GOLD MINING IN NELSON PROVINCE.

Colonist, Volume XVI, Issue 1663, 26 August 1873, Page 5 (Supplement)

GOLD MINING IN NELSON PROVINCE.

(From the Report of the New Zealand Qoldfields, for 1872.) The following returns are for the mining districts in this Province:— BETjSNUK. , The following is a comparative return of revenue derived from the diggings during the yean 1871 and 1872, showing increase or decrease under each head of revenue :—

No revenue was derired from Survey fees, Depasturing licenses and assessments, and Timber and, other licenses. Gold Export. The following is a return of the quantity of Gold exported during last year :—

The quantity and value of Gold exported during the first quarter of the present year was— Ozs. Value. Nelsou ... ... 5,937 ... £23,748 Westport... ... 13,765... 55,060 Greymouth 12,502 ... 50,008 Totals '. 32,204 ... 128,816 Corresponding quarter of 1872... 27,908 ... 111,632 Increase 4,296 ... 17,184

The amount exported previous to the 31st December, 1872; was 1,208,1683Zi., Talued at £4,784,996; and the total exported to the 31st March, 1873, was 1,240,3720z5., whic'a was Talued at £4,913,812. Machinery. The number of. Machines employed in Alluvial and Quartz-mining for the year ending 31tt March, 1873, was as follows :— Alluvial Mining. No. Steam engines employed in pumping, &c. ... 3 ii >i aggregate horse-power ... 30 Fuddling machines ...... ... ... 7 Whims.... 2 Sluices, toms, and boxes ... ... ... 5,395 Waterwheels ... 51 Hydraulic, hose.;. ... ... ... ... 286 Stamp heads, crushing cement ... ... 250 Quartz Mining. Steam engines employed in.crushing, &o. ... 2 n » aggregate horse-power /.. 40 Crushing maohines ... ... ... ... 14 Stamp heads ... ... ... 135 Waterwheels ... ... ... 12 Whims... ... ... ... ... ... 1 Approximate value of all mining plant ...£87,500 Mining Population. The mean number of Miners employed in the several mining districts for the year ending 31st March, 1873, is giren as follows :—

Grand total 4879, all Europeans. Wagbs os Diggings. ; The following table shows the arerage Rate of Wages per week for the year ending 31st March, 1873:—

The following is a return of the number of Mining Leases in force on the 3lst March, 1873, and the extent of ground leased:—

The following uanturn of the number of Agrionl* V tural JmS* in fan* on the 3Ut Mann, 1873,

Companies. Xbe following is a table showing the number of Goldmining Companies registered under Mining Companies Limited Liability Act, 1865, and Amending Acts, upon 31st March, 1873:— , n - ' Nominal Paid-un

Mining Companies Aot, 1872, with a nominal capital of £8160, of which £7140 is paid-up. Wabdkns' Cousis. The following is a return of Cases in the Warden's Court, and costs awarded, for the year ending 31st March, 1873 :— Amount - Mining Disputes Aggregate Value, of Costa Adjudicated on. Claimed. Eecorered. Awarded.

(We omit shillings and pence.) [Since the above Report was printed the price of gold at Reefton has been reduced to £316s per ounce.]

Heads of Bevenue. 1871. 1872, £ fi & £ £ £ Miners' rights 4,240 4,918 678 — Business licenses 3,895 5,206 1,311 — Water races, sluices, &c. ... 255 212 — 43 Gold-mining leases, rents, and royalties 1,996 2,080 84 — Kegistration 746 1,031 285 — Fees and fines, Wardens'Courts 303 292 — 11 Memorial deposits of companies 5 — — 5 Withdrawals of leases 152 93 — 59 Miscellaneous ... ... ... 156 176 20 — Gold duty 13,748 10,035 — 3,713 Net Totals 25,496 24,043 — 1,453

'elson ,, K iTestport ... ... Ireymouth ... Ozg. Value. 8,175 ... £ 32,700 33,550 ... 134,200 39,939 ... 159,756 Totals... 81,664 ... 326,656

Wangapeka Collingwood Brighton.., Charleston Ioangahua Buller ... Ahaura ... Alluvial Quartz Miners. Miner*. ... 200 ... — ... 181 ... 46 ... 110 ... —. ... 500 ... — ... 635 ... 497 ... 600 ... 10 ... 2,200 ... — Totals ... 4,326 ... 553

•i^aoA^dg oi)i9aio(j « ' IO IO © H 'giaaoqerj ;' i ° s s CO H H •8j»joqs'j i: s ° CO CO '8i9u;n m o' oo o s CO o I o g <=> ° « ■* IO <0 I o 09 o o o •»Vis a I I I ° ° 'I9ATJQ 9U|8aa « ' I - I I I ° ° i o o o > * ia ia is s i ' ' I ' U38Bafljj |«9a9{) I I I •:' . ft O B ■ • u " 1 O 4J II fl I fc O £ « "« Miming Lbahs.

Number. Gross Acreage. A. B. P. Wangapeka... ... 8 ... 72 2 6 Colling wood ... 21 ... 157 1 4 Westport ... ;.. 20 ... 132 0 10 Charleston ... . ... 73 ... 330 0 33 Brighton 11 ... 51 0 11 Iuangahua 24 "... 204 0 38 Ahaura 5 ... 27 0 0 Agbictjltcbal Lxasis.

the extent of ground leated, and renUl per annum ;— . Grow Bental^ : • : ■ , ( . Number. Acreage./ Annum. . ■ : A. b. p. £ e. d. Wangapeka ... ... 1 20 0 0 2 10 0 Weitport ... - ... 18 951 2 32 Vi 0 0 Charleston 18 602 1 27 63 12 6 Brighton 14 112 3 24 14 12 6 ihauraandCobden... 69 2,900 2 31 364 8 9 P

No. Capital. Capital. £ £ Maon 3 ... 13,700 ... all. 3oWngwood ,.. 8 ... 24,000 ... 10,044 nangahua .., 29 ... 670,780 ... 286,284 Lhaura 1 ... 3,000 ... . 180 Charleston ... 3 ... 7,400 ... 6,610 Lt Charleston thera is one company under the

£ £ £ Colling wood... 3 ... 135 ... 120 ... — Westport ... 120 ... 3,973 ... 263 ... 205 Beefton ... 102 ... 1,545 ... 353 ... 203 Ahaura ... 77 ... — ... — ... — Pbici ob Gold. The price of Gold per ounce in the several mining districts during the year ending 31st March, 1873, was as follows:— From To £ t. d. £ 8. d. Collingwood ... 3 13 0 ... — Westport ... 3 15 6 ... 3 19 0 Inangabua «,.. 3 17 0 ... — Ahaura ... ; .... 3 17 6 ... —