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 depth it was considered sufficient of the shoots would be in the new company’s ground to admit of several levels being opened on stone. Despite the fact, however, that the Government assisted the project by a grant of £10,000 as subsidy, it became evident that the available finances would not allow of sinking to the depth proposed, consequently a level was opened out at 1,350 ft. and a crosscut driven east for 305 ft. in which what appeared to be parallel reefs were cut at 18 ft., 120 ft., and 220 ft. from the shaft. The first-mentioned of these was only about 8 in. wide, but carried good gold values. The second reef was about 20 in. wide, and the third 15 in., and both also showed good prospects of gold. Later investigation left little doubt, however, that, although the small reef first struck might be one not previously cut in any of the local workings, the other two reefs were parts of the Birthday or Blackwater reef, the parallel occurrence being due to faulting. It may be mentioned that in the Blackwater Mine no prospecting whatever has been done west from Birthday reef to see if any other reef occurred in that direction. The reef at 120ft. in the North Blackwater crosscut was driven on north for 10 ft., when it cut out, and for 112 ft. south, where it also disappeared, while that at 220 ft. cut out at 70 ft. north and 21 ft. south. Another level was then opened out at 1,200 ft. in the shaft, and a crosscut put out, also to the east. In this the reefs met at 18 ft. and 220 ft. in the lower crosscut were met with, but no reef corresponding with that at 120 ft. was intersected. The company’s funds having been exhausted by the time these mining operations were carried out, work was suspended, and the mine lay idle until it was purchased by the Blackwater Mines, Ltd.

It is as certain as anything can be that all the shoots located in the Blackwater Mine will eventually make into the North Blackwater ground, hence gold-bearing stone may possibly be got for many hundreds of feet in the latter below the present bottom of the shaft, but the depth to which it will pay to work under modern conditions is another question. There seems no good reason, however, for thinking otherwise than that stone of fair grade should live down for at least another 1,000 ft.

South Blackwater Mine.—South of the Blackwater Mine a number of claims are held by the South Blackwater Mines, Ltd., which is understood to be a subsidiary of an incorporation known as Reefton Mines, Ltd. In these claims the Birthday, or Blackwater, reef is believed to occur, and there are a number of other parallel outcrops known as the Snowy, Empire, Kathleen, and Imperial reefs. On what is thought to be the continuation of the Birthday reef a drive was extended some years ago for a distance of nearly 300 ft., but such stone as was found in it was very broken. On the Empire reef two adits were driven on a shoot of stone about 115 ft. in length and 16 in. wide, averaging 8 dwt. gold per ton. On the Kathleen reef a shaft was sunk to a depth of a little over 20 ft. The reef in the bottom was about 4 ft. wide, but was extremely poor. The Snowy and Imperial outcrops have had only a small amount of surface examination.

During 1926 a start was made to put down a large haulage shaft on the property, at a site about 5,500 ft. south of the Blackwater shaft and 4,500 ft. south of any known payable ore-body in the Blackwater Mine. At the present time (November, 1927) this shaft is down a little over 300 ft., and work is suspended. The intention of the company was to sink it to 600 ft., and crosscut at that depth for the various reef-lines to which mention has been made. To intersect the whole of the lines, approximately 2,640 ft. of crosscut would be needed. It is considered that the