544 J. T. Jutson: , 



£51,000 was obtained from one mine, the Caledonia, in the five 

 years, 1905-1909. 



In connection with these figures it must be borne in mind 

 that they represent the minimum gold obtained. Some yields 

 may have been omitted from the tables owing to the difficulty 

 of identifying- the locality of various reefs. It is impossible for 

 the ofiicials to collect the results of all workings, and this 

 applies more particularly perhaps to the earlier years. At the 

 same time it is but fair to remark that the system of obtaining 

 the returns has been in force for 50 years, and has been carried 

 out by able officers. The results may therefore be regarded as 

 substantially correct. 



It is to be regretted that the statistics for the first ten years 

 of the field are not available, as they no doubt would have added 

 a fair amount to the total gold won. 



The writer does not propose to attempt to deal with the 

 history of even all the more important reefs or lines of work- 

 ing. Even if desii'ed, this task is made quite impossible by the 

 multiplicity of names of reefs and parties, from which the 

 places where the gold was obtained cannot be determined. A 

 few remarks however may be made about those reefs or workings 

 which have yielded the best results or been developed the 

 most. These are the Yarra Ttmnel, Pigtail, Victory and Cale- 

 donia Reefs, and the two dykes already noticed. 



The Yarra Tunnel Reef is apparently the continuation south 

 of the Caledonia Reef crossing the Yarra, north of the island. 

 If this be correct it is therefore on the line of the Caledonia 

 Syncline. 



In 1870 it is referred to as being worked under the bed of 

 the Yarra, and the workings were continued till 1874 by various 

 parties. It was then abandoned, but rediscovered in 1884, and 

 traced northerly 900 feet. Its width is stated to be from 18 

 inches to 12 inches. Development proceeded, and profitable yields 

 were obtained until 1888, when the mine was abandoned in conse- 

 quence of the reef bifurcating, leaving a very thin vein which 

 yielded poorly. The workings were to a depth of 150 feet 

 below the river, and further shaft sinking was done, but to 

 what depth is not stated. From 1869 to 1874 and from 1884 

 to 1888 311 tons of quartz were crushed, yielding 628 oz. 9 



