FURTHER REPORTS ON THE GOLD FIELDS OF NEW ZEALAND. I.—PROVINCE OF AUCKLAND. II.—WESTLAND, TO 30TH JUNE, 1871. III.—MARLBOROUGE, TO 30TH APRIL, 1871.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1871 Session I, G-31

G.—No. 81

FURTHER REPORTS ON THE GOLD FIELDS OF NEW ZEALAND. I. —PROVINCE OF AUCKLAND. II. —WESTLAND, TO 30TH JUNE, 1871. III. —MARLBOROUGE, TO 30TH APRIL, 1871.

{Return to an Order of the House of Representatives, dated 3rd Anyust, 1869.) '' That it is desirable that the G overnment should cause to be laid upon the Table of this House, during each Session, a Report embodying a general account of the present condition of the Gold Fields of the Colony, their advancement or otherwise during the preceding year, and their probable prospects ; together with particulars showing the average price of provisions during the year on each Gold Field, the rate of wages, estimated population, and such other information as would afford a comprehensive idea of the general condition of the mining interest in the Colony; and that His Excellency be requested to forward a copy of such Report to Her Majesty's Secretary of State for the Colonies." (Mr. W. H Harrison.)

WELLINGTON.

1871.

G.—No. 31.

PROVINCE OF AUCKLAND. The returns from the Thames and Coromandel Gold Fields accompanying this Report will be found on inspection much more complete than those laid before the House of Representatives last year. Considerable care has been taken to bring them as near as possible up to the close of the year ending 30th June. The year just closed promised at its commencement to be one of depression, especially on that portion of the Gold Fields situated at the Thames. A large area of ground had been abandoned, the results being the loss of employment to numbers of working miners, the cessation of crushing operations, and general slackness of trade in the townships. The number of miners' rights issued in the year 1870 was only (on the Thames) 3,296, while in 1869 there were issued 9,435, and in 186S there were 11,585. Tho population of the field also decreased. As near as could be ascertained, in January, 1870, the population on the gold fields was approaching 15,000, while the census taken in January, 1871, of the whole electoral district of Thames, does not much exceed 12,000. The cause of the depression thus briefly referred to is not far to seek. It is to be found in the wholesale taking up of supposed auriferous country, in the hope of selling it for large sums of money, and the formation of Companies based on value utterly fallacious, the country being entirely unproved, or rather unprospected. —The number of Companies in existence eighteen months ago, and the number now working and quoted on the share market, may also be for a moment glanced at. Companies with a nominal capital of about £7,000,000 were in existence at the beginning of the year 1870, while since then, through the action of the Official Agent in liquidation, 135 Companies have been or are in course of being wound up. The number of Companies is thereby reduced to 130, with a nominal capital of £3,030,719. Notwithstanding the depression, the old claims worked steadily on, and continued to pay handsome dividends. A large area of country was also being carefully prospected, as will be seen on reference to Table " C." As many as 194 Claims or Companies, not including small crushings, had crushings, with a total result, as far as can be ascertained, of 103,084 tons crushed, yielding 285,763 oz. gold, " melted" and " unmelted," or an average of about 2-J oz. to tho ton. —An alteration has been made in the form of the gold return. Work had been suspended for portions of the year on so many of the batteries, and some of them had changed owners, so that it was thought better to take the best published monthly returns available, and make a return from them. This has been done, and the result is as in Table " C." It may be said that the large yield of gold is the product of very few claims, but, as the return shows, the field is not idle. The money received from such claims is largely reinvested, and will result ultimately in a thorough prospecting of the field. These facts, thus briefly alluded to, show that the tone of the mining community is restored in a large degree, and, with the increase of confidence, combined with the increased investment of capital, such improvement will doubtless continue. There has not been any great addition to the crushing power during the year, although Coromandel has added seventy-four stamps to the return. The present crushing power is quite inadequate to the demand, especially for the claims lying round the celebrated auriferous ground in proximity to the Moanataiari and Kurunui Creeks. Many machines were erected in out-of-the-way places, and have not been in work at all. Such batteries, there can be no doubt, will ultimately be removed to the foreshore; in fact the anxious desire of batteryowners and capitalists is to concentrate crushing operations on the beach, the convenience in obtaining water, and the lessening of expense in the cartage and freight of fuel on the tramways, being results most desirable to be attained. It is to be hoped that the vexed question of the ownership of the foreshore will speedily be settled, as it is a matter of supreme importance, not only to the mining community at the Thames, but to the Colony generally. It would not be desirable to have it understood that no other portion of the gold field is progressing except that above referred to ;_ the Tararu District is advancing, many of the claims being a long distance from the beach, some of them as much as from four to five miles. The Karaka and Hape Creeks are also assuming a state of activity not seen for a year or two past. Coromandel, from the richness of its claims, will in next year's return doubtless stand second to no other section of the gold fields. During the year some progress has been made in the districts in respect of public works. The tramway system has been commenced at Coromandel, and found to work most successfully ; further extensions will be made as necessity may require. A wharf has also been erected at Coromandel, and some progress made in the formation of roads in the township. On the Thames it is intended to extend the Tararu Tramway, and concessions have been made to enable a public company to lay a rail or tramway from Tararu to the townships along the beach. Temporary water supply for the townships has been provided for, and surveys are in progress for a water supply to the townships and diggings, of a very extensive character. It is confidently expected that an ample supply of pure water for all purposes will be brought in from the Kaueranga Stream in the course of a few months. Private enterprise is now engaged on wharf extension at Grahamstown, a want greatly felt, not only by passengers to and from the gold fields, but also in the traffic in coals and general merchandise. The revenue received from Customs has steadily increased during the year; and were the harbour accommodation of a more convenient order, a large department would be required to meet the necessities of the district. A return is rendered of tho position of the townships. The townships of Shortland and Grahamstown are under the- control of three Highway Boards, and from the return of expenditure an estimate

FURTHER REPORTS ON THE GOLD FIELDS OF NEW ZEALAND.

G.—No. 31

FURTHER REPORTS ON THE

4

may be formed of the extent of work done by the Local Boards. Much remains to be done, and it is the intention of the Government to assist the local bodies, which will tend greatly to promote the trade and increase the convenience and comfort of the fixed trading population of the Thames. Considerable progress has been made in the formation of streets ; but one of the most important departments pertaining to local self-government in towns —namely, sewerage —has not yet been touched. These returns speak for themselves : there is a returning prosperity over the whole gold fields. Land is being fast taken up, under lease and otherwise —it is believed, with bond fide intentions of working it fairly, instead of selling it at a profit. If such be the case, the success of mining operations is secured, and the Auckland Gold Fields will be recognized as one of the most important permanent industries promoting the prosperity of the Colony of New Zealand.

INDEX TO THE AUCKLAND GOLD FIELDS EETUENS. A. Return of G-old. M. Return of Dividend-paying Companies, with Amount of B. Eeturn of Gold Duty. Dividends. C. Return of Gold from the Mines. N. Return of Tramway Returns. D. Return of Batteries, Thames and Coromandcl. O. Return of Customs Duties. E. Return of Miners' Rights, Coromandel. P. Return of Shipping. F. Return of Claims under Miners' Rights. Q. Returns of Vessels employed in Coal Trade and ShipG. Return of Claims under Miners' Rights, Thames and ments of Coals. Coromandel. R. Return of Blasting Powder. H. Return of Mining Leases, Thame9. S. Return of Cost of Provisions. I. Return of Mining Leases, Coromandel. T. Return of Rate of Wages. K. Return of Mining Companies in Liquidation. TT. Return of Births, Deaths, and Marriages. L. Return of Mining Companies working and quoted in V. Return of Highway Boards. Share Market.

TABLE A. RETURN showing the Quantity of Gold exported from the Province of Auckland, from 12th January, 1870, to 30th June, 1871; including also the Quantity of Silver exported during the same Period. Gold.

Silver.

Table B. Eettten of Gold Duty received from 1st January, 1870, to 31st May, 1871. £ s. d. Quarter ending 31st March, 1870 ... ... ... ... ... 3,751 0 6 Quarter ending 30th June, 1870 ... ... ... ... ... 2,916 14 8 Quarter ending 30th September, 1870 ... ... ... ... ... 2,013 4 2 Quarter ending 31st December, 1870 ... ... ... ... ... 1,924 0 0 Quarter ending 30th March, 1871 ... ... ... ... ... 8,942 13 5 Two months from 1st April to 21st May, 1871 ... ... ... ... 5,883 0 0 Total ... ... ... £25,430 12 9

Date. Quantity. Value. •uarter ending 31st March, 1870 (uarter ending 30th June, 1870 (uarter ending 30th September, 1870 ... (uarter ending 31st December, 1870 (uarter ending 31st March, 1871 •uarter ending 30th June, 1871 Oz. 30,008 23,334 16,106 16, 086 84, 019 66,216 £ 105,997 85,449 60, 933 66, 767 292,417 236,981 234, 769 848, 544

(uarter ending 31st March, 1870 •uarter ending 30th June, 1870 ... ■ ... •uarter ending 30th September, 1S70 ... Quarter ending 31st December, 1871 ... •uarter ending 31st March, 1871 wo Months ending 31st March to 31st May, 1871 9,990 15, 207 11, 7G6 G,364 20,604 63,931 19,585 Note. —The quantity of silver exported is given with the Gold Eeturn as it is extracted froi 'rovince of Auckland. the gold pri iduced in tin

GOLD FIELDS OF NEW ZEALAND.

5

G.—No. 31.

TABLE C. RETURN showing the Quantity of Gold obtained from Claims and Companies on the Thames and Coromandel Gold Fields, from 1st May, 1870, to 14th June, 1871. Thames.

Claim or Company. Tons. Oz. Claim or Company. Tons. Oz. All Nations Alburnia Atlantic ill Nations No. 3 Extended... Armstrong Ishley Alliance, Tapu Argyle Best "Wrinkle Ballarat Star Belfast Berkeley Castle Ballarat and Eising Sun Beehive Beach Buoy Eope Bendigo Independent Californian City of Dunedin City of Glasgow and Black Angel Cure Conqueror Clyde and Tyno Castle and Galatea Candlelight No. 1 ... City of Chester City of London Colleen Bawn City of Carlisle Child of Fortune ... Claremount Caledonian Cape of Good Hope, Hape ... Cape of Good Hope, Moanataiari Christmas Box Cock-a-Doodle Crystal Palace Coulabah Crinoline Deep Lead Dixon's No. 1 Dauntless and Sink to Eise ... Duke of Magenta ... Don Pedro Dawn of Hope Eureka Excelsior Earl of Erin Eldorado Eveline Exchange, Eoyal ... Evening Star First of July Flying Cloud Blag-ship Flag-staff Four Georges French Eepublic ... 9-olden .Ago 3olden Crown jroldfinch 3-ap of JDuuloe 31 olden Spur Gibraltar Srolden Barque 2 2, 390 2,616 218 7 43 211 60 20 68 106 515 165 56 40 129 27 99 1,760 2,618 408 142 150 81 50 220 88 221 33 54 67 22 5,956 46 7 0, 519 4,107 i 115 j 62 | 31 1G7 34 12 J 120 109 1,216 j 159 ! 126 39 393 ! 30 129 1,052 | 2,560 I 254 204 87 65 25 707 ! 68 293 20 57 62 65 134,577 33 24 Golden Anchor j Gold Spring : Great Britain and Brunswick I Guy Fawkes Golden Cable Golden Lion | Harp of Erin ... I Hope Havilah Imperial Crown ij Jamaica ij Inverness i Just in Time : Junction | John O'Groats 1 Indomitable ! Kurunui Kelly's IJ Lord Nelson Long Drive Lady Bird and Hand of Friendship Macdonald's Lease Morning Star Moanatairi Mountain Flower ... , Manukau I Multum in Parvo ... j Moa 1 Moanatairi No. Middle Star ... Mount Vernon Murphy's Long Drive Mount Pleasant Montgomery Brothers' Claim Mary Anne 1 Moanatairi Union ... New May Moon ... North Devon Nonpareil Onehunga 1 Odd Fellows I Overland Eoute Point Sue sell Prince Imperial Providence Prosperity Pride of Karaka Pretty Nelly Papakura ' Prussian I; Poverty and Charleston i Pride of York : President Lincoln ... ' Primrose i, Queen of Sheba j. Queen of Beauty ... II Queen of May Queen of the Isles 1 Eoyal Blue j Eoyal Charter j Eoyal Standard j, Ruby I! Eoyal Standard No. 2 Bed, "White, and Blue ! Eoyal Exchange i Eocky Bar 79 20 133 27 18 21 40 20 200 244 98 1,386 597 1,188 107 35 10, 881 587 127 3,202 3,872 261 1,162 7,756 33 713 390 421 103 450 19 68 25 5 20 140 495 138 1,502 228 117 25 497 48 86 16 327 178 45 39 400 16 51 10 96 292 23 46 28 122 43 87 96 432 41 30 62 14 68 17 18 41 50 11 146 605 372 1,834 928 2, 697 215 16 14, 825 1,014 102 11,457 1,280 341 2,706 6, 790 23 945 782 244 156 1,056 22 38 12 42 33 90 1,036 98 3,260 156 69 12 2S8 140 ' 385 24 605 128 16 79 578 29 63 12 39 456 63 18 17 37 47 40 87 097 88 15 20 90 14 11 6 80 1,231 572 49 28 120 328 99 78 152 40 15 21 45 298 80 20 79 4 528 8,376 84 51 269 309 15 20 158 25 11 53 136 1,968 1,197 50 27 39 566 115 48 312 33 11 22 26 545 i 136 j 24 ! 54 16 650 20,989 ! 130 60 i 507 303 14

G.—No. 31

6

FURTHER REPORTS ON THE

Coromandel.

TOTAL RETURN of Gold obtained from Thames and Coromandel Gold Fields.

s] iowmg 'uan ;ity o: ;amei :rom aims a1 tames, ;c.— con, inuet Claim or Company. Tons. Oz. Claim or Company. Tons. Oz. Rose and Shamrock Shooting Star Shamrock 40 78 • 100 190 930 12,129 SOS 518 12 121 28 26 587 21 370 5,529 82 43 13 12 50 174 639 11,141 397 358 48 306 28 150 986 28 486 5,565 55 48 Vale of Avoca Vulcan Whau West Coast Waitemata Wade Wild Missouri Wandering Star ... Waiotahi Wheel of Fortune Wicklow Young Australian Young American ... Young May Moon Yankee Doodle ... 1,038 6 2,025 95 3,204 66 257 191 550 20 16 68 44 32 756 1,364 102 1,901 148 3,075 43 75 202 191 12 20 40 43 88 7G1 Success Star of the South ... Shotover Sons of Freedom ... Sunbeam Southern Pacific ... Tweedside Trafalgar Twenty-third of June Tookeys Tapu Union Una United Service United States Total 101,287 271, 229

4,1 25 54 48 20 10 60 39 45 87 77 12 202 33 25 47 20 20 124 30 15 36 105 219 59 94 119 22 1,059 56 17 70 28 Little Wonder Little and Good ... Little Eepublic ... Nonsuch Pride of the Hills Peep o' Day Queen of the Tiki Eoyal Oak Eainbow End Eed Eover Eesaca Swedish Crown Tokatea 57 32 30 5 145 60 45 46 9 21 35 58 450 l,G90 79 66 16 256 103 76 743 32 18 39 139 2, 318 Bay View Conquering Hero ... Conqueror Christmas Box Erin's Hope Excelsior Emily Flying Cloud 3-olden Belt Jiant ELarbour View homeward Bound ... Matters ndependent iing of the Eanges Total 1,797 7, C5G N.B.—All Eeturns under 10 oz. GoL are placi :d with Specimen and Sundry S: lall Crusl lings.

Result of Crushing. Tons. Oz. Remarks. rield of Thames Gold Field rield of Coromandel Gold Field bushings yielding less than 10 oz.,"^ Specimen and Sundry Small > Crushings j 101,287 1,797 271,229 7,656 A considerable quantity of Gold was " melted " Gold. The smaller crushings were not " melted." 6,878 103,084 285,763 The crushing of quartz on the Coi about February, 1871. The Returns of Gold from Machii in this Eeturn. •omandel Gi old Field did not commence till late in the year, say, les employe id in extracting Gold from Tailings are not included

G.— So. 3L

GOLD FIELDS OF NEW ZEALAND.

7

TABLE D. RETURN showing the Batteries erected on the Thames Gold Fields, Puriri and Tapu, but not Coromandel, with description of Machinery.

Locality and Name. i S DO i 5 I a V 1 o bo £ ■3 pm ij* - sis s 1 6 8 I 'trj v; ( a 'a I o jq I i o OQ Remarks. 9 a I IB s lape Creek— Groves' Greenaway's s 9 l 3 1 1 h. P . 7 8 ft. "Working. Ditto. Caraka — Lucky Hit Halcyon Hokianga Onehunga Coulabah Atlas Perry's Una's Bull's Victory's 21 10 11 6 4 8 10 26 11 4 1 2 i i l 1 i i 16 12 8 l l i i 30 30 28 30 Not working. Working. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. 1 1 2 3 i 25 18 inch I 1 1 1 'urbine. 25 30 25 Vaiotahi — Weston's Australasian Criterion Waiotahi Souter's Hauraki Golden Crown Girdwood's 20 20 17 15 10 24 20 8 2 1 2 1 4 1 1 2 2 2 2 4 2 2 l i l i i l 2 1 40 30 12 14 20 20 50 8 Ditto. Not working. Working. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. Not working. 1 2 4 iloanatairi — Pioneer Star of the South ... Whau Launceston Victoria Morning Star Middle Star Tramway Thames or Manukau Goodall's 9 10 15 8 25 11 8 12 41 28 1 1 2 2 1 1 5 1 2 1 l l 2 1 1 1 1 2 2 1 1 1 1 8 12 10 4 30 22 12 10 40 16 Ditto. Working. Ditto. Not working. Working. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. i i 4 Curunui — Deep Lead Shotover Kurunui Herald 9 V2 48 15 1 7 1 i 2 l 2 1 1 a 2 2 12 10 85 '22 Not working. Working. Ditto. Ditto. ihell Back— Partington's Clarkson's Bleazurd's 15 13 9 1 1 1 1 1 I 12 12 20 I Ditto. Not working. Ditto. ?araru— Wild Missouri Russell's Brown and Campbell's Flora Macdonald ... Ballarat and Clunes 21 80 10 20 30 2 3 1 1 36 45 Working. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. Not working. 3 3 i 40 23 inch Purbine. l 25 15 inch Purbine. ?apu— Nautilus Halcyon 15 8 1 15 inch l u I'urbine. 20 20 30 Working. Ditto. Golden Anchor 4 } Ditto. 719 50 3 39 29 12 3!) 631 15

G.-No. 31

8

FURTHER REPORTS ON THE

TABLE E. RETURN showing the Number of Miners' Rights issued on the Thames and Coromandel Districts, from August, 1867, to 30th June, 1871.

Table F. Eetuen showing the Number of Mining Claims held under Miners' Eights on the Thames Gold Field, Registered from 1st to 30th June, 1871. Claims Eegistered ... ... ... ... ... 368 Number of Men's Ground ... ... ... ... 1,617 Area in Acres ... ... ... ... ... 552 This Eeturn refers only to claims registered within the Hauraki field, including Tapu and Puriri, but not Coromandel.

tETITEIf 8, 10W111E sries ereci ;ed on the iea 10 to. iC. — Ct 'inuei Coromandt 'i. Name. Q B B — 0 E o I I o O to I 2 || I" I O o B '&D a s .7 B I a 3 si I E .a □q Remarks. B few Zealand Company fil Desperandum ting latawhai \Thakaroa 16 8 4 12 14 10 10 2 4 1 1 1 1 1 1 20 "Working. 1 1 20 30 Not working. i 8 Turbine, 40h.p. "Working. 'erseverance 'ukauwau l l Turi 17 26 j? } >ine 74 11 2 2:-. 133 Total Amotin 1 of Batti iries, &c, on lie lames am Co: •omandel Gold Fields. 'hatnes !oromandel • 719 74 50 11 3 39 20 12 7 39 2 181 28 15 5 I 793 61 3 39 29 12 ■II ;.-,!! 20 The crushing of tailings Fields : about twelve establish gold from tailings is carried oi pans, amalgamating barrels, i where gold-saving by fire, or c extent, and a very large amoui saving of gold from tailings lia jealously guarded from the h penetrate. The principal ba thousands of tons are sold at j applied for, which it is expectt from the batteries is carried on to a large extent on the Thames G-olc hnients are devoted to this branch of industry. The process of saving i in various ways, such as by means of Berdans, Wheeler's pans, Macky'i ill of which involve the water process. There are also establishment! alcining, is the process used. Some of these works are of considerabli at of capital has been, and is being, expended by the proprietors. Th< is, in fact, become a regular business, and the results obtained are mosi cnowledge of the public. Into some of these mills it is impossible t( rtteries now save the tailings, and periodical sales are held, at whicl trices varying from £2 to £6 per ton. Several patents have lately beei 3d will turn out successfully.

Year. Number of Minera' Eights, Thames. Number of Miners' Eights, Coromandel. 1867 1868 1869 1870 1871—six months 2,94G 11, 585 9,438 3,296 2, 303 Nil. 304 584 200 29, 568 1,088 Issue of Miners' Eights at Coromandel b< This Ecturn includes Eights taken out bj !gan on 23rd September, 1S( Companies, and. called " Li i9. iaseholders " Miners' Eights.

G—No. 31

A large number of these claims have been given up after working, and many have had no labour expended upon them at all; but to approach nearly to a correct estimate of the number of such abandoned claims has been found impossible. The acreage ground taken up under Minors' Rights may be considerably reduced by the registration of claims.

Table G. Return showing the Number of Claims Registered and held under Miners' Rights on the Coromandel Fields, up to 31st May, 1871. Claims Registered ... ... ... ... ... 309 Number of Men's Ground ... ... ... ... 2,084 Area in Acres ... ... ... ... ... 695 The same remarks apply to Coromandel Gold Field with reference to the abandonment, nonworking, and re-registration of claims, as aro appended to the Hauraki return in Table F.

TABLE H. RETURN showing the Number of Mining Leases in Operation on the Thames Gold Field, on 30th June, 1871; also the Number of Leases Surrendered, to 30th June, 1871; also the number of Leases Surrendered and afterwards Re-entered upon, up to 30th June, 1871, with the Area in Acreage and Men's Ground.

TABLE I. RETURN showing the Number of Mining Leases in Operation on the Coromandel Gold Field, on 30th June, 1871; also the Number of Leases Surrendered, to 30th June, 1871; also the Number of Leases Surrendered and afterwards Re-entered upon, up to 30th June, 1871, with the Area in Acreage and Men's Ground.

Table K. Retuen showing the Number of Companies that have been or are in course of Liquidation by the Official Agent on 16th July, 1871. Companies in actual process of Winding-up ... ... ... 69 Companies on which Dividends have been Paid ... ... ... 15 Companies in process of Liquidation ... ... ... 66 Total ... ... ... ... 135 Amount of Liabilities on the sixty-nine Companies in course of winding-up, £18,000. In the fifteen Companies, Dividends of from 7s. 6d. to 20s. in the jj have been paid 3

9

GOLD EIELDS OE NEW ZEALAND.

Leases. Number. Acreage. Men's Ground. In operation Surrendered Surrendered and afterwards Ee-entered on... 135 68 61 660 316 361 1,940 936 1,084 This Return does not include Leases \vh consideration of tho Provincial authorities, am complied with. iich have been app d in regard to whiei ilied for and wine.' h the legal forms '. are still under the lave not been fully"

Leases. Number. Acreage. Men's Ground. n operation surrendered ... .... Surrendered and afterwards Ee-entered on... 6 2 2 55 14 17 12G 40 51

This Return docs not include Leases which have been applied for and which are still under :onsideration of the Provincial authorities, and in regard to which the legal forms have not been fully :omplied with.

&.— No. 31

10

EURTHER REPORTS ON THE

Table L. Return showing the Number of Gold Mining Companies on the Thames and Coromandel Gold Fields on 30th June, 1871, with the nominal Amount of Capital and Amount of Capital actually and nominally Paid up. Number of Companies ... ... ... ... 130 Amount of Capital ... ... ... ... £3,030,719 Paid or called up ... ... ... ... £2,572,421 To be called up ... ... ... ... £458,298 The above Return is made from public lists, and is as near an approximation to the state of the Mining Companies as can be arrived at.

TABLE M. RETURN of Dividend-Paying Companies. THE following Return shows the Number of Dividend-Paying Companies on the Thames Gold Fields, including Coromandel and Tapu, and has been prepared by Mr. Sholl, of Auckland.

TABLE N. RETURN showing the Length of Tramways on the Coromandel and Thames Gold Fields, with the Rentals paid for each Tramway by the Lessees.

Names of Companies. Nominal Capital. Amount per Share. Amount of Dividends from 31st May, 1870, to 31st May, 1871. Total Amount of Dividends from 27th May, 1870, to 31st May, 1871. No. of Shares. 111 Nations ... Jelfast )ixon's No. 1 )auntless and Sink to Eise J-olden Crown Curanui jong Drive ihotover No. 1 Thames Jnas /"ale of Avoca Nolan's Can delight iVaitemata ilorniug Star... dultum in Parvo Llburnia unction Caledonian diddle Star ... Nonpareil 'rovidence Californian £ ... '' 54,000 ... ! 28,000 ... | 24,000 16,000 102,000 127,000 6,000 224,000 60,000 75,000 9,500 18,000 21,000 30,000 32,000 100,000 37,000 36,000 34,320 36,000 21,000 20,000 14, 760 10 5 10 5 1,000 10 5 10 10 5 1 5 5 5 4 5 10 5 12 25 5 5 5 £ s. d. 3 4 6 0 10 0 8 0 0 4 6 201 7 0 16 0 13 0 0 0 7 6 16 17 6 0 2 0 0 6 6 0 2 0 0 2 6 10 0 0 0 9 0 1 7* 0 5 0 0 2 6 108 10 0 0 5 0 0 13 6 0 0 6 0 2 6 £ s. 17,617 10 280 0 960 0 720 0 38,592 0 16,510 0 18,000 0 8,400 0 101,250 0 1,500 0 3, OSS 0 360 0 571 5 6,000 0 300 0 1,625 0 925 0 900 0 310,310 0 360 0 3,897 10 100 0 369 0 d. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5,400 5,600 2,400 3,200 192 12, 700 1,200 22, 400 6, 000 15,000 9,500 3, 600 4, 200 (i, 000 8, 000 20, 000 3, 700 7,200 2,860 1,440 5,700 4,000 2,950 1,215,580 1,162 348 10 4 592,G32 5 0 This Return does not show the amount oi lights, or Leases which may not have been worki Tho gold obtained from these sources does ik gold obt: :d by Com it appear ii lined from clair sanies. is worked unde: Miners' l any public ace lunt.

Tramways. Length of Tramway. Length of Wire Tram. Yearly Rental. lape Creek Ce Papa Creek Jauraki Creek Hoanatairi 75 Chains 161 Chains 60 „ 111 „ Double action Tramway 40 Chains £ s. d. 63 0 0 25 0 0 240 0 0 65 0 0 I ■:. " 550 0 0 Hadman's Gully Fararu Creek Joromandel 88 Chains 136 „ Double action Tramway 34 Chains 75 0 0 Worked by Government. } - {

G.—No. 31.

In addition to the above lines of tramway, there are on the field some private lines, belonging to Companies and Batteries, which are not included in the above Table. It has been found impossible to obtain a correct return, or even estimate, of the quantity of quartz carried on these lines, no absolutely reliable account having been kept by the lessees.

TABLE O. RETURN showing the Amount of Customs Duties, Arms Fees, and other receipts received at the Port of Thames, from 1st July, 1870, to 30th June, 1871, inclusive.

TABLE P. RETURN of the Number and Tonnage of Vessels entered Inwards at the Port of Thames, from the 1st July, 1870, to the 30th June, 1871, inclusive.

Table Q. Betuen of the Number of Vessels employed on the Coal Trade from the Bay of Islands Coal Companj', with the Amount shipped to the Thames, from May, 1870, to 14th June, 1S71. Number of vessels employed ... ... ... ... 15 Tons of Coal shipped ... ... ... ... 13,700 Eegularly employed traders make two trips at least every month.

11

GOLD EIELDS OF NEW ZEALAND.

Date.. Customs Duties. Arms Fees. Miscellaneous Beceipts. ruly August September )ctober November December 1870. £ 8. d. 777 17 8 867 9 5 852 16 9 020 3 6 701 16 5 G55 15 11 £ s. 28 1 27 17 23 4 24 3 15 13 13 18 d. 0 0 0 0 0 0 £ s. 15 2 1 4 2 2 2 6 d. 0 3 0 3 0 4 6 1871. 794 0 2 426 11 6 546 8 9 813 7 4 1,188 9 1 1,095 1 10 13 15 17 6 25 1 27 4 34 8 33 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 26 11 3 7 6 0 5 January February tlarch Lpril tfay fune 2 15 9 Total 9,339 18 4 283 13 0 54 15 8

Date. Date. Number of Vessels. I Tonnage. Tonnage. I . . i uly Lugust leptember )ctober November December anuary February ilarch Lpril day une 1870. 1871. Total 212 197 181 172 166 161 194 166 181 191 212 221 2,254 _ j i 9,901 10.261 8,326 9,813 0,901 5,337 9,710 9,847 10,572 10,398 11,19-1 12,057 114,317 2,254 114,317 Numbers of Vessels entered with Bonded Goods included in the above as follows: — September Quarter, 1870 ... ... . ... ... 49 December „ ,, ... ... ... ... 37 March „ „ ... ... ... ... 47 June „ „ ... ... ... ... 48 Totals ... ... ... ... 201

FURTHER REPORTS ON THE

G.—No. 31,

12

There have been no coal vessels sent to the Coromandel Field, the supply' to that place having been sent indirectly. Parcels of Newcastle coal have been sent to the Thames, amounting to some hundreds of tons.

Table R. Return showing the Quantity of Blasting Powder, used for Mining Purposes, passed at the Custom House, at the Port of Thames, on which duty was paid, during the Year from Ist July, 1870, to 39th June, 1871. lbs. Quarter ending September, 1870 ... ... 14,192 „ December „ ... ... 13,572 March, 1871 ... ... 15,585 June „ ... ... 23,978 67,327=30 tons llcwt. lqr. 81bs. Blasting powder on which duty has been paid at the Port of Auckland, and used on tho Thames Gold Field, is of course not included in the above return.

TABLE S. RETURN of the Price of Provisions and other articles in general use on the Thames and Coromandel Gold Fields.

Table T. Retukx showing the Kates of Wages in the Thames and Coromandel Gold Fields, as also the Charge for Cartage. Labourers' "Wages. 42s. per week. Carpenters' Wages, 54s. per week. Mechanical Engineers' Wages, GOs. per week. Engineers (Drivers), 50s. per week. Stokers, 50s. per week. Miners, 36s. to 45s. per week. Man, dray, and two horses, 20s. per day. It will be observed that the rates of wages on the gold fields have considerably increased since the last Ecturn was presented.

Articles. Wholesale. Ketail. Flour (Adelaide) ... „ (Auckland) ... Potatoes Bread Butcher's Meat Hams (English) „ (Colonial) ... Bacon (English) Butter id kegs „ (fresh) Tea (average) Coffee ... per ton ... jj ... ... jy ... ... per lOOlbs. ... ... per lb. ... )* ... ... ,, ... ... i, ... ... ,, ... £19 £18 10s. £4 30s. Is. 4d. to Is. 5d. 9d. and Is. lOd. and Is. 10H and Is. Is. 3d. 2s. 3d. and 2s. 6d. Is. 3d. 5|d. and 5J 3s. 9d. and 4s. 6d. £20 Is. 5d. £6 £3 and £3 10s. 3s. and -Is. Gd. 6s. £9 Is. and Is. 3d. 20s. per lOOlbs. 19s. 6s. 5d. per 21bs. 4d. to Gd. per lb. Is. and Is. 2d. Is. and Is. 2d. Is. and Is. Id. Is. 6d. 2s. Gd. and 3s. Is. 6d. 5Jd. and 6d. 4s. 6d. and 5s. 3J-d per lb. Is. Id. 6d. £7 £4 4s. and 5s. 6s. 6d. £9 10s. Is. 3d. and Is. 6d. Sugar Tobacco (duty paid) Biscuits (Lamb's) ... Candles (Sperm) ... „ (Mould) ... Hay Straw Oats Maize Chaff Bran Coals (Newcastle) ... ,, (Bay of Islands) Timber . Shingles Palings Slabs ... ,, ... ... j, ... ... per ton ... per lb. ... ,» ... ... per ton ... u ... ... per bushel ... ... py ... ... per ton ... per bushel ... ... per ton ... per 100 feet ... per 1,000 ... ... per 100 ii 25s. 10s. 10s. 10s. 303. £3 to £7 30s. 13s. 12s. 12s. 35s. £3 10s. to £8 Props ... ,, ...

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TABLE U. RETURN of Births, Deaths, and Marriages, from 1st April, 1870, to 30th June, 1871, for the Thames Gold Fields and Coromandel Gold Fields District.

TABLE V. —HIGHWAY BOARDS. RETURN of the Amount Expended by the several Highway Boards on the Thames Gold Fields, the mode of Assessment, the Amount received from such Assessment, the Sums received as Subsidy from the General and Provincial Governments, and from other sources.

I—COUNTY OF WESTLAND. INDEX. No. 1. County Engineer's Report. No. 6. Stafford Warden's Report. No. 2. Grey District Surveyor's Report. No. 7. Kanieri Warden's Report. No. 3. Okarito and Ross District Surveyor's Report. No. 8. Ross Warden's Report. No. 4. Greyniouth Warden's Report. ' No. 9. Okarito Warden's Report. No. 5. Greenstone Warden's Report. No. 1. Couxty Engineeu'sj Report, for Six Months ending 30th June, 1871. Sib,— County Engineer's Office, Hokitika, 11th July, 1871. I have the honor to report that, during the six months ending 30th June, 1871, the following works have been undertaken in the County: — Roads and "Works. Construction : Greek's Gully Track ; Kokatahi Road ; Bruce Bay and Haast River Track; Parts of Fitzherbert and Stafford Streets, as line of main road, Grey to Ross. Maintenance: Sea Beach to Arthur's Pass, road; Staffordtown to Greenstone, road; Coal Pits to Maori Gully, road ; Arahura River to Hokitika, road; Ross to Woolhouses, road; Sea Beach to Lamplough, road; Lamplough to Brodie's, track. 4

13

GOLD FIELDS OF NEW ZEALAND.

Thames. Coromandel. 3irths Deaths Harriagea 594 162 95 21 (; 3 Totals 851 851 30 The District Registrars at the Thames and Coromandel report tin ixisting on the part of many persons with respect to the registrat ■eason to believe that a considerable number of births take place •egistered at all. i it there is considerable negligence ion of births, and that they have in these districts which are not

Highway Boards. Mode of Assessment. Amount of Kates. Amount Received. Subsidy from G-overnment. Other Sources. Total Beeeipts. Expenditure. Balanco in hand. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. aJ | £ 8. d. £ s. d. £ b. d. £ s. d. Paraioai Board: From 24 Feb., 1870, to 30 Juue, 1871. lid. on value to sell. 161 5 2 142 9 2 I 197 11 Ol 30 17 9 370 17 11 362 5 1 8 12 1C Waiotahi Board: To 31 Bee, 1868... Id. on value to sell. 1 farthing on val. to sell, l^d.on value to sell, lid. on value to sell. 502 1 0 474 1510 • 474 15 10 474 15 10 ... To 31 Dec, 1869 ... 269 11 9 228 1511 I 150 0 0 184 2 11 562 18 10 562 1810 To 31 Dec, 1870 ... 759 4 9 636 8 0 378 G 11 104 4 0 1,118 18 11 1,118 1811 Nino months, to 30 June, 1871. 823 11 0 719 10 0 | 453 6 11 117 0 10 1,289 17 9 1,289 3 2 Kaueranqa Board: Year ending 4 Oct., 1S70. Nine months, from lOcl., 1870, to30 June, 1871. ljd. on value to sell, lid. on value to sell. 864 14 4 467 2 6 ! i 215 0 0 219 5 0 901 7 1 041 6 6 i 740 0 0 367 10 5j! i 757 11 M 163 13 5 1,288 15 6J 1,442 19 71 I 2,15116 el Totals 4,120 8 0 3,036 11 10i 819 3 11 6,007 12 4i 6,192 7 lli 8 12 H By direction lave been made u iOt.h June, 1871. of the Provincial Gov ip to 30th June, 1871, jrnment, tin which ia a e amount( return for )f the W; the nine .iotahi aud Kaueranga Boardi nonths from October, 1870, t<

G.—No. 31

14

FURTHER REPORTS ON THE

Surveys : For Roads —Hokitika to Kanieri; Arahura to Staffordtown ; Marsden to Hohonu ; 17 m.p., Christchurch Road, to nearest point, Greenstone Road ; Kanieri to Ross. For Water Supply— "Waimea. Construction of Roads. Greek's Gully Track. —The contracts for construction of this track, amounting to £470, were signed on 26th April last. The total distance is 140 chains 65 links, giving an average of £3 6s. lOd. per chain, or £267 per mile, nearly. The track is to be cleared 17 feet wide, formed 7 feet, and metalled 4 feet, with culverts and drains where required. The work will be completed about 15th August. Kokatahi Road. —Sections Nos. 1, 2. and 5 of this road, comprising 2 miles 7 chains out of the total length of 6 miles 46 chains, have been let for the sum of £807, to be paid in land. The estimate for the work included in these contracts amounts to £843, so that the land applied for has been rated at rather more than £1 per acre. The estimate for the entire road, finished as at present specified, that is to say, " 33-feet clearings throughout, drained and formed 14 feet wide, with culverts where required," amounts to £5,340; metalling, 12 feet wide, would cost about £1,740 more, making a total of £7,080. It will be seen from the above that only one-eighth of the total work has been let up to the present time, and, as tenders have been called for almost continuously since the 16th of March, I fear that a long time must elapse before the whole work is undertaken for land payments. Bruce Bay and Haa.it River Track. —This track was much required, as the nature of the bluffs between Bruce Bay and the Haast almost precluded travelling along the beach. The total distance is fifty-six miles, and contracts have been entered into for the construction, to be completed on the 16th February, 1872. The estimate amounted to £2,960, and the tenders accepted to £2,180, payable in land; so that here, as in the case of the Kokatahi Road, the value set on the land was more than £1 per. acre. The work, when completed, will consist of clearing, 5 feet wide ; benching, 2 feet wide, on sidlings, with corduroy and culverts where required ; and foot bridges over deep creeks. About thirty miles of this line has been let out by the District Surveyor from Ross (Mr. Browne), and the remainder will be explored as soon as the contractors arc ready to undertake it. Fitzherbert and Stafford Streets, Hokitika. —27 chains of 16-feet dray road in Fitzherbert Street, and 43f chains of 14-feet dray road in Stafford Street, have been completed by prison labour, as part of the main road between Greymouth and Ross. The total value of the work, together with maintenance of Fitzherbert Street since its construction, as estimated by the Borough Engineer (Mr. Frew), amounts to £879. Maintenance of Roads. The roads at the commencement of the present Session having been in a state of thorough repair, the contracts set were for maintenance only, and aro therefore good examples of the value of such work in Westland. The rates for the different classes of roads, as deduced from the current contracts, are given below: — Christchurch Road. —lß feet wide, fifty-three miles, for six months, £1,875 —£5 18s. per mile per month. Arahura Road. —12 feet wide, two milts and three-eighths, for five months, £160 —£13 7s. per mile per month. Woolhouses Road. —8 feet wide, three miles and one-eighth, for five months, £200—£12 16s. per mile per month. Greenstone Road. —10 feet wide, fourteen miles and three-quarters, for four months and threequarters, £658 —£9 7s. per mile per month. Maori Gully Road. —B feet wide, seven miles and a half, for five mouths, £283 10s.—£7 lis. per mile per month. Chesterfield Track. —4 feet wide, five miles and a half, for five months, £45 —£1 13s. per mile per month. Surveys. Road, Hokitika to Kanieri. —The survey of this road was completed during the last Session, with a view to its being constructed by prison labour : but, in accordance with instructions received from the Colonial Government, plans and specifications were prepared for contract, and tenders called on Ist instant, to be in by Monday, the 17th. The lotal length of the road is 1 mile 66 chains, and the work, as specified, consists of clearing, 50 feet wide ; forming, 15 feet wide ; and metalling, 12 feet wide; with one 40-feet bridge ; culverts, and side-drains throughout. The tenders are to include maintenance for one year from date of completion. Road, Arahura to Stafford. —The survey for this road was commenced on 17th June, by a surveyor and four men, and will be completed on or about the 15th instant, with all the necessary levels, &c. The distance from Thompson's Bridge over the Arahura to Camp Street, Staffordtown, is about 3 miles 30 chains. With the exception of an embankment over low ground at Arahura, about 8 chains of terrace in Flowery Creek Valley, and a bridge over Waimea River, at Staffordtown, the lines present no difficulties whatsoever, and can be cheaply constructed. The Arahura Road Board have entered into contracts, some of which are completed, for the construction of about 137 chains of 9-feet road from Staffordtown to S."W. corner of section No. 1,001. It would doubtless be advisable to utilize this work as part of the main road, if the same could be done with advantage, but I find that to join their line would entail 35 chains extra length of road, and only effect a saving of £250. The present saving in money to so small an amount does not seem adequate to the loss which would be involved in the increase of distance. Road, Marsden io Hohonu. —The exploration for this road was commenced on the 17th of June, and occupied seven days. The country is difficult, and the Blnckwater route had to be adopted instead of the one at first proposed, which hit the Greenstone Road about one mile nearer Hokitika, and was therefore more direct as a main route, but would have involved the same amount of new construction. There will be grades of linlo in places for 15 chains at a stretch, but on the whole the

G.—No. 31

side cutting will not be as heavy as was anticipated. One of the surveyors engaged started with his party to lay out line from centre towards Hohonu, on 26th June, and the other from Marsden towards centre, on 30th June. Road, 17 m.p., Christchurch Road, to nearest point, Greenstone Road. —This survey was commenced on 14th June, by a surveyor with three men, and the field work will, I expect, be completed about 20th instant. The country is exceptionally easy lines to follow, as it goes along a main ridge, nearly level, for about two miles, and then drops into Manuka Flat, which it follows to Greenstone Road. The total distance will be about five miles and a half. Road, Kanieri to Ross. —A line was cut for this road in December, 1869, but it had to be cleared out and amended in places, as the gradients originally run were steeper than at present fixed by the Colonial Government —(one in thirteen where obtainable without great increase of cost). A line of levels has been run throughout since the 13th June, and the necessary alterations will, I expect, be completed about the 20th instant. The total distance from Hokitika River, at Kanieri, to Woolhouses Road will be about fourteen miles, and thence to Moorhouse Street, at town boundar}', Ross, will be about one mile and a half. Waimea Water Supply. —The detail survey for this object was commenced on 13th June, by a surveyor with three men, who have since been engaged in determining accurately the extent of proposed reservoirs at head, and running sections over low places. The contour line will be commenced about 15th instant, and will take about three months to complete. Buildings. The votes for construction, maintenance, and repairs to Government Buildings, appropriated in February last, amounting to £360, have been expended on additions, repairs, and painting to the various buildings in the districts, as follows : — £ s. d. Hokitika ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 172 12 7 Waimea ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 37 17 6 Pounamou ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 27 0 0 Greymouth ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 98 15 2 Maori Gully ... ... ... ... ... ... 12 9 3 Kanieri ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 13 0 Toll House, Arahura ... ... ... ... ... ... 7 17 0 £357 14 6 Many of the additions and repairs have been inefficiently carried out in consequence of the insufficiency of the vote, and I have therefore set down the amount necessary for this half-year at £400, besides particularizing minor construction works, which usually come out of the vote for maintenance of buildings. New Buildings Required. Lunatic Asylum and Gaol. —The indoor accommodation at tho gaol being entirely inadequate to the proper accommodation of the lunatics confined there, it will, I presume, be attempted, this Session, to provide the necessary funds for a lunatic asylum within the recreation ground lately erected. The cost of a building capable of accommodating both male and female lunatics would be about £1,000, but if this sum is beyond the resources of the County at present, a dining-room, lavatory, two refractory wards, and a kitchen, could be constructed for about £300, which would temporarily meet the requirements of the males alone. New Tracks Required. The tracks which I am cognizant of as being most urgently required are — Maori Gully to Italian's (Arnold District), three miles, £900. Greenstone Road to Italian's (Waimea District), one mile and a quarter, £370. The necessity for the first of these has long been felt, and its construction would confer the greatest possible boon on the inhabitants of the back country near Maori Gully Township. The line was laid out by the direction of the County Council at its last sitting, and tenders were called for — payment in land —but none were received. If half amount of estimate were provided in cash, and payments made monthly on account, I think the miners or storekeepers in the vicinity would undertake the work. The track to Italian's (Waimea District) would also have been a great boon to the inhabitants in times past, but the necessity for it is peculiarly felt now, as good ground has been struck at a considerable depth below the surface, and machinery as well as food will, no doubt, soon be required. I have, &c, Charles Y. O'Connor, To the Chairman of the County Council. County Engineer.

No. 2. District Surveyor's Report on the Grey District, for Six Months ending 30th June, 1871. The most prominent feature of the half-year which has just expired is the long drought, which continued for nearly three months at the commencement. So long a spell of dry weather had never been known on the West Coast before, and strained to the utmost its resources in regard to water supply, calling increased attention to the urgent necessity of larger races being constructed, to enable the district to hold its own. As time goes on, and the rich patches and shallow leads become gradually

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GOLD EIELDS OE NEW ZEALAND.

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16

FURTHER REPORTS ON THE

worked out, the prosperity of this gold field will more and more depend upon sluicing operations on a large scale, for which large races or reservoirs will be required. This is well illustrated by the results which have taken place at the Greenstone. In speaking of the different localities comprised in my district, most of the remarks I made in my last report will still apply and need not be recapitulated, but where anything fresh has occurred it will be noted below. I.— Greymouth and South Beach. Most of the water-wheel claims on the beach have been abandoned and the machine^ removed, there being now only four wheels at work. A few claims are still being worked on the Stoney Lead, with very good results, and three or four parties are at work on ground within the portion lately excluded from the Borough of Greymouth. Two parties are at work on the Old Lagoon Lead, bringing up tail races in order to work the ground right before them, and put everything through; one of them has applied for a special claim. The Paroa Lead appears to be all but abandoned. 2. — Rutherylen, Welshman's, and Limestone. Population about 130. Nothing fresh to report, except that the New River Race Company, mentioned in my last, are proceeding with the work, and have about three-quarters of a mile completed. When finished, the race can hardly fail to give a great impetus to mining in this locality. The road from Greymouth to Ross, if it is taken by the Omotumotu Saddle, will materially assist in developing its resources. 3.— Neiv River. Population about 750. If German Gully be included under this head, to which it naturally belongs, although it has hitherto been comprised in the Arnold District, the population has somewhat increased. Italian's, Ryley's, and German have all suffered severely from the dry weather at the beginning of the year. Taking the district altogether, very little water supply has been secured;- but as several good sized races are under way, the next half-year may show an improvement in this respect. As a set-off against the loss occasioned to the miners by the drought, the cost of provisions has been greatly reduced through the keen competition of storekeepers, most ordinary articles of food and clothing being obtainable at Marsden and Clifton, at Greymouth retail prices ; and meat has been actually cheaper, even in the more distant gullies, than in the butcher's shops in Greymouth. It can hardly be expected that this state of things can be permanent. In German Gully the rush to Soldier's Terrace turned out fairly successful. A good lead was found high up on the flank of the range, and traced to Liverpool's in one direction and German Gully in the other. These gullies cut it in two, and it has not yet been found beyond them, though there is no visible reason why it should not continue on in both directions. It supports at present about 200 men, whose greatest drawback is the scarcity of water. The discovery of this lead suggests the natural inference that there are probably many more similar leads scattered about in the spurs and ridges of this rough piece of country, and hitherto concealed owing to tho difficulties of prospecting. 4.— Arnold. The steady prosperity of this portion of the Grey District still continues, though it also suil'ered severely from the drought. It depends entirely upon frequent rain, and a week's dry weather leaves most of the hands idle. It is very unfortunate that the difficulties in the way of procuring a large and constant supply of water are so great, as nowhere would it pay better. Pryor and party's undertaking has, after something like two (2) years' labour in taking in a tunnel 3,500 feet long, turned out unsuccessful, the original prospect on which they built their hopes having proved only a patch. The outlying creeks and gullies still support about the same (if anything, a somewhat increased) population. 5.— Greenstone. The main operations of this locality consist, as before, of sluicing, for which increased facilities are now given by the Hohonu Company having increased their supply of water from twenty to forty heads, by the completion of their large dam. Into this is turned the night water, most of which used formerly run to waste. The whole of the water lets readily, and the consequence is, an increased population and activity on " Duke's Terrace." The mass of tailings is now so great as to be treading close on the heels of the township. The population in other portions of the Greenstone District remains about the same. Attention has lately been directed to the high terrace on the south side of the road to the junction, which it is believed would pay for sluicing if water were brought on to it. Roads, Tracks, and Bridges. No works of this nature have been constructed during the half-year, with the exception of about 20 chains at the New River crossings, and a line cleared for a horse track by Mr. Montgomery, from Omotumotu Creek to the Coal Mines : the latter, not being metalled, is now impassable. A road line has been laid out, with good gradients, from Maori Gully to Italian's, and tenders were called for, but none eligible were sent in, owing probably to one of the conditions imposed being that the whole of the payment should be in land. If it had been half cash and the remainder in land, I believe no difficulty would have been found in letting the work. Required. —On the supposition that the road from Pounamou to Greymouth will be made by the General Government, and that the route adopted will be via Marsden and the Omotumotu Saddle, in the limestone range, I shall confine my remarks to the subsidiary roads which are required to open up the district. Dray Road. —The only dray road I should recommend is the continuation of the Arnold Road to Greymouth. This is not only necessary for the full development of up-country trade and resources,

G.—No. 31

but would tend to promote agricultural settlement, by opening up a large area of good land which is now nearly inaccessible. Metalled Tracks. —Four-feet metalled tracks I should recommend to be made, —Ist, from Maori Gully to Italian's, and continued to the New River, being a total distance of five miles, or to the Ross and Greymouth Road, say six miles; 2nd, from the Stillwater Bridge to Orima Township, in Maori Gully, via the Stillwater Valley, say six miles ; and, 3rd, from the Ross and Greymouth RoadatStoney Creek, to the halfway station on the Marsden and Paroa Tramway, which would serve Welchman's, Limestone, and German Terrace diggings,— say five miles. After these in importance, would be a track from Clifton to German Gully, three miles, and one from Pounamou to the Paddock, via Lake Brunner, say ten miles, — the former is not at present a necessity as far as the supply of stores is concerned, as there is access to German Gully for pack-horses by Phillip's Track from Maori Gully, and from Clifton by Hamilton's or Faulkner's Track, and the bed of the New River and German Creek, except in time of floods; but to miners it would be a great boon, as the present route is always inconvenient and sometimes dangerous to travel. Bridges. —Besides those which would be necessary in the construction of the roads already mentioned, a horse-bridge i 3 required over the New River at Coekabulla, and also one over the Coekabulla Creek, close by. An application has been made by a private party for protection to bridges he proposes to construct at these points. In the event of his failing to do so. I suggest that the Government should at once supply the want which has so long existed for a bridge at that place. Supply of Water. —As the best ground may be fairly considered to have been mostly worked out, and miners must, therefore, fall back upon the working of poorer ground on a larger scale, the importance of a large and continuous water supply becomes more and more obvious. In that part of the Grey District which lies within the County of Westland, the difficulties in the way of obtaining this desideratum are unusually great, owing to the formation of the country. It is completely surrounded by low valleys, which effectually preclude water being brought on to the high-level workings except at enormous expense. The only alternative appears to be the formation of one or two large reservoirs, somewhere near the head of the New River, at a'suflicient elevation to command the auriferous deposits between Clifton and Maori Gully ; and, if it is intended that this portion of the County shall participate in the General Government scheme for water supply to the gold fields, careful search will no doubt be made for suitable sites for such works. In the lower country the difficulties in the way are much less, and are being gradually overcome by private enterprise. Besides the New River Company, mentioned in my last report as bringing a race from the New River, near Maori Creek, to carry ten heads of water, and supply the various diggings on the left branch and the Saltwater Creek, there are the Shamrock Pace, six miles, bringing about three heads from the Arnold Creek to Maori Gully, at a good elevation, and which is completed; and Murphy's Race, five miles, from Cockeye Creek to Nemona, which will bo finished shortly, aud will command a large area of payable ground ; besides several smaller races in other localities. In addition, several races are projected, which, if carried out, are likely to be of great service—for instance, a race, to carry ten heads, starting from the lower New River, to work the Old Lagoon Lead, say seVen miles; and two to work the Terrace at Clifton, bringing the water,' the one (four heads) from Eight-Mile Creek, say five miles the other (three heads) from Maori Creek, say three miles. And at Pouuamou a party of men have expressed to me their intention of prospecting for a race from the northern tributaries of the Teremakau, to command the high terrace on tho south of the road from the Hohonu to Pounamou, which is believed to be equally auriferous with the Duke's Terrace.

No. 3. District Surveyor's Report on the Okarito and Totara Districts, for Six Months ending 30th June, 1871. According to instructions, I proceeded to Bruce Bay on the 15th May last, for the purpose of exploring the country between there and Abbey Rocks, and fixing on the best route for the Bruce Bay and Haast River Track, and have the honor to report that, as was anticipated, no material difficulties have been found to exist on the whole of the line chosen, which line is also the only practicable route along which a good road can be constructed between the places named. Although the estimated distances agree very well with the measured ones, it will still be seen by the map that a different route from the one indicated had to be taken, owing to the nature of the country, which is made up of very high mountains, swamps, rivers, and lakes. The lakes are four in number the largest of which is about five miles, and the smallest about one mile in length. The Paringa Lake is the largest, and is enclosed on nearly every side by very high and steep mountains. The track runs along the northern side of the lake for about two miles and through McGloin's Pass into Lake Rasselas, which is merely the end of a long swamp, commencing about three miles inland from the Abbey Bocks, and having an outlet leading into Lake Paringa at its southern end. The pass between Lake Rasselas and Abbey Rocks is very narrow, averaging about 8 chains in width, the hills on both sides rising to a great height. At about half a miie from Abbey Rocks another pass commences, running south towards the Moeraki (Blue River), and at this point I found it necessary to end No. 2, as it would be impossible to take the track towards the Haast further inland, the ranges being so very high and steep. As the survey on which I was engaged did not extend further south than the Abbey Rocks, I cannot give an accurate account of the country through which Section No. 3 goes ; but, from what information I can gather, there will be no difficulty in extending the track to the Haast. The distance from Bruce Bay to the forks of the Paringa River is sixteen miles, and tho distance from the mouth of the Paringa River to the Abbey Rocks is about twenty miles, and it is a good route for a track throughout. The total number of miles surveyed and blazed, therefore, will amount to about thirty-six. 5

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GOLD EIELES OE NEW ZEALAND

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18

EURTHER REPORTS ON THE

While exploring the country, I took every available opportunity of getting information relative to> the topography and general formation of the country, and am in possession of enough data to compile a reliable topographical map from Bruce Bay to the Haast River south, and as far north as time will allow to compile from the field books used in the geodesical survey. In nearly every creek gold has been found in small quantities, but it is evident that the country has never been properly prospected, as, in the whole distance over which I have been (about one hundred miles), I did not see a prospecting hole sunk deeper than three or four feet, and these very few and far between. In the whole distance between Bruce Bay and Abbey Rocks there are only three men, who live at the mouth of the Paringa River, but a few more are working further south, towards the Haast River. At Bruce Bay there are only three miners besides Maoris, and at Hunt's Beach there seems to be a settled population of about thirty. The difficulties of getting provisions packed round the Makawhio Bluff, at all times, from Bruce Bay, makes the rate of living high on this beach ; but this also applies to all the beaches along the coast for a distance of about one hundred miles. The benefit of a water supply may be seen to advantage on Gillespie's Beach and Saltwater Beach, where, a year or two ago, scarcely a man was to be seen: there is now a population of about two hundred, and likely to increase. Numbers of diggers are scattered along tho beaches, and nearly all satisfied with the results obtained. I could not help noticing the marked change which has taken place in the Southern District within the last two years, which in a great measure is owing to the feeling of settlement which prevails throughout, and I am confident that many would avail themselves of the opportunities of acquiring land under the special settlement system if they could. Very little change has taken place in the Totara District since my last report, but whatever change has occurred, lam happy to say, has been for the better. As I have, time after time, gone into detailed accounts of the vast amount of capital invested in this district, it will not be necessary for me now to go into particulars. There is one thing, however, in connection with Jones' Flat which I cannot pass over without noticing, and that is, the introduction of water power, which is likely to become a favourite way of working the deep leads. The number of mining surveys for which fees have been received up to May has been very small as compared with former returns, but a great many were applied for and completed by the surveyor who acted in my absence in the South. Between January and May six extended claims and five other mining surveys were applied for. In conclusion, I must say that in both the Totara and Okarito Districts the population seems more settled than I have ever seen it, and great hopes are entertained, by every section of the community, of the future wealth of these districts when properly developed by the construction of roads and waterraces. J. R. Browne, District Mining Surveyor.

No. 4. Gret Warden's Report, for Six Months ending 30th June, 1871. Sir, — Warden's Office, Greymouth, 4th July, 1871. I have the honor to forward, for your information, a report, for the past six months, on the Greymouth District. The general state of the district is healthy ; —commercial and mining interests have progressed steadily, and will bear favourable comparison with previous half-years. In mining operations, several extensive water races, tunnels, tail races, &c, and other works in connection therewith, have been undertaken, whilst others are completed, and repaying the outlay thereon. There is an increase in the population of the district, but it will be seen, by the last Census Return, that there is a largo increase under the heads of "Females" and "Children " since the previous Census, and it is a noticeable fact that good substantial houses, with gardens attached, are now the rule, instead of calico tents, as formerly. In the South Beach the Stoney Lead still maintains its reputation. Some of the claims, known as the North Star, Rising Sun, and others, are yielding handsome returns, after months of heavy labour and expense opening up the ground. The Leviathan and Great Extended Race supply many of the claims on the Stoney Lead and Front Lead, along the beach, at the rate of £1 per head per diem. The North Star have recently brought an engine upon their claim ; and on the Beach Lead, Howison and three other parties are working with large water-wheels. On the Lagoon Lead, two large tunnel tail races have been taken into the lead a distance of 1,500 feet to 1,800 feet. Some good ground has been opened up, and the owners are now working amalgamated claims, and have applied for water-races, some miles in length, from the Deep Creek and New River, which will take time to construct. In the New River Subdistrict, sittings of the Court have been held fortnightly, with one or two exceptions. The ground from Nemona to Coekabulla, and, I may say, the whole of this part of the district, is principally worked by tunnelling. Water in many places is very scarce, and miners are often at a standstill for days in consequence. The special claims granted about two years ago to the Argus Company, of five acres, and the Independent Company, of five acres, at Liverpool Bill's Gully, after two years' work, have suspended operations. O'Connor and party have been engaged since February constructing a large race from the right-hand branch of New River, above Maori Creek, a distance of nine miles, to command the saddle and terraces between Marsden and Welshman's. Other races, varying from two to six miles, are being constructed to work the terraces about Clifton. In the Arnold Subdistrict, sittings of the Resident Magistrate's and Warden's Courts have been held monthly.

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A rush set into German Gully about four months ago, a good run of gold having been struck. A large population have settled down, and several business premises have been erected. The other portions of this part of the district continue to maintain an average share of the population. The special claim held by Pryor and party has been abandoned, after two years' labour construct, ing their tunnel from Maori Gully to Riverton Gully, to drain and work the ground, which did not prove iii any way equal to the prospects first obtained. In the Township of Greymouth several new. buildings have been erected, and several cottages have been put up along Tanui Street South. Tho works of the Gas Company are fast approaching completion, and the Company hope to be in working order next month. The Court House is in good repair, but the rooms recently added to the Court require to be lined and furnished, especially those required by the District Court. The local gaol is unsuitable, and too small for the present requirements, especially as regard* debtors and females. At Clifton, the Court House requires some slight repairs, and more accommodation is required for the police, so that a married constable might be stationed there to assist the sergeant, who, besides his police duties, has to perform the duties of Resident Magistrate's and Warden's clerk, and it is not advisable that the premises should be left for one or two days without some person in charge. The road from Marsden to Clifton, upon which there is a toll-bar, is not kept in such repair as it ought, considering the amount of tolls collected are about double that of the wages paid the toll collector, who is the only person employed to keep it in repair, the balance of tolls being paid over to the Road Board of the district. The Maori Gully Township has been greatly improved within the last six months by the erection of large stores and hotels in lieu of tho old shanties, and the filling up of the great chasms in the street. The Court House and Police Camp are of the most wretched description, consisting of small buildings 10 feet by 12 feet, with a calico tent for the sergeant, and totally unfit for the due performance the business of the Courts. It will be necessary to make provision for the erection of a Court House, with quarters attached for the sergeant of police (who is married) and a constable. The sergeant performs similar duties to the officer at Clifton, and in each district there is a population of 800, scattered over such a largo area that it is almost impossible for one man to perform his police duties efficiently, with those required of him in the Warden's Court. A good lock-up will also be required. The road from Maori Gully to tho Coai Mines is kept in fair repair. Two drays are constantly employed carting goods along it, besides pack-horses. The completion of the road to Greymouth would be a great boon both to the district and Greymouth. The present Licensing Ordinance and Amendment Acts are anything but satisfactory to the applicants or creditable to the country. Immorality has got to such a state that it is unsafe for parents to permit their children to go to service, and our streets are full of the larrikin tribe, all of which may be traced in a great measure to the defective Licensing Acts, the almost indiscriminate granting of licenses, want of reformatories, and, I regret to add, the encouragement given by respectable citizens letting their premises to be converted into brothels. The first and principal duties of the authorities should be a careful and vigilant exercise of its powers in granting and withdrawing or withholding licenses, instead of being looked upon merely as a source of revenue. It is imperative that steps should be taken at once to amend the Licensing Acts, and grant licenses to persons of known respectability, for a great number of the present licenses are only low pot-houses, frequented by the lowest characters, where the vilest liquors are sold. Young girls are enticed from their homes to fill tho bars and dancing saloons, and immorality in all its phases is permitted and encouraged, until many, finally, become inmates of the hospital, or lunatic asylum and gaol, or the lowest outcasts of society. The number of children throughout the district, a large percentage of whom never go to school, demands that some provision should be made for establishing good schools in the centres of population. The population of the district is estimated at 4,500, and are located as follows : — Greymouth ... ... ... ... ... ... 2,250 Paroa and South Beach ... ... ... ... ... 420 Rutherglen. ... ... ... ... ... ... 130 Teremakau ... ... ... ... ... ... 66 Clifton and Maori Creek ... ... ... ... ... 300 New River ... ... ... ... ... ... 150 Mosquito and Coekabulla ... ... ... ... ... 200 Marsden and Nemona ... ... ... ... ... 170 Maori Gully ... ... ... ... ... ... 250 German Gully ... ... ... ... ... ... 250 Italian Gully and Riely's ... ... ... ... ... 120 Liverpool ... ... ... ... ... ... 30 Waimea Stillwater ... ... ... ... ... ISO Total ... ... ... ... 4,516 The revenue for the six months, from all sources, is as follows: — £ s. d. Warden's Department ... ... ... ... 1,997 8 6 Resident Magistrate's Department .... ... ... 689 16 6 Publicans' Licenses paid to County Treasurer ... ... 900 0 0 Gold Duty ... ... ... ... ... 2,055 1 3 Customs Revenue ... ... ... ... 18,937 14 4

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EURTHER REPORTS ON THE

The number of cases heard in the Warden's and Resident Magistrate's Courts in the District are as follows : — Court. Civil. Criminal. Warden. . Greymouth ... ... ... 486 225 30 Clifton ... ... ... 65 14 22 Arnold ... ... ... 23 21 78 Total of all Cases, 902. The following number of rights, licenses, registrations, and leases, have been issued or applied for, and forwarded for consideration : —Business licenses, 27 ; half-yearly licenses, 49 ; quarterly licenses, 22; ss. registration, 107 ; 2s. 6d. registration, 455 ; Is. registration, 296 ; leases, 3 ; special claims, 2; extended claims, 3; agricultural leases, 21; retail licenses, 8 ; conditional licenses, 11; half-yearly licenses, 16 ; wholesale, 7 ; bottle, 3 ; miners' rights, 612. The new mining regulations appear to give general satisfaction throughout the district, with one or two exceptions, namely, that the rent charged for claims under leases are too high, and that mining surveys are excessive when compared with those charged for agricultural leases. Several of the leases applied for have since been abandoned, after six or twelve months' work ; and some loss has accrued to the revenue owing to the delay in preparing the leases. Herewith are attached a return of the current prices of provisions at the various centres in the district, and of the customs revenue and gold duty collected at Greymouth. I have, Ac, W. H. Revell, Warden.

RETURN showing the Current Prices of Provisions and Weekly Wages at the different centres in the Greymouth District, June, 1871.

Eettjen of Revenue Collected at the Port of Greymouth, for the Six Months ending 30th June, 1871. £ s. d. Customs Duty ... ... ... ... . ... 18,937 14 4 Gold Duty— Westland ... ... ... ... ... ... 2,055 1 3 Nelson ... ... ... ... ... ... 3,284 3 5 £24,277 19 O W. H. Keyell, Greyinouth, 4th July, 1871. Warden.

Articles. Greymouth. Paroa. Marsden. Clifton. Liverpool Gullj. Maori and German Gullie« Tea Sugar Coffee Flour Butter Cheese Bacon Beef Mutton Potatoes Milk Preserved Fish Salt 3s. 6d. Gd. 2s. 18s. Is. 3d. Is. Is. 3d. 8d. 7d. 9s. 9d. to 1b. Is. Gd. 3d. Is. Gd. Is. Gd. 5s. gal. 12s. "f-100ft. 25s. f- cord 3s. <$■ load 3s. Cd. 6d. Is. 9d. 24s. Is. 3d. lid. Gd. 6d. 10s. 9d. Is. Gd. 3d. Is. Gd. Is. 3d. 4s. 3s.-3s. Gd. 6d.-7d. Is. 6d.-ls. 8d 28s. Is. 6d. Is. Is. Gd. Gd. 6d. 12s. 6d. Is. Gd. pt. Is. 6d.-2s. 4d. Is. Gd. Is. Gd. 4s. 8d. 16s. 20s. 3s. 6d. 6d.-7d. Is. 9d. 28s. Is. 6d. Is. 3d. Is. 8d. 6d. 6d. 14s. Is. 6d. pt. Is. 9d.-2s. 4d. 2s. Is. 6d. 5s. 20s. 30s. 3s. Gd. 7d.-8d. 2s. 30s. Is. Gd. Is. 3d. Is. 9d. 6d. 6d. 17s. Is. 9d. pt. 2s. 6d. 2s. Gd. Is. 6d. 5s. 25s. 30s. 3s. 6d. 8d. 2s. 30s. Is. Gd. Is. 7d. Is. 3d. Gd. 5d. 15s. Is. qt. Is. 9d. 4d. 2s. Is. 3d. 5s. 20s. 15s. £4 £2 £1 £4 £3 £1 10s. £3 Soap Candles Kcrosine Sawn Timber... Firewood Cartage Packings Storeage Mining Wages Servants Female Do. ... Barmaids 23s. 6d. £1 £5 £7 Is. 6d. £3fromGrey £2-£4 7s. 25s. to 30s. 30s. £2-£3 10s. £2 20s. to 30s. 30s. £3-£3 10s. £3 £1 10s. £2 £3 10s. £3 £1 10s. £2 £4 £3 £1 10s. £2 10s.

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No. 5. Greenstone Warden's Report, for Six Months ending 30th June, 1871. Sir, — Warden's Office, Greenstone, sth July, 1871. With respect to the Greenstone District, I have the honor to report that the population is estimated at about 600, distributed as per Return marked A. There is a decrease of about 100 since the previous half-year. The gold fields revenue and fees and fines of Courts during the last six months amount to £845 35., which, I am glad to say, shows an increase of £375 3s. Od. over that of the half-year ending 31st December last, as per Comparative Return marked B. Return of prices of provisions and rate of wages is also attached, marked C. Having been but a short period in charge of this district, which I visit only once a week, I do not feel in a position, on this occasion, to give any lengthened report, from actual personal knowledge, respecting its state and requirements ; but from all I can gather, I may safely assert that it will compare favourably with the previous half-year. It is apparent to me that the great drawback is the want of water to work what is evidently a vast amount of ground, which would support a large mining population for years to come. I cannot help remarking on the unfavourable position of the Greenstone Township, situated in the bed of the creek, and subject to serious injury, even to destruction, from floods, to say nothing of the tailings from the working on Duke's Terrace approaching very inconveniently the back of the town. It would therefore be desirable to find a more suitable site for it. It is gratifying to observe the many small settlements and pieces of ground under clearing on the road from the Teremakau Junction to the Greenstone, which evidently evinces a desire on the part of the public to become permanent settlers, when they have an opportunity of obtaining land fit for ordinary cultivation. I have, &c, Matthew Price. Warden.

Table A. Population Return in Greenstone District, Estimated on the 30th June, 1871. Pounamou Township ... ... ... ... ... ... 150 Duke's Terrace ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 130 Township as far as Maori Point ... ... ... ... ... 100 Argus Terrace ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 50 8hedFlat ... ... ... :" ... ... ... 70 Greenstone Road... ... ... ... ... ... ... 50 Hohonu Junction and Gullies ... ... ... ... ... 50 Total ... ... ... ... ... 600

Table B. Comparative Return estimating Population and Revenue for the Half-year ending 30tli June, 1871, and the same for the Half-year ending 31st December, 1870. Half-year ended 30th June, 1871. Estimated Population—600. £ s. d. Gold Fields Revenue of all kinds ... ... .. ... 772 0 0 Fees and Fines, Wardens'Courts ... ... ... ... 10 1 0 Fees and Fines, Resident Magistrates' Courts ... ... ... UiJ i 0 £845 :! 0 Half-year ended 31st December, 1870. Estimated Population —700. £ s. d. Gold Fields Revenue of all kinds ... ... ... ... 371 8 6 Fees and Fines, Wardens'Courts ... ... ... ... 15 1 0 Fees and Fines, Resident Magistrates' Courts ... ... ... 73 8 0 £459 12 6 Table C. Peices of Provisions, also Wages of Miners, Servants, &c, in the Greenstone District, for the Half-year ending 30th June, 1871. Flour, per lb., 3d. ; tea, per lb., 3s.; coffee, per lb., Is. 9d.; sugar, per lb., 8d.; butter, per lb., Is. 3d.; cheese, per lb., Is.; tobacco, per lb., 6s.; bacon, per lb., Is. 6d. ; ham, per lb., Is. 6d.; soap, per lb., 6d.; oatmeal, per lb., 8d.; rice, per lb., 8d.; candles, per lb., Is. 6d.; potatoes, per cwt., 12s. ; freBh meat, per lb., 8d. ; bread, 4-lb loaf, Is. 6

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FURTHER REPORTS ON THE

Wages of Servants.—Miners, 12s. per day, not found ; labourers, 10s. per day, not found ; domestic servants, male, £2 per week and found; female, £1 10s. per week and found; barmaids, £2 per week and found ; storemen, £3 per week and found; mechanics, 15s. per day, not found.

No. 6. Stafford Warden's Report, for Six Months ending 30th June, 1871. Sn ,— Warden's Office, Stafford, Bth July, 1871. My report on the state of the Waimea District for the half-year ending 30th ultimo will be somewhat brief, because, having but recently assumed charge, 1 am not yet sufficiently acquainted with it to justify my entering into an elaborate description of its various resources. From all I have ascertained, I believe I may safely say that the progress and prosperity of the district has in no way retrograded during the past six months, and mining operations are steadily and vigorously carried on. The population is estimated at 2,373, distributed as specified in Return A,. attached, and there does not appear to have been much fluctuation in it between this and the previous half-years. The revenue collected amounts to £1,724 ss. 6d., which shows a decrease of £277 55., as per Comparative Return B. List of prices of provisions and rates of wages is annexed, marked C. There is at the present moment the greatest interest taken in the mining operations now carried on at Italian Flat. The miners are anxiously awaiting the result of several shafts in the course of sinking. The prospectors' claim gave every indication of payable gold, upon which several shafts commenced to be sunk in its neighbourhood. One was bottomed a few days ago, aud although it did not turn out as good as was expected, yet quite sufficient to give renewed energy to the others to continue their labours ; and as three or four other shafts are expected to be bottomed within the next ten days, or so, a more decided opinion will then be formed of the Flat, and, should it be favourable, a considerable rush may be expected ; but as the sinking is upwards of 100 feet, those who go into it will require to have a little money to carry them on until they reach the payable wash. In tho meanwhile, the population is gradually increasing, and preparations are being made to put up buildings the moment satisfactory proof is ascertained of the ground becoming permanently payable. Should it turn out so, it will be absolutely necessary to make a good track to it from the Greenstone Road, as the present "one is almost impassable. The Stafford Town Prospecting Association have applied for a special claim of four acres in the vicinity of the town, on the old track to the beach. They have great difficulties to contend with in the way of water, and are expending a considerable amount to thoroughly test the ground. Tiiis, with other prospecting claims in Callaghan's, Greek's, and other gullies, speaks well of the confidence the miners still have of these diggings ; for, before any of these claims can make any return, they require several months' labour and no small amount of money to develop them. As on every gold field in this country, the cry here is the want of water, and, looking at the mining operations that have been and are being carried on in this district, with the vast amount of auriferous ground still untouched, should a judicious scheme for supplying water be introduced by Government, there is not the slightest doubt that a great impetus would be given to the progress and prosperity of this district. It would do this further good,—conduce in a great measure to settle down the mining population, who, instead of always being on the look-out for a move or the chance of bettering themselves, would continue to work steadily, satisfied with fair wages, which a plentiful supply of water would insure them, and it appears to me that the rate of earnings from mining is now reduced to this all over this country. That the population is not disinclined to do so is evinced by the numberless half-acre residence areas taken up and converted into nice gardens, with comfortable dwellings erected on them ; but until something is done to provide an ample supply of water, I foresee that mining operations, not only in this district but throughout the country, will decline, and the population leave. It would be very advisable that the Township of Stafford should be sold without any delay. I find the residents have been expecting it for some time past, and a great deal of discontent is evinced at the delay. In consequence, they feel very averse to tako out business licenses, and it is with great difficulty they can be got to do so. I have. &c, Matthew Prick, Warden.

Table A. Estimated Population in the Stafford Town Sub district, on 30th June, 1871. Stafford Town ... ... ... 224 Waimea Township and vicinity ... 400 Piper's Flat ... ... ... 150 Left-hand Branch, Waimea Creek ... 35 Ballarat Hill ... ... ... 72 Steward's Terrace ... ... ... 30 Scandinavian Hill ... ... ... 44 Shamrock Terrace ... ... ... 65 Auckland Lead ... ... ... 40 Italian Gully ... ... ... 100 Back Lead ... ... ... 9 Maori Gully ... ... ... 45 Sea Beach ... ... ... 48 German Gully ... ... ... 60 Waimea Track ... ... ... 33 Native Terrace ... ... ... 30 Chapel Terrace ... ... ... 59 Right-hand Branch and Bisj; Dam ... 100 Arahura ... ... ... 14 Toker's Terrace, and Red Jack's ... 35 Chesterfield and Lamplough ... ... 110 Greek's No. 2, 45; Greek's No. 1, 35 ... 80 Teremakau ... ... ... 45 Fox's Creek, 150; Hatter's Gully, 35 ... 185 Pretty Woman's Gully ... ... 78 Callaghan's Gully ... ... ... 100 Fourth Terrace ... 65 Liverpool Bill's ... ... ... 5G Total ... ... 2,373 Hatter's Gully ... ... ... 46 _—

G.—No. 31,

Table B. Comparative Return estimating Population and Revenue, for the Half-year ending 30th June, 1871; and the same for Half-year ending 31st December, 1870. Half-year ended 30th June, 1871. Estimated Population—2,373. £ s. d. Gold Fields Revenue of all kinds ... ... ... ... 1,582 10 0 Fees and Fines, Wardens' Courts ... ... ... ... 35 9 0 Fees and Fines, Resident Magistrates' Courts ... ... 106 6 6 £1,724 5 6 Half-year ended 31st December, 1870. Estimated Population—2,293. £ s. d. Gold Fields Revenue of all kinds ... ... ... ... 1,833 7 6 Fees and Fines, Wardens' Courts .. ... ... ... 44 12 0 Fees and Fines, Resident Magistrates' Courts ... ... 123 6 0 £2,001 5 6

TABLE C. PRICES of PROVISIONS; also Wages of Miners, Labourers, Domestic Servants, and Mechanics, in the Waimea and Stafford Districts, for the Half-year ending June 30th, 1871.

No. 7. Kanieei Wabden's Eepoet, for Six Months ending 30th June, 1871. Sib— Warden's Office, Kanieri, 7th July, 1871. I hare the honor to hand you herewith iny report of the district under my charge, during the six months ending 30th June ultimo. I am scarcely able to note any marked improvement since my last communication to you: it is, however, satisfactory to be able to state that the population continues to be profitably engaged, and mining operations in the Kanieri District are still carried on with great energy by all parties concerned; and, so far as I am cognizant of, there is no lack of capital, energy, and combination, to promote the general welfare of the district generally. These diggings, as a rule, having the advantage of unusually easy access from the port of supply, tends greatly to its prosperity, which, coupled with the excellent state of repair the Eoad Board keeps the tracks, &c, in, leading to the several localities contiguous to the Kanieri, renders the price of provisions exceedingly moderate, being almost on a par with town prices. The construction of the road to Kanieri and Kokatahi, &c, will be an iimmense boon to the

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GOLD FIELDS OF NEW ZEALAND.

Articles. Stafford. Q-oldsborough. Flour, per 100 lbs. Pea, per lb. Coffee, per lb. Sugar, per lb. 3utter, per lb. cheese, per lb. .:. Fobacco, per lb. 3acon, per lb. lam, per lb. Soap, per lb. )atmeal, per lb. lice, per lb. handles, per lb. 3otatoes, per cwt. ... <Yesh Meat, per lb. Bread, 4-lb. loaf £ s. d. 16 0 0 3 0 0 19 0 0 7 0 10 0 10 0 6 0 Oil 0 16 0 0 7 0 0 6 0 0 6 0 14 0 11 0 0 0 6 0 10 £ s. d. 17 0 0 3 0 0 2 0 0 0 8 0 13 Oil 0 6 0 0 14 0 19 0 0 7 0 0 6 0 0 6 0 16 0 12 0 0 0 7 0 10 Wages. liners (not found), per day labourers (not found), per day )omestic Servants (female), per week 'arpenters, per day >omestic Servants (male), per week ... 0 15 0 0 9 0 15 0 10 0 0 15 0 0 10 0 1 10 0 2 i'6 0

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FURTHER REPORTS ON THE

24

district, and will much facilitate and promote both the agricultural and miniug development of the country. Victorian Co-operative Company. —Of the machine claims here, I must mention the Victorian Cooperative Company as continuing to reimburse the shareholders for their outlay. The manager speaks well of the returns, and the ground seems likely to hold good for some time. The Shenandoah Flat are progressing well, and are reaping the benefit of their labour. This Company has recently added three acres to their special claim, and are very sanguine of their future success. Overland Route Company. —The Overland Route Company, Commissioner's Flat, are pushing along quietly, and are receiving their share of the precious metal. Albion Company.— Of the Albion Company I cannot state anything satisfactory. I fear the ground will never pay the speculators for their outlay. Western Company. —The Western Company has ceased to exist, it having worked out their allotted ground. Some few are cradling on the old ground of the Company, and are making small wages —one party a very fair average. The water-power hitherto accorded to this Company is now utilized by a newly-started Saw Mill Company, recently erected on the engine ground of the Western Company. As a local industry, the promoters deserve every credit and support. Tucker Flat still continues to maintain its population, who are working contentedly, and with a good will. The Fight-Mile and Woodstock remain in much the same quiet way. The races in the locality are all doing well, water being eagerly bought up. The hydraulic claims at Arch Creek are paying well, and the miners speak well of the locality. Some few are still lingering about the " Old Brighton Lead," and three or four abandoned tunnels have been recently taken up, with a view of a further test. The Blue Spur, Ho Ho, and Paddocks, Sfc, are very quiet just now. The crushing machines are fully employed, and prove a far better process than burning and pounding the cement. The machines save the whole of the gold, and when the tailings are tried, not a speck of gold can be found. Arahura, German Gully, Greek's, Sfc.— From this part of the district there has been very little news, the great drawback to this (known to be an auriferous) locality being the want of a road, the present track being a wretched quagmire. This however will soon be obviated, at least partially, when the road now being formed is completed. It is then to be hoped the very enterprising shareholders in the Caledonian Water-race may be remunerated for their large outlay in the construction of this valuable race. Of the country between the Kanieri and the Kanieri Lake, I can report very little. Smith and McArdle, of coal mine notoriety, have been compelled to leave their claim near the Lake —the difficulty of getting tucker up fairly beat them. They say the country about the mine looks well, and they intend again trying it in the summer. You are already acquainted with tho number of the population of this district, the census being so recently taken. I will however state that, notwithstanding the seductive mining intelligence conveyed here, both publicly and privately, from Sydney and Auckland, &c, the miners are not disposed to be lured away from where they know they can, by steadily keeping at work, depend upon a living, if not more. The number of miners' rights was 274 issued, whilst from business licenses a revenue of £179 was derived ; the total revenue being £802 45., giving an average, for the half-year of £133 14s. per month. This shows a slight increase on the receipts of the previous half-year. Tho number of cases tried in Court was 50, almost the same as that quoted in my last report. I estimate the mining population at 1,250. 1 have, &c, Justin Atlmer. AVarden.

No. 8. Warden's Report, Boss District, for Six Months ending 30th June, 1871. Sir — 1 lave the honor to make the following report on mining matters in the district under my charge, for the six months ending 30th June, 1871. I regret to say that a great deal of ground has been abandoned on Jones' Flat, owing to the claim-holders not being able to pay the drainage rates. The Drainage Board have consequently been compelled to strike a very heavy rate on the remaining claim-holders, to enable them to meet their liabilities with the Drainage Company. Many miners have taken up claims, and are working them with great success, in Donnelly's Creek ; also, a large number of men are scattered up the Totara River and other creeks in the district. Gold Return, 15,368 oz. 2 dwts. 10 grs; value, £58,390 4s. lOd. This amount divided amongst 1,409, the male population, will give £41 to every man and boy in the district. £ s. d. ! Revenue, Gold Fields ... ... ... ... ... 1,42119 2 Resident Magistrate's Court, Fees and Fines ... ... ... 221 3 6 Warden's Court, Fees and Fines ... ... ... ... 51 15 0 Export Duty on 15,368 oz. 2 dwts. 10 grs. ... ... ... 1,921 0 0 £3,615 17 8 This does not include land sales or dog tax. Population.— Male, 1,409 ; Female, 968. Total, 2,377. Wages (per week). —Managers, £6; engine-drivers, £3 10s.; underground captains, £3 lis. ; carpenters, £3 10s. ; blacksmiths, £4 ; miners, £3. (10 hour shifts). Timber.— Caps, 9 ft,, £8 per 100; round props, 7 ft., £6 per 100; split props, 6 and 7 ft., £5 per 100 ; laths, 5 ft., £1 10s. per 100; firewood, £1 ss. per cord; sawn timber, 12s. per 100 ft.

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Provisions —Flour, £1 4s. per cwt.; sugar, 6d. to 7d. per lb.; tea, 3s. to 3s. 6d. per lb.; bacon, Is. to Is. 3d. per lb.; potatoes, 12s. per cwt. ; oatmeal, 4d. per lb. ; oats, 6s. per bushel; Coffee, Is. 6d. to Is. 9d. per lb.; chaff, 18s. per cwt.; butter, Is. to Is. 3d. per lb.; candles, Is. 3d. per lb.; tobacco, ss. to 6s. per lb. ; soap, Is. 3d. to Is. 6d. per lb. Freight from Hokitiki to Ross, £2 10s. per ton. Number of cases heard in Resident Magistrate's Court—Civil, 341; Criminal, 72. Cases heard in Warden's Court, 60. Total, 479. The proposed new line of road to Hokitika will be a great boon to the inhabitants of this district, both in reducing the cost of freight; (and consequently the price of provisions) and enabling them to travel with greater ease and safety. Already numerous applications have been made to purchase land for cultivation. This work aud the proposed Mikonui Water-race, if carried out, will be the making of the district, both tending towards settling a farming and mining population. I have, &c, Justin Axlmer, Warden.

No. 9. Okarito Warden's Report, for Six Months ending 30th June, 1871. Sir, — Warden's Court, Okarito, 30th Juue, 1871. With reference to your Circular Letter No. 456, dated 2nd instant, I have the honor to report as follows: —-There has been but little fluctuation in the population of the district during the past six months, for, as the inducements to dig in one part of the district declined, sufficiently good prospects have been presented in other parts to induce the miners to set in; —thus, a large number of men have left the Five-Mile Beach to go to work at Gillespie's Beach, as well as at the Saltwater Beach, to the north of the Waitaki. There are about 560 souls in the district, located as follows : —Saltwater Beach, 60 ; North Beach, 11; Okarito Town, 74; Three-Mile Beach, 21; Five-Mile Beach, 290; Waiho River, 9; Sandfly Beach, 2 ; Waikapahupa River, 3; Moonlight Beach, 3; Gillespie's Beach, 120; Cook's River, 6; Saltwater Creek, 2 ; Karangarua River, 3 ; Hunt's Beach, 38 ; Bruce Bay, 5 ; Paringa River, 3. Total, 560. Deducting from the total 560 the women and children, and a few men engaged storekeeping, cultivating, &c, there remains a total of about 400 men actually engaged in mining in the district. The quantity of gold shipped for Hokitika during the six months ending this day has been 3,035 oz., besides which about 700 oz., and probably more, has been carried overland, showing a total of 3,735 oz. The average of gold per head has therefore been 667 oz., that is, counting every man, woman, and child in the district, namely, 560 ; whilst the average for each miner, in all 400, has been 9.34 oz. At the Five-Mile Beach, where the greatest number of people are located, the ground has not turned out nearly so well as was expected ; and in the large claims, where water-power or horses were employed, the dividends remaining after the payment of necessary expenses has generally been small; but since tho ground has been opened out, the miners have been able to work back with barrows, and so avoid a considerable amount of expense. Very few horses now work regularly in the claims, and the quantity of water used has much decreased, the total sale of the two Race Companies only averaging together about four Government heads. The competition between the rival Race Companies, whilst it has been disastrous to the shareholders, has caused some irregularity in the supply of water to some of the claims, but, on the other hand, has been beneficial to the miners generally, by causing a reduction in the price of water. Some of the claims on the Five-Mile Beach will afford profitable work for a long time to come, but should anything fresh be struck in the district, the greater part of the men would leave at once. At Gillespie's Beach, two water-races have been brought in, and miners are able to do fairly ; for, although the ground is generally poor, the claims can be worked with less water than at the Five-Mile Beach, and consequently at less expense. In dry weather there is a deficiency in the supply of water. The number of miners on the beach has increased considerably, and a full supply of water would be likely to induce more men to set in. At the Saltwater Beach, to the north of the Waitaki, a large race has been brought in, but, as is unfortunately too often the case, the source of water supply has not proved adequate to the requirements of the place. Still, a number of miners have here found profitable employment, where otherwise none would have been at work; and should the new race from the Little Saltwater Creek be successfully brought in, many more miners than those now at work would find profitable employment on the beach. The claims on the other beaches are mostly worked by small water-races or by water raised by dams placed in the lagoons. In some cases, as at Hunt's Beach, success in a great measure depends upon the amount of surfacing thrown up. In the river claims, occasionally, good gold has been got, but as the working generally depends upon turning a stream, this can only be done at certain seasons of the year, when the rivers are low, and then at the risk of a fresh carrying away in a few hours the labour of weeks. Such work is more in the nature of prospecting, nothing certain having yet been struck. An organized party have been prospecting inland for some time past, but I regret to say up to the present 1 ime they have not discovered anything sufficiently good to induce any one to set in. Their next journey will be to the Lake, via the old track from Canoe Point, and I trust they may meet with more success, particularly as some amount of gold has been, from time to time, obtained in that direction. The formation of a track to the Lake has been commenced by the Road Board, a work which, when complete, will, I believe, lead to the country inland being thoroughly prospected, and also be a great benefit to the district, if special facilities be given to the miners to take up allotments adjoining it, suitable for cultivation. 7

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GOLD FIELDS OF NEW" ZEALAND.

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FURTHER REPORTS ON THE

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The tracks to the southward of Bruce Bay, recently surveyed by Mr. Browne, will, when finished, be of considerable service to miners in prospecting, and likely to lead to more men working in that direction. The quantity of land under cultivation is very small, mostly consisting of a few patches near the beaches and up the rivers, but the formation of a good road to the Lake would, I believe, open up land that men could be induced, as I before indicated, to settle upon. The value of the river beds as cattle and sheep runs is fully recognized, all the beef and mutton consumed in the district being now fattened in them, the miners obtaining the advantage of a supply of the finest meat at a considerably less price than formerly obtained. The two pressing wants of the district are a good water supply and good roads. Could these wants have been more fully met during the past six months, miners would have been more successful, and many more would have been at work. I have, &c, E. F. Tizard, Warden.

lI.—MARLBOROUGH. No. 10. Warden's Report on the Pelorus Gold Field, for the Year ended 30th April, 1871. In my last report the population on this gold field was estimated at about 120. During the past year that number has been increased to about 200, but it has fallen off of late to about the same. There have been several large finds in the Wakamarina and creeks, reminding one of the early days on this river. There are parts of the river which would still pay for working, but the gold is difficult to obtain, laying for the most part in gorges, &c, where the working would be expensive, and can only be undertaken profitably by strong parties of monied men, the river being peculiarly liable, from the nature of the country, to sudden floods. The Nelson South-west Gold Field Regulations have been adopted this year, and give great satisfaction as a whole; to encourage miners, and compensate in some degree the difficulty of working, larger areas than provided by the Regulations have been granted, viz., 100 feet per man. The terraces of the Wakamarina, which I mentioned in my last report as being likely to afford employment to a large population, have in a few instances been tried, but were not found sufficiently remunerative for working in the ordinary manner. These terraces I feel confident would pay well if a supply of water were brought on at sufficient elevation to command them, and give water for ground sluicing, and I believe no insuperable engineering difficulty exists to prevent it being done. I cannot speak from personal examination of the country, as the business of my other offices prevents my giving time for such a purpose, but I have mentioned the subject to several practical miners, who are of opinion that a sum of £500 would bring water to command some of the most important ; but even if it cost £1,000 it would, in my opinion, amply repay for the outlay. Considerable improvements have been carried out on the road from Canvas Town to Deep Creek during the year, but beyond that, little or nothing has been done. The country is still difficult of access. The yield of gold has been very considerable in proportion to the population, viz., 3,000 oz. The agents in Havelock have purchased nearly 2,000 oz., and I think fully 1,000 will have reached Nelson or remain in the miners' hands. That amount will give a fair average earning of from 20s. to 30s. per week. Prices of provisions range about £12 per ton in advance of Nelson rates. I feel confident that the work of bringing water on to the terraces is all that is required to make provision for a population of, say, 1,000 or 1,500 men for some years; but until that is done, and roads improved, I do not anticipate any difference in our population, the present number being for the most part old residents, and likely to remain. W. Whitehorn, Warden, Pelorus.

No. 11. Warden's Report on the Wairau Gold Field, for the Year ended 30th April, 1871. This gold field was proclaimed in May, 1870, and in reporting thereon I am unable to give any very decided opinion. Alluvial gold has been found in several places, some of which are on private ground, and some in places on the hill sides, in positions which completely puzzle the most experienced miners. A very small population is engaged in mining here, probably not more than fifty or sixty. They are principally, at present, working at the foot of the River Onamalutu, in some deep ground, some of it 50 to 60 feet sinking. The gold is distributed over a large area, some tolerable prospects, as lam informed, being found as high up the country as Ward's Pass, at the foot of the Red Hills, a distance of about thirty miles from Onamalutu, the lowest point known at present. The intermediate streams aro more or less gold bearing. Tho gold found in the lower part of this field is of a heavy description, and the ground very patchy. The average earnings not very large. In this locality several quartz reefs have been found, four or five being known at present. As to their productiveness, I should be afraid to hazard an opinion, but the matter will soon be determined, as the " Sutherland Gold Mining Company, Registered," have erected machinery to test one of the reefs, known as " Sutherland's," and crushing will commence in a few days. Several Companies have been formed, and leases applied for. Should the Sutherland mine prove productive, I have no doubt

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these Companies will commence operations at once. Application for a lease of a reef at Onamalutu, near where the present alluvial workings are being carried on, has been made, and the parties are very sanguine of success, from the appearance of the stone. This reef is situate about ten miles east of the Sutherland, in tho neighbourhood of which no alluvial gold is found. Should these reefs prove payable, a very large population would no doubt soon be settled in this and the Pelorus Gold Field, as the reefs will probably extend into the Pelorus District, the Wairau field being situate almost due south of the Pelorus. The prices of provisions in this district are reasonable, as a good road is obtainable to almost all parts of the gold field. I regret being unable to give a more positive opinion as to the future welfare of this district, but I feel it would be rash to do so. There are certainly patches of country which will probably employ a few men for some time, already known, but a very large portion of the district has been but very imperfectly prospected, and very little is known respecting it, and at the present time attention is almost exclusively turned towards reefing. W. Whitehorn, Warden, Wairau.

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GOLD FIELDS OF NEW ZEALAND.