MJINJING S·Urvjeyors
1867.
VICTORIA.
REPORTS
OF THE MJINJING s·uRVJEYORS
AND
REGISTRAR§o
QUARTER ENDING 31sT DECEMBER, 1866.
PRESENTED TO BOTH HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT BY HIS EXCELLENCY'S COMMAND.
·.
1J11 :a utflodtS~ :
JOHN FERRE81 GOVERNMENT PRINTER, MELBOURNE, No. 22. APPROXIMATE COST OF .REPORTS.
DETAEL£D .r AnTICULA.ns • . AMOUNT,
Cnst of Preparation, about l'rlllLing, &c.
TOTAL 0
SUMMARY.-·GOLD MINING STATISTICS FOR THE QUARTER ENDING 31sT· DECEMBER, . .1866.
TABLE showing approximately the Nm1BER OF MINERS employed, the MACHINERY in use and its Value, on the several, Gold Fields in the Colony of Victoria. Compiled from the .Mining Surveyors and Registrm:s' Reports for. the Quarter en9ing 31st December, 1866. l .. 1 Alluvial M. iners···l., Quartz Miners. ~Iachinery employed ln Allu-rta!M.inlng. l, Machinery employed In Quartz .Minlng. I ·1 Number ··-·· · ~~·· .. _.. --,-_...,,---,--;;;.,--...,--,--+-1:!!I 1 1 _ .... -----,--...,.. ----~------! Approxl-mate Squareof Price or Gold DISTRICT, DIVISION, 1.'ots.l Steam Engines ~ ""'i3 ' 1 I Steam Engines .Ml!es of 'I. per oz. Nnmber of efu~~~edWind!ng, "' "" 'i),; :;::::g· .; "~:;:: :! ·-g.; i employed Winding, "".,. g,; Value of Auri''"-" • l pmg. &c. ,n ~ ~ ..::: o ~(1,) ~ ..... Crushing, &c. • ~ .... ~ all rous . • ; ------· 0 SUBDIVISION. ~Q) e:!~ d .t: =3" ;.. ~ W = --~------~ ~ID = -:;i"' ~ Ground'---.,--~ i'l" ".,. Miners, 'IA'W~:::· ~- .E_ ,; 13 . .•...... 00.-.. .a}, ~... §,..., ,.!:.:;CJ A IA'W:::..Ic :;;:::-..... 1': A !I'Jo m>· ~., 00 Mining "CI U ally ,- ro: A ® d) J-1 ...... g -- .!;;.... -;:;:;~ a ..., # ·~ ~ ~ ~ ~ No. 'g ~ :E ~ g -; '1:5 E :: E 80 - _; No. e ~ ~ d :a~ : e Plant worked o 1'4 power. ,...::;: :: 03« 11: :li' ;l:; w O'o A "' power. o:
BEECHWOR~'H: Beechworth .. • • • • il52 960 186 1,648 17 136 6 14 5 144 37 •• 55 3,100 •• •• •• I, 3 34 •• 89 i 3 • • .. • • 30,000 24 3 19 6 3 19 6 Stanley •• •• •• .. 271 199' 27 497 •• .. 12 •• .. • • •• •• •• .. • • ...... ' I 18 •• 8 •• •• •• . • 5,300 12! 3 19 () 3 19 0 Yackanda.nda!t .. • • • • 922 600 3!0, 1,832. • • • • .. •• • • • • 40 .. • • ...... •• • • 3 6li • • 64 3 • • •• • • 11,000 9 3 18 6 3 19 0 Sandy Creek • • • • - .. 29 133 162 • • • • • • . • .. •• (i .. 6 • • •• .. .. • • .. • • .. • • • • • • • • .. 750 2 3 11 6 8 12 0 Indigo •• •• • • • • 327 331 26 684 19 308 62 87 20 .. · .. •• .. •• ,. • • •• 5 fl8 .. 4S •• •• •• • • 34,000 2 3 w 3 3 19 6 Buckland •.• • • • • 239 1,675 228 8 2,150 8 121 .. •• • • •• 61 9 •• .. • • • • • • • •. , 7 228 • • 166 8 •• •• •• 27,000 57 3 16 6' 3 17 6 Crooked Uiver . • .. .. 254 257 297 sos. •• • • •• .. • • I ...... 8 102 . . 1oa 5 • • .. .. 43,ooo 4~ 3 17 6 3 18 6 . M!tchell River .. • • .. 66 lOO 22 188 •• .. •• .. •• •• •• •• ...... •• •• .• ' I 12 .. 9 •• •• .. •• 3,500 1 3 17 0 3 18 0 Jordan North~ and part of Omeo 884 120 1,144 2,148 • • .. .. • • .. .. • • .. • . • • • • • • • • • • 16 256 27 507 27 • • .. .. 125,850 37~ 300 400 Jordan South .. • • • • '9!7 60 693 1,67o •• • • •• .. •• .. •• •• •• •• •• •• .. • . 14 273 .. 201 1 6 .. • • •• 82,ooo 59 a'oo'410 Omeo Central ...... 305 225 60 580 •• •• ...... •• .• .. 25 5.50 •• •• .. •. 1 .. .. •• •• .. •• ;. •• 4,050 5 3 7 6 3 17 6 Snowy Creek • • • • 337 110 447 • • ...... • • 11 2,000 • • . • • • . • • •• • • • • • • .. 2,100 2! 3 50 3 12 0 ------·1-- 1- 1--- -- ,_ .1- 1- 1-1- Totals:. •• ~ 4,770 2,933 8 12,814 44 565 SO 51 25 144 143 9 97 5,650 •• I i 58 1,046 27 1,145 52 • 369,100 261 --1--1---- ~ - 1- -"'-- -, - 1-1- SANDHURST: / Sandhurst .. •• •• .. 3,860 1,060 2,482 .. 7,402 31 391 440 ,.. •• ·• •• •• •• .. 265 .. 1· 98 1,866 •• 998 .. •• .. •• 311,800 1·3~ 8 17 6 3 17 6 Kllmorc •• ... •• •• 125 450 316 .. 891 •• • • .. •• • • .. •• '. • • .. •• • • .. .. 10 126 • • 74 • • • • • • .. 10,000 60 3 15 6 3 16 0 Heathcote and Waranga Soutll •• 300 200 640 • • !,HO I 8 61 2 .. • • .. • • • , ...... • • .. 16 352 .. 107 • • 6 •• 6 42,650 80 3 15 0 4 .o 6 Waranga Nortll • • .. .. 85 103 480• .. 668 • • • . 55 ...... •• .. • • . • .. •• • • .. i 7 96 • • 94 • • 22 • • • • 20,500 9 3 15 6 4 0 3 Rll,Ywnod ••• •• •• •• 500 50, 200 •• 750 .... 45 ...... 7 70 •• 60 •••• ; ••• 12,500 50 3176 3 18 6 ------.------,------1-· Totals .. 4;870 1,863 4,118 . • 10,851 32 399 601 2 .. • • .. .. > • • 265 •• ' 138 2,510 .. 1,333 • . 28 • • 6 397,450 212;!: - ..,.-- ,_ ___., ·------. / ·-- ~IARYBOROUGH: . .Maryborough .. • • • • 1,280 1,450 800 .. 3,530 w 299 120 .. .. •• •• .. •• .•• .. .. •• '• 10 170 •• 170 •• •• .. .. 51,600 .~ 3 IS 6 4 0 0 Amherst •• .. •• •• 1,1so 363 us •• 1,656 10 195 51 s •• •• 1 •• •• 32 .. ., •. . 4 ·98 •• 60 .. •• .. •• ao,ooo 5& 3 17 '6 4 0 0 Avocn: •• •• ... •• 1,232 800 22 • • 2,054 8 165 •• .. •• • . •• .. •• •• .. •• .• .. ~ 1 15 .. 12 •• ...... 12,300 8 3 19 0 4 0 0 Dunolly •• •• .. .. 1,820 520 480 • • 2,820 8 98 85 26 , • • • ·.. •. • • • • ,. " • • ,. 1 20 322 •, 184 •, • • • • " 48,000 13! 3 19 6 4 I 0 Korong •• •• •• •• 600 260 555 •• '1,415 1 20 . 66 1 • • ...... • • • .. •• • • • • I 26 385 • • 205 .. 24 • • 29 36,000 80 3 16 9 3 17 9 Redbnnk and St. Arnaud South •• 220 10 I 140 .. 370 • • 16 ' 3 • • • • • • .. • • • • • • .. • • .. I 3 51> 20 • • 2 .. • • 1,71>0 9k 3 IS 0 3 19 0 St. Arnaud North • • .. Hi7 168 182 •• 507 2 ' 16 15 •• .. . . • • •• ...... 6 106 6 70 14 • , • • 16,400 6 3 15 6 4 0 0 ------i------,_ Totals .. 6,489 I 3,571 2,292 •• 12,352 48 7~3 692 201 8 . . • • 1 !·· .. I 32 I ...... i 70 1,151 6 721 40 • • 29 196,050 77U --!--- I 1------: - !__..::::_ CASTLEMAlliE : Castlemninc · .. 810 1,320 540 20 2,690 5 97 184 8 .. •• •• 16 .. 24 395 . • 258 .. 32 .. I! .. 64,000 9 3 ]50 3 17 0 Fryer's Creek •• 1,377 1,379 J40 .. 2,896 12 260 il3o 12 44 101 a •• 73 •• .. .. lOS • • 8 117 .. 10 •• 3 18 40,294 28! 8 15 9 a 19.3 Hepburn •• .. 3 15 0 3 1r.:6 Taradll.le •• •• 1,!~~ ~~~ ~~ :: 3,~t~ ~~ ~~i ~~~ ~~I • 4 :: .:: :: :: :: :: :: :~ :: 2~ 4~ .7 2~g :: ~~ •• • :: ~~:~~g ~~ 3 17 6 3 IS 9 Mrddon •• •536 1,199 662 •• 2,397 5 52 74 .. .. 15 8 .. • • .. • • 5 30. •• 30 66S .. 259 .. 69 11 •• 45,180 9~ 3 17 6 a·I9 o St. Andrew's .. 237 148 247 • • 632 • • • • 2 .. • • .. .. • • .. • • .. • • •• 4 39 •• 52 2 • • .. • • 6,300 26! 3 15 0 3 19 ·o Kyneton ,.. • .. 25 5 18·5 .. ~15 2 30 .. 3 .. .. • • .. • • • • .. • • • • .. 6 95 .. 58 • • 4 .. . • l 0,000 7 3 16 6 3 18 0 3 16 o· Blue .Mountain Nortll •• •• 400 I s I____:_:_ •• I_::- •• .• I-- •• •• I_::__._._ .. 2 44 •• 24 •• •• .. _:.: 3 1:7 0 ~ ~ ~-10_ i~ 1 ~~~ Totals •• 5,578 4,869 2,628 20 13,095 48 1,017 610 63 48 11\'2 . 6 73 • • . 5 178 109 1,857 2 .<, 983 2 131 11 18 235,584 184! --~~--- ~~----~------~!-- 1- --, 1-1- ARARAT: Ararat •• o24 1,028 198 .• 1,100 o 155 10 · .. . .. 22 .. •• •• •• •• .. 6 .. 1 10 168 •• .~>s .. [ .. •• 20,ooo aa:~c a 16 6 a 16 9 Pleasant Creek 366 250 676 .. 1,292 ;, 76 .. 3· -.. 44 .. .. •• • • 8' .. 60 •• ' 13 350 • • !SS •• 2.0. I ·•·. .. 68,200 12 3 15 6 4 0 0 Raglan •• 394 570 •• •• 964 13 160 45 9 2 2 •• .. • • • ...... \. •• .. . • • .. .. •• 10,000 5~ · 3 18 6 3 IS 6 Barkly •• 1,325 160 • . • • 1,485 I 12 24 2 6 100 .. .. • • 26 .. .. 12 • .. • • .. .. • • 3 460 13i' 3 17 9 4 0 6 1 1 8_7_4 - ••- --5,-49-1-l--;;- --403-l--;;) -1-68--•• -- -.-.-•-:-:- -2-6 -8-l--.-.-l-78-l--.:...,., ;__5_1_8_ , Totals •• 2,609 2,008 __ ~~-4-1.--g- !---;;-- --:-:-l24(1 -:-:---2-0-~= -.-.-I---D-6-:6-6-0-~~ 1 .. l~i~-:.:. ~ ~:;- ~--;;;. -;s 153 10 170 ~ 40 8 _5_7_1;-I--6E-i: --9-,23-1- --30-.-l~ -6-5-l-;;;;;- 11 I·~· 2,038,527 869!~ GJ!.AND TOTALS --;;-E 1 NOTE.-'l'hc Reg!.strars for the Ballarat Soutllern DlvlSIQn, Dunolly, and St. AndreW'li West Dlvisiollll ilaYlnS failed to forward reports, tlleir !ut returns have been aaopted. R. BROUGH SMYTH, Mining Department, ~Ielbourne, 16thJanuary, 1867. Secretary for Mines. No. 22• MINING SURVEYORS AND REGISTRARS 9 ----REPO.RTSo
BALLARAT MINING DISTRICT.
CENTRAL DIVISION • . (Formerly Nqs. 1, 2, and 3.) Mr. Hafrie Wood; JJJ~ning Registrar.
THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS A.S FOLLOWS:-
Total for the Europeans. Chinese. Division. Remarks.
Alluvial Miners 5,073
Quartz Miners 373 . ' .·-,.
1-'otals 5,446 368 5,814
.THE TOTAL NUMBER OF l\'IINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:--:- . ·~ Golden Point ... 20 Milkmaid's 30 Golden Point-Lead 773 ·white Flat ... 24 Inkermann Lead and Reef 378 Old Post Office and Poverty Pr,int 36 Ballarat West 420 Red Streak and Gum-Tree .Flat... 56 Sir W illiam Don Lead 627 Specimen Gully 33 Swamp .Lead .. . 45 Sinclair's Hill ...... 8 Essex Lead ... . • 50 Canadian and Prince Regent and Scotch- 66 Dead Horse Lead 224 man's Red an 80 'New Chum, Sailor's, Victoria, and One-Eye 69 W oolshed Lead 200 Gullies Frenchman's Lead 601 Dead Horse ... 73 Nelson Lead :. . 150 Sprin'gs 140 Sebastop()l _.... , . -; , ... 47- Drown Hill ...... 50 Cobbler's 390 Little Bendigo ... 276 Cambrian Hill 300 Black Hill and Black Hill Flat ••• 113 Winter's Flat, '200 Eureka ... 22 Black Lead ... 35 Ashe's Lead and Clayton's Lead 20 Napoleon Lead 212 ·Pennyweight and Red Hill 28 ()herry-Tree Flat 16 W atson's Hill 30 Total ... 6,814 Whim Holes ... 25 Sago Hill and Bunker's Hill 67
THE MACHINERY rs AB :FoLLows:- - ALLUVIAL MINING. QUARTZ MINING,
Description of MachilleJ7. Aggregate Number .Aggregate At Work. Idle. Horse-power of At Work. Idle. of Stamp. Horse-power of Steam Engines. Heads. Steam Engines. ------Steam Engines, winding and purldling 111 5 3,480 ...... Steam Engines, winding and crushing ...... 22 3 256 520 Chilian Mill ...... 1 ...... Purldling Machi!les ...... l63 20 ...... Whims ...... 15 5 ...... Boring Machines ...... 3 ...... 4
Total value of mining plant in the division, £396,583. Number of square 'miles of auriferous ground which is being, o:r may have been, actually worked upon, 7. The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been from £4 Os. 6d. to £4 ls. per oz.
T:a:E FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ CRUSHED DURING THE ·QuARTER, AND THE GoLD OBTAINED THEREFROM :-
Average I Remarks relative to the Name of Compa111. Where Qttllrlz was Qttllrlz crushed. Tote.! Yield obte.ined. Yield of Gold of Gold. Depth at which the per Ton. Quartz was obtmned.
~····---
tons cwt. qr. oz. dll't. gr. oz . d'il't. gr. Black Hill ...... Black Hill 4,884 0 0 0 3 13'24 867 7 i 1oo feet to 180 feet Majestic ...... : Ditto ...... 1,920 0 0 0 8 4'55 786 4 0 240 feet Sisters ...... Little Bendigo ". 1,300 0 0 0 10 15'08 690 17 0 520 feet· Llanberris ...... Gum-tree Flat ... 4,233 0 0 0 2 20•83 607 0 0 300 feet Temperance ... I.ittle Bendigo ... 840 0 0 0 12 20·92 540 11 12 300 feet to ·500 feet Old Post-Office Hill ... Old Post Office ... 2,300 0 0 0 2 16"10 307 3 12 100 feet to 140 feet Monte Christo I .. ittle Bendigo 915 0 0 0 8 13'11 391 0 0 30 feet to 1oo feet ...... I Band of Hope ... Ditto ...... Not known .. . 474 13 8 300 feet to ~oo feet Britannia ...... Specimen Gully ... 1,239 .o 0 0 3 1•07 188 12 15 40 feet to 120 feet One-and-All ... Little Bendigo ... 280 0 0 0 13 2"95 183 14 12 350 feet Union ...... Golden Point .. . 1,500 0 0 0 I 5'44 142 0 0 120 feet Endeavor ...... Specimen Gully ... 627· 0 0 0 3 7•84 104 6 0 90 feet to 200 feet Two-Ton ...... Two-Ton Gully .. . 1,500 0 0 0 l 4'48 89 0 0 Surface Little Bendigo ... Little Bendigo '••• 170 0 0 0 5 0 42 10 0 90 feet
Total, Quartz 21,708 0 0 0 4 23"73 5,414 19 12
THE FOLLOWIN.G IS A STATEMENT, OF THE Goi.n' OBTAINED ·BY THE PRINCIPAL MINING CoMPANIES IN 'I'HIS DIVISION:-
oz. dwt. gr. oz. dll't. gr. United Extended Band of Hope Co. 9,959 12 0 Defiance Co. 749 2 12 United Sir William Don Co. 8,622 17 12 Old Cosmopolitan Co. 542 8 20 Newlngton Co. 5,463 7 8 Rose Hill Co. 236 0 0 Albion Co. 4,941 13 12 Essex Co. 165 0 0 Prince of Wales Co. 5,275 14 0 New ,Garibaldi Co. 130 2 0 Working Miners Co. 4,317 2 18 Arrah-na-pogue Co. lOO 16 0 Red Jacket Co. 2,R54 9 12 . Crescent Co. 46 0 0 Bonshaw Co .... 2,800 0 0 Blue .racket Co. 30 0 0 St. George United Co .... 2,711 0 0 British Lion Co. 17 0 0 Alston and W eardale Co. 2,359 12 8 Edinbro' Co. 4 8 0 Leviathan Co .... 2,307 15. 0 Golden Fleece Co. . 5 12 0 Great Gulf Co. 2,136 0 0 New Cosmopolitan Co. o· 5 o Koh-i-noor Co. 1,(76 5 0 Sundry small companies in 868 0 0 Nelson and Wellington Co. 1.235 14 0 different gullies Ballarat Extension Co .... 1,001 0 0 'Sons of Freedom Co. 966 0 0 Lady Don Co .... 802 16 0 Total 62,425 13 6
Several of the engines included in the number returned as employed in alluvial mining are at the present time in course of erection. · I have ascertained from a great number of the small parties of miners within this division the quantities of gold obtained by them, and have given the result, but I do not think it would b(l possible to arrive at the total quantity of gold got within this division. · . . The report, so far as relates to the principal mines, may be regarded as accurate, seeing it is based upon returns which the managers have kindly furnished to me. . · ~l'he New Cosmopolitan Company have only just tested their ground, the quantity of gold given, 5 dwts., is· the result from washing two tubs of dirt. . The Defiance. Company have suspended underground works, and are about sinking a new shaft. The quantity of gold got by the Crescent Company was obtained from two puddling machines of dirt. • . The Golden Fleece Company and the Edinburgh Company have only recently struck gold. The Great Extended Redan Company have been engaged during the past quarter in sinking a new shaft, and expect to reach gold in about a fortnight from the present date. The Band of Hope Company, Little Bendigo, keep no account of the number of tons of quartz crushed. . The Prince of Wales Company are not at present working the quartz reef. 5
BuNINYONG DIVISION.
Mr. Robert M. Harvey, Mining Surveyor and Registrar.
THE TOTAL NUMBER OF J'vfiNERS IS AS FOLLOWS :-
Total for Remarks. EuropeaDll. I Chlnese. Division.~he J
Alluvial Miner~ ...... 1,850 250 2,100 Decrease of 170 during quarter. Quartz Miners ...... 310 ... 310 Increase 80 " Totals ... 2,160 250 2,410 Decrease of 90 during quarter. I
THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:-
W atson's Hill 30 Hisc~ok's 220 Durham. 700 White Horse 50 Green Hills 80 Magpie · 120 Scotchman's 250 Cobbler's 100 Franklyn 100 Long Gully . ... 50 Hard Hills lOO One.eye and Spring Hill 50 Union Jack .. . 90 NewChum ...... 50 Glencoe .. . 20 Napoleon 250 Black Lead .. . 100 Winter's Flat 50 Total 2,410
THB MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:-
QUARTZ Mn.LNG. . ! ·~ '"""'' Description of Madllnery, · I Aggregaw Number Aggregaw Idle. Iof Stamp j At Work. I Idle, ~t';,',:;:~Z,:!. At Work. Horse-~ of Heads. Steam · ea. S--te_a_m_E_n_g_in_e_s---..-.---.- .. 1--:~ 1·-=- 720 11 l------2' 88 ' 270 ...... ~:~:~g M~~ines ::: ::: i :~ I 2~ ......
Total value of mining plant in the division, £65,000. Number of square miles of auriferous ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon, 14. Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 12. . The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been from £4 to £4 1s. 6d. per oz.
THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS DBEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GoLD OBTAINED THBBEFROM :-
I Avemge Remarks relative ~o the Ntlllle of Company, Where Qllt\rlz was Qua.rtz <>rushed. Yield of Gold Tote.l Yield of Depth at which the obtained. per Ton. Gold. Quartz was obtained.
- ~- -·- tons cwt. qr. oz. dwt. lfl· oz. dwt. lfl· One-and-All ... Hiscock's Reef ... 2,000 0 0 0 8 10•32 843 0 0 130 feet and 250 feet. Imperial ...... Ditto ...... 2,155 0 0 0 2 21'43 311 14 18 260 feet. Erin-go-bragh ... Ditto ...... 930 0 0 0' 6 Jl•59 301 9 ·0 240 feet.
Totals, Quartz ... 5,085 0 0 0 3 18•26 956 3 18 6
QUARTZ. The Erin-go-bragh Company, Hiscock's Reef, Kave got fairly started at a deeper lever than the old workings, and have struck some excellent stone, averaging nearly 6~ dwts. to the ton. A claim for 24 men has been applied for immediately south 'of thE) Erin-go-bragh. · Tl:te old claims on IIiscock's continue to yield rather above the average, at increased depths. The White Horse Reefis again being worked by the St. Andrew's Company, the quartz raised · has yielded well, the expenses have, however, been (unavoidably) heavy; the mine will now, in all probability, yield handsome returns. · · · , '!;he All Nations Reef is also being again worked ; the British Workman Company ha;v:ing just got a fa1r start. . . • , . . . ~ . -~ . .. . . The total quantity of quartz crushed for the past year has been 18,026 tons, the yield 3,321 oz. 6 dwts.; average per ton 3"dwts. 16•7 grs. . . ' -· . - ' . ·,,· .•. ;·.ALLUVIAL. -During the·quarter-16-new claims have been registered, repre~enting 83 men's ground. Durham Lead. The National Company maintain their good yields. Though a few dividends have been paid by· the companies further down the lead, generally little more gold than sufficient to pay current expenses has been obtained. No additional companies have struck the gutter during the quarter; the South Grenville have been steadily driving. ' . · 8cotcltman' s Lead. · .. The Buninyong Company had average yields during the quarter. ' ,. . . .,. Franklyn Lead. . ·' The Fra~klyn Company, in working the-northern portion of their claim, struck a l'un of wash. dirt trending from the eastward, sup.posed to be an outl.et· from thoHard Ilills; the yield immediately. above the junction was very good, but has now-declined: the manager reports that the wash is wide and he~vy, and ~ll payable. · · · · ' ·' Napoleon Lead. The Leviathan have raised some excellent dirt from the main lead, 50 oz. being a common day's . washing. 'l'hey have not yet struck the Napoleon gutter, for which they are driving; their: bores indicate a close proximity to it. •·· · · · Union Jack and Glen~oe. · ( _ The Buninyong New Company continue to raise paya):>le dirt. . · The Uoyal George (Glencoe) have. met a heavy bOdy of water, but expect soon to land in the ·gutter. · ·n ' 'Wat-~on's Hill. · The Tynemouth an'd Palinerstoii arc testing the ground by boring, having been unable to trace the gutter from.their•. drives. -, . , .. ,. . •.•. · · , Shallow Workings. The drv weather has materially interfered with these workings; many pinties ar~, however, sti.ll.at w.ork, and.-.wbere water can pot -be obtain!Jd;.are storing the.wush-dirL. A Chinese party at the head of the Green Hills have obtained a large;' amount of goltl; the gullies in this locality are well worth -being properly prospected ... Some shallow workings at Hiseock's have proved very productive, the majority of miners being Chinese. The estimated amount of gold obtained from alluvial workings during the past year is 52,750 ozs. '' · ·
..' Mr. .. John LyrJ-ch,: Mining Surveyor and Regist1·ar.1
·' , I '• ~ f .. T:a:E:TOTAL NuM::B:Ei.~oF. MniERs- IS AS FOLLows:_:
I " .. 'I Total for the --.,..-':-----.,.--'----·~ Eurlo~,l.30e. ',-Chin-'_ese_·-1--D-iVlSl_· _· o_n._· 1------Bem,...;_a_rks.__ ._~ ___ _ · Alluvial Miners. · 500 · 1,630 .'.
Quartz Miners 4o 40 "~ ~, • :-.. t ' • ., ·.'· ·- Totals.... ·' · ,_. Cf7o'' 1,670
·' ·, ·. 'T:a:E-TOTAL NUMBER OF:MINERS IS .TB:US DISTRIBUTED!- Smythesdale . .. . . - ' 200 Carngham :- Scarsdale : .. ,. 370 .Bottle Hill ... ..60:. 13rown's ...... · · 70 Pre!\ton Hill 60 Monkey Gully andita:lianGully : -·-.-.. - , 40 SJ?-ake Valley 200 Springdallah .. . . , ...... ,,. . .. ,. ; 3,80 ....~m ton . ... llO Ha.ppy V alley · · . , . . 180 Total .. 1,61.0., 7
THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS :-
ALLtJVIAL MINING, QUARTZ Mnm!G. ,. Description of Machlneey. •· Aggregate Number Aggregate At Work. Idle. Horse-power of At Work. Idle. of t>tamp Steam Engines. Heads. ft~~:-~~~~
·Steam Engines ...... 42 19 1,300 3 2 32 130 Whims' ...... 9 2 ...... Horse Puddling Machines ... 17 ......
Total value of mining plant in the division, £36,000. N umb~r of square miles of auriferous ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked · upon, 11. . · '· - Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 9. The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been £3_19s. 6d. per oz •.
THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ CRUSHED DURING TilE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM :-
Average Remarks relative to the Name of Company. Where Quartz was Quartz crushed. Yield of Uold ·Total Yield- Depth at which the obtained. per Ton. of Uuid. Quartz was obtained.
tons cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Britannia Britannia Reef, .l,;j~S 0 0 o·4 15 3:.!3 6 18 Tbe quartz was obtained ...... at a de: ·th of 500 teet, Carngham, at IL - depth of 500 feet - ~: ~!'JS~~t t~~v":i lesser cleJlths, it.appea.rs that the quality of the .. stone is improving. For Instance:- ~·or the quar- !~r;~~~t3~~~fz~-:t~gs:~ 340 feet the average yidd waa 4 dwta. I3'20 grs.
Mining matters, which for the i'a"st twe'lve months have had a downward tendency, have, during the past three months, fallen so low as to become in several instances irretrievable. . · . Excessive speculation during the year 1865, in which too many bad and questionable ventures were brought forth, has worked wide-spread ruin throughout this portion of the district. · · More claims were, during that period of I feverish excitement, taken up and placed under ..working management than the requirements of the district. would call for for several years to come, or than the money capital of the division, multiplieq._s!)ven times,-. could meet. · , .... · Hence there are to be seen, in all parts of the division, claims upon which thousands of pounds have been expended, lying idle for want of ·money to-·carry them through-furnished, too, in most instances, with machinery of the most improved description ; and, now, some undergoing the process of winding-up in the Court of Mines; and, apparently, the others awaiting a similar doom. This disastrous state of things is the more to be regretted, as many of the claims yielding to the pressure, would, no doubt, prove to be valuable property, if there were sufficient funds to carry them on. · -.' In the locality of Haddon there is n()thing of any· consequence doing. Many claims there; from which great things ·were hoped, have been given up and abandoned. The Gulph Stream (lease) has been idle for seveml months back, nor is there much. prospect of an early resumption of work. The Gladstone (lease) has been sold to a. co-operative party. I am told they are not doing much; but their equipment is not sufficient. Falcon, getting little or nothing. .· · . . •. The old Phcenix claim is dotted ov~r With Qhin~~e whims and windlasses. These industrious and persevering miners bought the claim from the Phcenix Company, subdivided it into several. small parcels, sunk a shaft on each, and have got, and are still getting; abundance of gold. · · . On the Red, White, and Blue lead there are a few companies doing·well. On UnCle Ned's Gully tw.o co.mpanies struck paying gold within the last month, but beyond these instances, there is nothing domg m Smythesdale Proper. . · ' At Brown's there are a few isolated parties here and there making a living in the alluvial gullies, The sluicing companies would,.however, keep. up the.prosperity_of the place were there sufficient water at command for their purpose, but this is a desideratum not likely to be had, except during the winter m?n~hs, as th~re is ~either a natural source of supply, nor- good storage ground for an artificial supply Withm convement distance. · The few claims aJong the main lead at Sca~:.:sdale are giving very good returns.·-- The Bute, Avon clift, North Grenville, Gol~en Stream.; and.,W;~eal. :Kjtty; :are,. I believe;· yielding better returns than ever. Indeed, the latter claim may be JUstly accounted one of the best pay~ng in; the colony, as in very rare instances does it fall under £12 a man a fortnight, whilst frequently it gives ·as high as £30 to £40. The Scarsdale Extended Company arc lying idle still. "The water in their mine has a most injurious effect upon the neighboring claims. The· Golden Lake, adjoining the latter claim, is swamped out of the shaft. So is the Golden Horn and Atlas, two claims which were giving magnificent returns. It is to be hoped that some arrangement wmbe made to terminate such an untoward state of. things. The Try Again comes next in succession on the lead. The profits of this mine have been very considerable during the last couple of years, more especially during the past three months. There is danger of its being flooded too, a circumstance which would add to the already over pressing want of employment, which .the. temporary. cessation.of ,the. neigh boring mii:t_es.is.occasioning. 8
The Grana Trunk, once the best claim· in that portion· of the division, has been for a. long time back retrograding. I am informed that the mine is as rich as ever, and indeed the weekly returns would indicate as much; yet from some cause; inexplicable to me, the profits of the shareholders are not what they used to be. . The. Exchequer, about the date of my last report, broke' into the gutter; but·up to the present time their efforts have not been sufficiently rewarded. I have; however, faith in the ultimate success of this claim. · · The Cape Clear is let on tribute. The Cape of Good Hope is lying idle. The above claims are the principal ones in Springdai.Jah. At Happy Valley there is but very little doing; indeed, a few·months more will see·it worked out. The Cleft in the Rock have worked out and left. The Volunteers have sold their claim. The Robin Hood is long since worked out; so is the British. 'rhe vVaverly Company sold the claim to a new party, and I believe it is likely to pay now. The Investigator Company have hroJreu into the gutter and obtained .a very ·good prospect. The Royal Exchange and Victory are making expenses. The Redan and Golden Age probably little more. The Atlas and Linton Park not making much headway. The Shenandoah Company are idle. . Matters do not seem to be much better at Carngham. There is, however, a .. tendency to revert to the old system of small co-operative companies; and as the nature of the ground in that locality suits that mode of dealing .with it much better than the system of paid labor, I have no doubt Carngham will become as prosperous as before. There is a large expanse of unworked ground there still. ·One very ominous featqre in connexion with the general depression, and its bearing on the future, is, the numbers that are leaving the division. I dare say, that nearly one-half of our working miners have left, during the quarter, for Ballarat and other places.
CRESWICK DIVISION.
1llr.. James Stevenson, Mining Surveyor and, Registrar.
THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:-
Total for the Europealll!. 'l Chineae. Divisi!>n. .Remarks. . Alluvial Miners ...... 800 650 1,450 Quartz Miners ...... 600 ... 600 Totals ... 1,400 650 2,050 I
THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:- Clunes 700 Slaty Creek .:. 90 Creswick ... lOO Mopoke ... lOO S rin Hill 70 Humbug Hill ... 60 ~gle~wk, &c. so Portutuese Flat so Red Streak 148 Back reek ... 50 Union Hill ... 32 &ckyLead 180 Diamond Gully 20 Pinchgut 60 Cobbler's Gully 50 Longpoint 200 Bald Hills 50 Sulky Gully 30 Tot!ll 2,050
. THE MACHINERY 18 AS FOLLOWS :-
ALLUVIAL :a;mr; ~----- Steam Engines ... 11 8 ... 295 28 l 182 610 Whims ...... 6 5 ...... l ...... Puddling Machines ... 130 50 ...... ' Cement Mining. Steam Engines ..... 2 ... 16 26 ...... Whims ...... 2 ...... Whips ...... 3 ...... 9 Total value of mining plant in the division, £108,000. . Number of square miles of auriferous ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon, 8!. · Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 14. . The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been from £3 19s. to £3 19s. 3d. per oz. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS JIEEN OJITAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ CEMENT, &o.; OBUSHED DURING THE QUA;&TEB, AND THE GOLD- OJITAINED THEBEFBOM :- Remarks rela.tive to the Name of Company. Where~· &c., Quartz oruilhed. Ylel~~ld J Total Yield of Depth at which theQuartz, wereo · ed. par Ton. ; G<>ld. &c., were obtained • . ton• cwt. qr. .,...dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Port Phillip ... Clunes Reefs ... 12,918 0 0 0 6 0•82 8,897 18 0 Greatest depth 444ft. Victoria ...... Ditto ...... 2,510 0 0 0 7 9•60 928 14 0 Greatest depth 680ft. Clunes United ... Ditto ...... 876 0 0 .o 4 10•77 194 17 0 Greatest depth 420ft. New North Clunes ... Ditto ...... 162 0 0 0 9 12 76 19 0 From 285ft. to 250ft. Bradshaw and party ... . Sulky Gully ... 10 0 0 010 0 5 0 0 Livingstone and party Cobbler's Gully ... 58 0 0 0 5 12'41 16 0 0 Total, Quartz ... 16,584 0 0 0 6 4•61 5,119 8 0 Cement, &"c., crushed. Hard Hill ...... Hard Hills ... 360 0 0 0 4 78 12 0 From 85 ft. to 50 ft. Enterprise ...... Ditto ...... 500 0 0 0 2 ::~~ 58 10_ 13 Surfa~. Total, Cement ... 860 0 0 iO 3 1•74 182 2 13 Pyrites. Port Phillip ... Clunes Reefs ... 41 0 0 8 12 8'78 1'48 7 0 I At Sulky Gully, the Little Extended Company have sold their claim and plant, and the new company are engaged in sinking a new shaft and removing and re:'erecting the engine and machinery; the shaft is down 56 feet. At Bald Hills, the Great Extended Company are engaged in sinking No. 2 shaft, removing and. re-erecting the winding engine from No. 1 shaft. At a depth of 165 feet a prospecting drive was put in, which proved the gutter at 70 feet from the shaft; it is now being sunk to 200 feet, when the main drive will be commenced. At Red Streak, the Imperial Company have been chiefly engaged during the quarter in pros pecting the southern portion of their claim, for this a main drive has been put ip. 500 feet; two new lease claims have been applied for, but no additional workin~s· will be commenced until the litigation between the Grand Trunk Company and Hassall and party IS brought to a termination. The yjeld for this qua~ter is- oz. dwt. gr. Junction Company, hired labor ... 579 15 10 Imperial Company, hired labor (one month) 71 12 18 Hit-or-Miss Company, 12 men 157 14 12 Rose of Allandale Company, 12 men 168 0 0 Hassall and party-No returns obtainable. At Rocky Lead, both the You-Know and the Golden-Gate Companies· have given up working, having worked out all the ground they found payable. The Jupiter Company have let the working of their mine on tribute, the tributors to receive 86 per cent. of the gold. Tlie St. George's Company, after a stoppage of some months, through excess of water, have again commenced work; the shaft is down 182 feet, and is not through the rock. The yield for the quarter is as follows:- . oz. dwt. gr, Golden Emporium Company ... 405 12 18 Golden Gate Company 170 8 12· Jupiter Company 122 2 12 At Clunes, the Port Phillip Company crushed, during the past quarter, 12,918 tons of quartz, which yielded 3,897 ozs. 13 dwts. of gold; also 41 tons of pyrites, which yielded 14-8 ozs. 7 dwts., being a total of 4,046 ozs. of gold ; the percussion tables, on Rittenger's and Thompson's .Principles, though completed, have not been sufficiently tested to warrant a decided opinion being given as to either their relative or general capabilities for saving gold. ·A run of launders has been erected on piles to convey the refuse sand to the west side of the creek during the ensuing dry season. The works have been supplied up to the !?resent hJ w~ter coming. down the creek, b.ut it is now so low that arrange ments have to be made tor workmg 1t over agam ; the company will, however, shortly commence the erection of works for a supply of water from Birch's Creek. The Clunes Company paid dividends during the quarter, amounting -to £2,970, being 30s. per scrip, or £30 per original share. South Shaft, on No. 5, or 444 feet level, the works alluded to in my last report, have been finished ; the western .cross-cut having been driven 223 feet, and the eastern 221 feet. ·Driving on Robinson's Reef has been set north at £4 5s., and south at £4 per fathom ; on No. 4 level driving and stoping has been continued south on Uobinson's Reef at Ss. per ton ; and four winzes sank at from £7 !Os. to £9 per fathom. The western reef has been driven on 260 feet, at from £4 5s. to £5 19s. per fathom. A winze has been sunk on the eastern reef at £8 per fathom; but work on the vther wiiLZes has been sqsp,ended since last quarter, owing to the influx ·of water. On No. 3 level stoping is being done north and south on Robinson's ·Reef, at 5s. 3d. to 6s. per ton. 'l'he western reef No. 22, a. 10 has been driven on 210 feet, nt from £3 19s. to £4 4s. per fathom; .and a winze sunk on south. end, at £5 per fath~m. Stopi~g is J?eing done on the eastern reef, nor¥h-and south, at from 4s. 10~, to 5s. 6d. per ton, T!te Engtne, or North Slwft, has been sun,k 26 feet In the last few weeks; and on· No. 5 level, ltobinson's Heefbas been cut in the western cross-!)ut, and a.contract let for drivi-Qg,south, at;£13 10s. ·p·er fathom. On No. 4le'vel, a winze has been sunk on Robinson1s Reef·north, at £9·19s. per fathom. ,· . il ; ;_, ,... .. I) •• Mr. Tho_Tili.J.s Oowan, ¥i1J,ing Surveyor wncl Registrar. · TnE TOTAL NuMBER OF MINERS IS AS FO~LOWs :- .. ·.,• Tot.,!'ror the Etll'OPC!!!l!l• -Chinese: • Subdivision. ..' Alluvial i\Iiners 76 8 84 ' ' Quartz Miners 44 44 -.-~!" .. ~.-. Totals 120 8 128 11 ' "TrrE.TOTAL NUMBER-OF MiNERS rs' THUS ":otSTl!.IB'O'Tl!:D : M.ount Egerton 4 All Nations Gully 16 Dig Hill Reef 40 Parker's Gully 20 1\fooraoool ... 6 Dull's Run Gully B Greed's Reef 4 Saw Mill Gully 30 ·.:·...... Total 128 ':{'BE MACHINERY IS 'AS FOLLOWS;.::...:----- 1 '".; ...... ""' Description of Machinerr. ! At Work. Idle. Steam Puddling 8 j•t I' 1 ' Steam Crushing 23 25 Horse Puddling Machines 2 -Total value of mining plant in the·subdivisicm,·£2,600; ' .,:.·. Number of square miles of auriferous ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon;c:ij-. . " . . ... · ., .. ; ·': ... . . --- ' Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved t<> be auriferous to the pi-esent time, 17. · The pri'ce of goid auring the 'quai'ter in·the subdivision has'been from £3 18s. 6d. to £4ls. 6d. per oz. ·• " · ... · ..... ·• · · · • · · ·· · TRE FOLLOWING -INFORMaTION HAS ''linEN OBTA.IN,ED RELATIVE· TO THE QuANTITY. 0~ QUARTZ CRUSHED DU~I~G TBi 'Qtr~;BR', •A~·D TilE GOLD ohTAI~ED TBEREFROM :- .. -- -· >M.··· • , • .. • ·I ~~. :!'!..:.. ~. .:,.~.:- ! Where Quartz, ·&e., wera · Average .I Total Yield· of I :Remarks relative to th e Nnme of Compnn:y. obtaJ.ned. : Quartz crushed. · Yield of Gold ! Gold. ' Depth at wltich the Ptlz:Ton. · Quartz was olJt~l.ued • . . . ~- .·· Q.r. " tons ewt. oz. dwt. gx:: . . oz. dirt. gr. Egerton and Co. ... Big Hill ;Reef ... 2,277- 0 0! 0 3' 12'55 '401"".. 2 0 130 feet; one" fourth . A.LLUVI~L.j ·--. • ' With the exeeptiJn of" the. small rush repdrted lndt quarter at 'Lai-lal no mining of any conse quence has been progressing in the .subdivision.... Sevefal large claims have been taken up in the vicinity of the above rush, but the owners are withhol4ing particulars of operations from various causes:·"-·;-... ···~ _____. . r =• -·~ ~-...... J-.. ~ •• .,..:...._ -~-·.·-·- ~'::1:: ~:-~~- .!....l .QuanTi. ,~:~ ., ' ' 'l'he prospectors at Greed's Reef are ·now holding-their-claim -in-reserve ·ih-order to form a company. ) .. • ,r'n '• STEIGLill'·Z. S~DIVISION. . • _Mr. Henry Dav~dsO?'b, Mini'¥!-g Su_rv,ey,or a?t~-~~!J_ietrar. I' TnE TO~A:u NuM:aEn' OF MrNEns IS ·As FOLLows:- ...... Europcnna. C:¥nese. ·I Total' for the ··r SubdiviBi.Oll. ·~ . Alluvial Miners 42 li6 '. 158 ' Quartz Miners 195 .... . 195 'l Totals· 12 THE TOTAL NUMBER OF ·MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:- Steiglitz 184 Morrison's and Tea-tree 118 Dolly's Creek 32 Stony Rises · 19 Total 353 THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:- ALLUVIAL Mnm<(f. QUARTZ Mnffi ... ~ Description of Machinery. -·· Number Aggregate Horse· Number AggregateHorse- At Work. i Idle. of Stamp ~w~r of Steam At Work. Idle. of Stamp ~wer of Steam Heads. gmes. Heads. gines.: .. ·---I --- Steam Engines ...... 1 4 28 130 4 18 176 290 Flumes ...... 9 ... I ...... Sluice Boxes ...... 48 ... .I ...... Derricks ...... 3 .. . I ...... Sluices ...... 44 ... ! ...... Horse Whims ...... 3 ...... I i Total value of ~ining plant in the subdivision, £51;000. Number of square miles of· auriferous ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon, 13. Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 51. · The price of gold during the qu~rter in the subdivision has been from £3 16s. to £3 18s. per oz. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QuaNTITY OF QUARTZ CRUSHED DURING THE QuaRTER, AND THE GoLD OBTAINED THEREFROM :- Where Quartz was Tote! Yield of Remarks relative to the Name of Oompa.ny. obtained. Quartz Cl'Wlhed. IYield Aver&~ of ld Gold. Depth at which the . perT~ Quartz was obtained. tons cWt. qr. oz.dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Steiglitz· ...... Butcher's and Davis' 398 0 0 0 19 7•39 384 4 12 163 feet to 220 feet Reefs, in Steiglitz Litdy Manners-Sutton ... New -Chum - Reef, 200 0 0 0 3_ 7'20 33 0 0 150 feet Steiglitz Follow-the-Leader ... Boxing Reef,Steiglitz 30 0 0 0 18 0 27 0 0 200 feet Ex-Monarch ...... German Reef, Steig- 36 lO 0 2 9 16•ll 90 13 0 90 feet to 150 feet litz Albion ... Portuguese Reef, 520 0 0 0 12 7'38 320 0 0 480 feet to 500 feet Steiglitz Redan ...... New- Chum· Reef, 55 ·o 0 1 17 10'91 103 0 0 200 feet St_eiglitz ------Total, Quartz ... 1,239 10 0 0 1510•93 957 17 12 There is little improvement to record as regards mining affairs in this subdivision during the quarter, but the results of some recent crushings show that a very fair average yield per ton can be obtained from the reefs by those who are willing to carry on mining operations in a systematic manner. No new ground has been opened up, either quartz or alluvial. . . On ~teiglitz Proper, the Steiglitz (.luartz Mining Company have had several very good crushings. 'The deJ:>th at which the quartz was obtained varied from 163 to 220 feet; the stone at the 220 feet level is found in three parallel lodes-two of which only have been worked-and none of these lodes exceed 12 inches in width, but do not average more than 5 to 7 inches. After deducting the amount due for wages and other working expenses, such as wood, oil, candles, &c., this mine shows a clear profit of about 90 per cent. on the quarter's work, and the pros pects of this company are very good. The Ex-Monarch Company, Germal! Reef, Steiglit~, have also .had a very good crushing, as may be seen on reference to the tabulated return. This company is co-operative, six men having taken up the old Clifton Company's ground; all the shareholders are working; '343 days for one man, and 12 days for a horse, obtained 90 ozs. 13 dwts. of gold, valued at £361 12s. 7d.; deduct from this £44 1s. 10d. for horse hire, crushing; &c., (but exclusive of labor), leaves a balance of £317 10s. 9d., being a dividend to each shareholder of £52 18s. 7d., or at the rate of 18s. 7d. per day to each working shareholder.. The average thickness.of the lode is 4 feet. The main lode is accompanied by a vein of quartz from 2 to 8 inches thick, running parl)llel on the underside of the underlay of the main lode, and from this narrow vein most of the gold has been obtained, the yield from the main lode not averaging more than 2! dwts. to the ton, whereas the total average is 2 ozs: 9 dwts. . · · · The ground is worked solely by picks, blasting not being necessary. The main lode, with its acoompanying. vein of rich'quartz runnmg parallel,- underlies to the ·west at an angle of about one foot 13 in five vertical, and has a course north and south, deviating here and there to the extent of 10 degrees east or west, but falling back again to the magnetic meridian. Altogether the prospects of this mine are very good, and improve the deeper it is worked ; but I have been induced to enter more into detail as regards this claim, in order to show what can be done with the Steiglitz Reefs when systematicnlly worked under the co-operative system. The Redan Company's ground, on New Chum Reef, is now worked on tribute, but so far the prospects are not very encouraging. . The same remarks also apply to the Lndy Manncrs-Sutton Company (late Albert Edward) New Chum Reef. · On N cw Year's Reef, Steiglitz, all the claims, namely, the Malakoff Great Extended Comfany, the Ballarat Company, and the Forty-Foot Company, are still held in reserve under protection registra tion; but I am given to understand that arrangements arc in progress for amalgamating these companies, and agnin commencing work in a vigorous manner. The Albion Company, on Portuguese Reef, Steiglitz, have been steadily at work during the quarter with very fair results. An attempt has been made to re-organise the Old Sailor's Reef Company, under the style of the St. Patrick's Company, but no work has been commenced yet. The Follow-the-Leader Company, Boxing Reef, Steiglitz, has had one small crushing, with proceeds as tabulated; This claim is also worked on the co-operative system, and the shareholders are at present engaged,in sinking, and increasing the depth of'the mine to 250 feet, preparatory to opening out a fresh body of stone. · Several leases have been forfeited during the quarter, and parties arc at work on the ground thus forfeited, testing its capabilities prior to obtaining registration. Alluvial mining on Steiglitz is almost at a stand· still, owing to the want of water; and nothing is doing in this line, with the exception of some "paddocking" by a small party of Chinamen on Sutherland's Creek. At Morrison's and Tea-Tree Creek there is little to record. 4-n impression seems to be gaining ground that the supposed deep ground at Lal-Lal (the recent rush) will have its outlet to the Moorabool River, near 1'vlorrison's, but I am of opinion tltat all conjecture on this subject is premature. The Hit-or-Miss Company (alluvial), Morrison's, have been steadily at work, having raised 17 4 ozs. 3 dwt. 13 grs. at a depth from the table land of 130 feet ; length of tunnel from river frontage, . 1,400 feet ; average thickness of wash-dirt from 1 to 3 feet. The prospects of this company are very good. . The Golden Rivers Company's claim is still unworkcd, and appears likely to remain so. On Stony Rises, the South Jersey Quartz Mining Company (lease) have been steadily at work sinking their shaft, which is now 158 feet deep ; a drive has been put into the west, and the reef struck at 30 feet; and they are now driving south on the lode, with very fair prospects. The Victory Quartz Mining Company, Stony Rises, is still idle. The Lord Palmerston Company's Claim, Stony Rises, is worked on tribute; but I have been unable to obtain any information as to their proceedings. . An application has been made for about 120 acres of land at Stony Rises, to be held as a block alluvial claim under miners' rights; but, beyond this, nothing is doing in alluvial mining in that locality. On the whole it may be said that the prospects of this subdivision have slightly improved during the quarter, and the returns of the yield of gold, as tabulated, prove beyond a doubt, that the reefs, if properly and systematically worked, would be highly remunerative; but I am afraid it will. be long ere mining affairs assume a thoro11gh healthy aspect. BLACKWOC>D DIVISION-. Mr. E. G. Magnus, Minilng Surveyor and Registrcur. ·c;r . • THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:- I Europeans. i Total for the i •. Chinese. Division. Remar4 Alluvial Miners ...... 600 . 480 1,080 ' Quartz Miners ...... 280 ... 280 Totals ... 880 480 1,810 THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS Ilii THUS DISTRIBUTED:- Golden Point 290 Harry's Reef 127 Red Hill ... 210 United Reef 6 Simmons' Reef 126 Luckv-hit Reef 10 Sebastopol ... 90 Newman's Reef 12 Yankee Gully 100· Goodman's Creek ...... 33 Ballan Flat .. . 30 W erribee Creek, Mount Wilson 7 Main Creek, below Sebastopol .. . 176 Split-tree Gully Ranges .. . 72 Jaekson's Gully 11 Total 1,310 Johnson's Reef 10 14 THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLJ;.OWS ·:- ALLUVIAL Mn."'NG. I~--'--...,...---.:.-'Q-uA.R___,:r_z_l'!I:ININ_, .. __·a~, ----- '" Description o Mllclrlnfl1'1, .. --.I 1 Aggregate • I Number Aggregate A Work. ·Idle. ' Horse-power of i At Work.• · Idl~ · . of Stamp Horil&-ll:':,~~~ of Steam Engine. : . . , ,i, HelJ:dB. !S.~ ' es. '"""'A Steam Engines. 15. 5 ' , 5.. .90 169 Water.Wheels : ..: ..... ~ . ,5 6 ...... '~·. - ..... ~4 Water Wheels, for drainage 3 1 Whims . · .•• ; ..... 1 ... 9 ... Horse-power Puddling Machines 2 Total value of mining plant in the division, _£3g,ooo. Number of square miles of auriferous ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon, 2t'· Number of distinct quartz re~fs whicli ·have l;leen actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 16. . • . . · . . The price of·gold ·during the quarter iri tlie 'dl.v~ion.has-been.fron;t £;3. ~6s: to. £3 _16s. 6d. per oz THE FOLLO";ING !~FORMATION ·HAS ,?JEEN · OBTAINE·n 'ilEL.A.T)vE TO TH~ QuANTITY OF QuARTZ . CRUSHED DUB.ING T~~ QUA:R~ER, AND TJI.E GoLD Oi:JT~INED THEBEFBO,M :- - . ·. I > I . I . . 1 Average RemarkS re!ll;tive to th Name of Company. Where Q~z was obtained. Quartz crushed. Yield of Gold Total Yield of Depth at which th 'I Gold. ' per Ton. Quartz was obtained ' -·--·---~ ' . tens cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Crown ... Simmons' Reef ' ...- . 2,900 o.o 0 1 14'89 235 .0 0 From50toll0fee Williams Bros. and Co. Ditto ~· ~ 1,560 0 ,0 0 4 13'53 356 0 0 Harris and Co. ... St. George's Reef ... 300 0 0 0 8 0 120 .. 1,0,, 0 30 feet deep, 29 . feet of reef Harris and Co. ~·. ' Eureka Reef ... '227 0 0 l 5 0 ..283 .15 0 S\lrface to30feet l!'augh-a·Ballagh ... St. George's Reef ... 600 0 0 o· 9 0 270 0 0 . 125 feet deep True Blue ...... Ditto 564 0 0 0 9 3 257 6 12 50 feet to 130 fee t Grace Egerton .• : Barry's Reef · ... 235 0 0 0 7 0 y 82 0 5 60 feet Falkirk and Norwood Split-tree Reef ... 294 0 0 0 2 12 36 1-5 0 Surface Hudson and Sons ... llarry's Reef , ; ·.;:' '-· 320 "o ··o 0 12 0 192. 0 0 41 feet· .. Taylor and Co. ... Homeward-bound Reef 502 0 0 0 6 12 163 3·0 35 feet , •·. ' . Hansmanu and Co. ... Ditto I ...... 68 0 o· 0 2 0 6 16 f• 0 · 40 feett . Trewhella Bros. and Co. Lucky-hit Reef ... 590 0 0 010 0 295 0 'o 45 feet United ~ ...... United Reef ... . 270 0 0 0 6 0 81 0 0 , 94 feet Cronan and Co. ... Fern·tree Reer·- ... 50- 0 ·o 0 -6 0 ! 15 0 o : Surface to 18 fee t Leech and Co. ... Leech's Reef .. . 22 0 0 . 0 10 12 I 11 11 0 Surface to 9 feet \ Total, Quartz :.• 8;502 -. '0- 0 1~1-5~ 2,405 617 ' I ... QUARTZ. This branch of mining is improving. -Tlireenew reefs have been opened, and two ~eefs that were abandoned seve~ or eig~_t. y~ars ago, ow_ing to the. thep high ra~e ,charged for crushing and cartage, have, been agam .taken U_P, and are showmg good prospects, and I have no doubt will pay well when the holders get the1r machmery fixed· on the ground. ' .. T~e Eurek~ Reef, which. wasr:opened about five ,p:10nths ag,o, co?tin;ues. to .yield equal to ant1C1pat10n, and lS now 5 feet m thickness. The Crown Company s cla1m 1s y1eldmg a very· low average per ton, but owing to their systematic mode of working, and the thickness of the·reef, they are earning very good wages. .,, -~ 1 .A.LLUVI.A.L; , .. This· class of mining has not been attended -with' such- good results as I could have. wished. Water has been scarce, and some of. .the large companies have been unfortunate in their selection of ground this season, though others have done extremely well. . . The Yankee Creeli.- Sluicing ·company liiive only made good wages for the time they have worked. Sweet and Company; still continue to nett about seven pounds per man per week. The Chinese, witli the exception 1of a few parties: are' doing very'little: Many of the miners here are combining farming, under the.-4~n9-. ~ilctio!l. of the Land Act, with mining, and will, I doubt' not. in the course of a fe'w years; haife'very comfortable homesteads,· and become permanently settled .; 9n this. #ield. ,,. ,;. i,! . .. :.: .. _ I · • ' tt" •• • ., I; ... ' 15 ""' BLuE MoUNTAIN Sm.iTfi BunnrvisroY. Mr. R. H. Horne, Mining 'Registmr. THE TOTAL NuMBER OF MINERS IS AB FOLLOWS:- • Europeans. Chinese. Total for the Subdivision. RemArks. Alluvial Miners ...... 40 15 55 Other population, about 10 Quartz Miners ...... 5 .; . --- 5 . - T(ltals ... 45 15 60 THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:- Old Camp Ground (south) .. . 10 Yankee Gully and vicinity .. . 20 Wilson's Gully and Kilkenny Hill ... 15 Snake Gully...... 5 Lower road, and localities without name 10 Total ... r 60 Total value of -~ining plant" in the subdivision, £50. . - Number of square miles of auriferous ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon, 3-f. . Number of dis.tinct quartz reefs_ which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time 3. . o . '· The price of gold during the 'quarter in the subdivision has been from £3 16s. 6d. to £3 17s. per oz. The quartz claims have for many months been deserted in this subdivision, strictly speaking, with reference to the line of the southern limits; but auriferous quartz reefs are being worked within a few yards, on the Union Reef, running towards the Blackwood Division. The alluvial claims are getting a little gold. . I BEECH.rORT!H MIN:ING DISTRICT. BEE~mwonTH DIVISioN. Mr. Alexander .Alderdice,.Mining Registrar. Totalfor th& Europll!'DJ!._ Chinese ••. Division. RemArks...... , ... .. ·-·· .. d, Aiiuvial Miners ...... 552 960 1,512 Quartz Miners••• ...... 136 ... 136 Totals ... 688 960 1,648 THE TOTAL NuMBER oF ·MINERS xs THus. DISTRIBUTED:- Sr.ring Creek 112 ~rtleford, &c. 92 Silver Creek 22 oora~ee ... 348 Deep Creek 22 - Reid's reek 50 Hurdle Creek 47 Woolshed 200 Pennyweight Flat 43 Sebasttol 135 Two-mile. Creek 56 Eldora o ...... · .•. 145 Three-mile Creek 280 Six-mile Creek ...... 38 -- Total.· ... 1,648 :Bowman's Forest . ... 108 .. 16 THE MAOBINERY IS AS .li'OLLOWS :- ALLUVIAL !tUNING. QUARTZ MINING• Description of Machinery. • Number . Aggregate Number Aggregate At Work. Idle. of Stamp -.,.~-;,-.;; "i;',;;;;~,::! At Work. Idle. of Stamp Horse-power of Heads. ~-~ ~··--· Heads. Steam Engines. Stea)ll Engines 13 4 136 3 17 34 Fuddling Machines 6 Whims and Pulleys 14 ,Pumps 55 Sluices 144 Water Wheels :32 148 3 22 45 Boxes, 3,100 Whips 5 Boring Machine I • Total value of mining plant in the division, £30,000. Number of square miles of auriferous ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon, 24. Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 25. ·.. , , . The price of gold during the quarter in the division has be13n £3 19s 6d. per oz. THJ~ FOLLOWING lNFORMATIO:N HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND QuARTZ TAILINGS AND CEMENT CRUSHED DURING THE QuARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM : - Remarks relative to the Name of Company, Where Quartz. &c., y;ere I I Avera~ Total Yield of obtained. • - Quartz crushed. 1Yield of Id Gi>ld. Depth at which the per ton. ' Quartz was obtained. , tons cwt, qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt gr. Sanders and Co. ... Near Myrtleford ... 34 0 0 1 3 12•71 40 0 0 60 feet Henderson and Co. ... Excelsior Reef ... 182 0 0 I 15 9'23 322 0 0 220 feet Sydney Reef ... Wooragee ...... 25 0 0 1 11 16•32 39 12 0 50 feet Lily_ Reef ... Ditto ...... 34 0 0 I o·o 34 0 0 80 feet Orlon Reef ...... Ditto ...... 13 0 0 I 10 18·46 20 0 0 50 feet Golden 13ar ...... Three and Six-mile 613 0 0 0 2 17•77 84 0 0 105 feet Creeks Manhattan Reef ... Ditto ...... 133 o.o 0 2 20'57 19· 0 -0 Surf!tee Never-despair ... Ditto ...... 60 0 0 0 7 6 21 15 0 Hopeful ...... I)itto ...... 109 0 0 0 4 0 21 16 0 Frenchman's ... Ditto ...... 45 0 0 0 18 0 .40 10 0 Sharpe's ...... Ditto ...... 9 0 0 1 2 18•67 10 5 0 :McRory's ...... Ditto ...... 21 0 0 0. 4 0 4 4 0 Cape of Good Hope ... Ditto ...... 18 0 0· 0 2 5'33 2 0 0 Canadian ...... Madman's Gully ... 14 0 0 1 8 13•71 20 0 0 83 feet ' Waterloo ...... Myrtleford ...... 50 0 0 0 6 19'20 17 0 0 80 feet Total, Quart?. ... 1,360 0 0 0 10 5•68 696 2 0 ------Mullock, Casing, ~c., crushed:- Wallace's Mill, Reform Reef...... My_rtleford ...... 1,000 0 0 0 5 0 250 0 0 Sprin,q Creek a.na" ;,eighborlwod. The miners-(all~vial)here are very well satisfied, the season having been particularly propitious for sluioing operations. It is said that the sluicers have been able to do more during the present season than in .the two previous ones put together. . · The Canadian Reef Quartz Mining Company have just started their mill, and a small parcel of stone has been put through as a trial, with very satisfactory results, viz., 20 ozs. from 14 tons. It is expected that when the regulf.!,l' crushing takes place even a better result than this will be obtained. The reefs at the head of Three and Six-mile Creeks, as will be seen from the returns, have almost proved worthless, and it is not likely that work will be resumed on all of thei:n. An opinion is expressed that a sufficient depth has not yet been attained, as the reefs. are not at present properly defined, being generally broken up, and mixed with mullock and casing. l!lyrtlefo1'd. At the Reform Reef the tunnel is now in about 1,700 feet, and the mill is kept going day and night; .about 16 feet. to 18 feet in width of stuff is being crushed, consisting of casing, mullock, quartz, &e., the yiel(i from which is about 5 dwts. to the ton. Were the crushings taken only from the reef proper the average would be much larger, as some parts of the reef are very rich. One of Golding's patent amalgamators. was tried at the mill, but owing ~o the situation ?~the mill the. machine coul~ not ·be properly worked. The consequence wns that only a few tons of.taJlmgs-were tr1ed; but the tr1al of 17 these demonstrated that gold enough can be got from the tailings to pay. As it is intended to ti'y the amalgamator again, the tailings are being collected and saved. The Waterloo Reef Company have become a joint stock concern, the shares in which were all eagerly taken up, as it is well known that this reef, if properly worked, is one of the best in the district. The new company are vigorously at work already, and intend putting in a tunnel, in order to cross the .. reefs which are known to exist in their claim. · Wooragee. The reefs in this part of the division are very important, giving large average returns, and would give remunerative employment to a much larger population than there is at present. The result of the quarter's crushing is most satisfactory, as will l:.e seen on reference to the returns. Another prospecting Reid's Creek, Woolshed, and Eldorado. The heaviest flood we have had for some years occurred here on the 9th December, and inun-._ dated most of the creek claims in these localities, doing a great amount of damage. Some of the claims have not yet been put into working order. The returns from the deep claims at Eldorado have been extremely good for the last quarter; and some of the richest dirt yet obtained at Eldorado has been come upon in Wellington's claim; it has yielded as much as 5 ozs. to the bucket. Nothing is being done in the ground below Wellington's, and this is the more surprising, as it offers great inducements to the capitalist or miner, there being a large extent of untouched ground between Wellington's claim and the junction of the Ovens river, and the claims at present at working giving splendid returns. Of course from the nature and depth of the ground a large amount of capital and labor is required before any gold can be obtained, but once the gold is struck there remains for years afterwards a more satisfactory return for the outlay than in any other part of the Ovens district._ 8TANLEY SUBDIVISION. ·Mr. Thomas Stubbin, Mining Registrar. THE TOTAL NuMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:- Total for the Europeans. Chinese. Subdivision. Remarks. Alluvial Miners ...... 271 199 470 Quartz Miners ...... 27 ... 27 Totals ... 298 199 497 THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS ·IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:- Upper Nine-mile 90 Hurdle Flat 37 Lower Nine-mile 91 Back Creek ... 60 Rocky Point - .. . 68 Deep Creek ... 17 Milkman's Flat 58 Upper Six-mile 10 Europa Gully . . . 45 , N uggety Gully 13 Total 497 Poverty Gully , . . 8 THE ~fACHINERY IS A.S FOLLOWS :- ' ALLUVIAL MINING. QUARTZ l'riiNING. Description of Machinery. Aggregate Number Aggregate At Work./ Idle. Horse-power of At Work. Idle. of Stamp .-IHorse-power of Steam Engines. ' Heads. ' Steam Engine. Puddling Mills ...... 10 2 ...... Steam Engine ...... 1 ... 8 18~ I • With water-power, when a supply can be had. No. 22, b. ~18 Total value of mining plant in the subdivision, £5,350. Number of square miles of auriferous ground which is being, or may have ·been, actually worked upon, 12!. · . . Number of distinct quartz .reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferoUs to the present tune, 22. .. The price of gold during the quarter in the subdivision has been £3 19s. per oz. Tal& FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ, &c., CRUSHED DURING THll QUARTER, AND TIIE GoLD OBTAINED TIIEREFROM :- Where Quartz, &c., were. Rem..;.kll relative to the Name of Company. QUArtz Cl'Uilhed.IYietd'~1"5':,ld Total Yield of Depth at which • the obtained. per Ton. Gold. Quart>: was obt&ined. 1----~-~-~--1~~~~~--~-- tone cwt. qr. oz. 'dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. ·H. Wilson and Co. Upper Nine-mile .. . 44 0 0 0 15 0 33 0 0 Surface to 48 feet A. Gilmour and Co. . •• Ditto ...... 36 0 0 0 6 9•33 ll 10 0 Surface to 30 feet Perfect Pile Reef Ditto .•• . .. 34 0 0 0 13 12•70 23 0 0 Surface to 30 feet Hughes and Co. Ditto ...... 26 0 0 0 6 0 7 16 0 Surface to 30 feet Donoughoe and Co. . .. Ditto ..• .. . 12 0 0 0 19 0 11 8 0 Surface to 20 feet Robert Burns Ditto ...... 29 . 0 0 4 8 1'66 127 14 0 Surface to 33 'feet McGrory and Co. Ditto ...... 17 0 0 .1 17 8·47 31 15 0 Surface to 20 feet Hit-or-Miss ... · Ditto ... •.. is o o o 11 6 9 o o Surface to 12 feet Homeward· bound Rocky Point ... 60 0 0 1 10 8 91 0 0 420 feet Ker'ry Eagle ... Ditto ... . •. 58 .o 0 0 10 0 29 0 0 80 feet 1 Total, Quartz .... ----;;;;~~-1-214'38 ~--;;-:-o Mullock, ~c., Crushed. R6bert Burns' Reef ... Upper Nine-mile .. . 47 ·.o o I o 4 o 9 ·a o Mullock Homeward Bound Rocky Point .. . 3 0 0 4 13 8 14 0 0 Mnndic * • The Mundic that this gold has been taken from has ·been saved for future operations; from prospects obtained from it, it is thought that as much gold is left in it as was extracted. The owners intend to keep it till some Improved and less expensive process is discovered for extracting gold from Mundlc. Owing to the heavy rainfall last winter and spring, both t!te sluicers and puddlers are actively employed, with every appearance of a good supply of water for some time to come. The quartz reefs near the Stanley township have not as yet proved a success, although some good returns have been obtained, but they _have been taken at the surface; but when they are worked from twenty to forty feet deep, in most instances either the stone runs out or the gold is lost; and the. reefs being owned by working men, without capital sufficient to sink deep for a main reef, they are abandoned. Thirteen tons of stone taken from the surface of the Robert Burns' Reef, yielded 93 ozs. 14 dwts.; two small crushings since have yielded payable returns, but the deeper they go the less the yield of gold. The Rocky Point Reefs have not done much work this quarter; but the Homeward Bound has shown a decided improvement, and more hands are to be put on • . YACKANDANDAR SUBDIVISION. Mr. Thos. G. Kennan, Mining Surveyor and Registrar. TIIE TOTAL NuMBER OF 1>fiNERs Is J.s FOLLows:- Total for .. Europeans. Chin•!!"· the Subdivioion • :ltemlu:lr:ll. .. --·-~-- Alluvial Miners ...... 922 600 1,522 ' Quar_tz Miners ...... 310 ... 310 .. Totals ... I 1,232 I -600· 1,832 THE TOTAL NUMBER 0~' MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:- German Flat .. . 70 Osborne's Flat uio Muddy Creek ... · 62 Allan's Flat 50 Murphy's Flat 75 Staghorn-Flat...... 55 1Iayes' Point .. . 20 Kinchington's Creek and Range ... 195 Kirby's Flat .. . 31 Twist's Creek ... 217 Bell's Flat 37 Clear Creek 160 McCarthy's Flat 60 Little River ...... 10 Whisky Flat . .. 140 Gullies between Kinchington's Creek and Tow~ship Hills 50 Jfackangandah 50 Pyke s Flat ...... 150 Rowdy Flat .... 220 Total 1,832 19 THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS :- ALLUVUL Ml:NnrG. QV.U>.TZ Ml:NnrO. llelleription ot Maehinefl'. .Aggrepte Number Aggregate At Work. Idle, At Work. Idle. of Stamp Hors.powe:r ot Hon.~:g:;!~rSteam • a. Heads. Steam .Eaginea. Water Wheels, for drainage 20 20 ...... purposes Water Wheels and Stampers ...... 2 1 19 ... Steam Engines .•• ...... 3 ... 45 65 ·· · Total valne of mining plant in the subdivision, £11,000. Number of square miles of .auriferous ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon, 9. Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the preseni time, 58. 1 The price of gold during the quarter in the subdivision has been from £318s. 6d. to £3 19s. per oz. TJm JI'OLLOWil{G INFORMATION HAS BEEN. OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ CRUSHED DUBING THE QUABTEB, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THBREFROM :- ! Where Quart' , ... 1 Average Total Remarke relatil'e to Ule · -· Na.me of tons c:wt. qr, oz.dwt. gr, oz. dwt. gr. S~ringer's Reef ... Back Creek ... 40 0 0 3 5 0 130 0 0 30 feet Ditto ...... Ditto ...... 70 0 0 2 10 0 175 0 0 50 feet Jios. 3, 4, 5, and 6. ... Ditto ...... ' 40 0 0 0 3 0 6 0 0 30 feet PrideReef ...... Ditto ...... 7 0 0 5 0 0 35 0 0 30 feet Homeward-bound ... Kinchington's Creek 1,950 0 0 l 0 0 1,950 0 0 100 to 110 feet Haphazard ... Ditto ...... 33 0 0 0 18 0 29 14 0 30 feet Talf Reef ... Ditto ...... 150 0 0 0 10 0 75 0 0 30 feet W allace Reef ... Twist's Creek ... 9 0 0 0 10 0 4 10 0 Homeward-bound ... Ditto ...... 83 0 0 1 1 0 87 3 0 60 to 70 feet Homeward-bound, No. Ditto ...... 52 0. 0 I 5 0 65 0 0 1 North Victoria Heef ... Ditto ...... 5 0 0 5 6 0 ! 26 10 0 Scandinavian Reef ... Ditto ...... 32 0 0 0 19 0 30 8• 0 Polar Star Reef ... Ditto ...... 16 0 0 0 17 0 13 12 0 .Nonpareil Reef ... Ditto ...... 21 0 0 2 10 0 52 10 0 Poor Man's Reef ... ·Ditto ...... 18 0 0 0 7 0 6 6 0 Rising Sun Reef ... Ditto ...... 9 0 0 0 19 0 8 11 0 Twist's Creek Reef ... Ditto ...... 13 0 0 0 4 0. 2 12 0 100 feet Sons of Freedom Reef Ditto ...... 52.0 0 0 15 0 39 0 0 United IWef ... Ditto ...... 368 0· 0 0 18 0 331 4 0 SO to 100 feet Danish Reef...... Ditto ...... 40 0 0 0 18 0 8.6 0 0 Total, Quartz .•. 3,008 0 0 1 0 15'32 3,104 0 0 . ·!-' During the quarter, there has been an amJlle supply of water for all parties, alluvial miners in particular. An immense amount of damage waa done by the late heavy flood, all creek workings having been completely levelled, entailing an enormous amount of labor to re-open the claims, besides coming at a time when most of the miners were washing up, after months of preparation, the absolute pecuniary· loss has been very considerable. It is unfortunate that no way at present exists of storing bodies of water, so as to render them productive instead of a bane to the miners. In quartz mining a large . amount of energy has been shown, and a great quantity of stone has been raised ready for crushing, besides what has been crushed by existing mills. The Yackandandah Quartz Crushing Company started their new mill the "New Era" on Christmas eve, with crushing engagements which will occupy the mill for months to come; in fact, as I stated in my last report, not one, but many, new mills would find ample employment •.. I confidently expect that the end of 1867 will see double the quantity of quartz crushed to that of this year, as also that quartz mining will yet be our chief mainstay. 20 SANJ?Y CREEK SUBDIVISION. "" Mr. John W. Beattie, Mining Registrar. THB TOTAL NuMBER oF MINERs rs AB .11'0LLows :- I I Europeans. 1- Chinese. ! Tot&l for the Snbdivillion. Be mariti. I --~ Alluvial Miners ...... 29 I 133 162 THE TOTAL NuMBER 0.11' MINRBS IS THUS DISTRIBUTBD:- Sandy Creek, from Reservoir downwards to Cemetery (3 miles) .30 Sandy Creek, from Cemetery to Niven's Flat, inclusive (lt miles) 110 Sandy Creek, Beazly's Flat · 6 Lockhart's Creek ... ..• S Sandy Creek, below the Junction '8 Total i62 THE MACIIINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:- ! ! Nllmber Aggrepte· ..UWork. Idle • At Work. Idle. ofSte.mp Horae·power ot Heads. Steam Englnu. -··~------1----·1------1-----1-----1--·-1----- Water Wheels for pump:. , 3 2 ing . Elevator Pumps. 3 2 Californian Pump 1 Creek claims were being steadily and profitably worked until the occurrence of the late flood, which has, with one exception, swept through all the workings, levelling dams and tail-races. It will occupy the whole of January in remedying the damage in most of the claims. Surfacing has not been much attended to, still a few payable claims are constantly at work. Quartz Mining.-All attempts at prospecting for auriferous reefs have been hitherto unsuccessful. A superficial inspection by one man, lasting only a few days, and extending over an area of 12 square miles, has been the utmost as yet accomplished, and could. not be expected to attain the desired object. INDIGO DIVISION. Mr. R. Arrowsmitk, Mining Surveyor and Registrar. THE TOTAL NuMBER oF MINERS rs As FOLLows:- - Toto.! for the .I ~peans. Chinese, Division. . I BemAtkB. Alluviall'l;liners ...... 327 331 658 A considerable· decrease of popula- tion during the quarter. · Quartz Miners ...... 25 .. . 26 Totals ... 353 .I 381 684 I I 21 THE Tot.a.r. NuxBEB OF lVIINERS Is THUS DISTRIBUTED:- Near Chiltern- Near Rutherglen Chiltern Lead ... 170 Bibernian Lead 3 New Ballarat Lead 20 Newcastle Lead 6 Lancashire Lead 19 Robert Burns Lead 9 Black Dog Lead 70 Lanarkshire Lead 10 Indigo Lead 180 Garabaldi Lead 2 Wall ace's Gully 12 Cornishman's Lead 8 Woodlands Lead 30 Mount Pleasant Lead 6 Quartz Reefs:- Harrietville Lead 8 . ' Magenta Reef 6 Cornishtown Lead '8 Essex Reef 4 Devonshire Lead 10 All Nations Reef 8 Durham Lead ... 28 Barambogie Reef 2 Caledonian Lead 10 Campbell'a Reef 3 Near Rutherglen Goblentz's Reef 3 Glencoe Lead ... so Perseverance Lead 16 Total 684 Clydesdale Lead 3 TnB M.a.CHINBltY ni As FOLLows :- - A.!.LvviAL :rrturn;a. I Qvu:rz :rrturn;a. »--,ptio.n o! Machine17. Aggregate I Number .Aggrega'e At Work. Idle. Hone-tmwer or At Wozk. Idle. : orStamp Stea.m Engines. Heads. s~~.,.~=.~~ - Steam Engines ... 7 12 3os 4 I 48 58 Steam and horse-power 50 12 ...... Puddling Machines Horse Whims ...... 10 27 ...... Whips ...... 20 ...... Total value of mining plant in the division, £34,000. Number of square miles of auriferous ground which is being; or may have been, actually worked upon, 2. . . · Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 17. The price of gold· during the quarter in the division has been from £3 19s. 3d. i.o £3 19s. 6d. per oz. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELA.TIVE TO THE QU"ANTITY OF QUARTZ CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND TliE GoLD OBTAINED TliEREFROM :- .. i Avera~ Rema.rks relative to the Name of Company. Wbere Quartz was Quartz crushed. :Yield of ld Total Yield of Depth at which th e obtained. ! perTon. Gold. Quartz w1111 obtained. - tons cwt. qr. Ioz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Higgins' Reef ... 300 0 0 0 4 12 67 10 0 40 feet to 230 feet Essex Reef ... 60 5 0 I 1 21•69 65 19 17 60 feet to 80 feet Golden Bar ... Prince Albert Reef.•• 15 15 0 1 19 11•43 31 I 18 90 feet to 100 feet j Trial crushings from 28 18 0 0 11 14•20 16 15 0 Surface to 50 feet various reefs All Nations Quartz} Crushing Company All Nations Reef ... 425 0 0 0 2 6'34 48 2 6 !50 feet to 170feet Magenta ... f Magenta Reef ... 400 0 0 010 0 200 0 0 Surface to 100 feet 1 Mabbot's Reef ... 4 0 0 0 15 0 3 0 0 Surface Great Ea~tern ... Camp bell's Reef ... 3 15 0 18 13 20'80 70 2 0 100 feet from surface Quartz Crushing Co. Trial crushings from lOO 0 0 0 3 0 15 0 0 Surface to 50 feet near Rutherglen various reefs now abandoned Total, Quartz ... 1,337 13 0 ~-o 7 17•71 517 10 17 Mining has been exceedingly dull in the division during the quarter, the recent discoveries in New South Wales having attracted a considerable number of miners, which, combined with the scarcity of water on the dry leads, has had the effect of considerably diminishing the population. Quartz mining is almost at a standstill, the machines being only occasionally worked. The .. " falling off of this branch of mining may be attributed to a want of funds and enterprise to test the character of the veins at lower levels; in the meantime, it would be impossible to pronounce an opinion as to the ultimate value of the quartz reefs of the division. Alluvial Mining.-The returns of the Extended Sons of Freedom Company (registered), Chiltern Lead, are very satisfactory; the amount received from the sale of gold during the half year was £14,754, while the working expenses, including wear and tear for the same period, amount to £8,962 Ss. 1-td. The total number of men employed is 97. The works of the Companv are in . 22 excellent order, and there is every reason to believe that the ensuing half year will be quite equal to the past, if not even more prosperous, · The Indigo Grand Junction Company will resume operations in a few days; and it is anticipated that the M urray V alley Company will shortly be in a position to aj.Iain co~mence work. The Glencoe and New Ballarat are the only alluvial mining companies now at work in the neigh borhood of. Rutherglen, the exodus to New South Wales having had the effect of reducing the mining population from 250 to about 80 men; other portions of the division have not suffered in the same proportion. BucKLAND DIVISION. Mr. L!!Wis 0. Kinchela, Mining Registrar. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS· AS FOLLOWS:- Tot&l for the Elll'Opeans I Chln01e. Division. Remarks ------1~--. -1------Alluvial Miners ' • .... 239 1,914 Quartz ·Miners 228 236 · Totals 467 1,683 2,150 .THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED: Two Branches of Ovens River to Harrietville 175 Harrietville to Freeburgh Crossing ' ... · 72 Freeburgh Crossing to Bright .. . · . . . · 181 Bright Bridge to Buckland and Ovens Junction ... 61 Junction of river to boundary of division, including Happy V alley 93 Growler's Creek •. . .. . · ...... 82 Morse's Creek ... 230 Buekland River to First Bridge 466 First Brid~e to Upper Bridge 453 Upper Brigge to Junction ... 90 Right Branch ... 111 Left Branch 136 Total 2,150 THE MACHINERY 18 AS FOLLOwS :,- ALLUVIAL MIN:qm. QuAB.:rz ldnrrNo. ·I Dlll!lll:iption of Machineey. .Aggregate Number Aggregate At Work. Idle. At Work. Idle. I of Stamp §!=~~.~: Hen.ds. ~~~~~~~ ------Water Wheels ou Deep Leads ... 1 1 ...... Water Wheels in Well Claims ... 58 1 ...... Hydraulic Hoses i•· ... 6 3 ...... {At work 12} {atWorkMl {atWork67} Steam Engines ...... 1 7 Idle 109 6 1 Idle 16 f Idle 161 {atWork54} ... Water Wheels ••...... 6 2 Idle 32 · ' Total value of mining plant in the division, £27,000. Number of square miles of auriferous ground which is b~ing, or may have been, actually worked upon, 57. · , Number. of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 126.· · . . The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been from £3 16s. 6d. to £3 ·17s. 6d. per oz. The Oriental Perseverance mill is the only one that has been continuouely employed. Two quartz mills are in course of erection. · 23 TBE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO ·TBE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND, QuABTZ TAILINGS AND CEMENT CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GoLD OBTAINED THEBEFROM :- Remarks relative to the IAve:ras:, Yield Total Yield of NameofCompatll', Where Qun.rtzt ~ .• were Quartz crushed. of Id Depth a.t which the obta.ined. : perTon. Gold. Quo.rtz wa.a obtained. ·-~-- Morse's Creek:- tons cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Perseverance ... Oriental Reef ... 5,250 0 0 0 5 i2 1,443 15 0 Surface to 160 feet Morning Star ... Morning Star Reef 128 0 0 0 8 0 51 4 0 Surface to 90 feet Stevens and Co ... Butler's Reef ... 98 0 0 010 0 49 0 0 Townsend and Co. ... Berkshire Reef ... 7 0 0 2 0 0 14 0 0 Surface Australasia ... Oriental Reef ... 45 0 0 0 13 0 29 5 0 200 feet Growler's Creek:- Gregory and 'Co. ... Ebenezer Reef ... 30 0 0 0 12 16 t9 0 0 220 feet Ovens River:- Reliance· ...... Reliance Reef ... 563 0 0 0 3 0 84 9 0 Surface Brown, Craig and Co ... Three·mile Reef ... 74 0 0 0 14 12 53 13 0 Wilson and Co. ... Welcome Reef 5 0 0 5 5 0 26 5 0 Ditto Cadzow and Co. ... Golden Rock Reef 20 0 0 2 ·O {J 40 0 0 Ditto Morton and Co. ... Wombat Reef ... 35 0 0 () 7 0 12 5 0 Cadzow and Co. ... West Briton Reef 26 o . 0 0 7 0 9 2 0 Maddison and Walsh .•• Star of Ulster Reef 9 0 0 011 0 4 19 0 Ditto Buckland :- McCormack and Co, ... Oriental Reef, No. 124 0 0 0 7 0 43 8 0 1 South Paulessy and Co."' ... Welcome Reef ... 800 0 0 0 7 2'40 284 0 0 ilo feet Tborpe and Co. ... Thorpe's Reef 13 0 0 0 18 0 1114 0 Surface Alta Mining ... Nelson Reef '. .. 670 0 0 0 9 0 301 10 0 120 feet Ditto '••• ... Alta Reef ... lOO 0 0 0 2 12 12 10 0 . Running Creek :- Brady, Tracey and Co. Porepunkah Reef 11 0 0 6 0 0 66 0 0 Surface Chinese party ... J;'ortunate Reef ... 13 0 0 214 5•54 35 5 0 Ditto Ray and Green ... No. l South Reef 3 0 0 2 10 0 7 10 0 Ditto Shad and Co. ... Sherd's Reef ... 8 0 0 3 2 12 25 0 0 Ditto Wallace, Brady and Happy Valley Reef 20 0 0 4 4'0 84 0 0 Ditto Parke ' .. Total, Quartz ... 8,052 0 0 0 6 1Nl 2,707 14 0 Quartz Tailings and Oement crushed. Stevens and Co. ... Butler's Reef, Rub- 30 o· 0 0 5 0 7 10 0 bish and Mullock Ditto ...... Picked Tailings 17 0 0 2 0 0 34 0 0 Ditto ...... The deposit from 70 0 Oi 0 7 2'40 24 17 0 7,000 tons ofQuartz ---~~---- Total, Qu11.rtz Tail- } ings and Cement 117 0 0 011 ;8•21 -66 7 0 • X o return furniJihed of the quantity of stone crushed b:y Pauleso:y and Co., of the Welcome Reef, Buckllind; but the Yield of gold waa28lozs. Harrietville, Ovens River to Bright, Shallow alluvial workings.-This branch of mining is almost wholly in the hands of the Chinese, who are gradually, but continuously working the ground receding from the river banks. Formerly, as soon as a party had worked so far back as to loose the natural fall for their tailings, the claim was abandoned for that cause alone, and not from the wash-dirt being poorer or exhausted ; but it was not then considered valuable enough to repay for lifting it into boxes sufficiently elevated to secure the requisite fall; now, however, this latter plan is adopted, and little doubt exists that the working of the extensive flats running from Harrietville to the :Buckland and Ovens River junction is a mere question of time. At Harrietville itself the shallow river claims on both branches of the Ovens are nearly, if not totally worked out, and the Chinese are now mining in various places on the steep ranges in the immediate vicinity of the river ban\s, but at heights varying from 40 to 100 feet above the present river bed. These claims call for n9 particular remark, farther than the peculiarity of their position. The Chinese population, and consequently the quantity of gold obtained at Harrietville ·and the vicinity, have decreased considerably during the past two years. Deep sinking on leads-only one claim.-The Ovens River Deep Lead Company has been prospecting during the quarter for the supposed deep lead, and I regret to add the works are now stopped for want of funds, while the amount of ground driven does not exceed lOO feet, and can in no wise be looked on as solving the question as to the existence of a payable lead, in consequence of the drive not being· carried to the ground where the former blind shaft of the company was left un bottomed at a depth of 112 feet. Quartz elaims.-Of the numerous reefs registered as being near Harrietville, only one Johnston's reef-has hitherto been sufficiently good to warrant the erection of machinery thereon, and nearly all the others are now suspended from work under various pretexts. The above-named reef seems to be a really valuable property, as many hundred tons of good stone are stripped, and the reef appears as rich and as permanent as when it was opened .. The other reefs being worked in this portion of the division, are mentioned in the return herewith, and present nothing requiring particular notice. · 24 Mwse's and Growler's Creeks. Shallow alluvial workings.-Nothing of interest in connection with these workings has occurred, except a few claims being lately opened at the head of Morae's creek, which are paying wages .. Deep sinking on Leads.-Although it was.in this part ofthe division the first gold was struck in the deep ground, yet such is the reaction which has set in after the first excitement consequent o~ the discovery had passed away, that at present, and for months past, the only claim being worked is the ·wal!ace Deep Lead Company, a claim in which more than the ordinary difficuHieshave been met with. The main shaft is now sunk to a depth of 145 feet, and a. drive is to be opened at once to strike the deep ground about 70 feet distant, where the men were unable, in a former attempt tO reach the bottom. Sanguine expectations are now entertained that this final effort will be successful, and it is generally , believed that the owners in their previous unavailing struggles to bottom their blind shaft, met such encouraging prospects, as to justify the perseverance displayed, and the expense incurred. A feeble effort has been made to start the prospecting claiin on this lead, the Premier, under tribute, but the scheme has fallen through. On the ·lead there are now standing idle seven steam engines, and the requisite plant for carrymg on the works, the necessary capital for starting the claims not being forthcoming. . . Quartz Mining.-This industry has been languishing on Morae's creek for some months past, in consequence of work being suspended in some of the best reefs, where the owner.s are either engaged in forming companies to aid them in putting in tunnels at levels to secure the future efficient workmg of the clai!11s, or have actually started these works. One new mill is being erected, but no new reefs of , any importance have been discovered since the date of my previous report. Buokland. Shallow alluvial workings,-This branch of mining gives employment to nearly the whole of the local mining population, and through their labours is produced-the larger portion of the gold sent from the entire division, although the Buckland has been opened since 1852, and has been looked on as being worked out. It now maintains a large Chinese population, who are gradually opening new claims lo\'ler down the river, and where hitherto little ground has been worked; and although no doubt the locality of the previous rich claims is now comparatively worked out, yet a. large extent of ground, very little prospected, lies for miles above the present workings, and towards the head of the left branch of the river, where it is probable valuable claims will yet be opened. One rich river claim is now being worked by six men, who are taking out from 60 to 150 ounces per week; this was a. portion of the river passed over when the bed w·as worked some years since. Deep sinking on Leads.-None has been attempted here, the ground being, as a rule, under 40 feet in depth. Quartz Claim a.-Two reefs are being worked on the Buckland, employing about 28 men, and are paying fairly. Some others have been discovered, but nothing has hitherto been found in them to prove they are of any value. . Running Creek and lower portion of Ovens River. Shallow alluvial workings.-These workings employ about 60 men, and are gener~lly speaking poor in the yield of gold, which is fine and light, consequently considerable portions of it are swept away by the heavy head of water used in sluicing. Deep sinking on Leads.-The ground from Bright towards Myrtleford for upwards of ten miles along the valley of the Ovens, was taken up as wet frontage claims, and under leases, but no work Wf!.S ever, attempted by any of the occupants. Quartz claims.-Within the last six months several new reefs have been discovered on the Running Creek, distant about 4 miles north of Bright, and several miles distant from any previously known reefs. After ins.pecting them some months since, the impression left on my mind was, that they were not, though very riCh on the surface, of a permanent character; however, their appearance, now that they have been sunk upon, in some instances, for over 40 feet, leads me to think that an extensive ami valuable quartz "mining district has been opened, and that it will in a short time considerably influence the returns of gold raised in this· division. It is intended to erect a mill on the Running Creek very shortly, the stone at present being sent, at a cost of 25s. per ton, to a mill within the Beech worth division. A reference to the table of" Quartz Crushed during the Quarter" will show the extreme richness of the reefs referred to, four in ·number. As a rule, these are sma.J.l, but there are, I believe, some large gold-bearing reefs in that locality not at present taken up, in consequence of the cost of cartage and. crushing. CRoOKED RIVER SuBDIVISION. ' . Mr. J ames Travis, .il'fining Registrar. TnE ToTAJ:. NuMBER OF MINERS IS As FOLLOWS::- Chinese. I Total for the Retnarks. Europeans. I j. Subdivision. Alluvial lfiners ...... 254 257 511 Quartz Miners ...... 297 .. . 297 Totals ... 551 257 SOS 25 THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED Upper Dargo River ... 211 Wentworth River ... 270 Upper Mitchell River 13 Twenty-five-mile Creek 44. Thirty-mile Creek 21 Crooked River 6~ W ongungarra River .. . )~ W onungatta River .. . ]01 Lower Dargo River .. . 10• Good IJuck Creek 20" Jungle Creek 15' Black Snake Creek 14 Mount Pleasant 80 Twelve-mile Creek 10 Good Hope 15 Total SOS THE MACHINERY IS AB FOLLOWS :- ALLUVIAL MlNDiG, QUAl\TZ MINING, DeB<:ription of Machinery. Aggregate Horse.! Nutnber IAggregateRorse- At Work. Idle. power of Steam ' At Work. Idle, of Stamp ! power of Steam Engines. Reads. ! Engines. ---___ I Steam Engines ...... 5 3 66 102 Water Wheels ...... 3 2 37 ... ' I Total value of mining plant in the subdivision, £43,500. Number of square miles of auriferous gro1:1nd which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon, 49t. Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present~ time, 324. · The price of gold during the quarter in the subdivision has been from £3 17s. 6d. to £3 I Ss. 6d •. per oz. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IIAS llEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ CRUSHEI1 DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM Average Remarks relative to the Name of Company. Where Quartz wa.a Total Yield obtained. Quartz crushed. Yield of G ton cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Jeff. Davis ...... J eff. I)avis Reef ... 191 0 0 0 6 23•62 66 14 0 lOO feet Primrose and Co. ... Palmerston Reef 20 o. 0 4 0 0 80 0 0 90 feet Coxey and Co. ... Royal Saxon E. Reef 13 0 0 3.15 14'77 49 3 0 80 feet to 130 feet Little Dorrit ... Little Dorrit Reef ... 50 0 0 0 14 0 35 0 0 60 feet Lintoll and Co. ... St. Leger Reef ... 20 0 0 0 1S 0 18 0 0 80 feet to I 00 feet Price and Co. ... Rose and Crown Reef 17 0 0 0 15 21'lS 13•10 0 Surface to 40 feet Selk and Co. ... Frank Walsh Reef... 87 0 0 1 2 18'21 99 0 0 so feet Italian ...... Italian Reef ... 7 0 0 0 l 13•il 011 0 70 feet Toland and Co. ... Morning Star Reef... 400 0 0 0 19 0 380 0 0 40 feet to SO feet J. H. Conness and Co. John Conncss Heef 60 0 0 ·s 0 0 300 0 0 30 feet to 40 feet GoodHope ...... Good Hope Reef ... 77 0 0 0 15 ]4'03 "'GO 0 0 Surface to ISO feet Galli and Co. ... Matlock Reef ... 28 0 0 I 11 22"29 44 14 0 130 feet to 150 feet Glen Ora ...... Glen Ora Reef ... 10 0 0 0 8 0 4 0 0 130 feet Timmins and Co. ... Brother Jonathan 27 0 0 6 l 12'44 164 1 0 lOO feet - Reef Total, Quartz ... 1,007 0 0 1 6 2•65 1,314 13 0 • Fifty ounces of gold from two tons of pyrites; ' Considerabie improvement has taken place in alluvial mining in this subdivision during the quarter the number of miners so engaged having largely increased since my last report. The workings are p~ncipally confined to the Wentwoi·th River and its branches-the Twenty-five-mile, Thirty-mile, and Thirty-five-mile Creeks. There has also been a small rush to the Upper Mitchell; but on account of the river still remaining high, I am afraid that very, little work will be done there until the summer is further advanced. I regret that I cannot report an equal improvement in quartz mining, from the same cause alluded to in my last report, viz., the cost of cartage and crushing. There has been very little quartz raised, and a large number of claims have been suspended. No. 22, c. 26 . In the immediate neighborhood of Grant, the Frank Wal~h Reef is the most pr!>mising. Durmg the quarter the shaft has been sunk to the depth of 80 feet, and drives have been put m along the line of reef 50 feet each way from the shaft: At the lower level the lode is about 4 feet thick, very solid, and with a good show of gold. On the crooked River, the Brother J onathan and the J eff. Davis are the only reefs that· any stone lias been crushed from lately, the former giving the splendid yiefd of 6 ozs. 1 dwt. to the ton. The reef is from 8 to 18 inches in width, and the quartz crushed last was taken at a level of 100 feet from the surface. At present it has every appearance of being a permanent and good paying reef. The Jeff. Davis ·Reef has been for the Jast four months worked on tribute; and although hitherto the tributors have not been very successful, the last crushing shows a very considerable improvement in the quality of the quartz. The Good Hope Company are still busily engaged putting in their tunnel, and have consequently crushed very little stone from· their own reef. The mill, however, has been crushing for the different reefs in the neighborhood. The Company's tunnel is in about 580 feet, and it is expected that 150 feet more will strike the reef. On the Upper Dargo little change has'taken place since my last report. Several new reefs have been registered there during the quarter, only one of which appears to be of any importance; that is the llomeward Bound, discovered by R. Moor and party. The .John Conness Company have erected a new mill of eight stampers, which is now at work crushing stone from· the ComJ>any's claim. _ 'l'he .MorninJi Star Reef is being worked steadily; and although the average yield of 19 dwts. is uot large, yet, with so wide a reef, it is found sufficiently so, to pay the proprietors well for working it• . 1'he .Evening Star Reef, s~eposed .to be the richest in the division, has h~d no quar!z crushed from 1t durmg the quarter. A truil'crushmg of 8 tons, crushed at the Eureka mlll about SlX: months ago, gave a return of 8 ozs. to the ton ; and the quartz taken out since appears to be quite as good, if not better. The Company have purchased the Union Company's plant, and are busily engaged removing and re-erecting it. · On the W entworth River, the alluvial miQers, principally Chinese, are making fair wages, sometimes as high as £7 per week. There have been a good many claims registered lately on the Twenty-five-mile Creek, and I have every reason 'to expect a large increase in the Chinese populatioh · during the ensuing quarter. J AMIESON Sunnrv~SION. (Part of Jordan North.) 'Mr. Samuel K. Vickery, Mining Surveyor and Registrar. THE ToTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:- Ohineae. · • Total for the Europeans•. Subdi'rilliou. Remarks. Alluvial Miners 263 50 Quartz Miners 259 Totals 522. 50 572 1 ' ... ::. TnE TOTAL NuMDEll OF MtN~R.S rs THUS DISTlUBUTED :~ Hell's Hole ~nd Dry Creek, Merton 65 Banks. of River Goulburh, between 95 Benalla ...... 12 Swampy Creek and Jam~eson .Mount Pleasant, Moles worth 175 -Mack's Creek · ...... 35. Devil's River .. . 10 Sailor· Bill's and Swampy Creeks ... ::60. Howqua River,' including Cameron's 80 Prospectors and · others throughout 10· Creek and tributaries division Banks of River Goulburn, between llig 30 River Junction and Jam.ieson Total --··572 THE MACHlNEliY IS AS FOLLOWS:- . ALLUVI~L linnNG. QuA.R:rz Mnmm. Description of MMhlnery. •• Aggregnte ' Aggyega.te dl Number of At Work. Idle. At Work. I e. IStampHeads. ft~:~~~: -- 1·-'-- . Steam Crushing Maphines ...... 3 ... 44 65 - ; \-Vater Wheels ...... l ... •1(; ... ' 27 Total value of mining plant in t~e subdivision, £20,050. Number of square miles.of auriferous ground which is'being, or m·ay have been, actually worked upon, l4i. Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 15. The price of gold during the quarter' in the subdivision has been from £3 148. 6d. to £3 17s. per oz. THB FOLLOWING bFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ CRUSBD DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM:- Where Qua.rtz was Average Total Yield of Il.eii12Jks relative to the NBme of Company. . obtained. 'Quartz ci'Ullbed. Yield of G<>ld Depth at which the · per Ton. Gold. Quartz wao ob~ed. tons cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr Star of the West ... Company's leased 210 0 0 0 18 6'86 192 0 0 ground, Mack's 'Creek Luck's All ...... Prospcctjng claim, 33 0 0 0 11 12•36 19 0 0 ditto . Champion ...... Leased grou'!ld, 23' 0 0 4 18 16·70 113 10 0 Flume Creek C?ampion Prospecting Company's claim, 5 0 0 6 0 0 30 0 0 ditto From surface to 50 Mountain View • ... Leased ground, 105 0 0 0 -7 0 36 15 0 feet. Swampy Creek Hungarian ...... Leased ground, 296 0 0 0 2 0 29 12 0 Sailor Bill's Creek- 8, 4, and 5, North Hun- Ditto ...... 196 0 0 1 0 9'06 199 1-1 0 garian 23 0 0 3 17 6•26 88 17- 0 Gleeson ... ' ... ~· .. company's , leased ground, Sailor I Bill's Creek Alien ...... Ditlo ...... 8 0 0 i 1 0 18•00 I 8 6 0 Total, Quartz ... 899 0 0 ~~ 0 15 23·20 1 717 14 0 • As the :r.fana.ger for t¥!1 Company declined to furnish the return o_fthe quarter's oi'Ullbing, the information given may not be strictly correct.. The depression referred to in my last report is not so severely felt, a circumstance due as much . to the economical and efficient means· now employed in the working of some of the older claims as to the discoveries made throughout the district. - In the neighborhood of Jamieson no new ground has been taken up for mining purposes, but, owing to the heavy and frequent rainfalls during the spring, the races leading to the various claims on the high banks and spurs of the River .Goulburn have continued efficient, permitting the bank and river bed claims to be worked simultaneously; as a result, the number of alluvial miners is largely augmented, and the quantity qf. gold brought into tl).e township is much in excess of any previous quarter. The cutting of the track from Wood's Point, via the valley of the Goulburn, to J amieson, has also contri buted to some extent to the progress in alluvial.mining in this part of the subdivision, by affordin'g facility for the transit of material and provisions. The introduction and remunerative operation of the tribute system has caused quartz mining to become more settled an occupation than formerly, and proves that the. wunt of success which attendeg .the working of our mines before the introduction of that system was due more to the 111eans employed, than to the actual character of the reefs. · At Hell's Hole, near Merton, the quartz workings are altogether abandoned, but the alluvial claims continue to afford,rem~nerative employment to aoout sixty miners. . · ~h~ BenaJla workings are nearly deserted in consequence of the trial crushings from the principal cla1ms g1vmg ummportant results. At the Mount Buller goldfield the greater number of the alluvial claims are held under suspension, chiefly on account of the expensive character of the workings, the limited supply of water, !lJld the demand for harvest labor~r~. On Sharper's Creek a quartz ~ru~hing machine is being erected m connection with Chenery's leased ground; and on Lick Oh! Creek a lease of forty acres for copper mining has been applied for. At Mount Pleasant fifty-one new quartz claims, and twelve alluvial claims, have been registered for .occupation, and the population has largely increased since the date of my last report. The reefs, at the points at which they were first opened, continue to yield rich stone, but the operations of the quarter have not been prosecuted with sufficien& energy t.o determine on the probability of the reefs proving permanent or not. Owing to there being no available means at present of diverting water from the Goulburn or its tributaries to the ground taken up for alluvial mining, no important results have yet been obtained. A quartz crushing machine is in course of erection on this field, and the nucleus of a township is already formed. No other part of this subdivision demands special notice. 28 GAFFNEY's CREEK SUBDIVISION. (Part of Jor~an North.) Mr. Hugk St. H. Blair, Mining Surveyor and Registrar. THE T I Total for 1 Europeans. Chinese. I·the Subdivill!on. Remarks. : I Alluvial Miners ...... I 150 70 220 Quartz Miners ... ••• I 200 ... I 200 ! Totals '"I 350 70 l - 420 THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:- Goulburn River 40 Balct Hills ... 0 Gaffney's Creek ..·. 100 Lyre Bird Creek 50 Cannon's Creek ...... 25 Wallaby Creek 10 Raspberry Creek and branches .. . 110 Prospectors ... 25 Ryan's Creek ...... 0 Y1ctoria Gully · 60 Total 420 TRE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:- ALLITI'LU. ML'ffii"O. QUAli.TZ MoimO. Description of Machinery. ! Aggregate I Number Aggregate A\ Work. Idle. Horse-~er of At Work. Idle. of Stamp Steam ines. Heads, ft~~:lf&,-:;:. ------Water Wheels ...... 7 ... 66 ... Ditto ...... 3 ... ,. 32 .. . Steam-power ...... 1 .. . 10 12 Ditto ...... 4 44 40 Total value of mining plant in· the subdivision, £'28,000. Number of ~quare miles of auriferous ground which is being, o'r may have been, actually worked upon, 2!. . Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present t1me, 13. · The price of gold during the quarter in the subdivision has been from £3 10s. to £3 I7s. 6d. per oz. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IIAB BEEN. OBTAINED RELA'lCIVE TO THE QUANTITY 0~' QUA.RTZ CRUSHED DURING TilE QUARTER. AND THE GoLD OBTAINED THEREFROM :- ' I . Average I Total Yield Remarks relative to the Name of Company. . Where Quartz was Quartz crushed. Yield of Gold Depth at which the obtained. per Ton. of Gold. QUB.rtz was obtained. tollJI ewt. qr. r·· dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr, A 1 Company ... Castle Reef...... 650 0 0 1 10 0 975 0 ·0 30 to 100 feet Golden Belt ...... Homeward-bound Reef 1,919 0 0 10 2 6•77 218 19 12 lOO to 150 feet Hunt's ...... Ditto ...... 2,400 0 0 10 4 22'15 590 15 0 Ditto Victoria ...... Ditto ...... 7 45 0 0 0 6 12'98 243 13 0 Ditto Gaffney's Creek United Ditto ...... 1,395 0 0 0 3 209 4 0 Ditto Try Again ... Cannon's Reef ... 71 0 0 1 18 1~'201 137 0 0 10 to 30 feet Rose of Denmark ... Eureka ...... 1,468 0 0 0 2 15'82 195 4 0 100 to 200 feet Eldorado ...... Lyre Bird Reef ... 500 0 0 I 3 2'88, 578 0 0 40 to 130 feet I'hrenix ...... Outward-bound ... 490 0 0 0 7 18'121 190 0 0 40 to 70 feet Total, Quartz ... 9,638~!0 6 22•2313,337 15 12 I have the honor to report that nothing of .special importance has occurred in this subdivision during the quarter, the supply of water still being plentiful has enabled the mills to crush up to this date, but the yields, although payable, have, with few exceptions, realised the expectations of the miners. The tribute system is still gaining ground, and I have been informed thr.t four mines which have been standing idle for the last six months, will c9mmence work on this system next year. The alluvial mines on Gaffney's Creek are looking very promising, and in every instance yielding good returns. The bank claims on the Goulburn River, still oontinue to give employment to a number of E~ropeans and Chinese. . . 29 WooD~s PoiNT SuBDIVISION. (Part of Jordan North,) .Mr: A. B. Ainswo1·th, Mining Suroeyor and Registrar. TBE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:- ' Total or Europeans. Chinese. the Subdivision. Remarks. Alluvial Miners ...... 260 ... 260 Quartz Miners ...... 652 ... 652 0 Totals ... 912 ... 912 TBE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINims IS THUS DISTRIBUTED :- Morning Star and Wood's Point ... 250 Edwards' Reef 6 Lower Goulburn .. . _ 160 Bald Hills to Matlock ... · 10 Right and Left Branches ditto ... 70 Toorak to Columbia 20 Gooley's Creek and Bald Hills ... 130 Black River ... 80 Harper's, Killar's, and Pheasant Creeks 25 Moving population 83 Perkins' Creek and W averley ... 20 Emerald claims 12 Total 912 All Nations 40 Maori Creek ... 6 THE MaCHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:- ALLUVIAL MINING. QUARTZ MINING. I Description of Maehlnery. I IAggregateHorse- Number AggregateHorse· At Work.: Idle. power of Steam At Work. Idle. of Stamp power of Steam Engines. Beads. Engines. --- -- Steam Crushing Engines ...... 2 3 74 97 Water Wheels with auxiliary ...... 3 ... 55 ... steam gear Water Wheels and Turbines (3) ...... 7 2 129 ... Steam Pumping and Lifting ...... 1 ...... 10 Engines I Total value of minin~ plant in the subdivision, £64,000. Number of square miles of auriferous ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon, 18. Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 91. The price of gold during the quarter in the subdivision has been from £3 to £4 per oz. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ• CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM :- : Average Where Quartz was Total Yield of IRemarks relative to th• Na.me of Company. I Quartz crushed. Yield of Gold Depth at which tho - obtailled. per Ton. Gold. Quartz was obtained. tons cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. 'Prospector's...... Morning Star Reef 2,277 10 0 0 16 0 1,822 0 0 Nos. 1 & 2 North Am. Ditto ...... 2,200 0 0 I 3 2•72 2,542 10 0 The Hope, G. M. Co .... Ditto ...... 1,600 0 0 2 17 2•22 4,567' 8 0 The Wood's Point ... Ditto ...... 600 0 0 0 7 3'16 213 19 0 The Age of Progress Ditto ...... 440 0 0 0 2 12 55 0 0 Edwards' Prospecting Edwards' Reef ... 530 0 0 0 I 19·47 48 0 0 All Nations ...... All Nations Reef ... 2,000 0 0 0 4 0 400 0 0 Prince of Wales ... Ditto ...... 39 0 0 12 3 14•15 475 0 0 Royal Standard ... Royal Standard Reef 1,558 0 0 2 9 5•05 3,833 10 0 Leviathan ... Leviathan Reef 200 0 0 2 6 16'80 467 0 0 Never-Mind Prospecting Never-Mind Heef ... 1,595 0 0 0 16 0 1,276 0 0 Total, Quartz ... 13,039 10 0 1 4 1•95 15,700 i 0 The tonnage of the first five crushings given above, is estimated from the crushing power and working time, the companies not recording the tonnage raised. ao There has been in the total yield for the quarter a falling off both in the amount of quartz crushed,and the yield therefrom in gold, notwithstanding the heavy average of the Hope Company's crushings, which is 2 oz. 17 dwt. 2·22 gr. per ton. · The Royal Standard, owing to scarcity of water, have not been able to crush as much as last quarter, nor has their average been as heavy; this latter fact, may be in part owing to a probably extensive abstraction ·or specimens by. an organised number of their men; who have bee.n watched for some time and l'l'tlre caught in the fact, during the latter half of the month. In consequence of this discovery the whole of the Cornish men, and the underground manager have been dismisstid the claim. For a considerable part of the quarter this company have been crushing with only eight stampers, but the steam-engine is now in course of erection; as also, an .additional battery .of five sta~ps, all to be completed about the middle of February. The handsome yield of' the· Prince of Wales Gold Mining Company, giving an average of 12 oz. 3 dwt. 18 gr. per ton for thirty-nine tons, is another illustration of the value of the tribute system, so far as the OJ?ening-up stage of quartz mines is concerned. It will be recollected that the All Nations Gold Mming Company took the claim on tribute, and, though the Company's manager be of acknowledged ability, failed to obtain payable quartz,.where Delbridge and Co., thetributors, obtained for themselves and the company most satisfactory returns. The spread of the tribute system is the most important feature in the history of the pa.~t quarter. It eliminates, in a great measure, the incapacity of managers from the causes of failure, or at least of excessive expense in quartz mining speculations; it has, moreover, an advantage of commercial value to the district, namely, that of increasing the circulation of moneys by residents in the district, and counteracting the baneful effects on the general population of the monopoly in a few hands of the rich returns obtained from our mines. . The ad_ditional crushing power obtained during the quarter, consists of eighteen heads of stamps. E1ght of whwh have been added to the Never. Mind prospectors' machines, and the other ten pertaining to the Leviathan prospectors' Turbine. ·· The crushings from the Leviathan Ree(have fully satisfied expectations, the average yield being · over 2 oz. 6 dwt. to the ton. The N evi:ir Mind ·Spur has given ai:wther hopeful. claim to the distriCt in 'the Sons of Freedom prospecting reefs. It is again a mullock reef of cousiderable face. The alluvial miners continue to obtain fair yields ·from the Goulbouru, though some of the ground is being worked for the third time. Labor is not very plentiful. BIG RIVER· ·SuBDIVISION. (Part of Jordan North.) Mr. Penrose Nevins, Miming· Sur'l.leyor a'l}-d 'Registrar. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF .MINERS IS AS ·FOLLOWS:- i Total for · Europeans. Chlneoe. the Subditision. Rem&rka. --·~·- - Alluvial Miners 211 ... 211 Quartz Miners ... 33 ... 33 ~ ··---- Totals 244 ... 244 THE TOTAL NuMBER oF ~fiNERs IS THUs DISTRIBUTED:- Up the Big River, above Enoch's Point 8 Fryer's Creek : .. · · ...... 90 Warner's Creek ... 11, Big River, from Enoch's Point to ~ew-· 10 Sixteen-mile Creek and vicini~y ... 12 man's · · Enoch 's Creek ...... 15 Ditto, on to Darlingford and vicinity .. .' 40 Frenchman's Creek...... 4 Prospecting ... •.. ... 20 Railway Creek and Reefs ...... 16 Jem Thomas's Creek and Reefs ... 18 Total 244 ·THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:- ALLUVIAL MINING. • QUARTZ llfTNING. Description of Machinerr. Numher Aggregate At Work. Idle. At Work. Idle. ! of Stamp Horse~ power of llea Total value of mining plant in the subdivision, £13,800. Number of square miles of auriferous ground which 1s being, or may have been, actually worked upon, 2!. Number of dist_inct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 8. · . The price of gold during the quarter in ihe subdivision ha~ been from £3 16s. to £3 17s. 6d. per oz. 81 THE FOiLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GoLD OBTAINED TREREFROM :- i Remarks relAtive to tho Name of Company. Where Quarlz wM Quarlz crushed. I, Yield Ave~e of ,old Total Yield of Depth at which the obtailled. per Ton. Gold. Quarlz was obtained. tons cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Luck' s-Ail ...... ·Warner's Reef, War- 95 0 0 0 19 13'14 92 17 0 Surface to 45 feet ner's Creek Unknown United ... Unknown Heef, Uail~ 205 0 0 0 4 0 41 0 0 Surface to 80 feet way Creek Hope·On Hope-Ever ... Seek-and-Find Reef, 124 0 0 11021'48 191 11 0 Surface to 150 feet Jem Thomas's Creek Prospecting claim ... Stade's Reef ... 50 0 0 0 13 20•64 34 13 0 Surface to 50 feet Star of Erin ...... Enoch's Creek ... 42 0 0 0 5 0 10 10 0 Surface to 15 feet ------Total, Quartz ... 516 0 0 0. 14 8•70 370 11 0 The depression to which I; alluded in my last reJlort as having fallen over the qu~tz mining interests in this subdivision still continues, and, with the exception of the Luck's-All, Prospecting Claim (Stade's Reef), the Unknown United, and Peppin's Hope-on Hope-ever, quartz mining may be said, for the present, to have totally collapsed. The Luck's-Ail Company, at Warner's Creek, is working the mine on tribute, the particulars of which were gin1n in my last report. I am informed by the principle tributor that the prospects of this mine appear to be very much improved ; seyeralleaders showing good gold have been struck, and he is of opinion that this mine will yet turn out a success. The Star of Erin, Enoch's Creek.-This company crushed for a short time during the quarter on tribute, but being heavily in debt, and the returns not proving satisfactory, turned out a total failure. The plant is for sale by the Union Bank, and the lease has been forfeited. Many persons are still of opinion that, under good management, this grou::~d would pay, and, as a proof of it, I have this day registered 4 men for 160 yards of the ground. Stade's Reef Prospecting Claim, Enoch's Creek,-This company recently struck several gold bearing leaders, but they are so thin, and there is so much labor attending the gettin'g at them, that this company at present ranks very low in public esHmation; the shareholders (three) who are now working the claim apJ>ear confident that they will ult.imately strike a well-defined reef. The Unknown United Quartz Mining Company, after vainly attempting to struggle through their difficulties, have finally succumbed, and the plant, lease of the claim, &c., which cost UlJWards of .£4,000, and is all in full working order, was sold IJy auction under an execution on the 15th November for £260. The purchaser, a Melbourne speculator, has let the mine on tribute, the exact terms of which I have been unable to obtain. The tributors commenced crushing on the 24th of this month, but have not as yet washed up. I am informed that they are well satisfied with the prospects this mine now presen~s. . Peppin's Hope-on Hope-ever, Seek-and-Find Reef, Jem Thomas's Creek, is still being worked on tribute, and with satisfactory results. There is nothing doing on any other of the quartz claims in this subdivision, nor is there anything else referring to quartz mining worthy of special notice. · As regards alluvial mining, no discoverie.s of any importance have taken place, although several PB;rtie;; have been prospecting nel!or and upon the Sixteen-mile and other creeks running into the Big RIVer. , , Fryer's Creek has continued to furnish employment for a considerable number of miners. On the various other small creeks, and on the river, a limited number of miners still continue to work, and, as a general rule, with tolerable success. . ,, · . The population has considerably diminished, yartly from the poverty of the miners, and the ,determination of the storekeepers to cease giving cred1t, compelling many to go elsfilwhere; partly from the new rush at: Mackenzie's, and the attractions of New Zealand, whilst the comparative failure of quartz mining ~as further tended to produce the same result. MATLOCK SunmvrsroN . . (Part of Jordan South.) Mr. A. B. A inswo,•th, Mining Surveyor and Registrar. · THE TOTAL NuMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:- Total for the " Europeans. Chinese. Subdivisioll. i - ' Remarks. ! ~-~--~-·~- "" .Alluvial Miners ...... 340 60 400 Quartz Miners ...... 169 .. . 169 Totals ... 509 60 569 I " 32 THE ·ToTAL 'NuMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUT.I!D:- Matlock, Thacker~y, Alal;la~p.a, Alhambra ... 40 :M:oonlight and New Chum Reefs ... 8 Loch Fyne ...... · ...... 12 Aberfeldy River ...... 60 B. .B. Creek and Spurs .. . 200 Thompson River ...... 20 Jericho and Jordan .. . 150 Moving population (10 per cent.) 51 Garibaldi 0 Blue Jacket 20 Total 569 Red Jacket 8 THE M.AOHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS :- .A.J,LUVIA.L 1\in 'Description of Machinery. I Number I .Aggregate .At Work. I Idle. Horse·~er of .A.t Work. I Idle. of Stamp Horse·~er of Steam·~·[ gmes. I Heads. Steam ines. -·~~ .. - I Crushing Mills :- ' Steam Engines ...... ~ .. •' ...... I 2 36 55 Water Wheels and Turbines ...... 4 34 I ... Total value of mining plant in the subdivision, £20,000. Number of square miles of auriferous ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon, 25. . . . - . . Number of distmct quartz reefs whiCh have been aetually proved to be auriferous to the present ~m~2a · 'Ihe price of gold ·during the quarter, in the subdivision, has been from £3 to £3 19s. per oz. THE FOLLOWING lNFORM.ATION H.AS BEEN OBTAINED REL.ATIVE TO THE QU.ANTITY OF QUARTZ CRUSHED , miniNG THE QuARTER, .AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFR.OM 1 Wbere Quartz was I Average 1 Total Yield Remarks relative to th& Name of Company. obtained. · Quartz crushed. )Yield of Gold • Gold. Depth a.t which the perTon. i of · Quartz was obtained. tons cwt. qr. 1 ~wt. gr. I· oz. dwt. gr, B lue Jacket Quartz Min- Blue Jacket Reef ... 57l o· o·o 9 5'29 263 5 0 ing Company Unit.ed Miners Gold Ditto ...... 2 0 0 lO 0 0 20 0 0 ~lining Company New Chum Gold Min- New Chum Reef ..• I 12 0 0 1 18 20 23 6 0 ing Company Smile of Fortune Gold Smile ofFortune.Reef• 2 0 0 3 15 0 7 10 0 0 Mining Company Eldomdo Gold Mining Eldorado Reef ... 60 0 0 0 14 18•40 44 6 0 Company .. ------Total, Quartz ... 647 0 0 Oil 1'85 358 7 0 " The amount of quartz crushed is larg-er by some 25 per cent. than that crushed last quarter ; the yield per ton has also increased. The United i\1iners and the Smile of Fortune have had small trial' crushings, which are very encouraging. The Eldorado Gold Mining Company have crushed 60 tons from two different levels, 10 tons of which from an upper level gave 23 dwts. per ton; 50 tons from a lower level, about 13 dwts.; giving an average for the 60 tons of 14 dwts. 16 grs., which will pay the company.'rhe alluv1al· a1 so h as prove d generall y. payabl e tnroug1 h t h e subd' lVISlOn, · · an d money Is· · easier· at Jericho as well as .at Wood's Point; very little speculation however exists, and the amount of money entering the district it; t~e shape of cal_Js, is at its minimum, and will.Pr?bably continue so as long as the incubus of the W mdmg-up Act weighs upon the prospects of the d1stnct. · I have nothing of importance to chronicle as regards the prospects of the subdivision, save the trial crushings referred to above. DoNNELLY's CREEK SuBDIVISION. · (Part of Jordan South.) Mr. J .. G. Peers, Mining Surveyor and Registrar. THE TOTAL NuMBER oF MrNERs IS AB FoLLows:- EUI'O])ea.ns. Chinese. ItheSubdiyision. Total for Remarks. --- . Allu,·ia.l Miners ...... so ... so I Quartz Miners ...... 300 ... 300 Totals ... 380 ... 380 - I 33 THE TOTAL NUMB~R OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:- Ed~ards' Reef 150 Aberfeldy, Donnelly's Creek, a.nd 80 Crinoline Reef 60 1 tributaries Tullamore 65• ' Fulton's 25 Total 380 THE MACHINERY IS AB FOLLOWS:- ALLUVIAL M.tNIN'G. I I D~nof~eey. I Aggregate I NUlnber I Aggrerato AtWork. I Idle. H.,..,.= of! At Work. Idle. of Stamp I Horse-c:£ Steam es. •• Heads. 1 Stea.m • 1 --- I 2 51 98 Steam Engines ...... 2 I I Water WheeL...... I 12 i 12 Total value of mining plant in the subdivision, £25,000. Number of square miles of auriferous ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon, 2. Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 10. The price of gold during the quarter in the subdivision has been from £317s. 6d. to £319s. per oz. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE ,TO THE QUANTITY OF QU.iltTZ CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE . GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM :- Avera~ ] Remarka relati'P'e to the Name of Company. I Where Quartz was I. Quartz tons cwt. qr. 02. dwt. gr, oz. dwt. gr. Crinoline Prospecting Tunnel ...... 1,050 0 0 0 10 19'49 567 18 0 225 feet South Crinoline Ditto ...... 940 0. 0 0 10 0 . 470 0 0 150 feet Independent ... Ditto ...... 230 o o 1 o 1 15·65 19 0 0 North Mount Useful ... Ditto ." ... 170 0 0 0 i 1'41 5o o o· 80 feet ---- Total, Quartz ... 2,39o-;;-; /09 8"26 l,ll6 18 0 The Crinoline (Prospecting)· mill is at present idle, in consequence of the company having to make several alterations and repairs to the machinery. The Independent Company have had a crushing; but the result is anything but satisfactory, as the manager expresses li belief that the major portion of the amalgam was abstracted from the boxes. The Mountai~ Q~een Company's machiner:y: is in c?urse of removal to the Shamrock Reef. The South Crmolme Company have all the1r machinery erected, and have been crushing all the quarter with the exception of about two (2) weeks. The result of the first crushing was, as far as I can - learn, satisfactory. . A new company, (the Phrenix), have commenced crushing- some of the quartz from their claim at the Brictouche'machine. Since my last report the mining population has been considerably increased ; but I am sorry to say that their labors have not been attended with success, as the return of gold is less than last quarter; from what cause this arises I am unable to ascertain, but am of opinion that were more capital introduced, it would conduce materially to the prosperity of the subdivision. · There are a number of auxiferous reefs whicli require to be opened up. / / SALE SUBDIVISION. I' (Part of Jordan South.) Mr. Oharles R. Geoghegan, Mining Registrar. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:- · Total for I . I Europeans. Chinese • the Subdiviaion. i Be~ka. ~--·- ! Alluvial Miners ...... 250 ... 250 Quartz claims all suspended or I abandoned. 0 I No. 22, d. THB,,TOTAL NUMBER 01!' MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:- :. . .. . '. Russell's Creek 120 Crossover Creek ~·. 80, .. ·. 1 Other places 50' ·'·' Total' 250 .Total value of. mining plant in ~the subdivision, _nil. . .,..t. -~•-L.tU...-· ~-.1- ~-'""'·'·• Number of sq)lare miles of auriferous ground which is being; or may have been, actually worked upon, 25. : •.. . . Number of distinct quartz reefs which. have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present t~e,,.-3:-· ...... :·1- f # ..... "f• •-\ • _:·~~... ,...~.: .... ·, ~s.. r .. ' • The price of gold duri1,1g the quarter in the. subdivision h,as· been from £3. 12s. to £3 15s. per oz. · · · ,S';{'RINGER'S CREEK SUBDIVISION. (Part of Jordan,.South.) · ··:J~t(Joh'it s. Patterson, M1ini/rig'Reifi8trar: '.···'">' '.•.·; ·:.·. J" J-.. . ' THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS. IS AS FOLLOWS:- I ~ 't' '' Totlll for the .. ... -.. Europeans. ·Subdivision. Remarks. r· ,. Stringer's Creek: Alluvial Miners "247 I 247 · ~ Number of houses, l49;·number of Quartz.Min,ers. 224 224 laborers, 68 ; number of store keepers and publicans, 55 ; number of women, 127; number Toiiis - ..... I of children,·I5l. " .TH;E_. TOTJ,L ~UMBER OF, MINE~S. IS THUS DISTRIBUTED :---:_ .. Quartz Miners. Alluvial Miners. Stringer's Creek ...... 139 Thompson River 36 Happy-go-Lucky ...... 69 Aberfeldy ...... 20 Long-fellow's Reef...... " ... . 6 ~u.~sell's Creek and tributaries 186 Black Diamond .4 Shamrock ... 2 Total 471 Scrat-a-bit ... 4 Copper Mine ); ., -,.... ·~·, c ~· THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:- I Number At Work. I Idle. i ofStamp ~~~-·-·-~---- Steam Engines . _3 1 4 I 75 125 Water Wheels I I 1 5 . I Total value of mining plant in··tlie-:sub'divisioh; £37,000.· ·· · Number of square miles of auriferous ·ground which is being, or may have-been,- actually worke TaE FOLLOWING iNFORMATION IfAs ·BEEff. oBTA~N:t;J~. RELATIVE T!J. TRE_ QuANTITY ~F QuARTZ cnusaED. DURING THE QUARTER, AND TRE GoLD OBTAINED THEREFROM :- · I Average · · · IRemarks relative to the ' NIU!l& of Company, Where Quartz was Quartz crushed. Yield of Gold Total Yie1 d of Depth at which the obtained. I per Ton, . • Gold. . . · Quartz was obtained. 1 ------~---~------1------i~------1 tons cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. 1 Walhalla ... No. 7 North, Cohen's 1,362 0 o I 10 o·o9 2,043 5 0 1 72 feet above creek ~~ ~~ North Gipps Larid Golden Fleece W~sley ••. :gf:~::::l· ~: ::l·:··:::: :: ·: : :::: ..: Re~ . ., Happy-go-lucky ... Happy Pr'o's.pectiog" ~f,936 :.o.::o;. o 10·2!f·43, 1,058 10 o 200 feet ditto claim Lilydale .•. Happy-go-lucky .•• 75 · 0 o i o 19 4'80 72 o o · 150 feet ditto .T~t~l, Q~~~tz~:.' 4,024 0 0. b:/~:85 -4,651 10 0 ,One quartz prospe~ting _cl~im! and ~ix _c_reek cl~ims,_ ha:V:~. been registered during the quarter, and thirty-mne quartz claims liave ·been:suspenaed from work-under the plea of want of funds. . . 0MEO CENTRAL SuBDIVISioN. Mr. W. Phipps, Mining Registrar. -- .. , . . ·. ,· ., ·; '! 1 - THE TOTAL ·Nu:r.rBER.oF MINERs Is As FoLLows:- Total for the ' I· Europeans. : . Chinese. , I Subdivillion. Remarks. Alluvial Miners ..., 305 ... •225' ~ ~~ . 530 Quartz Millers ... 50 ... 50 ~ /. ·' .~\ ...... ,. i --~---~ -~~ Totals 855 225 580 THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED :- . . ' ,. Livingstone Creek ... 50 Gibbo Creek ... 25 MWit~a-mbittl!:.C Rivker, , fr,qm" _Gobungara. to . 25 Wheeler's Creek ...... 15 om at ree Cudgewah Creek, Upper :M:urray 20 Wombat Creek 175 Upper Bendock .·...... 20 S~ift's Creek ... 150 River Tamb·o .:. ' lOO Total 590 ~ -. •• ~-- _,,J ..,. THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:- .,,..,. ~~~I ... "f• ...... ~' . I ALLUVIAL lii:INING. QUARTZ Mrti'ING. Description of M:achinery. I I Aggregate Number Aggregate I At Work. Idle• . Horse..~of At Work. Idle. ofSta.mp Ronur~erof I I Stea.m .... Heads. Steam f!in'."'·· .. ~ Californian Pumps and Whe~s ... . 18 7 ...... - '• Sluice Boxes ...... 450 100 ...... ' . ' Total value of I)lining plant in the subdivision, £4;ooo. Number of square miles of auriferous gro1lll:d which is be~g. or may have been, actually wo'rk~d upon,5. : •·.··· · ·1.··. · ·, ···•·' :.· "1" ·- . Number of distinct quartz reefs whi~h have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 20. · The price of gold d\U'ing the quarter in the B'!lbdivision has been from £3 7s. 6d. to £317s. 6d, pE>r oz. . . · 86 The alluvial diggings on the river Tambo are gradually extending downwards from the mouth of Swift's Creek. · The delay in completing the Omeo Quartz Crushing .Company's mill at Swift's Creek is greatly retarding the development of this part .of the district, and work is suspended on many of the quartz reefs, the shareholders waiting to have a trial-crushing of their quartz before going to the expense of gettin~ machinery of their own. Three distinct quartz reefs have been registered on the Upper Bendock, JUst within the Victorian boundary. Two parties of Chinese are re-opening Gibbo Creek, which was rushed ten years ago, and then abandoned. There are also a. few Europeans working on Wheeler's Creek. · SNOWY CREEK SunnmsioN. Mr. Andrew Trench, Mini?ig Registrar. THE TOTAL N'O'HBER OF MINERS IB AS POLLOWS :- I Tot&l for the Ew:opeana. Chinese. Subdivillion. Remarks. Alluvial Miners ...... 337 110 447 I THE TOTAL NtrltBE.R OF 'MrN:B.Rs IS THUs DisTiiBtrTED :- Junction of Sn~wy Creek and Mitta. Thunder-and-Lightning Creek :.. 295 mitta River to Sandy Creek , .. 30 Mitta-mitta. River, from Snowy Creek Granite Flat · 90 to Wombat Creek 32 Total 447 T:a:E MACHINERY IS AS ll'OLLOWS :- QUA.JI.TZ llf!lffifG. Description or lllaohlnery. Number or IAggregateHorse.l I · Nnmberof Aggr --·--- -~ - ··~ Californian Pumps and Wheels 10 I l ...... Sluice Boxes ...... 2,000 I ...... ' Total value of mining plant in the subdivision, £2,100. , . Number of square miles of auriferous ground which is being, or may have.been, act.ually ·W!Jrked ·upon, 21.· _ · Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 3. - · . . . The price of gold during the quarter in the subdivision has been from £3 5s. to £3 12s. per oz. 'Very little alteration has taken place in the general aspect of mining affairs il). this subdivision since the date of my last report. The amount of gold-from the Thunder-and-Lightning Creek is far below the amount obtained there this time last year. The workings are princjpally in the creek bed, and if something is not found in the banks and hills, it will be nearly worked out this summer, as the Qreek-bed is very narrow. · · ·a great many parties are now preparing to work the bed of Snowy Creek, and from prospects obtained they expect to make good wages. The large sluicing claims ·about Granite Flat are paying very well, one party hail just washed up, and, I am informed, that the washing will average ·about £16 sterling per man per week; There is not much doing on the Mitta-mitta. River at present. 3i ' MrTCHELL RIVER SuBDIVISION. Mr. Arthur F. Walker, Milnilng Swrveyor and &gistra.T. TB:B TOTAL NuM~ER 011 MINERs' IS AS FOLLOWS:- Total for the Euzopeans. Olllnese. Subdi'flalon. Bem&rks. Alluvial Miners ...... 66 lOO 166 Quartz Miners ...... 22 ... 22 Totals ... 88 lOO 188 THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINlilBS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:- Store Creek so ! Boggy Creek ...... 5 Nicholson 28 Sandy's Creek and MacDonald's Creek 100 Merrijig ... so Total 188 THE :MACHINERY IS All FOLLOWS:- ALL11VU.I. llliNI:No. .I Quarz JI1:INING. Description of Machlnel')'. At ARrege.te Idle. Horse-cor At Idle. Iof NumbM Stamp I. Horse-~erof~ge.te Work. Stea.m · ee. I. Work. Heeds. , Steam gilie. ··---1 . 1 Tambo Quartz Mi11ing Co...... ' ... 9 12 I Total value of mining plant in the subdivision, 8,500. Number of square miles of auriferous ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon, 1. . Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 2. The price of gold ·during the quarter in the subdivision has been from £8 17s. to £3 18s. per oz. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QuANTITY OF QuARTZ CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GoLD OBTAINED THEI!.EFROM :- ' Remarke relative to tbe Na.tne of Oompany. Wbere Quartz waa Quartz eruSbed.l Totak!iald of. ! I y;.;}JXtd I 1 Depth &t which the obtained.' ' , perTon. , • Quartz was obtained. -··-- i ·- tons cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Tambo ...... Ta.mbo Reef ... 50 0 0 0 i 20•16 19 12 0 About 30 feet There has been an alluvial prospecting claim taken up on Boggy Creek, three or four miles west of Mount Taylor, in which the prospector washed out 4 ozs. in two days. The gold is of a scaly water- worn character, and is obtained near the surface. ' 38 SANDHURST M·INING DIST.RICT. ... SANDHURST' DIVISION.- Mr. N. 0.· StephenB, Mining RegistTaT. ___• ..___~--- ,. "~ - ' -· f ' THE TOTAL N u"MBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:- " <> - I Total for the I• Europeans. Chinese. Remarks. Division. I ' .. • . .Alluvial Miners ...... 3,860 1,060 4,920 Quartz Miners ...... 2,482 ... 2,482 Totals ... 6,342 1,060 7,402 - -- - THE TOTAL NUMBER OF. MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED;-.., • Axe Creek and Milkmaid'~ 'Flat .. 1i"o.. Prince of Wales Reef 13 Back Creek 80 Moonlight Reef 8 Sprirrg Gully 60 Snob's Hill 56 Sheepshead 130 Black Forest Reef ... 10 Golden Gully. 200 Shelback R.eef 16 Golden.SIJ!I.are .. ; . . 120. Redan Reef •. 80 Kangaroo .Flat ... · lOO Nelson Reef 60 Lockwood and•Shelbourne 80 Sophia R.eef 42 Crnsoe Gully and neighborhood · 100. · · Agnew Reef 8 Victoria Reef and New Chum 240 Eaglehawk 900 Long Gully and Maiden Gully 350 Myers' Flat 350 Ironbark . .. 250 Dead Horse Flat .... 200 Bendigo .Flat ...... 980 California Gully • 300 St. Mungo and Devonshire Reefs 90 White Hills 240 Windmill Hill and Johnson's Reef ... 260 Pottery Flat 250 Robert Burns and East Johnson's Reef 48 Epsom ... 300 Eagle and Comet Reefs ...... 58 ·Ironstone· ,2,QQ W etheral and American Reefs 65 Huntlcy 380 Catherine Reef "93 Telegraph Line 90 Star Reef . .. 48 Whipst1ck 140 Specimen Hill. 80 Sydney Flat 60 Moori Iteef 36 Red Jacket . 30 Clarence Reef .. 40 Dead Horse Reef, Napoleon Gully 22 Total 7,402 Ditto, Pes Leg .:. ·so ·THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS :- ALLtTVUL MINING. I QUJ,RTZ li:UNmG." DeScription o! Machhui.,., 1 Number of jAggre~t~Horae- Number.. of IAggregate . IIorse~ At Work. Idle, Stamp Heads. Ste~~wl£.:ffnes. At Work. ·Idle. St!llllp Hea.de power of 1-___ ,____ --- · · ------Stea.m Engmea. Crushing ...... 15 2 172 211 26 7 548 612 Crushing and Pumping ... 3 ... 24 36 9 2 156 274 Crushing and Winding ... 1 ' ~ .. 8 10 1. 3 39 42 Crushing, Pumping, and I Winding ...... 3 1 .• 49 -70 11 3 243 357 Crushing, Baling, and ... Winding ...... 2 ... 12 22 I ... 12 12 Pumping and Winding ... I 2 ...... 18 19 3 ... 380 Baling and Winding ... I l ...... 14 3 ...... 25 Pumping ...... l ...... 10 1. 1 ... 35 Winding ...... 6 2 ... 129 Fuddling Machines ... 396 44 ...... - ...... ' 39 Total value of mining plant in the division, £311,800. · Number of square miles of auriferous ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon, 13t. .~ Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 130. , The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been ,£3 17s. 6d. per oz. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION ~AS BEEN OBT.UN.ED RELATIVE TO TRE Q~ANTITY OF QUARTZ AND QUARTZ TAILINGS AND CEMENT CRUSHED DURING TRE QUARTER, AND TB.E GOLD OBTAINED THEEEFEOM :- Rema.rke rehl.tive to the Depth Name of Company. Where Quartz, &1l., were Qua.rtz crushed. I. Yield Aver~ of Id Total Yield of at which the Qua.rtz was . obtained. · · per Ton. Gold. obtn.i:ned, &1l. tons cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Herculea ... Victoria Reef ... 1,200 0 0 0 6 3'20 368 0 0 About 35o·feet WmRae ... Various reefs ... 3,395 0 0 0 13 13•09 2,299 6 18 Various depths Lu1fsmaun, Sterry, Ditto ...... 5,000 0 0 0 12 9•60 3,100 0 0 Ditto · and Co. , - Indefatigable ... Specimen Hill ... 1,900 0 0 0 5 19•36 551 13 0 Ditto Invincible ... Ditto ...... 280 0 0 0 5 0'51 70 6 0 Ditto Button Brothers ... Opossum Reef ... 386 0 o· 0 3 15•80 70 12 ,3 Ditto .. Peg Leg ... Peg-Leg Gully ... 467 0 0 0. 3 ll•82 81 ll 0 Ditto Eagle ... Various reefs ... 4,497 0 0 0 5 6'43 1,184 10 0 Ditto Glasgow Reef ... Ditto ...... 1,520 0 0 0 5 12•68 420 0 0 Ditto Break-o'-Day · ... .Brown's Reef ... 897 0 0 I 12 15•87 1,464 17 0 160 feet Hustler's Reef ... Various, Hustler's 2,925 0 0 0 13 20•17 2,024 4 6 Various depths Reef principally Comet ...... Various, Redan Reef 2,798 0 0 0 10 9•95 1,457 0 0 Ditto principally Albion ...... Various, Sheepshead 2,697 0 0 0 4 20'57 655 0 0 Ditto Reef. principally - G:reat Extended ... Ditto ...... 786 0 0 0 4 0•85 158 12 0 Ditto CatherineReef, U .C. Catherine Reef ... 17,866 0 0 0 4 16'49 4,186 16 0 Ditto Dressier and Ste- Various reefs ... 2,085 0 0 0 6 11>'75 693 18 0 Ditto · phenson Wellington ... Dead Horse Reef ... 1,072 0 0 0 3 7•73 178 1 4 Ditto Fraser and Church Various reefs ... 1,371 0 0 0 6 17 459 17 0 Ditto New Chum ... New Chum Reef ... 4,615 0 0 0 14 0•21 3,232 9 12 Ditto Bird's Ueef• ... Bird's Reef ... 2,650~ 0 0 0 3 19'92 . 507 9 13 Ditto Denmark ... New Zealand Reef.•. 290 0 0 0 4 . 6•21 61 15 0 Near surface Johnson's Reef ... .Various reefs ... 2,422 0 0 0 7 13'49 915 15 0 Various depths H. Koch (Pioneer Ditto ...... 5,287 0 0 0 10 9'54 2,748 12 0 Ditto Engine) Albert ... Ditto ...... 5,652 0 0 0 3 16•1 1 1,037 10 6 Ditto ---- ' Quartz Tailings and Total, Quartz ... ------72,058 0 0 0 7 18•03 27,927---- 15 14 ·Cement Crushed. ------Guy and Co. ... Epsom ... 2,313 0 0 0 1 8'll 154 15 0 Felix White Hills ... 2,437 0 0 0 3 22'09 477 14 1 Sampson Broth~;~ Epsom ...... 840 0 0 0 3 0 126 0 0 Hardie and Co. .. . Pottery Flat ... 600 0 0 0 4 12 135 0 0 Caledonian ... Ditto ...... 1,200 0 0 0 5 0 300 0 0 North Star Ditto ...... ·1,584 0 .0 0 2 21•61 229 14 3 Mitchell aud Co, ::: .Huntley ...... 1,200' 0 0 0 7 0 420 0 0 True Briton ... Di Durin~ the quarter, mining operations have somewhat improved ; our prospects are good; but the district stlll suffers from over speculation during the late mining mania, many promising lines of reef being unworked from waut of the necessary capital to prospect them. The most satisfactory feature is the. quartz on many .of the main lines being richer at greater depths than nearer the surface. The_Hustler's line presents an instance of this fact; the yield from Messrs. Latham and Watson's clairq, •at 450 feet level,· is. said .to 'be richer: than any previous returns from the same mine. · On this line, the Hustler's Reef Company, after sinking 400 feet, put in a drive and cut the reef, which looks well. The operations of this company for the last few months have en.!lbled them to dis charge a liability of some thousands of pounds incurred in the erection of their new machinery. . The Comet Company's stone is improving, and their crushings are highly satisfactory. Further north, the Alabama Company are erecting a .pumping, winding, and crushing machine, and sinking a new main shaft (now 170) 300 feet deep, to cut lhe reef which has been worked in the old shafts. The Sophia and Redau Company are pushing forward their drives, expecting to cut stone at an early date. Oon. · siderably further north again, Cooper and Company have struck the reef at about 160 feet .from the surface, yielding about 6 ozs. per ton. The South Hustler's Company are actively at work, but without any marked resiilt. · . PerseveranCe Reef.-l:lost of the claims on this line ~e do~g well. ·' 40 Windmill Rill.-A. few claims are working and doing well, but some of the richest are at present lying idle from want of drainage. , Johnson's Reef.-The Johnson's Reef Gold Mining Company are doing well. They have a fine reef at a depth of 422 feet. W etheral Reef.-In Messrs. Collman and Tacchi's claim they have come on a reef at 400 feet from the surface, which promises to yield as much as 12 ozs. per ton. The Star Reef CompanY: and t~e Prince of Wales Company have suspended operations for the present, but expect to be workmg agam shortly .. Eagle Reef.-The Great Extended Eagle Company have had splendid returns. . Specimen Hill.-The North Specimen Hill Company and Argus Company, are doing well. · St. Mungo and Devonshire Reefs present the most marked improvements. The St. Mungo Company having crushed 3 ozs. to the ton. The Lady Barkly Company have also had rich yields. Catherine Reef.-The returns of the Catherine Reef U. C. Company have improved, and others on the same line have no reason to complain. · Moon Reef.-The Robin Hood Company have had regular and payable crushings for some time past, and other companies in the vicinity ~ave good prospects, and are working with some spirit. The Peg-Leg Company have come on a new run of stone, which promises well. New Chum Reef.-A.ll the claims on this line are giving good returns. What is commonly termed the third reef, has shown itself wonderfully rich. . Victoria Reef.-Nearly all on this line are doing remarkably well. The Energetic Company, the Gold Mines Company, the Advance Company, the Adventure Company, the Try-me-Well Com pany, and Ballerstedt and Son, are the most fortunate. Sixty tons of the Energetic Company's stone averaged 12 ozs. per ton. They have now a reef at the 343 feet level, 8 feet thick. The last 300 tons averaged 21 dwts. per ton. The quartz is heavily charged with mundic. The Rercules Company are driving towards the Energetic Company's reef, expecting shortly to get equally rich stone. Specimen Hill, Long Gully.-The Indefatigable Company have a great. body of stone which pays for working, and varies little in the yield. They have their own· crushing machine. The Aga memnon Company are engaged sinking and opening up their mine, and the proprietary are very sanguine of success. · Garden Gully Reef.-The Garden Gully Company have been erecting crushing machinery, which' is just completed, and they are now going to work the reef in earnest; already they have a quantit~ of quartz raised, which l'romises to pay well. They expect to cut the second reef shortly. Valedonia Reef.-The Alhance Company have removed tlieir machinery from, the Frenchman's, and are erecting it on this reef, where McEwan and Company lately obtained such rich returns. Sarnia Reef.-The Sarnia Reef Company have a well defined reef at 90 feet, in which gold is constantly seen in breaking. Bird's Reef.-The Bird's Reef Company are working with better results, but the North Bird's Reef Company have been idle for some time. · · • Adelaide Reef.-The. Adelaide Gully Company finding the mine unprofitable, wound up, and disposed of their pla.rit, which has since.been removed. · Friiling Reef, Whipstick.-The prospectors have d~scovered a reef about one foot thick, with a fair amount of gold in it. The secon~ claim, north, crushed 14. tons, averaging 22 dwts. per ton. None of the claims on the south are paytng at present. . . · brusoe Reef.-The Crusoe Gully Company struck gold at the bottom of the water-shaft, just as they had decided on stopping the works. · . Brown's Reef.-The Break-o'-Day Company, owing to the energy and spirit of its directory and: good management, have obtained payable qua:tz from th~ir .mine, which for a long ~ime was considered worthless. Their prospects are now encouragmg; and Similarly conducted, there 1s no doubt that the workings of many other companies would prove remunerative. It is a fact worth noticing, that private parties of miners would be only too glad to get possession of ground held by some public companies who cannot make the same pay expenses. Their non-success is not always the fault of the projectors, or a proof that the reef is not payable. · · · · · A· good drainage bye-law is much required, the want of it is a. serious dra'\Ypack to mining. This, with the presence of:a little more capital and a more economical system of working, would place the reefs of Bendigo in a far more favorable position than they have as yet occupied. At present we have a good supply of water on hand for all purposes. · • Runtley may be considered the head quarters of alluvial mining: The substantial plants a~d dwellings now erected on the deep lead, attest the prosferity of that portion of the division .. I have registered two applications for alluvia prospecting claims, near the junction of the Coliban and Campaspe rivers, from 8 to +7 feet sinking; the wash-dirt reported as averaging from one-. quarter to half-an-ounce to the load. - Quartz prospecting claims have been taken up on Rechabite Reef, Iron Bark Gully ; another on a reef about one mile north of Wallaby Reef, Shelbourne; one on Monmouth Re_ef, near Eagle Hawk; and one on Children's Reef, near Sailor's Gully ; but payable quartz has not yet been found. •. KILMORE DIVISION. Mr. Martin Meagher, Milnilng Registrar. TBB TOTAL Ntl'li1BER OF MrNERB rs AS FOLLOWS:- - Tota.l for the I Europaan.s. 'Obineoo. Division. I Rematrka. ,-. Alluvial Miners ...... 125 450 575 Quartz Miners ...... 316 ... S16 - ---·-~ ------Totals ... 441 45Q 891 " 0 41 THE TOTAL NuMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:- Reedy Creek Alluvial Miners .. . 545 Golden Crown ... 22 Snobbs' Creek ditto .. . 30 Cattle Range, King Parrot 8 Reedy Creek Quartz Miners 50 Murrendindie West .. . 8 Sunday Creek ditto 56 Kilmore Old Diggings, M~;endindie, 20, Strath Creek ditto 30 North-east Mud(ly Creek, Yea ... 46 Flat Lead ... •.• 16 Total ... 891· Tea-tree Creek Ranges 60 THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:- ALLUVIAL llflm:NG. _ QUARTZ Mnm!G, Description of Machinery. ! AJ!gregate I Number Aggregate At Work., Idle. Horse-~er of • At Work. Idle. of Stamp Horse-~ or Steam iues. i Heads. Steam · es. ~~- ---, Steam Engines ...... 8 2 74 126. / Total value of mining plant in the division, £10,000. . Number of square miles of auriferous ground whic:h is being, or may have been, actually worked\ upon, 60. "' Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 70. The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been from £3 15s. 6d. to £3 l6s .. per oz. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND QuARTZ TAILINGS AND CEMENT CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD· OBTAINED THEREFROM :- Average I , Remarks relative to the Name of Complllly. Where ~artz, &c., were Quartz crushed. IYield of Gold Total Yteld of Depth at wWch the 0 tained. per Ton. . Gold. Quartz, &c., were Oh· tained. --· tuns . cwt. qr. !oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt, gr. Providenee Mining Asso- Muddy Creek, Yea 250 0 0 2 0 0 500 0 0 75 feet below the ciation surface The Sons of Freedom ... Flat Lead, near Yea 40 0 0 1 0 0 40 0 0 50 feet below the surface Welcome Reef ... Tea-tree Creek ... 238 0 0 1 0 0 238 0 0 160 feet from surface Sailor Jack ...... Strath Creek ... 24 10 0 2 0 0 49 0 0 95 feet from surface Sailor's Reef ... Reedy Creek ... 300 0 0 1 0 0 300 0 0 Tunnel 230 feet long Shepherd's Reef ... Reedy Creek ... 7 0 0 6 0 0 42 0 0 Shaft 150 feet deep Ryan and Co. ... Sunday Creek ... 100 0 0 3 3 1'44 315 6 0 Shaft 65 feet deep Golconda ...... Sunday Creek ... 72 0 0 1 5 0 90 0 0 Shaft 50 feet deep Rising Sun ...... ' Sunday Creek ... 65 0 0 2 5 0'51 146 6 9 Shaft 50 feet deep Windsor Castle ... Sunday Creek ... 51 0 0 1 1:\ 0 89 5 0 Shaft 60 feet deep ------Total, Quartz ... ·1,147 10 . 0 i_:_~... 13•07 1,809 17 9 Quartz Tailings and I ---- Cement crushed. I Providence Mining Asso- 1\Iuddy Creek, Yea 500 0 0 0 3 0 75 0 0 Surface ciation ' ' The Sons of Freedom ... · Flat Lead ... 200 0 0 0 3 0 30 0 0 Surface Sailor Jack ...... ·Strath Creek ... 30 0 0 0 7 0 10 10 0 .Surface Reedy Creek ... Reedy Creek, 1\fessrs. 300 0 0 0 3 0 45 0 0 Bottom of shaft ISO Farell, Maxwell, feet deep and Co. Kilmore Old Diggings Morrending ... 200 0 0 0 9 0 90 0 0 Surface, and 20 feet under Total, Quartz Tail·} ------1,230 0 0 0 4 1'76 250 10 0 ings and Cement I Reedy Creelc.-A.lluvial Mining. A good deal has been done on this creek during the quarter: 75 Europeans and 4()0 Chinese are working on it and doing well. , The Chinese that are mining make from 25s. to as much as £6 per man per week. A ne\v lead that has been lately taken up on the flat has yielded 6 dwts. to three buckets of wash-dirt, and as much as £10 per man per week has been made. The average for laborers on the creek is from £2 to £2 5s. per man per week. . Snobb and IJry Oreelcs. About thirty alluvial miners are constantly at worlr on the ends of these creeks falling into the Goulburn river, and in the river also; they are said to be doing well. No. 22, e. 42 Sunday (freelc. Twenty men are mining on a branch of this creek,. not doing well. In the Sunday Creek Reefs antimony has been found in small quantities, in which ·gold is seen. A sample has been sent to the'Oillce of Mines. . ' ' .· ·. · The Windsor Castle Reef is about twelve inches thick, mullocky; but good prospects.· G.old from this claim lately brought £4 la. 9d. per oz. in Melbourne. There are twelve lines of reefs in Ryan and Company's ground, from 6 inches to 4 feet thick. Water-wheel, 22 feet 6 inches diameter; 15 horse-power, 10 head stamps; 16 men employed. · The other claims on this creek are now suspended. The Reedy Creek Company are sinking a shaft in the south end of their claim (formerly Langridge's), and remodelling their engine gear. The Shepherd's Reef Gold Mining Company are sinking their shaft, and raising quartz ; a second shaft has been sunk lately 32 feet dPep deep, in which was found a rich reef 9 inches w1de. The Magenta and Solferino Gold Mining Company.. are driving a tunnel. The reef. has not yet been struck ; 220 feet driven through very hard stone. . Peruvian, Wellington, Butler, and the Albert·reefs appear to .be abandoned. Machinery for the Captain's Iteef Gold Mining Company is in course of erection. About 15 tons of stone, said to be very rich, has been raised from a depth of 70 feet; none crushed yet. 8tratl~ Greek, between Reec!.y Greek and King Pa1•rot. Hayes' Hill Gold :Mining Company's tunnel is 320 feet long, they have struck a rich reef from 10 to 18 inches thick, and are raising quartz expected to yield 6 ozs. per ton. The Wild Dog Gully, and the l'hronix Gold J\fining Companies have driven 120 feet of a tunnel in their Homeward Bound lease. 1'hey struck a large body of stone, about feet thick, in which gold can be seen, but \\'hich has not yet been tried by crushing. The company are about to drive by contract a second tunnel in the 'Wild Dog lease; 30 feet of it are already driven, in which several rich' leaders have been met, but the main body of the reef has not yet been reached. . Tea-tree Oreelc Ranges,-The Junction Claims. In the Freemason's Gold Mining Company's shaft driven into the hilL 370 feet, several small leaders~ were met, but the main reef has not yet been found. £2 5s. per foot paid for continuing the tunnel. · · The Enniskillen Gold Mining Oompa~y, on the Tea-tree O~eek Ranges, have put in a tunnel760.feet in leng~h, cost £1,560. 'fhey expect to strike the reef daily. The depth of the air-shaft is 150 feet; the depth of the tunnel from the surface at old shafts is 21!) feet. There are three old shafts in this ground. The reef is 4 feet thick; yield was 4 ozs. and 9! ozs. respectively. They daily expect to strike the reef in the tunneL The Dunrobin and Catherine claims are suspended, and perhaps abandoned. Kilmorc Gold Minir~:.£1 Company, Moranding. The works done on this ground during the quarter are-remodelling their mill, putting in a new battery, raising rubble, and crushing 200 tons. 'L'hey are said to havel,OOO tons of this debris ready to crush when the mill is in order. · Harp of Erin Gokl Mining Oompany, Moranding West, Lanctifield Road. The company have 60 or 70 tons of quartz ready for the mill, some of which at a trial crushing, was payable; the bulk will"shortly be crushed. · ·: The reefs at Pyalong, Mollison's Gap, and Yan Yean farmer's common, Whittlcsea, are abandoned. . The alluvial workings in the vicinity of Tallarook and Sayrriore are not turning out satisfactory. Received, during the quarter, by the banks in Kilmore :- Colonial Bank. · I Bank of Victoria. · ozs. dwts. grs. ozs. d wts. grs. Quartz go !a ... 289 12 9 Quartz gold ... 453 15 15 Alluvial gold ~~ · Alluvial gold 683 '1 0 1 Total... 351 1 9 Total.:. ... 1,13'1 2 15 1 HEATHCOTE DIVISION AND "TAltANGA SOUTH SUBDIVISION. 'Dfr. J. T. Strong, Jlfining Su1·veym· an·d Registrar. THE TOTAL N U!IDER OF i\IrNE!l.S IS AS FOLLOWS :- I Tot..! for the , Europeans. I Chinese~ Division and Remarks. Subdivision. I I ·-- Alluvial Miners ...... 300 200 500 Quartz Miners ...... 640 ... I 640 ,__ --· ' Totals 9~0 200 1,140 ' I \ 43 THB TOTAL Nu:u:BEB OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:- Heathcote, including Golden Gully, Red ·509 Coliban River 12 Hill, Commissioner's Flat, Caledonia Campaspe River 50 Gully, Long Gully, &c.; &c. · Mundy Gully, · ... 71 Wild Duck Creek, including Green Hill, 398 Costerfield and Redcastle 100 Hard Hill, American Hill, Patterson's Gully, &c. Total 1,140 THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS :- ALLUVL&.L MINING. QUA.ll.TZ MINING. Description of Mach iner,:. Aggregate Number Aggregate At Work,/ Idle. Horse-power of At Work. Idle. o!'Stamp Steam Engine. Heads. ~:~~!~ Steam Engines ...... I 8 13 s 107 352 Puddling Machines ...... 50 11 ...... Chilian Wheels ...... 2 2 ...... Horse Whims ...... 2 ... 6 ...... Horse Whips ...... 6 ...... Tailings Machine ...... Sluice Heads (water) ...... 6 ...... Total value of mining plant in the division and subdivision, £42,650. Number of square miles of au!'iferous ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon, 80. Number of distinct quartz reefs which have· been actually proved to ·be auriferous to the present time, 99. ' . · The price of gold during the quarter in the division and subdivision. has been from £3 15s. t<> £4 Os. 6d. per oz. THE FOLLOWING INFORM.ATION HAS llBBN OBTAINED IlELATIVE TO THE QuANTITY OF QUAI!TZ CRUSH:EI> DUI!ING THE QUARTEI!, AND THE GoLD OBTAINED THEREFROM :- I I Remarks relative to tbe Name of Company, Where Quartz wa.a Quartz crushed. YietJ'~'(~Id Total Yield of JX,pth at which th obtained. per Ton. Gold. Quartz was obtained. ' tons cwt. qr. oz.dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Alabama ...... Caledonia Gully .. . 383 Q 0 0 19 12'72 374 0 0 340 feet Costerfield ...... Costerfield .. . 914 0 0 0 10 3•671 464 0 0 300 feet Argyle Reef...... Argyle Gully ... 120 0 0 3 9 8 416 0 0 160 feet Donaldson and Company Swede's Gully ... 56 0 0 1 19 6•86 110 0 0 Surface Castagna.and Company Long Gully ... 124 0 0 1 5 11•61 . 158 0 0 110 feet Schwartz and Company Corinth Reef ... 39 0 0 0 15 9·23 30 ·o 0 180 feet Riley and Company ... Swede's Gully ... 56 0 0 1 1 18•87 61 0 0 90 feet Smith and Company ... Golden Gully ... 15 0 0 3 3 8 47 10 0 24 feet · J. Stead man and Co .... Swede's Gully ... 17 0 0 0 17 15•53 15 0 0 80 feet Kirby and Company ... Scandinavian Reef... ll9 0 0 0 13 22·79 83 0 0 170 feet Bramble and Baker ... .Wild Duck Creek ... 33 0 0 I 9 16•73 49 0 0 Surface Parker Bros. ... Shakespear·'s Reef ... 30 0 0 0 13 8 20 0 0 90 feet Robinson and Neil ... Red Hill ...... 100 0 0 0 3 14·40 I 18 0 0 Surface Sundry crushings at ...... 50 0 0 0 8 0 20 0 0 Sundry depths from Sfephenson's machine I surface to 40 feet ---~- ; Total, Quartz .•• 2,056 0 0 ;Is-3'53 i1,865 iOO In neither quartz nor alluvial has any change occured to call f~r special notice. The works in connection with the amalgamating pans mentioned in the previous report are now suspended, and I have reason to believe that the expectations of the gentlemen who introduced them. into the district have not been realised. This partial failure is ascribed to the fact that the machines. have been worked by gear in cqnnection with stamping batteries, which, it is urged, prevented that uniformity and regularity of motion necessary for their efficient working, and the manager still confi dently asserts that were the revolving pans worked by machinery employed solelr, for that purpose, the assertions made as to their thorough efficiency in extracting gold from quartz tailings would be fully carried out by actual proof, 44 W A RANG A NORTH SuBDIVISION. Mr. ·H. B. Nicholas, Mining SuNJeyor and Re!J.istrar. THB TOTAL NUMBED. OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:- Total for the Europeans. Ohlnese. SilbdiYision. Rem~~rks. -· I Alluvia.l Miners ...... 85 i 103 188 Quartz Miners ...... 480 ... 480 Totals ... 565 I 103 668 THB TOTAL NuMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED: Rushworth- Coys- Old Lead and adjacent gullies 56 London and parallel reefs 121 Chinaman's Flat, ditto ditto 51 B ron, ditto ditto 5B N uggety and parallel reefs 109 C -tree, ditto ditto 41 Growler's, Mongolian, and parallel S Creek 15 reefs ... · 49 Ranges ... '10 Whroo- Mary Taylor's Cree~ 3 Main and adjaeent gullies · 51 Balaclava ...... 50 Total 66B Albert and parallel reefs ... 30 White Hills and Fontainbleau 24 THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:- ALLUVU.L MII;'ING. Qu.un:z MINING. Description of Machinery. Number AggregatE> At Work. Idle. I~o~~S::: of I At Work. Idle. of Stamp Horse·.I!,OW~r of Steam Engines. I Heads. Stea.m Engines. ------~· ~------1----1 ·---1---1---- Steam Engines- Quartz Crushing .• , .•. 6 82 80 Pumping,Crushing, and Winding 1 12 16 Horse Whims andWhips ••• 22 Horse Pnddling Mills .• . ••• 22 ... I . Total v,alue of mining plant in the subdivision, £20,500. · ' ·Number of square miles of auriferous ground which is.beiug, or may have been, actually worked upon, 9. • · . Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 83.. . . The price of gold during the quarter in the subdivision has been froin £3 15s. 6d. to £4 Os. 3d. per oz. · } . TnE FOLLOWING IN.PORM.!.TION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTI'fY OF QUARTZ AND, QUARTZ TAILINGS AND CEMENT CRUSHED DUBING THE QUARTP!B, AND THE GOLD OBTAINllD THEREFROM :- Remllrke relative to the Total Yield of Name of Company. I Where ~uartz, &o., were Quil.rtz' crushed, I, YieldofAvera~ Id Depth at which the 0 te.ined. Gold. Quartz, &e., were ob- ! perTon. te.ined. ---· tons ewt. qr. oz.dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Coy's :- Byron, Coy and others Byron, Coy's, and 666 0 .0 0 8 4•80 273 1 6 50 feet to 140 feet - Corbett's reefs :Uason and others ... Cherry-tree , .... 171 0 0 0 13 20•56 118 9 12 65 feet to 1oo feet Murray, Inifer and Murray and Hicks' 179 0 0 1 10 10•53 272 8 12 40 feet to 100 feet others' Reefs J,e Roy and Co. ... Guernsey Reef ... 41 ·o 0 0 14 16•97 30 3 0 70 feet Pollon and Co. ... London Reef ... lOO .0 0 3 6 20'\6 3:34 4 o 1 140 feet 2 11 20•87 59 13 o 140 feet Hicks, Bryant and Hicks~ and Essex 23 0 0 1 , others reefs Rushworth :- Pioneer ...... South Nuggety and 314 0 0 0 10 16•51 167 16 0 250 feet Cockatoo reefs Sennott and Hollins Old Frenchman's 61 0 0 l 1 4'85 64 13 8 60 feet Reef .. 45 QUANTITY Oll' QUARTZ AND QUARTZ TAILINGS AND CEMENT CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEBEFBOM-continuea :- . Average Remarks relative to the Where Qnnrtz, &c., were Total Yield of Name of Company, I Quartz cfnshed. Yield of Gold I Gold. Depth at which the • obtained. per ton. Quartz WI\S obt"!'>ed· Hushworth :~ tons. cwt. qr. oz.dwt. gr, oz. dwt. gr. Tim. Taylor ... Nuggety Reef ... 73 0 0 l 4 21•37 90 17 0 130 feet Scott and Hutchison Mongolian and Main 12 0 0 2 12 6 31 7 0 40 feet to 60 feet reefs Robert Law ... Scrub Reef ... 112 0 0 0 8 12 47 12 0 20 feet to 50 feet Ditto ...... Mousey's and West 260 0 0 0 4 0 52 0 0 Surface to 80 feet Grow !er's Reefs Geyle and Co. ... South Devon Reef ll2 0 0 0 4 12 25 4 0 60 feet Farquharson anu Co. Soris of Freedom, 43li 0 0 0 12 6 267 1 0 80 feet to 140 feet Nuggety Hill, and Specimen Hill Heefs Whroo :- Crago and Co. ... Great Eastern Reef 36 0 0 0 8 8 15 0 0 40 feet Anglade and Co. ... Albert Reef ... 9 0 0 3 5 0 29 5 0 200 feet Thompson and Co .... Fontainbleau ... 50 0 0 0 10 4•80 25 10 0 60 feet Thompson and Co .... Johnsori's Reef 30 0 0 1 13 6•40 49 18 0 110 feet Bailey, Jones and Carr's and Albert 17 0 0 0 17 4'23 14 12 0 150 feet others reefs Lewis and Menzies ... Balaclava Hill ... 2,930 0 0 0 8 3'86! 1,195 11 6 150 feet to 220 ·feet ------; Total, Quartz ••. 5,632 0 0 Oil 5'68 '3,164 5 20 Quartz Tailings and Cement crushed. .· Bristow, Brodie and Old Lead and Nug- 335 0 0 0 4 10•741~:-:- Surface to 1o feet Bride son gety Gully RobertLaw ... Serub,Growler's, and 358 0 0 0 2 8 41 15 8 Surface Eelipse reefs, Rush- worth La.wandDa.rroch,and Carr's and China- 352 0 0 0 2 5'22 39 1 0 Surface to so feet Crago and Co. man's reefs, Whroo -·---- Total, Quartz Tail· } ------ings and Cement 1,045 0 0 0 2 23'34 155 6 8 At Coy's Diggin~s, the Byron Reef is under exemption, tll.e prospectors' claim is down to the water-level, and no provision has yet been made for drainage. Coy's and Corbett's. Reefs have paid fair profits to the claimholder.i, and have materially assisted i~ keeping up the returns from this locality. The London and Murray.Reefs continue to pay good dividends. The Guernsey and Inifer's are JUSt paying expenses. Alluvial minin~ at Coy's is defunct. · · At Whroo, Balaclava Hill1s regaining its old position ; the average produce of the quartz is now above 8 dwts. per ton, and it has been proved by the proprietors that 2 dwts. will leave a margin of profit;, they employ upon the mine upwards of fifty workmen, and improvements are progressive in their method of mining. The Albert, Carr's and J ohnson's Rt;efs, occasionally contribute small cakes in !?roof of their vitality, and but little more can be expected from them until assisted by outside capital, or by co-operation amongst the miners. At Rushworth, the Frenchman's, Cockatoo, and the Nuggety Reefs have crushed about the usual quantities of quartz; the average yield is a little abov'e last quarter. The Sons of Freedom and South Devon Reefs are almost abandoned. The Reefs have. not been found in either case beyond the prospecting claims. Scrub Reef is slightly improving. The tributors in the Camp Hill claim are doing very well. In alluvial mining, about fifteen to twenty miners have been profitably employed in crushing cement from Nuggety Gully and the Old Lend. The number of the chinese engaged in puddling is increasing, both at Whroo and Rush worth. RAYWOOD DIVISION. Mr. E. P. Virtue, Mining Registrar. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AB FOLLOWS:- Tota.lforthe I Europe..,.. ' Chinese. Division. Remarks. • I ~~--· Alluvial Miners 500 I 50' 550 Quart!'l Miners 200 200 Totals iOO I 50 750 46 TRR TOTAL NUMBER OF' 1\ THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS :- ALLUVIAL MINING. QUARTZ MINING. Description of MachineJ1'. I Aggregate I Number Aggregate :At Work. Idle. : .Hors~-p~w~r of At Work. Idle, of Stamp Horse"'lJ&:;! of '· , Stea.m Engines. ' Heads. St.eam ·ea. --~ ------Steam Engines ...... 5 2 60 70 Fuddling Mills ...... 20 25 ...... ,. .. . Total value of mining plant in the division, £12,500. Number of square miles of auriferous ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon, 50. Numl!er of distinct quartz ·reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 20. The price of gold during the qua.rter in the division has been from £317s. 6d. to £3 18s:6d. per oz THE F'OLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ CRUSHED· DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD. OBTAINED. TIIEREFROM :- Remarks relative to the Name of Company. Where Quartz was Quartz crushed. IYieldof Avcra~ old Total Yield of Depth at which the obtained. per Ton~ Gold. Quartz was obtained. - tons cwt. qrs. oz. dwt.. er. oz. dwt. gr. Frederick the Great Sebastian ... 3,1;!6 0 0 0 3 20'75 606 0 0 20 feet to 90 feet Christmas Reef ... Raywood ... 105 0 0 l 3 3"43 121 10 0 60 feet to 100 feet Barkly, Manly, Hope, Elysian Flat ... liO 0 0 0 17 11'29 148 10 0 Ditto and Austrian Reefs ... Erin ..• ...... Kamarooka ... 213 0 0 0 8 2 86 "l 17 20 feet to lOO feet Kamarooka ... Ditto ...... "107 0 0 0 5 3"64 27 11 6 Ditto Gardner and Co. ... Ditto ...... 55 0 0 0 10 3•27 27 17 12 Ditto Cornish and Welsh ... Ditto ...... 151 0 0 '0 7 5'09 54 9 0 Ditto United ...... Ditto ...... 24' 0 0 0 10 10'63 12 10 15 Ditto McGilvay and Co. ... Ditto ...... 26 0 u 0 5 15'23 7 6 12 Ditto Total, Quartz ••• 3,987 0 0 0 5 11"45 ,1,091 16 14 There has no change of any importance taken place in the division during th(! quarter. A heavy fall of rain, which took place a month ago, has given the miners sufficient water. up to the present time to carry on their mining operations. - A new lease ·of ground has been applied for on the W elbaum Reef, which promises to be. a profitable speculation. Hart's patent machine is at present stopped for want of water; it is. the general opinion among the miners of this district that it has proved itself to be a complete failure. 47 MAR YBOROUGH MINING DISTRICT. MARYBOROUGH DIVISION. Mr. D. O'Leary, Mining Surveyor and Registrar. THE TQ.TA.L NUMllER OF MINERS IS AB FOLLOWS:- Total for the ! Europeans. LChiD:__ Division. Remarks. Alluvial Miners 1,450 2,730 ... !· 1,280 1 Quartz Miners .•• 800 800 Totals ... I 2,080 I 1,450 3,530 THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISl'RlllUTED : Maryborough, Main Lead 150 Waterloo and gullies adjoining 80 Mosquito Flat and adjacent reefs 550 Old Man's Gully and reefs adjoining 150 Golden Point and reefs adjacent 200 Ravelock Flat and reefs adjoining . 250 Majorca, including Gibraltar ...... 850 Chinaman's Flat and adjacent reefs 500 Adelaide Lead and reefs adjoining 300 Alma and Balaclava 150 In different gullies 350 Total 3,530 THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS.:- I ALLUVIAL Mnmm. QUA.ATZ MlNDS'G. Description of Machinery. Aggregata Number Aggregate At Work. At Work. Idle. of Sto.mp I' Hora.,.Power of I ~:-~~~~!. I Heada. Steam Engineo. --~ 1:~ --~- SteamEngines employedin 17 2 299 ...... pumping, winding, ~c. Puddling Machines ... 180 145 ...... Whims ...... 120 ...... Steam Engines· employed ...... 9 I 170 170 in pumping, winding, crushing, &c. Total value of mining plant in the division, £51,600. Number of square miles of auriferous ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon, 4t. · Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 119. The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been from £3 18s. 6d. to £4 per oz. 48 ' THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND QUARTZ TAILINGS AND CEMENT CRUSHED DUlliNG THE QuARTEB, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM:- - Where Qua:rt.z, &c., were Total Yield Name of Company. obtained. Quartz crushed. YietJ'::'r~ld per Ton. of Gold. tons ewt. qr. oz. dwt. gr, • oz. dwt. gr. Mariner's Reef ...... Mariner's ...... *858 0 0 0 17 21•88 768 8 4 Ballarat ...... Leviathan Reef, ... 2,500 0 0 0 5 12 687 10 0 Penny and Company ... From different Reefs ... 2,100 0 0 0 12 12 1,312 10 0 Greenway and Wallace ... Blucher, &c. ... 890 0 0 0 14 0 623 0 0 Johnston and Sons ... White Horse, Sydney,&c. 950 0 0 l 9 0 1,377 10· 0 Perseverance ...... Great Western, &c. ... 1,830 0 0 0 4 18 434 12 12 ------Total, Quartz ... 9,128 0 0 011 9•63 5,203 10 16 Quartz Tailings and Cement crushed. ----- Johnston and Sons. ... Cockatoo ...... 290 0 0 0 7 12 108 15 0 Gr~enway and Wallace ... Ditto ...... 340 0 0 0 6 0 102 0 0 ------Total, Quartz Tailings} ------and Cement 630 0 0 0 6 16'57 210 15 0 •or this quantity 176 tons at a depth of 600 feet realised 697 ozs. 17 dwts., in the following parcels :-38 tons, 5 ozs. 13 dwts, ; 65 tOlls, 219 ozs.; 30 tous, 285 ozs.; cl3 tous, 188 ozs.·4 dwts. Total, 176 tons, 697 ozs. 17 dwts. I have the honor to report that in mining matters generally there has been no marked improvemt>nt during the quarter. The mining -population has decreased considerably at Majorca and in the alluvial workings; in the rest of the divisiOn the decrease of the population is also being felt. Quartz mining is being carried on with the usual energy, and some·confidence is reposed in the provisions of the new Mining Bye-Laws relative to co-operative mining, which will probably create a re-action in the alluvial workings. · AMHERST DIVISION. Mr. Joseph Smith, Mining Surveyor and Registra1'. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:- I I Chin Tota.lforthe Remarks. Europeans. eo e. Division~ ~~~~- Alluvial Miners ...... 1,180 363 1,543 Quartz Miners ...... 113 ... 113 . Totals ... 1,293 363 1,656 THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:- EUROPEANS. I LoCALITY. CHINli:SE, TOTAL. Alluvial. Quartz. Scandinavian Lead ...... 30 ... 10 40 Good-Woman's Hill ...... 16 ... 8 24 Rocky Flat ...... 40 ...... 40 Mount Greenock ...... 84 ...... 84 Talbot Flat ...... 20 ... 10 30 Ballarat Hill and Black Lead ...... 30 ... 12 42 Mysterious Lead and Hard Hill ...... 28 .. . 4 32 Long Gully and Flat ...... 10 .. . 8 18 Grub Gully ...... 10 ...... ·to Red Hill ...... 12 ...... 12 Chapel and Star Hills ...... 10 ... 8 IS Kangaroo Flat ...... 200 ... 60 260 Nuggety Gully ...... ,14 ... 8 22 Mia-Mia and White Hill ...... 42 ... 12 54 Daisy Hill and Flat ...... 41 - ... 16 57 Moore's Flat ...... 12 ...... 12 Opossum Gully ...... 20 18 6 44 Green Gully ...... 6 ...... 6 Kaugaroo Gully, Amherst...... 9 ... 20 29 New Gully. Kangaroo ...... 5 ... 6 11 Blacksmith's Gully ...... 54 ...... 54 NUMBER OF MINERS, ETc.-continued. • EUROPEANS. LoOAI.J.TY, CH:Il!EE!E. TOTAl.. Alluvial. Quartz. I -·· : Adelaide Lead South ...... 150 ... 75 225 Grecian Gully, Amherst ...... 14 ...... 14 Emu and Cockatoo ...... ll4 ... 90 204 Battery Point .• , ...... 12 ...... 12 McCallum's Creek and Flat ...... 50 ... 2 52 Shepherd's Flat .•...... 12 ...... 12 German Gully ...... 10 ...... 10 Churchhill Reef, Amherst ...... 6 ... 6 Dana Reef, Amherst ...... 17 ... 17 Laura Reef, Amherst ...... I 18 ... 18 Whitehorse Lead and Reef ...... 30 20 ... 50 Crnmp's Reef, Adelaide Lead ...... 5 ... 5 Welcome Reef, Bung-Bong ...... 21 ... 21- Finche's Reef, Majorca ...... 8 ... 8' Private paddocks ...... 65 ...... 65 Miscellaneo.us places ~ ...... 30 ... 8 38 ------Totals ...... t--1-,1;-- 113 363 -----1,656 THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:- I . ALiiOVIAL :lri:!NmG. QUARTZ l\!.D:!ING, Description of 1\Iaehiner:r. Aggregate Number Aggregate Idle. H THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND QUARTZ TAILINGS AND CEMENT CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GoLD OBTAINED THEREFBOllr :- IRemarks relative to the Nanie of Company. Where ~artz, &o., Quartz crushed. IYield Avera~ of Id Total Yield of Depth at which the were o &ined. i perTon. Gold. • Quartz wns obtained. -~-··-~··· --~- Cosstick's Machine- tons owt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Cosstick a.ml Co. ... Laura Reef ... 886 0 0 0 2 19'78 125 2 7 100 feet to 135 feet Parker and Co. ... Dana Reef ... 48 0 0 0 14 19·81 35 11 15 60 feet to 80 feet Kehlet and Pattison Ditto ...... 28' 0 0 1 9 22'07 41 17 18 120 feet Julian and Co. ... Church Rill Reef ... 10 0 0 0-18 9'80 i 6 14 2 60 feet Usher and Co. ... White Horse Reef ... 4 0 0 0 12 13'50 ' 2 10 6 60 feet Cole and Co. ... Lady Sutton Reef ... 8 0 0 0 13 21•37! 511 3 30 feet Victoria Machine- ' Victoria Co. ... White Horse Reef ... 800 0 0 0 1 18 1 70 0 0 Surface to 60 feet Lady Sutton Co. ... Lady Sutton Reef .. 20 0 0 0 l 18'15 I 15 3 Surface to 15 feet Usher and Co. ... Welcome Reef ... 9 0 0 0 9 5•33. 4 3' 0 Surface to 15 feet Henry and Co. ... Barkly Reef ... 12 0 0 0 4 13 2 14 12 Surface to l'S feet Bung-bong Machine- Mills and Co. Welcome Reef ... 44 0 0 6 0 13 4 0 30 feet Lutryc and Co. ... Welcome Reef ... 18 0 0 8 0 7 4 0 50 feet to 80 feet Smith and Co. ... Welcome Reef ... 150 0 0 lg 6 0 45 0 0 70 feet to so feet Martin and Co. ... Welcome Reef ... 30 0 0 ~o 6• 8·66 9 10 20 70 feet to 80 feet Mills and Co. ... Glenmona Reef ... 150 0 0 jO 4 () 30 0 0 : 50 feet Mills and Co. ... Nicholson Reef ... 40 .0 0 -0 4 0 8 0 0 7 feet to 8 feet Mills and Co. ' ... New-Reef, Glenmona 22 0 0 0 4 21•82 5 8 0 Surface to 6 feet Mills and Co. ... Reef near Scrase's 5 0 0 0 5 0 1 5 0 Surface to 5 feet Brewery Bartlemore's Machine Bet-bet, Amherst, 263 0 0 0 6 14'78 87 0 0 Surface to 80 feet Back Creek, McCal- lum's Creek I Quartz Tailings and Total, Quartz ... 2,527 0 0 i 0 3 23'46 502 ll 14 Cement crushed: Bartlemore's Machine Back Creek, Hocky ·----1 I Flat, Mt. Greenock 169 0 0 !o 5 4•26 48 15 0 I No. 22,j. 50 I have to report ·a fu-rther decrease of 280 alluvial mine-rs in this division during the last quarter, which Lbelieve.is_o:wing to many leaving for harvest. work, and others who arc employed in fencing in the land which has been granted under the. 42nd section of the Land Ac,t of 1865 . . Quartz mining,,appear!'l to be coming a little more into favor, and hopes are now entertained of some payable reefs about. Glenmona ; the prospecting parties showed some handsome specimens from that l~ca.lity; One of the reefs, called " Welcome," contains a large percentage of silver, lead, and iron pyrites; besides about 7 dwts. of gold per ton. · •·. ... ' ... ,.1_ ·• .-- ~ , :'l'!:te deep ·alluvia\ lead from Mount Greenock to Fox's Point, near Majorca,~is ·aun 11ndeveloped from excess of water; the want of capital has ''caused a failure in every case wl::tere ''the 'miners hav:e touche'd it. Thiil may be fairly termed "the lead of the division." .. . · .•t J:i... AvocA :sunmvisioN::· 1lfr.. William.Byrne,. Mining Swrveyor· amil Registrar.·· .THE TOTAL N,UMBER .OF MINERS IS As_ FOLLOWS_:- Total foT the Europe~./ Chinese. Subdivisiou. Rem.aTks. 1------ Alluvial Miners 1,232 800 2,032, ..,._ ri • ,:1~ •• 22 .. Quartz :Miners .. 22 " ... ' . !:'.. n;~· . -1 •.•• ••. -- Totals ... 1,254 800 2,054 THE TOTAL NuMBER oF MINERs IS THus DISTRIBUTED: Avoca . 870 i; Lam plough. 156 Home bush 201 / No. 1 Creek ... 84 Amphitheatre 412 Fiddler's Creek ~ 200 Mountain Hut 106 Green·Hill Creek 25 Total 2,054 -- -~1. TnE MAcHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS :- ·: r•, I.,.,:)' ·~ ... QUA:RTZ MINING. Description of Machinery. i ,. _I ,. . . . _ Aggregate Number Aggregate i At Work; i· Idle.· · Horae-~~r 'of At Work. Idle. ofStamp· Horse-power of 1 ••• , ,, . _1. • •' •· ~" , • , r. Steam g:mes,: 1 Heada. Btea.m Engine . --~- 1--7"---1 ~.t.e!!-m ..Engines~ ep.gaged in pump· 8 I 165 12 15 . ing,·puddling, and· crushing·.,_ """ "' ·''' ,, __ ,. • 1 _;_; ~' ' • .;;, .' .., '. ' • Total value of mining plant in 'the subdivision, £12,300. .· . · · - · · --.Number of square miles of auriferous ground whic~ is being, or may have been, actually :worked upon, 8. .. · Number ~of. distinct quartz. reefs which have been actually proveq to be auriferous t? the present time, 7. . - . . . - The price of g0ld ·during the quarter in the subdivision has been from· £3 19s. to £4 per oz. Tlii' ~~Li..;'wiN'u !~FoRMATioN 1us BEEN oBTAINED RELATivE To THE QuANTITY oF QuARTz AN:D QuARTz T~I~LINGS AN~-CE~ENT, o~usliED DURING THE Q'uARTER, AND THE GoLD ·o:sTAINED THEREFROM :- ... Where Quaxtz, &c., Total Yield of Remarko relative tri·tJie . ~_Name o~ Company. ; were obta.ined. Q~1u-tz crushed• Yi.tJ':f~ld Depth at which the per Ton . of,Gold. Qua.Itz w&s obtaiued. . ------.. ., -· . , tons cwt. qr . oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Bosanquet-and Co. ... Jennings' Gully lOO. 0 0; 0 6 0 30., 0 0 From surface to 20 Reef feet Bosanquet and Co. Vale's ~eef ... '50 0 0, 0 10 0, 2!j (_}- 0 From surfac~ to 50 ... feet.· ... · ,il I .. Total, Quartz ... !50 0 0 0 7 'g . '55 0 0 Quartz Tailings and ------., Cement crushed . . I ' Bosanquet and Co ...... 300 0 0' 0 I 0 15~0 0 -- 61 Alluvial mining is progressing very_ satisfactorily in this division. The yield from the Association Company's claim still continues good. The New Holland Company have succeeded in draining the water below the chamber, and are now driving in wash-dirt. The Pactolus Company have put down the last bore to a depth of 160 feet, and are now about to sink a shaft. Mining operations at Home bush are being pushed forward vigorously. Both the Golden Lake and the Phcenix Companies being in wash-dirt, and the London and Watford engaged in boring, there is nothing new to report in quartz mining. KoRONG DIVISION. · ·Mr. W~ G. Gouchman, Mining Surveyor ·a!tul-:Registrar. . ,, THE TOTAL N u.MBER OF MiNERS IS ~s _]·oLr;ows :- Total for the Europe!lll&. Chinese. Division . Remark&. ,. . .; ~ .. •' 860 ,. . . .. Alluvial Miner~ ... !\ ••• 600 260 I " " Quartz Miner.s ...... 555 ... 555 ·' Totals ... 1,155 260 '1· 1,415 THl~· TgTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DIST~IBUTED :- New Inglewood ,510 . ' Old Inglewood 45 Thompson's GUlly 12 f :··' Korring· 430 Jericho· ·,. ~ 75 Kingower 120 Mclntyre's .•. 35 . Sinnott'S · ... 60 Bourke'a Flat .48 •' Commissioner's Flat .•• ...... 10 Loddon and Kingarra 70 Total' 1,-:1.15 <::' THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:- ~ . ALLUVIAL MINING. QUARTZ Jlfi:NING, Deacrtption of Mo.ehinery. •.• .... -- ; .. ,, .. . - · A:ggregate"' ' -t ,. ·Number • .A,;-grogate 'At Work. Idle. Horse-power of, At Work. Idle. of Sta.mp Steam Engine. Heads. w:~:,~;, -.~.~.-.-. . -·-- --~··-- .Steam Engines employed pumping, winding and crushing l ... 20. 17 9 205 385 Whims ...... l ...... ·ll 13 ...... Whips ...... 20 9 .... ' ... Fuddling Machines ...... 30 36 ...... •.. Total value of mining plant in the division, £36,000. N um'Qer of square miles of auri.ferou~.ground which is being, or may haye been; actually· worked upon, 30. . . Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 146. · · " · ' · The price of gold du~ing the quartet: i?- ~he.di.visio~ h.~s. been f~om £316s: Od. to £3.1.7 s. 9d. per. oz. 52 ·THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS :BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND QUARTz' TAILINGS AND CEMENT CRUSHED DVRING THE QUARTER, AND THE GoLD OBTAINED THEBEFROM :- I I Average j . Name of ComplloDy, Where Quartz, &e., were obt!Lined. Quartz crushed. IYield of Gold ' Total Y1e!d of / per Ton. Gold. ---·--~~ ---~~~- ---~~- t.ons cwt. cu. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Lady Darling ... Old Inglewood Reef, Inglewood ... 57 0 0 1 10 15•79 87 7 12 Catherine Reef, do. ... 19 0 0 0 3 17•15 3 10 14 Leicester Reef, do. ... 220 0 0 0 13 23 153 10 20 European Reef, do. ... 575 0· 0 0 17 2•62 491 17 22 Jersey Reef, do. ... 119 0 0 0 15 17'66 93 12 14 Morning Star Reef, do. ... 136 0 0 0 10 0'56 68 3 5 Cambrian Reef, do. ... 30 o. 0 0 11.20•20 17 15 6 Camperdown Reef, do. ... 65 0 0 0 8 ll•52 27 ll 6 City of Bath Reef do...... - 17 0 0 011 6'35 9 11 12 Dreadnought Reef, do. ... ' 19 0 0 0 10 12'0 9 19 12 March Reef, do. ... 111 0 0 0 9 1'78 50 7 6 ' Exhibition Reef, do. ... 5 0 0 0 12 16•80 3 3 12 Lady Don Reef, do. ... 14 0 0 0 2 3 I 9 18 Vict{lria...... Various Reefs, do. ... 448 0 0 0. 5 15•85 126 15 22 Duke of Cornwall ... Princess Alexandra Reef, do. ... 3 0 0 0 17 14 2"12 18 Old Inglewood Reef, do. ... 42 0 0 0 5 6•57 ll 1 12 European Reef, do. ... 12 0 0 0 6 22 4 3 0 Welcome Reef, do. ... 12 0 0 0 13 8 8 0 0 Rising Sun Reef, do. ... 52 0 0 0 5 2•76 13. 6 0 City of Bath Reef, do.· ... -109 0 0 0 6 3'02 33 7 18 Daly Reef, do. ... 27 0 0 0 6 7•55 8 .10 12 Vulcan Reef, do. ... 20 0 0 0 3 0 3 0 0 Caledonian Reef, do. ... 50 0 0 0 2 12 6 5 0 Unity ...... March Reef, do. ... 1,251 0 0 0 1 1!~·66 ll3 16 0 Exhibition Reef, do. ... 12 0 0 0 3 8 2 0 0 American Reef, do. ... 120 0 0 0 6. 9•80 38 9 0 Morning Star Reef, do. ... 30 0 0 0 12 0 18 0 0 March Reef ...... March Reef Gold l\iining Company, 634 0 0 0 4 23'35 157 13 I Burke's Flat, Inglewood Morle~ and Fone ... Gla.dstone Reef, do. ... 93 0 0 0 17 6"45 so 6 0 Lilliputian Reef, do. ... 870 0 0 0 10 23•98 478 9 12 Brobdiguag Reef, do .. ... 15 0 0 l 4· 3'20 18 2 0 Newbridge Reef, do. ... 31 0 0 0 4 21•67 7 12 0 Sundry Reefs, do. ... 33 0 0 0 19 18•63 32 12 15 Prince of Wales ... German Reef, Jericho ...... 1,407 0 0 0 6 ll'IS 454 18 0 Catto's ...... Morning Star Reef, Jericho ...... 43 0 0 0 14 o·s3 30 3 12 .. German Reef, do...... 85 0 0 0 14 12'42 61 14 0 Phillips Reef, do. 5 0 0 4•80 ...... 0 I 0 6 0 Bird's·Reef; "'do...... 7 0 0 0 2 12 0 t'7 12 Thompson's Gully ... Welcome Reef do. - .~ ~ . 37 0 0 0 3 s·s3 6 0 0 ... Scandinavian Reef, do...... 5 0 0 0 3 0 0 15 0 Union Jack ~eef, do ...... 20 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 0 ... Total, Quartz ...... 6,860 0 0 0 7 23•64 2,7_38 17 5 . Quartz Tailings .. and Oement ·crushed,. . .. Duke of Cornwall ...... Commissioner's Flat, Cement ...... 9 0 0 0 2 1'33 0 IS 12 Deep Lead, do...... 62 0 0 0 8 22'83 27 15 0 Unity ...... Inglewood, do...... 12 0 0 0 9 0 5 8 0 Morley and Fone Sinnott's, ... do. . 44. 0 o' 0 14 10'50 31 15 6 ...... ·' Catto's ...... Sinnott's, do...... 32 0 0 0 16 22•22 27 1 15 Mullock ...... 128 0 0 0 l 1'12' 6 14 0 - I Total ...... 287 0 o"[o 6 22·61 1 99 12 9 Mining affairs jn this division have made very slow progress during the quarter. The reefs generally have not yielded so well, chiefly owing to the want of capital sufficient to properly develope tP.e mines. ·Many leases have been forfeited, and some companies have been unable to proceed with the necessary vigour. · Amoi).g the few instances of better aspect, the Ophir Company, on the European Reef, still continue to turn out highly remunerative stone ; and the Bird-in-Hand Company, on the Leicester Reef, is looking up well. On the Maxwell's Reef, the Prospectors' Company are driving east and west, at a depth of 260 feet, for water; and f~om the northern workings, have obtained very good stone lately. No. 1, North, promises to repay handsomely, having a prospect of 11 dwts. per ton from a small crushing. The Enterprise Company, to the southward, have been at length drained sufficiently to' re-commence work in the level just below water line, and have taken out some stone which has not yielded so satisfactorily as was expected. Little besides is being done on the Maxwell's Reef. The City of Bath Reef is likely to turn out well. The Ja.son Company, on this line, are extracting good payable stone. The other reefs to the eastward of Inglewood are nullities at present. The Great Columbian Company's property has changed hands, and will likely fu.rnish employ- ment anew shortly. · On the line of the March Reef, the three companies, viz., Unity, Prospectors', and Indepen· dent, have entered into a.n agreement to keeP. a.ll their engines at work to drain the whole line to the lower levels. This important movement will, in all likelihood, very shortly be productive of the best results to the various companies, and the township generally. · 53 The Surface Hill Company's L~ase has been forfeited, and the ground has been taken up anew by some of the former proprietors, under miners' rights. There is little besides of interest to record respecting the Inglewood reefs. In alluvial matters the Inglewood Alluvial Gold Mining Company are still driving for the lead, and a few miners are at work on the :flat with large cradles, but nothing of importance has been done lately. At Korong, there has been three small alluvial rushes, which, however, quickly died out. There is nothing worth noticing with regard to Kingower. At Jericho, the Prince of Wales Company are still turning out consistently well, a series of their late crushings having averaged about 6t dwts. per ton. At Burke's Flat two new reefs have Been discovered during the past quarter, from which payable prospects have been obtained. The supply of water throughout the division has been tolerably good, but is now being rapidly exhausted. · · ~ - REDBANK AND ST. ARN.AUD SouTH· SuBDIVISIONS. M-r. Williwm Byrne, Minmg Su'l'Veyor and Registrar. THE TOTAL NuMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:- Total for the Europeans. Chinese. Subdivisions • Remarks. .Alluvial Miners ...... 220 10 230 Quartz Mi~ers ...... 140 ... 140 Totals ... 360 10 370 . THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:- Redbank 130 Forest Hut ... 20 Hines 20 Stuart Mill ... 30 Donkey·Hill .. . 40 Darling Flat 40 Moonambel .. . 40 Victoria, and adjoining gullies 50 Total 370 THE MAcHINERY Is AS FOLLOws:- ' ALLUVIAL llfnliNG. QUARTZ lll:tN:tNG. DeiiQTiption of Ma.obiner,v. I A$gregate Number : Aggregate At Work. Ii116. Hone-jJower of At Work. Idle. of Stamp ; Steam Engines. Heads, r=~.:e~~ ---···-~~ ------! Puddling Machines ...... 7 9 ...... Whims ...... I 2 ...... 2 ...... Steam Engines employed in crush- ...... 1 2 20 55 ing, pumping, &c. I I . . Total value of mining plant in the subdivisions, £1,750. Number of square miles of auriferous ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon, 9!. Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 28. The price of gold during the quarter in the subdivisions has been from £3 18s. to £3 19s. per oz. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ TAILINGS CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GoLD OBTAINED THEREFROM :- Name of Compa.ny. Where Tailings were Quartz crushed. Yi~d~ld Total Yield of obtained. per Ton. Gold. ------ tons ewt. qr. oz. "dwt, gr. oz. dwt. gr. Lancashire Reef ...... Strathfilan Creek ... !50 0 0 0 2 12 IS 15 0 . ' 54 No quartz has been crushed in this division during the quarter. There is an almost total cessation of work on the Pyrenees Reef, and it is expected that full work cttnnot be resumed for some weeks until the repairs rendered necessary. to the pumping engine, through the late fire, are complete. In alluvial mining very little is doing. '£he prospectors at the Slaughteryard Lead, Redbank have commenced to block out a portion of their ground; the yield is from 4 to 5 dwts. to the load. The shallow digging at Victoria and adjoining gullies yields remunerative returns to the' few employed. As yet there is no scarcity of water in that locality. ST. ARNAUD NoR'l;'H SUBDIVISION. ·Mr. John Phillips, Mining: Surveyor and Registrar. THE TOTA-L NuMBER oF MINERS IS AS FOLLows:- Total for the Europea.n.s. Obinese. I Rema.rks. I Subdivision. Alluvial Miners ...... 157 I 168 325 Quartz Miners ' ...... 182 ' - 182 Totals ... 339 ~-~1~~---· '507 THE. TOTAL N mmER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED :--,. Association Reef 6 New Bend~ ... 230 -Carapooee Upper 25 Armenian y 8 Emu Diggings 8 Bell Rock 10 Peters's . .. , ... 20 Blink Bonny · ... 8 Dogbury and Banshee 4 Strathalbyn Reef 2 GapGully ...... 4 Prince of Orange 4 Wilson's Hill 4 ·J erejaw Reef ... 8 .Chance Reef... .5 Queen Mary Reef 6 Hopeful Reef 12 Caledonian Reef 4 Chrysolite Hill 12 Queeil-Mary Diggings 30 Stuart's Hill 24 ,_., Bristol Reer .. 42 Greenock Ree'f '' 12 Total 507 Crushing Machill.ee. 19 TJIE MAOIUNERY IB AB FOLLOWS:~ • .-.,..... •!•,. "'' .... , .. Ar..r..UVIA.L Mnrl:NG. I· QUABTZ Mnrl:NG. •• ~--~------J?eacription of Me.obinery. ' Aggregate Number Aggregate At Work. Idle. Horse-power of At Work. Idle. of Stemp IH""""power of Steam Engines. Heads. Steam Engines. ·- -~--.---. --~~-· ·--· ------Steam Engines ...... 2 .. . 16 5 l 70 106 Balfour's Pulverizer ...... " ... •.•• ..... I ... ,l ... 1 ·''· 4,ppleton's Breaker ...... , ' Whims ...... 10 4· ...... 5 Chilian Mills ...... , '...... 11 4' I Fuddling Machi?:es ... .. , ...... ·'I ' <';rotal value 10f ;mining plant ip. the subdivision, £16,400. Number of eq~are miles of auriferous ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon, 6 . • ~. 't- ' . . ' . ' . ' ~ •Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be aurif~~oue to. the pr~sent time, 51. · The price of gold 'during the quarter in the subdivision has be.en from £3 15s. 6d. to £4 per oz. 55 TBE FOLLOWING bFORMATION HA£? BEEN Oll'l'AINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND QUARTZ TAILINGS AND CEMEN1' CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GoLD OBTAINED TIIERU'ROM :- A I ! Remark!! relative to the Where Qua.rt.z; &c., were . ldverafgeld Tot&! Yield of Depth at which the Name of Compa.ny. Qwt.l'tz CTUShed. Y10 0 G<> : G<>ld Quartz, &e. were ob- obta.ined. per Ton. ; · taiJJ.ed. ' tons cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Prospectors and No. I S. Greenock Reef .. . . 80 0 0 0 19 22"50 79 15 0 With the excep Ben son and .Others ... I Bachelor's Reef .. . 7 0 0 1 o 11 2o·57 4 8 0 of 1Oi tons giv .. Chrysolite .. . .• . Public crushing .. . 452 0 0 1 2 1'66 498 15 8 ing 204 ounces, Edelsten's Engine ... Jerejaw Chance, Ca- ;400 0 0 0 ll 0 220 0 0 taken from the ledonia Hopeful Reef, Wilson's Hill ...... Wilson's Hill .. . 38 10 I) 0 4 0"62 7 15 0 30 to 40 feet Tributors ...... BcllRock...... 156 0 0 0 16 22•15 132 0 0 deep, there Tributors ...... Bristol Reef ... 129 0 0 seems to be no Hopeful Reef .. . 10 10 0 , marked differ Perry and Sons Ditto ...... 47 0 0 1~0 8~ ~~-708'42 ~~!19 12~ 12~ { Ience of yield as . Bristol Reef .. . 134 0 0 2 2 21"85 287 10 0 it regards depth Silver Mines... •.• Public crushing ... 194 0 0, 0 18 3'46 176 0 O"' from 200 feet McCredie's Engine ... 1 Queen Mary Reef .. . 24 0 0 2 0 15 . 48 15 0 1 to the surface. Butcher and Company . Public crushing .. . 561 5 0 0 14 15"97. 411 ll 0 ------;----1 j Total, Quartz ... 2,233 5 0 I 0 6'64 2,263 19 20 . Quartz Tailing3 and Cement Crushed. ·Lancashire .. . Stuart Mill ... 1 lOO 0 0 0 2 6 ll 5 0 Tailings Edelsten's Engine . . . Peter's and Carapooee, 50 0 0 0 6 0 15 0 0 Ceme~;~,t McCredie's engine ... Public crushing ... ! 120 0 0. 0 4 0 24 0 0 Tailings Williams' Engine ... Alluvial, Carapooee 195 0 0 0 2 12 24 7 12 Ditto 1 Totals, Quartz Tail- } ~·---__--- ings and Cement 4 6 5 0 0 0 3 5•03 74 12 12 ' • And 70 ozs. <;>fsi1ver, Looking at the number of quartz miners, and the quartz and gold raised (leaving out silver this quarter, trivial), making due allowance for a few employed unproductively, but including prospectors and pioneers (tut-workmen), I estimate the quartz per man per day, 3 cwt. 3 qrs. 13lbs., and the worth per man per day, 15s. 9d., which I believe is rarely exceeded in the colony. There are three new mining localities, viz.: The Uhance, Queen Mary, and Prince of Orange Reefs; there is also the Queen Mary alluvial diggings, stretching away the Avon side of the Pyrenees, ou.which it is premature to report further than that there are a busy few doing fairly well, especially in the alluvial diggings, which it is hoped will deepen and extend into the flat, there being three or four golden gullies falling rapidly to their confluence yet undiscovered in direction of their fall. It is worthy of note that much of our guartz mining here is by tributors, and that a portion of the gold goes to lessees, who do nothing for 1t but merely take up a lease. The system of mining, tribute is an old and good one, under other circumstances, where lessees open the mine and put down machinery, but there should be no "drones " coming between the Crown and the miner. CASTLEMAINE MINING DISTRICT. CASTLEMAINE DIVISION. Mr. Thomas L. Brown, Mining SuTVeyor and Registrar. T.EJE TOTAL NuMBER oF MINERs rs AS FOLLows:- Tot&! for Eu.ropea.ns. Chinese. the Division. ·Rema.rk.a. Alluvial Miners ...... 810 1,320 2,130 Qnartz Miners ...... 540 20. 560 Totals ... 1,350 1,340 2,690 56 THE TOTAL NUMll.ER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED: Castlemaiue 220 Campbell's Creek 350 Diamond Gully "260 GQ.ildford ... 260 Barker's Creek 245 Muckleford 50 Moonlight Flat 220 Pennyweight Flat 230 Chewton.... 524 Gruden Point 320 " Cohaw ll Total 2,690 .THE MACHINERY IS AB FOLLOWS :- I ALLUVI.AJ; llf:!N:U Description of Machinery. ! I . I : Number of • Aggregate ·Number of Aggregate ! At Work. · Idle., Stamp Heads. 1HOISe·power of At Work. I Idle. Stamp Heads. __ I Steam Engines. ~=~';;~e~: -- Steam Engines ...... 5 16 97 18 6 258 395 Puddling Machines ... 132 52 ...... I ...... Whims _and Pulleys 8 I 32 ...... l ...... ' Total value of mining plant in t.he division, £64,000. · Number of square miles of auriferous ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon, 9. . . Number of ~stinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present t1me, 90.· The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been from £3 15s. Od. to £3 17s. Od. per oz. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND QUARTZ TAILINGS AND CEMENT CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND T)!E GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM :- Toh!Yield Name of Company. Where Quartz, &c., wero obtained. Quaitz crusbed. y;.,tr.,r;~ld I per Ton. of Gold. tons cwt. qr. oz.dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Walker and Co. · Wattle Gully 200 0 0 3 3 16•25 636 15 9 Fairbairn Ditto 845 0 0 0 14 15'45 618 14 0 Lloyd ·Ditto 321 0 0 0 IO 13"54 169 11 4 Duncan and Others Ditto 194 0 0 0 6 19"11 65 IS ·12 Walker and Co. Manchester Reef 40:3 0 0 0 10 5"64 206 4 19 Prior and Others Post Office Reef 67 0 0 0'5'2•86 17 3 0 Meyer Shanks Reef 260 0 0 0 9 0 117 0 .o Logan and Co. Argus Reef 95 0 0 0 13 4'74 62 13 18 Rn$sell and Radford ... Ditto 96 0 0 0 8 3 39 0 0 Mcintosh Vineyard ... 351 0 0 0 5,17 100 4 17 Trembath Eureka 1,402 0 0 0 4 22'40 345 16 6 Harris Ditto 283 0 0 o ·s 3·8o 87 2 15 Ajax Co. Bolivia Reef 1,272 0 0 0 7 2 450 13 18 Straede and Co. Sebastopol ... 795 0 0 I o 1 22·31 315 4 0 Lewis and Co. Ditto 235 0 0 0 16 17"36 196 10 0 Staley and Go. Ditto 81 0 0 I 0 7 23"42 I 32 6 0 Lewis and Co. Nimrod 172 0 0 i I 2 6"381 191 9 18 Quartz Tailings and Cement Total, Quartz ...... 7,072 0 0 0 10 7•90 3,652 7 16 crushed. · · J ones and Co...... Nimrod ...... 165 0 0 o.·w 5"23 84 6 0 Bowan and Co...... Ditto ...... 54 0 0 1 6 4"46 70 14 0 Davies and Others ...... Ditto ...... - ... 381 0 0 0 5 17•95 109 10 0 James ...... Town Reef ...... 31 0 0 0 8 21•30 13 .15 12 Jackson ...... Victoria ...... 66 0 0 6 3"90 20 6 18 Bennetts ...... South American ...... 114 0 0 5 1"84 28 18 18 0 Jg 30 15 10 Bohr ...... Fiddler's ... ; ~. ... 72 0 s i3 Evans ...... German Banner ...... 21 0 0 ' 0 16 2'29 16 18 0 Norris and Others ...... Various reefs ...... 36i o o lo 411·47 82 3 12 Total, Quartz Tailings and } 457 7 22 Cement . r-1,;71~! 0 7 4·74 I . I am obliged this quarter to send an approximation as to mining population, finding it impos sible in traversing the division, to ascertain the number, there being so many away keeping holidays, · or g~thering their own or their neighbors'. harvesting, a large number of our diggers now very wisely combining the avocations of husbandry and mining. · The alluvial workings generally have a deserted appearance, the miners being very scattered. A small rush occurred in private property at Yapeen, but the payable ground was very shallow and limited. The deep leads 'at the south of the division remain unworked, the New Pioneer, the Argus, and other companies being compelled to erect more powerful machinery to compete with the immense quantity of water. The Castlemaine Deep Lead, the Muckleford, and other companies, have not yet succeeded in finding the gutter ; additional capital is now being raised to carry on -the works. In quartz mining, the Old Wattle Gully has taken the lead for the quarter, three adjoining claims having yielded 636t, 619, and 169-§- ozs. respectively. The Nimrod continues its regular yields throughout, 13,321 tons having yielded 11,040 oz. 16 dwts. of gold. On each of these reefs the present workings are shallow, and upon leaders laying east of the old workings. But against these returns the Barns, WJ:ite Horse, Chewton, Old Quartz, Sailors' Gully, and several. other reefs, are comparatively unproductwe. _ At Campbell's Creek, the Nuggety is wholly idle, being flooded in consequence of the stoppage of the compan:y-'s machinery, which has lately been sold. The Bolivia. machinery is also sold to adjoining claimholders, known as Moscrip and Company, and will not be removed. The Cum· berla.nd Company are working two leads upon the surface, lying east and west of the main body in the ground lately held under lease, but now abandoned. 'l'arr's and Dutchman's Reefs are again occupied. . In Barker's Creek, Capper's Reef is again in work, and generally through the division quartz mining is progressive. FRYER's CREEK SUBDIVISION. Mr: R. L. M: Kitto, Milning Sur'l!eyor and Registratr. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS. FOLLOWS :- Total for tbe Europeans. I Ohlnese. Subdivision. I llmwl.rks. Alluvial Miners ...... 1,377 1,379 2,756 i Quartz Miners .•• ...... 140 ... 140 Totals ... 1,517 1,379 2,896 I THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:- Specimen Hill 40 Vaughan ... 290 Blacksmith's Gully 11 Fryerstown 245 Spring Gully · 192 Holcombe ... 153 Church's Flat 45 Pickpocket and Loddou 338 Deadman's Gully 60 Sailor's Gully · ... 70 Chapel Hill 50 Hard Hills 116 New Year's Flat 127 Glenluce 104 German Gully and Mopoke 182 Strathloddon and Guildford 472 Total 2,896 Tarilta ...... 130 Loddon and V alley .. . 271 THE MAOHINEBY IS AS FOLLOWS :- ALLUVIAL MlNINo. QUAl!.TZ MniiNG, De.crlption of Machinery. Number[ Aggregate At Work. Number I .Aggreg11.te Idle. ofStamp Horse-power of At Work. Idle. of Stamp Horse·~wer ot Heads. Steam Engines. ------Heads. Steam ilnginea. ·Steam Engines washing, pump- 9 3 108 260 ing, and crushing cement ...... Horse Fuddling Machines ... 210 20 ...... Whims ...... 12 ...... Wbips ...... 40 4 ...... Horse Pumps ...... 62 ll ...... Sluices and Toms ...... 98 9 ...... Water Wheels ...... 3 ...... Steam Engines ...... 8 ... 70 ll7 Wbims ...... 3 ...... Wbips ...... 14 4 I I ...... No. 14,g. ·-Total value of mining plant in the subdivision, £40,294. Number of square miles of-auriferous ground which is being, or J.llay have been, actually worked · upon, 28:f. _ · . . . . . - . Number of distinct quartz reefs :which. have l;>een. actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 28. , · ' ...· . · ~ · · · · The,price of gold during the q~arter in the subdivisioq has. l;>een from .£3 15s. 9d. ~ ·£3' •l9s ..Sd. per. oz. . / · , . THB FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY· OF QUARTZ Aim ·---· _Qu ..u~T:z ::r'_AILINGs AND CEl'iE.NT cR.usHED DURING TH!'l:QuARTEB, AND THB._GoLD oBTAINED THEREFROM :- ' .. ! .. RemarkS ;..,latlve to the ·NMne of Company. Where ~ual"tz, &c. 1 were Total Yield of '. · o tained. · . · Quartz crushed. Yl..tJ~'f"~ld Depth at which the per ton. Gold. Quartz was obtained • - .. .. tons cwt. qr. oz. dwt: lP'· oz. dwt. Ill'· -. ' - Rowe•·Brothers " ..! .. ·Cattle~s Reef :. ; 220 ·o ·.o 0 10 0 110 0· o· 110 feet Stephens and Company Ferron's Reef ... 259 0 0 0 9 IO·to 122 0 o.· 50· feet'rl a ,"(t-."·.h.{ Little and Company ... Ferron's Reef ... 117 0 0 0 10 22•56 64 0 0 60 feet Rowe Brothers ... Various places ... i'to 0 0 0 8 0 44 0 0 Various depths Cattle ...... Cattle's Reef ... 392 0 0 010 0 196 0 0 50 feet · Duke of Cornwall ... Cattle's Reef ... 349 0 0 0 5 0 87 5 0 75 feet Winterbottom and Co. I Specimen Hill · ... 8 0 o. 0 12 0 4 16 0 30 feet S. Scotson ... Mopoke Reef ... 400 0 0 0 10 0 200 0.0 120 feet Hand of Friendship ... : Emu ReefF•:;;.,. Y~f(~ 1J;:· 482 . :o· Total, Qua~tz .. ; 2,337 0 0 ?-e 7 14'441 888 6' 0 Quartz Tailings ~1!4:; ;ai t\~~t :J.€ ~'j~ ··:~;·.~t~· .. :~~;- \" i ~·'t'~·; '\ Cement crushed. Table Hill Company ... Table Hill ... 800 0 0 0 9 0 I 360 0 0 Eldorado Company ... Guildford Hill ... 1,800 0 0 0 I 8 120 0 0 William Tell ... Mein's Hill ... "' 526 6 0 0 a n 90 19 2 Sir H. Barkly ... Coy's .paddock · ..... ~.... 700 o: 0 '0,10 0 350 0 0 Ditto (public crushing) Various .•. · ... 590 .. 0 0 1 0 0 590 0 0 t:- -"" -- ' ~ .. ' ·-· .... -· ,.,. ... Total, Quartz Tail-} ~ • ings and Cement·= 4;4160'. 01 0 0: 6·20'28 1,510 19 2 I .. --~ - -· -- ' - .. • • -• "" "· I' · ., ·• ' "1 t • ~• No fresh discoveries have been Hiade durjng' t~~ quart~r~: .. . . _,,;;,~!;~. :· .. ~: .,· Cattle's Reef continues to occupy the premier position amongst our quartz veins, and I imagine will continue ~o. to do for some time, a~(ve:ry little pro.specting, is being done. , .. ,... · . . The Royal Oak .Compa~y, ~n Frenehman)1 Reef, Mopoke, ,have discovered a !ikely looking lode, Impregnated largely w1th the preCious metal. Several of the pu9-!flers in.,Sp:tjng Guily h!J-v~ ~e!ln SJ:oh:)g;y,ery well lately .. Peake and Company netted, for one week's worli, over £30 per man; and Parsons· and Oompany, over £20 per man for a week's labor. · · . · · · · · ;-: ~·: The race which was being constructed by Messrs. W ardle and A.mos, to bring water from· the Upper Loddon to a portion of the Fryers Creek gold field, is at a stand still. It appears that there is a :yvant of funds to carry on tlie enterprise_. ' If'thi_s wqrk had been vigorously carried out, ~lie company would undoubtedly ·have received a divid'end- by. this. : ; . ' .• ,., 1 The Eldorado mine gave good returns :for the past fortnight, viz. : 287 ozs. from the siu.ices and cii\iilhing machine; . These returns left a profit of something over £500. - . . . , ' . ·: ; C• • l~ " . :""· ,,.~ 'j i :.r: : " I' . *· ~ ·:. •tn 1 ' f't "·- .t.~ ... t•'• ' I ,.,... ...... -· ·-.~-- . ' HEPBURN 'DIVISION ... J.' • ·~ ~ '· ' ~ ~ • ' ' ,,,,· . .., . --~ ... ·-~· - THE TOT;A.L NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:- i . ' \'· .. •· ; ' E~peans ..... Chin'\86, .. TO'ta,l for the Di'ViB!on. B ·, I ~rJ ··.IJ t Alluvial Miners i,S33 663 ' 2,496 • Quartz Miners ... 654 654. · ~otals 2,487 663 3,150 -· " 59 THE TOTAL .Nur.tBE& OF MINERS IS ~HUS DISTRIBUTED:'- Dry Diggings and Glenlyon 301 , Blind Creek .. . 104 Pickpocket •.. .. . 238 Deep Creek .. . 323 Forty-foot ... 132· Stony Creek... .. •. 177 Boots Gully...... • ..... 251 .:Wombat Creek .;, .. 236 Jim Crow and Sailor's Creeks 302 Daylesford and Wombat Hill Companies 263 Spring Creek and Old Racecourse 272 Doctor's Gully . .. . •.. 331 Total 3,150 Brandy-hot, Old and New .. . 117 Connell's · · ... 103 THE MACHINERY IS AS. FOLLOWS;_ Deserlption of Machinery. . I •Number Aggregate · I Number l Aggregate At Work.~ Idle. of Sti!Jllp Horae~~·.Of •At Work. Idle. of Sti!Jllp Hol'l!e-~wer of ' " Steam ·· es. .. · Hew. -~~ Heads. ' Steam glnes. - ---~ -·-1- _:_~- steam Engines employed. in pump- ...... 21 7 198 435 ing, winding, and driving stamp ·•: ·'· heads l steam Engines employed in pump- 11.. 2 24 309 ...... ing, winding, and puddling c rushing Machines and water" ...... I I 12 ... power whims H orse Fuddling Mills ...... 41 65 ...... , ~ '" ..... w hims ...... I 8 14 ...... 16 j "7 ..... , I ' Total value of mining plant in the division;£40,110. . Number of square miles· of auriferous grourl.a which is being, or may have been, actnally worked upon, 82. · N~m1,ber ~f distin~t qu8_ftz re~fs which.'have been' actuall:f proved to be' auriferous to the present time, 84. · The price of gold du~g the quarter in the. divisio~ has been from £3 15s. to £3 15s. 6d. per oz. THE FOLI,OWING INFORMATION, HAS BEEN .OBTAINED RELA-TIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF, QUARTZ A-ND QUARTZ TAILINGS AND CEMENT CRUSHED DURING Tl::£.1! QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTA-INED THEREFROM :~ . llemarks rela.IJ.ve to tho NI!Jlle,o~ Cgmpany. QUMtz. .• were Quartz crushed. Total Yield of I'. ~ere obteined.~ Depth a.t which the IYiir~~d Gold." Quartz WIIS obtained. ···~ tons cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. . oz. dwt. gr. Old Cornish ...... Wombat· and Wom- 1,900 0' o. 0 15 0 1,425 0 ,0 Various bat Creek Wonderful ...... \Vond~rful Reef .. . 1,100. 0 0 0 12 0 660 0 0 190·feet Havelock ...... Wombat Reef ... 700 0 0 0 3 9•98 119 11 0 140'feet Sp,ecimen Hill ... Specimen Hill ... 1,000 0 0 011 8'16 567 0 0 175ft., 225ft., & 70ft. Roman Eagle ... Wombat, Camp st.... •400 0 0 o. 3 0 60 0 0 Howe's Crushing Co .... Various localities ... 500 0 0 0 8 0 200 0 0 Unknown Cornish and French .•. Wombat Reefs ... 600 0 0 0 4 12 135 0 0 120 feet to 130 ·feet Jenkins' Victoria { Various places ... 50 0 0 0 4 0 10 0 .o Ditto, Bray, and party Mauritius Heef ... 380 0 0 0 13 16'42 260 0 0 10 feet to 40 feet and other persons Doctor's Gully ... 35 0 0 0 7 10'28 13 0 0 JO feet to 50 feet Wm. Tell, Ludni ... Sailors' Hill ... 507 0 0 0 6 12 164 '15 12 I 0 feet to 80 feet ChanceReef,co-operative Chance Reef ... 856 0 0 0 10 0 178 0 0 20 feet to 80 feet Glan Morgan, ditto ... Glamorgan Reef ... 740 0 0 0 7 0 259 0 0 150 feet from cap Morrison's Y,;ndoit Christmas Reef 407 0 0 17 0 ... .. ·~ 0 345 19 0 40 and 90 feet levels Sir Charles Darling ... Various localities ... 665 0 0 0 5 0 166 5 0 Cornish ...... Wombat-Hill ... 1,750 0 0 . 0, 6 0 525. Q 0 70 ·feet to 300 feet Dannevirke ... Adelaide Reef ... 70 0 0 0 18 20'57 6.6 0 0 360 feet Ditto, for Watson & Co. Adam's Reef ... 35 0 0 '2 2 6'85 74 0 0 60 feet and upwards I veson and Co. . ... Deep Creek ... 33 0 0 '2 0 0 66 0 0 70 feet and upwards Total, Quartz ... 11,228 0 0 0 9 10'84 5,294 10 12 Quartz Tailings and Cement crushed. Sir Charles Darling ... Various localities ... 95 0 0 0 5 0 23 15 0 Morrison's ... Hard Hill ...... 120 0 0 0 6 0 86 0 0 Jenkins', Victoria ... Wombat, various ... 250 0 0 0 3 0 37 10 0 Ditto White Star ... Ditto ...... 40 0 0 0 5 0 . 10 0 0 Howe's Machine ... V a.rious localities-•• - --600.. _o_o_ .. 0 5-0 150 0 0 Cosmopolitan ... Ditto ...... 600 0 0 0 5 0 150 0 0 Total, Quartz Tail-} ings and Cement 1,705 0 0 0 4 18•65 407 5 0 The Specimen Hill Company's returns are for only part of the quarter, in consequence of alterations to machinery; and given from memory. . The Cosmopolitan and a few others are from unofficial statements made by responsible persons. 60.. During the past mpnth 11: party of eight practical Cornish miners have resumed operations in the old Wombat Hill Company's No. 1 shaft, and have a whim already on the ground: their intention is to thoroughly re-work the ground; and it appears not at all improbable that such may be done with satisfactory results. • · The Wombat Hill quartz reefs, extending· in parallels therefrom, are being worked with varied success, the Cornish Company shewing very fair returns, and several public crushing machines doing a very fair business, taking into account the present state of depresswn. Other companies there are doing well. · · . · The Italian I;Iill is worked upon by both quartz and alluvial miners, the latter preponderating, ten tunnelling claims being advantageously engaged in full work. The Specimen Hill' quartz reefs show the existence of rich spurs or leaders from the main reef, which is very rich. The mining manager. of No. 1 Company states that there exists three distinct working levels, the old level .at 175 feet liaving been good, the 225 feet level is much better, and a 70 feet level is also. very good, and worked by tributors.; I am not, however, able· to state positively in reference thereto, as the same has not been communicated in official form, but by viva voce statements. The Mauritius Reef, extending in a somewhat northerly direction from the town of Daylesford, shows the existence of a very rich vein of quartz; and the operations of companies thereupon,appear to be satisfactory to the shareholders. · · The Wonderful Reef also shews a breadth of ten feet, 'and quartz of a rich quality has been raised from the 140 feet level; and, in some instances, as much as from half an ounce to one ounce to the ton has been obtained. , ' The Melvin Reef shows indications also of a payable lead of quartz,, but operations there 'are of recent date, and time alone will develope it. The N uggety Reef is at present unoperated upon, some of the claims being protected, the reasons being evidently want ol' funds; and this, in general, is the reason why works in reeling are not pro ceeding more vigorously, in some cases the smallness of the parties forming the company, who, having to expend considerable stiml:l 'of money previous to obtaining payable quartz,- not only frequently prevents success, but, in :many instances, causes a false opinion to be formed of the quality or richness of the reef itself. In alluvial workings the lead running north-easterly from Wombat Hill is being worked by the Exchequer, Cosmopolitan, Wallaby, and Daylesford Companies .with varied success; the Exchequer Company having had to' temporarily suspend operations in consequence of tapping the springs in Stanbridge's paddock; the dry weather now s.et in has enabled them to re-commence, and is now in full work. · The Concordia Company is successfully working a trend of the same lead as the last-named; ·the company meets with encouragement, and is consiqered in a healthy condition ; other companies on this lead meet with varied success. · . In the more northern district mining operations are in no wise vigorous, but the reason is not so much for the want of prospects as the want of means to pursue mining to advantage. The ground east of Wombut Hill to Lightwood Hill contains both alluvial and quartz; bnt, although gold has been found everywhere in small quantities, this ground is not being operated upon, and will not be advantageously worked, except by companies having considerable capital, and who can wait a reasonable time before expecting dividends; it is .virtually abandoned for the present at least. In a westerly and south-westerly direction a very great number. of good claims exist, some are protected for want of means ; the establishment of very large companies, or rather companies formed of persons having a moderate amount of capital at their command, would do much to develope the admitted richness of this portion of this diviswn. The Deep Creek Lead is one of importance, and is being worked by large parties of men from the bridge to Smeaton, and with 1;1atisfactory results ; in most cases, the watchful shepherding of some claims in tl).at quarter is an i~dex of the value of them. The Ballarat Tunnel Company, the Smeaton Estate Company, Messrs. Christensen, Morganti, Franconi, and others, are working hereon, and employ hundreds of men, together with machinery of almost every description, and of considerable value. The Corinella Company's ground is being worked upon by a party of men paying a royalty . . Table Hill, close to the township, is being worked with considerable success by several tunnelling parties.S prmg· ·c ree k a! so d eserves remark ; on 1·t severa! par••"' es are engage d m· varwus· mmmg· · opera- tions, and generally doing well. Sluicing and puddling claims are nearly at a standstill for want of water. The importance that must necessarily attach to a water scheme such as that proposed by the present Government to be introduced in this district is such, that not only the races, but even the creeks, also show unmistakable evidence that until the scheme is introduced mining operations will be carried on but partially, whereas by a plentiful supply of water these would be continuous, and the prosperity of the district ensured ; as not only puddling and sluicing, but even quartz crushing and tunnelling opera tions are frequently suspended for want of this very valuable elemen~water. 61 T ARADALE SUBDIVISION. Mr. Thomas Orwin, Mining Registrar. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:- Total for the Europea.ns. Chinese. Subdivision. Remarks. Alluvial Miners ...... 460 125 585 Quartz Miners ...... 1aO ... laO Totals ... , 590 I· 125 715 THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:- Taradale (scattered) 125 Wattle Flat ... 100 Yankee Point 50 Darfold ... 95 Park Lead .. . 40 Hedesdale (scattered) ... 125 Dell's Lead .. . 60 North Malmsbury 80 Total 715 Delltopper , .. 40 THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:- QUARTZ M.mlNG. Description of Machinery. , Aggregate Number ·Aggregate At ~ork. Idle. ft~~'ri;~~'li,~!. At Work. Idle. ou~~n,;'.P Horae~power of I Steam Engines. -~-\~-~-:-, -!-~·!-r-i~-:-s~-/-~'-:h_l_nu_:_d_li_n_g_a_n.-~.-p-u_m_p_i-~.g-.-1-- ..48. "s~ I 2~••• ~. --.••6- .. -1-.·~.·.· 5.·.·2.· i---6.-4--, Horse Puddling :Machines ...... Horse Whims ...... 6 ·1·0·1 , Whips ...... 4 ,, Total value of mining plant in the subdivision, £22,000. Number of square miles of auriferous ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon, 15. ~ Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 19. · The price of gold during the quarter in the subdivision has been from £3 17s. 6d. to £3 18s. 9d. per oz. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QuANTITY OF QUARTZ AND QUARTZ TAILINGS AND CEMENT CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM :- Avernge Total Yield of Name of Company. Where Qua.rtz, &c., were obtained. ! Quartz Ol'IIShed. ·.. Yield of Gold 1 per Ton. Gold. i tons cwt. qr. oz. dwt, g:r. oz. dwt. g:r. Alpha Taradale ' a42 0 0 0 10 0 17 1 0 0 Bell topper Near Taradale ao 0 0 0 12 0 18 0 0 London and Melbourne Scorpion Hill 4 o o o a o o 12 o Leviathan Back Creek ... 22 0 0 0 2 0 2 4 0 Prince Albert East of Coliban 60 0 0 1 2 0 66 0 0 Victoria ... Ditto ' 10 0 0 0 7 0 3 10 0 English and Scottish Barfold lOO 0 0 I l l 21 109 7 12 Pettbey Bridge East of Coliban 87 o o o 9 o a9 a o ------Quartz Tailings and Cement Total, Quartz ~~~~2·32! 409 1~ crushed Alpha Back Creek ... 215 0 o f 0 2 0 J 21 lO 0 London and Melbourne Claim, Taradale South lOO 0 o J 0 2 0 ' 10 o o Drew's Tunnel · Tunnel ... 110 0 0 o 8 o i 4-t 0 o Total, Quartz Tailings and Cement ~oo/ o 3 1a·27~~()7 No particular change has taken place in this subdivision within the quarter in alluvial mining. The Lord Malmsbury Company are still persevering in search of the deep ground, and have at a depth of 282 feet obtained payable ground, still dipping. The Cambrian have suspended their works to arrange for making a lower level, the ground continuing to dip. In quartz reefuig there is an improve ment, as my returns show nearly double the q_uantity of stone this quarter. One new reef has lately been opened with encouraging prospects (in pnvate property), and as the miners are devoting more attention to quartz reefing in this subdivision, which abounds with reefs, I have no doubt but that shortly several new reefs will be opened up. . , 62 M.ALDON DIVISION; MT. Robt. :Nankivell, Mining Surveyor and Registrar. · THE· rfoT1L NUMBER oF MINERS IS ·As FOLLows:- - ~ .... ---· i Total for tbll Europeans. ()hinese. Division. Remarks, .Alluvial ¥iners ...... 536 1,199 1,735 Quartz·Miners .. ... ~·· ~ 662 ... 662 •' ---- Totals 1,198 2,397 " ...... '1 '199 THE TOTAL' NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:-· Mount Tarrangower . . . 195 j· lronbark Gully .. ' 23 Eaglehawk · . . . 187 Armstrong's Gully '9 Growler) Gully 31 Hard Hills... 22 Beehive Hill 111 . Hunter's Rush 17 Porcup}ne . . . 50 I Back Creek 18 Nuggety ,,. -- ''·····''· 75 ·. Fryingpan Gully 19 Pegleg Gully .. , 65 Green Valley 57 Sandy Creek 205 Long Gully, Muckleford 33 N ewstead- ·:.. 15 Frenchman's .... 7 Pickpocket .. . · 1,200 Gardn·er's Gully . .. 12 Total" 2,397 Long Gully 46 .ALLUYI.AL :1\inn:.\'lG. I QUARTZ Mml:NG. Description of Machinery. \Number .Aggregate .At Work.. Idle. GfStamp Horse-power of .At Work. I Heads. Steam Engines. , Head 1 S-te-.-'am-'E_n_g_i_n-es-em_p_lo_y_ed-in_p_u_m_p_- --2- --:3-·~·-· 52 ~ --5- ~~- ing, winding, and crushing I · Whims ... 52 17 ~ • I ' • Derricks 2 3 .. . 7 4 Puddling Machines 65 9 Toms ••. • ,;, . 9 6 W !lter Wheels · 2 1 • .,. I , •. '7""':' Total value of mining plant in the division, £45,180. Number of. square miles of auriferous ground which is being, or may have been, ·actually worked upon 9-§ ·.. .. • •' . . · _. . tii:ne,·7~uinbfr of di~ti~ct qua~z reefs which have been actually p_roved to be ~!ll:,iferous ~_o j;he_p!:~Bent .. . The p~ice of gold during the quarter in the division has been .from £3 17s. 6d. to £3 19~. per.oz. . I , . , TIIE FOLLOW\NG INFORMATION. HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO ·THE QUANTITY, OF, QUARTZ .AND 1 CEMEN'l' CRUS HEt DU~ING T,HE QuAR'l'ER, AND 'I' HE _G~LD ?ll!!;AINED THEREFU?llr :-, , • ~ ,, .. i Remarks relative to the Average Total Yield of : Depth at .. which tb Name of Company. ' Yield of G Total, Quartz ••• ! 9,272 0 0. 1 I 14"88 10,024 7 9 • ·Cement cr:ushed. I . IM 156 1 o ~~-.-o- .. -I-o--6-7 '""1~ , 1_.,:., Prihce ~r w~es ... • Cement ·• ... • .. i 1,960 0 I 63 Since my last report upon mining operations in this division, mat~ers have und?rgone .but little change; the companies and mines then reported upon, have been steadily worked, w1th an mcreased yield of gold, in some cases, in proportion to the quantity of quartz crushed, whilst in others there has been a fruJing off; but the average yield, upon the whole, is pretty nearly the same. The long pending law suit between t~e Al_pha Company and the Great Western, has at le!lgth been finally settled in favor of the former, whiCh, 1n CO!fsequence, w1ll doubtless soon resume operat1ons. Some of the companies continue to get rich yields; the Pioneer have been. obtaining from 5 to 6 ozs. ; and the Derby, in a cross-cut at 300 feet level, being 70 feet lower level than hitherto worked, have struck the reef again with a very good prospect; the Union claim has improved, and still continues profitable. ST. ANDREw's EAsT SuBDIVISION. Mr • .Alfred .Armstrong, Mining s~erveyor and Registrar. THE TOTAL N_uMBER oF MrNE~S_ts. A.S FOLLOWS :- I I Europeans. .I Chillese. I Total for the Subdivision. Remarks. ! Alluvial Miners ... 64 ... 64 Quartz Miners 1 1 ...... Totals ... 71 I ... 71 THE TOTAL NUMBER O.F MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:- Hoddle's Creek 23 Bear's Creek 16 W arburton U W orri-yallock 3 McMahon's Creek 13 Big Bill's Gully 2 Total 71 Yankee Jim's Flat 3 THE MACHINERY IS A.8 FOLLOWS:-.. . . ALLUTIA.L Mn!JNG. QU~TZ MJ:.Nma • Description of Machinery. i Aggregate , Number Aggregate At Work. Idle. ' Horse.power of , At Work. Idle, I of Stamp Horse-power of .. Steam Engine. Heads. Steam· Engine. . . Water Wheels ...... 2 ... 14 ... Steam Crushing Mill ·:·· ...... 1 10 9 Total value of minin~ plant in the subdivision, £1,900. Number of square miles of auriferous ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon, 9. . Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 6. ·' · The price of gold during the quarter in the subdivision has been from £3 15s. to £316s. per oz •.. T.HE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUA.NTIY OF QUARTZ CRUSHBD DURING THE QUARTER, AND TilE GOLD OBTAINED TREREFROM. i ·r J Average Name of OolJ!.pan;y. Wbere Quartz was obtained. Quartz crushed. Yield of Gold Total Yield of Gold, per ton. tons owt. qr. Ol!. dwt. gr. oz. d wt. gr. Yarra Yarra...... Christmas Hill Reef ... 8 0 0 5 0 0 15 0 0 ·· The. whole of this extensive district is now very sparsely populated, nearly all of the most enter- prising class of miners having migrated from the same some years since. · At McMahon's Creek the few miners engaged are earning, with very little exertion: on an average, about £4 £er week per man. The mQdus operandi is to divert the stream, and sluice the l~ose shale upon the bed of the creek, the gold found being very coarse and water worn. 64 Upon the Upper Yarra, including Big Bill's, l\fcMahon's, Starvation Creek, and the bed of the Yarra, 1,000 miners might find remunerative employment;· and the general impression is, that such an influx of population would by developing the district, increase the chances of success of those at present located there. . At Hoddle's Creek the few alluvial miners remaining complain of being unable to do more than barely exist by re-washing the old tailings, and, in consequence, they have not the means to prospect new ground, or convey themselves and families to any other locality. . QUARTZ lVfiNING. At Christmas Rill the Y arra Y arra Company found a small leader about three or four inches in thickness, which yielded from a trial crushing, from 3 tons of stone, 15 ozs. of gold; but as the leader seems to have been lost, the proprietors now ~ntend sinking to a greater depth with the hope of finding a defined reef. The reef at Hoddle's Creek is now in a fair way of being developed, the proprietor of the same has erected a very powerful overshot water-wheel for crushing; the stone will be delivered from .the pit's mouth with the greatest economy by means of a self-acting incline. These w:orks being upon th_e eve of completion, and being most simple and perfect in detail, a very small average yield of gold from the quartz might be expected to give a very handsome profit; and should the enterprise realize the anticipations formed of its results, no doubt mimy other similar works will be projected. · ST. ANDREW'S. CENTRAL SUBDIVISION. Mr. Alfred A.rmstrong, Mining Surveyor and Registrar. THE TOTAL NuMBER OF MINERS IS AB FOLLOWS:- ! Total for Euxopeana. I Chinese. ll=t&rks. I : the Subdivision. Alluvial Miners ...... 149 .148 297 Quartz Miners ...... 220 ... _! 220 Totals ...... 369 148 I 517 . I THE TOTAL NUMBER OF lVfiNERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:- Black Calf and Wild Dog i6 Queenstown ... 36 Back Creek ,. . 21 Mountain Rush . ., . 28 Ironbark Gully 28 Doomer's Gully 20 Yow-yow, Queenstown.,. 26 Queenstown Hill 20 Smyth's Gully, Queens town 33 Panton's Hill ...... 22 Long Gully, Queenstown 25 Research and Wet Gully 12 First Watery Gully . . . 12 Rocky and Scrubby Creek 13 Second Watery Gully ... 8 Anderson's Creek ... 90 Cherry-tree Gully 16 Pioneer·Reefs, Diamond Creek . ., 33 Whisky Gully 19 Old Caledonia 39 Total 517 THE lVfACHINERY IS AB FOLLOWS:- ALLUVIAL MINING. QUARTZ MINlNG. Description of Machinery. I I .Aggregate · I • . .; .Aggregate .At Work. Horse-power of :.At Work. Idie. Number of I Horse-~ of Idle. 8~i;,~\1~.iA •. Steam Engines. Stamp Hea.dll.: Steam ' · es. 1----· ----·-- I Steam Engines ...... 3 ... 28 80 Whims ...... 2 ...... I I : Total value of mining plant in the subdivision, £4,400. . Number of square miles of auriferous ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon, 4!. Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 40. · The price of gold during the quarter in the subdivision has been from £3 18s. to £3 19s. per oz. 65 'fHE FOLLOWING L' -~--~~~~. tons cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gt'. oz. dwt. gt'. Oram's Reef, No. 4 North St. Andrew's 23 0 0 3 I !8•52 7l 0 18 Ditto, No. 4 South ... Ditto ...... 28 IO 0 2 18 5•33 82 19 8 220 feet Ditto, No. 1 North ... Ditto ...... 7 0 0 2 1 6•85 14 9 0 Eureka Reef...... Ditto ...... 9 I5 0 0 13 12•10 6 11. 16 60 feet Eureka Prospecting ... Ditto ...... I 5 0 0 4 1 6 20 6 6 Ditto Reef, No. 2 South Ditto ...... 13 5 0 3 0 I9'62 40 5 20 Ditto, No. I North ... Ditto ...... 13 0 0 1 15 4'30 22 I7 8 Barker's Reef ... Ditto ...... 33 0 0 1 5 I2'90 42 2 I8 Comet Reef ...... Ditto ...... 22 0 0 0 I4 8•45 I5 I5 18 70 feet Allan's Reef ...... Ditto ...... 28 0 0 2 3 3•21 60 7 18 150 feet Boomer's Reef ... Ditto ...... 7 0 0 0 13 21'85 4 17 9 100 feet German Reef ... Yow·yow ...... 3 IO 0 IO 2 20'56 35 10 0 35 feet Antimony Reef ... St. Andrew's ... 3 0 0 1 10 16'66 4 12 2 Lancashire Hero Reef Ditto ...... 10 0 0 3 12 21'60 36 9 0 Hilton & Co.'s Ueef ... Ditto ...... 7 10 0 3 0 20 22 16 6 Buck Reef ... Ditto ...... 12 0 0 I 2 .19•50 13. 13 I8 Lots from various reefs Queens town ... 28 0 o' 0 11 17'07 16 7 22 Pioneer Reef ...... Diamond Creek ... 128 0 oj I 5 !5•65 164 3 12 lOO feet Millar's Reef ...... St. Andrew's ... 154 0 o: 0 I5 17•06 120 19 12 50 feet 1-- __..._ Total, Quartz ... 535 10 o'I 1 9 17'76 796 5 19 Quartz Tailinr and ----- Cement crus ed. Mullock ...... St. Andrew's ... 0 4 6•33 . 18 15 5 ' ~--:-:-1 Very little change has taken place in this subdivision during the· quarter. I have no improve. ment to report either in alluvial or quartz mining affairs. A very small rush of about twenty miners has taken place to a point known as the head of :Boomer's Gully, near Queenstown; the wash-dirt from the same has been found to yield from 3 to 4 dwts. to the tub; the lead was accidentally discovered by some miners in searching for a reef. · It is hoped that the discovery may lead to others of a more extensive nature, there being plenty of likely looking ground in the neighborhood which has never been prospected. At Anderson's Creek the workings are still being continued upon the banks of the Yarra, and the whole of the Flats are found to be rich in aurife,rous deposits, which will afford employment to the present number of miners located there for an indefinite period. QUARTZ. Although a larger quantity of quartz has been crushed during the quarter, I regret to observe that the average yield has proved 14 dwts. to the ton less than that of the previous quarter, which I attribute to the fact of the inducement held out to the miners by the machine owners to send larger quantities of doubtful stone, owing to the reduced charges for crushing, according to a decreasing scale pro rata for the quantity crushed. Messrs. Murray and Sloane, the proprietors of the best claim on Allan's Reef, Yow-,yow, which may be considered one of the richest in the district, have only lately resumed their workmgs, owing to having very recently completed their deep shaft, which also tends to reduce the average yield. At Anderson's Creek the whole of the quartz workings are discontinued, and the machinery lately erected by Messrs. Autard and Jourueaux entirely removed. Upon the whole, with few exceptions, all the claims at present being worked have returned something more than good wages, with every prospect of improvement under further development. KYNETON SUBDIVISION, Mr. Jas. Marowell, Mining Su·rveyor and Registrar. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:- I Total for the Europeans. Chinese. Subdivision. Remarks. Alluvial Miners ...... 25 5 30 Quartz Miners .•...... 185 ... 185 Totals ...... 210 5 215 - I ' No. 22, h. 66 THJfTOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED: J:.auriston .. • .. . 160 Kangaroo Creek and Reef ... 55 uO Total 215 .::.r : • .1 •. .! ~ ,:~..···~· • • .-~ ,,. .:..· '·. THE" MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS :- .. . ' . •, ., · ALLUVIA.L ll!:tlm1G. QUARTZ :r.t:nlmG, .. I Description of M~eey, Aggregate Number Aggregate At Work. Idle. Horse-power of At Work. I Idle. of Stamp Horse-cot Stet>m Engin6ll, ___ I ___ Heads. Steam · es. .. .. --- Steam Engines for winding, pump· . 1 ll' 30' 4 2 58 95., ing and crushing .. : .. .. . 1 .. ' ' ... Horse Whiins ...... 2 1 ... 4 ...... ·:J'!; ,. •• :·· ; I ' . Total value of minin~ plant i~ the subdivision, .£10,000. . · . . ' ': · Number of square m1les of auriferous ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon, 7...... · " . · ' N~mber of distinct quar,tz reefs which· have. been actually..proved to be.auriferous .. to .the present hme, 10. ~ · -. . . · -- The price of gold during tlie quarte'r in the subdivision has been from·'£3 16s. 6d. to £3 -18s. per oz. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION lUS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE' QUANTITY OF QUUTZ ,· CRUSHED DUiUNG THE QuARTER, 'A.ND THE GoLD OBTAINED THEREFROM :- I Where Quartz was I TotaJ Yield of 1 Beilltl>rke relative to the Name of Company. obtained. Quartz.~rushed. Yi~x·~~ld Gold, Depth at which the per Ton. Quartz was obt..W,ed, ------~-- tone cwt. qr, oz. dwt. gr,' oz. ·dwt, gr: .. General Wyndham ... Lauriston ... 2,285 0 0 0 3 6'25 372 10 0 70 feet to 85 feet Frenchman's ... Kangaroo Creek ... 120 0 0 0 4" 4 25 0 0 Tunnel North Wyndham ... Lauriston ... 500 0 0 0 2 13'17 63'14 8 80 feet Glengonner ...... Ditto ...... 69 0 0 0 16 .19"48 58 0 0 30 feet · Ranagan and Co. ... Ditto ...... ·70 0 0 0 12 17 44 9 12' 40 feet. 7. 0 ·o 1 12 0 10 12 80 Lonergan and Co. ... Ditto ...... 0 I feet Binoey and Co. ... Ditto ...... 86 0 0 0· 4 Hl"49 20 ~3 2 56 feet Barr and Co. ... Ditto ...... 69 0 0 0 5 12'17 19 0 0 45 feet Lang and Co. ... Ditto ... 7 0 0 0 4 15'43. 1 12 12 25 feet Pullen and Co. ... Ditto ...... I 73 0 0 o 19 n·s3 71 3 0 48 feet Wellington .,,. ... Ditto ... 600 0 0 0 6 10•87 I 0 0 0 4 11'43 ' ~~!"''"'869 14 16 . . '' ..~otal,.9N·,It!i'Z ··: 1 ~.886 . I regret to have· to report a further falling off in the yield of gol,d from the mines here, on account of several of the best claims not being at work. Russell:s claim has not been worked, as a new company is being formed. The·North Wyndham are, in a similar position, theY: having only ·cru.s~ed some quartz that had been lying over. The Frenchman a have only been workmg for a short hme, they stopped work to make arrangements with tributors. The :Abraham Lincoln Company have sunk 136 feet, and driven 200 feet· in an·eaaterly direction; at 164·feet ill thQ d.rive they struck a smallleader,:they are·still driving and putting down an air shaft_; from the e~ergy dis.played ~y the shareholders in these claims, and the quality of the quartz, I antunpate a large !ncrease m the y1eld next quarter. , .. ·: \ .'-· ~·. . . .. Mr. R. H. Hmvne, .. Minilng Regist•rar . . ·· :·':',-:.,-,-.,...... ·THE TOTAL~ NUMBEll.'OF -MINERS IS AS· .FOLLOWS:- ··'!'" .vl ' Europeans. Chinese. Total for the Subdivision. . Remarks ... ·---~--- -·~-··~--·. ~~~ .Alluvial Miners ...... 300 30 330 Quartz Miners 70 70 370 30 400 Totals ~·· ~ 67 THE TOTAL NUMBER, OF MINERS IS THUS DISTBIBUTED:- Trentham, including Rocky Lea:d, Stony Creek, Trentham Creek, &c. 65 Dry Diggings .. . 10 Localities without names 15 N ewbury, including Main Flat, Dov~~ Castle.. Creek, Old Camp 30 Ground (north) Amelia Reef and vicinity 35 Alma Reef, ~c. ~ .W Garlick's, The Glue Pot, and vicinities .. ~ · 160 Mudlark ...... 15 Doctor's Hill, Frenchman's Hill, Blue Creek, &c.. 30 Total .WO , • I ~ ;. I THE MicHiNilh Is 'is'FoLLows :- .r . ALLUVIAL MINING. I • .. ., · ·QuARTZ MINING, Description of Ma.chinel!J. l I Aggregate I Number Aggfi!gfl.te At Work. Idle. At Work. Idle. , ofStamp Horae-Power of 1t:'ci~';;f;::. • Heada. ~ Steam Engines. ------Steam Engines for crushing and I ... 8 : 2 ... 24 44 pumping Total value of mining plan~ in the subdi:viaion, £7,700. . Number of square miles of aurife1;ous ground whic~ is being, or may have been, actually worked upon, 7-f. . Number of,distinct quartz reefs which have been actualiy proved to be auriferous to the present time, 5. .. . . · Th.e. P.rice of gold during the_~u~r~er in _the su?division has been from £3 16s. 6d. to £3 17s. per oz. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ CRUSHED DURING ·THE· QUARTER, AND THE GoLD OBI'A.INED THEREFROM :- ., [ Average I . Remarks relative to the NameofCom-. Wbere Quartz'waa r Quartz crnehed. Yield of Geldl Total Yreld of Depth at which the obtained. per ton. . Gold. Quartz was obtained. ---~·--··--- tons cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt.. gr. Amelia Reef . ... Amelia Reef ,... ! 40 0 0 0. 6 22•80 13 is 0 Depth of the shaft - 180 feet Ditto ...... Ditto ... 110· 0 0 0 7 8'73 I 40 10 0 ···' ----- ,. Total, Quartz ... 150 0 o· 0 7 6'081 54 8 0 ... The Alma Reef Company have not crushed anything during the quarter, having been engaged in driving for the r.eef on a deeper. si)lking. .. . , . . The Amelia Reef Company have only crushed loO tons, and are now occupied in sinking a blind shaft. . ' Some of.. the .alluvial claims, more especially. at. ,Trentham and Garlick's, have been doing· moderately well, considering the number of miners who have left for a time during the harvest. · · The Columbian claim has now passed·into new-hands, afterlying many months idle and deserted. A newplant.has b~cn erected/and ·an·:enginewillshor.tlybe upon the'ground. I have always expressed strong hopes of this claim,_ as being directly upon the. deep.auriferous lead.__ __ _ The gold pilrcpased:from thi!l division dm:ing the last quarter, by one of the banks, amounts to 80 ozs. 6 dwts. ~2 gr~;from, q'!artz; and 2fi0 ozs. 19 dwts. 12 grs. from alluvia~ claims; total (so far only as I have l.Jeen able t6 ascertam), 331 ozs. ·6 dwts. · · I I • . .. l • .I .. • . -- . . . ~ • ' ..., ·'"• • • I • •• ; '~t' '' '); .• •• • J, ~ ""~' r ~ . •· • ' ', r; , • , , • ,' ' 68 ARARAT MINING DISTRICT. ARARAT DIVISION. Mr. Charles J. W. Russell, Min1Jng Surveyor wnd Registrar. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF lfiNERS IS AS FOLLOWS:- I Elll'oPoo.ns. ) Chinese. Totalfor the Remarks. Division~ I . I Alluvial Miners ...... 524 I,028 - I,552 Quartz Miners ...... 198 ... 198 -----~~-- Totals ... 722 1,028 I,750 I I THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:- Ararat, including the White Lead, Canton Lead, Commissioner's Hill, Old 430 Korns, Old and New Deep Lead, Hopkins, and Black Lead Armstrong's, including Dutton's Gully, and Napoleon Gully . . . • 160 · Philip's Flat, Nil Desperandum, and Slaughteryard Hill ... 150 Cathcart, with Spring Lead, Bowman's, Gibson's Flat, and Black Hill 290 Lead · Shea'a Flat, MeN ab's, Swamp, and Opossum Gullies, Soldier's Flat, 480 Inniskillen, and Wattle Gully, and Port Ourtis Moyston, with Campbell's Reefs and Alluvial Flat, Camp Lead, 240 Jonathan's; and. Shepherd's Lead Total .... 1,750 THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS :- .ALLUVIAL .llfiNINO. QUA.RTZ MDriNG. Description of Meohlnery. . I Nnmher Aggrega,te Number .Aggrego.te At Work. Idle. : of Stamp Horse-Power of At Work. Idle. of Stamp Horse-Power of Heads. Steam Engines. Heads. Steam Engines. ---.- Steam Engines- Pumping, hauling, and crush- ...... 3 I 24 119 ing Pumping and hauling 2 I ... 52 ...... Crushing only ...... I 6 8 I 4 34 40 Hauling only ~" ...... l .. . 35 1 ...... 9 Pumping only ...... 1 ... 60 ...... Fuddling Machines ...... IO ...... , ...... ·Toms ...... I9 3 ...... Total value of mining plant in the division, £20,000. Number of square miles of auriferous ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon, 33i. · - Number of distin~t quartz-reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 14. · The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been fr?m £~ 16s. 6d. to £3 16s. 9d. per oz. 69 THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS :BEEN O:BT.UNED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GoLD OBTAINED THEBEFROM :- ! I Average Remarks relative to the Name of C<.>mp!Uly. Where Quartz was QW>rtz crushed, ·Yield of Gold Total Yield of Depth at which the Quartz ' obtained. Gold. : I .~~<>rTon. was obtained. tons cwt. qr.l oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. i· North Star ••. ... Campbell's Reef ... 1,570 0 0!0 9 17•38 763 7 0 204 feet Southern Cross ... Ditto ...... 1,200 0 0: 0 13 0 780 0 0 330 feet Kangaroo ...... Ditto ...... 669 0 o'oi3Ii·33 459 0 0 425 feet and 505 feet ----: Total, Quartz ... 3,439 0 0! 0 11 15'47 2,002 7 0 NOT!'-.:_The total amount of Gold purchased by the Banks during the quaiter 5,491 ozs. 10 dwta. 10 gra. There has not been any improvement in the .alluvial mining. The miners are very much distributed over this large goldfield, principally re-working old ground in the gullies, from whence the best returns are derived. Eleven prospecting claims have been registered, but they have not in any instance proved of permanent value. The ·large alluvial extended block claims have remained suspended during the greater part of the quarter. • The Canton has been suspended in consequence of the influx of water to their workings, having become so great as to render steam. pumping machinery necessary, which is now erected, and the company have resumed work. The Ararat Black Lead and the Ararat Companies have been suspended to collect funds, and arrange the amalgamation of their claims, which having been accomplished, the works will at once be resumed. The Cathcart Company's block claim have been suspended to collect funds, and to erect pumps to be worked by their steam engine ; they expect to go on with work immediately, The Oathcart Freehold Gold Mining Company has recently erected a steam engine for baling their works, which are being pressed forward with energy. Three additional extended block claims have been taken up, viz., the United, the Northern Junction, and the Plutus. The for~er has been amalgamated with the Canton, the two latter with the Black Lead Company's block. The Moyston Grand Junction Extended block Claim is quite idle, and the steam engine and plant dismantled. • The quartz works during the quarter have supplied but a small quantity of gold, in consequence of the Kangaroo and the Perseverance Companies, two of the most productive mines, having been suspended through the greater. portion of the period, for the purpose of effecting an amalgamation of the1r claims, to enable th~m to apply a systematic and economical arrangement of their works. This object has been attained, and work is now resumed. The North Star Company have been raising stone from 180 feet level, which recently ran out. 'rbey have deepened their shaft to 204 feet, and struck a good re.ef 2 feet 6 inches in thickness. The stone raised amounts to 1,570 tons, producing 763 ozs. of gold. The Southern Cross Company, working from a 330 feet level, the reef at present being 1 foot 6 inches thick, have raised 1,200 ton~ of stone, yielding 780 ozs. of gold. The Kangaroo Company (amalgamated) are working from two levels, one being 505 feet, the other 425 feet in depth ; from the latter they have raised 669 tons, which have yielded 459 ozs. The Northern Light and the Koh-i-noor works are both suspended, but it is expected they will shortly resume operations.· . Taylor and- Co.'s Crushing Mill is being adapted for crushing quartz tailings, and working a huddle. At Armstrong's quartz reef prospecting is still persevered in, although with very indifferent results. Burke's Reef, Port·Curtis, has been steadily worked during the quarter, but I have not been able to obtain a report of the results. . The United Albion Quartz Company, Ararat, are progressing with their working shaft, now down 135 feet. Auriferous veins or leaders have been met with for nearly the whole of the depth although a reef has not yet been struck. ' RAGLAN DIVISION. Mr. John Templeton, Minin,g Suf"!!eym:. (Jffl.,(j Registrar. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AB FOLLOWS:- Europeans. Chine..,, Total for the Diviflion. I Remarks. Alluvial Miners ...... 394 570 964 - I . 70 THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:- Beaufort, &c. _ . SO Sulky and Charlton .. . · 140 Joclj:'s Lead, &c. 90 Waterloo and tributaries ... 170 Ola Mahi• Lead • ··· .. -. ,- 230 Sailor's Gully and tributaries ... 110 Triouta'ries: to 'ditto .. . 90 ' Poverty Point · , .. , , 30 Old King Charlie's .. . 20 Long Gully .. . 4 Total 964 ~ I I · · · ; '·' ·'~- .... ~-~ r · l "' ~ ,~ I . ' THE MACHINERY 'Is. A!J FOLLows :-:-: .. ~------~~,-L~U~V~a-L_MnflN,---G-·~~-: 1------~Q_u_AR__Tz __ MnnN____ a.______1 Dll!lcription of Machinery. At Work. I Idle •. · of At Work. Idle. ! of SteamHo=-~~:: -"'llgines. Rei=~!:Steam .Engines. Steam Engines employed in pumping, wind- 8 '4 '160 ing, &c. . Steam Cement Crusher I Puddling Machines 85 10 ... Whims 9 Whips ,2 • ~ • ! • Sluices .. ··'!..· 2 Total value ·of mining plant in .the division, £10,000. · ~ m:p.ber of square miles of auriferous ground which is being, or may have l;>~en, actually ~orked upon,5,. . · . . · Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 4. · · · - .. ' . . ' ' The price· of -gold during the quarter in the division. has been £3 l Ss. 6d. per. oz .. . With regard to the European population. there is no material alteration, it consisting princiJ?ally of peop~e who have settled down here, and who do not appear inclined to move about. · The- Chinese populatwn· appear to have decreased by more than one hundred since my last report. · . During the latter part of the quarter the weather has been extremely dry, but as the da~s were generally well filled during the previous guarter, ther~ is as yet n() scarcity of water. . Si~~e my l~st r~port .the Hop~ Coinpan~ in the Police Paddock have been d~ing ~ery well, their yields weekly having been steadily increasing. · ...... , . In Wingfield Gully the Perseverance Company have been doing moderately well, _and the same remark applies to the Burke Company in Musical Gully. Among the smaller claims, miners in Jonathan's Gully, and O'Hara's in Shicer's"Gully;·nave oe-eii doing very well. . .. At Sulky Flat the Prince of Wales's Company are erecting new machinery of amore 'powerful character than they previously bad, and have also enlarged their party, as they .found that under their former arrangements the waterwas'too much for .them. . . .r ....." .l). •• -· · The O~arlton Company have been at work during the.greater· part of the quarter, but have:been only moderately successful: Two or three small claims have• been registered in that neighborhood , during the quarter, and I understand the results have been satisfactory to the holders...... · ~ On the other side Of :the r'ange; toward's Raglan, the Dempster Con'1pany' have be~n d~ing very well, and have applied for an additional lease. . . ·· · i:U:' Sailor's Guily, the Helm.sdale Company conti.nu~ to get very good returns. The Royal Saxon Company adjoining have finished their new shaft, and have .dri.ven ._into good ground, but have not commenced washing yet as their puddling machine, &c., is not yet quite in working order. The Defiance Company have been doing very well,.having had increasing returns during the quarter. At Kerrr:muir, a ~ributary ·cif ·sailor's GUlly~ several new claims have been taken up, and a small lease applied for, w1th apparently good prospects. The Great Victoria Comp~ny, after a great deal of perseverance, haYe at length got some gold in their lea~e, but the .ground is hardly,..,r\~ll. !Olfl~uglj ,a~ _y~t. to repay them, however, they seem to be very sangume as to· thmr eventual p;rospenty:·., · " ..... '• • The returns of g()J . , .• ••'U:, l 't!•'l 71 PLEASANT CREEK DIVISION. Mr. John D'Alton, Mining Surveyor am4 Registrar. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:- 1 , Total for the Chinese. ! Division. Remarks. Alluvial Miners 366 1 250 616 Quartz Miners Totals ::: I,:::~ ~~--~5-·0-LI--l-,:-:-:--1 THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTE~ :- Deep Lead 200 Cooper's Flat 10 Forty Foot 4 Great Western 34 .Commercial Street 196 New Rush, Concongella 200 Quartz Reefs 626 Elizabeth Creek Reefs 14 Total 1,292 Ironbark Reefs 8 TaE MACHINERY IS AB FOLLOWS:- ALLUVIAL Ml::h"lNG •• QI1A.Il.TZ MINDI,G. ; Description of Maohiner:v. Number Aggregate' -· Number Aggregate At Work. I·. Idle. · of Stamp Horse-power of At Work. Idle. of Stamp Heads. Steam Engines. Heads. r=~~.~~ -·· ~--1-- I· Steam Engines pumping, 3 2 60 76 12 1 188 350 hauling, and crushing Whims ...... 3 ...... 12 8 ...... Toms ...... 14 30 ...... Compound Cradles, worked 6 2 .., ...... by horse-power Chilian Rollers, crushing 14 ...... Quartz tailings I Total value of mining plant in the division, £63,200. Number of square miles of auriferous ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked ~~m .· . . Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 19. • · . · · The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been from £3 15s. 6d. to £4 per oz. THE FOLLOWING !N_FORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELA:riVE 'TO· THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND QUARTZ TAILINGS AND CEMENT CRUSHED DURING -THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM :- I I Wbere QUArtz, &c., were Avemge . Remarks relative to the Name of Company. Quartz crusbed. IYield of G<>1d I Total y ulld of Depth at whicb· the obta.ined. , per Ton. : G<>ld. QUArtz was obtained. ~-- . tons cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. : oz. dwt. gr. Lamont and Co. ... Flat and Scotch man's 1,297 0 0 I 0 0 0 0 From 280 to 460 •\'. i 1,2~7. Reefs ' feet Pleasant Creek ... Various reefs ... 1,153 0 0 0 il 17'38! 675 18 0 Moonlight ... Cross Reef ... 1;329 0 0 0 15 19•97 1,052 1 0 400 feet Wimmera } Davidson and Company Various reefs ... 1,638 0 0 ·o 10 22·49 .. 895 15 0 Not known Victoria ...... Cross and Sloan's, 900 0 0 0 14 10 648 15 0 Various depths and Bonnie Dundee Reefs Rose of Denmark ... Scotch man's ... • 860_ 0 0 0 15 0 645 0 0 319 feet St. George's ...... Cross and Scotch- 1,018 0 0 0 19 19•16 1,007 15 0 285 to 350 feet man's Cato and Co. ... New Chum ... 160 0 0 0 7 15 . 61 0 0 130 feet Quartz Tailings and Total, Quartz ... . 8,355 0 0 0 15 0'97 6,283 4 0 Cement crushed. Cambrian ... Church Hill · ... '780 0 o· 0 4 0 156 0 0 Cement N. and S. Wales ... Deep Lead ... 1,500 0 0 0 4 2 306 5 0 Cement Trigia and Co. ... Deep Lead ... 2,340 0 0 0 1 0 ll7 0 0 Pipeclay Total, Quartz Tail-} ings and Cement 4,620 o. 0 o. 2 12'18 579 5 0 72 QUARTZ. In quartz mining I have to report a continued and steady improvement. The result of the last twelve months'' work has completely restored confidence in the permanence and ·richness of the various deep reefs, another of which has been discovered during the quarter. This occurred in claim No. 4 north, Scotchman's Reef, at a depth of 319 feet from the surface, being about, 50 feet below the water level. 1'he reef is eight feet in thickness; and is almost flat, its inclination from the horizontal being not more than one foot in eight. Yield about 2 ozs. to the ton. In consequence of tKe success hitherto attending .the various ventures in deep sinking, several spirited enterprises have been taken in hand, the most important of which'is the sinking of a new shaft on theN orth Cross Reef Company's lease, with the object of striking the cross-reef at a depth of 600 feet from the surface. Next in order is the sinking of Lament, Grant, and Company's shaft on the same reef, to a ·depth of 560 ,fef't, with a drive of lOO feet to the same reef. But the most beneficial work completed during the quarter is the North Scotchman's Drainage Company's engine shaft, which has enabled upwards of fourteen claims to resume work. The Waterloo Company, are engaged erecting machinery for the purpose of sinking their shaft, now 360 feet deep, an additional lOO feet. The HamJ?shire, Perthshire, V\,' oxford, and Nowhere R~efs are engag~d sinking p~ospecting shafts. The Bonme Dundee; and ·Flymg Doe Reefs are agam fully occupied ; there 1s, however, con siderable impediment experienced from water, to overcome which no adequate machinery has, as yet, been placed on the ground. . The various new reefs prospected in the Ironbark Ranges have been worked with indifferent success, the crushings obtained from 4 to 7 dwts. 'per ton. Water being here again a great impediment, the shafts striking it at abollt 150 feet from the surface ; numerous broken reefs have, however, been struck, every one carrying a little gold, so that the prospecting in this direction, although very superficial, has had one good result, namely, that of proving the continuance of the main· line of auriferous reefs to a distance of thret: miles beyond the point at which they were formerly supposed to terminate. . On Sloan's Reef there are but two claims working, the stonf? being barely payable. · I may state with great confidence, 'that the prospects of quartz mining are most encouraging. The experience of the last quarter has contributed much to dispel any doubts that may have existed as to the permanence or richness of the reefs in the deepest workings, and a prosperous future may be anticipated for those miners who have persevered through former seasons of depression and uncertainty. ALLUV:IAL·. A slight improvement. is noticeable in this branch of mining, although none of the old diggings : have been extended, the greater attraction of quartz having diverted the attention of the European miners. . . · An increase has taken place in the Chinese population, who now have nearly the exclusive occupation of Commercial street diggings and also 9f Cooper's Flat. The Four Posts may be said to be completely abandoned. · . · A party of prospectors are at pres?nt working in the neighborhood of the Welcome, but have not obtained payable gold. ' The most important event in alluvial mining is. the discovery of gold in new country near Concongella home station, a small rush has consequently set in, but owing to the tedious nature of the sinking, and to the suspension of work during the holidays, there has bee!l as yet but one shaft bottomed; the prospectors state that they have a depth of· three feet of wash-dirt, which yielded 5 dwts. from the bottom of the shaft. The breadth or direction of the lead has not yet been ascertained. . The old workings, Great Western, give remunerative employment to a few European and Chinese miners. A prospecting claim has been taken up close to the boundary of the Alien vale pre-emptive right, where payable gold was struck; which,.however, could not be traced beyond the claim. · The Little Western, the Great Western, and the Hit-or-miss Companies have suspended work. BARKLY DIVISION. Mr. John D'iJ.lton, Milnilng S'lirv()yor and Registrar. THE TOTAL N:uM:BER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:- I Total far the .. ~~~1 Europeallfl. Chinese. Division. . Remarks. Alluvial Miners ...... I 1,325 160 I 1,485 THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS D.ISTRIBUTED :- Cambrian Lead '... 1,2oo Barkly 50 Ray's Rush , . 10 Frenchman's 25 Emu Flat 10 Glenpatrick and Nowhere Creek 50 Emerald Hill 40 Maiakhoff' 100 Total 1,485 73 THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:- ALLUVIAL Ml:lrl:NG, QUA.RTZ Ml:lrl:NG. Description of Machinery. I Number Aggregate Aggregate At Work.] Idle. of Stamp Ilorse~Power of At Work. Idle. Horse-Power of Heads. Steam Engine. Steam Engines. ---1---;--- I··~ r- Steam Engine ...... I .. . 12 12 ...... Puddling Machines ...... 20 4 ...... Whips ...... 4 2 ...... Toms ...... 80 20 ...... Sluice Boxes ...... 25 ...... Whims ...... 2 ...... ~l'otal valu_e of mining plant in the division, £3,460. Number of square miles of auriferous ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon, 13t. Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 7. . The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been from £3 17s. 9d. to £4 Os. 6d. per oz. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS_ BEEN OBTAINED RBL.!TIVE'TO THE QUANTITY OF CEMENT, &c.. CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GoLD OBTAINED THEREFROM :- Where Cement was Average Total Yield of Name of Compe.ny. obtained. ICement crtll!hed. Yield per Gold a.nd Remarks. ton. Silver. Pipe-cla.lJ and C~ment tons cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Crushed. Lands borough ... Ray's Rush and Cam- *2,600 0 0 0 7 0 910 0 0 brian Lead . I • Weight estimated Ollly, as the Company were unable to furnish an e.ccoont. QUARTZ. No work has been done on any of the reefs during the quarter. ALLUVIA.L. The great centre o.f alluvial mining in this division is now transferred to the country westward of the township of Landsborough, where several new leads and patches have been discovered during the last two months, the principal of these was the Cambrian Lead, more properly a continuation of the Emu Flat, on which nearly 800 miners are at present employed. This Lead is of considerable breadth, and has been traced in a south-westerly direction to a distance of about three miles from Lands borough ; it is hoped that the line above referred to, will eventually conduct the miners into the main Landsborough Deep Lead, which was lost some years back a little to the westward of the town· ship boundary. Snake Lead Hill occupies the attention of a few miners, and a good many claims are still working on Ray's Rush. The Malakhoff gives remunerative employment to about· 100 miners. Minin'g is very backward at Barkly, and I regret to say that much disappointment has been experienced ny those who invested iu the ground recently taken up in Glenpatrick. Several large leases have also been abandoned, both at Barkly and Landsborough, in none of which has the ground been properl,t tested. . The Frenchman's Lead affords remunerative employment to about 25 miners, but here no attempt has been made to follow it into the wet ground, the par lies contenting themselves with working out blocks and patches which are frequently met 'vith surrounding the higher portions of the diggings. Within the last fortnight gold has again been struck to the west of the Cambrian Lead, at a place called the Kangaroo, it is not yet known ..rhether this is a new run or only a branch of the Cambrian. Up to the present time there is plenty of water for every ·mining purpose. No. 22, i. INDEX. Summary.-Gold Mining Statistics for the Quarter ending 31st December, 1866. BALLAR.A.T MINING DISTRICT. Page Ballarat Central Division Mr. Harrie Wood, Mining Registrar 3 Buninyong Division ... Mr. Robert M. Harvey, ).lining Surveyor and Registrar ... 5. Smythesdale Division ... Mr. John Lynch, Mining Surveyor an~ Registrar - 6 Creswick Division Mr. James Stevenson, Mining Surveyor and· Hegistrar 8 Gordon Subdivision Mr. Thomas Cowan, Mining Surveyor and Registrar 10 Steiglitz Snbdi vision Mr. Henry Davidson, Mining Surveyor and Registrar 11 Blackwood Division Mr. E. G. Magnus, Mining Surveyor and Registrar 13 Blue Mountain South Subdivision Mr. R. H. Horne, Mining Registrar 15 BEECHWORTH MINING DISTRICT. Beechworth Division ... Mr. Alexander Alderdice, Mining Registrar 15 Stanley Subdivision Mr. Thomas Stubbin; Mining Registrar 17 Yackandandah Subdivision Mr. Thos. G. Kennan, Mining Surveyor and Registrar 18 Sandy Creek Subdivision Mr. John W. Deattie, Mining Registrar 20 Indigo Division ... · Mr. R . .Arrowswith, Mining Surveyor and Registrar 20 Buckland Division Mr. Lewis C. Kinchela, Mining Registrar - 22 Crooked River Subdivision Mr. James Travis, Mining Registrar 24 Jamieson Subdivision ... Mr. Samuel K. Vickery, Mining Surveyor and Registrar ... 26 Gatfn'ey's Creek Subdivision Mr. Hugh St. H. Dhir, Mining Surveyor and Registrar · 28 Wood's Point Subdivision lllr. A. D. Ainsworth, Mining Surveyor and Registrar 29 Big River Subd.ivision Mr. Penrose Nevins, :Mining Surveyor and Registrar 30 Matlock Subdivision ... Mr. A. n. Ain.sworth, Mining Surveyor and Registrar 31 Donnelly's Creek Subdivision Mr. J. G. Peers, Mining Surveyor and i~egistrar 82 Sale Subdivision Mr. Charles R. Geoghegan, Mining Registrar 33 Stringer's Creek Subdivision Mr. John S. Patterson, Mining Registrar 34 Omeo Central Subdivision Mr. W. Phipps, Mining Registrar 35 Snowy Creek Subdivision Mr. Andrew Trench, Mining Hegistrar 36 Mitchell River Subdivision Mr. Arthur F. Walker, Mining Surveyor and Registrar ... 37 SANDHURST MINING DISTRICT.. Sandhurst Division . Mr. N. G. Stephens, Mining Registrar ... 38 Kilmore Division Mr. Martin Meagher, Mining Registrar 40 Heathcote Division and Waranga South Subdivision Mr. J. T. Strong, Mining Surveyor and Registrar 42 W aranga. North Subdivision Mr. H. D. Nicholas, Mining Surveyor and Registrar 44 Raywood Division Mr. E. P. Virtue, Mining Registrar 45 M:.A.RYBOROUGH .MINING DISTRICT. Maryborough Division Mr. D. O'Leary, Mining Surveyor and Registrar· 47 Amherst Division Mr. Joseph Smith, Mining Surveyor and Registrar 48 Avoca Subdivision Mr. William Dyrne, l\Hning Surveyor and Registrar 50 Korong Division Mr. W. G. Couchman, Mining Surveyor and Registrar - 51 Red bank and St. Arnaud South Subdivisions Mr. William Byrne, Mining Surveyor and Registrar 53 St. Arnaud North Subdivision ... Mr. John Phillips, Mining Surveyor and Registrar 54 C.A.STLEM.A.INE MINING DISTRICT. Castlemaine Division ... Mr. Thomas L. Brown, Mining Surveyor and Registrar 55 Fryers' Creek Subdivision ... Mr. R. L. M:R:itto, Mining Surveyor and Registrar 57 Hepburn Division ... Mr. Thos. Hale, Mining Registrar 58 Taradale S\lbdivision ...... , Mr. Thomas Orwin, Mining Registrar ... 61 Maldon Division Mr. Robt. Nankivell, Mining Surveyor and Registrar 62 St. Ar11lrew's East Subdivision •.. llrr. :Alfred Armstrong, Mining Surveyor and Registrar .•. 63 St. Andrew's Central Subdivision Mr. Alfred Armstrong, Mining Surveyor and Registrar •. , 64 Kyneton Subdivision ... Mr. Jas. Maxwell, Mining Surveyor and Registrar 65 Blue Mountain North Subdivision Mr. R. H. Horne, Mining Registrar 66 .A.R.A.R.A.T MINING DISTRICT. Ararat Division Mr. Charles J. W. Russell, Mining Surveyor and Registrar 68 Raglan Division Mr. John Templeton, Mining Surveyor and Registrar 69 Pleasant Creek Division Mr. John D'Alton, Mining Surveyor and Registrar 71 Darkly Division Mr. John D'Alton, Mining Surveyor and Registrar 72 By Authority: JoHN FERRES, Government Printer, Melbourne.