i .! -: 1 ' ·18.64-5.
VICTORIA.
REPORTS
OF TJIE
MINING SURVEYORS
AND
RE-GISTRAR So·
QUARTER· ENDING- 30TH JUNE,' 1865.
l'BEI'5ENTED TO BOTH HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT BY HIS EXCELLENCY'S COMMAND.
li!! autboritp : JOHN li'ERRES, GOVERNMENT PRINTER. MEI.BOURNE.
~0. 69. ..
APPROXIMATE COST OF REPORTS.
DETAILED PARTICULARS. .:\MOUNT.
Cost. of Preparation, ab TOTAL £ . i SUMMARY.-GOLD MINING STATISTICS FOR THE QUARTER EN~ING 30TH JUNE, 1865. .. TABLE showing approximately the NUMBER' OF MINERS employed, the MACHINERY in 'use 'and its Value, on thJ several Gold Fields in the Colony of Victoria. Compiled from the Mining Surveyors and Registrars' Reports for the Quarter ending'\30th June, 1865. 'Alluvial Miners. Qll11i:tz Miners. Price of Gold DISTRICT, DIVISION, Total Steam Engines Number of employedWindlng, AND l'ump!ng, &c. . ~ J Miners. SUBDIVISION. Aggregata I ~ No. Horse 0 ?'1 power. ------1--1-=-----1----1-- BALLARAT: £ s.d. .No. 1 •• •• 1,740 40 ' •• 1,7&0 65 910 65 12 '2 .. .. •• •• .. •• .. •• •• .. I ' 50 ., •• .. •• •• .. 24 5:.QOO., I~ f ;9 ~· 4 1 6 No. 2 •• •• 120 570 '7as ... 1,42.? 2 22 52 2 •• .. •• .. .. •• .. •• .. .. •• 11 352 .. 4 ...... 166 34,2oo 1· 1:f 4 o o 4 I C No. 3 ·.. •• 375 408 171 •• 954 10 129 68 20 .. •• .. •• .. .. ;. .. .. •• •• 16 \ 304 •• ...... •• •• 128 '5o,OOO 3! 4 0 0 4 1 0 No. 4 •• •• 2,141 sss 18o · 8 3,015 45 1,106 s6 .5 2 •• .. •• ...... o 1o 1 ; 1~1 .. " •• .. .. 6 162 80,368 8 4 1 s 4 2 3 No. o, Bunlnyong •• 1,950 300 240 .. • 2,490 36 550 45 35 ...... •• ...... •• 12 255 • • •• .. •• .. •• 88 60,000 14 3 19 0 4 0 6 No. 6, Smythesdale 2 790 ooo so .. 3,470 82 1,620 84 I 21 • • •• ...... •• .. .. s 1 f4o .. 40 so,ooo 11 4 o o 4 0 0 Cr • • l'hree of tbe .Mining Registrars for tblll subdivision having failed to furnish reports, tbe ·information ·has been compll0d from the U No return of tbe numher of miners at the Sandy's Creek and Merrlj!g Diggings has been received. The number returned for the last latest returns receiYed. . ' · quarter was 130, which 1.s not included In this total. t The Mining Surveyor for tbe St. Andrew's West subdlvl.s!on having flllled to furnl•h a report, the Information has been taken from • The Mining Registrars in tb* C&ileS hilve returned tbe a.llllvlal ground only. his returns for the prev!OWI quarter. ' R. BROUGH SMYTii, Mining Department, Melbourne, lOth July, 1865. Secretary for Mines. No. 49* MINING SURVEYORS AND REGISTRARS 9 "'· REPORTSo BALLARAT MINING DISTRICT. No. 1 DIVISION. ll:fr. Robert JJavidson, Mining Surveyor and Registrar. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLO')VS :- Total for the . l!:Ul'OpOODS. Chinese. Division.. :B.ematlm. Alluvial Miners ...... 1,740 '40 1,780 .. Quartz Miners ...... Totals 1,740 40 1,780 ' ... / I I THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED :- Frenchman's Lead 135 Inkermaun Gully 51 Woolshed Lead 60 White Flat .. . 44 Golden Point Lead 550 Sago Hill .. . 100 Redan Lead ... 115 Caropbell's Gully ·60 Inkermann Lead 235 Bunker's Hill ... 145 Swamp Lead ... 45 Sailor's Gully 50 Suburban Lead 80 Dead Horse Lead 110 Total 1,780 THE MACHINERY IS Al! FOLLOWS :- A.LiiiTVIAL MI:iliNG, QUA.Jm!: lii:JJmrG. ·-·-··- Description of Maohinel'Y. I ! I Aggregate Number ~re At Work. Idle. AtWorlr. r: Idle. ofBtamp IHOiS&-C,:: ·=~:r. Heads. , Steam -~~ .. ~- Steam Engines ... 60 5 910 ... 1 24 50 Fuddling Machines ... 62 3 ...... Whims ...... JO 2 ...... Whips ...... 1 1 ...... Total value of mining plant in the division, £50,000. Number of square miles of auriferous ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked ~~ ' . Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous ·to the present time, 5. The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been fr9m £3 19s. to £4 ls. 6d. per oz. r 4 I have the honor to state, that during the quarter, mining operations have been pui-sued with an equal amount of interest as heretofore. · . In several instances extraordinarily large yields of gold have been obtained, while the average of the companies' returns is fully up to that of the previous quarter. Another important item in this quarter's report is, the bottoming of three bores, sunk by the Band of Hope Company, for the purpose of asceria,ining th~ cour~e of the Golde!l Point Lead beyond its at present proved/'osition. These bores were sunk m an east and west !me, between the Band of Hope No. 2, ai:l the St. George Company's shafts, and bottomed at a level very much shallower than the ascertained depth of the• lead. The inference drawn from the result of these operations is, that the Golden Point Lead must trend much more westwardly than was previously anticipated. The Band of Hope Company are persevering with the work of proving the course of the lead, and are still sinking bores with that object. Three bores are at present in operation, to the west of those already bottomed, and I believe the company intend following out this very effective style of work until the much vexed question of the ultimate course of the Golden Point Lead is thoroughly proved. The St. George Company, Woolshed Lead, has sunk through th~ fourth rock, whicl:J.proved to be 74 feet thick, and they are now sinking in soft black clay. The depth of the shaft is 380 feet, and the company anticipate being in auriferous ground within a fortnight. ,. . The Great North-West Company, Dead Horse Lead, are still sinking in rock, and are progres's· ing favorably, the result in a great measure of having a very efficient plant, as the quantity of watoc to be contended with is very great. · The Band of Hope Company obtained 11,581 ozs. 10 dwts. of gold for the past quarter, while the yield of the Great Extended Company, for the same period, amounts to 4,929 ozs. The Koh-i-nor Gold 'Mining Company's,returns·amount to 8,198 ozs. 11 dwts., and the .Albion Company, 2,837 ozs. 10 dwts. .. In consequence. of the absence of the manager of the qosmopolitan Cqmpany, I have not been able to ascertain tlie:'amount\of,)gold.raised·· by the•company for. the lastiqilai:ter.::· ·' The Spes Bona Company raised 245 ozs., being the return for two months' work. On the Dead Horse Lead, the Ballarat Extension Company obtained 294 ozs., principally from their western workings. . The Essex Company obtained, during the quarter, 845 ozs. 15 dwts.' ,, - - · · .!f!here is·not•at•present any quartz mining in this division..... No. 2 DIVISION. Mr. P. 0. Fitz Patrick, Mvning 8uTveyor and RegistTa'l'. THB TOTAL NUMBER oF 'MINERS IS. AS POLLoWS:1 I I Europeans. ' Ohlnese. Total for the I Division. ' Alluvial Miners 120 570 690 Quartz Miners 735 735 '. ~ Totals 855 570 ,, 1,425 ., ·~ .. ·~· I THB• TOTAL NUMBER oP MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:- Black Hill . . • 370 ISp.·rin, gs. , . 245 Little Bendigo . .. •. . 630 • J Dea(l HQ!'l~~Gully and vicinity... 180 . Total .... " 1,425 .~1.:.{\.. 'l (:-.: <"' • \ THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:- ALLUVIAL Ml.NING. ,• '•I• I . ··-;:;-:::··:--;·-"";":;:· ·- .-=~=~ ~- . ·· '"''l)ooclijri;;on of'-M8cl.ine17. ' :-w-!_;_1<.~-I-dl-e-.---.-~--:-~-:-gr C-T-w-~-~.-~ -~-w-~-tk~...'l-~d-te-.-~·,.o-k-~-':.-~-P~~~~-~o-:-.!"'-~-~-~:a-.~e-~r-.< 8-t-e-am_E_•n-g-in_e_s_e_m_p-lo_y_e_d_,_in_p_um_p __ ->---2- 22 ,. · '·'' ·I·· · .' ing, winding, puddling, &c. Whims ... 1 1 Fuddling Machines . •. I 43 9 Steam ·Engines emplqyed in 16 ' 166 352 crushing, winding, and pump- ing, &c. ·, · .... _, Whims .; . 2 ~. ~. ~ -' .. ' ",. ~ ' j 1' ' ' c ' • ' ' • • Total value of mining plant in the division, £34,200. , Number of square miles of auriferous ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon, :!J~~ber. of distinct quartz reefs which have b!len ac~u~ll;:· ~;~ved, to be auriferous. to·' the prese~~~~;~~"of gold.rdurittg the quarter in the' division has been. frdm £4 to •£4! 1~; per. oz:': 5 T:a:E FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUA~TITY OF QUARTZ AND ALLUVIUM AND SCHIST CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM, · . · I :Average·· .Total Yield i RemarkJl relative to th · '· ,:Nruite of Compimy. 'Where QU.artz, &c., were¥.' Quartz crushed. Yield ofGold ofGold. , DepthatwhichtheQna obtained. per Ton. was obtameu, ---·------ton cwt. qr. ~z. dwt. gr .1 oz. dwt. gr. Black Hill Co. ... Black Hill ... 3,822 0 0 .o 3 2H: 596 0 ,o 120 feet deep · Independent Co, ... Ditto ...... 3,650 0 0 ·o 1 lHI 194 15 23 1oo feet deep 1 Temperance Co. ... Little Bendigo · ... 700 0. 0 o 8 21J I 311 18 0 360 feet deep Sisters' Co. .. • ... Ditto ...... 1,308 0 0 0 6 20:.! 448 12 ' 0 463 feet deep Band of Hope Co. ... Ditto ...... 420 0 0 0 6 Ob 126 2 0 350 feet deep One and All Co. ... Ditto ...... 364 0 0 0 16 20f. 306 16 14 350 feet deep Little Bendigo Co. '••• Ditto ...... 180 0 0 0 6 15! 59 14 ;o 120 feet deep I Total, Quartz ... 10,444 0 0 0 3 22 2,043 18 J3 I ' Alluvium and Schist ,,--/ crushed. Two Ton Co. ... Blaek Hill ... 1,000 0 0. 0 1 16! 85 o,,o ., I ' ,• Total, Alluvium. a:J;~d 0 0 i<-t 0 o· ' ' Schist -} 1,000 ··O i6!' ... ·ss ' l .- ... .. I ' The Majestic and Two Ton Companies are puddling and crushing the 11-lluvial and the schist from the quartz claims on the BlackHill." · ' \ . No. 3 DmsxoN. MT. Thomas Cowa;n, M11ning S'Uh"'JeyoT and Reg#traT. T:a:E TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:- .. "' Total for the .. Europeans. Chinese. Di'rision; Remarks. Alluvial Miners ...... 375 408 783 Quartz Miners ...... 171 ... 171 Totals ... 546 408 954 THE TOTAL NUMBER OF .MI:N.i!lRS IS THUS DlSTBIBU'l'liD :- . ' Gum-tree Flat 60 Sillcla.ir's Hill 28 Golden Point... ' · 38 Canadian ... """! 51 Old Post Office Hill 45 Madman's Flat 51 Poverty Point 50 New Chum ... 41 ReQ. Streak .! .. 23 Sailbr's Gully ... 28 Specimen Gully 38 Pril'/ce Regent· .•. 40 l ••• Black Hill :Flat' ... ' 32 Terrible Gully . .. • .. :26 Eureka 50 Miner's Right and Mount Pleasant 25 Caledonian 70 White Flat and Malakoff 29 Lady Darkly ... 15 Navvy Jack ... 16 . Brown Hill Flat 30 Temperance Lead 40 Ashe's Lead .. . 9 Clayton's Hill .. . 30 954 Pennyweight Flat 35 Dalton's Flat ... 54 6 THE MACH!NERY IS AS FOLLOWS:- QUA.RTZ l'I1I:NING. Description of Machinery. Aggregate At Work. Idle. Hors<>-power of At Work. Idle.· Steam Engines. Steam Engines employed in wind- ing and crushin'g ... 5 5 129 9 7 128 304 Horse Fuddling Machines 36 15 Steam Fuddling Machines 7 10 Whims 14 6 Total value of minin~ plant in the division, £53;000. · - Number of square m1les of auriferous ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked ~~ . . 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 division has been from £4 to £4 ls. per oz. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND QUARTZ TAILINGS CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND 'fHE GoLD OBTAINED THEREFROM. Aver~e . !Remarks . relative ·to the Name or Company. Where=· &c., were Qun.rtz crushed. Yield of Gold T otol Y 1eld of Depth at which the Quartz I Gold. · was obto.ined. -----~----· --·~o _·_a_d_.---i-----1 'per Ton. ton owt. Qr.l oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Union Golden Point . 1,400 0 0 0 2 6~ 158 17 0 90 feet Old Post Office Hill Old Post Office Hili 2,200 0 0 0 3 123 386 0 0 40 to 140 feet Endeavor Specimen Gully 800 0 0 0 3 0 120 0 0 70 feet Britannia Ditto 600 0 0 0 4 1~ 122 0 0 90 feet Llanberris Gum-tr~·Flat .. ;. 1,584 0 0 0 8 5:\ 651 2 12 270 feet Total, Quartz 6;584- 0 0 0 4 8fr 1,437 19 12 ·Quartz Tailings crushed. ~---.. - Good Friday Specimen GuUy ... ~~~I 0 0 12~ I 40 0 0 from surface to 11 ft. Total, Quartz } 1,500 o· 40 0 Tailings 0 I 0 o 12! 1 0 I have the honor to forward the following report of mining operations in m.y division during the quarter. ,ALLUVIAL MINING. ~l'ke Red Streak Company, Red .Streak. Since the date of last report, this company have continued prospecting operations, and have discovered. four quartz reefs, varying from 3 to 5 feet in thickness. Fifty-eight tons of quartz from these reefs have been crushed, the yield being 12 ounces of gold. .About a fortnight since operations were suspended with a view to the increase of the capital of the company, in· order to the procuring of a crushing battery. · · Tke BMlcly Compan;y, Ba4·lcly Lead. This company has ceased operations with a view to the increase of the company's capital. Tke Blue Jacket Company, G!tm-tree Flat. This company has bottomed at 180 feet,,and with sufficiently encouraging results. Tke Bwrlcly Bridge, Tke Mount's .Jlay, and Tke Victoria Cement Companies, are as previously reported, namely, engaged in working the ground from the surface to a depth of from 10 to 35 feet, with satisfactory results. Tke Claytan's Hill Compan,y, Clayton's Hill. . Since the date of last report this company sold their· claim to a party of Chinamen working an adjoining claim,·and have ·removed their machinery to the opposite side of the hill, where th"ey have now commenced operations. Tke Caledonian Company, Caledonian Lead. · Since the.date oflast report this company broke through into the gutter and washed a machine ful and a half, which yielded gold to tpe value of £10 4s. only. Subsequently, while further prospe_eting, they struck waslidirt about six feet above the gutter, from which a tin dishful was washed which yielded five grains of gold. This the manager considers a promising indicatiqn, and the company has suspended operations with a view to the reorganizing of the company. QUARTZ MINING. Since the date of last report the Oregon Quartz Mining Comj_)any has erected machinery, and is now ready to commence crushing operations, but in the meantime the company is being reorganized. and work is at a standstill. In regard to the other companies there is no information to give beyond what appears in the tables. ~--~------i No. 4 DIVISION. Mr. ·Michael O'Malley, MmVn,g Surveyor and RegiBtri:vr. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS :- Total for the 6 ' Europeans. Ohlnese. Division. l«lnmrkll. --~·~~ .Alluvial Miners ...... ·2,141 686 2.827 Quartz Miners ...... 180 8 188 -----~ Totals ... 2,321 ' 694 3,015 - THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED :- Bulldog , ... 575 LongGully ... 21 Mount Misery Creek 250 Kangaroo Gully 26 Moonlight 67 Staffordshire Reef 168 Junction 113 Kangaroo Hill 20 Little Hard Hills 180 Sebastopol 210 Whim Holes 65 Cobbler a ...... 135 Sawpit Gully 75 Cambrian Hill and Winter's Flat 170 Jacli:son's Gully 65 Black Lead ... 110 Grassy Gully ... 180 Napoleon and Dogtrap 115 S).Jring Creek ... 65 Racecourse 35 Pmchgut ...... 115 Watson's Hill. 33 Frenchman's Gully .. . 110 Break o'Day and Raglan 67 TOTAL 3,015 Italian Gully ...... 45 THE MACHINERY IS AS .FOLLOWS;- ' ALLUVIAL llt::mnm. QUARTZ MINING. , ______··--~- -~----·· Description of Machlile1'7. Number· Aggregate Number Aggregate At Work. Idle. of Stamp Horse-power of At Work. Idle•. of Stamp I Horse-power of Heads. Steatn Engines .. Heads. Steam Engines. ------~~ -~-- Steam Engines ...... 32 12 ... 1,096 4 3 162 167 Steam Engines (crushing ... l 6 10 ...... cement) I Horse Puddling Machines ... 48 38 ...... I ... Whims ...... 5 ...... 4 1 ...... Whips ...... 2 ...... i 3 3 ...... ! Boring Machines ...... 6 4 ...... I ...... I ... .Total value of mining -elant in the division, £80,368. Number of square mtles 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, 8. The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been.from £4 1s. 6d. to £4 2s. 3d. 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. I l«llnlU'lrs relative t;o the Name of Company. Where ~z, &c., were IQ11l!d'tz ClUBhed. Yieti:-r"6:,ld I Tota.I Yield of' Depth &t which the o med. • per Ton. i Gold. Q11l!d'tz was obte.ined, &c. ton owt. qr: oz. dwt. -:! oz. dwt. gr. Sta1fordshire Reef ... Sta.ft'ordshire Reef ... 5,252 0 0 o a 16tH 971 0 0 200 level, 5~ feet lode Comet ...... Ditto ...... 430 0 0 o 5 19! 1 125 0 0 170 level, 5 feet lode Prince of Wales . ~ .... Cobbler's ... 1,913 0 0 0 9 3l 873 16 12 370level, 17 feet. lode ------Totals, Quartz -7,595 0 0 0 5 4! 11,969 16 12 Quartz Tailings and Cement crushed. Federal ...... Boundary Gully ... 320 0 0 I 0 7 0 112 0 0 Total Quartz Tail- } ings and Cement 320 0 0 I ·0 7 0 Il2 0 0 8 I have the honor to report that during the quarter, mining matters generally have progressed satisfactorily throughout the division ; aild althoughi as yet, no new discoveries of much importance have resulted fr~!R .. ~he, ~xtenst~!l _pro~p~cting. ~~a~ is _l;Jei?g.•. l!~::ri}ld gn ~e~~~HY all over the division, yet several compames ·have obtamed pronnsmg mdiciitiOns of ultimate1 success. 1 One company, for instance, has recently obtained favorable prospects from a claim about half a mile to the northward of the Buninyong racecourse. Another company (the Golden Gate) has also obtained good prospects from a claim immediately 'to the northward of the racecourse; while ari6ther company (the Great South-W cstern) has in all likelihood struck the locale of the old Whim Holes Lead, about a mile and a half to the sout'\1.-east of the south-west corner of .tY.13 raceC()R~S!J... This company has sunk a shaft to • about 90 feet; and is in high hopes of bottoming· on or near the gutter, and from all the surroundings of the case I am disposed to think favorably of their prospects. The Prince Alfred Extended Company, about half a mile further eastward, has also, of late, as I am informed, obtained encouraging prospects after two and a half years' unremitting labor; but as they will not be able to test the quality of the gutter for another week or two, nothing very definite can as yet be stated rega,rding its yield. However, from the fact of very good washdirt having been obtained higher up the lead by their next neighbors, the Tynemouth and Palmerston companies, it is confidently expected that the gutter in the Prince Alfred Company's claim will he payable. There have been four or five other claims taken up duri.rig the quarter between the latter company's claim and the Whim Holes, but up to the present there has been·little or no work done on m' in connexion with any of them, the parties, it would appear, preferring to hold them .in reserve until something may turn up to -increase the value of their shares. The Friar Tuck Company, Pinchgut Gully, after several ineffectual efforts !tt bottoming· shafts in different parts of the gully, decided on boring for the deep ground some three weeks 'since, b.n't as yet the deepest discovered is ouly .thirty fe.et, which is considered about fifteen or twenty feet too shallow. The Temple (lease) Company, Rn.glail 'Hill, are.at present engaged sinking their shaft, which, from indications already obtained, is li]l:ely to be in .the vicinity of deep ground; present depth, 120 feet. The Alert Co-gtpany, Break o'Day Hill, are energetically prosecuting their search for the gutter supposed to intersect their claim; but,' so far, '.without success. . : · ·., The Break o'Day Company, Elder's Estate, are busy prospecting their claim, botl~ by sinking shafts and boring; but up to the end of the .month with no particular result. Gold has b'cen found ii!. the shallow portion of the claim, but not in paying quantity. · The Golden Empire Company,. whose claim is situated about a mile to the eastward of the town ship of Pitfield, is about completing the erection of a very substantial plant, con1.1isting of two steam engines (a twenty and a forty-five horse-power respectively), and are pretty confident as to the course of the deep ground within their claim, having bottomed one bore at a. depth of upwards of 200 feet. The Monitor (late Alliance) Company have bottomed at a depth of 102 feet, with a dip to the westward ; but, as yet, no .pro!Jpects have been. obtained. They are, however, in expectation of finally strikin?, the Derwent Jack's Lead. The Golden Gitte Company has got into what is considered paying washdirt, and is erecting puddling machinery in consequence. . . . . The Western Creek Grand Junction Company,' wh'ose claim is situated at the junction of Mount Misery and Little Woady'Yaloak Creeks,,hav~.j)lst cofrlpieted·'t'h'e m;e'ction of their engine (twelve horse- power), and will-resume sinking forthwith. . The Marmion Company, to the southward of the latter, is at present sinking, having met, as yet, with no obstacle in the shape of water. Present depth about fifty feet. ' · The Great Western and W oady Y aloak Junction Company, whose claim is situated, as the name denotes, at the junction of the Western (or Little Woady Yaloak) and the Woady Yaloak Creeks, having sunk their shaft some thirty feet, were swamped out, and are now, I believe, about commencing to bore in order to determine the position of the deep ground before procuring machinery. · The Cressy Grand Confluence Company, whose claim' is situated at the township of Cressy, have not as yet succeeded in .ascertainin~ th? cou:se .of the d,eep groufi:d. I ~m told their deepest bore was bottomed at a depth of Sixty feet .. Their cl~1m IS at present held m reserve. · · · ·· ·With regard to the old dividend paying claims in the' 'division, I am pleased 'to report that the returns from them generally continue to be satisfactory? the following having been obtained during the ~ar~~ . . Nelson Company, Sebastopol, for nine weeks' work, o~tained ... 2,852 oz. Prince of Wales Company, Cobbler's, from alluvial alone· ·: . .' '3, 161 ,; · Alston and Weardale Company, Cambrian Hill 3,<.1,86 , Great Gulf Company, Cambl'ian Hill 1,054 , Scottish 3.nd Cornish 0ompany, Black ·Lead, twO months'·"~ork~' 748 ·, ~. ' The Defiance .Company, Sebastopol, has done littl~ il1.tlie. way of g!'tting up '!Vashdirt during the quarter, being principally engaged in the sinking of a new shaft and the erection of new machinery. '!'he Red Jacket Company, Sebastopol, has also been engaged during the quarter in putting in a new dr~ve ror the gut~er,a!!d .i.l!. tP.~ e~~£H~n;.P.r a, rro/ .~ 11p.s.t~ntipl.pl8;J1t .~nd_ 0 m11chiner:r:,.. ?'he... 'Y?.~Jdng Mmers Company ·.have ?ee'n also enga.ged (and will be for .some Blx'or eight months) puttmg I,U a new drive to the southward m order to stnke the gutter at a distance of about 2,000 feet from tlieir shaft; its length at preseut is, I understand, upwards of 900 feet. . . . . The New Frenchman's Company, Sebastopol, has been similarly 'engaged durmg the quarter ~n driving for the gutter; while the Sons of :!freedom Company, NaJlo!eon, has been ehiefi.y engag~d. ,m putting in a new drive at. a lower level to strike the gutter. The Fortuna and Caledoma Compame.s, Dog Trap Creek, have been busy searching or prospecting for payable ground; which neither have, as yet, succeeeded in finding.. . · ...... I·am aware of nothmg further of particular mterest to mentiOn m regard to alluvml mmmg m the division; and as. to the yield of q~artz during the quart~r, I am glad to report, as.will be seen ~y the accompanying table, tbat there Is, on the whole, an·mcrease on the average yield for the ?rst quarter of the year, which was 4 dwts. 5t grs,, while for the last quarter it has been 5 dwts. 4~ grs. 9 BuNINYONG DIVISION. Mr. Robert M. Harvey, Mining Surveyor and Regiatra'r. THE TOTA.L NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:- ~ I Total for the I Remarks. Europeans. Chinese. Division . I .... ~-··' I I I Alluvial Miners ...... 1,950 300 2,250 Quartz Miners ...... 240 ... 240 Increase, 280 during the quarter. ~~--~- Totals ... 2,190 300 2,490 THE TOTAL NUMBER Oll' ]\{INERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:.!_ Durham 850 White Horse 150 Green H:ills 60 Magpie 100 Sootchman's 240 Cobbler's 100 Franklyn ...... 80 One-eye and Spring Hill. 80 Napoleon, Victoria, and Wellington 170 NewChum ... 40 Devonshire ... 20 Union Jack and Glencoe 80 HardHills .. . 100 W atson's Hill 50 Black Lead .. . 100 Winter's Flat 100 Total 2,490 His cock's ' 170 THE lVfACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS :_:_ ALLUVIAL MINING. QUARTZ MlmNG. ··--·······-~--- Description of Machinery. I Aggregate i Number Aggregate At Work. Idle. Horse-power of At Work. I Idle. of Stamp Horae-= of 1, Steam Engines. Heads. S&eam · !lll, Steam Engines ...... 34 2 .550 7 5 88 255 ' Puddling Maehi_nes ...... 30 15 ...... Whims ...... 30 5 ...... I i Total value of mining plant in the division, £60,000. · · .Number of square miles of auriferous ground which is being or may have been actually worked upon, 14. Number of rustinct quartz reefs which have been actua).ly proved to be auriferous to the present time, 12. · The price of gold during the quarter in'the division has been from £3 19s. to £4 Os. 6d. per oz. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAs BEEN oBTAINED RELATIVE To THE QuANTITY oF QuARTZ CRUSHED I/URING THE QUARTER, AND THE GoLD OBTAINED TliEREFROM. Remarks relative to the Name of Company. Where ~uartz, &c., were Quartz crushed, IYield Avera~ of ld Total Yield of Depth at which the o tained. per Ton, ·Gold. Quartz was obtained, &c. ------~ ton cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dw&. gr. Standard Co. ... Hiscock's Reef ... 1,624 0 0 0 6 6f;; 507 15. 18 160 feet Imperial Co. ... Ditto ...... 1,665 0 0 0 2 9% 199 0 0 1.50 to 200 feet One-and--All Co. ... Ditto ...... 2,000 0 0 0 4 5t 422 6 2 130 to 200 feet True Briton Co. ... Long Gully ... 230 0 0 0 l 0~ ll 15· 6 I Surface, not fairly . commenced • Total 5,519 0 0 0 4 3;full,140 17 2 ... I I I I No. 69, a. 10 . ..QUARTZ MINING. .. ·~~.:;-,!.-· \fj~. '<)~~.{;{:;Jj~::_:,~~.. "' The general average of quartz crushed in this district for the quarter shows a decided improve ment, being in fact about Q grains per ton, above, that of last quartet:, a veryJarge increase when the tot.al yield is but·from<·3·.td·"4 dwts, per.,;.tonA;Tfi.e:only·:nel~~\lbattery started:-i~·~that:of:~the True Briton, Long Gully, sixteen stamps. This company has only commenced operations, and has crushed nothing but quartz easily obtained on the surface ; the average yield is remarkably low, but is, I believe, sure to improve. The disco~£\nes made during fhi~':·;~uarter ·have. proved 'thttt this lead improves in its cou.rs~ downwards:the Enfield-and the-Duke.of.Cornwall, the only. companies which as yet have satisfactorily proved the Durham Gutter, having obtainflP. good retu_rns,iand in consequence the public confidence.:\n · this.lead has,been restored. The Chrys~is still contends with an overpowering force of water; ·.while the City or"Manchester and Sb~tli:Greuville' have both been proved to be workin$ at too shall6tv' aleHH: Below, no new discoveries have been macro ·;-ab'ove-;-·ulli-· Garibaldi have starteu a new. engine with an improved plant, and the recent improvements in the· yield from· the ground opened out, will no doubt now·yield- good returns. ,The-:Pioneer,,pays liLtl0 more than expenses,; .the Con v.ention maintains ·a good payable yield; the National have struck the junction of the Durham and Scotchman's l;eads, they have had to deepen their main drive, preventing the wqrks for some time from yielding wash-dirt below the junction ; they have; liOwever, 'every:prospect of good yields 'in 'future. ' 1 ' ·" .,, ' ;~ ~~~ition. : ~· ~ ~ J , i~i~ ~-·~·:~-~ ·:.:.~: ~ ~ ~- - ' :; · ·• ;."~.~~/, ·;! · ·. . • .Napoleon Jiead. . ·• , :1 , .. ;: . The Leviathan Company are still driving for the gutter; th~ .. San Sebastian c~.~pim!·.~h_,~!~ si:mietimes~ though· i'rregularly, obtained good returns. et . • • • (.,:<''ji;:. •••• ; ... . Wellington Lead. The Waterloo, though obtairiilig~5o'to· 60-·ozs. fro!n·!differenhnachines, have not maintained the character they had -acquired for the richness .of .. their ground; .. this .has always been the case where the gold is so nugg!l~ty.as iu this in~tanc~. . .. . • -~ ...... Generally;·•tJie· oth:er leads m this d1strwt· have·'lieeu engaged durmg the quarter m smkmg, driving, or prospecting...... I '• , - ·•'···•• ' '.;, . Sk ll 1-V< k . .:~ • : ~n-· :· r. J .... Y·~ , .... ·~' :,\. ·t~ ~ ..tf:.~~.fl]J?, . .or ,'.t.J,Z!JS· . ·-r:-·1, • t.. -··=:"' .Th(\ shallow workings continue to pay gdod' average~. - - --Tlie pros-perity of the diStrict as far.. airegards gold. mining has increased, and the in1proved demand eons~quent for all kinds of lab~r has· been v~ry apparent.. . . ·'''.' , .. :: I• ~-r;. , . ..... • '' ., '. '.~ '! •{ I' " ! • • No. 6 Divis!oN. · t,' • . ' Mr. John Lynch, M,ining $_urveyor _a;nd R.egistrar .. , · r. ·1 .1. l 1,. . • , • ,.,_ ... i ' '''"'.:\ Total for the Division. Remarks. ~ ·1 '-'' ;.".~r~ ~.. .i :Alluvial Miners .:- .. QUa::i-t'z' Milier8 · · ' --- l ::: 1----·---- Totals . 600 3,470 l·'•,;. ••.• <* ,, THE TOTaL· NUMBER oF MINERS TIIUS DISTRIBUTED:- ,. , I IS' Smythesdale ! , ... 210 ~ Carngham :- Scarsdale ' ! 760 ' Bottle Hill 80 Brown's ...... 130 Preston Hill, ... : . ,, .. . 150 Monkey Gully .. · 80 Sn~ke V alley .. . 43o Italian Gully 80 Snake V alley Reefs .. . 60 Springdallah and New Chum Lead 480 :bin ton and Madden's Flat ... 200 Derwent Jack's and Moonlight Flat . .no i 1 Happy V alley and Springdallah Creek 700 Total 3,470 THE MACHINERY' IS AS FOLLOWS.:-· '" AU.UVI.A.L MINING. QUAll.TZ Mlli'lliG. ·----.--.~------Desmiption of Machinery. Aggregate Number Aggregate At Work. Idle. Horse« power of 'At Work. Idle r of Stamp Horse.~wer of St\"'m Engines. Heads. Steam ngine~~ " •' ' ...:. ,., --·-~--·------·~-~---~ ---- Steam Engines ... 66 16 1,620. 5 1 40 140 Whims· ...... 14 .. 7 ...... ' ...... Horse Puddling Machines 61 23 ...... -' ' Total value of mining plant in the division, £80,000. Number of square miles of auriferous gr01md which is being, or may have' been, actually worked upon, 11. . · · Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actul'lly·proved to be a,uriferous to th~ present 1 time 9. • · • - ·· • • · • ' The price.?f gold during the quarter in the divi~~?ri.,has been £4 pe't· oz. • 1 THE. FOLiiOWING JNFORli:ATION, HA$ BEEN· OBTAINED .. RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ CRUSHED DURING THE 9-UA.;RTER; AND THE GOLD OBTAINED ·T~E,RE_FR()~· . Where Quartz was Total Yield R ton cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt, gr. 2;925 o ·o · o s·8 78o .o~o · 0 bt::iined at a depth from 332 to 350 feet. · No perceptible difference ' .. ____ .,_ ------in the richness of the - •• j stone here and at otber levels . • 'l'otals, Quartz' 2,925. 0 0 . o' 5 8 780 0 0 . "' ' ~ ' 'l'here was no other crushing during the quarter. I have the hoi:wr to for'Ward the following report of ·mining :affaiJ;l in this division for th~ uarter. · · · · · · : · Cl,. : ,Puring the quarter ·,:nining has made steady progress all over the div;is1on. The laying claims have yielded well, perhaps better than in any previous period of equal duration, an the work of sinking shafts, bo,ring, erecting machinery, and preparations generally have progressed with hopef~,~l energy. , ' . ' · . · . · ' The most northerly claim in my division is the ·.amaion. It is sitUated north of McLachlan's pre emptive right. Several bores were bottomed before the deep ground was struck. A shaft is to be sunk now in ,the vicinity of the deep ground. The depth of sinking will be abqut 120 feet to the lowest point,i~ t)le g)ltt~r." The Pre·emptive Company, situated on McLachlan's private property! bottomed about a mont4. ago: 'l'hey were too· shallow. '!'hey have. ~unk through the ·r(lef to. the reqmred depth, and a1'e at present engaged irt excavating a·water lodgm0nt. The Phcehix hn11. beeri yielding very good returns for the quantity of earth disposed of; but from several defects in their ·equipment they are unable to carry on the works sufficiently extensively. On. the western boundary of the Phcenix claim there is a small co-operative Chinese par.ty that has been getting excellent returns for some ·months back. ·From that claim to· Scarsaalc, a: space of four miles, there· is nothing of any importance doing in ~~ing affairs.·. The only miners at work there at. aH are the Ohinese,.who are engaged .turning over the: ?Ad ,g:so.pn.d, ~nq· Wh?, b.y assiduity in working and f~gilitJ in living, m~nage to obtain a livelihood from these abandoned d1ggmgs; · · · · · . · : · ... ·· · "' · . The same description applies to Brown's, Monkey Gully,' and It:iliari GU"lly. These localities are .abandO'ned 'by, the large companies, th~ 'gutters having been w'orked out, and th~ shallmy gullies and' surfacing ranges give employment to' a few' small'compani:es with tub and cradle, imd in some few exceptional instances'horse-puddling machines~· There is;'however, one" brahch of mining which woUld be .f~und.highly; ~emunerativ'Efsti!l here, were itj?Ss~l:)Ie to o~t.ain lt suffi~ie'Ilt SU}Jj'lly of 'Yater,.:.....I meari slrucmg. 'l'wo or three compamesare engage m·Italready." Thc'source'ofsupply 1s the head of Ross's Creek; and here there can be no more· than three or (our·week~'water' oonserted at the utmost, so that the gain from a week's sluicing scarcely pays the cost of constructing· and maintaining"dams, fluming, races, and the other requisites; and until a constant, copious, arfd uninterrupted [\Upply he obtained, sluicing in this 'division must necessarily be a failure. ' ' · · ;. · ' • L From Scarsdale to Cape Cle'lr, a distance of twelve miles, there.is a regular succession' of claima, in active operation along the main lead. The greater mimber of these clairl:ui·are yielding gold; and in t~e c.o.m;se of another year the entire numger ;will, it. is expec'ted, be into the auriferous drift, and yield~ng too. . . · . · 1 'The. fi;:-st an_d Of~est claim no\\: upon the main lead is .t~e Cale~onian ; i~ wa~ t!l~~n up in May, 1856, and It 1s qeheve.ct .. that there will be two or three years work still there. It IS gi'vmg very good wages. 'l'he Bute continues t() pay well; th.ey had a very good dividend· a week ago; the proceeds from the :tnine were, for the lastl weeli, 118 ozs. :The .Avqnc~ift .[la~ an .excellent return last week, namely, 125 ozs. . . · .. · ·· ' · The Azimuth is improving, and there is a decided irnproveme'nt in the North Gre.nville; ·in the course of a few days, when the main.drives are complet'ed~· this claim 'vill'be gi'l'ing excellent returns. The Wh!3al Kitty, a small co.operative company, adjoining the North Grenville and Golden Stream, on the main lead, has been all along the best paying claim in the locality of Scarsdale. The Golden Stream is still rather poor; from 60 to 80 ozs. is the' general weekly average, aud this quantity is 12 scarcely sufficient to pay current ·expenses. The arrangements of this company are ot a very superior kind, both as regards the class and adaptability of their machinery, and the management of the mine· generally ; and were it not so the mine could scarcely have been worked hitherto. There are, however, some well known leads falling into the claim at the lower end, and it is but natural to expect that these tributaries will enrich the claim downwards from the point of junction. At this supposed point they are now sinking a second s~aft, ~ff:er having ascertained the deep ground by boring. The Searsdale Extended are st1ll dnvmg for the gutter; they are s·evcral hundred feet ~tway from the shaft now, and indeed it is surprising that they have not already cut the gutter. The Golden Lake are sinking slowly; the quantity of water baled from this shaft is enormous, in no other part of the district have I seen such a, tremendous stream from one shaft, consequently the progress in sinking must needs be very slow. The Golden Horu, next in succession, is getting through the rock with comparative ease. No doubt the Golden Lake drainage has materially lessened the water of the Golden Horn, the former shaft being much deeper until lately. The Atlas are driving for the gutter, , and expect daily to reach it. The Try Again got 171 ozs. for one week lately, and from the apparent regularity of the washdirt throughout the claim I am of opinion that they will keep up that average; they have main drives-now throughout the entire length and width of the claim, and everything there looks hi~hly encouraging. The Alpha are not doing much at present. The 4-rcher, which gave up working a few weeks ago, has been legally dispossessed upon the application of the manager of the Atlas company. Iu all f.robability the ground will be found to be remunerative ; the Archer company never gave it a fair tria . · The Grand Trunk is yielding magnificently ; there are dividends of £20 a fortnight for each original share whenever no delays or impediments happen to the work ; tlie gutter is exceedingly rich; and in every aspect in which this claim may be viewed, whether as regards the. richness of the ground or the extent of it, the prospects may be fairly taken as amongst the best of any claim in the Ballarat district, 'l'he Exchequer is erecting machinery; the machinery is of a first-class description, perhaps equal to that of any alluvial claim in the colony; it will take about three or four months more to complete it. The Cape Clear is the next claim on the main lel1d, and the most southward in my division; they have bottomed at one end of their shaft, hut it is dipping rapidly in an easterly direction, and from the large infhi." of water, and in consequence of some repairs which the bottom of the shaft requires, it will take a few weeks further to sink to the right depth ; t.he manager reports that they got paying gold from several feet of the top d1·ift. 'l'his claim is looked upon as the key to the value of the various claims southward through the Pitfield Plains, and every change and development of its character instantly affects the value of claims for miles further on. The Alchymist, on Derwent Jack's Lead, have broken into the gutter, and have obtained a good prospect. In the neighborhood of Moonlight Flat there are various parties sinking, but I have not heard th!tt anything definite or tangible has been met with, although expectation runs high on the part of the claimholders. The Cleft in the Rock, Happy Valley, are doing better than usual; they have a. large scope of gutter to block out. The Grand JunctiOn 1s excellent, the returns are large and regular. The Volunteers have been doing a little better than usual lately. The Robin Hood uniformly moderate. The British, which has from its commencement, two years ago, maintained a decided superiority over the other claims at Happy V alley, although still retaining its prc-eminenee, is not doing so well as it used to do; but there is no doubt that it will again revive, and from the known character of the ground to be blocked out, returns as good as any yet obtained may be expected. The Lucky got 210 ozs. for the last fortnight, and when a main drive upon which they are at present engaged is completed, the above amount will be considerably increased. The Waverly is beginning to show manifest signs of improve ment; they have bad over 100 ozs. for one week, and as the face of the drives exhibits the appearance of a heavy uniform wash, it is believed that the above yield, or something approaching thereto, will prove to be permanent. · There is not much doing at and around Linton. The Atlas Company obtained 51 ozs. for the last week ; this is the best claim at Linton, and in'deed nearly the best paying claim in the division for several months back, The -company is· small, it consists of about twenty-four shareholders, and the weekly returns seldom fall short of the above figure, and in some instances nearly double it. The Victory is very poor; it is at present let to a party of working miners, upon easy terms ; should it not improve it will be soon wound up. The Great Britain are erecting machinery. There are two other companies employing steam power one on the Flagstaff, and another on the Black Lead; but neither is doing anything worth speci;j mention. The old ground is being operated upon by those indefatigable workers, the Chinese, and by adherence to their accustomed industrious habits, they are enabled to maintain a large popula. tion upon the gleanings of these old diggings. Carngham is keeping up its wonted steady average. The Alabama and British Columpia are sinking new shafts and .intend to erect large and effective machinery. The yield from the old shafts continues to be _p1·etty nearly what I have on several occasions reported it to have been. Indeed so steady and regular is thejroduce. of the claims along the whole of the Snake V alley Flat, that a descrip tion j;iven once will hol good for, perhaps two years, the mode of working remaining constant. This regularity arises from an extensive distribution of washdirt, extending throughout the entire length of the Snake V alley Flat, and for several acres across it ; such wash dirt being nearly throughout of the same thickness and quality. _ · 'l'he Kossuth have excellent ma.chinery erected, but the work of proving the ground is going slowly on. The Carngham United have lately reorganised; nothing further has taken place in the affairs of the company during the quarter. 'l'he Phamix, Southern Lights, Prince of Wales, Sher wood and Wait in Hope, are progressing as usual, making more than wages. The Nil Deeperandum has met with some good paying ground, and shares have advanced considerably. The General Kossiaski are making first-rate progress with the erection of their engines. The works are fine specimens of efficiency and durability, and cannot fail to have a jJOWerful effect in enhancing the value of the claim •. It will require many months more before they will be in a position to enter the underground works ; but whatever the delay. may be, or the expense incurred .il\ making the works secure and permanent, I have no doubt that the mine will justify all the outlay and precautionary measures the company are taking. The Saint David, adjoining the western boundary of the Kossiaski, have bottomed a shaft, hut are about sinking another. The several claims on Russell's private property are reported to be doing well. On Bottle Hill the Ida and Great Extended have taken large areas of ground, and have 'placed the claims under the scrip arrangement, and thus succeeded in getting a number of good and substantial shareholders, who will spare no expense in exploring the ground, and I have no doubt that 13 they will be amply rewarded. There are two whim hol!)s on Bottle Hill, doing ;emarkably w:ell. The claim of Jones and party on Madden's Flat has revealed nothing new las yet; the shaft has been bottomed, but with a considerable dip, and some few weeks will elapse before the place is properly tested. The Snake Valley Junction are ready to go to work without further delay. The leases applied for at Carngham, viz., Imperial, Lenten Troupe, and Palmetto, are nQt, in the matter of works, advanced anything. · , The foregoing are the principal claims in the division, but there are:a great many smaller claims which add materially to the receipts of the division, but which it wouldi be difficult to follow up in their frequent :fluctuations and vicissitudes. As the quantity of shallow ground and surfacing ranges is very extensive, the small partjes will be always a very material element amongst the producers of this division. , Upon a review of the whole, it is clear that the resources of this division present a most :flattering aspect at the present time, and judginJ> from the number, magnitude, and apparent permanency of the works in progress, it is not difficult to mfer for the future a much higher degree of prosperity than any hitherto attained. ' CRESWICK DIVISION. MT. James Stevenson, Milning SwrveyO'i' and Registrar. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS ' Total for th& Europeans. (lhinese. Division. Remarks. Alluvial Miners ...... l,lOO 800 1,900 Quartz Miners ...... 670 ... 570 Totals ... 1,670 800 2,470 • :r THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:- Clunes .. . 600 Portuguese Flat 100 Rocky Lead .. . 190 Humbug Hill ... 100 Pinch~ut Gul!y 150 Mopoke 200 Scandmavian Reef 20 Slaty Creek ... 150 Red Streak 170 Sulky Gull_y ... 90 New Chum Gully 10 Cobbler's Gully 60 Union Hill ... 20 Diamond Gully 20 Gully 40 "nt 140 .Hill 110 ills 40 resmck 140 .. Back Creek ... 120 Total 2,470- THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS :'-- ALLUVIAL MINn!G. QUUTZ MINING, Description of Machinery. Nnmber Number .Aggrega.te .I At" Idle. of Stamp ~ ~-g_g:~_gat~ of At Work. Idle. I of Stamp Hea.ds. ;;,';:;:;v.;;..;~.;;; Heads • :='l&i'":;~£ I, Steam Engines ... 14 • 2 ... 242 28 184 610 Whims ...... 25 4 ...... Puddling Machines ... 170 I ...... Cement Mining. Steam Engines ... 3 ... 26 46 ...... Whims ...... 3 ...... Whips ...... 6 ...... I l Total value of mining plant in the division, £111,200. ' Number of square miles of auriferous ground which is being, or ma~ have been, actually worked upon, 8.. , . :&umber of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present tune, 12. " The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been from £3 18s. 6d. to £4 per oz. 14~ TRE FOLLOWING INFORMATION RAS BEEN OBTAINED. RELATIVE TO TRE QUANTITY •OF ·QUARTZ· AND QtrARTZ :Tf.ILINGS . .A.ND CEMENT' CRUSHED DURING TRE QyiRTER, _AND' THE GOLD OBTAINED • 1 THEREFROM. ' Ave~gc T a! y· Remarks relative to the Where Quartz, &c.; ·' Quarti'crusliea·. · Yield'of Gold ot G wld of Depthatwhicl:ithe Quartz · were obtained. per Ton. old. woo ~l;>tained. · . . '.'- ' • ,:!; . ,. "' ton cwt.' qr. og, dwt. gr, og, dwt. gr. '• '• . Port· Phlllip Company • Clunes Reef ... 13,998 ·o 0 0 (j Ilk '4,529' 11 0 ... ' .. . I~~ Victoria Company ;.;•I Ditto ... •' ... 3,365 . 0 0 0 6 15t 1,!15 19 13 Greatest depth; 500. feet. Clunes Uriited·Company, Ditto ...... 1,878 0 0 0 8 22i 838 8 0 Greatest depth, 372 feet.· Collins and Company.:·.·. Opossum-Reef· ... i .33 0 0 0 8 6H 13.13.12 .. -- ··-- ·: ,~ ., ·";'i.i,. ·, ;. ·, ·~;;'" '•' i. " :··. ->rota!; Quartz .' .. 19,274 0 0 0 6 17! 6,497 12 1 I have the honm• to report that mining generally continues in this division in a fairly prosperous condition; that bJ;~ncl).,·Of.ljt COI!lpri!l!'l.d·jn sluicittg i;l'Verjr backward; as owing-to,the dry summer and the small quantity of heavy rain whicli has as yet fallen tliis winter, only a few of the races are fairly • at work. ~t Sulky Gully another new company (the R()yal Charter Compauy) has been formed to work the no~theru portion of the S_u1ky 9-.lJqY .~e~d., J'ho Litple ljl;K~e'\ldeq Company on Bullock Gully, whose claim reaches to the Royal Charter Company,' lias completed the erection of a 10 horse-power vertical engine for the purpose of )Vinding and pnddling; in 'about a week': it \vill start to·bml'out the shaft, which accompli~hed, sinking will b9, 1 r~m:mwd. The,_frgyle,_Com~~~;ny has a SJ?all engine of 6 horse power and a battery of 4 stamps aLwol'k; but as . n9rth ~oo ,s!fa;How, has abandop.e~.+ts ~l~pn·,, . ·, ; . , , . , . , . , . .,.11·:. ·::rr · 15 The yield for the quarter is as follows :- oz. dw~. gr, Grand Trunk Company, . ·· ... -·.·. ·.. ... 4 · 7 0 New Imperial Company; hired labor ' 760 4 0 Hit-or-Miss Company, 12 men ...... 566 4 22 Junction Company,' nil.'ed'labor'''- ,...... ' ~ .. ! "·. 445 .. 4 12 Rose of Allandale Company, 12 men 173 0 0 o At Rocky Lead, the You Know Company b~Jlieves that the run of gold hitherto worked by it is ' a distinct one from the Rocky Lead, and has named it the Teutonian Lead; . If this prove to be correct, ajunction must take' pTace in or about the. company's claim; The Tcutoni~ Company continues to work as usual, but through the absence of the manager J was una1Jle to obtaiu the quarter's return of gold for this Company. The Jupiter CompanY' luls struck wash dirt in No. 2 level, but had to suspend work in conseqilimce of, a· portion. of the shaft swelling, it is now being repa\red with 7 -inch timber. The yield for the quarter is' as follows:.....:. : oz. dm. gr Jupiter Company, hi~ed labor ... 708 13 6 Golden Emporium Company, 24 men 228 10 22 Golden Gate Company, 20 men 201 15 3 You Know Company', 16 men . . . 125 3 8 , 1~h·e .Eldorado Company, Springhill, has .completed the ~inking of the shaft and is now driving. The Bank of England Company (quartz mining) has completed the erection of its machinery and ~ommenced crushing ; 400 tons of quartz have been raised from the Armagh· Reef, and a contract let to raise and deliver 1000 tons at the battery, at 4s. 6d. per ton. . . Three new companies are being formed, one to work the ground at.Gerrnan Gully, the other two to work on private property. The one to work the continuation of Rocky Lead; the other to try the table land between the Back Creek and Bullarook Creek for the continuation of the Rocky Lead, and other leads that may run westerly from the iding range. . Though not immediately relating to beg to report that a complete petrified oyster was found by a miner in sh!l ..t • 16 GORDON SUBDIVISION. Mr. Wm. Davidson, Milning Surveyo?' and Registrar. • I . THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:- .. Europeans. Chinese. Total for the Remarks. ' ~ubdivision. Alluvial Miners ...... 81 ... 81 Quartz Miners ...... 30 .. . 30 Totals ... Ill ... Ill THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:- Mount Egerton 10 All Nations Gully 17 Big Hill Reef 30 Parker's Gully 16 Lal-lal ... 9 Moorabool 16 Ballan 13 Total 111 THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:- - ALLUVIAL MINING. QUARTZ MINING. Description of Machinery._ Aggregate Aggregate At Work. Idle. Horae-power of At Work. Idle. I ofNumber Stamp Horse-power of Steam Engines. Head~. Steam Engines. ---· ------Steam Puddling ...... I ... 8 ...... Horse Puddling ...... 3 ...... Steam Crushing ...... I -... I 2 43 52 Double Horse Whip ...... I ...... Horse Whims ...... 2 I ...... I I Total value of mining plant in the subdivision, £9000. ~umber 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 subdivision has been from £3 19s. 6d. to £4 Os. 6d. per oz. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM. Remarks relative to the . Where Quartz was Yl.eAldveoraf geld Total Yield of Depth at which the Name of Company. ' obtained., Quartz crushed. per to<;' Gold. Quartz was obtained. ton 'cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt: gr. The greater portion of this Mount Egerton Quartz 2,800 0 0 0 ::! 6 455 0 0 stone was obtained from Big Hill Reef a level 150 feet from the Mining Company surface, and the balance from the SO-feet level. Total, Quartz . .. 2,800 0 0 0 3 6 455 0 -0 During the quarter· very little change has occurred in mining affairs in this division, although in several cases efforts are being made which will ultimately have the effect of opening up and proving the district. At Ballan a company has been formed to prospect for a lead supposed to be running. through the private property of Mr. Lyons. This company has purchased 7,200 acres of land for the sum of about £29,000. Sinking operations have already been carried out to .a depth of 140 feet, and I have been informed that they resulted in bottoming on auriferous earth at that depth. I anticipate being able in my next report to give a very favorable account of their further progress. The Keerit Barrcet (late Southern Cross) Company have reorganised, and propose recommencing sinking operations shortly. The prospects of this company are very good, and with good management will, in my opinion, tom~ greatly to attract attention to Gordon's as an alluvial as well as a quartz locality. · The steam-puddling party at Mount Egerton have again commenced work, with very fair results, which promise to continue during the rainy seas.on. 17 Near the head . of the Moorabool several small puddling parties are at work, with very fair success. The Lal-Lal Basin Company have ceased sinking, for the purpose of reorganising the company. The shaft is now 175 feet deep; a large quantity of water was met w1th at that depth, which leads the proprietors to believe that they are within a few feet of the bedrock. Quartz Mining. The Mount Egerton Company continue at work with considerably improved yields, although during the first five weeks of the present quarter operations were suspended in consequence of wan~ of water. Stone is at present being raised from the 80-feet and 150-feet levels, the yield from wh1ch averages St dwts. per ton. A company is being formed to work the Opossum Reef, 'Gordon's. This reef, while in-work formerly, yielded very handsomely; and I am of opinion that to work it at a greater depth than here tofore would prove a very good speculatiQn. S'rEIGLITZ SuBDIVISION. Mr. T. Woolgrove, Mining Surveyor and Registra1·. THE TOTAL NuMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:- Total for the ! Europeans. Chinese. I Subdivision. Remarks. Alluvial Miners ...... 113 100 213 Alluvial mining partially a ban- doned. Quartz Miners ...... 527 .. . 527 ' Totals ... 640 lOO 740 THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:- Steiglitz .. . 507 Stony Rises .. . 20 1\{orrison's, Tea-tree* ... 113 Dolly's Creek, scattered in various gullies, no Europeans lOO Chinese working Total 740 a • Since the want of 'water, for sluicing purposes, t.he diggings almost abandone THE MacHINERY IS AS FOLJ,ows :- ALLUVIAL MINING. QUARTZ Mm!:N'G. i Description of Machinery. Number Aggregate Horse- At Work. I Idle. At Work. I Idle. of· Stamp power of Steam ~~~~i.~r::- Hea.d.'l. Engines; ·~-I ·~--· MoRRISoN's. Steam Engines, engaged in wind-' ing and pumping ...... 4 2 14.1 ...... 8TEIGLITZ. Steam Engines, engaged in wind- ing, pumping, and quartz- I 0 crushing ...... 19 ... !50 262 STONY RISES. ! Steam Engines, engaged in wind- ing, crushing, &c...... 2 ... 20 22 I I Total value ofminin~ plant in the subdivision, £56,500. · · Number of square m1les of alluvial ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon, 9, very scattered. Number of distinct quartz r!)efs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present ~~~ . . The price of gold during the quarter in the subdivision has been from '£3 18s. to £4 per oz. No. 69, b. .THE FOLLOWING' INFORMATION. nis· BEEN oiiTAINE:D IUlLATlV~ To. THEJQuANTITY. oF QulRTZ (musHED , ; l·W• · 'Remarks rela.tive to the Name of Company. Where Quartz was Quartz crushed. Yi-*J';;~ld Tota.l Yield of Depth at which theQuarti ' obtained. :,.. per Ton. Gold. was obtained. . . ton cwt. qr. 'oz. dWt. gr. ' oz. dwt. gr. :&11~~~t Q~artz.Min'ing steiglitz .... 231 0 0 0 3 J4.l ·}/ ~~,. .;. .:. .: 4J 10 0 Company· '···· ... ,, ; ~. .:.. :~.. 4 Quartz ·. obtain~d , and raised from Ditto . Steiglitz ..• 240 0 0 0 4 50 3 0 ... 4-ib · }. · 295 feet depth 'Ditto -=-:;-;- .::· Steiglitz ;~~ · - ... I 50 0 o·-- '610 0 7f) 0 0 Redan Company Steiglitz ..• !'!: 70· <0 0 i 0 0 70 0 .o Obtained at 235 feet depth ·- Albion Company ... Steiglitz .•. 120 0 0 l 2 16 136 0 0 Obtained from 400 feet depth M~~:lakoff Company ... Steiglitz .... ____._•.. _ 240 0 . ~- __ 1 7 1~ 331 10 0 Obtained from 230 feet depth Steiglitz Quartz Mining Steiglitz ... 160 0 0 0 10 15~'!J 85 3 0 Obtained from 241 Company · feet depth ------• ,... r ' ------Total, Quart~·· .~. 1,211 0 0 o"i3 oa 789 6 o .,, I have much pleasure in reporting iliat during the q1i.arter mining'matters, in this division, have been progressing favorably. Althougli the returns from quartz crushings have been comparatively small, it arises from the fact that n'early. alJ .the new companies, now in organization, have been busy in erecting machinery; dams, &c.; s.lich'::'w:brks,'are being·carried·on·wit4 all energy possible, and there is no doubt that.at. the_ end .of next quarter I shall be able t:o.report first-rate results. . . , On New Year's Reef, the 1 nfalakoff Company have, as usual, been most successful in their operations; th!l vei:I in thejr:.plaint s~ill.,J.lresents the same app~arance as to size and qualitY:, being nearly 20 feet m w1dth, steadily keepmg 1ts comse. through easily worked country, and gold· can: be· traced throughout the whole trap: The company have· purchased a new steam engine of 40 horse. power, and 16 head battery, whicP, is now in course of 11rection; they are enlarging their dam at a great cost, but it is confidently ~assured to them by the appearance of their mine, returns, &c., that the outlay cannot have been injudiciously expended. · From the Forty-Feet Claim there have been .no returns for the quarter. This company have been engaged .in cutting· down and widening their main winding and pumping· shaft. The returns .from the Ballarat Quartz Mining Company, on tire sanie re!)f, have been com paratively good, considering that the quartz crushed was taken from sinking a· new shaft. Vide returns. . . · . · On .B~xing Reef, St~iglitz;'-~ theSt~iglit~ Compai:ty, · very iittl~· (n:ushing ha~ been done since the formation of the :hew company; the company having been principally occupied in opening out main drives, north and south of the main shaft ; at the 220-feet level a main drive has been put in to • the south 241 feet, one to the north a further distance of 100 feet, making, with the previous drive of 360 feet, 460 feet. In the'northern drive, at an easterly angle; a cross-cut has been made 146 feet in length, and at this point intersected a vein which has not hitherto been wrought on this field ; it averages in thickness 8 feet, and is highly auriferous. It niay be described as consisting of a series of quartz veins, varying from 10 inches to 1' inch in thickness, with layers of decomposed clayslate and sandstone between. them, through-which, run small veins of quartz-containing gold. The Electric Comp,any, Steiglitz, have been busily.·engagcd in the construction of their dam, reservoir, &c. ; they are ~onstr:l!ct!ng on_(:)_ of !4~ j:J~t. ~I1d large~t ~hafts on Steiglit.z. They have purch!t!!ed a steam engine and quartz ~rushing battery, 15 head of 13tampers,·rand from .. the .present prospects of tlie:cl~iw; al\d.- of tb~.>:e~ns i 'lfpqn :;v~i9.!} .the,,.works are peing carried on, there is not the slightest doubt ·or good results.: ..-. ~· 1 In reference· to·: other ·companies,· I would mention--that-the l!~ollow the· beader Company are erecting their! machinery; that1the Excel Qua~tz Mining Company are erecting machiu~ry, ·dams, &c.; ., that the Albert Edwl).rd Company arc: erectmg machmery, dams, &c.·; that the Prmce :9f. Wales Company arc ibusily employed i,n erecting their, new plant on their. elail]l; from S!J.ilor'~;R_eef:Cqll!PlJ.!lY no returns ; out from the Ballarat Com})any, New Year's Reef; Redan Company, New Chum Reef; Albion Company, Portuguese B:eef; Malakoff Company, New Year's Reef; anc} the Steiglitz Company, Boxing Reef, phe returps are satisfactory. , · · . . · ~ ..OJ;t M9rri;l()J:!.'s,i the Boi·hon..eyghurk Company have purchased a ·large engine. ~nd stamping battery;'70 horse-powe'r, 28 heads of'stamps, for the p:Urpose of crushing the large quantities of cement, conglomerate, &c., :vell known 'to con~ain gold, but which has been, up to the present time, lost from • want of proper apphances of gold savmg. ~ ! . ·, • ·• .. . The whole of the district may be considered to be in a most favourable' position as to .its 'future 1 capabilities and ultimate resources. · : · · : · · · : ' · · · · ' I ' ,.,,_On the 2ith-1\'£~y, 1865, Mr. MiniJ?:g,~tp.·veyor ~Y,o9igrov.e fJ.!I~isl.J.ed th,e follpwing report to t~e Honorable the Minister of Mines:-" I. have the hOnor· to -inform you that two large tracts· of alluv1al mining land have been' taken iip near Geelong,·one on··tlie Chilwell Flat,. the other at Eyansfor~, on the plateau extending from ~lie back of the _S;van·hotel t? ;B~ck~ey's lfa]fs and;·the Barwon R1v.er. Ground has also been occupwd for quartz mmmg purposes m· the· Cargerw ·Agncultural Area, south and west of, and nearly adjoini!lg, Read's P. R. In this ca~e gold has been fqun~ both in the quartz veins and alluv~l deposits." . · ·. · . . . · ·, . · · · ~;~ .·• .,. , ·.; ....; )3.~AC~.W~RDi!)ltvJ;~~ON •. ;_. , , . ' ... '' ~ ~q: :.;·.-;!'•:1'-,-,., •. ~-I. (•, ," ,.:\ ~:·1' :,.: ~ ..... -,~!-·; ~ ...... · ~-·-·. -~ ltfr.; E. G. Magnusi .Minvng·S,wrveyor·and· Registrar. • I. <, '·" <., ~ ! - < • 4 •• • •, ~ • ,, : ,... · ..... • ·,·Europeans. ; . . ,) .. 'q .j " !''' Alluvial Miners ~·· '.I " :•,:'635 ·480.<1 I +,115 ' ~ : ·.Jo,: . Quart2; ~iners ·1•• , ••••• •• 242 ...... ··242 I, ;;. i"' Totals 877 480 .. 1,357 • ·,, ""-' I . '.~. "l ~-''·· ... "' 11~11- ...,11\t~ '1'• ._ .. : ' ~ ~ THE TOTAL NuMBER oF MI:NE:B.s is Tiius Di~TRIBUTED l--- • • } ; • ~ ' I _!. ; ~ I . Golden Point 300' Goodman's·Creek ·. . .• ·' 35 Red Hill 220 Split-thie.Gully· Ranges · '" . 90 " i .. 1 Sitnmon's Reef· ... ~ '. ! , ' 125· Jackson s Gully+ ·n;;. 7 Sebastopol ... 95 Johnson's Reef . 25 Yankee Gully 115 :Barry's Reef 90 Yankee Reef ·· .. . .. ----19- ·United -Reef· - 9 .\\bin Creek, below Sebastopol ... '176 Lucky-hit Reef 4 Garibaldi ...... , 17 Ballan Flat .'L'•)f!?-1 1 iJIHw·: "Toti1 1,357 ;, \ , _•_··-~·AL-c-r._u_vr..u.:~o; :!c;!I: lri' ::·,' f'., • :.Q~ARTZ-~~.------Description of ;Machinery. ,•:':,~~~c:·1 ! .r:_::d:.:::-ff1;..!dt ~:! -:< • , . .,. Aggregate.,. I·., ..c· Number Idle.· J;s;.;]';;i: ~~~~~:. Idle. ~h~"d':~.. ~sotn.l~ ------ Steam Engines , .. . • 78 161 Water Wheels , -...... - ...... ···-. 76 Water Wheels, for drainage ;v .. 1 q,, Whims ; 1l Horse~ power Fuddling Machines- -- -2" ',' •;,;- ,· Total value of mining plant in the division, £29,400. . 'diJ~·~ ,, l :.>..i .·; Number of square miles of auriferous. ground w~ich is ?eing, or m~y h.~~;ve: b'een, actually worked upon, 2t. n1 ,.. ,.. ·~· l(fU!~'-t 4ln,1 i11 -fn~rf t; , f'}.t•"";·~l '·'i·Jn. ~ Number of 'distinct. quartz reefs which have ..been actually proved"to:tbe,auriferous to the presenttitne,l3. :'r .. ... "'''•mhi:·:<.[8c·;,;:,,.,j-; ·h!r-'·-"1 The price of ·gold during the quarter in the division has been from £3 16s. to £3 17s. per oz. •'ii !.t .... n~J' THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS llEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND QUABTZ TAILINGS AND C.ElL~::iT:Ef.V~HljlP, ;9,Ulf~!j'8,;:;!:e:!li.;,Q;IJ~TER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED. TIIEREFROM. "tC'::"" ~~··'rf :U!.. V ':'.~f~..,.o'l'·~:-..~::1 .-__:;.;.,t .l'·:~··ff t.b. I · )'':.' ~ ~ ·;;,.iofi:-"1 ~..:~r. oz. dwt. gr. oz .. dwl :gr. Williams Brothers and Simmon's .Re~ . -400~-o~o o . 3 12 1 70 0· · o · . 165 feet Company , .1 Crown Company I Simmon's Reef. 100 0 0 0 · · 2 0 lO 0 i 0 140"fei( .. i.. ··,.'.:'. .'.,-,,, Imperial Company .... Simmon's Reef ... 515 0 0 0 8 0 1 206 0 , 0· 125 feet ·· . Macredie and Company I Newman's Reef ... 142 0 0 1 7 21~ 198 o~; 0 From 90 to lliffeet · Pioneer.Col!Wany ... Trewhella's Reef..... 70 9 . 0 ,o Z: 12_ 26 .~). 0, ,1~j). .fee.t Ca~dage"and Company 1 Barry's ~_eef .•. 16 0 0 0 7 0 5 12·: 0 lO feet Alpine Company St. George's Heef ••. ' S5 -~'o< o! '1 0 '4• 0 I :,,(7 ot 0 'so feet : TrJle:BlueGompany ... ·St.-_Geo,rge'sReef,.;.,. ,194 fO,,.O, .t-9 .9:,,!! •. ".-4;.2/ .6;·.0·~J ~Wfeet , '• True Blue Company ... St. George's Reef... · 9 o o. o 17 25 7 14 o 60 feet .;, .. , GraceEgertonCompany St. George) Reef ... , 81 ,o 0 0 4 .. o 1 I6 4 o, .From surface-· Faughoa-BaUagh' coffi:.t• ·st.'George's·Reef"1:.;: .·.:.: ·37 .. :. 6"'rti· !rnii "o·;-:: :o.··s·'i' 1 f'7t~·o'·'i' 1 9o feet'' ' 't. pany . · i I .t: :-• ' Great.Timnel-Company -~~Johnson's~Reef,,,(,," :,.1,200~~ •r00-i3:l_,,L200(LOt. tH: 40:feett•,, ...... Quartz Tailings and Total, Quartz ... 2,699 ... 0.... 0 0 6 6~ , 846 8_ 0 I Cement crushed. ------•---·-· Gil I have the honor to report that, owing to .the long-continued scarcity of water, alluvial mining, except in the creek, is comparatively at a standstill. 'l'he creek workers are generally satisfied with the returns they arc obtaimrig. The Yankee Creek sluicing Company have put on a few men, but unless we have ruin shortly they will have to suspend operations again. None of the sluicing companies have had a wash-up as yet, so that it is not possible 'to say how they ·are likely to do this season. . Quartz mining in this division is looking brighter than it has ever done before, though as yet. there is ]lO water for crushing purposes. The Crown Company, have their tunnel up, and are now waiting for water. The Cornish Company will scarcely be in with theix tunnel this season. The Imperial Company are likely riow to do well; the mine is in good working order, and the stone they ~re getting is very payable. The Big Hill Company have erected a new machine, and have their tunnel m; they are only now deficient.ofwater. On St. George's Reef there is no crushing being done. The 'l'rue Blue Company managed to crush 9 tons from a paddock of about 300 tons, 'from which they obtained 7'oz. 14 dwts. Several shares in this· claim have changed hands at £50 for a fifty-second share; there is no machine belonging to this company. The Faugh-a-Ballagh Company crushed .37 tons from one of theix paddocks of about lOO tons, from which they obtained 1 oz. 11 dwts. to the ton. A powerful steam crushing plant is much . requjr,lld on this line of reef. Trewhella Brothers and Company have not crushed any stone, but are quite satisfied with the quality of the stone they are getting. The tributers are doing very well in the old workings of the Great Tunnel Company's claim, and there is every indication of this being ultimately a very profitable mine when the tunnel is UJ.?· · . 'l'4~ Neck-or-Nothing claim on the !'yrette Plains is likely to pay well; the tunnel is in under the trap ~ock, and they are obtaining payable gold. . . Gu~er and party, four men, obtained a fine nugget on Friday last. weighing 53 oz., on Phipp's Flat. · ~.-·---····------ BLUE MoUNTAIN SouTH SUBDIVISION. ' . .Mr. R. H. HO'J'fiW, Milning Registrar. THE TOTAL NuMBER OF MINERs Is As l!'OLLows:- Europeans. C.'hinese. Total for the Subdivision. Rewks. { Alluvial Miners ...... 45 ... 45 Other populatio n Quartz Miners ...... 15 ... 15 10. ' Totals ... 60 ... 60 THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED: Wilson's Gully 5 Kilkenny Hill ...... · 10 Lower Road, or back of the Camp . 10 Snake Gully ...... 20 Localities having nq special name l5 Total 60 .. THE MACHINERY IS is FOLLows :-· ALLUVIil. MINING. QUARTZ MJ:NmG. Thli!Crlption of Machinery. I I Aggregate Number Aggregate AtWork. I Idle, ' Ho:rse-:rr.wer of AtWork. ; Idle. of Stamp HOTSe-cof 1 Steam nginea. Heads. Steam · eo. - ---· Sluicing Machines. ... 2 ...... Puddling Machines ... 2 ...... Long Toms ...... 2 ...... ' .. . ' - Total value of mining plant in the subdivision, £100•. Number· of square miles of auriferous ground which is being, or'may have be~n, actually worked upon, Number:of distinct qUa.rtz reefs which have been actually proved to be aurif~r~us to the p~esent time, 3. ' ' The price of gold during. the quarter in the subdivision has been from £3 17s. to £3 17s. 3d. per oz. The .Reform .Quartz Mining Company has made no movement since my last report ; bnt seve:ral new claims h~ve been taken up in Snake GUlly, the promoters believing that they have found a con tinuation of a rich reef, recently discovered with.in three miles, on this side, of Mount Blackwood. 21 BEECHWORTH MINING DIST,RICT. BEECHWORTH SUBDIVISION. Mr. Olarence Srrnitk, Miming Surveyor and Re!Jistrar. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:- Total for the EUl'opea.na. Chinese. I Subdivision . Remarks. . Alluvial Miners ...... 84i 1,050 1,897 Quartz Miners ••...... 165 ... 165 Totals ... 1,012 1,050 2,062 THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:- Pennyweight Flat 40 Napoleon Flat 8 One-mile Creek 25 Eldorado Lead 120 Two-mile €reek · 48 · Murmungee Lead 70 Three-mile Creek 260 Wattle Gully ... 20 Six-mile Creek 25 Kneebone's Gully 85 Hurdle Creek... 40 McLean's Gully 48 Chinaman's Flat 80 German's Gully 25 Deep Creek . .. 25 Myrtleford Reefs 52 Silver Creek . . . 35 Buffalo River ... 30 Madman's Gully . . . 35 Sheep-station Creek 11 Reefs, near Lake Kerferd 40 Black-sand Creek 5 Spring Creek . . . 150 Magpie Creek 160 Reid's Creek ; . . 90 W ooragee Flat 150 Young's Creek 20 W ooragee Reefs 64 W oolshed 216 Sebastopol 105 ·Total 2,062 THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS :- .1\.LLUVL\L MINING, QUA.RTZ Ml:NJNG • Description of Machinery. Aggregate Number Aggregate At Work. Idle. Horse-cor At Work, Idle. or Stamp Steam ea. Heads. ft~~:·~~~~B~ ------Steam Engines ...... 14 3 177 2 ... 20 26 Puddling Machines ...... 2 2 ...... Whims, and Pulleys ...... 12 ...... Suction and Elevator Pumps ... 57 ~···...... Sluices and Toms ...... 200 ...... Water Wheels ...... 31 ... 90 3 1 20 28 Hydraulic Hoses ...... 20 ...... Sluice Boxes ...... 2,800 ...... Crushi.llg Machines ...... 5 1 40 54 Whips ...... 5 ...... Total va.lue of mining plant in the subdivision, £27,300. : 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 he auriferous to the present time, 22. The price of gold during the quarter in the subdivision has been from £3 19s. to £4 per oz. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAf.il BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THlil QUANTITY OF QuARTZ CRUSHED DURING THE QuARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM, . I I T tal y· I or IRema.rks l'els.tiva to the Name of Company. Where Qua.rt.z WllS Qun.rlz crushed. y~Jii~Gold 0 JG d : Depthatwbich the Qun.rlz • obtained. per Ton. Gold. was obtained. ton cwt. qr. oz. .dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Messrs. Bolan a.nd Canadian Reef, Mad· 9 0 0 1 10 0 13 10 0 lO feet. Wood man's Gully .. I believe there are about 300 tons of quartz ready to be crushed at the W ool'll,gee Reefs, which will yield about one ounce per ton. I have the honor to report that both quartz and alluvial mining have -improved during the quarter, although the returns from either have not been very great, but this is owing to the scarcity of water, _which is felt1 ~very:.":h\"r~, even ~a;ke ~erferd is ne!Lrly,.d.ry, and. most .of. the _springs, with the exceptwn of those ·at Stanley, are'· only·,giv:ing lialf their usual quantity; thus, the mmers have been working without spirit, collecting washdirt week after week waiting for a supply of water. An exemplification of the value of water is as follows·:· a-miner on the Three-mile sold to his partners last week his share in race and claim for the sum of one thousand (.i;l,OOO) ; and in my perambulations t~rough this division, I have heard··various'reports 'of.•.abandoned l.eads and gullies being taken up in different quarters which pay wages even by washing with the cradle. 'rhis scarcity of water, however, may not prove so disasfrou.s,as might be antjpipated~gy,'a,.ca,s;g:;!.h9bs! ~- -- -'----~~· ·T~=;;~A~~NUM::aE1R" ·oF MINEnS.'Is ~-xs· FOLLoWs~:_ ·~·' · • ··.. \' , · • • • ,., .... • .~ ... 1r ~. ·• ...... • .. : ,.-.~ •.• I I' • ...... ~:: T _;rr· ·~ .;.,: i. j1 ~ : -'w•• •• r j, ;. .• .;_ • ' •••.~~ j 1.. ¥\ 'I!' .'"'~;.~. , -. Total for the i ' .. Europeans. Chinese. ,Sq~iyisiOl~. Remarks. ·'! ~·: .~.' .:,;;;;;;._;;._;;._..;_::;:__;_...:...:..:.:..:.::.:.:_...:_;;.___:1-•1~~; ·~!~··:,··i•'J ,· • / • ~ .''o ~t';"'"J '~r.•l.....:;..:..__"';;_'_';;_'''------'-'-'-'-'-'7:;---;- t"_..,,·f·~~·f621 '"•::·~,~--, .\ .. -· 23 .•·. QUA.RTZ Mllm!G. ,, ------,--·······--i'-----,----,__-----,-----'--· Descriptioo of Ma.chinery. Aggregate. Number ~· •Aggregate • . • At Work. Idle. Horse-12_ower of At Work. Idle. of Stamp Horse-~w~rof Stea.m,· J!ngiues. Heads.. Steam .J!lngilles. ' Puddling Mills ...... 14 1 ..... Quartz Mills ...... - .. i :::~I 12* ( I revolving I • Also driven with wa.ter-power wh(lll there is a. supply. ' Total value of mining plant -in the subdivision, £6,oo0 . . · Number of square miles of auriferous ground which' is'being, or may have 'been, actually worked upon, 12:f. ··• · ,• - · ·· ·· : .. ·· ·, : N umbpr of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to he.auriferou~. to the present time, ;L4.;t. ""' .,., , ... , i ·· '· " · ·' The p;ice 'of gold during the quarter in the' subd~vision. ha,;, been frOfn £3 19s. to £3 19s. 6d. per oz. ______, THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE iQUANTITY OF QUARTZ CRUSHED ~.URING THE QuART,ER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM. 1 Where Quartz was 1 Avera.~e TouJ ;ield of I Remarks ~l~t.iv: to ~~e Nam.e of Comp!lll·Y· obtained. Quartz crushFd. 1 Yield of Gold Gold Depth a.t which the . per TOil. •• 1 -' • , Quartz was obtained. ~~~~-...... -:------1-----'f------1---,-,-,,------ ton 'cwt. ·q~. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Homeward Bound Rocky Point *96 0 ·o· 12 13! 156 4 12 300 feet. Homeward Bound "Rocky P~int 276 0 0 8 14 394 9 0 320 feet in <:Iepth. D. Scanlan and Corn· Kerry Eagle Reef, 1!3 0·. 0 LI· 0 12~ 116 '0 ol 115 feet in depth. pany I· ~ackso~'s Gu~: I. ' Totals ... 485 0 0 1-1 7 iqi 666 {3 12 1 !, ! . • This quantity was crushed d~rln,; the quarter eridi;1g 31st March, 1865, but· tho i~forma.tion w~s not received in time to be • • · ; _, published in the report for that quarter, . . 1'4e subdivision has suffered tremendously during th~'quarter, in consequence of no rain; many of ~he sJuicers have' had to r :·-· .• ;'< '• YACKANDANDAH ·SUBDIVISION. ; M1' .. Thos. (i. 'Kennan, Mining Surveyor Cftnd Reg~trar. . " THE TOTAL NUMllER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:- Total for Europeans. Chin~se. Remarks: the S~bdivision; ·····------·-·-· Alluvial Miners 1,100 550 1,s'5o. Quartz 1\finers ... 84 84 Totals 1,184 550 1,734 24 TilE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IB THUS DISTRIBUTED:- German Flat .. . 70 Osborne's Flat· 210 Muddy Creek .. . 62 Allan's Flat ... 70 Murphy's Flat 75 Staghorn Flat... • 55 Haye's Point 20 KinchinBton's Creek 60 Kerby's Flat ... 31 Twist's reek ... 122 Bell's'Flat .. , .. 37 Clear Creek 147 lVIcCarthy's Flat 60 · Little River ...... 10 Whisky Flat 175 Gullies between Kinchington's Creek and Township Hills 50 · Y ackandandah ...... 50 Pike's Flat ... 180 Rowdy Flat 250 Total· 1,734 THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS :- ~ ALLUVIAL MINING. QUARTZ MINING. I Description of Machinery. .Aggregate Number Aggregate :At Work. ~Idle. IIorsewCof At Work. Idle. of Stamp Horse-power of Steam · 1es. Heads. Steam Engines. .---~~- 'i !- Water Wheel~, for drainage 27 13 ,...... purposes ,.., 1 of 25 !\let 4 ..... diameter I ·I 1 of 30 feet 8 Water Wheels and Stampcrs ...... diameter of 25 feet i ll diameter ... 8 Steam Engine ...... I ... 8 8 I No:m.-The two ma.chineo idle are in want of water. Totai value of mining plant in the subdivision, £4.000. N urn ber of square miles of aurifero~s ground w hieh 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, 30. _ · The price of gold during the quarter in the subdivision has heen from £318s. 6d. to £3 19s. per oz. THE l>'OLLOWING INFORMATION' HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GoLD OBTAINED TREREFROM. ! · Where Quartz was .Average ' Remarks relative to the _Name of Company. obtained. Quartz 0 ~uahecl. IY;~ ~~~:cli-Y-ie_rJ_g_}a_b_o_lcl_. "!--~-~-P_~_z_:_!_s_1;'_~_-c_he_d,_k_~~ oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Twist's Creek Reef ... Twist's Creek ::: --~-rg- ~- ·j 4 5 7! 177 0 0 106 feet deep Twist's Creek Reef, No. Ditto ... 0 17 149 74 0 0 I 60 feet deep 1 North Twist's Creek Reef, No. Ditto 26 10 0 0 13 5 17 10 0 70 feet deep I South Southern Cross ... 1 Ditto .. . ll9 0 0 0 8 2I 52 16 '0 90 feet deep Wallace's ... Ditto .. . 35 0 0 0 19 0 33 5 0 50 feet deep United Reef.•• Ditto ...... 24 0 0 1 14 9 4I 5 0 Tunnel 30 feet.in United Heef... Ditto ••. .. . 2l 0 0 0 18 2; 19 0 0 Bangor Reef Clear CreeK .. . 780 0 0 0 5 0 I95 0 0 40 to so feet deep Homeward Bound ... Kinchington's Creek ' 50 0 0 2 0 0 lOO 0 0 From surface down 1----~1-----~1---'--- to 20 feet ; trial Totals, Quartz 0 I2 OJ· 709 16 0 crushing The majority of the hill miners are idle, anxiously expecting rain. The few days wet we have had will set a few cla-ims going, but the supply will only last for a short time. Quartz minin!j is p~ gressing favorably, but also impeded by want of water, the mills not being able to work .anythll'!g hke full time. The Homeward Bound, Kinchington's Creek, have had a trial crushing, 'lnth a y1eld of 2 oz. to the ton, and a reef about 4 feet wide. This has given a great impetus to mining in that locality, and a lease has' already been applied for on that reef, There is no change to report in other mining · matters. S.ANDY CREEK SUBDIVISION. Mr. John W. Beattie, Mining Registrar. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:- I Europeans. Chinese. Tota.l for the Subdivision. Remarks. I ~--··--·· - . Alluvial Miners ... 44 190 234 This return is ... I applicable to Quartz Miners ...... the previous quarter. Totals ... 44 190 234 I I THE TOTAL Nu~nlER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED: Sandy Creek, from Reservoir downwards to Cemetery (3 miles) 34 Sandy Creek, from Cemetery to Niven's Flat (1~ miles) 120 Sandy Creek, from Niven's Flat to Beazly's Flat (! mile) 58 Sandy Creek, Beazly's Flat and to Junction (lt miles) 10 Lockhart's Creek, and below the Junction ... 12 0 Total ... 234 THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS :- ALLUVIAL MINING. QUARTZ MniiNG. r------l .. Description of Machinery. I Aggregate I Number Aggregate At Work. Idle. Horse. power of At Work. Idle. , of Bt&mp Horse-powe:r of Steam Engines. ! Heads. Steam Engines. ··-~------··· ' Water Wheels for 5 ...... I ...... pumping I 5 ... I Elevator Pumps ...... ! ...... Total value of mining.plant in the subdivision, £1,100. Number of square miles of auriferous ground, which is being, or may have been, worked upon, 2. Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, nil. The price of gold during the quarter in the subdivision has been from £3 lls. 9d. to £3 12s. per oz. In preparing the following report upon the Sandy' Creek Subdivision, the first since its separation from Yackandandah, my remarks shall be partially retrospective, in order the better to exhibit the present and probable future prospects of this gold :field. It has, like its neighbors, considerablY. declined m the number of its mining population, consequent upon a falling off in the yield of gold; still it is far from bearing indications of being worked out, and instances of lucky :finds, both in bank and creek, are occasionally to be met with, which equal those of the good old times. The apparent superiority of former years in producing more gold simply arises from the fact that the rich patches were most accessible and easily stumbled upon, and of course were soon exhausted, while by following the present mode of digging, the miners have b~ome more settled, and have adopted more economical and improved plans of working, such for instance as following the example of the lower Yackandandah in the use of horses and drays for stripping in creek claims. 'l'he progress of tracing the gold downwards suffered a check about twelve months ago, when several companies of Chinese abandoned new claims that they were opening below the junction of Lockhart's Creek. Surfacing, which for the last few years has been comparatively neglected, IS again beginning to revive. Many new claims have this summer been registered, and only waiting for a more plentiful supply of water to be put in active operation. The surface and creek claims have equally suffered from the protracted drought, and although there is a magnificent reservoir, constructed at an elevation sufficiently high to command nearly all the known auriferous ground, still for want of a main race to convey the water to the principal area of the diggings, it is as yet unavailable to any extent; while even for the supply of the creek claims in summer by running the water in the bed of the creek, it becomes nearly all absorbed in the sand. In fact, taking into consideration that surface claims are being worked on both sides of the creek, it would in my opinion be advisable to have a double race cut, as, with the exception of a few /ards of fluming across two or three gullies, there would be no obstacle or great expense in the way o cutting. The miners are anxious to have the water made avail able for next summer. With reference to quartz mining in this subdivision, I have to report that no auriferous reefs have as yet been discovered, although this, I believe, is more attributable to the lack of a thorough search than the non-existence of such. Specimens have not unfrequently been met with in the alluvial workings, while quartz reefs are to be found in every direction. The miners, in their ideas of practical geology, seem to be averse to prospecting for gold in the granite formation. Their theory has evidently met with a direct refutation in the recent discoveries at Wood's Point. · Before concluding, I would wish to call attention to the probable existence of an extensive gold field along the course of the Little River: During the last two or three years parties have been at work near its source, and gold has been found for 30 miles along the banks; but this summer, from the- No. 69, c. 26 lowness of the river, a party of miners from Sandy Creek have been enabled to prospect the gravel in the bed, and obtained uniform prospects -of rl;l and 14 speddo .the-•dish from below Gundowring Station upwards. So confident are they of its proving payable, that they have been taking steps to organise a company for the purpose of opening a claim on the .river;. about 8 miles.above Gundowring: The rich discoveries lately made in th'e •·qilarW reE!f~ \:dn' Kinblli'tigtol';;s ;R~nges; 'i::in the western and y ackan dandah side of the Little River, also tend to confirm the probability of this eventually proving to be a payable gold field. The greatest drawback that private enterprise will have to contend with will be the expense of the undertaking. The party above referred to have· been making preliminary enquiries, in ()rder.to.ascertain what external assistance :will be accorded to. them by such portion of the public aa are likely to be most directly benefited by the discovery. ! . : ( ' .,. ' . . ~ ' ._ ... . ' INDIGO DIVISION. Mr. Rober.t A rrowsmith, , M ilni~g, Surveyor and .Registrar. · ' , , . :: '• ·• . , ' 1'1 .) ' ' ,I '·: ·'' THE TOTA~ NuMBE:If, o~ ·MINERS Is ,A-S _FOLLows :r;-, ,, ,.. ·. Total for the Europeo.ns. Chinese. Division. ReDJJi.rks. Alluvial Miners '455 '." ...... 248 ·- 703 .• .. Quartz Miners r,.r·: 44 ...,J'\).tals 499 248: 747 I ! !- .... ,;... THE .TOTAL; NuMBER 9F MINERS is THUS DiSTRIBUTED·:..::.... Indigo Lead ... 116 Glencoe 40 Durham and Caledonian 14 Garibaldi 8 ' · New Hibernian --60 Hibernian 34 Suffolk ...... 40 ' ··Newcastle 20 .•. Chiltern and New ·BallaraL. j.,,''i·: -loo··· • 'Clydesdale '·!:d:;_, 28 Stockyard ' ... 40 ; · Lucknow "' 22 Lancashire 8 Higgins' Reef· ,, 18 Black Dog ", 83' Magenta Reef· d':.' 8 Sebastopol 12 'Eureka Reef 4 Wahgunyah ·10 Barrambogie '''•: 2 ·;Lanarkshire . '·35• .. All Nations ' .. t. I 8 '· , Robert Burns .. \ 5 ' '·Kangaroo .:. •")/ '4 . I ! Fifeshir.e .. · •8 ·' ·-·-All England ·•'20' .., Total •.d747 . ' . . THE.MACHINERY.IS AS FOLLOWS:- ~ .. ~... '. ALLUVIAL Mnmw. QUARTZ MINING: .I I 1 1 : ~ Description of Mac_binery.· ~ • '.:; ' 'J 'Ai:rgi-egate: I : rl N~be~· 'Aggr~~~~ f .• Idle. Horse-power of At Work .... ~< 1 Idle. . of Stamp •Hors~power of j ~ 'j l ' t ' . • I At. Work•. S~eam Engines. Heaqs ... Steam• Engines. ---,-'------1----,--- ~-teaD). Engines" . . , 17 13 1 • • 413 ' 2 S.team _and hor~e-power} ;. 32 ' . · 3s P.uddling Machines . . , " ' • f H()r~e. Wj1irp~.,., ,1 , ...... i 10_. .. , , , . . 26.r.· 1 1.. . '····· Whips' ... · 11 26 .. ht. ) ... , . Total value of mining plant in the division,,£4-4,0QO. .. , ~ Number .o£ square miles of alluvial ground which '.is' being, or may have 'been, -~ctuaily worked upon,· n·* ...... '. . ·' .. Number of distinct quartz reefs which ·have been actually· proveq to ·be}~riferou's t9'the p'resent time, 10. , " 1, . The .price of gold during ~he .quarter in the division has been from £3 l9s. t.o £3 l9s.' 6d:· per oz. • The total area of all lands occupied as claims now at work, or' temporarily'suspemled, cOmprise an ,are~ of i'4i Squaie miiea:· ~owing each c}aim to be a mile in width. The width of workings, however, in such claims does not exceed four chams on an'average. ·· 27 THE FOLLOWING I~FOBMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QuARTZ · CRUSHED DURING THE QuARTE.R, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFBOM. . ' '~: .1.\:verage' Name of Com:pany. Where Quartz was Quartz crushed., Yield of Gold obtained. .. per Ton. ~-···-~-~- ton cwt. qr. I oz. dwt. gr. . oz. dwt. gr. Magenta Reef 300 0. 0 040 6000 160 feet from surface Magenta Company { Eureka Reef 14 0 0 2 11 17 36 3 22 100 feet from surface 256 0 0 . 0 ; 4 19~ i 61 13 0 130 feet from surface Golden Bar Company ; { .~:~:::aB:::ef ::: 80 0 0 0 14 0 56 0 0 so feet from surface Ba.rrambogie .. ..,. Brady's Reef '· .. ;· 1 10 0 3 12 0 5 8 0 ' 651 10 0 219 4 22 Total, Quartz ... 1 0 617j Operations in quartz minin.g have ~ot been ~e.ry actively prosecuted.during ~e quarter, the Magenta anti Golden Bar Companies maehmes not ~avmg worked mor~· than SIX weeks, m po~sequence of the insuiliciency of water. Several abandoned ·reefs have, however, been prospected, and a very promising reef has been discovered about three miles south-west from Chiltern ; a trial crushing of 30 cwt. produced 5 ozs, and 8 dwts. . . · A considerable amount of attention is now being directed to tlie quartz reefs in the division, in consequencetof the highly satisfactory :returns from trial crushings from abandoned reefs. Fourteen tons from Eureka Reef yielded at the rate of 2 ozs. 11 dwts. 17 grs. to the ton, and 80 tons from the Victoria gave 14 dwts. 'to the ton. There is ever:y reason to believe that most of the long neglected reefs in the division would give satisfactory returns 1f systematically worked with capital and machinery, the want of which has 'always been the great drawback to the devel~pmcnt of this branch of mining enterprise. In alluvial mining there is nothing new to report. The dry lea~s are at a stand still for want of water. , The Union Company on the Chiltern Lead have worked out· their claim, and the plant and machinery are for sale. _ · : The Sons of Freedom Company have extended their claim, and placed it under the Limited Liability Act, under the name of the Extended Sons of Freedom Mining Company. Their prospects are highly encouraging. · : The Grand Junction Gold Mining Company (limited) have attained a depth of 220 feet with their engine shaft, which, from appearance, is supposed to be on the le~d . ... , .. .-The Township Mining Company, adjoining, have been rmming their main -drives through payable ground during the last month. · : ... · ;:, :!f:he,Victoria Compariy;'on the Victoria ·Lead; have suspended operations, and the machinery and plant have been sold by auction. · The Mu:rray Valley Mining Company (limited) are prosecuting their works with great energy. I regret to state that the Independent Mining Company, on the .All England Lead, have been compelled .to suspend operations. 1 This is to :be attributed to the machinery being insufficient to work the ground in the first instance; a second engine was procured, which was also insufficient.· Had proper machinery been"employed in the first instance, the company would in all probability have been suc cessful. It is in contemplation to reconstruct the company under the :,Limited Liability Act. · ---..·------ BucKLAND DIVISION. Mr. R. Holden Stone, Mining Surveyor an!'d Registrar. THE. TOTAL N UMllER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:- i Tota.lforth<> I Euroi>eam .. i Chinese. : Division. Rema.rkll. i ~~-.. _ ... -~-'~ .. ·-~1 I 1,338 Alluvial Miners 450 1,788 The return and distribution of I population has been rnade as Quartz Miners I· 150 . ... 0150 accurately as possible, from ob- ~--,_. -!-'___ · I · servation and enquiry. Totals : GOO I 1,338 I 1,938 28 THE "TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:- Buckland River 1 Hit:or-Miss Reefs 20 Lower Flat 300 East Branch, Ovens ... 100 Police Camp ... 8 W oolshed Fiat, Ovens . .. . 60 Camp to Junction 80 Germantown . ". 160 East Branch 200 Bright ... lOO West Branch 100 Ovens, Below Bright ...• 100 Morse's Creek ... 450 Happy Valley 50 Growler's Creek· 60 Harrietville 150 Total 1,938 TIIE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS :~. QuA.Rrz MINING. DeaeriptiQll of Machin&ry. Aggregat& Number i Aggr(,gat., At Work. Idle. Horse-power of At Work. Idle. of Stamp Horse-power of Steam Engines. Heads. Steam Engines. - --~-···------~-- ~-- Steam Engines, employed in pump: 4 2 '. 60 ... . . in g. and winding ...... Water Wheels, employed for drain- 75 20 ...... ing wet claims .. ... Hydraulic Hoses ...... I 7 ...... Steam Engines, employed in ...... 3 5 81 120 crushing and pumping W~ter Wheels, employed in crush- ... 2 ~ 92 mg ...... ! Total value of mining plant in the division, £50,000. Number of square miles of auriferous ground which is being, or may have been, actually .:worked upon, 62 • . r~;·· Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present ,,oi.Ille, 86. The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been from £3 17s. 3d. to £3 17s. 9d ~cper oz. "·THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QuANTITY OF QUARTZ CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GoLD OBTAINED THEREFROM. I Whore Quartz was v~ .{e Total Yield of 'Remksar relti a. ve tth0 e Na.mo of CO!l1Jl3I!Y· Quartz crtll!hed. ! 1 Depth at which the obtained. per Ton. Gold. Quartz was obtained. . ~~---~ ---~------'~ I -"-·--·--!---~---- -····· ! ton cwt. qr. oz. <\wt. !ll'· oz. dwt. !ll'· Wakley and Company Ori.ental Reef ... 1,500 0 0 0 8 0 60fl 0 0 ISO to 190 feet. .Australasia Company ... Oriental Reef ... 1,470 0 0 0 5 0 367 10 0 Average of 250 feet Phillips and Company 1\forning Star Reef 30 0 0 4 0 0 120 0 0 Surface to 50 feet Mackay and Company Reliance Reef ... 400 0 0 0 5 0, lOO 0 0 Surface quartz J . .A. W allaee ... Pioneer Reef ... 2,200 0 0 0 7 o! 770 0 0 Average of 1oo feet I Total, Quartz ... 5,600 0 0 0 6 23~11,957 10 0 During the quarter the attention of the principal portion of the European mining population has 'been directed to the deep sinking on Morae's Creek and the Ovens River. At the same time, however, comparatively little progress has been made, owing t<> the difficulty of finding the course of the Premier Lead on Morae's Creek. The following is the state of progress made by the several companies who are actively at work. 'fhe prospectors have now fairly opened their ground, and the yield continues highly satisfactory, This company object to make public the actualyield, but I ,have every reason to believe that it is approximately 260 ozs. per week. · · The two companies adjoining the south boundary of the prospectors have sunk several shafts, one in claim No. 2 having struck payable gold, and No. 6 having bottomed on the deep ground, but not on the lead for whi eh they are now driving. No other, claim south from No. 6 has yet succeeded iu striking the deep ground. • The Reform Company, next below the prospectors, have now struck the lead with a. prospect of 2!- dwts. to the bucket. 'J'his is a better average than that first obtained in the prospectors' claim, and there is therefore but little doubt that the lead will continue good. The prospect obtairied by this company mentioned in the last quarter's report did not contmue; being only obtained on 'the side of the reef and not in the real gutter. - The wash obtained is of the same character as that described in the last report and on the same description of bed l'ock. · ' The Garibaldi Company, next nortlf of the Reform, have not yet succeeded in striking the deepest ground, the prospect obtained by them not holding out, and the bed rock still dippin!.'( from their shaft so fast that they are now obliged to sink again. This new shaft will be commenced next week. 29 The Oliver Twist and District Miners Companies, nex.t north, have not yet succeeded in striking the lead ; they are, however, continuing work, and erecting machinery. The Morse's Creek Alluvial Mining Company, next north from the Dist:t:ict Miners, have to day completed the ei"ection of their steam ma{)hinery for pumping and winding, and will probably bottom on the deep ground in the course of the next foi"tnight. The W allaee Deep Lead Company are sinking and erecting pumping and winding gear, to be worked by water. power from Mr. Wallace's powerful water-wheel at the Pioneer Quartz Mill. The last named company's ground extends down to the township of Bright, in and below which no work is being done at present; but the Township Company, whose claim is situate immediately below the sold lands, are pi"eparing to erect machinery to test the ground for the continuance of the lead. On t.he Ovens River, the Ovens River Deep J~ead Company and the Zing!II'i are erecting machinery. All the other claims registered being suspended until the proclamation of' a lead. With regard to the surface alluvial workings in this division, there is nothing of interest to report; but where water has been abundant the Chinese ,POpulation have generally been working with average success, though there is a considemble diminution in the number employed during the past quarter in several localities, the principal exodus being from the Buckland River. . There are but very few Europeans now employed in surface workings as compared with the Chinese, and there does not appear much disposition to try for any other class of workings than deep leads. There was a considerably less number of Europeans employed in quartz mining during the quarter than formerly, and but few are now prospecting. There is no information of any interest to give respecting any of the reefs this quarter, with the exception of the discovery of a reef near the Police Camp, Buckland, from which however I have not yet been able to obtain any further information than that gold is abundantly visible in the quartz ; the reef is about 18 inches in thickness, and appears likely to prove a good one. Four claims in addition to the prospectors have been taken up. ()wing to the bursting of the boiler at Mr. Gitchell's machine, no quartz has been crushed from the Golden Bar and Home Reefs. · CROOKED RIVER SuBDIVISION. Mr. WiUiam Wingate, 1lUning Surveyor and Registrar. THE ToTAL NUMBER OF .MINERS Is AS FOLLows:- I Total for the I Europeans. I Chinese. Subdivision. Remarks. --· I ------·-~-·-·-- Alluvial Miners ...... 254 120 .374 Quartz Miners ...... 868 ... 868 ~-- , Totals ... 1,122 120 1,242 THE TOTAL NUlllBER OF lVfiNERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:- W arrangarra River 85 W entworth River 6 W onnangatta River 47 \"'ongungarra River 49 Jungle Creek ... 130 Cobanna Creek ... 8 ~pring Hill ... 50 Black Snake Creek 30 Good Luck Creek 200 Upper Dargo River 25 Crooked River .. . 160 Lower Dargo River 16 Good Hope .. . 45 Mo1iiit Pleasant 240 Upper Crooked River 24 Out prospecting so' Bumble Creek 12 Twelve-mile Creek 35 Total 1242 THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS :- ALLUVIAL M!NING. QuARTZ li!INING. -~~-~-·-·-- Description of :Machinery. Aggregat..Hol'IIC- I Number IAggregn.teHorse- Work. I Idle. power of Steam At Work. of Stamp power of Steam A~ Engines. .~~~. Heads. Engines. I --- ~-·-----.~------·Steam Engines ...... 2 5 64 96 Water-power Crushing Mills ...... £ ... ; 18 24 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, 20!. . Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 203. The price of gold during the quarter in the subdivision has been from £3 l9a. to £4 ·ls. per oz. 30 T.H~· FOLLOWIN(:r!NFORMATION'HAS'l!EEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ CRUSHED ';· , ., , ,DU~INJ' THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM. I Where Quartz was Aver:.ge I T aJ y· ld Remarks relative to the ..fame of Company, Quartz crushed. Yield of Gold ot ,. Depth at which the obnained. I per Ton. of Gold. Quartz was obtained. ------~: ___ [__ ._._._. -·~------'~------~1------~-~ ------i ton cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr, oz. dwt. gr. Pioneer'·company .... ! Pioneer Ueef ... 300 0 0 5 0 0 1,500 0 0 35 feet ,:felf.· D!!Yis Col)1pauy ... I J etf. Da vis Ueef 360 0 0 4 17 181} 1,760' 0 0 Various depths Moonlight Qompany ,;, '·,Moonlight Ueef' .. . 2 0 0 3 10 0 7 0 0 40 feet ']'eutonia Company ,;, I 'l'eutonia Reef •.. . 48 0 0 I 4 · 4 58 0 0 Various depths .. 1·------.. ' I 'l'oti11, Quartz ... 710, o· o 4 13 15! 3,325 ?. o r;, · I have the'honor to r(lport that during the quarter a great improvement. has manifested itself, in this subdivision. Prospecting operations have been caiTied on to a considerable extent, the result of which has been the discovery of several new reefs, all of which present favorable indications. , .. :·: 'l'he Pioneer Company have been rather unfortunate since the commencement. Owing to the brittle nature of the spur wheel, only four stamp heads have been working. ··. The plants for the Britannia, Jolly Sailors, Good Hope, Globe, and Hartley's have arrived on the ground, but the machines will not be ready to start crushing for three or four weeks from now. · ·,. · Three Ii'ew reefs have been discovered at the Upper Dargo River, and the specimens are equal in richness to anything yet produced in the district. "'' ' The principal want that is felt in this district is that of ~he assistance of capitalists. The majority of miners in this subdivision are persons of limited means, and the want of capital prevents' the proper development of reefs already discovered, and a large number of suspensions have been granted owing to the want of funds.· J MUESON SUBDIVISION. (Part of Jordan North.) Mr. Samuel K. Vidcery, .Mining Surveyor and Registrar. THE TOTAL Nu:~rr.BER OF MINERs' Is AS FoLLOWS:- Tot.a.l for the Europeans. Chinese. I Remarks. I Subdivision. I I ~ ' --~ -- -~.-·---· ·--~~- .. . ,• ,, . Alluvial Miners ... 165 50 215 Quartz Miners ...... 330 ... 330 ·-·-- ~-~--- Totals ... 495 50 545 ' THE T9TAL NuMDER OF MINERS ts THUS DISTRIBUTED:- Hell's Hole and Puzzle Range, Merton · ...... 85 · Banks of RiverGoulburn, between Swampy Creek andJam1eson .. . 50 Sailor Bill's Creek and Swampy Creek...... 190 Mack's Creek Ranges · ...... 150 Banks of River Goulburn, between Jamieson and Big River Junction 35 Roaming population... · 35 Total ... 545 THE MACHINERY JS AB FOLLOWS :- ALLUVllL--l\1INT.!t-_:....G• ---~-~.--'.. ... _,, QUAB.TZ MINING, 7 •. ·· · Ileooription of Mabhine'1'7. L ----.·-· At work. Idla i of At Work. Idle. f.ftr!m.F.;,~1.o.f·/'_ Enb:... StampHeeds.~~~er :r:=~ Steam Jlalgines .• Steam:.. Engines employed in 2 ' crushing Total value of mining plant in the subdivision, £9,000. · .. Number of square miles of auriferous ground which is being, or may have been, actually worke,4 upon, about 13. · . . ' · 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 13s. to £3 l5s. per oz. 31 THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION ·HAS BEEN OBTAINED • RELATIVE TO THErQUANTITY OF QUARTZ CRUSHED DURING THE QuARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED, T~EREFROM, . ' ··f Where Quartz was i Total Yield of Remarks relative to the ~ame of Company. ·obtained. Quartz crushed. Yi~d·~r!f.~ld 1 Gold! Depth at which .the ' ' per ton. Quartz weo obtained. '' •' tons cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Luck's-all Gold Mining Luckas·all Prospect- 200 0 0 I 5 0 250 o· 0 From surface to 80 Company ing Claim, .Mack's feet ill depth. Creek I have the honor to suhmit the following report with reference to the extent and character of mining operations in this subdivision, for the quarter. The proceedings of the past three months have been characterised by the discovery of several auriferous quartz lodes, and the mining and general population of the· district' ha~ been considerably augmented. Though no important discoveries have been made at Mack's Creek, yet, owing to the erection of steam .. ;ma~hi~~\1. i.l!, con:r;t~xion with;.two .. gf:.!he ·.mo~~ fm~o~tant ·claims, from .which '"large··yields are expected, a number of mmers and others.ha,v.e·b.een attracted· to that place. The almost unprecedented scarcity of water at Mack's Creek since the setting in of the winter season, has prevented the Star of the West Company from making use of their maehine, and has seriously impeded operations generally. The Luck's All Company have, however, since the erection of their machine; succeeded in passing 200 tons of quartz through it, which have yielded two hundred and fifty (250) ounces of gold. Between .iVIack's and' Sailor Bill's Creeks a number of claims have been-registered for occupation in three of which auriferous veins, appearing to form a continuation of the Southern Cross Reef, have been discovered. Two leases have also been app1ied for in this vicinity. ' ~ At the Sailor., Bill's .Creek "'orkings, work, is .. bcing. .proceeded.:with~v.igorously, and ,the reef becomes more fully developed. At the first junction of this c:re~)l: with a tJ;ibutary, about .one mile eastward of the older workings, a well defined auriferous reef has .been disco.vered.m the Shenandoah Company's claim.· As this is only the second instance which· we ha.-e, in this part of the district, of the existence of a distinct reef, not appearing to form a continuation of those formerly opened up, its discovery must be ·considered as one of the mOilt important.which has-characterised·the operations of the quarter. .. , The recenj;,dis~m;ery pf ,a payable reef in the ground .pelpnging to the Elizabeth Quar.tz Mining Company, has given a11 impetus to mining at the new workings at Swampy Creek. This reef, which is 1 .~.t pres .•• l BIG RIVER. SUnDIVISION. (Part of Jordan North.) Mr. Penrose Nevins, Mining ~urveyor. and Reg~trcvr ,.l'n rr ·~. • . ~.. THE TOTAL NUMJJER OF MINERS IS AS FOI,L~WS :-"' ·. .. I Total for Europea.ni.. i Chinese. Subdivision. Remarks. ' . ---~~---.--.-·- ~·~-----···---~----~ Alluvial Miners J. ~- • .t I "''"" U ·~ ..--- ... _.-.._.-_.-. - Quartz Miners ~_:_::_],'_- --~-:_:_ Totals .:. 322" ·. ..; '" '$~2.. 'f 32 THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:- River Goulburn, near Darlingford ... 10 Boyd's Creek ... 12 On and near the Big River, between Darling- Caple's Creek .. . 4 ford and Enoch's.Point ...... 50 Dundas Reef .. . 6 On the Big River, between Enoch's Point and Frenchman's Creek 7 its source ...... 16 Unknown Reef 27 Enoch's Creek ...... 30 Star of Erin Reef 4 Jem Thomas's Creek and reefs near 16 True Blue Reef 4 Railw3:y Creek and reefs 42 Staad's Reef ... 4 Ten-mile Creek ...... 6 Out prospecting 30 Warner's Creek and reefs 46 Wild Dog Creek 8 Total ... 322 THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS :- ALLUVIAL Mnm!G. QUARTZ Mnm!G, ! Description of Maohinery. Number of Aggregate Horse- I I Number of !Aggregate Horse· At Work. Idle. Stamp Heads. power of At Work. 1Idle. !stamp Heads. power of Steam Engines. ; Steam Engtnes ------·--- 1 Water-wheel crushing mill ...... 1 4 16 Steam quartz Qrushing mill ...... 1 ... 12 16 Water-wheel crushing mill ...... Erecting. 8 18 Total value of mining plant in the subdivision, £6,100. Number of square miles of auriferous ground which is being, or may have been, worked upon, zt. · . Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 11. The price of gold during the quarter in the subdivision has been £3 16s. per oz. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ CRUSHim DURING THE QUARTER, Remarks relative to the Name of Company. Where Quartz, &c., were , Quartz crushed. Depth at which the obtained. 1 Quartz was obtained. ten. cwt. qr. Luck's All* ... 835 0 0 Surface, including everything to 25 feet deep. Total 835 0 0 • No cletming up bas as :vet taken place since this machine commenced crushing, consequently the yield of gold has not yet been obtained. It is estimated at about 1 oz. per ten. I have the honor to report that mining operations have been very dull in my subdivision during the quarter, which has arisen, not from any unfavorable returns from the mining operations that have been carried on, but principally from the great want of capitalists to assist the miners, who, in this subdivision, are totally unable, from the above cause, to develope the numerous rich reefs which are already discovered. ' The following claims are suspended for the present from work, principally from want of means to carry them on Prospecting Claim Seek and Find Reef. No. 4North ... Ditto. Nos. 3, 4, and 5 South ... Ditto. No. 2 South and No. 4 North Star of Erin. Stand's Reef, Prospecting Claim, and No. 1 North Staad's Reef. The Garibaldi .. . Hailway Reef. The California... Ditto. No. 1 North .. . Ditto. Nos. 2 and 3 South Ditto. • Early Bird Enoch's Creek. Nos. 3, 4, and 5 North... Dundas Reef. No. 1 North, Fountain Head Frenchman's flreek. During the last quarter one new reef has been discovered and called the Dundas, it is situated about two miles from the township of Enoch's Point. Nine claims, four south and five north of the prospecting claim, have been registered. A quartz reef, two feet thick, is visible on the surface in all these claims. In Nos. 1, 2 and 3 North, and No. 1 South, shafts averaging from 20 to 40 feet have been sunk. Very good prospects 83 have been obtained in these shafts, and this reef will, it is expected, prove a valuable one. Nos. 3, 4, and 6 North are about applying for a lease, and intend organizing a company to work the reef efficiently. . The total number of new quartz claims registered in my subdivisiop. during the quarter IS eleven Ill). · · Frenchman's Creek.-The Break-of-Day Company are still driving for the .reef. No. 1. south commenced work under a new organization about three weeks ago. Three compames have apphed for leases on this reef. The Fountain Head.-N othing of special importance has as yet been discovered in this locality. The Indication Reef, ou the Mia-Mia, discovered by the Messrs. Thrupp, has been abandoned, as also the Shamrock, but it is probable that this reef will be further tested by some other parties in a short time.· Luck's All Reef prospecting claim, Warner's Creek.-During the quarter the Luck's All Company have completed the erection of their machinery, consisting of a steam engine of 16 horse power, with battery of. 12 stamps; t~ey have also constructed a very sub~tantial tramway, 266lards m length, from the claim to the machme, at an expense of about £400. It 1s mucll to be regrctte that this machinery, which is of first-class quality and considered to be the best that has as yet reached tile Alpine gold fields, should have been so inefficiently erected as to render it necessary for the company to suspend operations for a time. I am informed by Mr. Beattie, the mining manager, tha~ it is the intention of the company immediately to take down the engine and re-erect it in a more efficient manner. This company commenced crushing on the 8th of May, and up to the 30th of June crushed 835 tons, consisting of a conglomerate of granite, slate, and quartz, intermixed with mullock aJ?-d sand stone, taken on a face, crushing everything from the surface to a depth of about 25 feet. The mining manager informs me that the yield of the gold cannot be obtained for a few days, as the mill has not been cleaned out since they commenced crushing, and the fal~e bottoms are supposed to contain a considerable quantity of ~old. He anticipates that the yield at present will not exceed (1) one oz. per ton, but, from the facility w1th which the materials for crushing can be obtained and removed to the machine, this return will prove amply remunerative. The amount of. material crushed ;vould have been double what it has been but for the delay caused by the numerous stoppages of the machmery, occasioned by the cause referred to previously. The tunnel is now driven to a distance of 180 feet, which it is intended to continue for 150 feet further, when it is expected a main reef will be struck. 'rhe mining mannger further informs me that he entertains the strong!.lst hopes of striking a rich reef in the tunnel, the formation of the hill being similar to that of the Morning Star Hill at Wood's Point. The Ariel Company, north of this claim, have applied for a lease; they continue assiduously driving their tunnel, which is now in about 170 feet; they expect to have to drive 600 feet in all before striking the reef, at 'an estimated depth of 400 feet from the surface. The Unknown Reef prospecting claim. ~The machinery for crushing on this claim is now nearly completed; it is erected about a quarter of a mile from the claim on ~he ~ailway Cr~ek, and consists of a battery of 8 head of stamps, to be worked by a water-wheel 30 feet m diameter, estimated at 18 horse power. This machinery is estimated to cost £1500. A most substantial tramway from the claim to the machinery is nearly completed. V cry rich stone has been struck during the company's operations recently. They anticipate being in a position to commence crushing in two or three weeks from this date, when it is confidently anticipated by, them that the yield per ton will prove extraordinarily rich. · The True Blue Reef.-This company have continued driving for the reef; their tunnel is now in about 200 feet; they expect to strike .the reef in about 50 feet further. Seek and Find I~cef.-Mr. Peppin, the discoverer of this very promising reef, informs me tha~ he recently sent to be crushed some of the stone out of the prospecting claim for which he is now applymg for a lease. One ton 15 cwt. of the stone, taken out of the shaft at a depth of about 45 feet (the stone not being picked, but a fair average), was transported on packhorses to the Luck's All machine, a distance of nine or ten miles, and crushed there; the yield was 4 ozs. 12 dwts. 15 grs., qeing at the rate of 2 ozs. and nearly 13 dwts. to the ton.* He is, however, confident that this was not the totallield, but that, owing to the inaccuracies in the machinery already alluded to, a eoqsiderable quantity o fine gold was lost. Various enquiries from other sources induce me to believe that this opinion is correct. It is much to be regretted tllat so promising a reef as this is should be standing idle for want of machinery. No. 1, north of the above, are still driving a tunnel for the reef, and are now in through very solid hard rock about 110 feet. Most if not all of the other claims on this line of reef are suspended. Star of Erin.-This company have sunk another shaft 50 feet deep, in which very good gold has been found. They have also discovered a reef of quartz 4 feet thick on the surface, in which gold is visible in the stone. They anticipate that this new reef will yield 2j to 3 ozs. to the ton. Rail way Line of Reef.-Most if not all of the claims on this line of reef al,'e now suspended. The Garibaldi being Nos. 2 and 3 north, have during the last quarter sunk a shaft between 50 and 60 feet through horizontal layers of quartz and granite. ·Good prospects have been obtained throughout the whole. of this sinking. About 50 feet westward they ·have sunk another shaft 30 feet deep, through similar strata combined with slate, showing a better prospect than in the first shaft. . Nos. 4 and 5 north, amalgamated under the name of the California Gold Mining Company, have ~r1ve~ a tunneln:bout 80 feet, and have struck several quartz leaders showing fine gold. It is their mtentwn to contmue the tunnel; they expect to strike a main reef at about 40 feet further. No. 1 north have driven a tunnel about 30 feet, about 20 feet being through bluestone. Two leases have recently been applied for near this line of reef, under the name of the Tim Bobbin Company, No. 1 and 2, but nothing definite can at present be stated as to their prospects. : .~ regards alluvial mining, the recent and protracted rains l;tave now filled the various creeks runnmg m~o th~ Big River, and a considerable number of miners are now engaged in reworking their beds, also m slmcing on various spurs abutting on the Big River, From various enquiries I have made -alth?ugh it is impossible to ascertain with accuracy what these alluvial miners are earning-I am led to beheve that, generally speaking; they are making very good wages, and in many instances much more than good wages. • Norn.-The mhllng surveyor has omitted to insert this info1111ation in hill tabular statement. No, 69, d. 34 . ·' 'Phis district would, I. am persuaded, if prQperly aided I:Jy,.thc l:l~.sistat\1,1c ,9.f capi~tJJ~!!ts,. ,pr;o,y~1 .ft lughly remunerative gold-producing COJintry; but at present it isl11boring 1¥.J?.der .SQ s,eri01.1Sr!t dis~dV,Jl!P.; tage, from the absence of a good and available road, as to greatly militate against its advancep;tc:t;J..t.:,.;,.. · ' There are abundance of reefs :which woulr;l. pay well.if,li\a<;!linery,f;;>r ,crushing'could. be laid down at a lllode:ate cost, and I am satisfie? that at a c~mpa:ratively s~all ~uFay an ava~labl~ ~:ay tr.aek cq~d be made right up to the new. township at E!loch.~ Pomt., UI!til th1s ~~. don,e .. th1s dlVl~IOn will always ldabor un,der such.a severe drawback ,that: its. merits cannot ,be e~t)ler ~atisfllfltorily.ascertaiued ,or.,qp.ly eve1 oped. , GAFFNEY's CREEK SUBDIVISION. (Part of Jordan North.) Mr.llughSt.. H. Blair, Mining Surveyor and,Registrar. TIIE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS 'AS FOLLOWS :- T 0 tal£or Europeanl!. Chinese. the Subdivision. Remarks. " .. ~·I • Alluvial. Miners ...... 70 150 22~ Quartz. Miners 365 ..~ . 365 ...... , ' .. ' ..... I ').'otals ... 435 I 150 585 " .. 'Tii:E TOTAL' NmiBER OF MINERS IS TIIUB DISTRIBUTED:- Goulburn River 160 .. Corn Hill Reefs ~ • • • • 1 •• ,14 Gaffney's Creek 80 . Ryan's Creek 10 Moonlight Creek 12 wre Bird Creek 8 Cannon's Creek 25 allaby Creek 30 Raspberry Creek . ::: .155 Prospe(:to~s ... 35 Ditto, right-hand branch · ... 6 -- Victoria Gully .40 Total .. ~. 585 ,. Bald Hills ... i••••• I 10. TIIE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS :- ;: J. Description of Machinery. Aggregate Number • • Aggregate At 'fork. Idle. Horse-power of A~ Work. .I.die. of Stamp Horse-power of · · I Stell.lll Engines. ! Reads. Steam Engines -•-·-' -· 1-'----'------1----1------I '• Cri1shjng Mills I ••• ... ~. 8 3 W :lter Wheel~ . ' 8. 3 86 Total value of mining plant in the subdivision, £20,000. .. . • • . . . Number of square miles of a1,1riferous ground which is being, or may have . been, actually worked upon, 2~. · · . " :~'lumber of distinct quartz rE:efs which have been actually .proved to be anriferous.to the.present time, 1:3. • ' .. . · · · • . . The price of gold during the quarter in the subdivisign has been from £3 15s. to £3 18s. 6d. per oz. THE FOLWWING INFOR~IATION IIAS .BEEN OilTAlNED RELATIVE TO THE QuANTITY OF QUARTZ C~JISII~D «· ' .. · · : , :iroihN'a ,Ti;IE QuARTER, AND · TnE · Gow oB.TAI~ED ~n'EREFR?~i. · • . ru· ,, ... l ";_l'f. j! l ... I tl' \ •j'V I I( •' ,. ;D "•1f~ •· " ' A ~;;a~~ Where Quartz was • ." I' . J Total Yield Remarks relative to the Nam~ Quartz crushed. Yield of Gold Depth: at which the ~ \o · of Comp\>ny. ., of Go\d. 1 obtained. . I perTon. Quartz was obtained. ' · -· ·•· -··~ .. ton cwt. qr. oz. dwt. !!"· oz. dwt. gr. Rose of Denmark ... Eu.re!m Reef ... 1 400 Q 0 ., 0 4 0 80, 0 0 0 0 0 10 ·• 0 100 'o Shakespeare. ' .. lt·• ... HoiJ,~I'Warcj. B,o~nd.... 2oo 1 ,o .,Surf~ce 'to 1:10; feel ;: Runt's ...... Ditto ...... 2so 0 0 I ·6 '17 333 '1'7 ·o Golden Belt ...... Ditto ...... 373 0 0 o· 7 4a ,) i34 0 0 l1rysdale's ...... ·Ditto ...... 159 0 0 0 2 0 15 18 0 Ditto ...... Sandstone Reef ... 13 0 0 0 8 0 5 4 0 Wallaby Reef : 18 0 0 1 I 19 0 0 · 5 to 10 feet 'Wallaby United ...... 25 ,. Root Hog or Die ... CastleUeef ... 70 0 0 2 0 0 l40 0 0 30 feet A'l Company ... Ditto ...... l!O 0 0 0 17 IOW 96 0 0 30 feet Welcome Company ... W eicome Reef ... 5 0 0, 5 19 0 29 15 0 30 to I 00 feet ' ... Victoria Company ... Homeward Bound ... .lOO 0 .0 '• I 0 0 lOO 0 o. Surface to 30 feet. ----- " Totals, Quart?. 1,698 0 ol~9w 1,053 14 0 ... 35 · The small amount of quartz crushed is dtie to the want ofwater'for month of May and part of April. The information respectirig the Rose of' Denmark Company's of 400 tons is 9.ueshonable, as the manager had sent his returns ,i;o Melbourne, and coUld ,give .me the informa- tion from memory. I have the honor to report, that quartz.ntining in my subdivision has been steadily improving. The Raspberry and Wellington United Company's machine, consisting of two ba,tteries of four revolving stamps each, was completed and opened on the 12th of June, and is now at work. Shakespeare's Com pany have added a new battery of four revolving stamps to their mill. Hunt's have added a new battery of five stamps, and the Castle Company a new battery of four stampsil Two new mills are also .in course of erection. . I . Tw.o ne.w lines of (th~ Grand 'Junction ai:id the Baltimore) have) been taken up; they are s1tuated on Raspberry and appear to be parallel to the Outward Bound reef. Several shafts have been sunk and very fair prospects obtained from leaders, but no well defined reef has yet been struck. Alluvial mining is not so brisk, owing to the creeks being flooded frbm the late heavy falls of rain and snow. Commencing at the south end of my subdivision, the Castle line of has been traced to the Dividing Range betweelJ the heads of Raspberry Creek and the sources of hand branch of the Goulburn. . The Royal Escott prospecting claim, situated about a mile f south-east of the Castle Reefs, have sunk a shilit on the granite, and,. at the depth of 40' uck quartz containing gold. The ground to the north of this elaim, as far as No. 4 south, Castle R , is taken up by leases. I Castle Reifs. 'At the prospecting claim they are opening tl1e. cut, and :~paking1 prepaJ,;atious for raising.quartz. No. 2 south. The reef in this claim is exceedingly rich and. of a great width; .they have now about 11:10 tons of quartz in the course of crushing at the Castle Company's machine, and it is confidently expected that it will average as much as 12 ozs. to the ton. . _ _ . The A l Company, No. 1 south.-This claim is suspended for three months, as the shareholders are preparing to erect a steam crushing mill. They have at present about 200 tons of quartz ready for the mill. Their last crushing of 110 tons yielded 96 ozs. : Root Hog or Die, No. 4 south.-Here they have got the reef with gold 'well diffused through the stone. Their last crushing qf 70 tons yielded 140 ozs. The claims to the north on this line have not • yet struck the reef. · Welcome Reif. This reef lies about two-thirds of a mile to the east of the Castle Reefs. -Gold was got here in leaders on the surface. A shaft has been sunk 104 feet; at this depth the reef is nearly 4 feet in width, with fine gold well diffused through the stone. A tunnel, intended to cut below the present level, is now in ninety feet. A trial crushing from this claim averaged nearly 6 ozs. to the ton. \ Out~va1·d Bound Reeft. In the prospecting claim work is suspended, pending the result of a law suit. · No. 2 North, known as the Raspberry Company, and No. 3 North, as theWellington Company. These two companies have between them erected a mill of eight stamps, whicll commenced crushing in June, since then it has passed through stuff from the 'clium of the Raspberry ,Company. A lot of 300 tons from the W elliugton will now be crushed. The reef in both these cpmpanies is the same 1n appearance; it is about 12 feet in width, and consists of a belt of rotten sandstone and mullock thickly intersected with quartz veins. These claims are worked by tunnels, which fonOiv the course of the reef, and drives are now going in to eut it at !!' lower level. . . . . i . Nos. 4 and 5.-Both of these cla1ms got the reef by smkmg, and are now at work tunnellmg. No. 6.-A tunnel is in 150 feet, at which distance the reef was struck and good prospects obtained. I Nos. 7 and 8 (The Great Eastern Company).-This company have struck the reefin their tunnel, and are now engaged erecting machinery, the woodwork of which is nearly complete. · The claims to the south of the prospecting claim are all tunnelling for the reef. Homeward Bound Reif. . . Adjoining the Great Eastern Company's ground is the United Raspberry. This compaey are also erecting ma ; tbi machine-house is nearly complete, and they are anxiously waiting for the iron work, which left elbourne a niont,h ago by the Yarrn track. · The Undoubted Company have struck some very good stone, and intend having a crushing at Drysdl!l \ . double the produce of gold. The reef is here from 10 to 14 feet in width, and i; worked by tunnels at various levels. The quartz is c.onveyed to the mill by tramways and a shoot. . Dempsey' s Reef. The ~]aims on this line of reef being chiefly situated in the bed of the creek, are at present flooded.. I believe these claims are negotiating for the erection of steam machinery and more powerful pumping gear. · Eut•eka Reef. Nothing of importance has been done on this line for the quarter. W allahy Reef. This reef is situated at the head of Wallaby Creek (a tributary of Gafiney's). In. the prospecting claim they have got the reef on the surface from 3 to six feet in width, and of a very payable nature. This company have a very primitive mill of four square stam~s worked by a water wheel, but it is their intention to erect steam machinery shortly. Th(Olir last crushmg of 18 tons yielded 1 oz. 1~ dwt. to the ton. The claims north and south are tunnelling for the reef. ' Eldorado Company.-This company occupies a lease upon the granite belt known as the Wallaby ~J;nd JJyre Bird lines of reef. This belt cuts the divide between the Upper Goulbu.rn ~nd the head of Raspberry, a little below the Bald Hills: Northward from that, it crosses the various lie ads of Gaffney's Creek, as far as Ryan's Creek, further than which it has not yet been followed. The Eldora~o Company are now working an east and west vein of quartz which crosses the granite belt. This vem was found at _a depth of forty feet. The quartz is hard and solid, with a width of about ten inches, which is gradually increasing, and is exceedingly ric:h. As yet the company have had no crushing, but are now raising stone for that pur1wse. . Co1·n H~ll Reefs. . ~hese claims having struck a payable reef in their shaft some eight months ago, are now busy tunnelhng to catch the reef at a lower level. Woon's POINT SuBDIVISION. (Part of Jordan North.) Mr. A. B. Ailru3worth, Mining Surveyor and Registrar. TR.E TOTAL NUMBER OF MINER/3 IS AS FOLLOWS:- I ~-- . I Europoo;ns. 1 Chmese. Tota.l for I Remarks. I the Subdivision. : ~------"~~ ~-·.--~--· :- ----1~--·· ---- -I ······--·-··- I I Alluvial Miners 220 I lO 230 I The influx has been chiefly from Quartz Miners I 1,608 the western gold-fields, the efflux 1,608 I has been towards the Big River, I I ----~-- -~-- --~~ the Crooked, and Gipps Land. Totals I 1,828 10 I I 1,838 I TJIE TOTAL NUMllEll. OF MINERS IS THUS DIST:RillUTED :- Wood's Point and Morning Star 550 Maori Creek 6 Lower Goulburn 400 Edward's Reef ... 20" Rirrht Branch ... 50 Bald Hills to Matl?ck 42 G;oley's Creek and :Bald Hills 120 Toorak to Columb1a 40 Harper's Creek...... 30 Royal Standard ... 60 Killar's and Pheasant Creek 60 Champion and Iudep_endent . 50 Perkin's Creek and W averley 50 Prospectors and movmg populatwn 150 Emerald Hill claims 90 Total All Nations claims 120 1,838 . THE MACHINERY IS .AB FOLLOWS ·- - ALLUVL-I.L MINING, QUARTZ MINING. ' ······- ····~ ~-- Description· of Machinery. Aggregate Horse- Nwnber IAggregatellorse- At Work. Idle. power of Steam At Work.\ Idle.l. of Stamp I power of Steam Engines. Reads. I Engines. ---···· CRUSHING MILLS. ~--~--r Water Wheels Total value of mining plant in the subdivision, £32,000. . Number of square miles of auriferous ground which is being, or may haye been, actually worked upon, In. : Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be ~uriferous to the present time, about 80. ; The price of gold during the quarter in the subdivision has been from £3 5s. to £3 19s. 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 Average Total Yield of Relllll,rka relative to the Name of Company. Quartz crushed. Yield of Gold Depth at wbich th& obtained. per Ton. Gold.' Quartz was obtained. -·-·· ton cwt. qr. oz. dwt gr. oz. dwt.gr. Various Companies ... Wood's Point Re.efs* 5,645 0 0 2 8 21! l3,i99 0 12: _.___ ._. .. ..;.. ---.--~ Total, Quartz 5,645 0 0 2 8 21~ 13,799 0 12.1 i • Full particulars of these "Crushings" have been lodged in the oftioe of the :!llluing Department, but at the request of the cla,im- holders they have not been P,ttblisheil. · I have the honor to report on the present stat.e and prospeets of my subdivision as follows. The population is centering itself more and more throughout the district, chiefly along the Goulburn at the junction of its tributaries. There is ample employment for miners, both on contract and on wages, though money is scarce and all markets very dull. The district has ac9-uired during the quarter additional crushing power, amounting to 4 stamp heads, namely, two additiOnal batteries worked by a waterwheel attached to. the Great Central .Alps steam crushing mill, which were started on the 26th of June, and fom batteries worked by a water wheel erected by Scott, Cherry and Company, for the pt1rpose of crushing tlieir own and the Hope Company's quartz. This latter erection for17.1s a complete, compact, and very efficient plant, the crush- from which will tend, materially to raise)the average yield of quartz in this!district. The machinery now in course of transit or erection consists of five crushing mills, for the Champion claims, the Royal Standard prospectors, the Fermoy Extended Company, the Never-Mind Reef. and the No. 1 south Morning Star. With the addition of these five machines to its crushing power the mining community in this subdivision will have made a very strop.g step towards self-support, arid speeulation will, it is hoped, build less on the bright feverish anticipations of times of excitement than on the stern healthy realities of steady dividends. 1 The Black River District is still highly enyouraging to prospectors. The Champion Company have found their reef improve very materially since it was first taken up, and :have now a fine reef of very promising stone, eqUal probably to several ounces to the ton. The Royal Standard retains to all appearance its position as by far the richest vertical reef found in the Wood's Point district, but lt has not as yet been struck in.any but the pi:oepecting claim. No new trial crnshings have taken place, either at the Black River or m other parts of the sub division, during the quarter. It is not possible, therefore, to estimate with any degree of certainty the additional value to the wealth of the district afforded by the late discoveries. T!1e JJforning Star. The Age of Progress Company have only had three crushings, owing to scarcity of water, and the necessity of making further repairs. The prospects of this company continue very healthy, and good dividends may be expected. A new retort house has been el'ected and a furnace built; the com· pany will therefore be able to retort their silver on the works. The reefs,: as exposed now in the company's works, show a twelve month's work without the necessity of openipg new ground. * * * * * * * The* Hope Company have been crushing mullock* only ; they are,* however,* sending *down stone* now, when better averages may be looked for. The Wood's Point Quartz Mining Company has been at a standstill. The Prince of Wales and All Nations. The All N atipns are paying, notwithstanding the pr'"sent minimum yield of their stone, good interest"on the capital invested, with a prospect of occasional high dividends from rich patclJes of stone. The Prince of Wales cll!-ims are improving daily; there is a good shmY of gold in their stone now. Tke Bald .Hills Company. Messrs. Drysdale and Co. have struck the ret;f, from 2 to 3 feet thick, in prospect tunnelling claim. The stone is promising. In Scott and Edward's lease, adjoining, leaders have been cut in the tunnel, but the leaseholders do not expect to reach the reef for some distance Lower Goulburn. Purcell and Power have got a good mullock reef, 4 to 5 feet thick. Good prospects can he washed from this reef, which promises well for its owners. ' ALLUVIAL MINING. A few claimholde~s down the Goulburn obtain ~ccasionally good returns, though the workings are confined chiefly to old ground. The ~ompanies which were s~arted a short time ago for working abandoned ground on the Goulburn, obtamed not very encouragmg prospects,;and appear to have died out. The unusual amount of frost and snow have, in a great measure, interfered with sluicin" at the heads of the waterfiows of the Goulbnrn River. i " " 38 , ··.· ~ ·pA'R:r: oF· JoRDAN SouTn SunmvrsroN. 'lt:lr. Oliarles J.'.'W. Russell, Minin,q Survetjor a~d Registrar. THE TOTAL N UMBI I ~uropean. j ~es;. ' i .~~~~l~~~ Remarks, 7 -k~u")::;l'luic-l:~~~:i·:iJ,Y-I<<=~~:~:-;-:I)e..•·rs·.:,:l:;"'·;-_ .,. .. ;.•• -. -.-...-~··:·· •···.· ,. _366 ' i·,c-'-18-0-..,-l---:-5-4_6__ _T_h_e_•_£-or_e_g_o_in-g~n-u-m·····b_e_r_s_a_r_e_e_xc-1-u- sive of about forty men engaged Quartz 1\'Iiners ••• · Ij 643 6 · 649 only in prospecting. · Totals , ... 1,009 .... 186 :- 1,195-.-1 •, '. .. THE .TOTAL NUMBER OF MI.!)l'ERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:- Matlock and vicinity ...... 140 BlueJacket, Red Jacket, 1\foonlight; Home- Loch Fyne and vicinity 125 ward Eound, New Chum, and Violet Town 280 :B. E. Reefs and Creek 70 Aberfeldy 60 Garibaldi, Noble, and Mountaineer .. • 56 'l'hompson River 4 Jericho, with Upper and Lower Jordan 460 ' Total 1,195 THE 1\fACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:- ALLUVIAL MINING QUAltTZ MINING, \. --·~· Description of Machinery. . ··---.-, Aggregate :Number : Aggregate At Work. I' Idle. Horse-1!9wer of At Work. Idle. of Stamp iHorse-powcr of Steam Engines. Heads.. :Steam Engines, Crushing Machine water-power, J,•JO Scott's, Dry Creek i '. l ., Cr11shing Machine, steam-power, 1 12 12 'Loch Fyne Crushing Machine, steam-power, ', 12 18 Alabama Water Wheels on alluvial claims 16 12 Sluice Boxes ...... •• 38 162 Total value of mining plant in the subdivision, £10,800 • Number of square miles of auriferous ground >yhich 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 ' tiine, 21. - . The price of gold during the quarter, in the subdivision, has been from £3 15s. to.£3 15s. (!d .. per oz. TilE FOLLOWING INFORMATION. HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE Qu'ANTITY 'OF QUARTZ CRUSHED ·DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GoLD OBTAINED THEREFROJ\1. : Average T y· Id f. i':ttema>:ks relative to the Where Quartz was I 1 0 Name of Oomp~my. Quartz crushed.,'Yield of Gold .ota w : depth at which the obtained. per ton. : Gold. Quartz w~s obtained. ------1------'-··-- tons cwt. qr. : oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Loch Fyne Pros11ecting Loch Fyne Reef 623 lO 0 2 14 Ht l,i01 19 0 Tutniel, depths un Company known. No. 1 South Loch Fyne Loch Fyne Reef 166 0 0 3 10 0 581 0 0 Tunnel, depths un Company known. No. 1 S. E. I..och Fyne Loch Fyne Reef 56 0 0 2 2 6rl118 6 · 6 ,Shaft, surfac:e to 50 Com]>any feet. . Loch Fyne and Fern- J,och Fyne Reef 3.16 0 0 6 11 16 2,344 0 o· ].Tunnel; depth not tree : · ·recorded. ' No. 1 Loch l!'yne Loch Fyne Reef 309 0 0 2 18 44: 899 7 o Shaft, surface to 100 feet. Ca11adia.iJ Company ... I Canaoian Reef 3 0. 0 3· 4 0! 9 12 l About 80 feet. Ahibama Company ... , Alabama Reef 4 0 0' 15 5 0 I 21 o o ·About so·feet. No. 4 Garibaldi · Garibaldi Reef 2 10 0 ·8 19 14g 22 9 ·o Shaft, surface to 70 feet. · Blue Jacket ... Blue Jacket 2 0 o 13 17 12 27 15 0 Shaft, surface to 75 , feet. l-1·,.. 5-2·2--0--0-l-3-,-1_5_16- ~;25 ~-~l ' Totals ;,I . The 'above quantities of stone, and the gold obtained therefrom, have been taken from the companies' books, and are thoroughly reliable. .. -- 39 I have the honor.to·forwarii'the following report: n : '"· "!' A great falling off in the yield of gold has taken place which is to be, attributed .principally to the general exhaustion of the gold in the alluvial creek claims, whilst an i~su:flic,i.ent supply of water has altogether prevented, or greatly retarded, the working of the p0<;1reJ;:. portions that remain. A great number of the former alluvial miners have either left th~ district Qr j;Bd their. attention and labor to the development of the quartz reefs, ~d. although th? lab()!" g. is .. great and the payment protracted, yet the results have generally been so very encouraging, that if the present numbers can hold out not many months will elapse ere a greatly increased supply of gold will reward their labors. Other circumstances have operated to check the supply of gold for sal~, namely, the very insuffi cient crushing power, the heavy charge for crushing, but especially the great expense of conveying stonl) from the reefs to the mills on pack horses, over almost impassable and alivays dangerous mountain tracks. As an instance, a few weeks ago two tons of stone were carried froni a reef on the Blue Jacket to the Loch Fyne Mill, a distance of about 14 miles, at the rate of £16 per ton for packing and other expenses, making the total cost nearly £20 per ton for the conveyance ; £1 10s. per ton, which is 5 or 6 shillings under the ordinary charge, was the cost of crushing. The yield, in this case, at the rate of 14 ozs. per ton, notwithstanding the heavy cost of carriage and crushing, gave a considerable balance as ~rofi~ to the claim owners. These fac~s are inte~~ed to show that u:n'de.r present circumstances ordinarily good stone cannot be crushed w1thout entadmg· heavy loss on the mmers. E~en this high charge for king is indifferen munerative, as in:cqn~(l!l~el!ce_!)f, th.Jl.fatigue experienced by th!l hors,es, six; e eight horses emp ed were, for some time, rendered unfit for work,'.a;nd pne.that fell'with itS'loa'd ~pwn a pre~ipitous s1deling was ruined if not killed. ·Also, the high··price for crushing cannot -be importantly reduced. until better roads are provided between this gold field and the metropolis. At present all macliinery is brought here on pack horses, a practice necessarily limiting to the smallest amount the w;eight of the pieces; ·con sequently ~any of the work~ng parts:, such as the stampe!s; the.. stampe: beds, and the heav~er P. !, -.~j. . l . ! I' OM;tt:p. ,,JJ ~N:J;:,RAJ:;.r:-.S:rr:B:P·~ Y.J: SI 0 N • ... ,,~~,.}[ fMP.P.f':, JJ{{"ff?t~:g, R,~g.~strar. , THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS :~ Total for the ; Eurojl Alluvial Miners, - 140 250 390 ·sandy'~ Creek and Merrijig·diggings : have;been separated from my sub Quartz Miners 20 20 division since my last report, and : added to Mr. Wingate's "· )~!--l-6_0_1__25_0__ ---4-10___ 1 Totals 1 ·,·•·NoTE.-The number of·miners rettti'Iled for these diggings for.. the previous qua.iter wa.s.I30. 1 40 TilE TOTAL NuMB~R oF MINERs Is THus DISTRIBUTED: Upper Livingstone ... 6 Middle Livingstone . :. • 150 Lower Livings tone ...... 4 Cobungara and Upper Mitta-mitta River ... 5 Mitta-mitta River, below Cobungara to Wombat Creek 130 Wombat Creek · ,, . 20 River Tambo 10 Swift's Creek ... 30 Store Creek, River Nicholson 30 Gibbo Creek ...... 5 Cudgewong Creek, Upper .l\-Iurray 20 Total 4IO THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:- ALLUYllL MINING. QuA.RTZ MINING. Description of Machinery•. 1 Aggregate 1I N'umber · Aggregate At Work. Idle. Horse-power of At Work. Idle. o_;.;.~:_~p Horse-power of Steam Engines. I ~--I-----I~- ____ Steam Engines. ' Californian .Pumps and Wheels .•• 18 6 ... 1 Sluice Boxes ... I 200 50 ... ::: I ::: I :: I Total value of mining plant in the subdivision, £750. Number of square miles of auriferous ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon, 5. Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 6. · The price of gold during the quarter in the subdivision has been from £3 Ss. to £3 ·l7s. 6d. per oz. . . The quartz reefs at Swift's Creek continue to look well, but the prospectors are doing just sufficient work to hold their claims till the leases that have been applied for are granted, when a com petent number of men will be put on and machinery erected. The prospectors for a deep lead under Mount Livin$'stone are down 290 feet, and have struck water., They are completing the timbering of the shaft, ana. expect to bottom very shortly. A new gold field has been opened on Cudgewong Creek, on the Upper Murray, near the Pine > Mounta.in ; but from its remote situation, and the difficulty of obtaining stores, particularly in the wiitter, it is not likely that many miners will visit it till the spring, though it is well reported of. A party of prospectors, sent from Melbourne, have also found coarse gold in Buembah Flat, at the head of tlie River Gibbo. . The severe winter and the high price of stores (consequent ·on the temporary· dosing of the Gipps ~and. lakes navig~tion from seaward) haye driv~n aw~y ~any .of t~1e Chinese. The :Ip~ropean ulahon IS more stationary, and many "part1es, havmg la1d m the1r wmter stock of ,PrOVlSWns, or allotments of freehold land, are not likely to remove; but notwithstandm"' the many new eries, fresh corners seldom stay, as there is no call for wages men,· nor is there~ikely to be till the reefs are fully at work. SNOWY CREEK SUBDIVISION. Mr. :Andrew Trench, Mvning Registrar. TilE TOTAL NUMBER OF -MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:- ' Tota.l fortbe I Enropeans. Chlnese. Subdivision. Remarks. Alluvial Miners ...... 231 60 291 Quartz :Miners ...... ' Totals ... ] 231 60 I 291 41 THE TOTAL NuMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUT~D: J unction of Snowy Creek and Mitta.n:ritta to Sandy Creek 20 Granite Flat ...... 90, Right-hand branch of Snowy Creek ... ' ... 156 Mitta-mitta River from Snowy Creek to W o~bat Creek 25 Total ... 291 THB, MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:- I ALLUVIAL !\liNING, QUAIITZ l\l:tNING. Description of Maohlnery. Aggregate ·I Number \ Aggregate At Work. Idle. IHorse-power of AtWork.j Idle. of Stamp :Horse-power of Steam Engines. 1 Hea.ds. Steam Engines. --- Californian Pumps and Wheels ... 4 1 ...... IH•t ...... Californian Hand Pumps ... 2 ...... Sluice Boxes ...... 450 50 ...... Whims ...... 2 ...... Total value of mining plant in the subdivision, £600. 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 b\) auriferous to the present time, 2. The price of gold dUring the quarter in the subdivision has been from £3 5s. to ~3 12s. per oz. I have the honor to submit the following report, with reference to the extent and character of mining operations in this subdivision for the quarter. ' For a considerable distance from Granite Flat, the ground on either side of Snowy Creek has been worked out, but there still exists in the adjacent gullies a considerablei extent of nu worked and · partia.lly-tried ground, which I am sure would give employment, and probably prove amply remnne· rative, to a large number of miners. On the Mitta-W:itta River a few parti;s have commenced sluicing for the winter, and they expect to get good wages.. , • ·On the Right-hand Branch there is a great improvement in ~lluvial mining. . ~he population has increased during the quarter by about two-thirds, and all parties are now busily engaged working both the banks and bed of the creek, and as far as the external indications and the similarity existing between this and other parts of the country known to be auriferous will permit an opinion, it appears that the development of the mineral resources of this part of the district depends simply on a q1_1est~on of time, owing to the peculiarity of its physical features ·,and the resulting want of good commnn10atlon. SANDHURST MINING DIRTRICT" KANGAROO FLAT SuBDIVISION. Mr. H. G. Gampbell, Mining Surveyor and Regi.st,rar. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS : i l Europeans, Tota.l for the Chinese. Subdlvision. Remarks. -~-~~~. ------~-~---~ Alluvial Miners ...... 900 790 1,600 Quartz Miners ...... 1,200 ... 1,200 . Totals ... 2,100 700 2,800 I i No. 69, e. I ,. 'Tm;, 'j'OT}-I,r.:·:NVMJI~Jh O)i'· }l.f~~E~s· IS :Tf!:lJ.S· _DIS~RIDUTED :-: ·L. Bendigo Flat and S!>l!,dl;u,l~st.,::: ... b .. :··> .- t:·.· •, ... '950. , .. 1· Ironbark and Long Gully · ... 540 .:; -: t·#·'~ K;~ngaroo ,?flat and· ·<;rusoe ~nlly : ·~ .. ' .. ~ 500 :. :·.: Golden GUlly and Kangli_roo,Gully ·~ ... • 35()' :· _:___ Back Creek and Spring Gi:U(y'~"' " ... ·.~· ..: :. · "'22o" · Milkmaid's Flat and Axe Creek __._Coliban · ... _ 220 20 2800 • ' f ., •"'~-,' ~ -- .__- _ ...... 'I THE'MAOHINERYi IS AS FOLLOWS: at ·,~~ ::. ! ' '\_! • .;;~~ ..~-·~ ~-~'"' ,J ~ ,.~'~ l·d~iiii-lli;r~~~ I ·~~- ,• ·, • QUARTZ MINING...... --- .. I - . ------..,-----~------'~·- • Description of Macblnezy. ----·--~~,j ~gregate ', Numbe? / . ~~:i~;~ AJ Work. · Idle, !Horse-pow"!' of..1 At Work, Idle, of Stamp· i Horse-power.of , ,steal'l: Engines.. Heads. 1Ste;un :Engines. I ·r;-~-~"1---··- 1 Crushing... .:...... P 8 11 Pumping and Crushing 6 1 ~Ul:Jlpipg aJl!} W,inding, 1 Winding and Crushing · 1 ~r~t~g, ~ind~ng, and Pump-. : "·l 2 Pumping ... · Horse Puddling 3 J <· .,, Total ~alue' o{minirig piant'ih'the s'uhdi-Jision £85 ooo~: ·. ~.: 'f,., ·• • --' · . • ' . _ Number of square miles of auriferous gr0mid ~vliich is being, oi may have been, actUally work ell upon, 6;1. . . r ' ·. • · · ·' • ; • • , ., .•,r. · Number ·of--distinct. quartz. reefs,.which havc.ibeen actually proved to be auriferous.• to· the -ptesent time;.59.·r r .• ,. · .. ,. ""'"·'.. -·a:w". ·.· :. · . .: . . , ' The price of gold during the quarter in the subdivision has been £3 18s. Gd •. per !)Z. ,"(1;•? ·~··•r•- ...-.~,)~,[ _:;! ~h._;~.;\.'Jr ;~· ·.£1f•l; ~;·;·,_J ;1, •' •:'; THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTA.INED RELATIVE TO· THE QUANTITY OF . QUARTZ CRUSHED ,DURING,THE QUARTER,.AND THE GOLD. OBTAINED THEBEFROM. ,. - .. . , '' . .. I . i ,:.. ., ( " ..• Remarlil! relative to• the -· Where ' Average ' i'0 ·t I y·1 Id 0 f Q~artz w~s ". • Depth at which the :fi: -~~e.of,Qompsny. obtained.. . -1~ •. Ql'artz e'l'~hed. Yield of G<>ld ~ " • per Ton. Gol!l. • Quartz was obtil.ined. · ····~!; ' . - .· ..• : .. ' ·~·. :.'.. ' " . :. 1' ,'. ; ·~ • <' ... t• ~ ":"'' :·" • ! a•.!"'!" :.',"'""'·'" '"' • -· ' "-"' .•.:"·' .... :•q "' '10 •t 'iu·: . : ·~· ...... tOn C\Vt. qr. dwt. gr. .. ·~r,, - oz. dwt. gr. oz. .L "···'·146 0 0 From210to2BOfeet 'Koch and Company ... Various claims ... 4,000 0 0 0 6 15~ 1,330 0 0 Various depths Advance Company ...... 1,052 0 0 1 3 at 1,217 0 0 Depth not given Prince Alfred ... 1,200 0 0 1 4 5~ 1,454 0 0 Sterry and Company ... · Various ~i;ums ... 600 0 0 0 8 16 260 0 0 Various depths Endeavour Company ...... 1,740 0 0 0 5 12~ 480 0 0 Ditto Bird's Reef ...... 1- ,;.·• ••~I . ,2,209 ~o. o . 410.;- o. 9. .. , .... A :? ,I.7l~i . ; L :_ :~~-- ,j .~\_0 -:-. .. : ' ! '.1. . . ~- _ _,_._ : Totals, Quartz 19,430 0 0 0 10 sr 9,984 0 0 ~-··---- .. . The above are all the returns I have been able to procure. Much more has been crushed in this· division, and could the returns be got the average would be higher than it is. A great deal of quartz has been raised, but the wan,t_:.,o_(-w_atg.r'.h_~~~qomppllf~m!l,ny~(ll.:!!~lling:mills to stop. Many reefs that were ·abandoned are now being taken Ull again, and are likely to prove remunerative, in consequence of the greater facilities. (or"~./f!-'.~fng I!latf~i&l~ !!pc:l,the redpl'~d prj.ec·of crushing. . ~ The continueu"~c·arcity df'''water~·hltS~'tluridj('tn& quarter;"'seriously interfered with mining operations in this subdivision, causing a stoppage of several crushing mills, and also preventing puddling to a great. extent. . · · , Notwithstanding this there ·is greatly increased• confidence· in the richness of the quartz r!Jefs, C!lpital is being invested much more.fre!'llY than iLhas .hit.he.rt_o .been, .and mining is now conducted generally in a much better manner than ~t has been before, and with corresponding results. • \ ·.r· "":~· ."· •' I .~!" ·~-"D .1 ,• ·~ . ! :•.. i : 1,:· ,. ; ..-;:,r _.... --. ... "'f ·. . .. ·EAGLEHAWK'SUBDIVISION•. ·Mr. G. W. Hwrt, Minimg Burveyor and Regf.atrar. Alluvial Miners ~··· Quartz Miners '·, ~~ ~· Totals ·.····!i a ~·: ..: · [ , . ·· . : 't • • ; TnE TOTAL N uMBO o.F MINERfi Is knus DISTRIBUTED :- ~ ' ,. • ,• ·, ... ',·,..,_! t ~ t :• ~. <·· ;i .. Windmill Hill '· .·.. 129 Mechanic's ·Reef. i · ~- •. , ~., ...... 7::2 . . J ohnson's Reef. · · :.. ! 120 'Jiolt:s Reef ...... ; ... '4 St.Mungo ...... ·.,•. ,,, S4\. •:J.,ightningReef. ·:,~· ... 12 Catherine Reef.. . .. · •.• ... 65 Sebastopol Reef. 1 .. ..,-;: ":2 Robert Burns Reef .'.. 22 ' Adelaide Reef '1:. • 11, 1 Star Reef ... . , -~ ... ' ' ·~ , . ~;Peter the Great Re~£ ]:':': ''4' Clarence Reef·.:. ->r .'.', , :;· ! • ..• : /?~. . ;:Old Tom Reef . , 1,~, Moon Reef ...: . .. i .~. l'" ... .42 .'EJast.Johnson Reef ...• ., '·H ·... -~:.{ ~.:~,, Specimen Hill~).,:· l''·' .. ;... , ,, '; .. " ! .Z2 ·' , ;;yval\ace Reef· · · Eagle Reef ": , i ...... 14 Princess Royal Reef ... -2 Anglo Reef .. . 29 J~obi.n Hood Reef ...... '6 Comet Reef .. ·' · • , :.. , 24 • Red Hill Reef ": .... 40 Prince of Wales Reef" •· ·... , ... '• 1 ·24 · ···Eaglehawk ... 800 Dead Horse Reef, Peg-Leg ... - . .. 22 :Beeli:ebu,b G:ully, 80 Dead Horse Reef, Napoleon : .-.: ' 44 · ·Myers'):l'lat;.•. :.· ,. .1...... 420 Horstiana Reef ' ' ... , 4 Dead Horse Flat · .~. _no_ :Moonlight Reef'' 10 ~·califorriia' G;tly 300 'J.,e~~C!>ter Ree( . ;, ...... _ ,, ....., , JQ.. Pottl'lry ;F.la~ ., : ·'i· .• 140 J;3!g!13:1l's ~e!'L ,...... , ll ' l?en Black Forest Reef ·. · 7 W\llp~tiQk l\. ·~. ·~····· .. 3~~-- W etherall Reef.. . 4o Hun~ly , . ... . '.:. 240 I Dublin Reef · , .. 6 . . :Epsom .. · ...... -340 Chrtstop4e R~Qf . ...·2. · · · Ironstone Lead .. .!. .,:zoo. Red Jacket Reef 2 .·· r.:sy;dney,.flat -;·.. ... ·100 . Shelback.Reef • .... -, 25 -Telegraph I,,. .. : .. 20 Redan Re.e£ ...., o· ... 78. Red.Jacket Flat. .• ·'!· ' .. ,... 80 . . Aniericari Reef 40 . G_J.l~r!fee.Flat · , .~...... 10 Jackass. Reef .... is· . , .. . Sophla Reef ; ...... 27 .. ~.· .. :4,997 Nelson Reef... . 64 .. : · ·· . ., -·-. 'l'l 1'a~. ' M:.amrr~~RY··~s. ,- '" As-·- FOLL~ws·:;.:.. . . • .• ~ 'l .• J ' ' '<-,. .·: ·:. ··: ... -t....• ·~. • i• .._, ''l't. Total value of mining plant in' tlie subdiv'i.Sion,- 1£120,000;. ' " ' ' l• ' . .; :· . · · ~" ::·· :· 1 J'·• !',' •• t-!'fl:-. ·.l.ltl~, • .• ' t ' , • ; ',.~· : •~t. Number of square miles of auriferous grou,nd which is· being, or .may have been, actually worked upon, 6~. 1 . Number of distinct quartz reefs which.hf!..YeJ.J_ee"Q.__ !!,c.J;!lally:.proved to be~ auriferous to the present t1me, 58. · ' The price of gold during the quarter in the subdivision has been from :£3 16s. to :£3 18s. per oz. 44 TRB FOLLOWING !!!'FORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND QUARTZ TAILINGS AND CEMENT CRUSHED DURING THB QUARTER, AND THE GoLD OBTA.I:!fED THEBEPROM. I · Rruni.rks relative to the Name of Oompany. · "Where Quartz, &c., were , Quart n~A . Yi~£~l!w:·l. Total Yield of 'I Depth at which the o'bta.ined. I z (ll'Ull ""'- • G ton cwt. qT. oz.dwt.gr. o~. dwt. gr.l Gold Mines Co. Johnson's Reef .. . 2,105 0 0 0 15 Ol 1,581 0 0 ' ' Pease and Company ... Devonshire Reef .. . 516 o o· 0 16 3 416 0 0 Prince of Wales ... Prince of Wales Reef 800 0 0 0 5 0 200 0 0 Peg-Leg Co)llpany ••. Peg Leg...... 370 0 0· l 2 10-[g 415 0 0 Star Reef Company ... Star Heef .. . . 1,111 0 0 0 1 17 95 0 0 Clarence Reef Company , Clarence Reef ••. 1,414 0 0 0 3 22~ 279 0 0 McNa.vis ... . •• · Specimen Hill ... 1,560 0 0 0 1ll 22~ 930 0 0 Eagle Company .,. 1 Specimen Hill ... 4,767 0 0 0 9 l9j '2,340 0 0 Alabama Company .•. North Redan ... 1,000 0 0 0 15 0 . 750 0 0 Total, Quartz 13,643 o 0 o 10 6l 7,006 0 0 Quartz Tailings and Cement crushed. James and Company ... 4th White Hill ... 1,600 o o o 1 12 120 o o Cement. Felix Company . . · ... 6th White Hill ... 800 0 0 0 4 6 170 0 0 Ditto. Roberts .and Company Epsom ...... 1,300 0 0 0 4 0 260 0 0 Drift. Lewis and Company· ... Ditto ...... '780 0 0 o 5 o 195 o 6 Ditto. Mitchel and Company Ditto ...... 3,900 0 o o 0 19! 160 0 o Ditto. Thomas and Company Huntly .•. . .. 2,ooo o 9 o 5 o 500 ·o o Ditto. Rising Sun Company ... Pottery Flat ... 520 0 o 0 7 4i 187 o o Ditto. North Star Company ... •Ditto ... .•. 1,800 0 0 0 3 21 349 0 0 Ditto• .All·England Company· Ditto ...... 520 o o o 9 o 234 o o Ditto. Hardie Brothers ... Ditto ... "" 800 , o o o 6 o 240 o o Ditto. Excelsior Company ... Ditto ,...... 120 o o o 2 8 14 o o Ditto. Cambridge Company ... 'Huntly ...... 2,080 0 0 0 5 0 • 520 0 0 Ditto, Ballarat and Bendigo ... Ditto ...... 560 o o o 5 o 140 . o o Ditto. Caledonian Company .•• Pottery Flat ... 2,500 0 o · o 5 0 625 o 0 Ditto. Ajax Company ... Ditto. :::::-: : :Lo 1 ,:.:: : : ~::~~tzTail~··}ings and Cement 2 7-: "To 4 The want of water has had a most disastrous influence on the returns from the various mines, many of the large companies having had to discharge their hands, and. tO suspend operations for no incqnsiderable period, and, as a necessary consequence, the yields are much .less than might have been reasonably expected,- considering the 'increased vigor which of late has ·been displayed both in mining and prospecting. The returns from the companies which have been enabled to work show that the reefs are not getting poorer, and in many instances from the dee{lest levels the richest stone has been obtained. There 1s also a greater tendency shown to amalga mation, and the miners are gradually conscious of the fact that large areas of ground and powerful machinery are necessary in cases where the reefs are poor. It has been found that small claims, unless · enormously rich, will not pay to sink shafts to any great depth ; and on the Windmill Hill line, where the claims are very small, the cost of the separate shafts and drives would .be a large item of profit to a company. These considerations have induced the owners of small elaims to initiate the formation of many new companies, while the old ones still maintain. their reputation by raising as rich stone as ' fqrmerly. Among the latter may be classed 'the Nelson, which for a long time past has maintained an average fortnightly return of 120 ounces. At a depth of 300 feet the St. Mungo Company got some extraordin'arily rich stone, from 3! tons of which 190 ounces of gold were retorted. On the Windmill · Hill line the Cinderella, the Anglo-German, the Kent, Buckie and Co. claims still continue as good as · ever; and the Emu and Johnson's Reef Companies have both had very rich stone, in some instances yielding as much as lOO ounces of gold from 8 tons of quartz. Notwithstanding the great addition to the machinery, amounting now to 44 heads of stampers, the United Claimholders Company, Catherine Reef, .have had but poor returns ; indeed the works now lie idle for want of water. The Star Reef Company are about to put up a 60 horse-power engine and powerful crushing plant, their present one being found very ineffective. No improvement has taken place in the Sailors' Gully Company; and the new reef in the Eagle Gompany has disappointed the expectations that were formed of it. The Argus Company are sinking a shaft 400 feet deep, the expense of which will be covered by the profits of the stone now e~. 'l'he Peg-Leg Company has been getting large returns, and at a depth of 130 feet immense bodies o(quartz have been discovered eastward of the former workings. The Prince of Wales Company and many others are paying expenses ; but all cannot be prosperous at one time ; no doubt their turn will come. Many new reefs are being opened up, which afford satisfactory prospects to those who venture· on- them, among which I may mention the Black Forest Reef, 40 tons of stone yielding 50 ounces of gold.· In Huntly the deep lead is still worked vigorously. The North Star, the Ballarat, and the Cambridge companies afford profitable employment both for labour and capital. The Lower Huntly Deep Lead Company have also commenced work, and some few miners still persevere in private claims on their own account; but alluvial mining occupies a very subordinate position, from which it can only be rescued by a plentiful supply of water. On the whole, the prospects of the various mines are satisfactory, though not brilliant, for the past dry season struck a blow to the prosperity of this district which it will take a considerable time to recover from. , · 45 KILMORE DIVISION. Mr. Martin Meagher, Mining Surveyor and, Registrar. THE PoPULATION IS f..S FOLLOWS:- Total for the Europeans.' Chinese, Division. I Rems.rks. I --- ' __ ,_ . . 'i Alluvial Miners ...... 403 ... 403 P.opula~ion of this division, ap- proxtinately taken, including Quartz Miners ...... 129 ... 129 miners, is about 6000 . ~-,--- Totals ... 532 ... 532 TRll M.a.cRrNEll.Y rs AS FOLLows:- ALLUVIAL Mm!NG. QUARTZ Mm!NG. / Description of Machinery. / Aggregate I Number I Aggregate ! .At Work. Idle. Horse-wwer of At Work. Idle. of Stamp Rorse-~r of Steam ngioes. I ·Reads. Steam 'noo ·-·--·-·-~ -·-·- '~·- p uddling Machines ...... 9 ...... water Wheels ...... 1 l ...... sluice Boxes ...... 20 60 ...... ' ...... s team Engines-Soraghan and Co. ••,• ...... l .... 6 10 D itto, Tea-tree Creek ...... , ~· ...... 2 16 20 D itto, Yea. Webster and Co...... 1 .. . 8 10 D itto, King Parrot, M. Fortune ...... 'I 8 lO D itto, ReedyCreek,J.Ferrell and Co. 18 30 ...... ' ...... '2 D itto, Kilmore old diggings, Lau- ...... ;l 8 10 rence Bourke and Co. - Total value of all mining plant in the division, £7,715. Number of square miles of auriferous grou~d·which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon, about 30. , Number of distinct quartz-reefs which have been actually proved t0 be auriferous to the present time, 32. ' The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been from £3 15s. to £3 16s. per oz. THE FOLLOWING lNFOll.MATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE, QUANTITY OF QUA.BTZ Cll.USHED DURING THE QuARTER, AND THE GoLD OBTAINED TREREFBOM •. ' Rems.rks relative to the Name of Company. Where Quartz was Yi:d~~ld , Total Yield of Depth at which the obt&ined. Quartz crushed. per Ton. Gold. Quartz was obtained, &c. -·---~~~ -.-.~~--··-· ton cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Welcome Reef, Tea-tree Welcome Reef ... I 14 0 0 '3 16 0 53 4. <'0 The shaft about 14 0 Creek Ranges, Sora- . . feet, and the tunne1 ghan and Co. about270feet. The reef about l B inche ' thick. Flat Lead, on Miller's Crushed ... 73 0 0 3 5 237 5'' 0 Several shafts,· fro m ... Q I Run,noarYea(among i B to 40 feet. aeven claims) Providence Mining As- Muddy Creek, near 4 0 0 20 0 0 so o·: 0 l Theprospectingshaft aociation, James D. Yea, onKerr's Run 150 feet. Thereef Webster, shareholder about 18 inche s and manager I thick, and rich. ' --~1--~- ~-·I I Totals, Quartz ... 4 1 101 370 9;: 0 I I I Laurence Bourke states he has about 1,500 tons of cement raised and ~t his mill ready as soon as he gets sufficient water to work with, which is the case generally this quarter in alluvial and quartz mining in this part of the district. - · 1 The principal mode of mining is tunnelling, both i]l claims and ground taken up un Reedy Creek- On~McKenzie's run. Flat Lead Ranges- On Miller's run. Reedy ·Creek Gold Mining Co., ditto. Lucky Woman's, 2 men, ditto, Magenta Reef, 4 men, ditto. Horseshoe, 2 men, ditto. Solferin~ )i~ef; · ·· · 2 men, ditto. Hit-or-Miss, late Canadian, 2 men, ditto. Leviathan Reef, 2 men, ditto. Coachman's, .. 6 men,.. ditto • .-. ,,; ;'.Shepherd'sR~ef, .2 men, ditto. . Muddy Creek, Yea, · · · · : On Kerr's.run. · Wellington Reef, 2 men, ditto. · 'Mclntosh'and Company, 6 men, d:tto. Butler's Reef, . 2 men, ditto. Providence Mining As.-. . Albert Reef, 14 men, ditto. sociation, 24 men, ditto. Captain's Reef, 2 men, ditto. . Cattle Range near King Parrot-on Hamilton's run. Sailor's Reef, . 2 men, ditto. . · Prospecting Claim, · 4 men~· ditto.· Tea Tree Creek Ranges- ··on Miller's run.· Yan Yean Farmers' Common- W el£ome Reef, 6 men, ditto. ·: Prospecting Claim; 4 men. · · .. : · Catherine Reef,· 4 m(m, ditto. King Parrot Creek-on Fergusson's run- No. 1, f;louth of Welcome Doyle, late Ha.rinigan, 2 men. Reef, · · . 4 men, ditto. Stradth ·Creek-on Fergusson's run- Enniskillen Reef, 6 men, · ditto. Hayes and ·CompaJiy, 4 men, Dunrobin Reef; · 4 men, ditto. Second -Creek, Old Mountain Rush.:..:... Flat Lead Ranges- On Miller's run. Prospecting quartz cl!'im, newly take!f up by ' No.-l,'South, 2 men;. ditto. F. C. Gibhs and jJompany; 4 men. ·: · · The principal mode of i:nining is tunnelling, both -in,claims and grouJ;J.d .taken. up under the Gold Mining Leaaing Regulations lately, which mode of operation· * * '" ·~ .. , . I am glad to see adopted, being for the public good...... ,_This division, rich in alluvial and quartz reefi~:;tg ql).alities, .was very much resorted 'to until lately ; miners having heard of richer fields, have tried ; the disappointed are again returning, and I expect .in a few months that all the former reefs will be again taken up, as prospecting is going on to s considerable extent in all directions, and succeeding. · , . The pri!lCipal eau·se· of allt-thll 6laims on Reedy Creek and its vicinity b · bandoned was, a charge of £5 a ton for crushing and £2 !Os. for carting; the reefs did not pay. became unwork- able by water, and for want of means to procure _pumping apparatus, which is eing now .avoided by tunnelling. A seC!)!lt;i_q.9,yR!ltage is, p~ly £1 is charged for crus~ing, and ten shillings for cartage, per ton. * * * * ~ * * ~ The fol)owing account has been given !De by the Colonial and' Orien~al Banks here, of' all gold purchased by them during the quarter:- · - ozs. :dwos, gn;. · · ;oi:iental; from ~alh1vial 139 8 12 :Ditto , quartz 78 !) 19 Colonjal, ,, alluvial 95 0 0 . 'o Ditto · - , .quartz .. ~ ' 1~3 0 Total, ... 505 . 18 7 I ' I can find: rio reliable information from· ~e alluvial miners that I can depend upon, except through the banks. The scarcity. of water has been the cause of the small returns this quarter, but I have no doubt they will be very much larger when the weather fairly breaks; which many are anxiously looking forward te. ., · · · · ' :! .. \ .. ,. _1, ''' '' i ~ '; : ~ . . : ; ' .~~ .. :t: ; ·.. :. ·. ' ' ~·' HEA'J:HCO'fE DivisioN 1AND' WARANGA SouTn .. SBBDf.VISION.,: ... 'i Mr: if. f..; S~i~lf!"gz.i_g!f!:b~:_~'ll:_rv~yor and . .R~;~trar. l . ;.. •; f. ( I ----- • , :• !::, f;~_t't~·' r· ·H ·~ T-~~ ~~T~~ N~·j~·E~·~; MtNEns Is A.s FOLLows=-! ' ' .. .,. ·j ·A- J F 1Tooj>l for tho Europeans. Chinese. Division and ' .·Rem,;ks. ;· . : s,ugdivision. ,, '' Alluvial Miners ' 750 70 820 I Q~ar~z Mine:~ .. ... 450 450 1: Totals '·'?· -I 70 1,270 ; \ THE TOTAL NUMBER' OF '.::VIINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED :- Heathcote (proper), inclvding, .Argyle Gully, Calodoilia Gully,-; .. ' Long Gully. Wattle Flat, Commissioner's 'Flat, Golden' Gully, &c., &c...... ':.. 500 .. Redcastle, Spriqg Creek, Staffordshire Fl!J.t, &c., ~c. 40. Costerfield . .. . ; • . . .. . - .. . · .. . ,. .. 15.0 . Wild Duck Cree"k .. . . 530 . Mundy Gully, Ford's Gully, &c. 40 0 Campaspe and Coli ban . .. . .,.. 10 Totni' 1,270 48 THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:- I. ALLUVIAL M:INING. I QUARTZ lll:rNING. Description of MAchinery, ------:-gregate I '. j Number Aggregate At Work. I' Idle. Horse-power of I At :Work. Idle. of Stamp i Steam Engines. , Heads. r~~:~lio;~s~ ___ , ___ -·---~ -I ' St0nm Engines ...... ll 5 IOI 330 Puddling. Machines ...... 33 32 ...... Chilian Wheels ...... 4 ...... Horse Whims ...... 12 3 ...... Horse Whips ...... 6 1 ...... Sluice Heads (water) ...... 4 ...... I Total value of mining plant in the division and subdivision, £39,650. Number of square miles of auriferous 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, 93. . 'l'he price of gold during the quarter in the division and subdivision has been from £3 15s. to ~~~ . ' ' THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS :BEEN OBTAINED RELATIV~ TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND QuARTZ T.uLINGS AND CEMENT CRUSHED DURING THE QuARTER, AND THE GoLD oBTAINED THEREFROM. • . •I Average . Remarks relative to the Na.me of Company. I Where Qoartz, &e., wero Quartz crushed. !Yield of Gold Total, Y1eld of ·Depth at which the ootained. per Ton. Gold. Quartz was obtained. ------·------1------ffEATIICOTE: ton cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Hird and Company ... Argyle Hill 165 0 0 I 8 12~ 235 5 0 100 feet Emily Reef ... Long Gully 16 0 0 0 19 6 15 8 0 40 feet Williams and Company , Argyle Hill 127 0 0 0 16 21! 107 6 0 90 feet Scandinavian Company Caledonia Gully 14 0 0 I o· I7~ 14 10 0 Butler's Reef Company Ditto 25 0 0 I 2 0 27 lO 0 220 feet Cement.Hill ... Heathcotc 9 0 0 0 5 10~ 2 !I 0 :Morning Star Reef Caledonia Gully 2 0 0 1 15 0 3 10 0 Trial crushing Brown and Hanson Long·Gully 22 10 0 I I 18?, . 24 10 0 N eil and Company Red Hill ... 105 0 0 0 5 6~ 27 15 0 Hoberts'on and Horne, Ditto 56 0 0 0 5 ~2* 15 IO 0 Banffshire Reef ------Total, Quartz 541 lO 0 0 17 ll* 473 13 0 REDCASTLE, ------··------Perry and Company' Staffordshire Flat ... 33 10. 0 1' 5 Sfr 42 9 18 Reid and Company Ditto 27 0. 0 1 0 13h 27 13 12 Glenn and Company ... Ditto 24 0 0 0 5 3~ 6 3 12 Campbell and Company Red castle 11 0 0 0 16 21fi 9 6 0 Hay and Company Ditto ...... 30 0 0 1 8 19! 43 '4 0 Sinking varies Waiters ... Ditto ' 12 10 0 l 1 IS~ 13 12 0 from 40 feet to Anderson and Company Ditto 7 0 0 0 4 0 I 8 0 about 118 feet Blondel and Charsley ••. Ditto . 17,10 0 0 14 19~ 12 19 12 Spiro and Company Ditto l1 0 0 0 2 5 '24 15 0 Clarke ... Ditto ll 10 0 . 1 0 lOfr ll 15' 0' Sundries -----46 .0 0 ~~6~1~~ Total, Quartz ... 231 0 0 o·I8 111 213 6 6 Cos:rBRFIELD. Costerfield Gold . and 662 0 0 0 14 22! 494 4 21 220 feet Antimony Mining Company .. Minerva Mining Co. 499 0 0 o 12 14~3 314 o o . 200 feet Morris ~nd K~mp · .. ;· 64 o o 3 10 19-r\:i 226 10 20 180 feet Total, Quartz ... r~o-;- ~~~t,o3.o517 I have the honor to submit my report on the mining operations carried on in this division and subdivision during the quarter. . In quartz workings through the division and. subdivision, very little change has taken place within that period; and rather a falling off in the general yields is, I regret to state, observable throughout the various loc!ilities. This is particularly apparent at Rcdcastle, where mining is almost completely at a stand-still; and the only favorable exception is Costerfield, where, by the enterprise of the Costerfield Gold and Antimony Mining Company and the Minerva Mining Company; extensive niining operations are being carried on, employing a large number of men and obtaining very satis factory results. ' The Wild Duck Creek new rush still maintains its proportions ; and though no very large yields are reported, the miners seem in general to be profitably employed, anq anxiously await a supply of water. I have the honor to report the discovery of gold (stated by the prospectors to be payable) lying beneath the basalt, at a point on the banks of the Campaspe about two miles west of the 'Wild Duck Creek diggings. The prospectors report its discovery at a depth of 102 feet below the surface level and 42 feet below the basalt, and. have a;pplied for a lease of 100 acres of the ground. In consequence, considerable activity prevails ; and applications are being made, I understand, for leases of the ground lying in its immediate vicinity and along tl~e banks of the river. 49 The Red Hill Mining Company ·have this day commenced operationsi; and the discovery of a new auriferous quartz reef on their ground has been reported. . , The Long Gully Reef Mining Company are engaged in erecting theU: machinery, and will be ready to commence work very soon. i , Application has been made for a lease of 150 acres of the low alluvial !grounds lying along the banks of the Me I vor Creek, between the township of Heathcote and the opposite ranges. And I am ~appy to report that a general disposition is s~own to introduc_e capi~allinto th~ district, as I am convmced that, m no other manner can the deep lymg grounds of this locality be efficiently worked. WARANGA NoRTH SuBDIVISION. Mr. Henry Boyns Nicholas, Minin,q Surveyor and Rkgistrar. THE TOTAL N UMBER OF J'M INERS IS AS FOLLOWS :-; ! Total for the Europeans. Chinese. Subdivision. ,, Remarks. ···-· Alluvial Miners ...... 88 194 Quartz Miners ...... 549 ' Totals ... 88 743 THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED :- ' Rushworth- Whroo-continued. • Old Lead, Main Gully, Black Joe's, and Happy-go-Lucky, Car,r's, and Johnson's N uggetty Gullies ...... 36 Reefs ...... i ... • .. 10 Storekeeper's, Growler's, Paramatta, Vogelsang's and VictoHa Reefs 4 Mousey's, and Shelback Gullies . ... 22 Skiting Dick's, Button's, Chicken 91 Flat, and · Gully ...... 11 Coy's- · OldNed's, Canadian, and Chinaman's Flat 41 Hard-scrabble, Corbeft's, and Russell's . Aufonia and Charcoal Gullies ... 5 Gullies ... 23 Nuggetty,SouthNuggetty, and Cockatoo London, Welcome, ! Essex, Murray, Reefs ...... 45 Hicks', and Guerns~y Reefs ' ... 161 Growler's, Crocker's,Luna, and Champion Byron's, Union, Coy's,land Great Eastern Reefs ...... 26 Reefs ...... ; ...... 128 Chinaman's, Union, and Belfast Reefs .. . 11 Cousin Jack, Brighton, and Cherry-tree Ahern 's, Frenchman's, and Charcoal Reefs 7 Reefs ...... 117 Four-mile, Sandy, and Spring Creeks ... 19 204 Whroo-- 448 White Hills, Fontainbleau, Siberia, Two Totals- mile, Blackwall, and Kilmore Road ... 11 Rushworth 2{14 Main, Butcher's, Chinaman's, N uggetty .Whroo 91 and Champagne Gullies ...... 32 Coy's Diggings 448 Scotchman's, Graveyard, Poverty, Wind- lass Flat, and Mosquito Gully ... 13 Total 743 Balaclava,Malakhoff, and Stockyard Reefs 21 THE MACHINERY IS AB FOLLOWS:- ALLUVIAL Mn!ING. QUA..Da:Z Mn!niG, Description of lllil Total value of mining plant in the subdivision, £17,000. ' 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 bP, Iauriferous to the present time, 72. · ; The price of gold during the quarter in the Jlubdivision has been from £3 15s. 6d. to £3 19s. 9d. per oz. ' No. 69, f. 50 THE' FOLLOWING- INFORMaTION"HAS"'BEEN-oBT:UNED RELATIVE TO-!THE QUANTITY· o:F•·QUA:~TZ AND CRUSHED DUR!,NG THE ·QUARTER;''AND 'THE GoLD:'OJ?TAI'NllD 'THEREFROM·. · ... - -' L .~ , •• r, Avera 6 •· · " • Remarks rela.tiv~ to the Where ~irtz,·&c., were.·· Quartz'Or\:ished.. Yield or·mld ~ · .Total·Y•eld of: , -D.epth. at, which_ the . . o tained. ( I 1 per Ton. ! , • Gl . t " < .. ,. .. gr • QZ. I gr. .-.~ ·' - ton. cwt. qr. oz. dwt. dwt. I .. Stewart an!l Company South NuggettyReef 552 0 0 1 2 5.!. 613 1 18 180 to 25\1 feet Hush worth ·• Crocker and Companv Crocker's Reef ... 40 0 0 6 12 0 264 0 0 ISO feet Fisher and others ·... Nuggetty Reef ... 258 o· 0 0'14 10! I86 5 0 50 to 100 feet Brooks and others ... Chinaman's Reef ... 49 0 0 1 4 16b 60 9 0 50 feet ·Esmond and others ... Luna Reef -. ' ... .. 24 0! 0 0 15 I I IS 1 0 80 to I20 feet Ahern and Company ... Aliern's Reef ... 4 0 0 2 . 6 '12 -- 9 6 () 15 feet Ayers and others , ... G;rowler:s,Reef, ... 11 .o 0 2, '7 17-r;_ '26. 5 ·o l\:)0 feet W estlake and Company View Hill Reef ... 40 • 0 0 3 0 0 I20 0 0 3o feet Byron and Company ... Byron , Reef, Coy's 202 0 0 2 12 22! 534 16 0 50 feet diggings. Ratclitf and Company London Reef ... .s.2 _o 0 2 ll 9f- lno 15 0 50 feet Jones and others ... Welcome, Murray, 103 0 0 I i I 1321l 162 9 0 I5 to 40 feet. and Hicks' Reefs, .. Coy's diggings Flynn and others ,;;· Cherry-tree Reefs .•. -72 0 0 2 13 23 194 5 0 I5 to 45 feet Rousseau and others ... Stockyard Reef, 20;, 0 0 0 7 0 7 0 0 50 feet Whroo . Bailey and others ... Happy-Go-Lucky; 9 0 0 1 ,910i 13 5 0 60 feet ,,, Reef Jones and others ... Carr's ...... :36 0 0 . 3--0 23i 109 15 0 110 feet 82 0 0 12 l9t 52 IO 0 5.0 Barrett and others· ... Johnson's Reef ' ~~ ... 0 feet Cameron ...... Redan Reef ... 7 0 0 0 17• 7 6 1 0 60 feet 'L'elford ...... Fontainbleau .Reef_ ... - 12 .Q 0 .1 J 1_ _1.0 ...... <' )8_ l7 .Jt lOO f;;et -. ,. ·Totals,.quartz :.. . 1,603 o ·o ,. 1 12 I2i .2,607• o .Is Cement crushed. ------Harrington, Viek~rs, From Nuggetty Gully, "1 0' 0 0 7 ,3 ,30_ 7. 5 and others...... Rushworth · - The above tabulated returns show fair proofs ofihe progr~as of the Waranga'Nort~ Subdivision- during the quarter. , , The late raiQ.s ha:v<: furQ.jsheq ~ )iJ;n.i~d a,upply o,( water, to, tP,!J.<;rn,sp.iug. mills,. an!i ..en!lbled a few of the puddlers to resume work. ' ...... At _:):{,u,shworth t)le average,.qf abo~t~ 800, ~ons pf quart2;.rajsed Jrm:n SQuth.. ;N'.uggQtty, NuggQtty, Croeker's, and Vie_w .. Hill Reefs,. is ne!!-rly 1~ oz. per 'to!\. · ' · ~ .. · At,W~roo,} 9nes:s par,ty,;on,,C~rr's. ~eef, have ~·ealised t~f)-~ne ave;-age of 3 ozs. per ton, an.d upon each of those reefs the prospects continu.El g9od. But, the most important improvement is manifest at Coy's diggipgs .. , Tl:J.e p_qpulatiqri is n(l,\V ,J;J.earl;r,.590; ;and daily aq~it~on~- t9, it t!t~e place. Th(l ,460 tons of quartz crushed from Coy's produced upwards of 1,100, oz, gf gold, and larger crushmgs are anticipated. Thousands of tons of quartz ,'1\'hich.now' would not pay expenses, will, when the machinery in course of erection is at work, be agood source of profit, in fact, the difference iu ca:rtage would be a fai~· ,dividend. In anticipation of this; the Byron Reef Company have let a contract for raising 2,000 tons of quM'tz, and the Great East~rn Company. for ],,000 toiU?, a;nd ~he whole of the reefs within fl mile of.the site of the engine are occupied and -workmg. · . . .. · · ',' ·'·· ~~4-YWOOD DrvrsrqN, .:~nE,-- ""'··., Mr. E. N. Emmett, ]Yfin1Jr:t,g Registra1'. THE TOTAL NUMJ3_E,J;1. OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:- Total for the ! Rem&l'ks. ' Division~ A Uuvial,Miners I,300 50 1;350 QuartE Miners I 50 150 ., -: i Totals 1,450 50. 1,500 ~I '.·\ : . •' •• !J' .... !~_EtTO_T*L J:i'11MBER OF MINERS IS THUS ~I~.~~IBU\{'ED,:;--•.•. ,. Raywood 750 Scbastian. 120 Elysian Flat 530 !,, ,. Kamarooka' -I ~~ • • • . ! ' (~ .. \• -100 Total 1,~0?: 51 ,. THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS :- ' ~ ·-· ALLUVIAL l\1INING. QuARTZ MINING. -· ... / Desctipti;n of Machinery. Aggregate Aggregate ~ ' ' ' X umber . At Work. Idle. HOl'!le-powerof AtWork. Idle. ot Stamp .. tt" Steam Engines, j · Reads. Steam~es. Steam Engines ...... 3 36 36 Fuddling Mills ...... 8 . 37 ...... • Totai value of mining plant in the division, £7,650. . Number of square miles· of auriferous ground which is being, 'or may have been, actually worked upon, 50. Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 13. · · The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been from £3 17 s. 6d. to £3 18s. 6d... per oz . THE FOLLOWING !NFORMATIO"' HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QuARTZ AND SuRFACE QUARTZ AND ALLUVIUM CRUSHED j>.URISG THE QUARTER, .AND THE GOLD. OBTAINED THEREFROJ\1, Average ! R k l t' t th Where Quartz, &c., were ] ' I G Total Yield of !I emar 8 re a; ne, O e Nn.me of Company. obtained. Quartz Cl'Ullhed •. Yi~~ ?Jion~ld • Gold.. ~:~ w':~ obt::'!:J, &t;;e ton cwt, qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Manly Reef ... Elysian Flat 30 0 0 l 3 8 35 0 0 40 feet Coulter's No. 2 Ray wood 25 0 0 1 0 0 25 0 0 94 feet Christmas Reef Ray wood 29' 0 0 0 9 15ioi 14 0 0 106 feet ------Total, Quartz ... 84 0 0 0 17 14~ 74 0 0 Surface Quartz and ------Alluvium. FredHick the Great Sebastian 2,312 0 0 0 5 9i 624 0 0 : From surface to 10 ~et Company I deep. These ornshings 1----• ----, ---·--~ weresurfaco ohlel!y quartz disintegrated and allu- Total, Surface Quartz and Alluvium ... ~2,312 0 0 . 0 5 9! 624 0 0 vium lar~el,y intermixed. I I have the honor to submit my quarterly report of mining operations :in the Raywood Division. In my last I stated that the want of water had materially retarded mining operations, and I regret to say that such is still the case, no rain of any importanco having yetifallen. As observed in my late reports, as well as this, respecting the almost ,total absence of water for mining and domestic purposes, together with the fact of a considerable mining population still being here, relying upon, by•its aid when it comes, developing other payable quartz and alluvial leads, fully points to the good opinion held by the miners of this division as to its auriferous character. An engine and stamp heads have been erected at Kamarooka during the quarter, and will, so soon as rain comes, be constantly employed, many tons of quartz being now at grass ready for crushing, principally from the apparently rich reefs known as Pembroke Castle, Jones, 'and Doubtful. A race of three miles is being constructed at Ka.marooka, to lead water gathered from the adjacent open area to the engine just erected. • 1 An alluvial claim of 100 yards square was registered last week, in the locality of Elysian Flat, about three miles from R~ywood. The :first two loads washed returned 15· dwts. 3 grs., taken at a depth of 45 feet, with two feet of cement overlying the washdirt • .A. 31-ounee nugget of gold was obtained the other day,_ as also 39 ounces of alluvial gold, the produce of one mill, from the original Raywood prospecting claim. :, . One hundred and fifteen quartz claims have been registered by me in this division, having a collective al:'ea of 420 acres. While some, however, are abandoned·for·want of means and water, some are exempted for a short period from work in accordance with the mining bye-laws. Many will, I have no doubt, turn out profitable. The banks have purchased a little over 1000 ounces of gold, exclusive of quartz, during the quarter. * * * * * Auriferous discoveries on the site of the present township of Raywood in November, 1863, caused a considerable rush, eventuating in the establishment of a borough, including the township of Neilborough (Elysian Flat). The continuous drought of the year 1864, and up to June, the date of this repol't of 1865, paralysed alike the exertions of puddlers, quartz and alluvial miners, and doubtlessly retarded new discoveries. Assistance in the matter of a water supply has been solicited from the Government and responded to, a preliminary engineering reconnaissance made, and a sum of £10,000 placed u.ron the estimates for the purpose. This prompt action of the Govej:nment has given general satisfact1on. ; The severe ordeal through which Raywood has passed from the want of\vater has not destroyed the general confidence entertained in its auriferous resources, and a large company is being formed in the division to take up 'quartz and a1luvial claims, which will tend, I have no doubt, to the opening up ·of valuable claims. · It will appear by the preceding statements that the R.aywood division is very extensive, 'and although it is probable that deep leads may exist under the extensive plains of the more northern parts, the north-eastern, eastern, and south-eastern portion is that which at once attracts the gold 52 mining prosp_ector. This portion, lying between the Bendigo and Ballarat creeks, and from the southern . boun?~ry ~o t!:te ';J.'hunde:i' Plain~, an area o~ more than ~ne hun~red squar~ miles, possesses the most prom1smg mdications, and contruns known hnes of reefs mtersectmg Sebastian, Raywood, Glenlynden, Elysian Blat, the Whipstick, Kamarooka, and Philip's Gully workings. !t is my conviction that the prmcipal lines of reef on the Bendigo gold fields intersect this portion of the division, and that properly organised prospecting, especially of the low ranges in .the neighbourhood of the Whipstick and Raywood township, will develope rich resources in tliis comparatively untried division of the gold fields. MARYBOROUGH MINING DISTRICT. MARYBORO.UGH DIVISION. Mr. D. O'Leary, Mining Surveyor and Registrar. THE PoPULATION IS AS FOLLows :- Tta.H0 or the Europeans. Ohlnese. Division. I Remarks. ; ~·~------·-· --- Alluvial Miners ...... 2,580 1,500 4,080 Quartz Miners ...... 650 ... 650 --~---- Totals ... 3,230 1,500 4,730 I THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS. DISTRIBUTED Maryllorough, Main Lead, and Blackman's 150 Chinaman's and adjacent reefs .... 560 Waterloo Flat and gullies adjoining .. . 70 Adelaide Lead and reefs adjoining 350 Mosq11ito Flat and adjacent reefs .. . 550 Alma and Balaclava ~ ' .. 150 Old Man's Gully and reefs adj~ining .. . 250 In different gullies 500 Golden Point and its adjacent reefs 200 Havelock Flat and reefs adjoining 250 Total "... 4,730 Majorca, including Gibraltar 1,700 TliE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:- ALLUVIAL 1\fnm Description of Machine~y. ' Aggrega,te Number Aggrega,te AtWorl<. Idle. Horse-power of I At Work. Idle. of Stamp I&.se-Power or Steam Engines. Reach. , Steam Engines. " ------~~---- ..~:~~---- i Steam Engines, employed in 13 3 263 ...... pumping, winding, &c. Whims ...... llO ...... Puddling Machines · ... 120 185 ...... Steam Engines, employed ...... 8 2 170' 170 ' in pumping, winding, crushing, &c. . i I I Total value of all mining plant in the division, £50,500. Number of square miles of auriferous ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon, lt. · Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferoua to the present time, 116. . The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been from £4 to £4 ls. 6d. per oz. 53 T.BE FOLLOWING INFORMATION' JUS BEEN' OBTAINED RELATIVE.TO THE QUAN~ITY OF QUARTZ AND QUARTZ TAILINGS AND CEMENT CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GoLp OBTAINED THEREFBOM. " • Remarks relative to th& 'Where ~uartz, &c., were Quartz crushed. YieldofAver~e old Total Yield Name of Company. o tained. of Gold. Depth at which tw1 per Ton. Quartz was obtained. " ton cwt. qr. oz.dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Ballarat Company ... Leviathan Reef 2,670 0 0 Oil o. 1,468 10 0 130 feet Penny and Company ... Cleopatra, Alexan- 1,950 0 0 0 14 0 1,365 0 0 70 feet dra, &c. Greena way and W allace Sydney Hill, Blucher's 550 0 0 0 15 0 412 0 0 200 feet 1 Johnston and Sons ... Whitehorse ' ••• 800 0 0 1 5 0 1,000 0 0 150 feet Houghton and Williams* Frederick's Reef ... 630 0 0 0 6 0 189 0 0 200 feet Close ReefCompany* ... Williams' Reef, &c. 704 0 0 0 3 6 1l4 8 0 40 feet Watkins and Companyf Leviathan, Cyclone 200 0 0 0 3 0 ?O 0 0 60 to 130 feet Perseverance t ... North British and Co. 1 500 0 0 0 10 0 250 0 0 180 feet --~--- Totals, Quartz ... 8,004 0 0 ,o 12 1i 4,829 8 . 0 Quartz Tailings and ------Cement. Green a way and Wallace Majorca ...... I 700 0 0 0 11 0 385 ·0 0 80 feet Ditto 200 0 0 0 12 0 120 0 0 Johnston and Sons { ... 80 feet Tailings ...... 250 0 0 0 7 0 87 10 0 ------Totals, Quartz Tail·\ ings and Cement , 1,150 0 0 0 10 7-l 592 10 0 * Six weeks crushing. t These crushing machines can work only oecasion&lly-no wator. I have the honor to report that for the quarter, though the alluv;ial miners have considerably decreased, particularly at Majorca, much attention has been paid in different portions· of the division , to the securing of large areas in leases. Should the applicants be successful in introducing efficient machinery into the division, the deep and wet ground could be well prospected, which would, doubtless, result in the discovery of some new and valuable leads. . Puddlers have suffered much from the continued dry weather ; ohly those puddling machines whose positions are convenient to some of the pumping engine:jj do some work occasionally. In the south side of Mosquito Flat, a new reef has been discovered, not likely to be the con. tinuation of any of the old reefs ; it has been traced from the surface, with varied thickness, to a depth of 70 feet, where it is 2 feet thick, and returns an average yield of 2 ozs. per ton. AMHERST DIVISION. Mr. 'Charles Gole, Mining Surveyor and Regist?·ar THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS :- Europeans. Total for the Ob.i.u.ese. I Division, Remarks. 1-~- Alluvial Miners 3,050 875 3,425 Quartz Miners .•. 360 360 --~ Totals ... , 3,410 375 3,785 THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED :- Rocky .Flat 475 Mount Greenock Lead 560 Gibraltar (sop.th end) 24.0 MeCullum's Creek 225 ' Cockatoo Gully 273 Blacksmith's Gully 320 Daisy Hill Flat 285 Mia-mia :Flat 292 Adelaide Lead (south) 350 Kangaroo Flat 435 N uggetty Gully 75 Scandinavian Lead 95 Mysterious Lead 62 Antrim Arms 98 Total· 3,785 54 ·THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:- · ALLt:VIAL MINING. """:Description or Machinery. . · - ·.-- . .. . -~- . Number I Aggregate _•• _ •• _!._-' _'__ .._·._>_ .. _·_:__· ____ Idle.__ At Work. Idle. of Stamp Horse-power of AtW~k., Heads. i Steam Enginos. 1---~---1----- Steam Engines, employed in pump- 3 275 3 3 44 101 ing, winding, and crushing, &c. 12 I Fuddling Machines ...... ,220 . 98 Horse ·whims .. . 5 5 Hydraulic Hoses .. . Sluice Boxes ...... :: I ~-: Total value of mining plant in the division, £25,200. Number of square miles of alluvial ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon, 3. Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous t0 the present time, 45. · · The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been from £3 18s. 6d. to ,£3 19s. 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 . TB;EREFROll~. : Average &marks relative to the Name of Company. Where Quartz, &c., were Quartz crushed. IYield of G ------~~-- - Total, Quartz Tail- 460 0 0 0 7 0 161 0 0 ings and Cement · Price per ton for crushing quartz, from 12s. to los. Price per ton for crushing cement, from 9s. to 12s. .. I have the honor to report that little ehange has taken place in mining matters since the last quarter. At Cockatoo a rush, which promises to _be of some importance, has recently set in; prospects of from 10 dwts. to 1 oz. to the load have been obtamed. The population at the present time is about 350. At Mount Greenock nothing of importance has occurred during the quarter. The dividend paying companies alluded to in my last report are still well satisfied with their weekly dividends. Nothing of any consequence has occurred at Rocky Flat during the quarter. The ground is yielding fair wages to the majority of the miners. The late rains have given an impetus to puddling operations ; great activity is to he observed in nearly all the shallow workings. . Sluicing is again extensively carried on, and generally with very satisfactory results. . In quartz mining the principal crushings have taken place from the Dana Reef, near Amherst. The prospectors, two in number, recently obtained from 8ii tons 176 ozs. 8 dwts. The lode is about two feet m thickness, and two men ean break out 10 tons· of stone in the week. A voc.A SuBDIVISION. jlf'i'. Riah. English, Mining Surveyo'i' and Regi~m'i'. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:- I Total for the Europeans. Chinese. Subdivision. &marks. ·-·---·~·-~ ---~~-~~-- . ---- Alluvial Miners ... 900 600 1,500 ... ' Quartz Miners ...... 10 ... 10 1--- ' Totals ... 910 600 55 THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DIBTR!,BUTED : Avoca ; · 550 Lamplough 120 Homebush .. ~ 155 No. 1 Creek 75 Amphitheatre :·:·· .. 3gg Fiddler)_ Qreek , -:, .. , 185 Mountain Hut ·' Green Hill Creek 35 Total 1,510 .• TilE MACHINERY IS AS l'OLLOWS :- ALLUVIAL Mn•D Description of Machinery. i [ Aggregate Ntnnber Aggregate At Work. Idle. , Horse-power of At Work. Idle. of Stamp Horse-power of ' Steam Engines. Heads. Steam ,Engines. __, _,___ ' Steam Engines employed 3 3 141 ... 1 8 6 in winding, pumping, "•' •" .... , and crushing Fuddling Machines ... 75 lO ...... i ... Crushing Machines ... 1 1 ...... 1 8 6 Winding, pumping, &c. 2 2 ...... Toms ...... 25 10 ...... ~ .• I ' Total value of mining plant in the subdivision, £10,000. N urn ber of square miles of auriferous ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon, 7!):-. . . . . Number of d1stmct quartz reefs whiCh have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 7. The price of gold during the quarter in the subdivision has been from £3 14s. 6d. to £4 Os. 6d; per oz. T.IIE FOLLOWING INFOltliiATION IUS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QuANTITY OF QUARTZ AND QuARTZ TAILINGS AND CEliiENT CRUSHED DURil'iG' TilE QUARTl!:R, AND T.IIE GoLD OBTAINED T.IIERE,FROM' I ' I ... '··-· .... ,,.-· Where Quartz, &c., were Total Yield of Remarks relative to the Na.me of Com~!'Y: Quartz crnshed. Depth at • which the oblained. of Gold. Quartzwasobtalaed,&c. ton cwt •. Fryingpan .60 0 0 j 0 8, .0. ! • 24, 0 0 40 feet level . ---·-·---:-:-:· '~~ .. ~~-i Totals, Quartz . " l5? . O; j· 0 _ Q'll;a~tz Tailings and ? 8 16! 1- 65. 5 o I Cement Crushed. AvocaLead ... - 90. 0 0 ~-- 0 Bosanksand Company { 7. 0 ; 31 · 10 0 i Cement. Avoca River.. '... : 3oo· ·o o' ~- o 2 0 ~-~0·, ~--~0 I Tailings. T~tal, Quartz Tail--~~-~--;;-;;-- - mgs and Cement 0 a·· sllJ 61:10 o . • ' ' '1'~' . : t 1 • ,f .. .if ~ • I have the honor to report that during the· quarter alluvial mining has been steadily prosecuted. Some few weeks ago) was in hopes that, ere thi_s, I should have had the plea\mre of specially reporting the discovery of quite a new gold field in my subdivision; this arose in consequence of an application haying b.~ell :madfl/?r. a p~spe~ti1,1g c.lJr~!JlAQ.. alluvial g~c;uud,, where tl;le ~ep~hpf sinking_ W!J;S 100 feet, and 4.r&-Un the ·~1!1Imty of. the Pyreneys, -,and. not far distant from the F1ddler s. Creek d1ggrngs. The prospect reported 'was 7 dwts. to the load, with sanguine expectations that by driving this yield wQuld improve; a desire, I regret to say up to the present time, which has not been realised. The pros pectors are still at work in this ground, ·but the depth of sinking appears to be quite a bar to others participating in that research. There can be no doubt that ~he gold already obtained at this place is a run from the Fiddler's Creek diggings, which .are 'distant a_bout onQ al).d a hljlf mi,les therefrom; and I should not be surprised if, by persevering, sudcess will yet 'reward this prosp~cting party. The Avoca Gold Mining Association have washed 602 ozs. of gold durihg the quarter from 3 500 tons of dirt, the whole of which may be considered as coming from prospecting drives only, and from ground previously worked. I am now of opinion that great dividends from ~his company can only be expected when working the new ground (which is of considerable extent) lying west of the shaft between that and the Main Adelaide road. , · . . o . The Homebush leased ground is prol,rressing very slowly towards favorable results; this is prin cipally in conseg_uence of the very troublesome drift strata met with in deep ground at that plaee. The Star Company, m driving, unexpeqtedly came into some old workings, whicP, greatly retarded opera tions below for some time; they. have now overcome the difficulty, and expect to be in paying ground immediately. The Golden Lake Company are erecting their machinery, and will proceed to open out when their plant is complete. In quartz mining a slight improvement is manifest. Two prospecting claims have been taken up, one at Vale's Reef and the other at the Township (Avoca) Reef; and; although the yields from each, comparatively speaking, are only small, yet, with the low rates o( c' 'ng and easy transit this yield 'vill give very excellent wages. This branch of mining appears to be arded very unfavorably in this locality, yet I !1JI1 convinced thore is a wide field open. here, for_ profita: e investment were sys tematic appliances brought"to bear, especially in the crushing and amalgama.ti~g process • •In the.other portions of the subdivision, in neither,, branch o£ mining have.I.any.change to report. 56 DUNOLLY DIVISION. Mr. R. J. McMillan, Mining Surveyor and Rpgistrar. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:- I I Total for the EuropeaJls. I Chinese. Division. Rema.rks. i ., Alluvial Miners ...... 2,320 400 2,720 QUartz Miners ...... 540 ... 540 Totals ... 2,860 400 3,260 I THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTE:£>: Dunolly:- Inkermann and Wattle Flat 250 Old Lead ... 250 :M:oliagul 260 W~on's Lead ...... so" Bealiba 250 German Gully and Hard Hills ... 50 Tarnagulla 350 Gooseberry Hill rush ...... · 650 Hard Hills and Halfway 350 Pound rush .. . .. 300' J ones's Creek and Mosquito 250 Burnt Creek and Bet-Bet 230 Cay's ... 40 Total ... 3,260 THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS :- Qu...iTz MINING. ALLUVIAL Ml:NING. ' I' Description of Machinery. I · ·~~------~----e-ga_w__ -----~-~.... ---~~N-um--be-.-.~-Ag-~--eg-are--- : At Work. , Idle. power of : At Work. Idle. of Stamp Horse-power of Engines. Heads. Steam Engines. -·----··-...·--··----- .. -·...... 1---1----I --···---· 1 Steam Engines, employed pump 6 i7 I 7 22 212 424 ing, winding, and crushing Whims 16 6 6 Puddling Machines 60 160 Total value of mining plant in the ~vision, £52,000. Number of square miles of auriferous ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon, 13f. Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 157. The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been from £3 !Ss. 6d. to £4 Os. 6d. per oz. . . THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QuANTITY OF QUARTZ AND QuARTZ TAILINGS AND CEMENT CRUSHED DUIUNG THE QUARTER; AND THE GoJ,D OBTAINED THEREFROM. Rema.rks relative to the Name of Company. Where Quartz, &o., were Quartz crushod. Yi.td~i~ld Total Yield of Depth at which tbe obtained. per Ton. Gold. Quartz, &c., were obtained ton cwt. qr. oz. dwt.~. oz. dwt. ~- New Chum Reef John Davies ... - Sandstone Reef 1,430 0 0 0 10 0 715 ,o 0 { Maiden &er· } Ironbark &ef Fraser and Williams · Bowen's &ef t 450 0 0 Oll 6 253 2 12 1Wilson's Reef I } Bealiba Reef l ' Arvon Reef D.lU.rk · Monday Morning 800 0 0 0 10 6 410 0 0 ..... 1 { Reef ~ • New Year's Reef Total, Quartz ... 2,680 0 0 0 10 61!. 1,378 2 12 Quartz: Tailingg and --...-· --- ,~··· Cement crushed. ' Glamorgansbire Co. ... Bealiba ...... 2,600 0. 0 0·4 0 520 0 q. Henry Reed ...... Ditto ...... 320 0 0 0 4 0 64 0 0 D. Kirk ...... Burnt Creek ... 900 0 0 0 3 6 146 5 0 Total, Quartz Tail- } 730 5 0 ings and Cement 3,820 0 0 0 3 19! 57 During the quarter alluvial mining has steadily progressed at Gooseberry :ij"m and the Pound rush (both near Dunolly township), the tendency of the former is to form a junction' with the lower end of Dunolly main lead, from which it is now only a few chains distant; it also, from:appearance, is winding up the hill on which A. Anderson and party's mineral lease is situate, as claims have been marked out up to the boundary of the leased ground. The Pound rush will probably maintain it~ present population for a considerable time; it is situate chiefly in private property, and I can say that the terms generally, between the proprietors and the miners, have given uniform satisfaction to the mip.ers themselves. A rush to the Hard Hills, at Tarnagulla, took place about two months since ; it continues to pay to a moderate extent, and at present employs 150 miners; there are about 30 payj.ng claims on it. With the above exceptions I have no change to report in alluvial mining, as rain in sufficient quantity has not fallen to fill the water dams in the outlying leads and gullies; this branch of alluvial mining is therefore nearly at a standstill. In quartz mining only a few of the numerous machines in the division have been at work, and these only partially so, solely in consequence of the want of water. There is' plenty of stone to~be crushed, and much more getting ready, but water is the only want. KoRONG DIVISION. Mr. J. S. Robertson, Mining Surveyor and Registrar. THE TOTAL Nu~BE& OF MINERS IS AB FOLLOWS:- Europeans. r TotaJ. for the Chinese. Division. Remarks. Alluvial Miners ...... 1,050 500 1,550 Quartz Miners ...... 950 ... 950 Totals ... 2,000 500 2,500 I THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED New Inglewood 1,250 Old Inglewood 50 Korong 425 Jericho 50 Kingower 350 Mclntyre's 15 Sinnott'a 10 Bourke's Flat ... . 70 Caledonian Flat 60 Loddon and Kingarra 220 Total 2,500 THE MACHINERY IS. AS FOLLOWS:- ALLUVIAL MINING. Qu.a.i'I.'Z MINING. - Description of Machinery. ···-····---· ' Number I ~te Aggregate At Wor~.~ Idle. Ho:rse-power of At Work. Idle. of Stamp Horse-~ of Steam EDgines. Hea.da. Steam · es. -··· ~~~ Steam Engines employed pumping ...... 4 2 90 Steam Engines employed crushing ...... ll 4 147 210 Whims ...... 1 ...... 24 1 ...... Whips ...... 20 5 ...... Q Fuddling Machines ...... 50 45 ...... Total value of mining plant in the division, £30,000. Number of square miles of alluvial ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon, 30. , : Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to_ be aurifero11B to the present time, 140. · The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been from £3 17a. 6d. to £3 18s. 69.. ~~ ' No. 69, g. . \ 58 TR~~ ll:QI;I;OWI.NG,-lN~lO~M;~TI.~.l!.. f!:_A,S,_BEEN ... ,9:J!T+I~E,J:!;'l·.~I!.!'"T~"Y;E,., Tf;,,~lf?! ., Qll'AN,t::~~1 , .!.?r1 QuA.:aTz •".'.: :•. • 'H: CRUSB'ED~iD:UBINGJ~Tli~,.QUA.BT,:[;R" ~J:i,P.' Tli~ tG\?LD.~:·.(6B'J:'-H~E,I(qJ:f.l;r/~~.~.it8~: ;1(1. t• ·u rldod) ~ l \.,. . . . . ton cwt. qr. oz. dwt: gr. oz. dwt. gr. Duke. of Cornwall 309 0 0 0 6 102 8 3 t; ~ I lira Lady Darling .. J •! '965 0.0 o· 8. 2 390·· 0 0 March Reef ... i-:· 323 o" o 0 7 16 123 16 8 Thompson's Gully .•. , 486 0 0 0 0"13 . ·158•19' 6 '') ~~·~- :. i L. ., Victoria COmpany ".!.' "" .... :p .. 675 ··o 0· ·0> 8 5 277 .'0 15 . . ' ~- 11 . Prince Albert ":,. ' o. ·,· ., ··'· . ·1,500 0 0 9 4 687 10 0 '· :\ Granite Company .:.•.·.•) ·I· 1-,564 O· 0 .o 6·,•9!1 500 0 .0 llf 'i• Sutton's .' .. 300 0 0 0 5 0 75 0 0 _T_Qtal, .Qul!_rtz ... 6,122 0 0 0 7 13~ 2,314 14 8 The district for the quarter has been unusually dull as far as mining matters are concerned. This is accounted for by the fact of a great many miners being employed by the companies now in course of formati I ', ~, • ,' .•1 ••• ·, 4:' AND ST. ARNAUD .SouTH SuBDIVISioNs. RE:J?~ANK •• • • ·, f ' i If\"!!' (ol - - M:. William Byrne, Minilng Surveyor and Registrar. . ,, I 1 ,l"'ff!"t.r M N'fJl :. ·rn • 1 • • TliE TOTAL N U¥BER OF 'MINEns· isc is ·FOLLOWS :- --~:;:>"~;"'~"' .. nu I ' ' i. .. . ·~".< ' : ...... !_ JJ:n ,., ' ''1. .•) ·: • •... '"Total for. the· I l ,: · r_·t ..!U...;•" --~ ·.~l:lA;.d, Europeans.;t 0 .,<.P!!i!tl1~~- : Snbd.ivi&OilJ!. . ·- I I : I }: AlluviafMiners 680 20 700 ·: .. ' ., l~ .. .~. ., ,f (, .f Quartz Miners ·r· .. '' 2bO 250 ~ ., <)' Totals ... 930 20 950 '' THE TOTAL NUMBER OF ¥,IN,ER~,}~;,THUB.~~IBT~~~~~E.», Redbank ·· ·' ' 250 Forest Hut .. : Hines ... 30 Stuart Mill ...... '· Donkey: Hill·::.~~;,., :•.-Ji't. .r .,,,;,.,.,:., ::,40 ... r: l).a,r.~g ;t!~1at, .. ,, .. ·''"f'";," .... : ,.i''."'! ·. ·r·.r/,;:,·,r Moonambel ... 60 ~merald.Flat,' : :1 ..... ; ··: .,,.,, . Total, .. . .!£ . 950' VictOria; and adjoining gullies ... ,,f ·\•'i '"i~''' • • "< •• l ,. ' 59 T·HE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:- .. .. ··-·::":" ... - ..... ~-~ ·~- .. ~ -~· ALLUVIAL Mnm!G. QUARTZ MINING.". Description of :Mlloblnery. Aggregate Number . Aggregate .. At Work. Idle. Horse-power of At Work. Idle, of Stamp Steam Engines. Heads. f~~~~~: ------Fuddling Machines ...... 10 6 ...... Whims ...... I 1 3 ...... Steam Engines, edinpump· · 1 .. ~ . 10 2 2 26 65 . I Total value of mining plant. in the subdivisions, £1,150. Number of square miles of auriferous ground :which is being, or ~ay have been, actually worked upon, 9!. . · Number of distinct quartz ·reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 23. The price of gold during .the quarter in.; the .subdivi~ions has been from £3 l7s. 6d. to £3 l8s. 6d. per oz. · · THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED. RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QuABTZ CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM. '-'"' .. ,,.,_' ...... I' ..,J','f I •, • t',~ +; Where Quartz was Total Yield of Remarks rela.tive to the Name of Company. obtained. Quartz crushed. Yi~~~~ld G ton cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr, Pyrenees Quartz Crush- 12 and 13 South: 85 0 0 0 16 11f1 70 0 0 ing Company ... Pyrenees Reef Ditto ...... Brighthelmstone 14 0 0 1 12 203 23. 0 0 Reef I Ditto ...... 10 and 11 South 49 10 I 0 3 12 17j 180 0 0 Pyrenees Reef Ditto ...... Perseverance Reef ... lO 0 0 0 10 7! 5 '3 0 Ditto ...... 12 and 13 South 24 0 0 1 7 2 32 10 0 Pyrenees Reef ------Total, Quartz 182 lO 0 1 14 1-trJ ,310 1'3 0 · Very little has been done in alluvial mining lately, in consequence of the1scarcity of water in these subdivisions. This applies more especially to Victoria Gully and the other gullies situated between Hinds and Stuart Mill, where the gold is extracted principally by slu,icing. In quartz :p1ining, although the returns have not been so large as usual lately, I consider that the reefs in this locality are now in a more promising state than they have been for a very long period. On the Pyrenees reef the new pumping and crushing machinery will shortly be completed. ' Leases have been applied for on the Pyrenees, Richmond, and Slaughterjn.rd Reefs. ST. ARNAUD NoRTH SuBDIVISION. Mr. John Phillips, Mining Surveyor and Registrar. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:- Total for the Europeans. Chinese. Subdivision. Remarks. -· -· Alluvial Miners ...... 438 157 595 .- Quartz Miners ...... 168 ... 168 Totals ... 606 157 763 ... 60 THE TOTAL N,UMBER OF MIXERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:- Butcher's and McCredie's Engines g. Greenock Reef 18 Armenian Gully ...... 20 Karney's ... 3 Bald Hills 6 Master's Claim 4 Banshee 14 New Bendigo ll8 Brigg's Hill 18 Peters's .. . 250 Bell's Hill 4 Tunnel Hill .. . 6 Chrysolite 13 Warwickshire Reef 4 Dogbury 24 Wilson's Gully 20 Carapooee .. . 7 Rimmer's Lease ... 6 Scrub Rush .. . 6 Rostron's and Higgins's 5 Douglas Hill 21 Rostron's Diggings ... 19 Wier's Hill 4 Silver Mining Association 18 Emu ... 16 Sawpit'Gully and Reef 4 J3link Bonny :&eef 16 Sanderske's Lease : .. 6 Switzer's Gully 24 St. Arnaud United 11 :\Freiberg Company's 18 Spinster Reef 2 Fr-enchman's Hill 10 S.alter's Hill ... 11 ·Gap Gully ... 24 .Geyer's Gully 4 Total 763 THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:- A.LLuvi.u. MINING. QUA.liTZ llfl:NI:NG. 1 Description of Maohineey. Aggregate At Work. I Idle. Horse.powerAggregate of At Work. Idle. I ofNumber Stamp HOnJE>ol!()werof Steam Engines, Hea.ds. Steam IJ:Dgines. ----- Steam Engines ...... "1 lO '1 70 106 Balfour's Pulverizer • ... 1 =8 Appleton's Stone-breaker ... 1 Whims ...... 14 3 Chilian Mills ...... 5 Pudilling Machines .. . ' 6 '*10 Races and Sluices .. . *4 • Idle, for want of water. Total value of mining plant in the division (Wilson's Hill lot lately sold and taken away)~ £17,900. . Number of square ·miles of auriferous ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon, 51f. • . Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 46. The price of gold during the quarter ·in the subdivision has been from £3 to £4 per oz. for quartz gold, and £3 19s~ to £4 1s. for alluvial . • Tii:E FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE Q'([ANTITY OF QUARTZ AND Qtr~RTZ TAILINGS AND CEMENT CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM, N ameo m obtain~ .., Gold. Qua:rtzwaeobtained,&c. 1 per Ton. 1. --- -· ~ I ·-~ I ton cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Messrs. Butcher and Co. Sundry small lots I 538 15 0 0 15 ri! 404 9 o. A little above. and public crushing · from various parts : below 100 feet. Chrysolite Co., for self Ditto ...... 1,043 14 0 0 13 0 6'18 8 0 From 200 up to 50 and others feet. 0 22 From 150 up to 80 F~ciberg Co., for self Ditto ...... 593 15 0 0 6 13! 195 and.others feet. Crushed at Stuart Mill Greenock and Spin- 89 0 0 0 16 I 71 8 12 About 150 feet ster Reefs ---- mos~ly .. , Total, Quartz ... 2,265 4 0 0 11 22 1,349 6 10 The Silver Mining Association from 274 tons 16 cwt. had 868 ozs. of mixed metal, gold and silver. ·.. 61 THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED .RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QuARTZ AND QuARTZ 'rAILINGS AND CEMENT CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM-continued. !Wmarks relative to the Name of Company. Where Quartz, &c., were Quartz cruahed. IYield Av-~ of Id Total Yield of Depth at which the obtained. per ton. Gold. Qui>rtzW81!obtained,&e. ton cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr.• oz. dwt. gr. Quartz Tailing8 and Cement Crushed. Williams's public crush- Cement from the 208 0 0 0 9 0 93 12 0 ing engine at Peters'R neigh boring hills McCredie's machine, ...... 390 0 0 0 2 16 52 0 0 2nd working. public crushing ----- Total, Quartz Tail-} 145 12 ings and Cement 598 0 0 0 . 4 20f¥. 0 The quartz miners here, chiefly tributers, are well satisfied with their doings on the whole; and ' they are working leased ground, whiCh but for their knowledge and courage would be untouched. There is a newl found olden reef, about six miles north of St. Arnaud township, named Blink Bonny, the speci and its appearance generally, are good and promising; there are several claims on it fu·st thing the workers of this reef should do is to make a dam for a machine, and a it for their domestic use ; for, throughout the year, this is a com- paratively dry part of the country. Some of the other parts of the subdivision, known to have gold,payable for sluicing and puddling, are still locked up by drought. CASTLEMAINE MINING DISTRICT. CASTLEMAINE DIVISION. Mr. Thomas L; Brown, ltfming Surveyor· and Registrar. THE PoPULATION IS AS FOLLOWS :- Total for Europeans. Chinese. the Dirlsion. Remarks. Alluvial Miners ...... 1,025 1,430 2,455 Quartz Miners ...... 436 ... 436 -··--·-·········· ~--- Total ... 1,461 1,430 2,891 THE TOTAL NuMBER OF MrNERS IS THUS 'msTRIBUTED :- Golden Point 260 Cobaw .. . 21 Chew ton 540 M uckleford .. . 76 Moonlight Flat 287 Camp bell's Creek .. . 652 Little Bendigo 185 Strathloddon and Guildford 510 Castlemaine 170 Barker's Creek 190 Total 2891 THE MACHINERY IS .AS FOLLOWS :- ALLUVIAL ?tilNING. QUAltTZ MINING. Deseription of Machinery. N tUllber of Aggregate Aggregate At Work. I Number of Idle. Stomp Heads. Horse-pow~r of .At Work. Idle. Stamp Heads. Horse-power of Steam Engines. Steam Engines. --- Steam Engines ...... 3 3 . ( 96 19 8 464 Crushing Mai:]!ines ... 2 I 18 ... 19 I 8 286 ... Puddling Mills ...... 160 98 ~ ...... i. I f 1 Total value of all mining plant in the division, £68,000. 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 present t1me, 89. The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been from £3 15s. 3d. to £3 17s. 6d. per 0~. :~·;-:THE .F()LytOWHTG, .INFOI!lf~TI~.N ,HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ ' CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAII\ED THEREFROM. -- -- ~·•;.:. w'f . ' ... ; relative the '• 1! ;~IJ• Where Qu..rtz was ·-Tot:IJ. Yield lW~ks t~ •' >l:t:<;allit;!)f·C~mJ\any.· ' obtained, · · ., '"Quartz· crushed, Yi,;}J~ftj.~ld ; Depth at which the .. per Ton. of Gold . QU&rtz was obtained, &e. -·. -~ --~- ~--·------.1- ton cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. Oz. dwt. gr. Lewis and Company ... Nimrod Reef ... 90 0 0 0 !i 18~ 80 0 0 Bowan ...... Ditto ...... 80 0 0 0 10 81~ 41 9 0 Salmon and Company Burn's Reef ... 155 0 0 1 14 1 q 2ti7 2 0 McWaters ~nd,J,ovel ... Ditto ...... 172. 0 0 0 4 161 40 7 12 Spencer ...... J_,eicestershire Reef 126 0 0 0 G 13~ 41 7 12 J_,ogan ...... Argus Hill ... 191 0 0 0 9 l2i 90 15 12 Russell ...... Ditto ...... 159 0 0 0 2 o;t 15 19 18 Powell ...... Chewton Reef ... 55 0 0 6 7 15 '" 351 0 0 Vulcan Company 1 ... Old Quartz Hill ... 61 0 0 o 8 uX " 25 IG 4 Small · ... I Hard Hill ... 35 0 0 0 lO 4fi 17 16. 20 Walker and Company I Manchester Re~:tf ... ll6 0 0 0 3 12 20 6 0 Ditto ...... Wattle Gully ... 437 0 0 0 4 16i 102 13 0 Martin and Company Ditto' ...... 213 0 0 0 3 14~ 38 9 0 :1\fcln tosh ...... Vineyard Reef ... 121 0 0 0 18 20i 114 I 0 Tullock and others Ditto ...... Ill 0 0 0 10 10! 74 12 0 Robertson and others ... Ditto ...... 219 0 0 o 1 2G' 77 18 18 Hocking and Bennett's Sth. American Reef 167 0 0 0 4 7 35 15 0 Ajax Company ... Bolivia Reef ... 1,881 0 0 0 2 1oti 228 5 20 Streade and Company Sebastopol Reef ... 468 0 0 0 4 7i lOO 19 0 Lewis and Company ... Ditto ...... 230 0 0 0 8 13! 98 10 0 Schell and others ... Fiddler's Iteef ... 1!7 0 0 0 12 ll,\ 72 18 0 Babcock...... Black Monday Reef 75 0 0 0 9 11~ 35 ll 12 New Heef, Golden - Point Trevorah ...... Hacehorse ... 28 0 0 0 7 13~ 10 12 0 New Reef. Race- horse Gully James ...... Town Heef ... 55 0 0 0 17 14-ft 48 9 14 Moscrip ...... Bolivia Reef ... 236 0 0 I 2 9 Sjj! 582 10 0 Lloyd and others ... ll various reefs ... 341 0 0 0 6 6 106 9 12 Total, Quartz I 5,939 0 0 0 9. 3! 12,71.9 14 10 I There have been no returns from cement or tailings during the quarter, the, machinery being idle, and the returns from quartz reefs are far below the average quantity, no rain having yet fallen to give any appreciable supply. FrOI)l the same cause our alluvial workings continue almost abandoned, the difficulty in obtaining a very inefficient supply of water rendering this branch of mining unprofital.)le, and the long drought driving _men to seek a subsistence elsewhere. 'In mining machinery changes have taken place during the quarter. The two superior plants erected by the Eurek:t Company, and another known as the White Bill Company's have been sold and r(:lmo;ved from the division; new machinery, however, is in course of erection. Upon the Castlemaine Deep L.ead Company's ground a 25 horse-power engine, with pumping and other gear, is being erected. Their sliaft is now down 231 feet, and tenders have just been received for driving a level thence .to the gutter. The Young Prince Company's m In Barker's Creek, quartz as well as alluvial mining is at a standstill. , _.In Chewton ~r Forest Creek a large number of reefs continue to be wo'rked. The White Horse Company have commenced crushing, and have cleared to a reef 20 feet wide. Two new.cl!!.ims have been op.ened, which yield .about half an ounce. per ton ....The best yields for thequarteih!!-ve been, from Chcwton Reef, 35~ oz. from 55 tons ; from Burns Reef, 267 oz. from 155 tons ; and from Bolivia, 236 tons yielding 51$21 :oz. ·of gold. · · " FRYER's CREEK SuBDIVISION. Mr. R. L. JJf. Kitto, ·Mining Surveyor and Regwtrar: THE TOTA.L NUMBER OF MINERS IS A.S FOLLOWS:- Europeans. Chinese. Total for the I SubdiviHion. Bema.rlm. ,, Alluvial Miners ... •••I 1,527. 1,551 ! 3,078 .. Quartz ?vliners ...... 154 ... 154 : .. ·. Totals ... 1,681 1,551 : 3,232 .•' . . THE TOTAL NuMBER OF MINERS IS THUs ·DISTRIBUTED:...... !: Specimen tfill and vicinity 64 Loddon V alley ... 342 Blacksmith's Gully ... : .•; · · .. .. '. . 28 CI.'arilta and Shicer Gully 236 Spring Gully .. . 149 Vaughan, &c. . .. 407 Church's Flat ... . , . 85 •Glenluce ...... 165' Belle Vue ... 67 ' Hard Hills ... 111 Murdering Flat .;... · '1 91· Sailor's Gully, &c. .. . 69 Fryerstown . . . . , .. '1 286· · Pickpocket and Loddon 368 German and :Mopoke .gullie~ .... .136 , THE .MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS :------~----~~==~----~-----==---~~~------~--======~~J A~tm~~AI.s.Mn?mlw. ~---..--Q--U-AB;.,·T_.z_:M:rNn<_. --G..-·---~-,. Description of Machinery. Aggr;;gate ! Number Aggregate At Work, Idle, Hoise·l!!'Wer of·. At Work. 'Idle.· of Stamp Horae-l!!'wer ot Steam ~nes. · Heads. Steam Engines. ------1----1- ·------1----1----- Steam Engines, washing,crush- 9 ss· f59--·· ---·--- ing cement, and pumping Horse Puddling Machines 151 85 Whims 6 2 ... r:· . i ... Whips 20 4:' ... Horse Pumps 69 6 Sluices and Toms 50 61 Water Wheels ... 2 4 Steam Engines - 7 62 101 Whims ... ~ ... 2 2 Whips ...... ~.2 . ·- ~VliJ"".,.,. · IH . . ... w . ,Tgtal value of.m~n:\ng,plant.in the subdiyision, £47,2QO. N~mber of s_quare mil~s of :turiferous ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon, 284• . Number of distinc~ gmirtz reefs which have been actually, proved to be auriferous to the present t1me, 211. · - 'J'he price.of gold.d11ring tlie· quarter in the subdivision has been from £3 15s. 3d. to £3 18s. per oz. · l. 64 THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS ~EEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE .QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND QuARTZ TAILINGS AND CEMENT CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GoLD OBTAINED THEREFlWM. ' Remark• relotive to th Name of Company. -Where Quartz, &c., were Quartz c:rnahed. Total Yield of which obtained, Yi.,td';,"t~~ld Depth at th p~rton. Golti. Quartz, &c., were o t&ined. ton cwt. qr. oz. dwt Ill'· oz. dwt. gr. Alliance Company ... Spanish and Cornish 4 10 0 I 16 0 8 2 0 Over I 00 feet Reef Ditto Frenchman's Reef ... 6 10 0 0 7 16t 2 10 0 50 feet Cattle ~d C01·~~any ::: Cattle's Ueef ... 300 0 0 0 6 0 90 0 0 30 feet Duke of Cornwall Co. Ditto ...... 101 0 0 0 5 0 25 5 0 Ditto, Rowe and Company ... Ferron's Reef ... 250 0 0 0 3 18~ 47 3 0 Various depths Ditto ...... Public crushing ... 458 0 0 0 11 21 ~ 272 2 0 Ditto Hand of Friendship Co. Emu Reef ...... 503 0 0 0 2 19 70 5 0 Ditto Crresus Company ... ]rish Reef ...... 150 0 0 0 3 8 25 0 0 80 feet Ditto ...... Public crushing ... 100 0 0 0 9 0 45 0 0 Various depths Heath and Company ... Bullock's Reef ... 48 0 0 0 16 2 38 12 0 110 feet Meyer and Company ... Ditto ...... 325 0 0 0 15 243 IS 0 170 feet Row land ...... Bristol Reef .. . 48 0 0 0 11 28 10 18 75 feet Total, Quartz ... 2,294 0 0 0 7 19t 896 7 18 Quartz Tailings and · Cement crushed. Sir H. Barkly Company Strathloddqn ... 975 0 0 1 0 0 975' 0 0 120 to 190 fee William Tell Company Ditto ...... 2,210 0 0 0 9 0 994 10 0 Tunnel Table Hill Company ... Table Hill .•• ... 6ao 0 0 0. 2 8f 76 7 12 Ditto Jenkins and Company Ditto ...... 780 0 0 0 8 0 312. 0 0 Ditto Adgers and Company ... Ditto ...... 520 0 0 0 5 0 130 0 0 Ditto Thomas and Company Butcher's Hill ... 1,200 0 0 0 5 0 300 0 0 Ditto Total, Quartz Tail- } ings and Cement 6,335 0 0 17 12 I have the honor to report an increase of activity, and consequent remuneration, in mining operations within my subdivision, during the quarter; but the want of an adequate supply of water, in some portions of it 1s still sever<>ly felt. . . The puddlers who are able to work have generally made fair wages, and· good yield's have been obtained from sluicing. The tUllnels in the banks of the Loddon, near Strathloddon and Guildford, and at Tarilta, have generally yielded well, and in some instances the return has been very good. H. Rowe and Co. (Vaughan Company), at. Kangaroo Hill, after much unproductive labor, have struck cement which promises well, and in other claims there has been a decided improvement. The Alpha Company, at .trathloddon, have obtained such prospects as to induce them to erect an engine of twe rse- power, with a battery of twelve stampers, which will be put in op~ration in a few days. orado Company, near Guildford, has been as successful as usual. A Chinese party are about to erect a small engine to drain their· claim, in the same vicinity. ' . The returns from quartz reefs have improved. Several claims ·in Golden Gully are turning out rich stone. One,stone from Heron's Reef was foUlld to contain 28 ozs. of gold; and another, from Cattle's claim on Cattle's Reef, 7! ozs. The Duke of Cornwall Company have not yet been able to • reduce the water so as to work the main reef, and the result of their crnBhlng thus far is, therefore, no criterion of the value of their claim. The Hand of Friendship Company, Emu Reef, have suspended operations, for ~he purpose of making some alteration in. th~ share list, and other impr?vemen,ts. A very riCh leader of quartz has been struck, wrthm the last few days, at Hit-or-Miss Gully, near Vaughan, and some splendid specimens of gold, in lumps from 1 dwt. to several ounces, turned out. None of the stone has been crushed as yet,. but specimens to the value of £50 have been sold. A number of these were shown to me on 1\fonda;v last, which were obtained in the forenoon of that ay, and I should say they contain from four to five ounces of the precious metal. · HEPBURN DIVISION. Mr. Ambrose Johnson, Mining Surveyor and Registrar. ·THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS '111 AS FOLLOWS:- t I EurQllll8Jlll. Chinese. . Total for the Division. ·Remarks• I Alluvial Miners ...... 5:245 750 5,995 Quartz Miners ...... 820 ... 820 Totals ...... 6,065 750 6,815 ( I 65 THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS I_B ~RUS· DISTRIBUTED{:- \ Pickpocket 286 Connell's Gully 277 Forty-foot 176 Dry · · 434 Boots Gully 422 Spri 512 Brandy-hot 276 Doctor's Gully ~- .. 406 Blind Creek 268 Daylesford and· Glenlyqn 780 Sailor:s and Jii:n Crow Creek 808 Womba~ 400 Deep Creek .. 590 Stony Creek 470 Total . •. 6,815 Wombat Creek 710 THE MACHINERY IS AB FOLLOWS :- ~--A-LL_uv_u_L-·MI··-Nni--0-,---1- ---:--Q_u_AR_TZ_MIN__m_G_. ____ _ Descriptien of Machinery. : Aggregate Number ! Aggregate At Work. Idle. Hol"lle-EOWeT of' At Work. ~die. of Stamp ! HorBe·J;;;,~'i or i Steam Ji,"ngines. Heads. Steam · ea. ' Steam Engines, employed in pump 17 6 593 ...... ing, winding, puddling. &c. Steam Engines, employed in pump- 16 14 274 506 ing, winding, crushing, &c. I Crushing Machines (water~ power) 1 2 22 I ... Whims ...... 34 I 18 46 t2 ...... Horse Puddling Mills ...... 120 I llO ...... T I Totru value of mining plant in the division, £75,730. , Number of square miles of auriferous ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon, 49. · . , Number of distinct' quartz reefs which have beeri actually proved! to. be auriferous to the present time, 82. The price of gold during the quarter in the divi~ion has been from £3 His. to £3 18s. 3d. per oz •. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND QUARTZ TAILINOS AND CEMENT CRUSHED DURINO THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM. . Average i ' . &c.J Remarks relathe to the Name of Company. Where Quartz, were Quartz crushed. Yield of Gold! Total Yield of Depth at which the obtained. per Ton. Gold. Quartz was obtained. ' ' ' ' ton ·cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Nuggetty Quartz Min· N uggetty Reef ... 2,109 0 0 0 4 7 452 ll 0 ing Company Specimen Hill Quartz Specimen Hill ... 3,000 0 0 0 5 0 750 0 0 110 to 120 feet Mining Company Alliance Quartz Mining Mauritius Reef ... 940 0 0 0 6 0 282 0 0 80feet Company William Tell Quartz Federal Reef ... 720 0 0 1 10 0 1,080: 0 0 lOO feet Mining Company Jenkins' Mill ... Various localities .. 700 0 0 1 0 0 700 0 0 Cornish Quartz Min- Ditto ...... 1,300 0 0 1 ·o 0 1,300 0 0 ing Company Dannevirke Quartz Adelaide Reef ... 470 0 0 I 10 0 705 0 0 238 feet Mining Company Wilson and Company •.. Italian Hill ... 150 0 0 0 5 O• 37,10. 0 60 feet Howe's Mill ...... Daylesford ... 412 0 0 0 5 0 103 0 0 Lucini and Company ... Doctor's Reef ... 750 0 0 0 15 0 562 10 0 Sir Chas. Darling ... Various localities ... 820 0 0 0 15 0 615 0 0 Prince of Wales Quartz Glamorganshire Reef 250 0 0 2 tO o. 625 0 0 120 feet Mining Company Morrison and Company Christmas Reef 50 0 0 0 10 0 ... 25- 0 0 1 80 feet Fearnot United Quartz Camp street · ... 520 0 0 0 6 0 156 0 0 1 190 feet Mining Company Chance Quartz Mining Chance Reef ... 500 0 0 0 5 0 125 0 0 Company Robson and Company ... Old Adam's Reef ... 30 0 0 1 10 0 45- 0 0 60 feet Total, Quartz ... 12,721 0 0 0 -11 21i 7,563 11 0 Quartz Tailings and Ce17!ent crushed, '· . Cornish. 1\fill...... Township Lead ... 720 0 0 0 6 0 216., 0 0 Victoria Mill ... Ditto ...... 500 0 0 0 6 0 150· 0 0 Howe's Mill .. ... Ditto ...... 240 0 0' 0 5 0 60, o·· o Morrison ...... Pickpocket ... 800 0 0 0 15 0. 600 0 0 ~····----~·····- Total, Quartz Tail- } ' 2,260 0 0 0 9 111., 1,026 0 0 . ings and Cement No. 69, h.. ~ 66 ' Quartz· mining contimieitin··a··very•prosperous•condition)~a:nd.Ja:go.a(il!;deahpf attention is just now being directed to that branch of mining: The principa;l.! obtained.a,prospect of\about t dwt, to t!:il? tin;dish. . · .... ~~"-- ·"' ,-~ .·, ~ . , .,. , ...., , • • • At Deep Creek, nearly the whole of Fiery Hill has been retaken up, tlic'purp6se7 ol working over the old ground; and, as far as I can learn;;tlie.results1are prov:ing,:very.:remunerati:ve.·: ,,,,, ., . The. Ballar~t Tunnelling Co!llpany are. working. w,ith. gopd .r(')~;:ti~ts;, and .have h11en engaged ·part of 1 the quarter sinking the shaft commenced by the Exploration Gold Miniiig Company. · • . / , .The,,Smeatpn .Estate .Go~d ,Mi"Q.jpg,Co~pany, on, priv,::tt~ p.rop!'lr;i!y;,.ha;v(').. pp.f.,dg"~~;n tl'f:e.e..J;qi:es ~ · their land, and prove·a the existence of deep ground, and brought up several rough specks ,of gol;lm , the scoop. . . . . · ... : '·· '. "· ·« At Elev:ated Plains, most of the old tunnelling compantes are still doing well north of Megg!(tt's paddock; Rnd some very good ground is said to have lleen struck in a tunnel now occupied-by the' Britannia G;;>ld MinhJ.g 09JllPa11Y· . - .. ·" Qh the Old Racecolirse; 'the :])erby Gold Mi'niug·EJ~mpany !Jas 'at length•got•int6 solid ground,~ and expect, if a sufficient' supply 'of water can l1e :obtaineil'for· sluicing; to declare' dividends shortly. . A t.Yandoit, Shieer's Hill and Frenchman's Hill arc both fully but•. the! ·best part of the ground -is worked out, and the r~turns less than they have' been for soine · ::~c1 ll~.jp!.ecv,.auJ,Iyi~l ,sip~in,g t!~ .. 11t_ p~e~!:~~.i~ ::;J1~a~t~Y. soqd~~i,q~,~,(I.~,H:t.e,cwl_.fldence, I_os~ ~hroug~. the rush~ln:rt~e;eni.l.,o£,-1864, Is.gradua.lly;~oewg re-estal:ibshed. : .r .,:JJ,t.:lu ·'.. ·· 1· '·' • ;. , The White Star and the Exehequ,er_ Co.nwaqies eQ.~_tin11e paying very handsome dividends ; and the Comoora, Wallaby, and Daylesford Companies have all got into deep ground, and ol:itained very prm;nising prospects..• IT'he,,Great CentrahCompany, is .. ~so jreported to have got good prospects ; and the Durham, Albert Edward, and Great Eas,tern Compapjes, ~n the 1 sa!I!e ~cad, Will· shortly .conim;::nce1 operations. · · : · . , . . 1No definite results.have.as; yet lieen• obtained by.. theiBand of,flj:OpQ,,Q-rj'lat Qu)f, W~p1b'a~ .Q~eek:~ ""''"'""~""u, .and .other e?mpani_es_;prospecti~g i.n the s?~thieaster~ part of the division,; but in mo~t of 1s bemg carried on w1th unabated v1gor. .. · · : . . ,. ·· ·. · :. · :· · · : · · · ··· · At Brandy-hot most of th.e gr\)UJ?~ i~ n,.ow worked out, except the T!lndragee and the Last Chance Companies' claims ; arid at Blank1et Flat matters are stiH inlthe same p'ositiOI{laS when•hlast repor.ted! '}{ Fr'om the Champion .<:Jompany, at Shep~CIA's Fl~t, downw,arP.s, pear1y all the claims -~rc.:in~:rull work, and the prospects are on the w;ho.Je r,eported; to b~. mo~t·encoilrag1pg. ,. ,,. .. .. , . "~ At Yandoit, Richards and Company have got their machinery on tlie ·grot1nd; but proceedings I are car1~dG~::at~s~~,w!Ji~ Glengow~~ C~mp~n; have l~t a: contra~(ror' bottoinh;g" ~'nd. d~ving, ·their. s~aft 100 feet :ea~h t'\Y!t;y ; ·.an~ :~f the .results: should prove sup~ as are ~Jlt\cipap~e.g a .la~ge,~~ea, of, ~. • ' \ • f ~ ... ~ 'H 'l TARADALE' ' . SUBDrh~ION.'... i ... ., .,•. I /';·': Mr. 'Jfhomas Turner,, Mining Sur~eyor, and .R%)iFJtraJ1'.,11w·''" I Total for tbe I Remarks. Europeans. Chinese. Subdi-vision. \/ Alluvial Miners •:t 387 288 6i5 'J: .: I ,, : .. Quartz Miners , ... 103·' 103' ,. : i' ,'f' Totals ~90 288 I ~~~t,,:7~:~; .. ,. ... '• I ... ' " 67 THE TOTAL. NUMBER OF MINERS I~. THU:S DIST~I;BUTf'!~ :;-. ·.' T;~.radale (scattered).:: 104; · Lauriston (scatterean 'I ·, • • ,.t. •l.' 72 Park Lead...... 92 Kangaroo Creek · .:. . 67 Dell's Leaf!.,.. . .. i10 ~.. Binfold Ranges ·:··:.;: · -i·J• .,, 21 Scorpion J;.ead ... t •• 40-' · ·ooliban River, Metdlfe "" • · ... 34 Delltopper Lead and Reefs 140 · 'Redes'dale (scattered} .. 50 Malmsbury (scattered) 28 j ~ ·(,! ··r:.. Orr's Reef...... , 20 ,... Total' 1 · ... •'/78 THE MACHINERY IS AS ;E:OLLOWS':- Description of Machinery. · i .. Aggregate · : • Aggregate : At Work.· Horse-power of Horse-power of .i Steam Engines; Steam~es. ---..:-·· Steam Engines, for crushing ... 6' 45 Ditto, crushing and pumping 52 Ditto, , puddlil}g and'pumping 7 lOO Water Jl,ljll for crtishing' · · .•. 1.'6' .•. : ... Horse l'uddling Macl"\iues 12 Horse Whims 6 .. 2 i Horse Whips 2 Total value of mining plant in the subdivision, £15,000. Number of square miles of auriferous groun!l which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon, 19. Number of distinct quartz reefs which have heel). actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 22. · c The price of gold during the quarter in the subdivision has been from £3 17s. 3d. to £3 17s. 6d. per ~z. · · THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE . QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND QuARTZ TAILINGS AND CEMENT CRUSHED DURING THE QuART~R, AND, THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFlto:r.r. . i . . . . · Aver~o '' ' . Remarks relative to · Where Quartz, &c., were Name of Company. Quartz crushed. I Yield of Gold ~~: Total. Y1eld of the Depthatwhiah • obtained. • per Ton. ., G<>ld. the Quartz 'was , obtliined. · ------·~------··- ---~------: '---·~~-~ -~-+----~-~ ton cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr, BARFOLD RANGES. - - ' Alexr. I.eslie and Co .... Grey's Reef ••• I ... 58 15 0 0 9 I 21, 29 0 0 200 feet John 'fyson ...... Milvane's Il.eef ... 27 0 0 0 2 OB 2 IS 0 Surface MALMSBURY, ·Binny and Co. ... :8o. I claim, Orr's Reef... 26 0 0 l 8 18 37 7 12 ·20 feet 'Pullen and Co. ... No. 3 North, 0IT's Reef 32 0 0 I 0 220-!; . 4 ll 0 50 feet Connell and Co. ... No. 3 South, Orr's Il.eef 35 0 0 411 7 16 0 90 feet ol ·' Holliwell and Co. ... No. 4 South, Orr's Reef 1 lO 01 I 8 8 I 2 2 12 Ditto Braithwaite and Co. ... Jefferson's Il.eef ... 155 0 0 1 5 I2-/!j 197 17 0 30 f\:.et Il.nssell and Co. ... Colibari Reef ...... 50 0 0 0 18 15~ 46 15 0 60 feet l'ullen and Co. ... Kent Reef ...... 6 0 0 l l 16 6 10 0 30 feet· Pullen and Co. ... Orr's Reef ...... 12 0 0 3 14 10 44 13 0 20 feet .Hanagan and Co. ... No. 2 North, Orr's H.eef I8 0 0 I 6 4 23 ll 0 70 feet Reid and Co. ... Kangaroo Reef ... 37 0 0 1 8 I6~ 53 1 12 Ditto Alpha Co ...... Taradale ...... 200 0 0 0 5 50 0 0 75 feet McFarlane and Co, ... Belltopper Reef ••1 i 150 0 0 0'9 67,10 0 7Q feet J. Guichard ...... Frenchman's Reef ... I 50 0 Q 0 1,5 g I 37 10 0 120 feet 1'otal, Quartz ...I 858 5 0 0 14 5f 610 19 12 Qua,rtz Tailings. and 1-~-~-- ---.. -~. Oement crushed. I · Binny an·d Co. ... No. I claim, Orr'sReef·.;,l '473 0 0 0 2 7 54 5 12 Pullen and Co. ... No. 3 North, Orr's Reef 485 0 0 0 2 15!': -~64 0 0 Holliwell and Co. ... No. 4 South, Orr's Reef , 191 0 0 0 0 20Jt 8 5 0 J. Bear and Co. ... No. 4 North, Orr's Reef I 900 0 0 0 3 . 1~; 136 11 0 l Total, Qu~rtz Tailings } and Cement ~,049 0 0 0 2 13J 263 l 12 Of th~ 19 square miles I mention jh my report, I estimate the portions of all the leads, gullies, and creek beds, which have been,and are being worked, at an area not exceeding 500 acres; on the reefs the worked area is under 2(10 acres. . 'About '6,000· acres· have lately been occupied as frontage claims, on I unw9rked grounds, reaching from Malmsbury to the junction of the Coliban and Campaspe Rivers, being all of the available Crown land of basaltic formation. , , :, Very little ofthis ground is being worked ; the number of tunnels that have been commenced is only seven on the whole 6,000 acres. . ; . . The total number of claims held, as above, is 68, and the number being worked is 35. 68 When J.estimate the area of auriferous country, as above, at 19 square miles, I include much ground in the vicinity of gold workings, but which has not been actually worked, and :my statement is therefore qualified by the above particulars. • , . Much enterprise is being displayed, under assumption of the auriferous character of the sub· basaltic deposits of this district. Every available piece of Crown land, and also much of private lands, are being appropriated to mining, but tim~ must elapse for forming companies and for preliminaries before much actual work can be done. There appears to me sufficient indications to warrant the prevailing , expectations; since the leads actually known trend beneath the basaltic formations, in the proximity of Taradale, Malmsbury, and Lauriston. . As regards the discovery at Redesdale,. which has caused such a "i·ush" for large frontage claims in that locality, I must mention that the prospectors, Brown and Co., have hitherto washed up only five or six loads of earth, and that the produce averaged· about 8 dwts. per load. They seem to have a great quantity ofw!).shdirt on their claim, which at one part'is 8 feet deep . . Another proof of the auriferous nature of this district of Redesdale is found in the fact of the bed of the Coliban River having, for years past, ;rielded rich "\'eturns from many of its pools; and the gold thus met with must have been washed into,the river beds by streams cutting their courses through the basaltic rock, as is very evident on the spot. · At Taradale, Bell's J.ead· exceeds all expectatious that have been formed of its richness. Six claims thereon having now struck gold. · . . There has been a new reef .struck on the private property of Mr. Milvane, at about 2 miles eastward of Malmsbury. ~ Although the yield (as set forth in the tabular·statement) does not show a large result, yet, as this reef is surrounded by the basaltic country, it is another proof of the auriferous character of the sub- basaltic beds. · On the whole, I may state that this gold field of the Taradale subdivision is in a most promising state of advancement. --·------=------ MALDON DIVISION. Mr. Robt. N ankivell, 1l1 ining Sur.veyor and Registrar. THE TOTAL NUMBlllR OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS: ' - EUl'opoans. Chlnese. I Total tor the Division. Remarks. · ------~ --··------Alluvial Miners ... 577 759 1,336 Quartz Miners ... 583 ... I 583 Tot.als ... 1,150 759 .I 1,919 ' THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS. THUS DISTRIBUTED:-· Mount 'l'arrangower 218 Newstead 41 Back Creek ... .29 Eaglehawk , ., 192 Pickpocket ... 570 Frymgpan Gully . 5 Growler's Gully 41 Gardner's Gully 22 Green V alley . :. ' 32 Pegleg Gully 73 Long Gully ... 14 Long Gully ... 44 Beehive Hill 165 Ironbark Gully 18 Frenchman's Gully 10 ·Porcupine 88 Armstrong's ... i7 Nuggetty 67 Hard Hills 11 'Total ... 1,919 Sandy Creek 250 i Hunter's Rush 12 THE MACRINljill.Y IS AS FOLLOWS:- ALLUVIAL MINING. QUARTZ MINING. I / Description of Maclliiuiry. 1 ·--~: Aggregate Number \ Aggregate .At Work. I Idle. Horse-power of AtWork.l Idle. ofStamp Ho...,power of Steam Engines. ' _._;_____ ...... H H Steam Engines, employed in pump- 1 ... 10 20 10 312 606 ing, winding, and crushing I Whims ...... 28 15 • ...... Derricks ...... I 4 ... 4 2 ...... Fuddling Machines ...... 54 20 ...... \ Toms ...... lO ,5 ...... Water Wheels ...... 2 I ...... ' I Total value of mining plant in the division, £67,850. 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, 53. , The price of gold during the quarter in. the division has bee_n from £3 17~. 6d. to ~3 19s. 3d. per oz. 69 1fHE FOI,LOWING lNFORl\:LA.TION HAS BEEN OBTAINED REJ,ATIVE TO TIJE QUA..NTI~Y OF QUARTZ AND QUARTZ TAILINGS AND CEMENT CRUSHED DUIUNG TIIE QUARTER, AND THE GoLD OBTAINED THEREFROM. ! Rel!lll.rkB relative to the Where Quartz, &c., were I Average Total Yield of Name of Company. I Quartz crushed. : Yield of Gold Depth e.t wbi ST. ANDREw's EAST SuBDIVIS!()N. Mr. R. Brazill, Milnimg Surveyor and .Registrar. THE TOTAL NuMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:- Alluvial Miners ... 165 165 There are 12 miners in tin. ' ' Quartz Miners 15 15 Totals 18') 180 1 THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED :- Darling Reefs ... 15. Warburton 6 W alshe's Creek 32 Iloddle's Creek 21 Muddy Cre!Jk 10 Emerald Diggings 34 Big. Bill's Creek 4 McMahon's Creek 12 Total 180 Yarra River Claims 46 THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS :- QuARTz MnrmG. 1------~~ ----- Description of Machinlll'y. j ' Aggregate Number Aggregate At Work. Idle. IHorse-power of At Work. Idle. of Stamp Steam Engines. 1 ' Heads. 1 =-c.~~ 0-rd_i_n_a-ry_P_u--d-dl_i_n·g·--~M-a_e_h_in_e_s_w_o_r_k_e_d•t-~- -:- • •• I~~.. -~ ...... by Horses i I 1 Water Wheel for Crushing Quartz,· ... 1 4 I· ... I ...... 1 ... about 6 horse-power 1 Water Wheel for Pumping ... 1 ...... [ ... Total value of mining plant in the subdivision, £1,750. Number of square miles of auriferous ground w hiroh is being, or may have been, actually worked upon, St. . Number of distinct. quartz reefs which have been actually proved to· be auriferous to the present t1me, 5. • The price of gold during the quarter in the subdivision has b"een from £3 ] 5s. to £3 17s. 6d. per oz. · 70 ' .I ·~~~,!,lq;,) ~·."·~ .-~· • ' ' • ' . t . ' ' . . :.u:;I;J1~VJ:, 1litt~~ _to; r~port this ~mirter as, w:it:vithstan~ing much pr~par.ation, little _has "been achieve~, ,"OW:IJlg,tg va.:r:wus cau~e~, .~Y any of the compames orgamsed·for workmg m quartz, tm, and for gold, m the bed of the Y arra: · · ~;}:; o~l~~{!T]ie i9l*ing of ST. ANDREw's WEST SuBDIVISION. Mr. Joseph Smith; Mining Surveyor, and Registrar.·- ----' THE ToTA.L NUMBER oF MINERS IS A.S FOLJ~ows :- Total for the European. Chinese. Subdivision. .. Remarks. ' / ' ·' Alluvial Miners ... 000 364 .74 438 Quartz Miners ...... 188 ... 188 ·. ' . Total ...... 552 74 626 ·-~·-· ' THE T.OTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS D.ISTRIBUTED :- ALLUVIAL MINERS, ALLUVIAL MINERS-continued. ' •Queenstown- Anderson's- · Whisky Gully .. . 12 Whitehair's Gully 6 Yow :Yow .. . 20 Banks of the Y arra 18 ' Happy V a~ley .. . 2 Chinese 74 Wild Dog .. . 25 About Queenstown 21 QUARTZ MINERS. Badger Point '. .. 50 Queenstown- Salter's Rush .. . 4 Swedish Reef, One-tree Hill 18 Old Caledonia .. . 6 Gillman's Reef, One-tree Hill 9 Fern-tree Hill .. 7 Yow-Yow Reefs 25 Long Gully 30 Smile of Fortune Reef ... 6 New Chum Reef 2 Kingstown Victoria Heef, One-tree Hill 4 Cherry-tree Gully 12 Golden Point ·Reef 6 Red Shirt Gully 8 Ford Gully ... 6 Kingstown- Oram's Reef 13' Kangaroo Ground Jerome's Reef ... 2 ..~ .. ~: Stony Creek ... 12' Boom er's' Reef ... 6 - Wet Gully · 9' Com~t Reef 4 · Watery Gully ... 20 Jacob's Reef ... 4 Eltham- -Anderson·s Creek Buchanan's Gully 1() Growler's lleef 6 Ferny-tree Hill 4 Fourth Hill . 7 Research Gully 8 · Diamond Creek 6 Diamond C~eek (private ground) Diamond Reef Gold l\'lining Co. 45 .... •Anderson's- • McDougall and Co. . ..., 19 Anderson's Creek 30 No. 3 Company ' " · · ., 5 ·· Thompson Gully 18 Orme and Co •... 5 Stiggins's Flat.'.. 12 O'Callaghah's .. .' r I 2 . :·:Parson's Gully 4 Whipstick Gully 4 Total ·· 62() 71- THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS :- ., ' .. ' ALr.UVIAr. MINING, • . . ~"uAR~Z M:rniNG, ' Description of Machinery. "-·1- .:; Aggref!llte Number Aggregate ·· 1 At Work. Idle. Horse-c_or At Work, Idl~. of. Stamp Horsc-c_pf Steam · ea. Heads.· Steam . es. ------.. Seidleberg's crushing mill; Yow Yow ...... •· ...... 1 ... 12 15 Ditto, ditto, Badger's Point...... 1 uofl 12. 10 ) 1 6 Wilkinson's ditto, Jfingstown ...... ~ ···:-, . •• IO . Diam:Jnd Gold Mining Company ...... - i ... 12 15 Anderson~s Creek Smelting and J Crushing Machine l 4 6 ...... ' ...... Fuddling Machines ...... 16 ,o5• ...... Whims ...... 2 l ' ...... Whips ... 8 ...... :z ...... I;' ...... i ... ' ... '"'' ., ., . . . ht·l . ,. .. ' '. .. . . ' ! ·~.' ' l t Total value of mining plant in the subdivision, £5,470. 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 b'e auriferous to the present time, 10. " · The pric~ of gold duri,~g,th~,quar~r in the.sp.bdiv~~on has:bet;!f fro~.£p 17s. to £4 per oz. THE FOLLOWING INFORArATioi' ii:A.i{·'lir.m:N o:BT.h~m} RELATI.Jiii· tbi.TrlE' QuANTITY oF QuARTz AND REFUSE QUARTZ, ETC., CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEI!.EFROM. Where Qua.rlz, &c., were I Average Id Rema:rks relative to the Names of Companies. obtained. - Quartz crushed. :Yield of Gold Tola~:£ of Depth at which the Quartz : per1.ton. was obtained, &c. ton ·cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt, gr. ... Swedish Reef, . Oue- 16 10 .. 0 21 .. 3 OJ!r 349 0 0 50 feet tre'e Hill • Lanky.Joe · ...... Ditto ...... 13 o 'o 10 6 l6j 134 7 0 50 feet Coolie and Barker's . .. Y ow-yow Reef .. . 20 0 0 2 l. ;O 41 '0 o 70 feet Mandell and Co. ... ·Ditto ·... '- .. . '.]!'l 0 0 0 15 ...7.ii, .. 9 19 o 65 feet Sloane and Co. ... Ditto ...... 20 0 0 3 4 12 64 io o 100 feet Roman and Co. ... Ditto ...... 10, 0 0 0 16 21~ 8 9. o 90 feet Sawdcn Brothers .. . 'Golden Point, Queens- ..-ts· o o 0 13 8 10 0 0 30 (eet , :town · t:r. 1•· I Purcell and Co. ... New Chum Reef ... l 8 0 0 I 19 0 2 12 Surface Simpson and Co, .. . Comet Reef ... ;,3 0' 0·. I 7 16 4,,_3 0 10 feet Reed and Co. ... Ditto ...... 20 0 't:f 'l 10 . 0 '3o ··o o Surface to 20 feet · Jacob and Co . .,· ... Jacob's Reef .. . 19 10 0 1 2. OH 21 l·9 18 Surface No. 4 North ...... Oram's Reef .. . 126 0 0 2 18 9' 368 0 0 Surface to 17 6 feet No. 5 North ...... Ditto ...... 36 0 0 0 17 14~ 31 l4 0 About 170 feet No. 1 South ..... · ... Ditto ... . •. 3 0 0 0 16 16 2 lb 0 Surface to 20 feet Perry and Co. .. . Boomer's Reef ... ·13 10 0 1 ·n · 2•·5 21 li 0' 0 Surface to 50 feet Abandoned claim .. .. Growler's Reef. An- · 2 o ·o 0 7·;12 ·.o ·iS· o IIO feet derson's Creek .. ,,j Gold :&fining Company Diamond Reef 399 ·o o 1 4 9m 486 s ~~ 225 feet McDougall and Co. .. . Ditto ... 204 o o 0·19 14i I 2o6 o o 130 feet No. 3 Company. .. . Ditto. . ... ' ... 80 0 0 0 14 13k 58 5 0 130 feet Or me and Co: .. . Ditto .. . 62 0 0 i l 0 23! 65 0 0 9o feet. 1 Total, Quiirti':-•. -t,-0-76-··'"''t-s~·o-:,--,, ''i' 1s :16': 1,906 lO 18 .l ... ..i.. Re,fuse Quartz, {fc • Hllllt and•Co. ... Wild Dog . .} 10 ·o. 0 10 0 0 15 0 Rubbish and schist Seidleberg and Co. ... Badger Point· lOO 0-0.... , 0 1 l4i. 8 0 0 Rubbish and schist No. 3 North ...... Oram's Reef 41 0 0 ! 0 0 23~ I 19 12 Refuse quartz and T9tal, Refuse } . schist 142 lO 0 l I2! 10 14 12 Quartz, &c. 0 I ' I have the honor to report that considerable activity has taken place in mining in this subdivision during the. quarter. . . ., .... : · · · In alluvial mining, several puddling' machines hl!-ve been erected, the results from which appear to give satisfaction to ~~e owners. ' · , . . . · · · Several large nuggets have been· found· at"Fern-tree·· Hill,· near 10ne-tree Hill, the largest weighing 84 ozs .. ~~~~.as.~q.y~,d ';, o.ne. alsR. o~_?.O,ozs:, and se_v!Jral smaller ones. The grom;d, wh~re these nuggets were found IS now so rotten from being tossed' about, and so full of water, that 1t 1s d1fficult to work the same with sn\)h means as have been applied ; but there is some ground left which has not been touched, w hi eh, if systeni:i.tically managed 'by a company' ·would yield: 'hil:nasome returns. 7.2 . . The average earnings of the 364 alluvial miners are about £110s. per week each,' and that of the 74 Chinese at about £1 per week each; which, if turned into gold, would represent about 2,000 ozs. during the quarter, and, when added to 1,917 ozs. (the produce of the crushing machines), will make a total of 3917 ozs. of gold during the quarter for the subdivision. Qu~rtz reeling in this subdivision is, upon tlie whole, in aliealthy state as regards profits. Great excitement has been caused by the large yields in Swedish Reef, One-tree Hill, the working share holders in which realise about £20 a week each. One-sixth share in the Lancashire Hero claim has lately changed hands for £500. , But the s_o called re11fs are merely "leaders," of only a few inches in thickness. There are not many discovered reefs in this subdivision, and those which have been tried have been abandoned for the small lodes. The ground where some of the reefs are situate is very steep, and well adapted for tunnelling purposes, which if taken up by companies would, I think, be Yery remunerative. The quartz miners in this locality• have a great objection to work the thick reefs, on account of their not giving a sufficient return near ·the surface. The Diamond Creek Gold Mining Company are now at a depth of 225 feet, with an average thickness of 18 inches, the stone of which is l:iecoming richer the deeper they go; the works are carried on in a proper and systematic manner,· contrasting favorably with the style upon which the reefs in the subdivision are generally worked, which Jor the most part would merit no better term than fossicking. ' There is one hydraulic hose in the course of erection a~ Wild Dog, and about six puddling machines in other parts of the .subdivision; which, when added to the' increased, activity in quartz mining, will, I trust, improve the returns for ~he ,incoming quarter. . ' BLuE MoUNTAIN NORTH SuBDIVISION. Mr. R. H. Horne, Mining Registrar. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS :- Europea.ns. i Chinese. Total for the Suhdivlsion. Renmrks. Alluvial Miners ...... 825 ... 825 The other popullltiou Quartz Miners ...... 200 ... 200 amounts to between 41)0 a.nd 500. ' . -! ' Totals· ...... 1,025 ... 1,025 THE TOTAL NUMBER OF )\"[INERS IS. THUS DISTRIBUTED ~entham, including Trentham Creek, Stony Creek, Rocky Lead, &c. 60 Coliban Falls ...... ' ...... 10 Trentham and Tylden Farmers' Commons 15 Tylden, on the Coliban .:...... 10 Newbury, incl,uding Main Flat, Dover Castle Creek, &c. 50 Dry Diggings · 20 Amelia Reef 20 Alma Reef, Alma Creek, &c. . . . , 205 Garlick's, Kirk's, the Glue Pot, &c. . .. 575 Doctor's Hill, Blue Creek, Canadian Hill 45 M~d-lark Diggings, Kangaroo Creek' 15 Total ... 1,025 THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS :- ' .. ALLUVUL MINL,.G, QuA.RTZ M:nmw. Descriptioo of MllclUnei')'. Aggregate I Number, .i Aggregate At Work. Idle. Horse-power of At Work. I Idle. of Stllilllp Horse-Power of Steam Engines. Heads. Steam Engines. -~~---·---"~ Steam Engines ...... 4 2 50 1 ' 2 ao I Puddling Machines ...... 10 ...... (···~!:ing) ... Sluicing Machines ...... 5 ...... Crushing Mills ...... ' ...... 2 1 ...... Pumping Machines ...... 5 ...... 2 ...... Whims ...... 2 ...... 2 ... i ...... ' Total value of mining plant in ~e subdivision, £~.~· . ' . Number of square mil~s of auriferous ground wh1ch IS bemg, or may have been, actually worked upon, 7. '1' h Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be aur11erous tot e present time, 5· - . . . b f £" 7 £3 17 a'd The. price. of gold dnring the quarter in the subdlVlsiOn has ,een rom <> 1 s. to s. • per oz. 73 THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS· BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TQ THE CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOJ•D OBTAINED TREREF:IlO'M:. Where Quartz was Average Name of Oompa.ny. Quartz el'UJjhed, YieldofG<:lld obtained. per ton. ton cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. ,oz. dwt. gr. Alma. No. 1 Prospecting Alma. Reef 400 0 0 0 7 12 150 0 0 Claim , I have the honor to report that the Aima No. 1 (prospecting claim) latterly been chiefly employed in sinking ·a new shaft. They are now down about 60 feet with this new shaft, and intend to ~ink ~t to 200 feet i f~r this reason ~heir crushing pperations have been '?omp~ratively. s~spended, whiCh accounts for the yteld of gold bemg so much less than usual from th1s cla1m. This 1s also the case with regard to the No. 2 south claim on the Aim a Reef, where the company are sinking a new shaft. • Of ~he Amelia Reef Ooml?any the sani.e must likewise be reported, as t)1ey have been exclusively engaged in erecting a .new engme and machinery for pumping, and have therefore crushed nothing during the last quarter beyond a few prospectings and experimental selec~ions. They have a shaft down, however, to the depth of 120 feet. Among the alluvial claims, those of the ·greatest" promise-or, at any r~te, of the more immediate appearance of rich development--are the Ulster, the Columbian, the Boundary Lead, the Commercial, and the company at work in Ogden's Paddock. The boiler of the Boundary Lead has unfortunately. burst a second time; this claim has consequently been obliged to suspend opJrations for a week or two. Other promising claims have also ceased to work, being under registered protection, on account, for the most part, of an overflow of water; but the Columbian and the company working in Ogden's Paddock (which is private property)' continue to find gold of a superior quality. Both these workings are likely to~~~ . I The claim, however,-whieh at this time excites most attention is that Of the Ulster. They have bottomed .at a depth of 119 feet, and found that the ground was taking a sudden dip very much deeper. It is, therefore, confidently expected that the Ulster will be the first.on this gold field to discover the main deep auriferous ·lead. The gold found, however richly,'in all the othl\ricla.ims, appears to be only from branches of a deep lead. When the latter is really discovered, the advance of this gold field will probably be rapid. ' · · The Commercial Company have come upon gold in good quantity and fine quality, and as this claim is the next adjoining the Weird Krook (or :Blue Mount), the opinion of miners as to the probable source of the branch leads being from the .Blue .!fount seems to obtam additional confirmation. Anoth ARARAT MINING DISTRICT. ARARA.T DIVISION. Mr. Henry Grilmes, Miming Swrve/gor and Re!}istrM. THE TOTAL NuMBER oF MINERS xs AB FOLLows:-:- I Total for the .. ~u.ropeane. Chinese. Division • Rellll!rkB. ' Alluvial Miners ...... 700 720 1,420 . Quartz Miners ...... 150 ... 150 . Totals ... 85"1 720 1,570 I l ' . No. 69, i. ·1 ... ' . THE' TOTAl( NUMBER. OF :MINERS I::f THUS. DISTRIBUTED:-:-. .•·. _;, 400 ·~· .. ... :'120 •' • A ...... ~,- 5.59:.\ ·.: > f 300 200 .. :'·,···~~1. ···- 1,570. .• 1 .,,; ~ \ ''" : ;.:1.\ THE JYf.A.CHINERY IS· AS FOLLOWS:- ALLUVIAL MINING. ' • I ' " ' ;I Description of Machiliery. · ·A:;;gregate r • ~ ·· Number Aggre~a.te' 'I ( At -iv ork: 'I .' ~d!~. Horse-Power of At Work. Jdte. of Stamp HOI'lle-l'owe:t of. Steam Engines. Reads. steam Enginfll!· r ] ' Ste;J:!l, E~gine~, ~ empioyed·' in I' I I. . pumping and winding . . •. I . .1· ,3 42 I 1 ..... 12 Fuddling .1\-Iachines •• • . •. 1 40 10 Slui;es a:nd To)llS ••• ,I • 250 .. 8 . ~· Wh1ms ...... • Steam Engmes, employed for···1 . ., 2 i6 2f ' 'crushing only ' . ., I Ditto, crushing, pumping, and /.\ 4 36 65 ., •·-·winding • '. . • • ·' · ' . · ·I·I ' ,_Total value.9f l!linin~ plantin .the division, £14.~00.. . . • · · .. .~. · Number of·square mlles of auriferous. ground Which 1s bemg, or may have been, actually'worked upon, 3~. ··. · · · · ' · · · .~; · ·· · Number of distinct quartz reefs .. which have· been actually proved• to be a~riferous·to the pres~nt. tJme,-14: · , :· · . . • . ··~ The'pnce'of gold during the quarter in th~ division has been from £317s.'6d. to £317s. 9d.:per oz. , , , 1 'I • ,,<•' Tft~ ·~~~·aowr~G iN:F~~lrA.TroN. nAs BEEN oBTAINED RELATivE TO TIIE · QtJA,NTITY OF QUA.R.TZ AND ·'·'"""'"'Qu:!iiTz' T·A.iti:N.Gs AND.' Cl!lM:ENT c·RlrsHED. DURING THE YEAR, AND TR~ GoLD oBTAINED . - ' ...... - .. ' ' ' . . . . ' ~ . T~R.EJF¥_QM. .f '' '';I , , "'1' 1 • Q 1 ' • - · • 'I Average -~<:;T·' 0 t 1 y· Id 0r !Remarks re!atiYe' 'to tho .'! ' N~e of Company. Where oo'l!'i!~d~c., ~as Quartz fll'UShed. ,YieJd of Goldi a(-k>l~f_ , Depthat.which~heQ.ua.rtz -v;· <. • ... • ,· • , .. 1 1 c...... ~-""~--'-'-=-:...:.-] . 1, pcrT nj· :., ~- !···n·.··tt · 1r 1·.·r • .t:J • J .~ ! .:··tor.icWt. Q.t.:· ozl.<:hvt.·gr~ !~ •O'".fi. dll't.gr. • ·~ :;.,.~;; Kang;J.r.oo.Co,. C~mpbell's Reef ·.... 313 o o . o 11 1sr 185 o o 350 feet deep.i. North Star,Co.... ,; ...;. 1 ,D~tto1. :-: , ,,,... ,. .358,q0 ~o , 1 . 4 5(~ ·· ·~33 .. ,15 0 100 feet,deep:w. ~-· n Three Crowns Co. .•. D~tto .•• ... 325 o . o o I!l 12 , 1 317. 1 12 300 feet deep. So1l~~ewC.r?!s:9o· .:··· :Q1tt~! ;, .. ',·.,.• ;··: ~_5o ..• o.. o o., 7. 2~t,. 89 o o. 260fee.tdeep.· ----.------:-----~ .. .,~ t: 1 *Tot[il, Quart;,:,,; 1,246 o 0 · o 16 101{11,024 16 12 ,~;; .':' :: d·.~ .. l ' .' ]. .} '•ti . • ! ''-~Q]la'rtZ''~T.{ziling('and.:' • · ·,· 1 '· ',;., , • ., ~.~ ..; "~f.~ -.-.- .. --;:::!-,.--. --.-.- .. :i!'. ~·cem'ent-irusluid. · .. ' ' '/ · ·.•·. ·' · ·... ,... " ..' '• .;.ll . \ Sebastopol Co. · .· Ararat Township .•. 600 0 o. . 0 4 0 120 o· o 60 feet deep. Quartz Cruslzed. \ ' I. Southern Cross Co. . .. 9ail)pbJ:lll',!! ~ee( ... 523 -0 0 0 15 ·tl6 0 0 North Star Co. · • ),_ . :•. f. .'Pi.~~o J .';; ;: \ 1 ... ~!14~~ Q. ~Q,_ i oJ,:,~7 1 P69 ,,1\l ;Q ~j i·'. Three Crowns Co. Ditto 296 0 0 l 12 483 5 0 Koh-i-noor Co. Ditto -- ... -H ·.o o . o 3 7 o o Northern Light Co. Ditto ~ 0 0 I 0 36 0 0 · Prospector~s Co. Ditto 350. 0 0 0 18' 325 ·15 0 Phcenix· Co .... Ditto .Zf:J ".f-653-~ o .,or1 J,o:.Lt ·178 o o Kangaroo Co. . . Ditt9~ ••• ... . ~32 o. ~:! 1 1 · o 54t () o :'·.w·im;·.;~:·'· '..\\;\._ • · ~.'~\:t~+~-~·:To:;--: .. :~· ,. ~ \~-.-.-· -.--.- .. -..-.-, . 12,883 "0 0 I 0 17 I 12,456 0 0 I • The particulars of these crusliings were nilli;furilished iu;tim 1.-fy reportrfor the quarter i~ as;.follovl's:-' "''"\"!; , .~'"'~'"'f· ! • I . ·' 1 - -The miners generally have lleen doing w9II. .,...... There have been fourteen 'prospect claims registered, viz., ·one at Milk Maid Creek,. one at l'hillip's Flat, five in or adjoining Providence :Gully; two at ·Shay's Flat, two· at .Armstrbn'g's, 'one at· Opossum. Gully, ·one at Spring Lead, one at Ge~man. Gally, ori£1. at G:r;asshopper F,lat, and one 'between Shay's Flat .and Providence Gully. .At this last place a· rush ,of 400 ~in~rs ~as ~alren pl~ce. The prospectors get as much as two to three ounces per load of wasl:idn•t, whJCh IS mne mches th1ck, and.. at a depth of seventeen, feet from the surface. There are forty claims at present that have got ' 75• the lead: and ~hich:employ.about·~60 men.. Adjoining·.the.Prospect. Claim,. at, Phillip's Flat, thcl'~ is ..~~o rush of 100 men, many ~L whom.ate doing W(lll,. At. Grasshopper ~lat, ..aJso, a rush of. about lOO men has just'·set in. · · ' . · ·' · · " 11 In the deep lead sinkings, .the Ararat Company, in the several bores.they have made, have.not as yet struck the lead. The Black Lead Company, in their first bore, had a mishap in the bursting of their'tubing, liut are now well down -with· a second.. The Victory Claim is not as ye,t payin~ wages; the groood·has-partly fallen· in, and .obliged them to commence a new drive.· The Sebastopol vompany have come to a stoppage on account of the returns being less than the expenses. At Moyston the reef claims are one and all in a healthy cowiition. The Three Crown claim have nearly finished working up, and have commenced tojink' again. 'The Piospe~~ors are wo _from the 300 feet level; the stone is of average quality;-yielding ·fialf an ounce 'to on ton:i--:J;Iuttonv an:d··company· have opened out on the same "level as the prospectors; their storie.looks well. 'rhe. Company, which now includ~s the Phamix and ]lying PP<:. ~!aims, . hav,e ~heir shaft _do , feet; there is good' gold to be seen at that depth; there 1s, therefore, no fear of the reef runmng out for some time yet. The 'Southern Cross Company is yielding better by far than lie'retofore. · Tliere is no doubt now that the •investment made by the shareholders:will ulbimately prov:e.IJ:emunerative. TheN orth Star Company have a forty horse-power engip.e now on the .ground; It will be erected as speedily as possible, and will give a fresh impetus to mining on the nQrth end of the reef. In alluvial mining there is little doing, an:d little· can be done until the machinery at the North' Star's Company'!! ground co~mence~·work, so as to drain the .gro~n~. The 1Moyston Grand ~u'!ction Company hli,ve some of thc1.r machmery on .the ground wh.l!lll,It.Is confi~~ntly expected, w_ill pr9ve. payable. · ' · · ' .. · t · - ' • ·• · · .. • '- · . ,,,,.,, '.•.. J .' ',... ·PLEASAJ:h CREEK DIVISION; Mr. John D'Alt~n: :M~i~[;'Sutf!Veyor ar{/[Regist'ru;r: ·· ' ..... ,. ·,,. I I 1 Total for the Europeans. Chinese. Division. .! !Wmllrkll. ------~------~--~~-~~--2-rl--~---r-1-----~~~ -~--~~,,-,-,------~~--- Alluvial Miners 766. ! ' 280 ' l•0.1_l}.. " ,'l_j!J.~ ,{a,!)j.l)g off in the ·number or ,,, ' 1 Quartz Miners 480 · • ! ; -: 4s~: :·: '· quartz miners is owing to nearly ----~~ ------!------' alf the claims at Elizabeth Creek ·Totals'· '·1,246' . . - ·280' ' ·-· '1~526" .SJJJlp~dipg 'Y..Qr~. . ,._ ----- THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MJ:N·ERS·'IS TRUS DISTRIBUTED:_:_ .. " '. ~·{ Deep L.ea!l ... 300 Quartz Reefs , 480 .. .I • '; ;.i., .. ; •'Churdi I Four Posts :...... so. Hill · · · ••'"•". '••• ' 4 Commercial str:eet 100 New Rt~sh, n_ear Cemetery, Concongella::: . 50 Elizabeth• Creek•' .• 8.• -----'- Great Western 500;: Total , ...... 1,526 Ironbarlr ...... '" 4 ~" t· THE MACHINERY IS 'AS" FOLLOWS:~. ALLUVIAL :!\fiNING. Description of Mn.chineey. Aggregate • • Number Aggregate 'At Work. Idle.· Horse-power .of ,At W~rk. of Stamp Horse-power of Steam Engines. ;Reads.:- Steam Engines. .. Steam Engines 4 1 66 7 6 338 Crushing Machines. 4 1 p 3 ~36 Fuddling Machines 3 8 Whims 2· 5 ~·. " 21 '5 Whips 10"' . 4. Sluice Boxes 6 30 . •' l• ... Toms 60 39 ... ' ... Cbilian :ROllers ·( cru.shing quartz ... tailings, eaeh roller 12 tons weight) ; i ' ·: Total value of mining' plant in· the division, £61,260. * · ... , ' ·.. Number of square miles of auriferous ground which·is being, oi may have been, actually worked upon, ll&,t . .. · · Number of distinct quartz reefs -&hichhave been actually proved to be auriferous to the··present time, 17. · · ' · " · · . · . ,Th?price of gold during the quart!lr in the divi~ion has ~een from £~ 16s. to .£3 17s. 6d. per oz. • There have been eonsid!"?ble a.ddit!ons.ma.de to the milling plant during the qu&rter. , 1 ha,ve ~ot, however, raised the estimated ' value of the m.ll1lilg plant 1n the dtVlBWn, cona1denn.g the new mtWhinery as eqmvnJent to the detenorat1.0u m '•a,lue of some of the older plant. t The surface of nearly all the quartz cla.tms has been worked for alluvial; I have therefore always included them in the above estimate. . ' . 76 THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS ~EEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND QUARTZ TAILINGs A_ND CEMENT CRUSHED DURING THE QuARTER, AND THE GoLD oBTAINED T~EREFROM. ! Where Quartz, &c., were Average Total Yield of Remarks relative to the N~me of· gompa.ny. obtained. Quartz "";~shed: Yield of Gold Depth a.t which the per Ton. Gold. Quartz was obtained. ,. ton cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Pleasa~t Creek Quartz Scotchmin•s and New 1,875 . 0 0 0 10 3f 951 11 7 ! From 180 to 280 f!i: ' Mining Company , Chum Reefs Lamont ·and Company Cross and Flat ~eefs 1,565 0 0 0 14 0 11,095 10 0 From 360 to 466ft Moonlig:ht Company .... Various Reefs ' .,. 1,433 0 0 0 11 14f 83L 1 0 Victoria Cgmpany ... Sloan's and Scotch- 1,200 0 0 0 11 6h 675 8 0 260 feet ' ' man's Reefs Rose of Denmark Com· Cross Reef ... 1,100 0 0 0 8 21~2 488 4·12 300 feet pany' North and South Wales Dundee ROOf, Eliza- 47 0 0 l 13 0 77 ll 0 112 feet I Company beth Creek. ' Total, Quartz ... 7,220 0 0 on 9~ 4,119 5 19 , ___, Quartz Tailings and Cement crushed. - Cambrian Company ... Commercia( stree't ... 845 0 0 0 6 13! 276 15 0 - ' / North and South Wales· Deep Lead < ... 790 o. 0 0 6 q 239 19 5 Company ' AJ1uvial Company ... Deep Lead ... 360 0 0 0 4 5! 76 7 0 St. George's Company Quartz Reefs ... 1,920 0 0 0 2 11 236 o. 0 Independent Coli!pany Deep Lead and Four' 280 0 0 0 5 .0 70 0 0 Posts Tweedy and Company Commercial street .•. 104 0 0 0 4 6 22 2 0 Total, Quartz Tail·} ings and Cement 4,299 0 0 0 '4 6~ 921 3 5 I ; QUARTZ. The new formations of the Cross and Scotchm~'s Reefs alluded to in my last Quarterly :n,eport are being very successfully worked, and have improved· in yield during the quarter. Apparently after working out the old reefs, a new system of reefs has been come on in this ground, at a very conf,!iderable deptl:),, varying from 350 feet to 460 feet. These appear to take nearly the same coutse as that of the Old Cross Reef. It is also very encouraging to find that the stone, instead of growing poor as was expeeted by many, is much richer than that taken from higher levels. , · · Animportant amalgamation of'claims has taken place On·the North.Perthshire and'South Scotchman's Reefs, where it is proposed to form a company, and erect additional machinery for the more efficient; working of,this ground. . . , On the Hampshire Reef several claims have also amalgamated, and work. has again been resumed. , · , . The Wild Cat Reef, long abandoned, has again been taken up, and a deep shaft is now'going down with the view of striking that reef at the water level. The Caledonian Reef has been again prospected and abandoned during the quarter. The M Reef has been worked with but indif(erent success. 1'he same may be said of the Mariner's dwts. being the highest prospect obtained. . , , On the North New Chum Reef an amalgamation of several ~laims has been effected, the owners ofwhich.are at the present time erecting a small crushing plant. The reef here is easily worked, and requires no burning ; so that though not rich it pays fair dividends. , ' . The Pleasant Creek Company are at present engaged on the southern surfaee reef, and have not yet commenced sinking for the deep reef. , Nothing has yet been done on the New Cross Reef Company's ground, but preliminary steps have been . taken to dispose of the scrip. The lode in this ground is altogether below ·the water level, . so that nothing can be done until machinery is obtained. ' I , ,, , Sloan's Reef still continues very productive, in Petrie and Company's and the adjoining claim, the lode having increase_d from four to seven feet six inches in thickness. , , . At Elizabeth Creek, the Duf!dee and Flying Doe 'reefs are worked with considerable suceess in the two prospecting claims, but beyond these no other claim, with but one exception; have struck the. reef. · , . · . . , A considerable amount of new machinery has' been added during the quarter, especially by the Saint George's Crushing CompliJly, who have now erected, in addition ,to their old crushing plant seven pairs of Chilian rollers, each weighing twelve -~ns. By the aid of these,_ together wi~li improved 1 tables, they have been enabled to rework the tallmgs left by other machmes w1th remuneratn;e results. In col).clusion,'I may state that for several years past quartz mining in this division has not had a more, healthy appearance than it at present assumes. · , 77 ALLUVIAL.,. The late rams have again given an impetus to mining on the various old gold fields .• A number of Chinese are working on the Four Posts; a few Europeans also have taken up groudd there. Two prospecting claims have been taken up near the D_eep Lead, but no other claims could find payable ground. ' . · Sufficient water is not yet obtainable to work any of the sluicing claims, either at Commercial street or on Church Hill. The Great Western are still the best alluvial workings in the division. A crushing machine is in course of erection at that place, and it is contemplated to erect stea1n machinery to test the wet ground at the point where the Wild Cat Lead was lost. . Within the last three days gold has been struck near Concongella Creek, within two miles of the reefs, the prospect obtained being 9 dwt~. to the load, the gold being exceedingly coarse and mixed with black sand. No other claim except the prospectors has bot.tomed up to the present time. The country is quite new in which this discovery has taken place, so.that there is every likelihood of a g<;>od lead existing here. The number of miners on the ground has rapidly incrt,Jased from fifty, at which I estimated it shortly after the prospecting claim,wn.s registered, to 200. . It has not, however, as yet caused an increase in the mining population of the division, those who have taken up ground being nearly all from the reefs. ' . A good deal of work is now being done along the various creeks in the neighborhood of the older diggings, where advantage has been taken of the late dry summer to raise lar~e quantities of aurifcrj:ms sludge and other dEJposit from many waterholes and other receptacles. Th1s is now being vigorously worked over with Berdan mills and compound cradles, and verv good wages have been the result in almost f)very case. · • RAGLAN DIVISION. M1•. E. W. Bagshawe, Milnilng Su1"1.1eym• and Registrar. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:- I Total for hl1e Europeans. Chinese. :Remarks. . . ' Division. Alluvial Miners ...... ;500 530"' 1,030 The estimated population of the Cement Miners ...... 4 ... 4 division is about same as before, .. • viz,, 3,500 in a radius of 10 miles . Totals ... 504 530 . 1,034 • There about 150 Chinese who are not miners not included. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUl'I!D :- Beaufort 254 Waterloo ...... 149 Sailor's Gully ... 86 Surface Hill and Poverty Point 60 Main Lead...... 393 · Sulky and Charlton ...... , 92 Total 1,034 THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS :- Descrip"on of Maoh.inllry. ! ' Aggregate . .At Work. Idle. .At Work. Idle. I Number of I .Aggregate :Stamp Heads. Horse-~ of ~':;~J1:: , ! Steam gmes. --· ------~--~;~.-~~-- Steam Engines, employed in 13 I 150 pumping, winding, and puddling , ...... Steam Cement Crusher ...... I E ... 8 10 Paddling Machines ...... 49 2 ...... Whims and Pulleys ...... 17 . 7 ...... Sluices and Toms "' ···'· ...... Whips ...... 1 ...... I - ... Total value of mining plant·in the division, £9,200.t . Number of square miles of auriferous ground which is being, or may have been, actually wo.rked upon, 5. · N1_1mber of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to• the present tune, 4. . The price _of gold during the quarter in the division has be~n from £3 •18s. to £3 18s 6d per oz. · , • • • Sluices and roms are attached to all the above enumerated macblne~ but none otherwise t Thh! does no~ lnelude the value of claims at work, wbtob may be esU.:.ated at £14,000. · 78; ANALYSED REPORT, SHOWING How AND WHERE THE EunoPEAN AND CHINESE MINERS ARE DISTRI· BUTED, "ALSO MACHINERY AND PLANT! ETC. ' ; • ·, , June 30th, 1~?5. rO '• ·~/' Population. Alluvial . I ·: ,:i, Steam Engines. Cement . . j, . Puddling, g,; Locality. Steam Whilils.: l Whtps .. ~acbines. Engines. 1 ·sa .. European. Chinese, No. H.P• " a~ • t~-~- -~-- ·-· -~--· 1----1- Beaufort and Yam Holes 84 60 3 44 6 U!J.ity, Gully 4 ... Sailor's ~hlly ·58 2 26 2 5 Dry Bread 20 ~- Kerrimuir 4 1 I :§. Jock's Gully 9 55 2' 3 Q Q Patterson's Gully 3 ... l Jerikins' Gully 3 20 > ... ~~." Old Main Lead SI 129 ·.a: 24 I of 10 h.p. 9 16 e Ararat Flat. 20 f!" Argyle Gully 3 12 ... ;;, Charcoal West 13 1- ... •••'' 1 " . > .·.··- .. ... J Tucker Gully 14 ~ Durican's Gully 2 ... Brooke's Gully 4 ~ Humbey Lead ..... 5 ...... ~ Sulky Gully 20 . 20 2 2 :8 Charlton 11 l s 1 4 ::::0 • > :t --·,!: •••\ Slaughteryard Lead .\22 ...... -1 ·.>8", .'·2 '••· ,S"' Cosmopolitan Gully .. 4 Bagster's 4 "'l! Rankin's Point .• 2-· ... I••• ... 20 I New King Charlie's Gully t·•••• ;~!~}~..:. Shicer Gully .• : · · 21 l . ·s '· 2. ·e Perseverance Gully,, ,. 16 ·.4 1,. 12, 2 .."' . : _ l· .•: a Paddy's Gully ·• .;. 33 ...... 2 '2'0' 2 :?. Hudson Gully 2 ... 'I ~I "" , Musical Gully Eas.t 6 30 ~ ; " ... . ·~~" 4 13 Waterloo Hill . ..2 -~ Surface Hill · ... s ~·· Jonathan's East ·: .:: i 22 1 Charcoal Gully East 9 ~ ... ."~· ... '. Poverty Point 4 10 2 . -·~·-- 1- ---·-·- -·------~------Totals . •504 •" 530"l' 14•.,; .· ···150.1 > .1 of.! o b.p. 24 1 51 Ther~ are some half a d~zen other guilies unoccupied, amongst them is Cockney's, which had.20 miners at last return, now.npne. A few miners (Europeans) have gone to Talbot. The Cli,inese,pg{m· lation is slightly increased. One quartz steam engi_ne ·imd plant have been removed out of th!l divi~ion since last report. > '•: • . I ha~e· the honor to repor·t,. for ,the. information of the .Honorable the Minister of Mines, that during, the q]J;!l;rter v.e.!y Ji.~t~e ,Qf,.•iJ+!p,qrtance 4as transpired iu this division in. mining matters. The · popl!lation· lias slightly decreased, but the gold return P.as. wa!?.taincd· i~s position, probably in conse. quence of a good 'supply of w~ter fr?m the late heavy rams, which bas gn•en employment· to a number of tub and cradle men m gulhes whiCh were deserted last quarter. ' . :, ~n the immediate neighborhood of Beaufor,t. tjle Ban_4itti ~ease Company have only h~d· a' yield of 186 oz. to J).inetee,h:men for the j_mst 1thirteen ,w~eks, being but poor wages. The Garibaldi and Hor.e Co~panies have also paid ~~t poo_r u:~ge~i- __T~e Hope_ Company have been extremely unfortunate with aeCldents and break-downs ofthetr n1achmery. · At the Yam Holes Hill a party·of Chinamen purchased a three men's claim for £,15;·and-have :un tunnels and tramw11ys into the hill,- and are carrying on their works in itn ·extensive and creditable manner. At the: Old Lead, the usual alluvial mining to puddlers and tub and cradle .men has b~e~ carried on with varying success. One steam puddler has been sold, and ·removed to the''new' Saxdn Company's lease claim,:Charlton. The Chinese here have been ol:itaining about ~Oz. t.o, the'.'r):u~c~iq~. Green and Company's cement claim have·had but very poor returns- since last report. Lutming.. and ·Company have had their crushing engine at work, crushing tailings, refuse, and cement, and nave been averaging about £3 pt'r week per man. · · • . , ...· · - At Sulky and Charlton mining is looking p1uch more.brisk .. Two steam engines have been erected and several leases applied for, hut the· ground is found to be very wet, and a whim claim has suspended operations on this B:CCount; but what 'gold has been taken out has tended to give an impetus to mining jn t~is loqality which gives pr9mise of ultimate success iu developing a good gold field. · · · In New King Charlie's, in shallow ground, tub and cradle men are obtaining good wages, the gold b~ing of a rough and nugg~tty chara~ter. . . . · At Sliicer Gully, O'Hara's whim claim has.paid, for some weeks, a dividend varying from £2,10s. to £21 per week for each working share; and t-he 'claim 'below Pollard's averages 1 oz.' to the set, or about £5 per week per man. This last'is an engine- claim, and would have paid more hut for frequent derangement of the machinery. ' · · · · ' · ' · -. 79 ' . . · • The Bu:t;ke steam puddler~?;· at Paddy's Gully, have averaged, about 25 ozs. per week since my last report, to a party of fourteen men. The Alfred Lease claim has also been .paying good wages. At Waterloo, Messrs. lYiarquand and.Jones have taken up their lease of lOO acrt::s, and are now organising a company, with a large capital, to· work this well known deep ground, which has so long lain.idle, in consequence of the very treacherous nature of the soil and the great undercurrent of water. Tliis claim is the natural outlet of over twenty well' defined and proved leads, extending from Sulky and Charlton downwards. · Surface Hill shallow workings are nearll exhausted; but at New Jonathan's, James and party obtained 7 ozs. for.. the last' week, to a party o six men, and have now applied for a lease of 20 acres, and intend erecting steam machinery. . •· · Sailor's Gully has maintained its reputation, puddlers and others making good wages. The lease claim of W. Galloway, 50 acres, are tracing the gutter to. the eastward; the ground falling rapidly in that direction prohibits their blocking back, although, with every disadvantage, t)J.ey have been obtaining 10 ozs. to 30 ozs. per week per man. The Defiance Company, who ha-ve applied for a lease of 30 acres, have sunk their engine shaft to ·a depth of 84 feet, 1.0 feet of it through a very hard basalliu rock, the first instance of this formation being discovered on this gold field ; they then came on black clal, with boulders and drift, and are now sinking into the reef. This claim has quite roused the spirits o the miners from their usu.allethargy, and I have no doubt· if a good gutter is struck will be tlic means· of introducing foreign capital, which is much wanted in thf! development of this known profitable and neglected division. ' BAl~KLY' DIVISION. ' .. Mr. John IJ'Alton, Mining Surveym' and .Registrar. THE TOTAL NUMBER.OF MINERS IS.A.S FOLLOWS:- ! I - Tot..:t for the ' Chinese, , Remarka. ' Europeana. ... Division. -·· 1-~- .Alluvial Miners ...... 080 180 1,160 The Chinese population .have Quartz Miners ... .., decreased considerably within ...... the last two months. -···---~-· Totals ... OAO 180 1,160 ' THE TOTAL NU!tDER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:- Landsborough 60 Snake Lead 460 Malakhoff ... 300 Glasgow Lead 100 Frenchman's 100 Barkly ... 60 Glenpatrick · 80 Total ,1,160 THE ~:bcmNERY Is A.s FOLLOWS:- " ALLUVIAL .Mni!Jl!G. QUAltTZ MINING. Description or Machines. Number '.Aggregate Aggregate At Work. Idle. of Stamp Horse-Power of At Work. Idle: Horse~Power of Heads. Steam Enginos. Stca.m Engines. ------·------12 Steam Engines ...... 1 ...... '" ... Crushing Machine 1 12 ...... I ...... Fuddling Machines ...... 16 12 "...... Whips ...... 6 ...... Toms ...... lOO ...... Sluice-boxes 4 8 ...... i ...... ' ' 'l'otal value of minin~ plant in the division, £3,200. · 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, a.· . The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been from £3 16s. 9d. to £3 17s. 9d. per oz. • This cstim~&e includes the schistoso rockll with au.riforous quartz veins iu the neightiqurhood of Glendhu. 80 I THE FOLLOWING 'lN'FoRMATION. HAs BEEN oBTAINED RELATIVE To THE QuANTITY OF. CEMEliT - CRUSHED DURING .THE QUARTER AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM. y- f Where Cement was Average IT 1 10Id 0 I Remarks relative to the Name of Company. Cement crushed. Yield of Gold ota • Depth at which the obtained: per ton. Gold. Cement was obtained. . ton cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Lansborough Crushing Malakoff and Glas- 400 0 0 0 8 0 160 0 0 \veight. estimated Company gow Lead i only. ------ToTAL ... ~~-;;--;;- 0 8 0 160 0 0 - . No 'quartz has. been crushed in this divisi~n. . . . . In this· division mining matters have undergone considerable imprp-rement during the past three months, and the result is a considerable increase in the mining pqpulation. The :wet ground, hitherto much neglected, is also attracting attention, both at Lands borough and .Barkly, and the formation of one or two companies fqr working both places is now about to take place. At the Malakoff a small rush took place in· the early part of the present month;· it resulted in nothing }Jermanent. . · · _ . · _Snake. Lead (otherwise 'Burwood's Lead) continues steadily to extend, and approaches the wet lead at a considerable distance ahead of the last workio~s on the latter. There are now sanguine expectations of a good lead being met with in this direction. ' ' There is very little doing at Barkly Flat. Johnston's diggings,, Milkmaid's Gully, and Blue Mountain patch are altogether abandoned. _ . • . There has been a considerable ·falling off in the Chinese popUlation during the'last quarter, nearly all residing about the J\-flllakofl:' having gone into the Avoca or Ararat Districts. · No quartz mining has been attempted during the quarter: .. · , ., .·- By Authority : JoHN FERREs, Government Print~r, Melbourne . . ·, '.