 10 0 58 0 0 Various s eek-and-find. ... 'l'homson's Heef ... 2 0 0 3 0 0 6 0 0 40.fcet Sunday Creek: R yan and Co. ... Ryan's Hecf ...... 190 0 0 0 14 0 133 0 0 Various G olconda ...... Tobin's Reef ...... 30 0 0 0 15 0 22 10 0 80 feet Ten· Tree Creek: E· nniskillcn ...... Enniski!lcn Reef ... 27 The miners located in my division at the termi~ation of my last report, for the quarter ending the 31st March, have been drawn away in considerable numbers to Ghin-ghin and Alexandra diggings. .The Cbine~e especially, who wer~ at ]{eedy Creek, were compelled to seek other fields in conseque1~ce of the scarcity of water. Alluvial mining throughout the district has been very dull.' At Sunday Creek and lVIurrundindi Creek prospecting claims have been taken up, and an influx of miners ensued, but without any promising results. Qu HEATHCOTE DIVISION AND WARANGA SOUTH SUBDIVISION. Mr. J. T. Stro'f}g, Mining Su?'veyor and Registrar. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND QUARTZ TAILINGS, CEMENT, AND lVJ:ULLOC:K, CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE !}oLD OBTAINED TIIEREFROM :- . : 1 Hernnrks relative to the Name of Company, Where Qunrtz, &c., were Quartz crushed. Averore Y!cld of I Total Yield of Gold.; Depth ut whkh the obtained. Gold per Ton. : · Quartz, &c., were obtained. tons cwt. q_r. oz. dwt. gr, oz. Total Quartz ...... 1,855 0 0 0 10 4'77 ! 945 19 8 Quartz Tailings, Cement, and Mullock crushed. Miscellaneous crushings at the Red Hfll Company's 255 0 0 0 2 2•16 26 13 0 Surface machine, Red Hill Perseverance ... Red castle ...... 6 245 0 0 0 2 0 24 10 0 Surface J ones antl Co. ... Cement Hill ...... 10 0 0 0 8 0 4 0 0 Smith and Co. ... Balmoral Heef ·.... 42 0 0 0 2 10'28 5 2 0 TotaJ Quartz Tailings,} 0 2 ' Cement,andMullock 552 0 0 4'39 60 5 0 -· I have no improvement to report in mining operations during the last quarter. WARANGA NORTH SUBDIVISION. Mr. Henry Boyns Nicltolas, Minin,q Surveyor a11d Registrar. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IIAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF .QUARTZ AND QUARTZ TAILINGS AND CEMilNT CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, .AND THE GOLD OBTAINED 'l'HEREFROM :- I Remarks relative to the Name of Company. Where Quartz, &c., were Quartz cruBhc tons cwt. qr, oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr, Lewis and M:enzies ... Rnlaclava Hill, Whroo ... 3,062 0 0 0 3 13'49 545 8 4 90 feet to 300 feet I.aw and Darroch ... Whroo ...... 110 0 0 o 10 1s·1o 59 3 0 Various Joncs and Co. ... Welcome Reef ... 4 0 0 24 0 0 96 0 0 20 feet Semmens and Co. ... Mongolian Reef ... 4 ·0 0 17 0 0 6S 0 (} 200 feet· Semmens and Co. ... Mongolian Heef ... II 0 0 4 10 0 49 10 0 200 feet Perseverance Co. ... Various Reefs ... 510 0 0 0 7 23'76 203 15 0 Various Robert J,aw and Co. ... Various Heefs ... I 105 0 0 0 s 7'17 43 14 0 Various Quartz Tailings and Total Quartz •.. : 3,806 0 0. 0 5 14•37 1,065 10 4 Cement crushed. . I Wigg and Rpence ... Rush worth ...... 45 0 0 3 9 4'26 155 13 0 6 feet 6 inches Cracknell ...... Rush worth ...... 55 0 0 1 7 21"3S 76 14 0 6 feet G inches l'crseverance Co. ... Hush worth ...... 410 0 0 0 8 6"43 67 0 0 Various Hobert Liwr and Co. ... Hush worth ... "' I 113 0 0 0 8 s·io 19 0 0 Various Total g~~~~~tTailings} and It ... 623 0 0 010 5'27 ·I 318 7 0 In consequel!ce of the good -results obtained by Me~srs. Wigg and Spence from their cement daim, numerous parties have been prospecting the cement deposits which are so widely spread over this :field, and in some cases encouraging results have been obtained. I have information that at the Buff: TIIE FOLWWINO lNFOJDIATION IIAS BIIEN OBTAINED HELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND QUARTZ TAILINGS . AND CEMENT CRUSHED DUlliNG TIIE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED Where. Qnal'tz:, &c., \VCre Quartz crushed.· Avem.ge Yield of Name of Company. olJtained. Gold per 'fon. \ tons. cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Fredl)rick the Great .•• Frederick the Great Reef 4,026 0 0 0 8 11•09 l,i03 16 0 153 feet Nil Desperandum ... \Velbourne Reef ... 1,:~84 0 0 0 9 23'0:! 689 4 11 106 feet Geo. Cook and Co. ... Barldy Reef ...... 9 0 0 2 2 0 IS 18 0 80 feet Bell and Co. ... Black Rock Reef ... 10 0 ,0 0 13 12 6 15 0 50 feet Roberts and Co. ... Bnrkly Reef ...... 52 0 0 2 15 11"53 144 5 0 100 feet Cornish and Welsh ... Jones's Reef ...... 318 0 0 0 13 6'03 210 14 0 100 feet l<~lysian Flat ... Bttrkly Reef ...... 12 0 0 0 8 12 5 2 0 70 feet Scha!ler and Co. ... Welbourne Reef ... 40 0 0 0 17 0 34 0 0 120 feet Richard Foley and Co. Barkly Reef ...... 42 0 0 2 0 0 84 0 0 150 feet I__;__· 9 19'94 ll Quartz Tailings and Total Quartz ... 5,893 0 0 0 2,896 14 Cement crushed. Roberts and Co. ... Elysian Flat ...... 240 0 0 I 0 2 12 30 0 0 Total Quartz Tailings } I 240 0 0 0 2 12 30 0 0 anq Cement Mining mntters are gradually improving in this division. Every available portion of ground being taken up by the miners here and in the vicinity principally undet· lease. Several new companies have been formed, the most important one being the Schaffer Quartz Gold Minin'g Company, who have taken up two claims on the May Reef, in connection with their original claim on the W elbourne line, which hitherto has yielded excellent retums. , Messrs. Stephens and Nicholls have nearly completed the erection of their quartz crushing machine (for public purposes) in a gully east of Raywood. When this plant is finished it will be hailed with great satisfaction by the inhabitants generally. The quantity of gold obtained from Frederick the Great Reef during the quarter is worthy of note, viz., 1,703 ozs. 16 dwts. It may be as well to mention 'that this claim is situate on the private property of lYir. Hugh Glass, and that gentleman receives a per centage upon all the gold raised from the mine. General prospects of this division are improving. MARYBOROUGH MINING DISTRICT. MARYBOROUGH DIVISION. Mr. P. Vi1"'tue, jun., Nini1&g Registrar. '£IIE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED ltELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUAltTZ CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GoLD OBTAINED TIIEREFROl1 Remarks relative to the :Name of Company. Where Quartz wn.s o btaincd~ Average of :•rota! Depth at which thn Quartz crushed. Gold per~leld Ton. . of Gold. I .. Qunrtz was ol.lta.incd • tons ewt. qr. ! ' oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Ledathan Reef ... Leviathan Reef ... 1,400 0 0 0.321'89 2i3 17 3 About 100 feet , Cundy and Co. ... Public crushing ... 2,600 0 0 0 7 0 910 0 0 Claussen and Penny ... Public crushing ... 1,008 0 0 0 11 0"38 555 4 0 Williams, Bros. & Co .... Blucher's Heef ... 520 0 0 0 16 0 416 0 0 320 feet Mariners' Reef ... Battery and Soldiers' Reefs 1,042 0 0 0 3 6'33 170 1 2 50 feet Mariners' Reef ... Public Crushing ... lOO 0 0 0 10 0 50 0 0 Phrenix Company ... Mariners' Reef ... 100 0 0 0 12 14'40 63. 0 0 300 feet Total Quartz ... 6,ii0 0 0 0 7 4"86 2,438 2 5 The mining interests of nearly the whole of this division have materially suffered during the last quarter, in .. consequence of the long continued drought. · This cause, taken together with the discovery of gold in Queensland, .and the lately increased demand for mining labor atBallaarat,has h3d the ·effect of somewhat decreasing our miuing population. · , . Many of the alluvial mining companies at Majorca have had great difficulties to contend against ·during Lho quarter. It has been found that the rich leads of gold in that place have gone down below the water level, and the machinery on the ground is not powerful enough to drain the water efficiently, or to permit of successful mining operations. The Kong ?1-feng aud Robin Hood companies had to suspend work for ·a time during the quarter.· Several claims in the dry sinking have been abandoned altogether, and the machinery sold and removed. At Chinaman's Flat, no finds of any importance in the old alluvial workings have come to light, and no fresh alluvial mines have been discovered ·during the quarter. The Band of Hope Company are now driving across the deep ground in the headings for the opposite reef, where they hope to obtam payable gold. A consideraple amount of capital has already been inYested in this mine, and there is no doubt but that, so soon as the main lead is struck, the operations of the company' will be successful. As yet, no gold has been taken from it. · The M:;tgnum Bonum Extended Gold Mining Company recently sustained an accident to their machinery, l1ut not of a serious nature, and which was speedily repaired. As this is the most.important und vnluable alluvial mine in the division, I herewith subjoin a few particulars regarding it. 'l'he company was. originally started in Mny, 1862, by ei~~:ht shareholders who held sixteen shares between th!Jm, subsequently the shares were increased to 500. The capital already invested in the mine stands thus-amount of cash required and invested to start it, £11,570 ; value of gold ·obtained from the mine and invested in it, for the purpose of carrying on the works, £19,978, making the total capital .invested £31,548. From ignorance of the nature of the ground the company sunk two shafts on the mine, at a cost -of £5,000, which had to be abandoned. Tbey were not construc&ed sufficiently strong, but the experience thus dearly :gained, caused the third shaft which was sunk to proYe secure. Over two tons of iron were used in its construction, nud great care and lahor were found necessary to enable the company to pierce a fine wet drift of sand in the shaft, of about 40 feet deep; the total depth of shaft is 160 feet. After a large sum of money had been spent in opening the mine, it was found that tho lead of gold crossed the boundary, and found its way into the Golden GateJ a small 21 claim of five acres and then re-entered the Magnum Bonum further down. This circumstance led to the purchase of the Golden Gat~ by the company for the sum of £500. The mine is now let'on a tribute of 20 per cent. of the gross yield of gold. It is now in tnorough working order, and there is every prospect and expectation of its proving the most productive mine in the division. The following is a statement of gold o~tained from the principal alluvial mines in this division for the past quarter:- ozs. dwts. grs. Magnum Bonum Extep.ded 864 16 19 Cossey Company ... 360 0 0 United Kingdom Company 240 0 0 Robin Hood Gold Mining Company 2o·o o o Queen of the Isles 160 0 0 Kong Meng Company ... . 160 0 0 Prince of Wales .. 150 0 0 N orthnmberland Gold Mining Company 140 0 0 Sundry (15) Whim Claims 1,285 0 0 Total 3,559 16 l~ As regards quartz mining, I have to report that several prospecting reefs have been registered during the ·quarter. 'The Leviathan Reef Gold Mining Company was stopped for general repairs to machinery during two months of the quarter ; they have now got to work, and are sinking theNo. 6 shaft while the reef is being drained. 'l'he Mariners' Reef Gold Mining Company have been idle since the early part of January ; they propose to begin operations again shortly. Battery and Soldiers' Reefs are paying well. 1'he Phoonix Quartz Mining Company are making progress. During the first month of the quarter ~he mine was unproductive, and operations were su~pended, but recently work has been resumed, and stone obtained to the value of half-an-ounce to the ton. · In closing this report, I would take the liberty to observe, that not only the main lead at Chinaman's Flat, but also the·main lead at Maryborough, each having a course extending over several miles of country, are most probt~bly rich in gold deposit below the water-level. This appears to be a plain inference, if the facts connected with mini11g operations at Majorca and Chinaman's Flat are taken into consideration. The gold now obtainable from the mines in those places is to be found below the water-level. Both the leads at Maryborough and Chinaman's Flat have lain comparatively idle for years. What is specia.Jly wanted for this division of the district, in order to develope its large mineral resources, to foster and promote its material progress and prosperity, is capital and enterprise, combined with a fair supply of skilled mining labor. W~thout more a!nindant and more powerful machinery than the division at present possesses, it would be quite impossible to work the deep ground referred to with economy, efficiency, or success. AMHERST DIVISION. Mr. Joseph Smith, Mining Surveyor and Registrar. THE FOl,LOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND QUARTZ TAILINGS AND CEMENT CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE Gor,D OBTAINED THEREFROM :- . I Name of Company. Where Qunrtz, &e., wer~ I Quartz crushed. Average Yield of Total Yield of _I ~bDepth at.. ..,~. which the fu. obtained. Gold per Ton. Gold. Quartz, &c., were obtained. Cosstick's Machine- tons cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Cosstick and Co. ... Laura Reef ...... 500 0 0 0 5 1"24 126 5 22 Surface to 40 feet Busch and Co: ... Prince of Wales Reef ... 68 0 0 0 9 S'l2 31 15 0 .Surface to 70 feet Beill and Co. .... Princ~ of Wales Reef ... !I 0 0 0 5 20"73 3 4 12 70 feet Victoria Machine- Victoria Co. ... Whitehorse Reef ... 107 0 0 0 I 16"9S 9 2 17 Surface to 50 feet Usher and Co. ... Churchhill Reef ...... 131 0 0 0 s 14 56 4 10 SO feet Thomas and Co. ... Churchbill Reef ...... 132 0 0 0 5 0 33 0 0 83 feet Reynolds and Co. · ... . Church hill Reef ...... 30 0 0 0 l 0 1 10 0 70 feet to SO feet Ricbards and Co. ... Musical Reef ...... 53 0 0 0 4 s ll 9 16 Surface to 40 feet .Ansell and Co. ... Welcome Heef ... 31 0 0 0 ll 15 1S 0 9 46 feet Nicbolson and Co .... Kangaroo Reef .•. ... 5 0 0 0 2 0 0 lO 0 Surface to 30 feet Bartlemore's Machine- Mr. Bartlemore ... .All Nations Heef,Kanga- 121 0 0 0 5 10•12 32 16 0 ______i, 60 feet to so feet roo -~~ Quartz Tailings and Total Quartz ... 1,1S9 0 0 0 5 10•77 323 18 14 Cement crushed. ------Bartlemore's Machine- Various.parties ... Mount Greenock and 176 0 0 0 6 23'59 61 9 0 Various depths 0 Back.Creek . The following is a statement of the gold obtained by the principal alluvial mining companies in this divisbn during the quarter, viz.- Sadowa Company, Rocky Flat 1,166 ozs. Dunne's Paddock, near Talbot 341 " Enterprise, .Mysterious Lead 168 " Queen of the Isles, Cockatoo Taaffe's Paddock, near Talbot 164 " Cornwall Company, Cockatoo 98 " 75 " Dublin Castle, Rooky Flat ... 60 " Hoffnung Company, Mount Greenock 60 " Total 2,132 ozs. The mining operations in this division present no improvement. . ~here is a small de~rease in the number of miners employed, owing to some turning their attention to the cultwatwn of the l~n~ w h10b has ~een granted to. them under the 42nd section of the Amended Land Act 1865. In qu!irtz I~ll!lmg! Ch~rc~h1ll Reef and Prmce of Wales Reef are attraeting some attention. ~lluvJal mmmg 1s s~11l m a depressed state for the want of capital to open out the deep leads. An effort is now bemg made .by the Umon Company to raise sufficient funds to develope the Mount Greenock deep lead which runs through theli' lease. About £4,000 will be required for this undertaking. · ' 22 A VOCA SUBDIVISION. Mr. ·william Byrne, .J[~ning Surveyor and Registrar. TrrE' FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS ilEEN .OBTAINED. RELATIVE TO TllE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND CEMENl' CRUSHED DURING TIIE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTI:INlfD'TI!EREFROll ;- Where Qnnrtz1 &c. were Remarks rqlntivo,to the Name of Company. 1 I, Quartz crushed, Avernge Yield of Total Yield of Gold. ncpth at which the obtained. Gold per Ton. Quartz, &c., were obtained. ¥ ~-~·---· . 1 tolll! cwt. qr. . oz. dwt. gr, oz. ·dwt• gr. Bosanquet and ;Co.'s Vale's Reef ...... 50 0 0 2 0 0 100 0 0 A water-level 140 feet Crushing Ma~hine, Avoca ; ,. Ditto ...... Vale's Reef ...... 30 0 0 3 0 0 90 0 0 Ditto - Dame's Crushing Ma- Poverty Heef ...... 75 .o 0 0 4 16 17 10 0 8 feet chine Fiddler's Creek ... Luck-'s-All Reef ... 47 0 0 0 s 0 18 16 0 15 feet Ditto •.r. .. ·.. ... Fiddler's Reef 50 0 0 0 6 4'80 15 10 0 40 feet . ,, ... Ditto 1 ...... Butler's· Reef·.. : ... .. 56 0 0 0 3 O·S5 s 10 0 10 feet - . . ·~ ·Total Quartz ... 30S 0 0 0 16 6•07 250 6 0 . . Cem~nt cr~~hed. Bosanqilet and Co.'s Cement from thi) Avoca 300 0 0 0 4 6 60 o· 0 Crushin" Machine, Lead, Avoca . Avoca "' ·· • · In .alluvial m!ning there is little to •report. The Phrenix Company, Homebush, ceased working, and ' abandoned thei!" ground. Several parties of working miners are, however, bent on· giving it a further· trial, and are .now putting down shafts. The tributvrs in the .Golden Lake Company's ground, adjoining the above, are now engaged in prospecting it, and have made arrangements-with the company for that purpose; but appear to have lately lost the ·run· of the old.lead·. The New Holland Company-are still progressing satisfactorily, but they have still a great body of . water• to contend·with, which ·m:uch retards their operations. ~ · " .... · .. There is nothing important to report in. quartz mining. 1,1 • ••I l ' • \ • DUNOLLY AND TARNAGULLA DIVISIONS: . I" Mr. W.. G. Oouchman, ·.Mining Surveyor and Registrar. I . . THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IIAS BEEN oBTAINED RELATIVE To THE QuANTITY OF QuARTZ AND QuARTZ TAILINGS AND CE~IENT CRUSHED 'DURI:NG TilE QUARTER, AND THE GoLD OBTAINED THEREFROM :- - ·- Remarks relative to the Where Quart.zt &c., were j· · .- [ . ' I · Name of Company. Quartz crushed. ! Average Yield of 'Total Yield of Gold. Depth at which the I obtained. Gold per Ton. Quart?;, &c., were obtained. ' : tons cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Cambrian ... New Chum Reef 1,080 0 0 1 3 0'53 1,243 4 0 300 feet ...... ;0 Victoria!' ...... Sandstone Reef ... 1,0~6 0 0 0 12 ·19'45 6i0 0 190 feet South Sandstone ... Sandstone Hcef ... 323 0 0 0 9 16'34 156 7 0 200 feet Bristol's ...... Bell field Reef ... 76 0 0 0 10 0 38 0·0 Bonsfield's '··. ... Star Reef ...... s 0 0 1 17 12 15 o· 0 Specimen Hill Reef ... ll 0 0 0 2 2'18 1 3 0 ·' All Nations Reef · ... 56 0 0 0 5 6 14 14 0 ·Maiden Reef ...... 21 0 0 0 7 14•85 8 0 0 40 feet Donnybwok Reef ... 4 0 0 0 5 12 1 2 0 Corfu Beef ... 40 0 0 0 5 3'60 10 6 0 .Lewis'~ Ma~hin.e ... All Nations Reef ... 27 0 0 0 9 0 12 3 0 New Chum ... 44 0 0 0 6 19'63 15 0 0 140 feet Hammond's Machine ... Poverty Reef...... 923 0 0 0 5 15'52 260 12 0 200 feet Specimen-Heef ... 86 0 0 0 s 10'60 36 6 0 60 feet Wilson's Hill ...... ' 123 0 .0 0 9 15'60 59 7 0 90 feet Sabbath Heef ... 9 0 0 0 4 10'66 2 0 0 Jones's Creek ... 4 0 0 0 16 12 3 6 0 Surface North Poverty ... North Poverty Ree( ... lOO 0 0 0 18 6 91 5 0 Glamorganshire ••." Bcaliba ... · ... 50 0 0 0 1 12 3 15 0. Moliagul ...... Slaty Reef ...... 52 0 0 0 11. 8'30 29 10 0" 80 feet · Queen'd Reef ...... -26 0 0 0 3 12 4 l.l 0 70 feet ·of, I Criterion ...... Belgian . ~ ...... ,soo 0 0 0 2. 0 so 0· . German Reef ..• ... ,34 0 0 0 10 0 17 0 0 20 feet 5 10 0 25 feet · ··Bismarck ... ' ... '30 0 0 0 0 7 Monday Morning ... 60 0 0 0 s o. 24 0 .o· Bet-bet ...... · Bet-bet Reef ...... 165 o· 0 0 3. 6'55 27 0 2 30 feet Bet-bet Reef ...... ss 0 0 0 2 19·30 Ill21Si. ·so feet Hong Kong ...... 17 0 0 0 9 9'88 s 0 0 50 feet ------Total Quartz ... 5,298 0 0 0 10 18'27 2,850 13 20 Quartz Tailings and ------. Cenwnt. . . I ...... 'r' ' .331 o. 0 1' 18•41 29 5 0' Moliagul ···"··; '"" ..... Moliagul "· I '••• 0 Glamorgrmshire · ... Various Hills ... 8.00 0 0 0.5 0 200 0 0 "' 0 '0 5 13·09 3 1 0 ' Bonstield's Machi1,1e .... ' Hard,Hills, ; ...... The quartz' mines in these divisions are progressing favora\1ly, more especially around Tarnagulla, where many companies are declaring lm•ge dividends; but some of the public quartz crushing machines have been at a standstill for some time past, for .want of water. Dunolly. Dealiba Reef.-The Goldsborough Company have just completed the erection of a 35 horse-power engine, for pumping and winding purposes, and are now sinking a new shaft 10 feet by 4 feet in the clear, divided into .three compartments, it being their intention to work two cages. '£heir average, as may be seen, is much less tha~ 1t has been for some time, which is accounted for by t.heir confining their operatious to thl' upper levels. Queen's .Bn·thday Company, south of the Goldsborough, have suspended work during the erection of a crushing plant. No. 1 North are sinking their shaft deeper, in which, I ain informed, they c'ut the reef at 170 feet. A new reef has recently been opened about two miles north-cast of Dunolly, called the German Reef, a crushing of 34 tons from which gave a return of 17 ozs. of gold. Arvon Reef.-The prospectors have ut present suspended operations. No. 1 South are sinking a new shaft, and expect to cut the reef at 150 feet from the surface. Another addition to our mineral resources has been made by the discovery of an antimony. lode, distant about one mile east of Dunolly; samples of which were sent to Melbourne for analysis, and proved to be very rich. The discoverers are now raising ore, but have not yet opened the '!lline sufficiently to say if it is likely to be permanent. They have applied for a mineral lease of 40 acres of the land to secure a tenure. The March Reef Company are about to erect machinery for pumping and winding purposes. Bet-bet Reef.-The Company have let their mine and plant on tribute, for a period of two years. Walker's Reef.-Walker and Party again struck rich stone in their ground, and will commence crushing next week. The wet alluvial ground, on the old lead, still gives remunerative employment to many men. McHardy and Party, at Pottery Hill, have just completed the erection of powerful machinery, and will shortly be at work. Tarnagulla. Poverty Reef.-Most of the claims on this line of reef are let on tributo, and are giving satisfactory returns. Two crushings taken from the Prince of Wales Company's ground, yielded 2 ozs. per ton; they have 20 tons now on the surface, promises to be equally good. Specimen Hill Ree{-Gally and Party are raising stone of a very payable character. Grissold and Parly south are prospecting the mine. · Another Reef, known ail JUinieson's, which h~s been abandoned the last eight years, is now talien up and being worked vigorously. All Nations Reef.-Swanston and Party are raising stone from a lode from 8 to 12 feet thick, averaging 8 dwts. per ton. Corfu Reef.-Garibaldi Company are raising quartz-their prospects, are very encouraging. . Rise and Shine Company sunk a water-shaft to 115 feet, and put in a cross-cut through the eastern reef 10 feet thick. Gold was visible all through, and they are now driving through the western lode 4 feet thick, where the stone looks very promising. . Dellfield Reef.-The Company crushed 76 loads of quartz, which gave an average of 10 dwts. per load. The reef is from 9 to 12 feet thick. . . Great Western Reef.-Williams and Party struck a new block of stone, a few feet from the surface, expected to yield from 2 ozs. to B 07;s.. per ton. Barlow and Party expect to get on the same bloek, in their ground, in a few days. Greek's Reef.-This ground has been taken up by some Melbourne capitalists, who are negotiating with Mr. Fraser for the purchase of his crushing plant, which is situated close by the reef. New Chum Reef.-Cambrian Company have now about 700 tons of quartz on the surface, which promises well for a good yield, their average for the last three months from 1,080 tons of stone is 1 oz. 3 dwts. per ton. They are working the mine at a depth of 300 feet, where the lode is 8 feet thick and very rich. Prince of Wales Company hllve a very heavy body of water to contend with, they have just finished putting in a plunger-lift and have again commenced sinking. Sandstone Reef.-Victoria Company' are raising stone from 211 feet, have now 90 loads on the surface, and are sinking their shaft to 250 feet in depth, when they will put in a drive to cut the reef. · W atkins and Pa1·ty are vigorously sinking aud raising stone from their old shaft, about 80 loads arc now on the surface, and, judging from the prospects, should yield 10 dwts per ton. · South Sandstone Company are raising stone from the 230 feet and 246 feet levels and have 230 tons on the sur~ce, which promises well to yield 1 oz. per ton. The reef is looking very well at present. · Cochrane's. A new reef was last week discovered. A crushing of 4 loads from near the surface yielded 1 oz. per ton. I have nothing fresh to report from the alluvial mines. Tunstall's still retains its population. \ 24 KORONG' DI-VISION. illr. Robt. Mason, Mining Su1·veyor and Registrar. TUB FOLLOWING lNFOIUUTION HAS .:BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND CEMENT CRUSIIED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GoLD OBTAINED THEREFROM :- Hcmarks relative to the Name of Company. 'Yhere Qnn.rtz, &e., were • Quartz erushed. Average Yield 'Total Yield of Gold. Depth nt which the obtnincd. Gold per Ton. Qun.rtz, &c. 1 were o!Jtained. tons cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. . Unity ...... March Reef ...... I ,1 95 0 o. 0 8 11'69 507 2 12 200'feet Lady Darling ... March Reef ... 55 0 0 0 3 0'87 8 i 0 Hope and Anchor - .. . 8 0 0 0 4 21 1 19 .o United ...... 30 0 (I ,0 2 20'80 4 6 0 Exhibition ...... 22 0 0 0 2 5"45 2 9 0 Bird-in-Hand ...... 49 0 0 () 2 21'30 7 I 12 Potter's Hill ...... !ll 0 0 0 5 8 5' 12 0 Reality ...... 19 0 0 0 4 4'26 3 1\l 9 Bendigo ...... 12 0 0 0 5 13 3 6 12 Morning Star .. . ·· .. . 11 0 0 0 7 7'63 4 0 12 Jersey, 5 and 6, S. . .. 47 0 0 0 11 16'34 27 9 0 Corn'missioner's Flat .. . 22 0 0 0 6 2•72 6 14 12 Rising Sun .•• ... 35 0 0 0 4 18'34 8 6 18 Daly.J,ead ...... 17 0 0 0 4 12 3 16 12 No. 3 Morning Star .. . 33 0 0 0 8 21'08 14 13 0 Duke of Cornwall ... Old Inglewood Reef .. . 18 0 0 0 2 6'33 2 0 18 Maxwe-ll's ...... ,154 o·o 0 HI 19'51 83 5 6 Vulcan ...... 122 0 0 0 4 22'42 30 2 0 City of Bath-...... 34 0 0 0 2 0 3 8 0 Leicester ... . •. 50 0 0 0 5 0•72 12 11 12 European ...... 23 0 0 0 3 21'91 4 10 0 Nelson ...... 5 0 0 0 8 (I 2 0 0 Potter's Hill ...... 9 0 0 0 3 21'33 1 15 0 Duke of Cornwall .. . -4 0 0 0 0 18 0 3 () Realjty •. : ... 19 'o o 0 I 20·21 1 15 0 Prince of Wales ... Jericho ...... 215 0 0 0 8 0 86 0 0 Morly and Fonc ... Jericlw"' ...... 800 0 0 2 0 0 1,600 0 ·O Morly and Fone ... Morning Star, Jericho .. . 32 0 0 4 12 12 148 0 0 Total Quartz 3,061 0 0 0 16 21'30 2,584 13 15 Cement crushed. Lady-Darling ... Cement 6 0 0 0 7 16 2 6 0 Duke of Cornwull ... Cement 93 0 0 0 6 22'90 32 6 18 Wedderburn ... Cement 200 0 0 0 10 0 lOO 0 0 Total Cement 299 0 0 0 9 0'14 134 12 1s · I "' Doubtful. In alluvial mining there has been no new ground opened, and the old leads are being worked with the usual results. Quartz mining is improving steadily, as a more legitimate tiel~ for capital is presented to the public. - March Reef.-The Unity Company is the most remarkable in. this division as regards the superiority of the machinery 'and the systematic manner in which their ·mining operations arc cooducted. An accident took place in this mine on the 29th of February. which might be termed a land slip, or the ground caving in. The old shaft was slightly damaged near the top, having been tilted to the eastward, and the· old pumping engine was also tilted' east ward; it will require removnl to 'solid ground. The ladder-shaft escaped without injury. The first level at 125 feet was broken up, and nearly the whole of the large space, about lOO feet wide, which was supported by a forest of heavy timber, averaging 18 inches in thickness, and 18 feet in length. was filled in. J,evels 2, 3, and 4 are uninjured, and the base of opc.rations has been removed to the new shaft, which will in a few weeks be couuected with the old workings. On the night of the Eth March an accident -occurred at the new shaft, through breaking of capstan rope in fixing pipes. This-company £rst discovered gold on the 22nd November, 1862, and since that time have crushed 22,395 tons of quartz, yielding 16,918 ozs. 15 dwts. 6 grs., and although a temporary stoppage has been caused to quartz crushing by the aecident, the mine will very shortly be ~pencd on a much better principle. Mareh Reef, March Company.-The tributors are driving north at the 177 feet level, and raising stone for crushing~ l\faxwell's Reef-Havilah Company.-The tributors have had a good crushing, 83 tons gave a return of 64 ozs. 13 dwts.; the portion of the reefnow being worked is about 11 feet wide, and the stone continues to look well. One of the tributors was· killed on the 24th March, by falling off the ladder when about 10 feet from the surface descending depth of shaft 180 feet. . · Poverty Reef.-1\fessrs. Baragwanath and Samuel are adding two batteries of four stamps each to their pumping plant for the purpose of erushing their own stone, and expect to have them ready for working in about 10 days. Alluvial.-Daly Lead.-The Inglewood Alluvial Gold nfining Company is about being woun~ up, by disposing of the machinery and other property by auction •.. Burke's l?lat.-This portion of the di;vision is very much improved. The Morning Star Reef and Morley and Fone's, are giving splendid results; the latter company eiDploy about 40 men . . Jericho.-The Prince of Wales Company have not been cons.tantly employed in crushing during the quarter. They have been principally occupied in opening the mine upon a more extended scale. . 25 REDB,ANK AND ST. ARNAUD SO~JTH Sl!'BDIVISIONS. Mr. William Byrne, Mining Surveyor and Registrar. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND QUARTZ TAILINGS CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM :- Remarks relative to the Where Quartz, &c., were Avernge Yield of Name of Company, Quartz emshe~. ~~ <>!Gold. Depth nt whieh the I obtntaed. Gold per Ton. Qu11.l"tz wns obtained. tons tiwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. L ancashire Reef Quartz Macoboy Reef ... 4<& 0 0 0 6 19 14 19 0 From surface to 30 feet Crushing Compa.11y, Stuart MJll D uke of Edinburgh Pyrenees Reef ... 60 0 0 0 13 S·2 40 0 13 260 feet Quartz Mining Corn- I pany. Total Quartz ... 104 0 0 0 10 13'74 54. 19 13 Quartz Tailings crushed. L an cash ire Reef Quartz Tailings from the bed of 200 0 0 0 2 0 20 0 0 Crushing Company, Strathfillan Creek Stuart Mill In quartz mining there is little to report for this quarter. There is a large amount of atone raised and ready for crushing at the Isis Company's claim, Stuart :&rill. The small amount of quartz crushed at the Lancashire Reef Company's mill is due to the faet of cessation of work pending alterations and improvements in machinery. There has been a small alluvial rush to a place ca.lled Middle Creek, about 5 miles south-west from Moonambel; the yield is about 1 oz. to the load; but, with the exception of the prospecting party, the miners on the ground are doing very little and universally complaining. It is expected that the heavy rains which have fallen within the last few days will give an impetus to surface operations and shallow sinking in the neighborhood of Victoria Gully, near Stuart Mill, the miners in that locality' having been very badly off for water for some months past. ST. ARNAUD NORTH SUBDIVISION. Mr. John Phillips, Mining Surveyor and Registrar. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATIO-N' HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND M17LLOCK AND> CEMENT CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GoLD OBTAINED TREREFROM:- 1 Remarks relative to the Name of Company. Where Quartz, &c., were Qn11.l"tz crushed Average Yield of Tota!YieldofGold. • I Gold per Ton. Depth at which the obtained. Quartz was obtntaed. ------~ ~·-·~·-- -~·--~-. tons cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt, gr. Rising Star ...... Rising Star and Cross 120 0 I) 2 15 16 33<& 0 0 240 feet Reef Howan's Lease ... Bristol Reef ...... 81 10 0 1 0 19•80 84 17 6 40 and 105 feet Chrysolite Lease ... Chrysolite Reefs ... 54 0 0 0 7 6 19 11 12 .Pioneer ...... Armenian Ueef ... 171 0 0 0 9 10·[0 80 11 0 35 feet \Vilson's Hill ... Eastern & Western Reefs ' 71 10 0 1 0 3'35 72 0 0 235 feet Can's Lease ...... Gap Reef ...... 257 0 0 0 10 4'54 130 IS 15 130 feet Himmer's Lease ... Bal!arat Reef ...... 5 0 0 0 12 0 3 0 0 240 feet Perry's Lease ... Hopeful Reef...... 20 0 0 2 I 0 41 0 0 120 feet Penberthy's Lease ... Blink Bonny Reef ... 39 0 0 1 0 12•30 40 0 0 180 feet Claims ...... Gap Reef ...... 8 10 0 0. a. 0 I 5 12 50 feet Nicho!l's Lease ... Bristol Reef ...... 13 0 0 0 12 20•30 s 7 0 150 feet Claim ...... Bristol Reef ... 78 0 0 0 7 22'S0 31 0 0 150 feet Tribute Claim ... Trinidad Reef ... 12 0 0 0 7 0 4 4 0 Claim ...... Bristol Reef ...... so 0 0 I . 1 0 84 0 0 110 feet Claim ...... Try-again Reef ... 4 0 0 0 5 0 1 0 0 50 feet \?rei berg Lea se ... Walker's and Trinidad ... 255 10 0 0 6 7'51 80 13 0 Claim ...... Isabelle Heef ...... 4S 0 0 0 IS 0 43 4 0 SurfMe Claim ...... Stirling Ueef ...... 4' 0 0 0 5 0 1 0 0 Surface Tucker's Lease ... Emu Reef ...... 10 0 0 0 9 0 4 10 0 Surface ------Jlullock and Cement Total Quartz ... 1,332 0 0 0 15 23•71 1,065 1 21 crushed. Wilson's Hill ... Mullock from various 400 0 0 0 3 1'20 61 0 0 Reefs I Davis and Co. ... Ca.:ra.pooee Hills, Cement 50 0 0 0 8 JO·so 21 2 12 Total Mullockand Cement 450 0 0 0 3 15'60 82 2 12 Pioneer Company, Rotten Reef, 416 tons, giving 1,388 ozs. 17 dwts. of gold and silver alloy, supposed to be worth 7s. 6d. per oz. No. 33, c. 26 The Pioneer Silver Mining Company have preferred the surface"' gossans '' in another part of their ground to the deeper ores :first their object. . · . · The Bristol Reef is a more busy scene of work in consequence of the ne.w ~t"tmper fixed there, . . The R:ising St_ar is usually the "St.ar" of the place f'or its profits.·.' It is probable the owners, will have to erect their own steam engme soon, as they have refused to aid the tributors, who have in consequence stopped. Bell 1!-ock i~ now aided by a complete winding and primping engine, and there is everything leading one to expect a lastmg mme th!)re...... , · . . · The Emu, Stirling, and. Isa.belle Reefs, near Einu Bridge, have .been. regarded as worthy of a thorough good battery of twenty stampers, whwh IS now complete. ., · 11 • '" •"" • The Greenock men have been raising quartz of their usual good yield, but they have not crushed anything during the quarter, owing to repairs of machinery. · The Bell Rock crushings have been suspended.also .duriug the quarter; and these should be noticed in connection with the unusually small quantities returned. . , · · · Allu~ial gold bought during :first quarter of 1868, according to returns, is 495 ozs. 14 dwts. 12 grs . .CA S T LE M A IN E MINING D-I S'T RI C T. CASTLEMAINE DIVISION. Mr. Thomas L: Brown, Mining'Surveyor and Registrar. THE FOLLOWING I:NFORMA.TION Has BEEN oBTAINED· n:E;LA.TIVE TO THE QuxNTITY OF QuaRTz' CRUSHED DURING TUE QuARTER, aND THE GoLD oBTAINED TB:i::liE'FiioM :- •' Remarks relative to the Name of Company. I Where Qunrtz wns obtained. Qu~tz crushed. Average Yiel ~- ---- tons cwt. qr; oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Walker and Co. ' ~. ~ Wattle Gully ...... 232 0 0 0 5 13"31 64 8 18 150 feet Lloyd ...... Wattle -Gully ...... 318 0 0 0 13 12"15 214 15 ·o 110 feet Martin and others ... Wattle Gully ...... 891 0 0 0 6 7:77 281 14 ll 171 feet Russell and Logan ... Argus Reef ...... 680 0 0 0 8 2'00 300 6 IS 60 feet to 70 feet James ...... Sheepsbead Reef ... 25 0 0 1 12 20 41 0 20 45 feet Barge ...... Devonshire Reef 12 0 0 4" 9 19' 53 17 12 38 feet Ajax and others ... Bolivia Reef ...... 275 0 0 0 6 21'29 . 94 14 0 120 feet to 240 feet Straede and Co. ... Sebastopol'Reef ... 193 0 0 1 9 18'03 287 2 0 30 feet Walker and Co. ... Manchester Heef -.... 214 0 0 0 2 20'02 30 6 14 40 feet to 65 feet Grayaud Co. ... Champion Reef ... 73 0 0 0 6 22"68 25 7 0 45 feet Price and Co. ... Red Hill ...... • 81 0 0 0 8 10'07 34 2 0 30 feet Tratbam ...... Nuggetty· ...... 13 0 0 . 12 1 12"92 157 0 0 40 feet 2"10' Tyrrell ...... Wattle Gully ... ••• I 263 0 0 I 10 395 13 12. 160 feet Several parties ... Various reefs ...... 717 0 0 0 5 5"75 187 16 20 Total Quartz ... 3,987 0 0 0 10 21'03 2,168 5 5 The quantity of quartz crushed during the past quarter has been much below the average returns, in conse quence of several of the companies, as the Ajax, South Ajax, and Nuggetty, having been idle, and several of the private parties having been unable to crush for want of water. 'l'here has been a slight increase in the number of European miners in consequence of' the stoppage of the waterworks, but mining operation3 generally have been impeded for want of water. The deep lead workings at the southern boundary of this division are improving considerably. The St. Margaret's Company now .employ fifty-six men : they crush thE)ir drift with twelve heads of revolving stamps, one engine pumping and crushing, and n seven horse-power, fed from the same boiler, winding. Their return from eight washings off has been 72~ ozs. of gold. , . The Belmore Compani have superseded theil' stamping machinery by erection of two steam-power puddling machines (iron) on the .Ballarat principle, with a uew twenty-four horse-power engine to work the same. Seven washings off have given 834;l- ozs. of gold, or an averagc'of 47{/; ozs. per week. The Castlemaine Company, more westerly on the same table-land, have expended £6,000 in l>rospectiug for the lead, and are just now re-forming with new capital, the original shareholders having every confidence m ultimate success. All these workings are on private property. · .In quartz mining more extended work,ings have been commenced. The Ajax Company's mine has been let to five parties of tributors; each party have already obtained good prospects. T~n men are employed at the machinery, tailings, &p., preparing for extensive operations. · · On the South Ajax a party of eight men are ,prospecting, and another party of twelve men have taken the Nuggetty mine on a four-years' tribute. Tratham and Co., north of the Nuggetty mine, are following their new leader, obtaining over 12 ozs. per ton. On the Devonshire Reef, Barge and mate average n.early 4t ozs. to the ton. On the Sebastopol Reef, Straede and Co. have found a new reef yielding nearly 1~ oz. per ton, and have again taken Dr. Irwin~s claim on tribute. On Wattle Gul.ly Reef~ now worked by seventy-five men, several new shafts are being .sunk. Walker and Co. purpose going 200 feet. In addition to the seven parties now working payable claims, Fah·bairn's tributors (south end) have just found what they believe to be the main reef; and Vivian and Co. (on the north end) have struck quar~z, and a large body of water, in a level driven from their 100"fect engine-shaft. . On the Vineyn.rd and Eureka Reefs several new claims have been taken up, and l\facintosh and Co. are down 85 feet with a new shaft. . · . The Old Quartz Hill Company's engine has been .sold and removed to Ballara£: 27 FRYER'S CREEK SUBDIVISION. Mr. Mark .Amos, Mining Surveyor and Registrar. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAB liEEN OBTAINED R;ELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND QUARTZ •rAILINGS AND CEMENT CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GoLD OBTAINED THEREFllOM :- Remarks relative to the Where Quartz, &e., were · I Average Yield of I. ol Gold. Depth at which the Name of Company, I Quartz crushed. Gold per Ton. j obtained. Qurutz, &e., were obtained. tons ewt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. H and of Friendship ... Spring Gully ...... 1,200 0 0 0 1 4 70 0 0 90 to 100 feet R owland and Co. ... Specimen Hill ... 30 0 0 0 4 0 6 0 0 Various B romfield and Co. ... Specimen Hill ... 30 0 0 0 6 0 9 0 0 Various R owe and Co. ... Golden Gully ••• ... 523 0 0 0 9 0'91 236 7 0 110 and 40 feet Ro we and Co. (public) Golden Gully ...... 134 0 0 0 8 21'67 59 13 0 110 and 40 feet Stevens and Co. ... Golden Gully ... 77 0 0 1 5 4'67 97 0 0 40 to 60 feet Cattle and Co. ... Golden Gully ...... 150 0 0 0 1 12'32 1l 7 0 Various depths Mills and Co. ... Golden Gully ...... 91 0 0 1 1 23'47 100 0 0 60 to 80 feet J . Greenwood ... Sailor's Gully ... 4 0 0 0 lO 0 2 0 0 Trial crushing, near surface Meldrum and Co. ... Specimen Reef ... 8 0 0 0 10 0 4 0 0 Various ----- ' Total Quartz ... 2,247 0 0 0 5 7•17 595 7 0 Quartz Tailings and Cement crushed. Champion and Co. ... Table Hill ...... 390 0 0 0 6 0 ll7 0 0 150 feet Table Hill ... Table Hill ...... 650 0 0 0 3 0 97 lO 0 100 feet Free ·Italian ...... Guildford Hill ... 325 0 0 0 2 12 40 12 6 180 feet William Tell ... Guildford Hill ... 400 0 0 0 1 8'40 27 0 0 190 feet ' Eldorado ...... Guildford Hill ~ .. ' 2,540 0 0 0 1 12 190 10 0 .190 feet Alpha (H. Bishop) ... Guildford Hill ... 300 0 0 0 6 0 90 0 0 180 feet Sir H, Barkly ... Pennyweight ...... 700 0 0 0 7 0 245 0 0 180 feet Sir H. Barkly (public) Pennyweight ... · ... 280 0 0 0 14 0 196 0 0 180 feet Thomas and Co. ... Vaughan ...... 300 0 0 1 0 0 300 0 0 100 to 1 fo feet Total Quartz Tailings } ------and Cement 5,885 0 0 0 4 10'32 1,303 12 6 ALLUVIAL MINING. The returns for the past quarter iu cement crushings show no great improvement. This refers to tunnelling and deep sinkings in volcanic hills in the neighborhood of Tarilta, V aughan, and Guildford. Many of the tunnels in these localities have been worked for years, the present.occupiers depending, in a great measure, upon the "headings;' which they pass through sluices, and which had been thrown aside as worthless by the orig!nal holders of the ground. FUDDLING. Although there has been a scarcity of water during tbe past three months, the puddlers, as a body, have not had to suspend operations. Portions of the gro:und within their claims, when excavated, are used for water storage, and a limited supply is secured for the summer months. SLUICING. , At the present time there are only two or three sluice-heads of water running down the Loddon, yet a degree of activity prevails among the Chinese mdicative of satisfactory results. A large number are still engaged washing tailings and other debris deposited by floods, &c. OLD W OllKINGS IN GENERAL. The ground comprising the old workings, north and north-east of the Loddon River, has invariably engaged a large number of puddlers and ordinary miners. It is thought the time is not far distant when the ground will be entirely unproductive under the ~mddling system; but it is also the opinion of many, whose experience in other districts materially influence thmr deductions, that a copious supply of water will support a large and thriving population when other means have failed. The miners in this neighborhood are;therefore, anxiously looking forward ·to the time when the Colibanwater scheme will have so far progressed as to admit of practical illustration of the theory above referred to. QuARTZ MINING. During the past three months the returns show an improvement in this branch of mining, more particularly on·cattle's Reef and Ferr9n's Reef, Golden Gully. Messrs. Rowe give an average of 9 dwts. to the ton, while Stevens and Co. have realized It oz. to the ton. Mills and Co., who occupy the adjoining claim to Messrs. Rowe, have been principally engaged sinking a new shaft during the past two months, with the view of striking the reef below the hill, and so trace the main lode. intersecting Commissioner's Flat. · c CHAPEL HILL Rli;EF. · This reef was worked by a public company some years ago, and furnished satisfactory returns for a space of two or three months, the 'quartz having been excavated to an average depth of 20 feet. The company sank a shaft to the water-level,. but ne'\"er properly tested the quality of the lode. The ground is now occupied by a private coJr!pany, who are raising quartz from the water-level and other.wise exploring the mine. Gold has been seen in the stone, and. several tons now crushing are expected to give fair returns. . """,, DUKE OF CORNWALL COMPANY• This company, who occupy-a large area of ground, have been reluctantly compelled to suspend operations.· They have. already expended a large sum, with the v~e:w of striking the main reef below the water-level. 28 GREENwooD's REEF, SAILoR's GuLLY. , Messrs. Greenwood and. others having. recently taken up the ground formerly occupied by J. C. Atkinson, from inquiries and observations ·it would appear ther<" are many reefs of a very promising character in this nei~~;h borhood; the want of machinery on the spot has prevented them being properly tested. Mr. Greenwood has lately had 4 tons crushed, giving t oz. to the ton, a most satisfactory result. . NEW MACHINERY. !vfessrs. Mills, Hilton, and Co., at Cattle's Reef, have recently purchased an engine and plantr which they are .about erecting near their claim. . ' Messrs. Greenwood and Co. have also made arrangements for erecting suitable machinery at the head of Sailor's Gully, near their present workings. HEPBURN DIVISION. Mr. Thomas Hale, Mining Registrar. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IIAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND QUARTZ TAILINGS , AND CEMENT CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND TIIE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM :- Where Quartz, &c., were A Yield Remarks relative to the Name of Compnny. Q®rta crushed. vernge of Total Yield of Gold. Depth at wlllcl> the obtained. Gold per Ton. Quartz, &c., were obtained .. -··· tons cwt. qr. 01':. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Argus ...... South of Smith's Creek 297 0 0 0 13 8 198 o_ 0 80 feet Pope nnd Co. ... Ajax Reef ...... 400 0 0 0 7 0 140 0 0 240 feet Pope and Co., for public Wombat Hill ... 145 0 0 0 6 8'27 46 .. 0 0 Various depths Kentish ...... Melvin's Reef...... 470 0 0 0 I ll•48 34 15 0 lOO feet All Nations ...... ~" All Nations Reef ... 44 10 0 .3 ·I· 10'51 l3f> 14 0 50 feet J ones and Co. ... Hamburg Reef .... 5 0 0 0 7 9'6 l 17 0 20 feet Watson and Co. ... Great Reef ...... 7 0 0 0 5 13'11 I 19 0 20 feet White's Cornish ... Wombat ...... 581 0 0 0 8 5'94 239 12 0 I oo to 200 feet Victoria Mills ... Connel's Gully ... 80 0 0 0 6 0 24 0 0 40 feet Victoria Mills ... Kid's Gully ...... 36 0 0 0 5 12 9 18 0 35 feet Victoria Mills ... Sailor's Heef ...... 10 0 0 0 3 0 I 10 0 15 feet \Varrior ...... Doctor's Reef ...... 49 ·10 0 0 5 6'06 13 0 0 Cornish ...... Wombat Hill ...... 2,678 0 0 0 1 22•92 261 16 9 30 to 260 feet Specimen Hill ... Specimen Hill ...... 844 0 ·0 0 14 3'44 596 17 3 Barkly and Co. ... St. George'a, Mauritius, . 390 0 0 0 10 0 195 0 0 ' and other Reefs Quartz Tai!ings and Total Quartz ... ..6,037 0 0 0 6 7•14 1,900 18 12 Cement crushed. l?ope and Co. ... Ajax Reef...... 1,000 0 0 0 3 .o \50 0 0 Pope and Co. ... Womba.t Hill ...... 128 0 0 0 2 8"25 15 0 0 White's Cornish ... Wombat ...... 1,162 0 0 0 4 2"90 239 12 0 Surfuce to <&0 feet Morrison and Co. ... Yandoit ...... 76 10 0 I 0 6 5•65 23 17 0 Victoria Mills ... Connel~s Gully ... \50 0 0 0 2 0 15 0 0 Victoria Mills ... Various ...... 200 10 0 0 2 12 25 0 0 Barkly.and Co. ... Pitcher's and Doctor's 182 0 0 0 2 12 22 15 0 .Reefs - I ----- Total Quartz Tailings } and Cement 2,899 0 0 0 .3 9'33 491 4 0 The yield of gold during the quarter in this division has reached 11,375 ozs., seventy.five to eighty per cent. 'of which has been obtained from alluvtal workings. · The Old Corinella Company's ground, at Blanket Flat, has proved one fact, that ground formerly worked and abandoned is by no means deficient of gold, 2,580 ozs. having been obtained, at from 20 to 40 feet from the surface, with.very simple machinery, while some thousands of pounds worth of expensive machinery lies in the claim unused. A great number of claims have been taken up at Blanket Flat and Deep Creek, and, at from 30 to 45 feet, very excellent returns have been the result in most instances. · Bryan and Party.are down 36 feet, driving in a reef wash; the yield averages 15 dwts. to the load. One 18t oz. nugget, and a smaller one, have been turned up during the quarter. The want of water is much felt. . Stony Creek.-The Clanricarde, Righetti's Tunnelling Claim, has been the subject of a dispute, resulting in the union of the intjlrests of Nolan and others. The excellent yield from the adjoining tunnel cauiied an offer of a large sum for the claim. They have sunk only 16 fcet-4 feet through the rock:,..and are now protected, but will shortly resume. Galatea Gold Mining ·company, Fern Hill, are down Ill feet ; expect to strike the gutter at 125 feet; supposed to be the same as the. Exchequer or Wombat Hill Lead. They are incorpo~ted under the statute, and have great hopes of success. · . Daylesford Extension Company, Yandoit.-The manager's published reports show that operations in the mine are. being pushed on satisfactorily, and the prospect of steady yields being maiuto.ined are considered good. . Astley United Company.-This ·now famous company are working south and south-easterly; the washdirt continues the same. The gold realised £1,920 during the quarter; £1,200 having been expended in wages, &c. That Stanbridge's Paddock is the confluence of two or more gutters is certain ; hut their development was much retarded in consequence of the reckless trading in scrip that some years since occurred. A new branch has been discovered in the claim, believed to be the same that was formerly called the Royal Standard gutter or lead. The manager estimates the duration of the company, at the presel)t rate of progress,.at five years' duration at the least. Prince Gold Mining Company.-This company are south of the Perseverance claim, but have not yet registered. In prospecting the ground large sums have been expended at different periods, =!-nd a good wash, 2 feet to 2 feet 6 inches thick, discovered: 8 dwts. having been obtained per load, it is proposed to erect machinery as soon as possible, all effort~J _'at keeping down the ~ater by a whim havin~ proved unsuccessful. 29 Sluicing claims have been comparatively id)e for want of water; the extraordinary drought having, duri11g the past week, evidently exhausted itself, and a fine fall of rain is causing the usual search for winter claims, and several ·sluicing claims have been taken up on what were once registered quartz workings. Ar'gus Quartz Company.-In consequence of the great ioprovement in the yield from this mine-nearly 13! dwts, to the ton-the ma.nager reports that they intend sinking deep shafts, which also is intended by other companies on the south side 'of vVombat Hill, all the most practical men here agreeing that our mines are barely prospected, and that the quality of the various lodes will Le found better anj} more remunerative at depths of some hundreds of feet lower than has yet been tested. - ' Duke of Edinburgh Quartz Mining Company.-This company have been registered, and are working the gTound formerly known as the claims of the Havelock and North Crown Companies, situate between the Cornish Quartz Company and the Cornish and French, both of which have been proved good dividend paying con;panies. A 22 horse power engine is added to the plant, the contract being let for some time past. A 300 feet shaft Is sunk, the company mtendh1~ to drive northwards to work the higher levela. The Cornish Quartz Mining Company Proper.-This company may be ranked with the first in the district, and although this quarter's yield is comparatively poor, yet the facilities for obtaining the quartz enables the company to declare a dividend on a small average, while other companies injudiciously managed cannot declare, although having the advantage of a larger percentage fer ton. They have heen engaged in repairing their shaft and driving in the various levels; at the 275.feet leve a drive has been put in some 120 feet, one crushing of 112 tons yielding 26 ozs. 9 dwts. retorted gold. · Iveson's Reef.-The company have sunk to 196 feet, and opened out at 190, and are in 30 feet, striking good quartz. Mundic and pyrites are observable, but up to this date none have yet in any great quantity been treated; work being confined to the main driv<", no crushing is reported. Nelson's Reef, Do'nt.wake'm Gully.-Nelson and party cif ten are working the proPpecting claim, and are down 00 feet; the quartz looks uncommonly well, but is on a spur or leader at present, but fully expect a good reef. The last crushing gave 13 dwts. ; 11; or 2 ozs. was obtained on the cap. A tunnel is to be put iu, as well to work the claim as to drain the reef. Specimen Reef.-Wm. Johnson and Party are in treaty for an engine driving 4 stamp-heads; 15 dwts. prospect was obtained, but had to be carted four or five miles for crushing. A lease for a large claim has also been taken up in this locality by a large capitalist who is well acquainted with the district. . YanJoit.-The encouraging prospects obtained by Seal and Party, and many others, have led to the taking up anew of t.wo expired leases, for mining purposes, in the Pioneer and Hamburg Reefs. At Morrison and Co.'s mills, from All Nations Reef, German Gully, a crushing of 44! tons gave 3 ozs. 1 dwt. 10•51 grs., from a depth of 50 feet; and a crushing of tailings, cement, &c., resulted in 6 dwts. 5·65 grs. · Specimen Hill.-At a washing up from 31 tons of quartz, 60 ozs. 3 dwts. were obtained, and at the same time 66 ozs. of amalgam were taken off the plates, the result of two days' crushing with 8 heads of stampers; another crushing gave 189 ozs. 11 dwts. from tons in tributors' run, and a find in the 225 feet level looks 4 oz. stuff. Two tons from tributors and 1 ton from the winze gave 5 ozs. 3 dwts. retorted gold. The new shaft to the north was sunk 90 feet further, and a drive opened upon the new reef, which appears to be 1 foot 6 inches in width, and gold visible in the stone. The company are newly registered, and also have applied for a lease: the pump shaft is to go 80 feet deeper, so as to open out at a 285 or 300 feet level. Coglcy and Party have been for a considerable time protected; their claim is at St. George's Reef, Kid's Gully ; and arrangements are now made for the removal of the Im peratrice Eugenie engine and battery of 4 heads of stampers. Several claims on 'this line of reef have obtained fair results. Water is now flowing out of the mouth of their shaft. TARADALE t?UBDIVISION. Mr. Thomas Orwin, Mining Registrar. TRB FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS :BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ .AlfD QUARTZ TAILINGS AND CEMENT CRUSHED !>UBilW .THE QuARTER, AND THE GoLD OBTAINED THEREFROIII :- . ' Remarks relative to the Name of Company. Where Quartz, &c., were Average Yield of obtained. Quartz crushed. Gold per Ton. :Total· !Gold. Depth at which the a Quartz was obtnlned. tons cwt. qr. oz. dwt, gr. oz. dwt. gr. Prince Albert ... Near Taradale ... 240 0 0 0 5 0 60 0 0 157 feet Quartz Tailings and Cement er ush ed. London and Melbourne Near Taradale ... 1,800 0 0 0 2 1•64 186 3 0 There is a decided improvement in this division this quarter. In alluvial mining, the claim registered under Fraser's Act two years ago by the Cambrian Gold Mining ~ompany! and by them a~a~doned as not payable, has been taken '-:P by .Tib~ and Party, who have proved a rich lead m the claim, and are obtammg very coarse gold. South-east of th1s claim IS the Great Central claim recently taken 'up by English capitalists. Adjoining is the Rising Sun claim, with a shaft bottomed in deep gt:~und, and then abandoned; it is now taken up by a number of. working miners. The probability is that, in a few weeks the deep ground between Taradale and Malmsbury will be proved ; then mining will progress on a safer basis here. ' The London and Melbourne have ceased operations during the erection of new boilers. The Taradale Company are still doing well; have cleared £1,700 ·over ·payin" wages this last twelve months Various nuggets have been obtained near Taradale within this last few weeks, weighlng 5 ozs. and upwards. · . In quartz m~n~ng but little has lately been done further than p~eparing for the futu_re. At the Belltopper Reef the mmcrs are obtarmllg goe;d stone from a depth of 160 feet, are erectmg a battery, and will shortly be crushing. . . . The A<;hilles have completed ~h~ir new shaft, a~d are. taki~g out stone from a depth of 250 feet, and, under the JUdicious managem:nt of a ne,w mrmng manager, thrs claim wrl! pay well. for years to come. The Prince Albert Company have put m a long dnve northward, and have proyed auriferous stone, which encourages them to persevere although the claim has not been remunerative. ' 30 MALDON DIVISION. Mr. Robt. NanldveU, Mining Surveyor and Registrar. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS B11EN· OBTAINED, RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUAR~Z AND QUARTZ TAILINGS . AND CEMENT. CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GoLD OBTAINED THEREFROM:- I •. ' llemnrks relative to the Name of Co~pany. Where Quartz, &c., were Quartz crushed. A verngo Yield of Total Yiel .. - I tons cwt. qr. •oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Beehive ...... Beehive Reef ...... 535 0 0 0 9 14•50 256 18 6 80 feet Eagle hawk ...... Eaglehawk Reef ... 1,025 0 0 i 0 6 9'76 328 7 6 300 feet Linscott's. ... Linscott's,E.H., Nuggetty 1, !21 0 0 1 7 ll'41 1,540 0 2 25 feet to 300 feet and Beehive Reefs Wellington ...... Linscott's Reef ... 278 0 0 1: 1 14' 300 0 6 200 feet Phrnnix ...... Victoria; Excelsior, Wil- 1,318 0 0 1 1 12•14 1,417 1 0 30 feet to 360 feet · son's, and Beehive Reefs . North British ... Pl;l.rkins', Mant{)n's, and 819 0 0 0 10 1'80 412, 11 18 20 feet. to 300 feet Post Office Reefs Great Western Beehive Reef ...... 284 o·o 0 lU 1'43 142 17 0 200 feet Union (Muckleford) .. : Thornhill's and Welcome 355 0 0 0 3 14'68 64 2 6 1 oo feet to 200 feet Reefs Galatea, Muckleford •,;. Omega Reef ... 40 0 0 0 5 6•15 10 10 6 50 feet Welsh and English ... Irish Billy's Reef ... 25 0 0 0 3 0 3 15 0· ioo feet ·- · Total Quartz ... 5,800 0 0 0 15 10"44 4,4i6 3 2 Quartz Tailings and ------Cement crushed. Nuggetty Crushing ... Quartz tailings ... 689 b 0 0 4 4•15 143 15 6 Surface Prince of Wales ... Cement ...... 1,204 0 0 0 1 7'19 78 5 0 Surface Total Quartz Tailings } and Cement 1,893 0 0 0 2 8'29 222 0 6 . My report for the quarter shows a considerable falling o:ff in the quantity of quartz crushed and the yield of gold, as compared with last quarter; the cause of which is that two of our principal mines, viz., the Nelson Company and the Great Western Company have been erecting machinery. The Nelson Company has about 400 tons of stone stacked, waiting for the starting of the ·new crushing plant, which is nearly ready. The Caledonia Company has also been erecting new· and expensive machinery, consisting of a condensing engine of 50-horse power, 24 heads of stampers, and a new tailings pump. The plant was started this week, and appears to answer well ; the owner considers that he will save o:q firewood at least 25 per cent. The Derby Company are in 40 feet from their shaft, and. expect to strike the reef in a few days. Upon the whole, our mining prospects at present are very gloomy, the lodes in the deep ground being very poor. ST. ANDREW'S EAST SUBDIVISION. Mr. Alf~·ed Armstrong; Mining Surveyor a~d Registrar. . The alluvial miners in this subdivision are all making good wages, and only marvel that more persons are not attracted by results so st.eady and certain . .A. tributary to the Yarra, called Big Pat's Creek, has recently been prospected, and half-an-ounce per man has been obtained in three days-no doubt a rush will shortly follow. The Golden Bower Reef, on Donovan's Creek, mentioned in my last report, still promises remarkal?ly well; the vein at a depth of 60 feet, in the prospecting claim, i~ now found to be about from 1 to 2 feet in thickness, and nearly every fragment of quartz contains se'l"eral specks of gold. Experienced persons estimate that the stone at present raised will yield over 20 ozs. to the ton. · · . Prospecting claims have also been registered upon two other newly discovered reefs in the same l,ocality. The first has been called the "Great Britain," situatpd about three miles more easterly, and the latter the " Sarah · Jane," near.Bear's Creek. . The stone from the Great Britain, taken from a vein 2 feet in thickness, at a depth of SO feet, I should imagine would crush from.2 to 3 ozs. to the ton; and I am informed the Sarah Jane has a 'still richer appearance. However a more satisfactory solution than the best conjecture will shortly be instituted as to the yield of all the discoveries in this locality, as one or two persons of capital have purchased shares in some of the claims, and are about to erect crushing machinery, which I· have no doubt will also be the means of inducing many other persons to turn their attention to this comparatively terra incognita. 31 ST. ANDREW'S CENTRAL SUBDIVISION. Mr. Alfred Armstrong, 1l1.ining Surveyor and Registrar. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ Oll.USHED DURING THE AND THE Goi,D OBTAINED THEREFROM :"- Remarks relative to the Name of Company. Where Quartz wa.s obtained. Quartz crushed .. Average Yield of Total Yield of Gold. Depth at which the Gold per Ton. Qua.rtz was obtained. tons cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Allen's Reef ...... You-you ...... 7 10 0 2 2 6'40 15 17 0 170 feet; water-level Allen'sReef,No.2N. ... You-you ...... 10 15 0 0 5 6'88 2 16 20 Perseverance Reef ... You-you ...... 7 10 0 l 3 1'60 8 13 0 i 75 feet Eureka, No. 2 South ... You-you ...... 2 0 0 2 1 6 4 2 12 Comet Reef ...... You-you ...... 4 0 0 0 8 21'75 1 15 15 Queenstown Reef ... Queens town ...... 3 10 0 1 2 0 3 17 0 80 feet Oram's Reef, No. 1 S. Panton Hill ...... 2 0 0 8 12 0 17 4 0 Orarn's Reef, No. 3 S. Panton Hill ...... 1 10 0 7 7 9'32 6 ll 2 Oram's Reef, No. 4 S. Panton Hill ...... 6 0 0 7 13 12 46 1 0 Oram's Reef, No. 5 S. Panton Hill ...... 2 5 0 "I 1 20'44 2 9 4 Orarn's Reef, No.5 N. Panton Hill ... 5 0 0 0 13 0 3 5 0 Oram's Reef, No. 5 N. Panton Hill ...... 2 0 0 0 12 0 1 4 0 Diamond Creek ... Pioneer ...... 6 0 0 2 0 0 12 0 0 Various small lots ... Panton Hill ...... 23 0 0 0 7 13'82 8 14 6 Trial lots ------Total Quartz ... 83 0 0 1 12 9•96 134 10 11 No change of importance as regards alluvial mining in this district has occurred during the past quarter. A slight exodus of about 40 of the population from the Queenstown gullies to Steel's Creek, situated between Healesville and Queens town, being the only circumstance under this head I think it necessary to mention. The results are stated to vary from 1 oz. to 10 dwts. per week per man, in very shallow sinki11g; but the workabl\l area is very limited and will soori be absorbed by the present occupants. The meagre return of "quartz is to be attributed to the fact of Mr. Nickinson's machine having been suspended during the quarter, and from Messrs. Sawdon Brothers' machine being unable to work for want of water since Februal'y last, therefore considerable quantities of quartz that are landed are waiting to be operated upon. The Nelson Company, One-tree Hill, have now driven their tunnel a distance of 200 feet, and hope at a further distance of 60 feet to cut a payable thickness of the reef. The past quarter may be safely stated as being the most dull yet experienced in the district, which, however, is to be attributed more to the cause beforementioned than to any recent diminution in its resources. : KYNETON SUBDIVISION. MT. Thomas Orwin, Mining Registrar. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ CRUSHED DURl~G THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM :- . I Remarks rcJa.tive to tllc Nn.mc of Company. Where Qunttz was obtained. Quartz crus!Jcd. A vcmge Yield of Total Yield of Gold. Depth ut which the Gold per Ton. Quartz was obtained. "- tons cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Wellington ... I,auriston ...... 1,500 0 0 0 4 0 300 0 0 150 feet General W yndham ... Lauriston ...... 1,200 0 0 0 0 12 30 0 0 80 feet Pri~ce Alfred ... Frenchman's .•. ... 1,044 0 0 0 3 5 167 9 12 lOO feet to about 1~10 ------feet Total Quartz ... 3,744 0 0 0 2 15•77 497 9 12 BLUE MOUNTAIN NORTH SUBDIVISION. Mr.· R. H. Horne, Mining Registrar. THE FOLLOWING lNFOR~IATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO OF QUARTZ CRUSHED DURING '£HrJ AND THE GOLD Remarlts relative to tlle Name of Company. " Where Quartz was obtained. Qumtz crushc~. A vcragc Yield of Depth at which the Gold per Ton. Quartz wns obtained. tons cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. The Altua ... AlmaReef ... 300 0 0 0 10 0 150 0 0 230 feet The only large alluvial claim now at work is the Columbian, at Trentham; and it is confidently anticipated from the prospects already taken at intervals, ~hat this .claim .has at last stJ;uck the deep lead of gold, and that it will prove payable, if not much more. The first washmg w1ll take place m a week or two which will determine the question that has so long been agitated. The gold obt'ained from prospectings in the Coludtbian amounted to 12 ozs. The gold pnrcl!ased by the bankers' agents on the ground during the last quarter amounted to 112 ozs. 19 dwts .. 6 grs. of alluvml g;Jid; 72 ozs. 10 dw.ts. 18 gr~. of quartz gold; cement, nil. What other quantities, especially ~f alluVIal gold, were obtamed by small parties of mmers and by the Chinese, I have no means of ascertaining. · ')'he miners on Blue Creek are getting gold in fair quantities. 32 ARARAT MINING DISTRICT .. ARARA T DIVISION. 1Ur. Charles J. W. Russell, .Mining Surveyor and Registrar. THE .FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QuARTZ CRUSIIED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GoLD OBTAINED THEREFll.Olll :- Remarks rolntiYe to the A veragc Yield o[ Name ol Company. 'Vhere Quartz w~s obtained. Quartz crushed. Total Yield of Gold. J)epth at which the Gold por Ton. Quartz was obtained. tons cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. North Star ...... Campbell'~ Reef ... 1,181 0 0 0 8 5•12 485 0 ·0 296 feet Southern Cross ... Campbell's Reef ... 440 0 0 0 10 6•54 226 0 0 400 f~et Kangaroo ...... Campbell's 'Reef ... 1,500 0 0 0 6 16 500 0 0 500 feet Noah's .Ark ••. ... ·Moor's Reef ...... 300 0 0 0 4 0 60 0 0 .Ararat' ...... Moor's Reef ...... 80 0 0 0 2 J·SO 8 6 0 80 feet Eaglehawk ...... Eaglehawk Reef, .Arm- 14 0 0 0 7 20"57 5 10 0 40 feet strong's . ------Total Quartz ... 3,515 0 0 0 7 7•44 1,284 16 0 The quantity of gold purchased by the banks; 2,896 ozs. 9 dwts. 13 grs. Many storekeepers also purchase gold which does not pass t_hrough the banks. . During the last quarter a diminution of t_he number of the alluvial miners, especially Chinese, has taken place. · , · A ~mall n.lluvial rush has continued 'durinl{ the last two months in a gully between the White Lead and the Ararat Ranges, near the Big Hill. From 150 to 200 men have been employed; the sinking 35 feet to 40 feet, averaging 'l dwts. of gold per load; but from the nmrowness of lead the ground is nearly worked out. · Of the alluvial companies employing steam machinery, two companies, the Duke of Edinburgh and the Cn.thcart Freehold; have ceased to work their claims, and their machinery is offered for sale. 'l'he Ararat Black Lead (extended block claim) Comp1my have completed the erection of five steam engines for pumping, and for hauling and puddling, and have nearly completed two large iron horizontal pu:ldling machines, which are expected to be at work in a fortnight. At the depth of 110 feet in their slntft they have put in a level 220 feet in length, from whence rises will be cut to work the lead, prospects from which have been very promising. Water is very abundant. The quartz mining in this division has attained a position of more importance and interest than obtained heretofore. At l\'Ioyston, the North Star Company have, at a depth of 296 feet, from a reef 2 feet in thickness, raised 1,181 tons of stone, yielding 485 ozs. of gold .. T~ey employ 34 men. · . The Southern Cross Company have been hindered during the quarter hy breakage of machinery, consequent repairs, and erection of an entirely new battery. 'fhe quantity of· stone raised has been inconsiderable, 440 tons of stone, from a depth of 400 feet, has yielded 226 ozs. 15 dwts. 6 grs. This quantity was obtained during the first five weeks of the quarter. '£hey employ 34 men. Tl)e United Kangaroo Company, from 500 feet-in depth, have raised 1,500 tons of stone, which has-yielded 500 ozs. of gold. They employ 45 men. · · The Northern Perseverance Company, a small claim of 200 feet, are working the Camp bell's Reef at a depth of 200 feet ; their stone has been crushed at Crawford's mill, and has averaged 11 dwts. to tue ton. '!.'hey employ 11 men. · At the Crescent Company's works, for extracting gold from quartz tailings, their progress is still of a merely experimental character. '!.'heir huddle is at present·idle, but they are working with two sets of .amalgamating pans, one erastor with iron drags, one save!tll, and a furnace for roasting the tailings. At Moor's Reef, Ararat, the Noah's Ark have sunk their shaft to the water.Jevel at 120 feet, and at Christmas last commenced to raise stone from an ill defined and irregular reef, they have crushed 300 tons, yielding 60 ozs. of gold. 'Within the last few days a decided improvement has t.Iken place, the reef has become more solid and the stone more promising. Regular systematic operations will, it is thought, be. commenced in about a month. They employ 20 men. · The Ararat Uompany adjoining the last named, south, have had their first trial crushing from a level at 80 feet, from 80 tons or' stone 8 ozs. 6 dwts, of gold. '!.'hey have now temporarily stopped their works. ' At Armstrong's, the Eaglehawk prospectors have sunk a shaft 120 feet, 15 feet below the· water-level, and have struck a well defined solid reef, 2 to 3 feet in thickness. Jl'rom 40 feGt in their shaft. they have driven 180 feet along the reef, and from 14 tons of stone have obtairie'd 5t ozs. of gold (assaye, 23f carats) ; at 80 feet they havtl comm~need another level. Within the last few days some splendid specimens have been, obtained. They employ 8 men. • The Albion Company h!l-ve applied for a lease of 20 acres, north from and adjoining the Eaglehawk ; they have sunk a shaft about 100 feet deep to find' a reef called Simpson's, prospected nine or ten years ago, with results that would now pay. , The El Dorndo Company have also •applied for a lease of 20 ·acres north from and adjoining the Albion, and.are. sinking a shaft for the Simpson's Reef. ·33 PLEASANT CREEK DIVISIQN. Mr. John D'Alton, Mining Surveyor and Registrar." THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED REJ,ATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND QUARTZ TAILINGS AND CEMKNT CRUSHED DURING THE QuARTER, AND THE GoLD OBTAINED THEREFROM :- Remarks relative to the Where Quartz, &e., were Average Yield of Name of Company. Quartz crushed. Total Yield of Gold. Depth at which the obtained. Gold per Ton. Quartz, &c., were obt:Rined. ' tons cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Lamont and Co. ... Cross and Scotchmun's ... 2.717 0 0 0 19 17'26 2,678 19 0 From 300 ft. to 600 ft. Wimmera ...... Scotchma.n's and Sloan 's 2,884 0 0 1 1 1 i·58 3,097 16 0 From 300 ft. to 360 ft. Moonlight ... Cross and Perthshire ... 1,346 0 0 0 10 2"83 680 19 0 St. George's ...... Scotchman's ...... 2,143 0 0 0 15 14;55 1,672 0 0 300 feet Victoria ...... V aribus Reefs ... 1,555 0 0 0 15 10'81 1,201 6 0 Cambrian ...... W onga-W onga and 400 0 0 1 I 15•60 433 0 0 70 feet Scotchman's Total Quartz 11,045 0 0 0 17 16 9,764 0 0 Quartz Tailings and ... Cement crushed. Cambrian ...... Fifty-foot Hill ... 250 0 0 0 8 0 lOO 0 0 N. and S. Wales ... Deep Lead ...... 2,000 0 0 0 4 0 . 400 0 0 Tregea and Co. '••• Deep Lead ...... 760 0 0 0 3 0 114 0 0 ------Total Quartz Tailings } and Cement 3,010 0 0 0 4 1'91 614 0 0 NoTE_. -One crushing mill, namely, the Pleasaiit Creek Comp3.ny, has been idle,"during the quarter, for want of water. QUARTZ, The condition of the various reefs at the present time is most prosperous, and although no new discovery of importanee has been made during the quarter, yet the improved and healthy condition of the mining operations on the "old lines may be viewed with great satisfaction. A considerable improvement has also been made in machinery, but still the crushing appliances fall far short of the demand, and many thousand tons of quartz remain for months on the claims, obstructing the work, and often obliging the owners to reduce theit: number of hands. This inconvenience iR greatly feH, in consequel!ce of the small size of most of the claims : many have not room for more than two kilns of moderate dimensions on the surface. ' During the quar.ter the payable stone in the Cross Reef has been traced one claim farther to the north, where the encouraging yield ~f 1 oz. per ton was obtained from the 550-foot level. The North Cross Reef Company have completed the erection of a pumping and winding engine, and are about commencing to continue the sinking of their main shaft below the present water level. · · The want of water is beginning to be seriously felt, and two engines, with 48 head of stampers, stood idle, in consequence, during the quarter. ' · The proprietors, who have added to their crushing plant, find that their old dams are insufficient to afford a sufficient supply of water; and great activity prevails in clearing, enlarging, and cutting catch water drains to save all the a:vailable rainfall. A great 'number of companies ,have been formed for the purpose of prospecting for new reefs as well as for testing old ones. . The new reef called the W onga-·wonga is successfully worked, and bas been struck in the claim sou~h of the prospectors. The last yield was 1 oz. 1 dwt. to the ton. This reef occurs in the immediate vicinity of the granite formation, and its quartz is quite different to tha.t of any other line of reef in-the locality. ALLUVIAL. I regret to state that alluvial mining js in a very unsatisfactory condition. . On the Deep Lead, however, the Standard Company are still working under great difficulties, being unable to contend with the water "With the machinery as firs~ erected. Considerable hopes are, however, entertained that with the aid of new machinery, which they are now engaged in procuring, the future work will be carried on in a successful manner. No new discoveries have been made during the quarter. BARKLY DIVISION. Mt". John D'Alton, Mining Surveyor and Registrar. Owing to the want of water during the greater part of the quarter, mining is in an unusually depressed state this has given a check to the developement of Waiters' Rush, and other places where no provision had been mad; for storage of water. At Barkly there is scarcely anything doing, but two or three small rushes took place near Lundsborough (the principal of which was near the Native Youth patch), a few claims getting good returns in each case; the extent of ground opened was, however, very limited. Great dullness prevails at Glenpatrick, where the Glenpatrick. Company have failed as yet to discover the lost lead ; the upper claims are, however, worked successfully. Several prospecting parties are out, and in 'consequence of the recent rain~ one or two more are about starting for the Stuart Ranges. It has been :reported that one of the parties 4ave struck gold on .Mount Cole Creek, but up to the present time no official communication has reached me on the subject .. An attempt to form a company to prospect Power's Hcef, Landsborough, was unsuccessful, and that reef has again been abandoned.. · No. 33, d. 34 RAGLAN DIVISION. ·M1·.·John Pernpleton, Mining.·'Su~~eyor: and ·Registmr. I regret to say that the yield of gold has fallen off ~onsiderably compared to that ~f the quarter before ; but I , . · may mention, that the first quarter of the year is the least productive. During the latter part of the quarter the weather has been extremely dry; but, except in some of the smaller gullies, I don't. think that the want of water has been much felt, as there was a very heavy fall of rain in the beginning of the quar~er. · In the police paddock the Hope Company are still a~ work, hut during the greater part of the· quarter the driyin$ has been through reefs, and the results have not been satisfactory. A party of Chinese have taken up a whim Clmm m the.paddock, and have struck gold. . The Burke Company, at Paddy's Gully, have been doing moderately well during the quarter, and the .small lease in Shicer's Gully conti;nues to give very good returns. The Daughters' 'CompaJJ.y, which was at work in Old King Charlie's, has .moved the engine over the range to New King Char lie's, and taken up a claim there tinder the bye-laws. The-shaft has been bottomed at a depth of lOO feet within the .last few days, but no stuff has been washed as yet. , . At Waterloo and its tributaries there is still a considerable population, mixed European and Chinese, and .they appear to be profitably employed. . . . In Sulky and Charlton the population has decreased in the meantime. The Prince of Wales and Crinoline Companies have given up work. As soon as the new lease for the Charlton ground is granted, I understand that the ground will be thoroughly tested, and should the tdal be satisfactory, I think that it will make a very decided change for. the better in the division. The old lead and tributaries are still chJefly worked by Chinese. The same remark applies to Jock's Lead and Poverty Point, where, as the water has been plentiful, the results have· been good. " . . · GIP P S L AND· :MINING. D IS TR I C T. I. O.MEO SUBDIVISION. [Kobana Division.] Mr. William Phipps, Mining Registrar: TEIE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IIA.S BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ CRUSHED DURING THE QUART;ER, AND THE ,GOLD OB'l'AINED THEREl"ROM :-- Uemarks relative to the .Name of Company. Where Quartz was obtained. Quartz cr.tshed. ! Average Yield of Total Yield of Gold. Depth at which the ' , Gold ver Ton. Quartz '~ll.S obtained • . tons cwt. qr. . oz. dwt. s;: oz. dwt. gr• All Nations ...... Swift's Creek ...... 50 0 0 0 16 17 41 .15 '10 40 to 45 feet Power and Co. ... ~Swift's Creek ...... 6110' 0. 1 9 :w·3o 9 '14 0 Surface to 10 feet Black Prince ... Swift's Creek ...... 15 10 0 3 5 11•61 50 15 0 Surface to 14 feet Eureka ...... Swift's Creek ...... 100 0 0 1 I 14'40 108 0 0 Surface to 7 s· feet Duke ...... Swift's Creek ...... 8 0 0 0 I7 15 7 1 0 Surface to 34 feet Perseverance ... Swift's Creek ...... 10 0 0 0 8 60 4 2 12 12 feet from surface Harry Evans ... Swift's Creek ...... 3 0 0 0 15 12 2 6 12 Surface to 2o feet Adventure ...... Swift's Creek ... 5 0 0 0 3 19'20 0 I9 0 Surface to 19 feet Hand-in-Hand ... Swift's Creek ...... 8 () 0 . 1 6 7•50 10 10 12 12 to 20 feet Merriott and Co. ... Bonang River ... 40 0 0 0 15 4•20 30 7 0 ·Surface to 25 feet Total Quartz ... 246 0 0 I 1 14•13 265 10 22 During the 'last ,quarter two new reefs have been registered in the Bendoc district. Most of the alluvial claims· on Swift's Creek are suspended .for want of water, and the Swift's Creek Company's quartz mill is being worked with one set of stampers only, from the same cause. Little is doing at ~obungar~. .At Wombat Creek there is no change. MITCHELL RIVER SUBDIVISION. Mr. John Grimes .Peers,. Mining Surveyor and Registrar. QUARTZ. Owing to a want of capital this branch of mining has been; and is, comparatively at a standstill. The only claim that has been worked during the quarter is the Trio. The Tambo Company's mine, at Store Creek, has not been worked during the quarter ... · ' '.· Several auriferous reefs .have been discovered in the neighborhood of Boggy Creek; but, owing to the discoverers having no funds, and unable to obtain any pe,cuniary assistance, these reefs remain undeveloped. ALLUVIAL. In this branch I have little alteration to report. '!.'he miners still continue to earn fair wages. A number of claims on Boggy Creek are now helJ. in reserve, .in consequence of there·not being sufficient water in the creek to work them. ,, ·35 CROOKED RIVER SU.BD.IVISION. MT. Jcumes Travis, Jrfining Registrar. T.HE FOLLOWING INFORMATION RAS l!EE¥ OBTAINED REJ;.ATIVE TO TIIE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ CRUSHED AND PYRITES OPERATED ON DURING TIIE QUARTER, AND TRE GoLD OBTAINED TIIEREF.ROM Remark.s rellltlve to the A vernge Yield of Name o! Cop1pnuy. Where Quartz, &c., were Quartz crushed., Total Yield of Gold. Depth at which the obtained. G<>ld per Ton. Quartz was obtained . - .. tons cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. J. H. Conness ... John Conness Reef ... 400 0 0 0 18 13"20 371 0 0 50 feet J. L. H.•Hanckar ... Banner of Ulster Reef ... 14 0 0 0 10 17•14 7 10 0 Surface Forbes and Truckey ... American Reef ...... 10 0 0 0 18 0 9 0 0 Surface to 20 feet McDonald and Co. ... Albion Reef ...... 12 0 0 1 0 0 12 0 0 Surface to 40 feet J. L. H. l}anckar ... California Reef .•. ... 50 0 0 0 3 22•08 9 16 0 50 feet J. L. H. Hanckar ... Canadian Reef ...... 15 0 0 011 0 8 5 0 Surface to 30 feet Good Hope ...... Good Hope Reef ... 634 0 0 3 17 11'24 2,455 15 0 500 feet Scott and Langridge ... Black Snake Reef ... 60 0 .0 1 3 17•78 71 4 ll 30 to 50 feet A dams and Hearn ... Black Snake Reef · ... 20 0 0 0 17 21'60 17 18 0 40 feet Enright and Co. ... New Bendigo Reef ... 60 0 0 0 15 0 45 0 0 70 feet Willmott and Whiting Time-will-tell Reef ... 9 0 0 1 2 10•66 10 2 0 60 feet Steers and Co ..•. ... Little Dorrit Reef ... 70 0 0 0 ll 10•2.8 40 0 0 90 feet Primrose and Co. ... Palmerston Reef ... 10 0 0 0 10 0 5 0 0 60 feet Lightbound and Co. ... Uncle Tom Reef ... 24 0 0 0 18 8 22 0 0 so feet R. Moore and Co. ... Homeward-bound Reef 90 0 0 3 15 18'66 341 0 0 30 to 70 feet ----- Total Quartz ... 1,478 0 0 2 6 8"48 3,425 10 11 Pyrites operated on. ------Good Hope ...... Good Hope Mill ... 1 0 0 95 14 0 95 14 0 I I have little of any interest to report relative to mining operations in this division for the present quarter, if I except the magnificent returns obtained from the Good Hope mine. I mentioned in my last report that I anticipated a very large yield from this reef during the-quarter, and I am 'pleased to say.that my most sanguine expectations have been more than 'realized. Since the beginning of the year 634 tons of stone have been taken out and crushed, a great portion of. which was from a level of 500 feet below tlte surface, the average yield being within 3 dwts. of 4 oza. to the ton. ' It is very gratifying to know that there is a large quantity of equally rich stone still in sight, to be taken out above the present level, while that under foot looks quite as goo~. Tenders have been called for to drive another level 200 feet below the last, or at a depth of 700 feet from the surface. The pyrites from this reef is exceedingly rich. By referring to the annexed schedule it will be se.en that from 1 ton, operated upon at the Good Hope works, 95 ozs. of gold were obtained. There are aboui)' 10 tons more at the mill, which will be operated upon during the forthcoming week,!the yield from which is expected to be between 30 and 40 ozs. to the ton. The Kent Company did not commence crushing until a few days ago, and have not yet washed up: The stone looks very well, and is easily obtained. The manager expects the return to be as good as, or better, than any hitherto taken from this reef. ' . · ' The Pioneer Company, I am glad . to say, have again started to work their claim, with, I believe, every prospect of success. · · The J eff. Davis, Britannia, and Morning Star ;machines are all standing idle; but on the Black Snake a new mill, erected by the Kong Meng Company, has been completed, and a few tons of stone crushed at it. On the Upper Dargo the John Conness Company have been working steadily, as also the Homeward-bound, although the latter have crushed but a Sli!all quantity of stone. Several of the reefs taken up in that part of the division are at present held under suspension, and many others have been abandoned altogether. · Little change has taken place in alluvial mining since my last report. The majority of the miners actually at work are making fair wages. · . . JERICHO SUBDIVISION. Mr. A. B . .Ainsworth, Mining Surveyor and Registrar. . ,, THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IUS 'BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO TIIE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ CRUSHED DURING · . THE QUARTER, AND TIIE GOLD OBTAINED . TIIEREFROM :- ' RemarkS rellltive to the Namo of Company. Where Quartz was obtained. Quartz crusbed. Average Yle ld of I' EG_old. Depth nt which the ( Gold per Ton. Quart• was obtained. toll!l ewt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Loch .Fyne ... ~ Loch Fyne Reef ... 400' 0 0 1 4 16'62 493 17 0 ., E!dorado ...... Eldorado Reef ... 71 0 0 2 0 0 142 0 0 Blue Jacket ... Blue Jacket Reef ... llO 0 0 0 3 17'67 20 ll 0 ' Total Quartz ... 581 0 0 1 2 14'29 656 8 0 - I have nothing new to report regarding this division. The alluvial continues very good along the .Jordan though the B B is being worked out. The Aberfeldy and the Thomson are rich in gold, both in these rivers and in th~ banks ; but very little is being done to open them up. . . The small number of stamps (five) with which the Eldorado Company is crushing is injurious to their interests and will considerably retard the progress of the shareholders towards realizing their valuable property. ' . · The Blue Jacket Company are driv~~ t~ COJtliect their ~vor~ings_ al~n~ _the line of their .reef; a~d expect to stnll;e soroe good stone ·shortly. Quartz mmmg 1s still retrograding m th1s diVISIOn, but the alluVIal contmues to give high wages, and not unfrequently rich yields. . · · I DONNELLY'S CREEK SUBDIVISION. Mr. Artl!ur F. Walker, Mining Surveyor and Registrar. THE FOLLOWING INFORUA.TION ,HAS DEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THIC QUANTITY OF QUARTZ CRUSHED DUI!.ING THE QUAI!.TER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED TREltEFROM :- , ' ' ltemarks relative to the Name of Company. Where Quartz '\"a9 obtsincd. Quartz crushed. A verrige Yield of ,Depth nt which the Gol tons cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. North Crinoline North Crinoline Co.'s lOO 0 0 0 5 0 25 0 0 ' tunnel }.,.~ v.-as '""' Cl'ushed ~ '"" ut ...... the Morning Star Morning Star Co.'s tun- 72 10 0 0 0 72 10 0 North Crinoline Com- ne! pany's machine. Band ?f Hope Band of Hope shaft lOO 0 0 0 5 s 0 Total Quartz 272 10 0 '0 7 12•8'1 102 IS 0 There is very little improvement to report in this subdivision during the past quarter. The Mount Useful Prospecting Company have discontinued work, owing to the small returns from the quartz crushed last quarter. The Band of Hope Company have had a very poor return from their crushing, and will, I believe, stop work in consequence. The Morning Star and Crinoline companies (both on "tribute) are still taking .out average stone. On Edwards' Hill, the Harp of Erin claim has been let on tribute to. Fulton and Party.. The Pickwick Company's ground is also being worked on tribute. Neither have yet crushed any stone, but there is every probability of both these claims giving a fair retun;t next quarter. The alluvial miners are earning good wa.ges. 124 ozs. of alluvial gold have been purchased during the quarter, and it is probable that a few ounces firi.~s its "way direct to Melbourne. , · · STRINGER'S CREEK SUBDIVISION. lrfr. John S. Patte1'8on, .Alining Registrar. TnE FOLLOWING lNl'ORlliATION HAS llEEN OBTAINED ltELATIVE TO THE QuANTITY OF QUARTZ, CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, A.ND THE GoLD OBTAINED THEREFROhi :- I Remarks rclutlve to the Name of Company. Where Quartz was obtaln , __.. ~-- ______------~------~- tons cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt.gr. Wellesley ...... No. 8 North,Cohen's Reef 591 0 0 4 9 17:09 2,651 0 0 Creek level Walhalla ...... No. 1 North, Cohen's Heef 992 0 0 2 6 10·72 2,303 15 0 20 to 80 ·feet above creek North Gippsland .. : No. 6 North, Cohen;s Reef 1_41 0 0 2 2 9•87 299 0 0 Creek level North Gippsland(tribu- No. 6 North, Cohen'sReef 106 0 0 l' 17 4'07 197 0 0 80 feet above creek tors) Golden Fleece (tribu- No. 5 North,Cohen'sRcef 83 0 0 2 IS 16"18 222 15 0 SO feet above creek tors) Stringer's Creek (tribu- No. 4 J'\,. orth, Cohen's Reef 140 0 0 0 15 9•43 107 15 0 80 feet above creek tors) South Gippsland (tribu- Prospecting Claim. ... 30 0 0 2 0 4 60 5 0 30 feet .below creek tors) level Shamrock ...... Shamrock Reef ... .. ~ . 797 0 0 0 5 12•71' 220 7· 0 200 feet above creek Happy-go-Lucky ... Happy-go-Lucky ' ... 235 0 0 0 10 11•44 1~3 .• 2 0 200 feet above creek Tubal Cain ... Tubal Cain Heef ... ' 479 0 0 0 "i 22'39 190 0 0 150 feet above creek Longfel\ow's ... Longfellow's Reef ... 208 0 0 2 15 10'7S 576 13 0 137 feet above water ------Total Quartz ... S,802 0 0 I 16 13'6S 6,951 12 0 ' Ooken's Line of Reef. No work is being done on any of the claims south of the prospecting claim. Good stone has been found in claim No•. 3 South, at a depth of 85 feet below creek level; but the expense of erecting the requisite pumping and winding machinery is beyond the means of the proprietors. The South Gippsland Company (prospecting claim and claims Nos. 1 and 2 North), have t.aken no farther steps for working the mine on their own account; it is let on tribute to a party of nine men, who are working at a depth of 30 feet below the creek level; the workings are drained by a pump driven by a water-wheel. In claim No. 3 North the reef has been found in a tunnel driven aoout 80 feet, at an elevation of about 80 feet above the creek level, but no gold has as yet been seen in the stone; the manager·intends to follow the reef downwards by an underlay shaft to the old tunnel, put in at the creek level. No, 5 claim and the upper workings of No. 0 are let on tribute. In the lower workings of No. 6 (N.orth Gippsland Company), 1-(0od stone has b~en found belo~ the cr.eek level.;, the d~ainage is effected by means of a hand pump. The W alhalla Company (cl::nm No. 7) contmue thetr work wtth the1r usual ener1,ry. Last December the crank shaft of .their engine broke, causing a delay of six days; on 13th January it again broke, causing a farther delay of fourteen days, until a new shaft, previously ordered, arrived from Melbourne; the interval was employed in making !1 thorough overhaul of the battery. This company has imported a new engine, at a cost of £810, and are erecting the neces~t~ary 'appliances for t~e extraction of gold from iron and arsenical pyrites ; this machinery, being 37 only in course of erection, does not appear in my list of machinery. The Wellesley Comp;tny (No. 8) are ra1smg very rich stone :from their lower workings. The Long Tunnel Company (Nos. 9 and 10) are making extensive preparations for working their mine. Their reef (a continuation of the Wellesley stone) was found at a depth of 50 feet below creek level, and the company is importing powerful pumping gear, which will be worked by a 30 horse power pneumatic engine; the machinery will be at work in about six months. The Hercules Gold Mining Com pany's tunnel is in 450 feet, and, from indications, they expect to reach the reef very soon. Skamroclc Line qf Reqfs. The Wealth of Nations have carried the reef containing payable gold to a depth of 96 feet :from the surface, by means of an underlay shaft, a level, and a winze ; the reef averages 1 foot in thickness, lying between walls of sandstone and pipeclay; they have about 30 tons of stone raised and ready for crushing. The Perseverance Company have 130 tons of stone raised, and think it will yield 2 ozs. per ton. They have made arrangements for the purchase of the ·fine new machinery which has so long been lying idle at the Britannia Reef. The Scotia Reef, adjoining the Perseverance, promises well. · South-west of Stringer's Creek, at a distance of two miles, tbe Eureka Reef is being worked by tunnels, and the stone raised is supposed to be likely to yield 1-1!' o~. to 2 ozs. of gold per ton; tbe reef is 4 feet thick, and the gold dispersed throughout. RUSSELL'S CREEK SUBDIVISION. Mr. OhMles Gadd, Mining Registrar. The~e has been no quartz crushed duri~g the quarter ending 31st March; but the prospectors of the Gippsland Empire continue to take out rich quartz ; the leader still remaining very narrow. They propose, during the next month, erecting a small battery of five stamp-heads, to be worked by water-power. None of the other claims have as yet st;rnck payable quartz. The returns of the alluvial mines have been very good for the last month, owing chiefly to the fine weather, ant1 the rivers being very low. · . lly .Authority : Jmrn FERR.Es, Government Printer, Melbourne. No. 33, e.·