Under the guidance of our consult Ing engineer, a scheme has been drawn up systematically to Prospect our areas by boring and pit-sinking With the object of detecting the di-Fection and value of the pay-travel stratum beyond the area prospected by the late Mr. Gilmour Brown. This work is now being carried out under the direction of a fully qualified mining engineer.
Health: Referring to the health conditions at Rantjah Sirang, since the commencement of our mining opera tions there have been only four ser! ous cases of fever requiring evacua: tion to the Government " Hospital, and one death, amongst our labour: ers. This may be considered quite satisfactory compared with our pre~ vious experien T-wish here io take the opportunity of expressing our appreciation of the long hours and hard work put In by our staff, which were necessary {in order to accomplish in approximately eight months, in an uninviting climate, the preliminary work essential for the commencement of our mining operations.
There are now no native diggers! working on our areas, the Government having withdrawn all licences previously issued.
Timber: As reported at our last annual meeting, our timber mill Samarinda has entirely suspended operations. "There have been enquiry les for the purchase of our undertaking at Samarinia, but no concrete offer has yet been made.
During the year under review our timber stocks in Shanghai were considerably reduced and since the closing of the Accounts our sales have continued quite satisfactorily.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.