5 
C.—3c- 
—one at the end of the drive for a distance of 60ft., and another one at a point 50ft. nearer the 
shaft for 138ft. A cross-cut was also put in from the end of the drive in an easterly direction for a 
distance of 56ft., but in none of these was any stone found. The western cross-cuts would be 
something like 215ft. below the lowest working in the Welcome ground. 
The whole of the prospecting-works carried on from the monkey-shaft referred to was in a 
barren country, and shows that a break or dislocation has taken place. But at deeper levels 
another block of stone is likely to be found. The lodes occur in this district in shoots and ledges, 
the same as in many other countries, having blanks between them; and prospecting would be more 
likely to meet with success in the Homeward Bound ground, near the southern boundary, by con¬ 
tinuing on the line of the lode worked on No. 9 level in the Welcome ground. To strike, another 
block of stone below the block already taken out, the character of the country-rock at the bottom 
of the monkey-shaft shows that a greater depth will have to he reached before stone is likely to be 
found, but by following on the same line of the lode in a northerly direction there is a likelihood 
of good stone being found running through the Homeward Bound into the Cadman Special Claim. 
To open out this ground and carry on systematic operations will require a considerable capital; 
but the fact that there is scarcely any water to contend with will permit works being proceeded 
with expeditiously, and where stone of such richness has been worked on the upper levels, that is 
sufficient inducement to carry on operations at a greater depth. Many cases can be cited to bear 
out this in other countries besides New Zealand; and it may be well to mention that at Sandhurst, 
in Victoria, in Mr. George Landsell’s 180ft. shaft, the lode cut out at 750ft., and another 750ft. of 
barren ground had to be gone through before another lode was struck. There is no doubt but that 
good stone will be again found in the Welcome if mining operations are carried on in an intelligent 
manner. 
From the Homeward Bound ground 62 tons of stone was crushed, which yielded 213oz. gold, 
representing a value of £860. This was taken from the continuation of the Welcome lode, and 
shows that the ground should be opened out so as to allow this line of lode to be followed. The 
present company, however, has not suflicient capital to undertake any extensive operations to open 
up the mine in a proper manner. 
Fiery Cross. 
This is a special claim of 61 acres, and includes ground formerly held by the Alexandra, 
Hopeful Extended, and Fiery Cross Extended Companies, who have taken out about 40,983 tons of 
stone, which yielded 51,7734oz. gold, representing a value of £202,189, out of which £72,693 have 
been paid in dividends, thus showing the average value of the ore to be about £4 18s. 7d. per ton. 
The lode in this claim, as far as at present known, appears to be a continuation on the same 
line as that worked in the Welcome ground ; but, as there is a considerable distance between the 
workings of the two mines, it has not been proved whether this is the same lode or a parallel one. 
There are, however, doubts regarding this being the same lode, as the character of the country-rock 
is entirely different in the Fiery ground to that in the Welcome. Although a great deal of work has 
been done in the Fiery ground the operations have been chiefly confined to opening up the lode and 
stoping it out. Comparatively little cross-cutting has ever been done to ascertain whether there 
is another lode parallel with the one worked going through the ground or not. In the Just-in-Time 
ground, which adjoins the southern boundary of the Fiery, there are three distinct lodes, but 
sufficient cross-cutting has not been done in the Fiery ground to prov'e whether these lodes continue 
in a northerly direction. 
The workings have been on what is termed the north and south blocks of stone, which 
have about 800ft. of blank ground between them. Both of the blocks strike at a high angle 
northwards, and have been worked down to a depth of about 800ft. below the surface. The lode 
was first discovered on the surface, and the first workings were carried on from an adit-level. .After¬ 
wards a shaft was sunk to a depth of 460ft., and the stone taken out from this down to that depth, 
but as the blocks were striking at a high angle to the northwards an incline shaft was constructed 
from the 450ft. level and the lode partially taken out. This incline shaft is sunk to a depth of 
350ft., or to No. 6 level, where there is stone left underfoot, and also in the face of the level 
going northwards. 
There is comparatively no water in the ground at the deep levels; the only water in the work¬ 
ings comes from the surface, which can be dammed back with very little expense. There is a good 
deal of stone left in the blocks that have been partially sloped, which has been left from time to 
time as being of too low grade to give sufficient returns for working, and there is a probability of 
other*blocks of stone being found on the upper levels if the ground were prospected. 
Seddon. 
This is a special claim of 100 acres, and includes ground formerly belonging to the Just-in- 
Time Eldorado, Imperial, Eeform, South Hopeful, Walhalla Extended, and Boatman’s Creek 
Companies. These companies crushed 15,015 tons of stone, which yielded 17,695oz. of gold, 
repr^entin" a value of £68,398, out of which £15,666 was paid in dividends; the average value of 
the ore crushed is therefore £4 9s. 9d. per ton.. j m t ■ m- 
There are three distinct lines of reef running through this ground. The Just-in-Time opened 
out from an adit-level near the surface on the western lode, and took out 308 cons of stone, which 
yielded gold to the value of £6,285, equal to about £20 8s. per ton._ After taking out this stone they 
laid out a low-level adit to work this lode, but before commencing its construction another lode was 
discovered about 300ft. further to the eastward, and all the mining operations have been entirely 
confined to this eastern lode ever since. Two adit-levels were constructed and the stone from this 
lode sloped out from these levels. 
