A GREAT deal of attention has been directed during the past two years to the auriferous gravels that are distributed in and around the Corinna District of the West Coast of Tasmania. Several companies have been formed for the purpose of working these drifts ; the claims locally floated terming themselves Hydraulic Companies. This, however, is a misleading title, as hydraulic power has in no case been used; the method of working in all cases being known as " Ground Sluicing."The disappointing returns from this method induced me to visit the Otago District of New Zealand in order to become more conversant with the modes e:nploved there for saving gold, etc. Thinking my observations and notes would be of interest to members, especially those of -Tasmania, I will endeavour to lay such before them. I have placed these notes under different headings, and will refer to them as under :-GENERAL - Gold is seldom evenly distributed in the drift, but occurs in layers or bands. Generally the gold in the upper layers is very fine and difficult to save in an ordinary sluice box ; in most cases it is washed through the sluice and deposited in the tailings. This refers to races where no grizzly or distributing boxes are used.