THE GOLD FIELDS OF NEW ZEALAND, (REPORT ON).

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1874 Session I, H-09

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1874.

NEW ZEALAND.

THE GOLD FIELDS OF NEW ZEALAND, (REPORT ON).

(Beturn to an Order of the Souse of Representatives, dated 3rd August, 1869.) ' That it is desirable that the Government 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.)

Mr. C. E. Haughton to the Hon. the Minister for Public Works. Sir,— Wellington, loth July, 1874. I have the honor, in accordance with your instructions, to forward a General Report upon the state and prospects of the Gold Fields, with Appendix containing Reports by the Wardens upon the districts under their charge, and Statistical Tables. I have, &c, The Hon. the Minister of Public Works, Wellington. C. E. Haughton.

11EPOET. The difficulty of obtaining full and reliable statistical information as to the earnings of mining companies is one not easily overcome; and although for the year ending March 31st, 1874, I have been enabled to collect fuller information as to the gold fields than was in my power to publish in either of my previous reports, I regret to add that this report is far from being as complete as I could have desired, and, from the numerous inquiries instituted, I had a right to expect. Directors and managers of mines are reluctant to allow their returns to be made public, whilst tributers, in many instances, decline to afford any information whatever; I am inclined to agree with Mr. Warden Charles Broad, who, with the view of getting over the difficulty, suggests that "It would be very useful if an Act were brought into force to compel the owners of machinery to make periodical returns to the Warden of the quantity of stone crushed, with the yield/ In addition to the returns made by the Wardens, and the answers to circulars sent to mine owners and mining managers, I have gathered from the Press a large amount of information pertaining to quartz mining, which will be found in Table No. 23. It is, I have every reason to believe, reliable, and I hope may be considered of value. Gold. The data collected as to gold are as follow : —ln the year 1872 the colony exported 445,370 oz., of the value of .€1,731,201 ; in the year 1873, 505,337 oz., of the value of .£1,987,425. During the quarter ending March, 1873, there were exported 199,442 oz.; whilst in the corresponding quarter this year only 108,947 oz. have been returned. The decrease in the quarter's exports this year affords no reason for the presumption that the yield from the gold fields is gradually decreasing, for every gold-yielding province in the colony during the year 1873, Avith the exception of Marlborough, increased its output in the following proportions: Otago, 24,742 oz.; Nelson, 18,500 oz.; Auckland, 14,559 oz.; and Westland, 2,949 oz.;

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■while Marlborough exported less, during the year 1873, by 783 oz. than in 1872. In further proof of the assertion that this quarter's return of gold exported forms no test of our gold field earnings, I note that the number of ounces exported in the quarter ending March, 1871, was 19,282 oz. less than the following year, while the year's aggregate produce was 284,659 oz. more than in 1872. During the year ending the 31st of March, 1874, according to the returns obtained from the Customs, the amount of gold exported was 419,862 oz., but from the Wardens' reports and other sources of information, the quantity produced was 432,721 oz. The difference is in the amount of the alluvial gold raised, for it has been ascertained that from quartz 165,377 oz. were obtained, in the following proportions, from the different districts: —Thames, 114,180 oz.; Coromandel, 16,307 oz.; Nelson, 20,098 oz.; Otago, 14,744 oz.; and Marlborough, 48 oz. According to the Wardens' reports, the different provinces have contributed in the matter of alluvial gold as follows : —Marlborough, 980 oz.; Nelson, 71,701 oz.; Westland, 85,912 oz.; and Otago, 118,715 oz. The discrepancy in the figures arises from the difference in the returns showing the produce of alluvial and quartz workings, when compared with the uata obtained by exports. When the decrease in the number of the mining population is taken into consideration, the yield of gold will show the stable character of our auriferous resources. Silvek. Although the Province of Auckland exported in 1873, 14,559 oz. of gold more than in the preceding year, the silver shipped to Great Britain—the place of export hitherto of all that has been obtained on the Auckland gold fields —was 877 oz. less than in the preceding year; whilst during the quarter ending 31st March, 1874, none whatever has been sent away, although 15,566 oz. of gold has been exported from the province. During four years ending December, 1873, the quantity exported has been 190,646 oz., of the declared value of ss. Bjd. per oz., or, in the aggregate, .£54,275. It is worthy of note, that during the period when the Caledonian Mine contributed so largely to our gold returns, silver realized its highest price. Revenue. The amount of revenue and gold duty for the year 1873 was .£94,925 10s. 7d., and for the quarter ending March 31st, 1874, £22,382 ss. Bd., making a total from the two sources- of £117,307 16s. 3d., as compared with £143,331 15s. lOd. for the year 1872-73, being a falling off to March, 1874, of £26,023 19s. 7d. The decrease in ordinary revenue in 1873, as compared with 1872, was £11,965 14s. lOd; and in gold duty, £4,243 16s. sd. The reduction in ordinary revenue in the quarter ending 31st March, 1874, as compared with the corresponding quarter in 1873, was £144 ss. 6d.; and in gold duty, £9,769 2s. lOd. Reference to Tables 1, 2, 3, and 4, ■will afford full information on this subject. It should be borne in mind that the reduction in gold duty under "The Gold Duties Act, 1872," which came into operation on the Ist January, 1873, has considerably affected the revenue. Mining Population. Although the number of our mining population has considerably decreased during the year 1873, the aggregate earnings have been largely augmented. In the previous year the miners employed on the gold fields of the colony were 22,335, whilst the recent census returns show that the number at present engaged in mining pursuits is 18,142; but notwithstanding this reduction, there has been an increase in the aggregate earnings of 59,967 oz.. or in value, of £256,164. Comparing the average earnings of the miners for the year 1872 with those for 1873, a striking difference is manifest; for while in 1872 the average was £77 10s. 3d. per head per annum, in the following year it had increased to £95 Bs. 6d., as compared with £101 16s. sd. per head in 1871. The more complete returns in my possession have enabled me, this year, to distinguish between the relative quantities of gold produced from alluvial and quartz workings. From quartz 165,377 oz. were extracted; from alluvial workings 254,485 oz. were obtained. The contributions of the various prormces from quartz mining were as follow:—Thames, 114,180 oz.; Coromandel, 16,307 oz.; Nelson, 20,098 oz.; Otago, 14,744 oz.; Marlborough, 48 oz. I have been unable to ascertain the yields from every quartz mine in the colony, but with the data at my command I have approximated as closely as possible. With regard to the Province of Otago, I have obtained information, which, from its incomplete character, could not be incorporated in the tables appended to this report, but may be summarized as follows: —The Cromwell Company, at Bendigo Gully, obtained during the year 3,215 oz. of gold, at a depth of 300 feet, . their reef being 4> feet in width; the Young Australian, on the Carrick Range, 964 oz., at a ' depth of 150 feet, from a reef 4 feet in width; Star of the East, 547 oz., at a depth of 132 feet, from a reef 2 feet in width; Heart of Oak, 473 oz., 100 feet depth, 1 foot in width; the John' Bull, 238 oz., 100 feet deep, 1 foot wide; Leader, 109 oz., 50 feet, reef 2 feet wide. For these returns I am indebted to Mr. Chas. Colclough, of Cromwell, who was, however, unable to furnish me with the number of tons from which these yields were obtained, otherwise I could have shown the actual quantity of gold obtained from nearly every ton of quartz crushed in the colony

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during the year. It will be seen, that in New Zealand, as in Australia, the quartz mines yield a larger return of gold per miner employed, than the alluvial; but it must be taken into consideration that the cost of machinery in quartz mining is much greater than in the case of alluvial workings. On the Thames I find that, in the year ending 14th March, by the Warden's returns, 89,326 tons of quartz produced 114,180 oz., affording an average of 1 oz. 5 dwts. 13| grs. to the ton; which, from an average obtained from twenty-five companies on the gold field, is worth £2 14s. 6fd. per oz., yielding pcs miner per annum, .£174 16s. In Coromandel, during the year ending March, 1873, 8,732 tons of quartz produced 16,307 oz., of the value of £46,500, being equal to a yield of 1 oz. 17 dwts. 7\ grs. per ton, and to £116 ss. per head per annum. In the Province of Nelson, 18,568 tons of quartz yielded 20,542 oz. cf gold, value £77,508 12s. Id., giving an average of 1 oz. 2 dwts. 3 grs. to the ton. The Warden's estimate of the number of quartz miners in this district is 635, thus showing an amount per head per annum of £122 Is. 2d. In the Dunstan district, in Otago, 120 quartz miners were employed, producing 12,733 oz. of gold, of the value of £17,005 18s. 10d., or £391 14s. 3Jd. per head per annum. The richness of the Cromwell Company's reef will account for the large returns in this district. Some singular facts have been elicited from the Wardens' returns as to the earnings of alluvial miners. In the Ahaura district, the average is £70 6s. Bjd. per annum; in Okarita, £76 12s. 6^d.; in Greymouth, £81 lls. Bd.; in Ross, £90 145.; whilst in a short distance of four miles, between the Waimea and the Kanieri, the difference given is between £28 10s. lOfd. in the former, and £148 4s. in the latter. In Otago, the results in different districts are also remarkable. In theTuapeka district, the average is £102 Is. per annum; in Mount Ida, £47 3s. Id.; at Switzer's, £52 4s. lOd.; whilst in other districts there wts a difficulty in arriving at an estimate. Although the effect of the public works policy has been, as the Wardens in their reports affirm, to draw a considerable portion of the mining population to other pursuits, it is satisfactory to observe that the persons so removed from the gold fields are profitably employed in other branches of industry. Mr. Warden Keddell, writing from Coromandel, remarks: —" The demand for labour, and the high wages, on public and other works in the South Island, have had the effect of inducing some of our best men to leave, and the labour especially of skilled miners has been in demand." Mr. Warden Fraser says, —" The abundance of work throughout the colony has a tendency to take away men who might otherwise devote themselves to prospecting.'" Mr. Warden Carew, when remarking the reduction of 575 miners in his district, considers it " in no respect owing to any failure of auriferous resources, but is to be attributed to the general prosperity of the province, and the prosecution of large public works having created an active demand for labour, at a price exceeding the average earnings by gold mining." The reports of other Wardens contain analogous statements. Water Races. There were in the colony, on the 31st March, 1874, 4,510 water races, of a length of 5,911 miles, carrying 9,059 sluice-heads of water, constructed at an estimated cost of £854,465. It will be observed in the reports that many of the Wardens complain of the insufficient water supply in their districts. The utilization of waste water is a question of paramount importance; the necessary works, however, would be costly, and out of the power of private associations of miners. Machinery. The returns of the machinery employed in alluvial and quartz mining, for the year ending 31st March, 1874, will be found in Tables Nos. 16 and 17. Mining Leases, Holdings, and Mining Companies. It will be seen that, although the information as to leases and holdings is complete, what I was able to obtain with regard to the mining companies in the colony is of an imperfect character. Mr. Warden Fraser says he possesses no information on this subject. The registration of mining companies in his office (the Thames) ceased on 31st December, 1872, by the operation of "The Mining Companies Act, 1872," which requires such registration to be effected at the office of the Registrar of the Supreme Court, Auckland. Agricultural Leases. The area of ground held under agricultural leases has been nearly doubled during the year ending March, 1874; the majority of these are in Otago. 5,000 acres have been taken up under the same system, on the Inangahua and the Buller, during the last two years.

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In illustration of the progress settlement is making on the gold fields, I cannot do better than quote the facts narrated by Mr. Warden Carew, of Tuapeka. He says —" A remarkable feature of progress in real settlement is to be gathered from the transactions respecting land, during the period reported on. The number of agricultural leases granted during that time is ninety-seven, covering an area of 8,053 acres 3 roods 21 perches, and sixty-five applications, for 6,911 acres 2 roods 4 perches, are now pending, which await survey and other preliminary matters before they can be granted. The holders of forty-eight- leases, over 1,830 acres 1 rood 34 perches, which had run over three years, have purchased their holdings, and thirteen other applications, to purchase 405 acres, are before the Waste Lands Board for approval. The provisions under section 62, " Waste Lands Act, 1872," by which the holder of an agricultural lease, three years in possession, is admitted to the benefits of the system of purchase on deferred payments, is being largely availed of. The interpretation given to this section allows the holder of a lease under the Gold Fields Act (after three years) to obtain a Crown grant in fee simple on payment of 17s. 6d. per acre, which may be paid in fourteen instalments, extending over seven years. Strange to say, if the holder wished to purchase the same holding, without deferred payment, under section 74 of the Act, the price would be 20s. per acre. In addition to the leases granted under the Gold Fields Act, fifteen applications, for 2,318 acres 1 rood 26 perches, have been granted under section 50, "Waste Lands Act, 1872." The holders of these allotments, after residing thereon for thirty months out of the first three years, and effecting certain improvements on the land, will become entitled to leases under deferred payments. Another block of land of 2,500 acres has lately been thrown open for "settlement on this system, and there is also an area of 43,000 acres for selection under the Agricultural Lease Regulations. A considerable portion of this land is rough, hilly country, and the whole of it, until applied for on lease, is commonage to the surrounding miners and other settlers. The number of cattle depastured on this land for the past year, or rather the number for which assessment was paid, is as follows : —■ Cattle and horses, 2,485 ; sheep, 15,000. The total quantity of land which has been leased, in holdings of from five to two hundred acres, up to the end of last month, was 33,176 acres 3 roods 31 perches, and about 20,000 acres granted in fee simple and on deferred payments." The anomaly pointed out by Mr. Carew, between the terms upon which land may be obtained on the system of deferred payment and by direct purchase, is worthy of consideration. Mr. Warden Simpson, writing from the Dunstan district, says, —"This district, the greater portion of which is unfit for agriculture, can never make any great strides in that direction. The Teviot and Black's divisions are the only places where any large area of ground fit for cultivation exists, and certainly in the former, settlement must be said to have advanced considerably within the last twelve months. Every section fit for cultivation available has been eagerly pounced on. At Black's some additional land has been leased, but chiefly to old settlers. In this district four deferred payment blocks under the Otago Waste Lands Act have been thrown open during the year, viz., Teviot, Blocks 111. and IV. ; Black's, Tiger Hill, Block V.; and Hawea, Block 11. Block 111., Teviot, contains about 1,400 acres, of which about 850 have been taken up, the balance being rather indifferent land. Block IV., Teviot: No land has been taken up. I presume the reason to be that it is rather hilly and broken, with a good many rocks distributed over it, making cultivation very difficult, even if the soil were good, and that is only medium. Block 11., Hawea :No land has been applied for in this block, which is good land, but a little short of water. The only reason I can give for its not being applied for is its great distance from any market. Block V., Tiger Hill, contains 2,500 acres. Of this about 1,300 acres have been taken up. That the deferred payment system is in favour with the people, is evidenced by the fact that all the holders of agricultural leases under the Gold Fields Act who could do so, have applied to have their leases exchanged for leases under the Otago Waste Lands Act, whereby they get the advantage of the deferred payment. While on this subject, I would remark that much more land would be taken up if the limit were extended from 200 to 500 acres. This extension would be particularly advantageous in districts where the land is inferior, and I think it would be a good rule to regulate the classification of land, by fixing the limit of good land at 200 to 300 acres, and of inferior land so much more. Independent of the settlement on the blocks, since the new Waste Lands Act came into force, there has been a good deal of settlement in a scattered way throughout the district by miners and others, who had, with the consent of the runholders, squatted, and cultivated small patches where convenient to their works, or for other reasons. In some cases these persons have paid as high as £3 an acre to acquire the freehold. The runholders' consent was required by the Board in all these cases, and as a rule it has invariably been given. Some 200 acres have been taken up in this way." Mr. Warden Beetham, of Queenstown, remarks, — "The district has this year produced a very large quantity of grain, which has been roughly estimated by competent persons as sufficient to supply its requirements, both as to internal consumption and export, for the next two years, while in the absence of a practicable outlet for grain or produce to the coast, prices are expected to be so low as to be unremunerative to the farmer. The wheat and barley grown in the Wakatipu is I believe equal, if not superior, to that grown in any other portion of New Zealand, and it undoubtedly will, on the completion of the Winton and Kingston line, form a very noticeable feature iv the exports from this district. As it is, in the absence of an outlet to the seaboard, produce vastly in excess of the quantity required here will be next to unsaleable, and thousands of acres of valuable agricultural land will in consequence be left unimproved."

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New Discoveries. There is nothing very remarkable to record under this heading, no new gold fields having been discovered, or proclaimed during the past year. I note, however, a few remarks in the Wardens' reports which are worthy of attention. Mr. Warden Fraaer, of the Thames, directs attention to a fact almost unique in the annals of quartz mining. He remarks, —" Embedded in the mullock, of which the lode was composed, were found large flakes of apparently pure gold, some of which were about three inches square and three-quarters of an inch thick, and others smaller. There was a large deposit of this stuff found, in all about 500 oz. It required no other treatment than melting in the crucible, losing only 41 per cent., the remainder being gold. These flakes were not, I may remark, of the usual consistence of melted metal; they looked rather as if the particles of gold in the lode were sufficiently fused to make them adhere together, but they could be separated with little force. Since that time the prospects of the mine have improved. Other deposits of this singular composition have been found, although not in such large quantities as that to which I have referred; and in addition to this, the general crushing stuff from the lode yields on an average 2^ ounces to the ton." Mr. Warden Whitehorn, when speaking of Queen Charlotte Sound, in the Province of Marlborough, says, —"Nothing has been done here. The district appears to be rich in minerals. Antimony in large quantities has been found, of a very good quality. Plumbago also exists, but the quality of that at present known is not very good, though I believe only the surface has been tried." Mr. Warden Broad, of Reefton, in reference to his district, remarks as follows : —" In previous reports I have alluded to the discovery of antimony, coal, iron, lime, clay, lignite, &c. To these I may now add marble, concerning which Mr. Theodore llanft furnishes me with the annexed report: ' The marble of this district is of three different kinds. The best quality is principally of a coral formation, of a grey-blue with white veins, and capable of a high polish. Its extent I have proved over a distance of three-quarters of a mile, where it is overlaid by a newer formation. The stratum is divided into a number of beds, varying from six inches to as many feet, and the total thickness is over 30 feet. It is situated between Lankey's and Garvey's Creeks. The next in quality is situated about a mile and a half further north, and is of vaster extent. It is of a brown-blue ground, with white bands intervening. The organic formation differs from the former in its having less coral, and molluscs are more prominent. The third quality is situated on the W'aitahu, is of a deep black, beautifully interwoven with white veins. In structure it is the most massive, blocks of 50 cubic feet being easily obtainable without the slightest joint. It is not so crystalline as the first-named, but is capable of a good polish. In organic structure it differs from the second quality by being principally of mollusc origin, and enclosing but little coral in proportion to the first quality. All three marbles would be invaluable for ornamental and architectural purposes if there existed a reasonable means of transport to the seaboard. The natural access is good, and an outlay of £100 would enable wagons to load on the site. In the same formation there is a large deposit of calcspar and selenite, easily convertible into lime and cement/ " At Waipori, in the Tuapeka district, a deep lean has been found, running across two spurs, of a highly auriferous character, and which promises to continue as a feeder of the main lead running through the Waipori Flat, in which the Government are now cutting up a sludge channel, on the false bottom. This work is being executed under the provisions of " The Public Works and Immigration Act, 1870." Water Supply upon the Gold Fields. In.the last table appended to this report will be found the amount of money expended for water supply under the Public Works and Immigration Acts, 1870, 1871, 1872, and 1873. It will be seen that four companies are paying interest on the subsidies obtained, while the Hohonu Company, in Westland, have refunded a portion of the capital advanced. Table 26 shows that the expenditure and the liabilities for survey, construction of, and subsidies for, water-races on the gold fields up to 31st May, 1874, amounted to £296,(>6 10s. 9d.; and that the amount of money disbursed was £87,788 6s. 9d., of which £11,462 7s. 4d. was payment as subsidies*to registered gold mining companies. Prospects of the Gold Fields. A perusal of the reports of the Wardens, and an examination of the comprehensive tables included in the Appendix, will, I think, lead to the conclusion that there is no reason for anxiety as to the future prospects of the gold fields of the colony : the time, no doubt, has passed for easy alluvial workings, and the application of skilled labour and capital is necessary now in gold mining as in other pursuits. In the older mining districts large areas of ground, considered not payable, when worked in the ordinary way, are found to be remunerative, and handsomely so, under the system of hydraulic sluicing; whilst it is notorious that many square miles of auriferous country, I may say in both Islands, remain entirely undeveloped. Labour of all kinds, at the present time, is so highly paid that little inducement is held out to prospect the country for gold. Since the date to which my returns have been made up, there has been a steady improvement 2

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in the yield from the Thames Gold Fields, magnificent veins of quartz having been struck in several of the mines. There seems reason to believe, that so far from being worked out, as was at one time apprehended, the quartz mines in this district are only being opened up, and will afford interest upon the capital expended, and remunerative labour to a large number of miners, for many years to come. I take this opportunity of recording my thanks to the Wardens for their interesting reports and valuable returns, which have enabled me to compile the statistical tables in a more complete form than in the two preceding years ; also to Mr. Batkin, Secretary to the Treasury, and Mr. Seed, Secretary of Customs, for the revenue and export returns furnished by their respective departments. C. E. Haughton, Under Secretary for Public Works, Wellington, loth July, 1874. (Gold Fields Branch).

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AUCKLAND. No. 1. His Honor the Stjpebintendent, Auckland, to the Hon. the Colonial Secbetabt. f Sib,— Superintendent's Office, Auckland, Ist June, 1874. Adverting to my letter of the 16th April, I have now the honor to forward the report, by Mr. Warden Keddell, on the northern division of the Hauraki Gold Mining District, together with the statistical returns, required for the information of Parliament. I have, &c, J. Williamson, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. Superintendent.

Enclosure 1 in No. 1. Mr. Warden Keddell to the Under Seceetaby for Gold Fields. Hauraki Gold Mining District, "Warden's Office, Sib, — Coromandel, 21st May, 1874. I have the honor herewith to forward the general report on the northern portion of the above district, for the year ending March 31st, 1874, also the statistical return called for in your circular letter of January last. I regret that these returns should have been so long delayed, and beg to assure you that it was unavoidable, owing to the absence of the Inspector of the district, whose assistance was essential, and also to the unexpected increase of my duties as Registration Officer. I forward these documents, by direction, through His Honor the Superintendent of this Province. I have, &c, Jackson Keddell, The Under Secretary for Gold Fields, "Wellington. Warden. Enclosure 2 in No. 1. Repoet op Mb. Wabden Keddell upon the Noeth Hatteaki Gold Fields. General Report on the Northern portion of the Hauraki Gold Mining District, Province of Auckland, for the Year ending 31st March, 1874. In my report for the previous year I referred to the depression which succeeded the unhealthy and delusive appearance of prosperity which characterized mining operations in this portion of the district during the first half of that period, and I predicted that the reaction which followed would pass away, and a more healthy state of progress would, in its turn, take place. In this report of the events and progress during the past year, lam glad to be able to state such has been the case. Although a reference to the gold returns does not show favourably, I will be able to point out that a very considerable amount of capital and labour has been expended on the field, which will prove eventually remunerative. There is at least no doubt that this expenditure has been wisely prosecuted, and so far as the result can be relied on in quartz mining, will be advantageous to those interested. I will, in the first place, refer to some of the most important mines noticed in last year's report, and will begin with the Union Beach Gold Mining Company's property, situated on the shore of the Coromandel Harbour. This Company possesses upwards of thirty acres of land, composed of mines formerly known by other names and owned by different Companies, who, about June, 1873, amalgamated, and are now known as the Union Beach Gold Mining Company. The claim best known of these was the Green Harp, and the Company's mining operations are at present confined to this portion of their holding. It was confidently believed by some that this ground did really contain a valuable reef, though opinion was much divided on the subject after the fiasco attending its development in the hands of its first owners and proprietors. Under its present management, it has shown itself to be a first-class mine, and has yielded a large quantity of exceedingly rich specimens. The Company sunk a commodious shaft close to high watermark, and erected powerful machinery for pumping and winding, and work was resumed in August last in a manner that showed the confidence of the new proprietors, I—H. 9.

WARDENS' REPORTS.

APPENDIX TO REPORT ON THE GOLD FIELDS OF NEW ZEALAND.

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and ever since the prospects of the mine have been exceedingly encouraging. The work consists of three levels, —the surface level, about 300 feet long ; the road level (a little above high watermark), 260 feet; and No. 1 level from the engine shaft, 320 feet in length, is opened out at a depth of 80 feet from the surface, leaving 10 feet of a well. A winze has been sunk from the road level to the lower, 140 feet from the shaft, and another is in course of construction, each being on the leader. The reef is but small, but the stone very rich. The country through which they are working in the lower level is the usual blue tufa, and the quartz a blue white. No crushings have taken place for this Company recently, but they have on hand, besides general stuff, up to the present time, upwards of 400 pounds of picked specimens lodged with their banker, which it is estimated will yield about 600 ounces of gold, and they are still taking out quartz of considerable richness. The leader has a strike N. 30 E., with an underlie E., and it is confidently expected that it will develop into a larger and better defined lode. The Coromandel Tunnel has continued steadily driving on the western, or Coromandel side of the main range; and is, up to date, in a total length of 1,198 feet. In this distance there has been cut eight lodes, in all of which that have been tested, gold has been found. The tests show from 18 dwts. to 6 oz. 10 dwts. to the ton. The positions, bearings, and size of these lodes are shown in the tabular statement attached, as also the respective tests. None of these lodes have been opened up, as the Company is devoting all their attention to the advancement of the tunnel itself, with a view of cutting and testing the main reef of the Tokatea Range at the tunnel level. It is expected that this reef will be reached at a distance of 300 feet from the present face. It is believed that all the smaller gold-bearing lodes of the Tokatea Range are connected with this main lode. The Company commenced operations from both sides of the range, but discontinued working from the eastern side, after driving about 300 feet through very hard country, and at a very great cost. During the past year their work has been confined to the western side of the range. The Tokatea Gold Mining Company's claim, the first discovered, as it has remained the first of importance on the range bearing the same name, has been worked continuously during the past year with varied success. The formation of the range at this spot offers peculiar advantages for working from the eastern watershed, which here falls away very rapidly for many hundred feet, and thus the Company have been able to put in levels on the reef from which their principal returns have been derived, to a present depth of 410 feet below the highest worked portions of the mine, without the necessity for the employment of pumping or any other machinery. The greater portion of the reef above referred to has been stoped out and filled in above the third level; and the future labours of the Company will be devoted to stoping between the third and fourth levels, and driving at a still lower depth for the portion of the reef wdthin their own ground, and as well to prospect the other lodes known to exist. This mine has, during the past three years, been most systematically worked from four distinct levels, in length respectively 340, 480, 800, and 950 feet, the last two being partly driven through the Bismarck Company's ground, a claim taken up on the same line of lode below. These levels are connected by winzes through which the quartz is removed from the stope to the levels below. The returns from the quartz crushed during the past year compare unfavourably with those of the preceding year; and it is unfortunate that the yield should fall off just when there are other attractions to miners in the neighbouring colonies. Payable gold has been proved to exist in the reef at a depth of 410 feet, thereby confirming the fact of its continuity so far; and any day's work may show the reef as rich as ever it has proved to be. During the early part of this year the Company let on tribute the leader from which the first rich specimens were obtained when gold was first discovered in that particular portion of the district, and the tributers made a handsome profit on their venture. The Company has since terminated this tribute, and resumed the work on their own account. This reef is entirely distinct from that on which the principal works of the Company have been carried on. The old Kapanga ground, which was taken up in 1872 by an English Company called " The New Zealand Kapanga Gold Mining Company," has been most energetically worked during the past year. In my last report I referred to the valuable and complete plant of mining machinery then just imported. The sinking of the main shaft, which I also referred to, has been continued with the utmost diligence, and owing to the able management of Mr. Thomas, the manager, without a check. After sinking 150 feet it was found necessary to erect one of the large and powerful engines imported —it is 150 horse-power, and is supplied with steam from two 10-ton Cornish boilers. This engine, it is considered, is capable of draining the mine to a depth of 600 feet, and thus allow of testing the reef to that depth. Since this machine has been complete (about a month) the shaft has been sunk to a further depth, and it is expected that in eight or ten months the lode will have been reached, and the Company in a position to repay itself a portion of the large capital invested. When the shaft is down 300 feet, it is intended to open a cross-cut in an easterly direction for the Kapanga reef, which will then be cut at a small depth below the old workings of the Kapanga Company. The present shaft has been sunk to the westward of the old workings, to secure ground sound enough for the erection of the heavy machinery and requisite plant. The Company possesses also another and larger engine, which is on the ground, and will be erected when required. I look upon the works undertaken by this Company as most important in the interests of the district; and the enterprise, if successful, will be, I make little doubt, the forerunner of other English companies. The work performed hitherto is of a preliminary character, all " dead work," and is of the most substantial character. The Royal Oak, Harbour View, and Pride of Tokatea are the next of importance on the summit of the Tokatea Range. These claims have been worked continuously during the past year, the two former more especially, with fair results. The Bismarck Company on the Tokatea Reef has done but little, awaiting first the completion, and afterwards the working of Bennett's battery. This work, to which I referred in my last report, was completed about three months since, but owing to scarcity of water, being worked by a turbine, was unable to work fully; and owing to the same cause is unable to do so up to the present time. The Company had a great deal of quartz stacked, but up to the present the result of the crushing has not come up to expectations. The Van, a Company lower down on the same (eastern) watershed, has been continuously worked, and the recent prospects of the mine are very encouraging.

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The New Pacific, a property adjoining the Union Beach Company, has 'been energetically worked by its present proprietors, and the first 19 tons crushed yielded over 50 ounces of gold, and the prospects of the mine continue to be good. The mines in the Tihi district occupied considerable attention in the beginning of the year, and some of them in that locality were for six months very persistently worked.; but they were more of a prospecting character, and I regret to say, having a great belief in that portion of the district, that after a great expenditure of labour, some of them are at present unworked. With respect to new discoveries, I have pleasure in reporting that at Paul's Creek, a locality always looked upon with favour, from the quantity of alluvial gold discovered in the creek from time to time, a reef has been cut and partly worked, which has proved very auriferous, and is believed to be one of the reefs from which this alluvial gold may be traced. For similar reasons the Waikoromiko district, on the eastern watershed of the Tokatea Bange, has for many years been prospected, but, until the beginning of this year, without any result. About that time a claim, since known as the Plutus, was discovered and been most energetically worked under the greatest disadvantages. On seeing this the Government, at the request of the prospectors, made a track from the Tokatea saddle to the claim, and immediately following its formation, discoveries, which I believe to be of great value and importance, were made ; the first of note being by Messrs. Quinton and Nicholls, whose claim continues to yield considerable quantities of rich stone. Next followed the " City of Auckland," which has handsomely repaid its discoverers; and I make no doubt that many other valuable claims will be found in this locality. It is a well-known fact that coarse gold has been found in the Waikoromiko Creek for years past. I have myself several times seen some of it, and am informed that it fetches a higher price than the generality of gold obtained from reefs in the district. I attribute these last discoveries entirely to the opening up of this portion of the district by the track mentioned ; and I am of opinion that the development of the field would be most materially assisted and encouraged by the formation of tracks up to the more inaccessible portions. With respect to population, I am enabled, owing to the census having been so recently taken, to give a more accurate return than last year. There appears to be a total population of about 1,600 :of these I would estimate about 300 to be miners. These numbers represent the present population, but I would estimate the yearly average at 500 miners. Immediately following the Provincial elections in November, some misunderstanding arose between the employers and the miners, and unfortunately at the same time the Queensland discoveries were made public, while the demand for labour and high wages on public and other works in the South Island, had the effect of inducing some of our best men to leave, and the labour, especially of skilled miners, has been in demand. In conclusion, I beg to reiterate the opinion expressed last year, which, notwithstanding the small yield of gold, has been fortified by my subsequent experience; for, with the exception of the Kapanga, the whole of the prospecting and work of the district has been carried on entirely by local enterprise and capital, and the progress of the district under such circumstances must necessarily be slow. I believe that the work which has been thus done will yet be the means of inducing capitalists to look with more favour on the district, which has in so many different localities valuable reefs yet only partly and imperfectly prospected. To do this thoroughly, requires more capital than has yet been employed. Jackson Keddell, Coromandel, 9th May, 1874. Warden. COEOMANDEL TtJNNEL COMPANY'S WoEKINGS. The draft of tunnel on Coromandel side, up till 31st March, is 1,198 feet; on Kennedy Bay side, 300 feet; total draft, 1,498 feet. The number of leaders cut on the Coromandel side is eight, of the following dimensions and distances :— ft. in. oz. dwts. No. 1. 470 feet in, 1 6 through, strike N.N.W., Bank test, 0 19 No. 2. 580 „ 0 6 „ „ N. „ 6 10 No. 3. 590 „ 10 „ „ „ not tested, No. 4. 670 „ 6 0 „ „ „ Bank test, 0 18 No. 5. 730 „ 6 0 „ „ „ not tested, No. 6. 810 „ 010 „ „ „ No. 7. 820 „ 4 0 „ „ „ Bank test, 4 14 No. 8. 1,135 „ 4 0. „ „ „ not tested, The approximate position of the Tokatea main reef is 1,400 feet from the mouth of the tunnel on the Coromandel side of range. The number of leaders cut on the Kennedy Bay side is two ; the first at a distance in of 115 feet, 3 inches through; the second 140 feet in, and 5 inches through.

No. 2. His Honor the Superintendent, Auckland, to the Hon. the Colonial Seceetaey. Sib, — Superintendent's Office, Auckland, 16th April, 1874. Herewith I have the honor to forward the report, by the Warden of the Hauraki Gold Mining District South, for the year ending 31st March ultimo, together with the accompanying return required by circular from the Public Works Office. I have, &c, J. Williamson, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. Superintendent.

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Enclosure 1 in No. 2. Bepoet of Me. Waeden Fbaseb upon the South Haubaki Gold Field. General Beport on the state of the Southern portion of the Hauraki Gold Mining District, Province of Auckland, for the Year ending 31s£ March, 1874. Dubing the year which has elapsed since my last report, this field may be said to have been stationary until within the last few weeks, during which period there has been a decided advance. Some rich and unexpected finds have been made during the year, and several claims have greatly increased their yield ; but this has been counterbalanced by the fact that as yet nothing of a very valuable character has been discovered in the lower levels of the Caledonian and Tookey mines, on the prospecting of which a large amount of capital has been expended. The United Pumping Association is a union of four of the leading Companies, namely, the Caledonian, Tookey's, Golden Crown, and Imperial Crown, the object being to drain the reefs passing through their claims. In my last report I gave a detailed description of the machinery which this Association has erected on the Imperial Crown claim. Up to the present time the machinery and the sinking of the shaft have cost about £70,000. The Golden Crown Company is no longer a contributor to this shaft, having paid up its proportion of the amount required. The shaft is now down 400 feet, and has been successful in draining the Caledonian and Tookey mines. The prospecting of the low levels has been greatly obstructed by the prevalence of bad air. During the year it has been sunk 50 feet, but at that depth sinking was discontinued, and driving undertaken. One of the primary objects of the shaft was to intersect the Caledonian reef on its underlie, in order to drain the adjoining mines; and although it was for some time understood that the reef was not intersected by the shaft at all, it is now pretty generally conceded that it has been cut through at a point where it was so much split up and reduced in size that it was not at first recognized. It has now been ascertained that it was the intersection of this reef which drained the water out of the adjoining mines. The drives of which I have spoken are three in number. One of these, which was driven in an easterly direction into the hill country, was made of double width, suitable for a main outlet for all such lodes as its continuation might intersect; but after driving for a distance of 100 feet without meeting any important reef, it was discontinued. The other two drives are still progressing. The second drive is in a northerly direction, towards the Albion Company's shaft, and it is now in about 150 feet, or nearly half the distance between the two shafts. In this drive several lodes were intersected, two of which were of good size. One is no doubt the Caledonian reef; but these lodes, although at the point of intersection they are thickly impregnated with antimony, are not apparently of a sufficiently auriferous character to pay for working. The third drive may be called a cross-cut from the first. It is driven in a southerly direction towards the Tookey shaft, and in it one good strong reef, 3 feet thick, and several smaller ones, have been intersected. The large lode appeared to be of a more auriferous character than any previously found at this depth, and a trial crushing taken out of it yielded an average of 9 dwts. 14 gr. to the ton. It has not been further opened up or tested since. During the present year the Company have procured a new set of plunger pumps and gearing, to be inserted at the bottom of the shaft, so as to facilitate further operations. The new plant, which is of great weight and strength, has been manufactured at a local foundry, owned by Messrs. Price Brothers. The manner in which the work has been constructed afforded the highest satisfaction to the Company's engineers. The castings are larger and heavier than any ever before turned out of a New Zealand foundry. The opening up of deeper levels in the Caledonian and Tookey mines has not yet led to any important results. The Tookey shaft was sunk to a depth of 300 feet, at which a drive was put in towards the Caledonian. In this drive a reef was cut, but it has not proved payable so far as it has been tested. The Caledonian shaft has also been continued to a depth of 350 feet, from which level a drive is now progressing to intersect the main reef; but this has not yet been reached. It will doubtless be cut before the end of this month ; but of course no opinion can yet be ventured as to the prospects of the new level. Another large reef, known as the No. 2, has been found in this new level, and its course driven on some distance, but a crushing from it did not prove payable. So far, therefore, the efforts to develop payable reefs at great depths have been unsuccessful in regard to this particular reef system; but with the example of the Australian and Californian quartz mines before us, in comparison with which we may be said to be only working on the surface, there is no reason to despair of future success, merely because it has not already been achieved. Men of the greatest practical experience express the utmost confidence in the mineral resources of the district, and are assured that the belt of country in which those deep mines are now being worked will give place to a better class of ground, in which rich deposits will be found when the proper level is reached. The experience of the Victorian quartz-reefing districts strongly supports this assumption. The operations of the past year have been more especially devoted to working the mines already opened up, than to any exertions regarding the extension of the field. The most important of the strictly prospecting works now carried on, is by a Company which has been formed to work some reefs at the mouth of the Waiomo Creek, eight miles north of G-rahamstown. In this locality some very large reefs have been opened. Their existence has been known for many years; and on a former occasion a Company was formed to work one of them, which is nearly 30 feet wide. Within the present year a prospecting party opened a second reef in this locality, and the prospects were sufficient to warrant capitalists in erecting a small crushing plant to test the stone, the intention being, should it meet expectations, to erect powerful crushing machinery, consisting of from 50 to 100 stampers. So far, the returns from the surface of the reef have been payable, and a drive is now entered from the beach to open out the reef at a depth of 120 feet from the surface. Should the stone prove payable at this depth, more extensive operations will be immediately commenced, and steps will be taken towards the erection of the large battery referred to. Another prospecting work of great importance is that of the South British Association. This Company took up a large section of the high land lying between the base of the Karaka Bange and the fiat in the upper township of Shortland, and put in a tunnel from the Karaka to the Hape Creek. The object was to intersect the lodes, which, from the Una and other mines on the range, strike downwards towards the beach. Several of these lodes hare been met with

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in the tunnel, but the depth from the surface was not sufficient to give any fair test of the worth of the lodes. The tunnel was merely a preliminary work, and it is the intention of the Company to sink a main shaft in a good position, to work the most promising of the reefs discovered in the tunnel. With this object in view the lodes are now being tested, but no great amount of success has yet been attained. I deemed it necessary to refer to the operations of those two Companies, as being the principal efforts now in progress, for the development of new resources outside the mines which have been worked for years. Leaving those works which are at present unproductive, I have to direct attention to those localities from which the largest proportion of the gold has been obtained. They are situated on the Moanatairi and Kuranui Ranges, and on the Waio Karaka Plat. In my last report I referred to the growing prosperity of the Upper Moanatairi district, and to the development of the mines at the lowest levels. The Sons of Freedom reef has been for a long time considered the principal one of a system of lodes which have been opened in this locality. In the Sons of Freedom mine the main tunnel had intersected this reef at a depth of 400 feet from the surface at the time I wrote my last report; but since then the lode has been fully opened up, and the main level has been connected with the upper workings by means of a rise on the overlie of the reef. This gave opportunity for opening up blocks of the reef for stoping, and for several months past, the Company has continued to employ a crushing force of from ten to twenty head of stampers on good payable stuff, which has yielded handsome dividends to the shareholders. The same reef was also opened in the "Watchman and Middle Star mines at nearly the same depth as the Sons of Freedom adit level, but those Companies have not met with a similar amount of success. Amongst the most prominent and important enterprises of the Thames gold field, the most noticeable is the Old Whau mine. I referred to this Company briefly in my last report. The first Company, although they obtained many rich yields from the mine, got into difficulties, and the mine was sold up, and bought by the present proprietors for £2,500. They at once started a low-level tunnel to cut the reef. Owing to the hardness of the ground through which the tunnel had to be driven, it cost £1,900, although its length was only 300 feet. A long rise had then to be put up to meet the upper level, so as to ventilate the mine and afford scope for working the ground. The first level worked was at a depth of 113 feet from the surface. A very large amount of rich stone was obtained from this and from the next level opened, which was 40 feet deeper. There are two reefs, each of which averages from 3 to 10 feet in width, and the quality of the stone produced by these reefs has scarcely been excelled by that obtained from the Caledonian mine in its best days. As an instance of its extraordinary richness, I may mention that a small parcel of 6 cwt. of specimens heavily impregnated with gold, which was crushed about a week ago, yielded over 1,000 ounces of gold; and 2£ tons selected from the general crushing stuff on account of its richness, likewise produced over 1,100 ounces of gold. The general crushing stuff, irrespective of this rich quartz, yields an average of 2-j ounces to the ton. Early next month a dividend of £3 per share, or a total of £9,000, will be paid to the shareholders out of the profits of the mine for little over a month's work. The deepest level at which the mine is now worked is 140 feet above the adit, and it is estimated that the amount of ground opened up above that level (the 200 feet level) will afford ample employment for the next twelve months, without encroaching at all on the block which lies between the 200 feet level and the adit. This is one of the most remarkable instances of success which I have to record as having occurred recently, but it is not by any means a solitary one. The Golden Calf Company has experienced a remarkable change of fortune recently. After expending a large amount of capital, sinking a main shaft and working on the main reefs of the mine with little success, it was deemed advisable to remove the winding engine, and re-erect it over a shaft sunk on the old Just in Time claim, before it was amalgamated with the Golden Calf. This mine had been worked to a depth of 150 feet by the old shareholders with considerable success, but the reef was of a mullocky character, containing very little quartz, although the body of crushing stuff was about two feet in width. The Golden Calf Company determined to sink this shaft a further depth of 100 feet, and then open out at that depth on the reef; but subsequently, when the shaft had been sunk to a depth of 260 feet, they opened out at the 200 feet level. Here one of the most extraordinary finds of gold which has ever come under my observation occurred. Embedded in the mullock, of which the lode was composed, were found large flakes of apparently pure gold, some of which were about three inches square and three-quarters of an inch thick, and others smaller. There was a large deposit of this stuff found, in all about 500 ounces. It required no other treatment than melting in the crucible, losing only 41 per cent., the remainder being gold. These flakes were not, I may remark, of the usual consistence of melted metal; they looked rather as if the particles of gold in the lode were sufficiently fused to make them adhere together, but they could be separated with little force. Since that time the prospects of the mine have improved. Other deposits of this singular composition have been found, although not in such large quantities as that to which I have referred; and in addition to this, the general crushing stuff from the lode yields on an average 2J ounces to the ton. The Central Italy mine, adjoining the Golden Calf, has to be classed among the gold-producing ones, and it is expected that the Company will be in a position to pay dividends next month. I have also to refer to the enterprise shown by the Moanatairi Company. Their mine has been opened up from the Kuranui Hill tunnel, at a depth of 180 feet from the surface, and a great extent of the lodes have, indeed, been worked out to that depth ; but the Company are now sinking a main shaft from the tunnel level to further develop their mine, and have besides erected a powerful crushing plant of forty-one head of stampers on the beach at the mouth of the tunnel, to be used exclusively in crushing quartz from the Company's own mine. This battery has been erected at a cost of about £13,000, and is considered the best constructed and most efficient plant of its power in the Australian Colonies. The whole plant and machinery, including the compound engine of 75 horse-power which drives the machinery, is of Auckland manufacture. With this powerful auxiliary the mine can be made to pay handsomely with a moderate average of 7 dwts. to the ton. The battery is capable of crushing 100 tons of quartz per day, and is fitted up with the very best appliances. The Waio Karaka district has assumed a greater amount of importance since my last report, and

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should the improvement continue, it will advance this portion of the gold field to a position of distinction. The deepest level to which the reefs of this district have yet been worked to any great extent is in the Bright Smile mine, at a depth of 218 feet from the surface ; and as this mine may be taken as representing the City of London, Queen of Beauty, and one or two others on the same line of reef, a brief reference to it will serve as a description of the others, the only distinction being that the others are not yet worked to so great a depth. The reefs of the Bright Smile mine are three in number, and run in parallel courses. In the upper levels these lodes were only of moderate size, from 2 to 3 feet in thickness ; but as the depth from the surface increased, so did the size of the lodes and the richness of their quality, until at the present level they have opened out to sizes varying from 6 to 20 feet. The main shaft of this mine, over which pumping and winding machinery has been erected, is now being sunk a further depth to open new levels. For a long time the average return of gold from this mine has been at the rate of 800 ounces of gold per fortnight, but at present only half the usual crushing force is employed. The average per ton is, however, as good as usual, being as a rule above an ounce to the ton. In addition to the Bright Smile lodes, there is another in the City of London, which has been worked to great advantage. Its course has been across the line of the others, and its width in the low level from which it is now being worked is 12 feet. The average yield from this mine is 600 ounces of gold per month. The Queen of Beauty mine is still worked as a claim, and has continued to pay the shareholders handsomely, at the rate of about £200 per month to each man. Another mine in this district, called the " Crown Prince," has shown a decided change for the better during the year. Evidences of great wealth have been met with in it, but like all the other claims in the "Waio Karaka district, its richest quartz is only found at the greatest depth. Hitherto the workings have only been to a depth of 100 feet below the surface, but several winzes have been sunk on the reefs to depths of from 20 to 30 feet, and from these winzes specimens of extraordinary richness have been taken. The lodes of this mine are smaller than those of the Bright Smile, and vary from 15 inches to 5 feet. The Company has commenced to sink a new shaft, and I have no doubt, when this reaches a"sufficient depth to open the reefs at lower levels, this mine will prove a very valuable one. Amongst the other mines of this district, the Bird-in-Hand, Exchange, and Queen of the May hold good positions. There are four winding engines and one pumping engine at work in this small district. In my last report I gave from the Thames Advertiser the returns of the stone crushed and the gold produced. These returns are not made up to a certain date in each month, but on the sailing of the mail steamer. From the same source I furnish the following statistics regarding the produce of the district during the last twelve months. Included in the returns are a few which properly belong to the Coromandel district: — Date. Stone crushed. Eesults. 1873. April 19 ... ... ... ... 7,367 9,111 „ "May 12 ... ... ... ... 7,331 9,208 „ June 28 ... ... ... ... 12,523 16,509 „ July 29 ... ... ... ... 9,915 11,928 „ August 25 ... ... ... ... 8,618 9,486 „ September 25 ... ... ... ... 7,547 8,280 „ October 22 ... ... ... ... 6,637 8,208 „ November 20 ... ... ... ... 7,108 9,361 ~ December 19 ... ... ... ... 6,140 8,597 1874. January 13 ... ... ... ... 5,094 8,234 „ February 13 ... ... ... ... 4,910 6,918 „ March 14 ... ... ... ... 6,136 8,340 89,326 tons ; 114,180 ozs. In my last report the number of ounces given as produced in the same period of 1872-73 was 143,036, so that this year shows a decrease. Since the last date, however, March 14, there has been a large produce of gold proportionately to the time. It has been proposed to obtain the assistance of the Government in prospecting the lower levels of the Thames gold field, and when the Hon. Mr. Vogel was here on the 25th of February, a deputation of gentlemen interested in the field waited upon him on the subject. The proposal was to sink the shaft of the Pumping Association to a depth of 700 feet; to sink the shaft of the Bright Smile claim, or some other shaft, upon the Waio Karaka Flat, to a similar depth, and to drive a connecting tunnel. By this plan, different lodes would be cut, and by a tunnel being continued southward from the "Waio Karaka Flat towards the South British ground, the lower levels would be satisfactorily proved; and even if no extraordinary discovery were made, there can be little doubt that important work for very many years would be opened up in the present mines. It is further proposed to extend the Kuranui Hill tunnel so as to prospect and drain the low levels of the claims on the range. The Premier made some remarks upon the different parts of the scheme, and promised that if those interested could propose any plan which would be satisfactory to His Honor the Superintendent, as holder of the delegated powers, and would give security for the repayment of the money advanced, he would bo prepared to consider the scheme. The enterprise would be of great benefit to the field and of importance to the Colony. During the year there has been but little prospecting done throughout the peninsula, and there have been no new finds nor rushes beyond what has come to be regarded as the boundaries of the gold field, from the beach to the head of the small creeks that enter the sea in the vicinity of Shortland and Grahamstown. No discovery has been made at Hikutaia and Whangamata, and indeed no systematic prospecting has been done there. I think also that there are fewer men on the ranges at Ohinemuri than there have been for some years. No doubt the abundance of work throughout the Colony has a tendency to take away men who might otherwise devote themselves to prospecting, and this, coupled with the fact that prospecting in a rough country covered with bush and thick undergrowth,

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is a work of more than ordinary difficulty, has no doubt induced the partial cessation of looking for new ground. I think I may say that a reaction is commencing from the depression which has existed on this field since the cessation of the large yields from the Caledonian. The Bright Smile, Queen of Beauty and City of London, on the Waio Karaka, have produced large quantities of gold from good-sized reef's, which are improving as they are sunk upon, causing reasonable expectation that the Shortland flat will be found to contain payable reefs. W. Feasee, Grahamstown, Ist April, 1874. Warden.

MAELBOROUGH. No. 3. Mr. Warden Whitehobn to the Undeb Seceetaet for Gold Fields. Report on the Gold Fields in the Province of Marlborough, for the Year ended 31st March, 1874. Pelorus. —l regret to say nothing of an encouraging nature has transpired here during the past year. The population is gradually decreasing, and I much fear the district will be abandoned altogether unless some steps are taken to procure a water supply to work the terraces, or quartz reefs are discovered. Quite recently attention has been turned to reefing, and a party is at present prospecting specially for reefs. Nothing hitherto has been found. Wairau. —This field is at the present time quite deserted. Bavenscliff". —Up to the close of the year nothing but the preliminary work necessary to the opening the reefs has been done. This work has taken a much longer time than was anticipated. A few samples of stone have been crushed, yielding a moderately satisfactory result. The workings are at present confined principally to two claims, the Turner Gold Mining Company and Port Gore Company. Both these will probably use the same machinery, and both are ready to get out quartz. The crushing for April will be a fair criterion of what may be expected from the reef. Queen Charlotte Sound. —Nothing has been done here. One lease has been taken out, and the lessees are sanguine. I have information of the discovery of two other reefs, but they are untried. The district appears to be rich in minerals. Antimony in large quantities has been found, of a very good quality. Plumbago also exists, but the quality of that at present known is not very good, though I believe only the surface has been tried. I regret very much the unsatisfactory nature of the earlier portion of my report, and that I am unable to give you more definite information as to the value of the two last-named gold fields, but their future very much depends on the results obtained from the Turner Company claim. Should that prove to be satisfactory, new life will be given to mining matters in this locality, and probably a bright future may open for the district. At present, all that can be said on that head is merely conjectural. I have, &c, W. Whitehoen, The Under Secretary for Gold Fields, Wellington. Warden.

NELSON. No. 4. Mr. Warden Gtjiness to the Undeb Secbetaby for Gold Fields. Sib, — "Warden's Office, Collingwood, 7th May, 1874. In reply to your telegram of 4th instant, I have the honor to state-that in consequence of the death of Dr. Turnell, the late warden of this district, and of my having so lately (since the sth March) taken charge of the office, I cannot possibly furnish a report that would be at all reliable as to many, or rather any, of the queries contained in your circular of 7th January, 1874; nor can I possibly supply the returns asked for, in consequence of there not having been any regular system of recording the several transactions which took place. I am preparing a record, or registration book, which will enable me to furnish accurate information on all such matters in future. I may state that since I have had charge of this district I have travelled but little, being compelled to attend to the duties of so many different offices; but I have seen the "West "Wanganui gold field, which was proclaimed last October, and have to report that three reefs are discovered, which, in my opinion, are likely to become of very great importance. They show in a well-defined manner, and a trial crushing of one ton from the prospectors' claim yielded 41£ ounces of retorted gold. This ton of stone was selected from about 30 to 40 tons which had been taken from the reef. I saw the reef, and the gold in it plainly visible. As reefs of a similar character have since been traced nearly nine miles south of the prospectors, there appears to be good grounds for expecting a large reefing district to be opened in this locality. A small five-stamp battery is in course of erection, and its working will be the means of showing how far the trial crushing will be borne out. I have urged the Provincial Government to make a pack-track of about nine miles, from the south end of West Wanganui Inlet, so that miners could obtain their provisions cheaper than at present. Flour at the reefs now costs £4 per cwt., and all other things are proportionally dear. Meat is considered comparatively cheap at Is. per pound, but an influx of population would cause an immediate rise in price. There are about sixty miners employed in this part of the district, and all are doing well. I venture to point out a serious difficulty which must arise in case a rush sets in to the reefs—it is the impossibility of issuing any kind of license for selling alcoholic liquors, the present law prevent-

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ing any licenses being issued, or applied for, after the second Tuesday in March in each year; and how the wants of 500 or 1,000 men in this matter are to be provided for. The law is sure to be evaded, and I fear that far more drunkenness will arise when spirits are sold surreptitiously, than would be the case under a proper system. . As to the Aorire Eiver diggings, I cannot venture to express an opinion: my experience is too small of them to warrant my saying more than that I believe the few miners employed are doing very well, and that I think the diggings may be extended with the assistance of water-races ; but I am not yet in a position to recommend any particular race for your consideration. Perhaps the greatest mineral wealth of this district is in the form of iron ore, and a Company, called the Parapara Company, is being formed to work a mine of it. As this ore has been tested and proved to produce iron of a very superior quality, and as both coal and limestone are procurable near at hand, we may reasonably hope to see a very prosperous time for Collingwood should this Company be formed; and as iron is sure to be in large demand in this Colony, it ought to prove a remunerative investment. A. Guiness, I have, &c, The Under Secretarj for Gold Fields, Wellington. Warden.

WESTPORT. No. 5. Mr. Warden Giles to the Undeb Secketaey for Gold Fields. Sib,— Westport, 27th April, 1874. I have the honor to forward herewith a copy of my yearly report to the Nelson Provincial Government upon the state of my district. I may point out that, in making a report to the Provincial Government, I have touched upon some subjects which are perhaps foreign or unsuitable to the purposes for which you require a report on gold fields matters. The remarks under the headings, "Sale of Lands " and " Licensing Law " are illustrations of this ; but I have thought it better to send you a complete copy, as you can easily strike out those portions if you think the report will serve your purpose better without them. I have, &c, Joseph Giles, The Under Secretary for Gold Fields, "Wellington. "Warden. To the Pbotincial Secbetaet, Nelson. Sib,— Westport, 18th April, 1874. The condition and progress of the district of Buller, including Charleston and Brighton, for the year ended on the 31st March ult., does not furnish much material for a lengthy report. Population. —ln giving a statement of the mining population, we are this year assisted by the results of the recent census, an event which affords us a periodical check on our estimates, which, under other circumstances, are necessarily to a great extent conjectural. The census returns, according to the information I have received on the subject, give the following totals of population for the different parts of the district:— Westport ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 873 Neighbourhood of "Westport, on north bank of Buller and district to the north, including the northern terraces, as far as the "Waimangaroa ... 356 Mokihinui, Little Wanganui, and the Karamea ... ... ... 82 Up the Buller to a little above the Blackwater ... ... ... 48 From Buller to Nile, including Waite's, Pakihis, and the Sea Beach ... 551 Charleston, Nile to Four-mile Beach ... ... ... ... 957 Brighton, Four-mile to Eazorback ... ... ... ... ... 281 3,148 Of this total I estimate the mining population as follows: — North of Buller to Waimangaroa ... ... ... ... ... 250 North of Waimangaroa to Karamea ... ... ... ... 60 Addison's and Waite's, Pakihis ... ... ... ... ... 280 Charleston, including Sea Beach to Totara ... ... ... ... 500 Brighton ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 121 1,211 The very slight difference between this and my estimate of last year makes it probable that the latter was rather too low, as there has certainly been some diminution of the mining population during the past year. A few have, I believe, left for the Palmer River diggings since the census was taken, but not enough to make much sensible impression on the above estimate. Whether or not the Palmer gold field turns out to be rich or inviting, there can be no doubt that the opening of any good alluvial gold field within tolerably easy reach, would draw away the greater part of such of the miners of this district as have the means to go. In the present state of the district we are never sure of retaining our mining population; but it is highly probable that we shall be more than compensated, so far as mere numbers go, by an accession of Chinese. These people have been increasing in numbers of late in the Grey Valley, and the appearance of a few here, presumably as pioneers, seems to give us promise of an influx of them to this district, in all parts of which there is ground which will probably be steadily worked by them when its former occupants have gone to more inviting fields.

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Resident Magistrate's and Warden's Courts. —There has been a falling off in the business of the Resident Magistrate's and Warden's Courts, most noticeable in the latter ; but in a straggling district a diminution of ordinary business does not imply a corresponding diminution of work, or of machinery for doing it. When a Court has to be held at a distant place, it matters little whether the actual sitting occupies an hour less or more. The only difference I have found is, that lam able occasionally to intermit one of my weekly visits to Charleston, if any reason exists for so doing. Old Digging Localities. —These comprise the terraces north of the Buller, Addison's Flat, and the Shamrock Lead, besides the diggings at Charleston, Brighton, and their neighbourhood. These are, upon the whole, very much in the same state as they were this time last year, and might be described in almost the same words as I used in my last report. It will be seen by a reference to the appended tables that the amount of gold obtained in the district, which we can only estimate by the quantity exported from Westport, shows no very large diminution when compared with the return of last year. This fact, combined with the absence of any striking reduction of population (even allowing for some ■error in my last year's estimate), shows that the substantial prosperity of the district has been pretty stable, the principal declension being neither in the yield of gold nor in the number of the population. Water. —There can be little doubt but that the yield of gold would have been larger, both for the past and the preceding year, had it not been for the unusual dryness of the last two summers, which have presented a striking contrast in this respect to the four preceding ones, and have caused much payable ground to remain totally unworked for long periods. This state of things has been more felt in the Charleston district than elsewhere, and public attention has been strongly drawn to a scheme for bringing in water from the Pour-mile River, so as to insure a permanent supply to ground which is now entirely dependent on the frequency of rain. There is no doubt but that the execution of this scheme would do much to retain a steady and permanent population at Charleston. A Company has already been formed to carry out the undertaking. Mr. Greenwood has made a careful survey of the line, and reports upon it favourably; application has been made to the Public Works Department for a loan in aid, and great hopes are entertained of a successful result. To Addison's Flat.— Another scheme has been set on foot for bringing a supply of water to Addison's and the adjacent Pakihis from the Totara River. I think it almost certain that a great deal of ground in this extensive area which is now of little use, would be steadily worked if water were supplied. Some preliminary steps have already been taken towards the formation of a company for this purpose, but I cannot yet say with what prospects of success. Beach Claims. —A large number of beach claims are held near Charleston, but the working of them is uncertain and intermittent. They sometimes become covered up with grey sand, and then will not pay to work. These claims are very well adapted to men who have something else to employ themselves with in the intervals thus caused. They are sure after a time to become again payable, and then they give very fair wages. They are very useful to the holders of residence areas in their vicinity, who aro thus able to cultivate a little ground when they cannot work their claims. Quartz. —I can only speak of quartz workings in this district by way of anticipation. In my last report I mentioned the Mokihinui reefs as affording good promise for the future. I can say little more on the subject now than I said then, but I see no reason for diminished confidence in the value of the reefs. A Company, " The Halcyon," has now been formed to work the prospecting claim, and the other claims will doubtless wait the result of their operations. The directors are sanguine as to the value of their property. I believe about 150 tons of stone have been taken out, and that the quality of this is such as to promise good results on crushing. Steps are also being taken to get machinery to the ground, but this is no easy undertaking. Between the river and land transit is merely a choice of difficulties. Of the two I believe the river is the worst, and a little expenditure upon tho land track would be of great assistance in opening up what will probably become an important quartz-reefing district. The quartz reef mentioned in my last report as having been found a few miles up the Buller (Cascade Creek), is still considered by its prospectors to justify good hopes for the future, but beyond reporting that it is not abandoned, I have nothing special to say about it. Town of Westport. —The Town of Westport is now becoming pretty well established in the new site to which the river and sea encroachments have driven it. There can, however, be no sense of security until the protective works are carried out. There seems every reason to believe that these will shortly be in active progress, and it is to be trusted that the inhabitants of this town will be at length relieved from the harrassing fear of ruinous loss to which they have so long been subjected. The allotment of sections in lieu of those destroyed by the floods has been very beneficial, but the present somewhat unintelligible condition of the colliery reserve, upon which almost all the town residences and business sites are placed, is not quite satisfactory, and I think there would be a greater sense of stability, and a consequent improvement in the value of property, if the tenure were better understood. General Condition of District. —If the prosperity of the district be judged from the amount of revenue derived from the ordinary official sources, it must be pronounced to have undergone a decline. But this is not always a safe guide. No doubt a great deal of litigation in the Warden's Court shows that there is, or is believed to be, property worth contending for; but when the diggings have been long established, the value of the ground pretty well known, and the mining rules and their interpretation in relation to the most ordinary rights generally understood, litigation may be expected to diminish. A considerable reduction in the revenue is also due to the cessation of business licenses in the town of Westport, owing to the alteration of tho tenure, and this certainly can be no evidence of declining prosperity. Lastly, the falling off in the important item of gold duty is due chiefly to the reduction of the duty itself, since, as we have seen, the diminution in the quantity of gold is less than might have been expected. But it is scarcely possible to doubt that a very great change for the better is awaiting this part of the coast. The railway is already undertaken, and the coal only waits to be brought into the market. When this is done, the port of Buller will doubtless begin to assume the position of importance for which it is fitted. It is also to be expected that the development of quartz reefs will be 2—H. 9.

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materially assisted by the increased spirit of enterprise which will be fostered, and the means which will be supplied by the coal trade. Northern Extremity District. —The district of which "Westport constitutes the head-quarters comprises a good deal of country to the north of the Mokihinui of which I have no personal knowledge. From such information as I am able to gather, I think it will be a good thing for all parties when the progress of events establishes a more frequent communication between us and the localities along the coast in the direction of Little Wanganui and the Karamea. There are always a few miners working steadily on or near the beach at those places, and a more regular communication, with greater facility in getting provisions, would probably be attended with a considerable increase of population. Sale of Lands. —Now that the Provincial Government has announced the intention of putting up for sale the lands on and near the line of railway from Westport to Ngakawhau, I think it would bo desirable to lose no time in withdrawing them from the operation of the Gold Fields Act. The number of applications for agricultural leases made before the intention of the Government was announced, proves that there will be a great demand for this land; and it is quite possible that a number of applications for half acres as residence areas may at any time be made for speculative purposes. This would be prevented by withdrawing from the gold fields those lands which it is intended should be sold. Licensing Law. —I may venture to express a hope that the licensing law will be amended in the next Session of Parliament. The Act of 1873 cannot be pronounced convenient or satisfactory in its operation. Whether there is any feature in the Act to compensate for the trouble of defining the boundaries of districts all over the country, and of appointing Commissioners, I will leave to those who have had the task of carrying out these provisions to say. I may, however, say that the provisions for the appointment of members of the Licensing Court do not appear satisfactory. It is impossible that the Government at Wellington can have sufficient local knowledge of persons proper to be appointed Commissioners; and if a popular element is to be introduced, it would seem better to let there be an election by the people either specially or by entrusting the administration of the licensing law to Borough Councils and such like local authorities. I am not prepared to find fault with the limitation of the times of granting licenses to one annual Court, but I think this provision requires to be supplemented by some means of effecting the transfer of licenses at other times. To prohibit a man from selling his business except on one day in the year is a serious penalty on any calling. I must add that, so long as the Legislature expresses its intentions as to the principles upon which licenses are to be granted so vaguely as in section 22 of the Act of 1873, the manner in which the law is administered will depend on the opinions entertained by the members of the Court on questions of social economy and politics. The word " necessity "in the above-mentioned clause affords an illustratration of this. A Good Templar might think there can be no necessity for any public houses, and accordingly might refuse to grant any licenses at all. On the other hand, a political economist of the strictly scientific school might recognize the existing demand for any commodity as the only test of the necessity for a supply, and of such necessity the proposed vendor must be the best judge. It may be added that a Magistrate who is in the daily habit of inquiring into the legal rights of individuals, may fairly decline to interfere with the priind facie right of every citizen to buy or sell as he pleases, further than the express letter of the law makes it his duty to do so. In the above remarks I have refrained from expressing any opinion upon the principles which ought to regulate the licensing system, and have only pointed out what appear to me to be palpable defects in the practical working of the present law. To complete my report I append the usual tables of statistics. I have, &c, Joseph Giles, Warden and Eesident Magistrate.

DISTRICT OF BULLER.—Statistics of Resident Magistrate's and Warden's Offices, for the Year ending 31st March, 1874.

Westport. ChS?oT d TofelMiners' Eights ... ... ... 315 ... 492 ... 807 Business Licenses ... ... ... 32 ... 43 ... 75 Summons in Warden's Court ... ... 15 ... 49 ... 64 Applications for Eegistrations ... ... 228 ... 682 ... 910 G-old Mining Leases ... ... ... 17 ... 9 ... 26 Agricultural Leases ... ... ... 10 ... None actually ... 10 executed. Eesident Magisteate's Cottbt. -rxr , . Charleston and m . , Westport. Brighton. TotaL No. of Criminal Cases... ... ... 190 ... 88 ... 278 Civil Cases ... 246 ... 197 ... 443 Eeyentje. ■yxr i Charleston and ™ . , Westport. Brighton. TotalFees and Pines, Eesident £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. Magistrate's Court... 36112 4 ... 23118 0 ... 593 10 4 Provincial Account ... 1,165 5 9 ... 1,346 2 0 ... 2,511 7 9 Provincial Treasurer ... 1,077 16 5 ... 870 10 0 ... 1,948 6 5

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Gold Expoeted pbom Westpoet. Q-old. Duty. Tear ending 31st March, 1873 ... 37,543 ozs. 4 dwts. 22 grs. ... £4,348 16 6 „ „ 1874 ... 33,765 ozs. 5 dwts. 7 grs. ... £3,376 10 7 The Under Secretary for Gold Fields, Wellington.

No. 6. Mr. Warden Chaeles Beoad to the Undeb Seceetaey for G-old Fields. Sic,— Warden's Office, Eeefton, Bth May, 1874. I have the honor, in compliance with your circular memorandum of 10th January last, to forward the returns called for therein. Enclosed will be found a copy of my report upon the districts of Inangahua and Central Buller for the year ending 31st March, and which I recently furnished to the Provincial Council, Nelson. I have, &c, Chaeles Beoad, The Under Secretary for G-old Fields, Wellington. Warden. Mr. Warden Beoad's Annual Eepoet, from the Ist of April, 1873, to the 31st of March, 1874, inclusive. In concluding my last annual report on this district for the year ended 31st March, 1873, I expressed an opinion that the district would prove permanent, and that it was progressing slowly but surely; and after another twelve months' experience, I am enabled to say that my most sanguine expectations have been fully realized. Several circumstances have concurred to send the district ahead. First, the further development of the Murray Creek mines, and the very handsome return from the quartz crushed ; the satisfactory crushings at Boatman's, and the extraordinary yields at the Lyell. Second, the establishment of local banks at Eeefton and the Lyell, the formation of local Revenues Boards in both places, and the sale of the occupied sections in the township of Reefton. The unhealthy spirit of reckless speculation which marked the first of the district has now died away, and in its place has been substituted honest, sober working—capital and labour going hand in hand, and working for the reward of legitimate industry. This being the case, it cannot be expected to present anything startling to the outside public; but at the same time, the field has now been sufficiently proved to show that good payable reefs exist, which will yield good returns for numbers of years to come. I have, however, not the remotest doubt but that as lower levels are tried, much richer quartz will be discovered, and of a more defined nature as a reef, than even at present. Another element of prosperity may be referred to, namely, in the excellent yields from the alluvial claims in the vicinity of Reefton, Lyell, and Matakitaki townships. In going up the Buller River from the Lyell to the Matakitaki, one cannot help being struck with the immense amount of work done under circumstances of no ordinary difficulty; and it is no doubt greatly owing to the indomitable pioneers of these claims that we owe the opening up of the Lyell reefs, the building of the Lyell township—connected by roads and by electric telegraph with the various centres of population. The same is equally true with regard to Reefton. Tears before the reefs were thought of, the sturdy alluvial miner was working in the various gullies and tributaries of the Inangahua River—leading, first, to the discovery of payable cement in Murray Creek, and, lastly, to the discovery of those rich quartz reefs which have changed the desert into a fruitful field. From two claims alone in Murray Creek (namely, Anderson's and Wealth of Nations) upwards of £20,000 worbh of gold has been obtained during the past year, enabling both claims to pay for their machinery, races, tunnels, &c, and leaving money available either for a dividend or the working purposes of the claim. However, following the plan adopted by me last year, I now proceed to give a detailed account of the various crushings, with their results ; premising that the value of the gold raised from the quartz reefs in the Inangahua district for the year is £59,968 os. Id., and in the Lyell, £17,540 125., making a total of £77,508 12s. Id., or more than double that produced last year.

RETURN of CRUSHINGS, MURRAY CREEK and BOATMAN'S, for the Year commenced 1st April, 1873, to 31st March, 1874.

Company. Energetic lolden Fleece iVealth of Nations Anderson's .nvincible Fiery Cross Fust in Time !nglewood Ajax Victoria Band of Hope Quartz. Tons. 1,636 ],550 4,654 3,408 437 792 308 373 2,497 178 390 Gold, oz. dwt# gr. 1,028 0 0 2,279 12 12 ■ 3,046 16 12 3,318 15 12 524 10 0 1,369 7 0 1,631 0 0 235 0 0 1,950 7 12. 134 0 0 25 0 0 Value. £ s. a. 3,957 16 0 8,909 6 9 11,730 5 6 12,945 18 7 2,019 6 6 5,098 14 11 6,282 4 0 904 5 0 7,508 18 10 515 18 0 96 5 0 Totals 16,223 15,542 9 0 15,542 9 0 £59,968 £59,968 0 1 0 1

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Sttmmaet. —Total amount of Jstono crushed: Lyell, 1,211 tons ; Inangahua, 16,223 tons ; total, 17,434 tons. Total yield: Lyell, 4,556 ozs.; Inangahua, 15,542 ozs. 9 dwts.; total, 20,098 ozs. 9 dwts. So that the average to the Inangahua reefs for the past year is little short of an ounce to the ton, whilst the rich yields of the Maruia, Break o'Day, and Maloney's claims, at the Lyell, have brought the average there up to nearly 4 ounces to the ton. It would be very useful if a similar Act to that in force in Victoria and at the Thames was brought into force here, so as to compel the owners of machinery to make periodical returns to the Warden of the quantity of stone crushed, together with the yield. It is satisfactory to know that of the reefs at Murray Creek and Boatman's, Anderson's, Wealth of Nations, Fiery Cross, and Just-in-Time have already paid all the expenses of their machinery and preliminary work in testing their mines ; and that during the past year the Golden Fleece has paid £6,000 in dividends ; the Just-in-Time, £4,800; the Fiery Cross, £1,800 ; the Invincible, £450 ; and the Wealth of Nations, £487.

The machinery at present at work in the district is as follows: — 1. Ajax Company, 15 heads, steam. 2. Westland Crushing Company, 15 heads, steam. 3. Anderson's Company, 15 heads, water. 4. Energetic, 10 heads, water (about to be altered to steam). 5. Band of Hope, 10 heads, water (idle). 6. Wealth of Nations, 15 heads, water. 7. Fiery Cross and Just-in-Time, 15 heads, water. 8. Alpine Company, 8 heads, water. 9. Little "Wonder, 2 heads, water (5 heads adding). Statistics. — Warden's Court. .Number of cases during the year ... ... ... ... ... 102 Number of applications under Rules ... ... ... ... 311 Number of applications for Gold Mining Leases ... ... ... 101 Number of applications for Gold Mining Leases withdrawn ... ... 11 Number of applications for Gold Mining Leases refused ... ... 2 Number of Agricultural Leases ... ... ... ... ... 16 Number of Acres applied for ... .., ... ... ... 595 Number of Miners' Rights issued ... ... ... ... ... 635 Number of Business Licenses— Annual ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 29 Half-Yearly ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 138 Quarterly ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 156 Resident Magistrate's Court. Number of Civil Cases heard ... ... ... ... ... 432 Criminal Cases —Inangahua, 44; Lyell, 55. Of the latter, 31 Inangahua, and 30 Lyell, were upon information. There were 13 drunk and disorderly cases ... ... ... ... ... ... 99 Number of Publican's Licenses issued ... ... ... ... 52 Number of Accommodation Licenses issued ... ... ... ... 24 Revenue. £ s. d. Provincial Account, Province of Nelson ... ... ... 3,574 13 6 Provincial Treasurer ... ... ... ... ... 1,608 12 0 Resident Magistrate's Fees and Pines ... ... ... '441 15 3 Township Sections ... ... ... ... ... 609 0 0 Total ... ... ... ... £6,234 0 9 The sum of £2,193 was deposited for leases, viz., G-old Mining Leases, £2,008. and Agricultural Leases, £185.

The Lyeil. Company. Jpine ... Ixcelsior laloney's laruia ... lonte Christo ittle Wonder )'Brien and Blair's Ireak o' DayQuartz. Tons. 50 249 93 308 124 65 25 297 Gold. oz. dwt. gr. 24 0 0 111 0 0 279 0 0 1,365 0 0 349 0 0 95 0 0 39 0 0 2,294 0 0 Value. £ s. d. 92 8 0 427 7 0 1,074 3 0 5,255 5 0 1,343 13 0 365 15 0 150 3 0 8,831 18 0 Totals 1,211 4,556 0 0 4,556 0 0 £17,540 12 £17,540 12 0 0

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The population I estimate as follows:— Miners. Others. Eeefton Township ... ... ... ... ... 100 ... 400 Black's' Point ... ... ... ... ... 75 ... 75 Murray Creek Eeefs ... ... ... ... ... 150 ... 50 Eainy Creek ... ... ... ... ... 20 ... — Soldier's and Devil's Creek ... ... ... ... 50 ... — Boatman's and Vicinity ... ... ... ... 80 ... 30 Larry's ... ... ... ... ... ... 30 ... 10 Inangahua Valley ... ... ... ... ... 30 ... 74 Christy's to Lyell ... ... ... ... ... 30 ... 20 Lyell Township ... ... ... ... ... 20 ... 80 Lyell Eeefs ... ... ... ... ... 150 ... 50 Upper Buller and Matakitaki ... ... ... ... 50 ... 50 Totals 785 ... 835 From 250 to 300 of the above miners are engaged in alluvial workings, the returns for which I am unable to give definitely, as large quantities of gold are purchased, especially in the Matakitaki, by local storekeepers. I might also mention here that scattered parties of Chinese are now setting in to work in the district, and, as far as I have been able to observe, have conducted themselves in an orderly and peaceable manner. The number of births registered in the district for the year are 40; deaths, 20; and marriage certificates issued, 7. Local Seventies Boabds. The past year has seen the initiation of the new Local Eevenue District Board Act, by which a portion of the money raised in each district is placed at the disposal of the local Board for expenditure. I have no doubt that as the powers conferred on these local Boards become enlarged, which in fact they do from the Ist of April, 1874, that very much good will result in many ways. The residence on the spot of a local Board, to whom the wants of the district can be directly represented, and moreover who will have the means at their command of attending to those wants, will tend to allay very much of any past dissatisfaction that has existed, and relieve the Government from blame, oftentimes totally unmerited. I think the maintenance of the main roads made by the Government might be very properly handed over to the local Boards, who, being constantly on the spot, would exercise a continuous supervision over the roads, and take care that by putting in the stitch in time, they will be able to avoid the necessity of putting in nine afterwards. Eor the same reason, many of the votes of the Provincial Council could be more economically expended by the local Board than if left to supervision at a distance. All that appears necessary is that the Government and the local Board should work hand in hand together, and there can be no doubt the benefit will be mutual. Sale op Township. In my last report I strongly recommended the sale of the Eeefton township. This has partially been done so far as occupied sections are concerned, but I must still urge upon the Government, not only as my own wish, but that of the inhabitants themselves, that the unsold portion of the township should be at once put up to auction. This could be done by the withdrawal of all the surveyed township from the gold fields. I would also strongly recommend the immediate sale of the occupied sections at the Lyell and Black's Point, and also to put up the remaining sections at each place to auction with as little delay as possible. I would advise that the Waste Lands Act be so amended as to enable reserves to be made in new places on the gold fields for churches, hospitals, recreation grounds, &c, all of which could easily be arranged for when laying off a new township. Local Hospital. The rapid progress of the place, and the distance from any other hospital, render it necessary that a suitable building should be at once erected for Eeefton. With this object in view, some £63 have been already collected towards a building fund, the inhabitants trusting to obtain a vote of £400 as an equivalent to £200 to be raised by the public for that purpose. They anticipate also that they will require a vote of £600 for the maintenance of the hospital during the ensuing twelve months, as a quid pro quo for £300 to be raised by private subscriptions. The New Licensing Act. This does not appear at all adapted for the gold fields. The licensing meetings being annual, and no provision made for transfers in the interim, in the event of a new field being discovered no licenses could be granted, and sly grog selling would be upon the increase. It appears far better to license proper houses, and so bring them under police surveillance, than place at the mercy of the illicit vendor of what, in many cases, is little better than poison. So far as the present towns are concerned, the recent action of the Provincial Council in handing over half of the publicans' license fees to the local Eevenue Board, should have a most beneficial effect in the suppression of sly grog selling, as it will be manifestly to the interests of the local Board to see that they are not deprived of any portion of their revenue by unlicensed persons selling spirituous liquors. Eoads. I have already recommended that the maintenance of the existing main road should be handed over to the local Boards, but I may be permitted now to mention what works I consider most necessary within my district.

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Ist. The continuation of the main road from Nelson through Matakitaki and Lyell to Christy's, to connect with Reefton Road on the one side and "Westport Road on the other. 2nd. The connection of the Larry's Creek and Boatman's Creek reefs with the main road by a dray road. 3rd. The formation of a pack track from Black's Point to Rainy Creek. 4th. The formation of a pack track to New Creek, near the Lyell. sth. To blaze, a track from the Lyell to the head of Mokihinui. The approaches to the punt across the Buller, at the Lyell, require making at once. It is with the greatest difficulty horses or cattle are crossed at present, and, in fact, it is dangerous. New Discoveeies. Beyond the developing the present reefs, very little has been done in the way of new discovery during the past year. Probably the only actual new find is the discovery of a new auriferous quartz leader at the New Creek, Lyell, about five miles up from its junction with the Buller River, and about three miles north-east of the Alpine line of reef. A prospecting area was granted to Mcßride and party on the 2nd February last, since which five applications for gold mining leases in that locality have been made. The excellent yields from the Fiery Cross and Just-in-Time claims at Boatman's have also served to again draw attention to that locality, and various claims are now in full work both there, at Italian Gully, and Larry's Creek, which probably would have otherwise been left untouched for a very considerable time. The alluvial workings at Soldier's Creek can hardly be called new discoveries, but from the systematic method now adopted for working, and the extensive ground-sluicing operations in progress, together with the excellent yield from the claims, it is but fair to say that for the first time for many years have these claims been worked to proper advantage. In previous reports I have alluded to the discovery of antimony, coal, iron, lime, clay, lignite, &c. To these I may now add marble, concerning which Mr. Theodore Ranft furnishes me with the annexed report: — " The marble of this district is of three different kinds. The best quality is principally of a coral formation, of a grey-blue with white veins, and capable of a high polish. Its extent I have proved over a distance of three-quarters of a mile, where it is overlaid by a newer formation. The stratum is divided into a number of beds, varying from six inches to as many feet, and the total thickness is over 30 feet. It is situated between Lankey's and Garvey's Creeks. The next in quality is situated about a mile and a half further north, and is of vaster extent. It is of a brown-blue ground, with white bands intervening. The organic formation differs from the former in its having less coral, and molluscs are more prominent. The third quality is situated on the Waitahu, is of a deep black, beautifully interwoven with white veins. In structure it is the most massive, blocks of 50 cubic feet being easily obtainable without the slightest joint. It is not so crystalline as the first-named, but is capable of a good polish. In organic structure it differs from the second quality by being principally of mollusc origin, and enclosing but little coral in proportion to the first quality. All three marbles would be invaluable for ornamental and architectural purposes if there existed a reasonable means of transport to the seaboard. The natural access is good, and an outlay of £100 would enable wagons to load on the site. In the same formation there is a large deposit of calcspar and selenite, easily convertible into lime and cement." FfTTTEE PEOSPECTS. "We end the present financial year and commence the next with all the elements of prosperity to assist us. Already negotiations have been entered into for the erection of 100 additional heads of stampers in various parts of the district. The Energetic Company are erecting increased machinery, to be worked by steam power, which the splendid coal adjoining their claim will enable them to do. A public Crushing Company has entered into arrangements with several claims to erect machinery about two miles beyond Black's Point, Inangahua, and crush for them at a low rate, which will still further tend to the development of the district. At the Lyell, arrangements are being made for increased machinery, whilst machinery is in course of erection at Larry's Creek, to crush for that remarkably good-looking claim known as No. 2 South Larry's. The formation of main dray roads will tend largely to open up country of which little is known at present, and afford considerable facilities to others who are living in places that are known to obtain provisions, or, in case of agricultural leaseholders, to take their produce to a market. Arrangements have also been made for the erection of machinery at Rainy Creek, a distance of some eight miles beyond Reefton, up the Inangahua River, where there exists a quartz reef, with excellent coal in the immediate proximity. A large seam of antimony is also in existence in the vicinity. There has been no retrogression, and the still appropriate motto for the district is Festina lente. I have, &c, The Under Secretary for Gold Fields, Wellington. Chaeies Bboad, Warden.

No. 7. Mr. Warden Whitefooed to the Undeb Seceetaet for Gold Fields. Sic, — Grey District, "Warden's Office, Ahaura, 22nd May, 1874. I have the honor to forward herewith general report upon the state and prospects of this district, together with the returns called for in your circular of the 10th January last. The report is a copy of one (with a few omissions of matters relating to Road Boards, &c.) I recently furnished to the Provincial Government, Nelson. I have, &c, Caleb "Whitefooed, The Under Secretary for Gold Fields, "Wellington. "Warden.

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B.EPOBT. The population of this district on the Ist March, 1874 (as given by the Census Enumerators), amounts to 3,248, and is distributed as follows : — Sub-district of Cobden ... ... ... ... ... ... 619 No Town ... ... ... ... ... 908 Ahaura (township only) ... ... ... ... ... ... 200 Sub-district of G-ranville, Nobles, &c. ... ... ... ... 702 „ Ahaura and Nelson Creek ... ... ... ... 453 Other Creeks and Gullies, Little Grey, &c... ... ... ... 366 Total ... ... ... • ... 3,248 The population as given by me in my last annual report was 3,365 ; and as no material alteration has taken place in the numbers of miners employed in the district since I furnished that estimate, it will be seen I was very nearly correct in the return I then gave. The average earnings of the miners (so far as can be ascertained from storekeepers and others) have been fairly maintained, and I see no reason to anticipate any falling off in this respect, or with regard to the population, during the ensuing year. The district has lately been visited by a severe flood, which has inflicted much damage upon the miners and residents of the various localities. The residents at Cobden have suffered severely, and great inconvenience and loss have occurred at Half Ounce, the track to which place has been completely blocked up, and is even at the present time in a deplorable state; a matter which presses heavily upon residents of all classes. The Eclipse Company have had their dam and tail-race severely injured, causing the party (some twelve men) about three months extra work repairing damages. At Duffers and No Town various parties have sustained severe losses in dams and tail-races being carried away ; but I do not think the damage has been nearly so great or extensive as that occasioned by the flood of 1872. During the past year fresh ground has been opened up at Brown's Terrace, in the Nobles district, which has given a fair return to the men employed upon it. The terrace seems to run into the same flat ground into a portion of which the Mosquito lead was traced, and where a good many men at one time were engaged in mining; and I have heard from experienced miners that it is likely this flat, and others of" a similar character in the district, will be found to contain runs of gold at a deeper level than any that have yet been worked in the valley. North Beach Workings up to Bazorback. —The mining population on the beach has fallen off during the last two years, which is, I think, attributable to the superior attractions of other parts of the district, both as regards the. amount of wages to be earned, as also from the great discomfort attendant upon the life of a beach miner, who generally works alone and at uncertain hours (having to time his operations to suit the tide), and also from being shut out from anything like relaxation or amusement in his spare time. The character of the workings about Razorback has always rendered prospecting in that neighbourhood peculiarly uncertain, nothing approaching a definite lead having ever been discovered there. Instances of heavy yields are, however, occasionally made public, and serve as an encouragement to those residing in the locality to remain. There have been a few good claims opened up in this neighbourhood during the past year. Half Ounce. —The class of claims held here has gradually changed from those of ordinary size to extended claims and leaseholds, and the consequence has been the erection of substantial machinery and a tolerably settled population. Several of the works in the locality have been most expensively and ingeniously constructed, occupying the owners many weeks in formation. The Eclipse Company (the first formed in Half Ounce Creek at the upper end) have done an immense amount of work, and were beginning to reap some return from their labour when the late flood carried away their tail-race and dam. The Company are now repairing damages, but they have sustained a heavy loss, and it will, as I have already stated, take them some considerable time to get the claim into working order again. Another Company, the Just-in-Time, have started at the head of Half Ounce Creek, and are now (having struck gold) actively engaged in working their ground in a very systematic manner. The lead worked by this Company will probably be traced back into the hills about Napoleon's. Lower down Half Ounce Creek, near Granville, there are many claims worked by the aid of machinery, water-wheels, and pumping gear. Some of the miners there are doing very well, and the majority making good wages. Mining operations have been vigorously carried on in this part of the district during the past year, and the population has settled down in a permanent manner. At Brandy Jack's the leases granted are being worked, and in one of them gold has been struck ; but the party have been unfortunate in having suffered from accidents to their machinery, which have greatly retarded their progress; but they are now pushing on with their work, and when they have "opened out" their ground, will employ a number of wages-men in addition to the shareholders. Duffer's. —The workings here have undergone no material change since I last reported. The creek still supports about the same population, who are almost all employed in ground-sluicing. The late flood did a considerable amount of damage there, filling up tail-races which had taken the parties who owned them many months to construct. Teviot. —A small number of miners are working here, but the place has not advanced as I had hoped it would have done from the reports I received about it from the men holding claims on the terrace. Napoleon Sill. —Some seventy-five men find steady employment hereabouts, but a water supply at a sufficient elevation is alone wanting to open up an almost limitless extent of payable ground, as it could, if once brought in at a level to work Napoleon Hill, be made available for Half Ounce, Duffer's, Granville, and Nobles' workings. I have heard with much satisfaction that a surveyor is now taking levels from various creeks, with a view of reporting to the General Government on the facilities that exist for bringing in a permanent supply of water to this part of the district. Until this is done, the work-

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ings here will continue to support about the same number of miners as are engaged at present; but the neighbourhood is capable of maintaining from 1,500 to 2,000 men easily, if water were placed at their command at a moderate rental. Orwell Creek. —The lead of gold I reported as being tested on the terraces here in April last, has not turned out as well as expected, some few parties only doing well. In the bed of the creek some extensive workings have been undertaken by a party of miners, who have applied for a special claim of ten acres. They have erected pumping machinery, sunk a shaft by the side of the terrace, and then driven under the bed of the creek for some 150 feet, meeting with most encouraging prospects. The expense of working the claim, owing to the quantity of water to contend with, is greater than the party calculated it would bo at first, and they are now endeavouring to form a company with sufficient capital, to enable the shareholders to complete a long tail-race, and so work the ground efficiently. If they are able to carry out this plan I have no doubt of their ultimate success, and a large field will be opened up for other parties to take up claims. Blackwater. —Here in addition to the European miners some twenty-five Chinese have set to work, and seem disposed to remain. No Town. —Here as at Blackwater the Chinese have settled down in considerable numbers, and I suppose there are now some 200 finding profitable employment. The general prospects of the place seem as good as ever, and although the late flood was damaging in its effects among the creek workings, none of the parties affected seem to have lost heart, or bo disposed to abandon their claims. I believe the introduction of the Chinese here has been productive of much benefit, as they have reopened old-tail races long since abandoned and blocked up (and which the ordinary miners would not have gone to the expense and trouble of repairing), and by so doing have drained and rendered available for mining purposes a large tract of ground besides that taken up by themselves. They have also erected large wing dams in the creek, and by means of these, and water-wheels, are working very wet ground that the other miners would not take up. Moonlight.- —Matters here remain in much the same state they have done for some time past, all the miners being engaged in alluvial workings, and no effort being made to prospect the numerous quartz reefs which abound in this part of the district. There is very little chance of any improvement in this place until some accidental discovery opens up a payable reef, which may be done in running in a tunnel to work alluvial ground. It is remarkably strange that this place, so well thought of by practical miners as a likely reefing locality, should receive so little attention at their hands. Doubtless the difficulty of getting to it, owing to the want of a road, will account for the neglect. Black Ball. —The prospects here are still good, and. though the population is limited, the men as a rule are doing very well. During the coming year the number is likely to increase by the addition of Chinese miners, who have been prospecting, and seem disposed to settle down to work in the creek bed. Bell Sill. —I have little to report about this place as I have not yet been able to visit it myself,, and the business people and miners residing here rarely if ever visit Ahaura, as the supplies of provisions, &c, are all drawn from Hokitika. A track is now being cut from a point above Paddy's (No Town) to Lake Brunner, which, if made available for pack-horses, may be the means of opening up new ground, and bringing the Bell Hill trade into No Town. Bed Jack's. —A good road to this place has long been wanted. It still supports a good many miners, but its isolated position, arising from want of a road or track, greatly retards its advancement. Nelson Creek. —The letting of the contract for the construction of the Hochstetter water-race has given fresh energy and life to both the miners and business people here, many of the latter having already began enlarging and improving their premises, while others contemplate doing the same shortly. There must be a large increase in the number of men finding employment in this neighbourhood very shortly, while the race is in course of construction ; and of the ultimate prosperity of this district as soon as the work is completed, no one acquainted with its formation and resources entertains any doubt. General Remarks (on other subjects than Gold Mining). Several fine seams of coal of good quality and great thickness have recently been discovered at various places, from five to ten miles distant from Cobden. The coal seams are within easy reach of the coast terrace, and the formation of a railway to bring the coal to Cobden is a work that could be readily accomplished, there being no engineering difficulties in the way. A good many coal-prospecting leases have been applied for about the Seven-Mile and Ten-Mile Creeks, and up Coal Creek, at the back of Cobden. I think I may, without impropriety, point out to the Government the necessity of urging on the General Government the importance that exists for the improvement of the harbour at the Grey ; for until that is done, the coal seams in the district must be suffered to remain comparatively unworked. The new Licensing Act appears totally unsuited to the requirements of a gold field, where it is often necessary for public convenience that a house should be opened (and indeed erected) with the least possible delay. Under the existing Act, months might elapse before such a thing could be done. Wardens and Resident Magistrates' Courts are now held at Ahaura, Cobden, No Town, and Granville, and before long I think it will be necessary to station an officer at Nelson Creek for the purpose of issuing miners' rights, business licenses, and supplying application forms, &c, to the miners; as there can be little doubt a large business must spring up here consequent upon the public works being carried out in connection with the Hochstetter water-race. I forward various statistical returns, showing the amount of business transacted in the various offices under my control during the past year. I have, &c, Caleb Whitefookd, The Under Secretary for Gold Fields, "Wellington. Warden.

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WESTLAND. No. 8. Mr. Warden Eevell to the Under Secbetaky for Gold Fields. Sib, — "Warden's Office, G-reymouth, April, 1874. I have the honor to furnish the following general report on the district under my charge, for the year ending the 31st March last past. The various workings in the district may be all classed under the head of alluvial, no quartz reefs having been found up to the present time. Mining operations in most of the localities have continued steady, and show fair progress ; but at the same time there is a decrease of the mining population, yield of gold, and revenue, as compared with the previous year, which may be attributed in some measure to the Palmer rush, and the demand for labour to carry on the extensive public works now being effected in this district. The heavy outlay in the construction and extension of water-races which command the higher terraces, show that the proprietors have every confidence in the neighbourhood where these works are being carried on, and that the new ground thus opened will well repay the cost incurred. Still there remains a considerable extent of auriferous country untouched, for want of water, which might be made available, but the cost of construction, and numerous obstacles that present themselves, appear too great for private enterprise to contend with, and unless the Government will undertake the construction of such works, the country in question is likely to remain unproductive for years to come. The majority of agricultural leases applied for having been refused after survey, in consequence of the Waste Lands Board declining to recommend them, some further provision is requisite whereby the Warden might grant small areas of land, not exceeding two acres, to miners for cultivation only, without any right of purchase or interference with mining pursuits, for which certificates would be issued and a low rent charged. There are no mining leases in existence in this district. In the Greymouth sub-district there has been a great falling off on the works in the Stoney Lead and South Beach. The North Star Company have worked out their original claims, sold their engine, and, since the Palmer rush and recent floods, have broken up the party and abandoned their works. The owners of the Great Extended and Leviathian water-races have no demand for water in this locality, and are using the water themselves for sluicing ground on the Stoney Lead. A few claims are still held by miners who are in possession of water-rights, and have comfortable homesteads about them. There is a scattered population in and around Eutherglen, Deep Lead, Salt Water Creek, Welchman's, and Tankey Creek, in possession of small water-rights, making fair wages. Hughes and party, who held the first water-right for three heads out of the Salt Water Creek for the last seven years, sold out a short time ago for £500 to a party of Cornishmen who have been in that neighbourhood for several years, and well know the value of the water and the ground to be worked. In the Arnold sub-district a small rush took place last October, to a terrace on the bank of the Arnold Eiver, but was soon abandoned as no gold was obtainable outside the prospectors' ordinary claim, where half a pennyweight to the dish had been washed out. Some of the old races formerly brought into Maori Gully have been extended three miles round the spurs and sides of the ranges, to command the high ground about the Still Water, at a height of 200 to 300 feet above the bed of the creek, and shares in these races have been disposed of at high figures—from £150 upwards. There is a small population working in the surrounding gullies, and about 130 Chinese have set into work, principally in Waimea, Italian, and Eielly's Gullies. They have bought up several water-rights from Europeans at high prices. The building for Court and police quarters at Maori Gully has been erected, and was handed over for occupation in February last. In the Clifton sub-district, the mining localities known as Irishman's, Carriboo, Fuschia, Mosquito, Corkeye, Cockabulla, and Maori Creek, and other small gullies, maintain the usual quota of miners, many of whom have built themselves comfortable cottages, and hold good claims and waterrights yielding fair returns. The Hibernian Water-Eace Company have completed their race, and are now in full work on good ground, besides letting out a small quantity of water. The New Eiver Water-Eace Company are progressing slowly and have many difficulties to contend with. They have constructed about seven miles of the race, and have about thirty heads of water to let on payable ground which heretofore could not be wrought, no water being available. The Company have about three miles more to construct, and have decided to carry the water by iron pipes, for a distance of 400 yards, across the Deep Gorge at the Limestone, instead of erecting a flume 120 feet in height. There are a few miners working at Cameron's, where payable ground has been opened, but the place is almost isolated for want of a horse track. Several new and substantial buildings have been erected in the township of Marsden and Maori Creek. The completion of the new road between Greymouth and Marsden has opened up direct communication with the latter place, and when completed to Maori Creek will prove a material aid in the advancement and prosperity of that part of the Grey district. No steps have been taken as yet to remove the Court and police camp from Clifton township (long since deserted) to that of Maori Creek. Police protection and supervision are much required at both these townships, they being centres of a mining population, and containing several public nouses in each. There are 115 Chinese now residing and working in various parts of the district. The Greenstone district was placed under my charge in April, 1873, owing to the reduction made in the Wardens' Department; and at the same time Sergeant Mclnnis, in charge of the police at Greenstone, was appointed Clerk of the Eesident Magistrate's Court and Gold Eeceiver for that district. The principal workings are those on the Duke of Edinburgh Terrace, adjoining the township, where ground-sluicing is carried out on an extensive scale, the face of the terrace being cut down to a 3—H. 9.

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depth of 60 to 80 feet, and the tailings run out several hundred yards through box tail-races paved from end to end with timber blocks. The Hohonu Water-Race Company supply these claims with water, from seven to ten heads each, at the rate of £210s. per head, and let from forty to fifty heads per week. This Company is constructing a branch race three miles in length, to convey additional water into their reservoir, at an outlay of about £1,000. Maori Point, Three-Mile, Hohonu, and Teramakau Junction also support a small population. There are 120 Chinese located in this district: they have settled down steadily to work, and have purchased some good interests in claims and water-rights, paying prices varying from £30 to £90. The change made in the Postal Department from daily to tri-weekly is most inconvenient, and causes great delay in the transmission of letters. This might be remedied by the payment of a nominal subsidy to the mail contractor, who runs a spring cart daily to the Greenstone in connection with the daily mail between Greymouth and Hokitika. A track from the Greenstone to Lake Brunner has been surveyed, and, when formed, will open up a tract of country near the lake for mining and grazing purposes, and will probably become a short route from the Grey district to the Christchurch Road, near the head of Bruce's station on the Lake. Sittings of the Resident Magistrate's and Warden's Court have been held regularly every fortnight at the Greenstone, and at the Arnold and Clifton once a month. The appointment of the police officers as Receivers of Gold Revenue at these stations has proved advantageous to the miners, and thereby tended to increase the revenue. The municipality of Greymouth contains a population estimated at 2,600. Several substantial buildings, stores and private residences, have been erected during the year, and the formation of the different streets is being vigorously pushed forward. The protective works and stone wall have been a great protection from the encroachments of the river, and should be extended without delay, to save the lower portion of the town. The sanitary arrangements of the town are being greatly neglected, and although the Council have been in existence several years, they are without an efficient code of by-laws and regulations for the control and proper management of the municipality. The Greymouth Coal Company have proved their coal by boring and driving, and have selected their block on the reserve. The main shaft is being sunk, and the requisite machinery has been purchased for the works. The Company have every expectation of being ready to supply coals to the market within three months. The population of the district is estimated at 4,868 souls, and are located as follows: —

Greymouth. Arnold. Clifton. Greenstone. Total. European ... Chinese 3,141 72 365 130 495 115 430 120 4,431 437 3,213 495 610 550 4,8G8 Fourteen hundred and eighty-five casi Warden's Court, as under :— is have been disposed o: in the Rei ddent Magii itrate's and Civil. Criminal. Warden. Total. G-reymouth Arnold Clifton Greenstone 891 60 31 73 333 20 11 10 24 13 5 14 1,248 93 47 97 1,055 374 50 1,485 The revenue for tin twelve months, ai lounting to :30,124 15s. 3d., is madi up as folL iWS: — Greymouth. Arnold. Clifton. Greenstone. Total. "Warden's Department Sesident Magistrate's Department Publicans' Licenses to Provincial Treasurer £ s. d. 1,609 9 6 £ b. 372 14 d. 0 £ 464 s. d. 5 0 £ 940 s. d. 0 0 £ s. d. 3,386 8 6 1,010 11 9 64 5 0 1,074 16 9 1,370 0 0 1,370 0 0 G-oldDuty... Half-share Customs ... 3,990 1 2,577 11 21,115 11 3 4 3 372 14 0 464 5 0 1,004 5 600 0 0 0 5,831 5 3,177 11 21,115 18 3 4 8 27,683 18 8 372 14 0 464 5 0 1,604 5 0 30,124 15 8

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RETURN showing the Number of Rights, Licenses, and Registrations issued by the Receivers of Revenue at their respective Offices during the Twelve Months.

GENERAL STATEMENT showing the Position and Progress of the Water-Race Companies receiving Subsidies from the Government, under the provisions of "The Public Works and Immigration Act, 1871 and 1872."

The statistical returns show that there are 360 head-races, conveying 550 heads of water a distance of 305 miles ; also 198 tail-races and 394 dams, duly registered, and constructed at a cost of £65,450, with mining plant and machinery estimated at £5,828; making a total of £71,270. The completion of the roads immediately out of the town of Greymouth has opened up about fifty miles of good roads for dray traffic, and twenty miles of horse tracks through the district. The usual returns are forwarded herewith in duplicate, those of the Greenstone being set out in separate forms, to show the total revenue from that portion of the district. I have, &c, W. H. Eevell, The Under Secretary for Gold Fields, "Wellington. "Warden. No. 9. Mr. Warden FitzGebald to the Undee Seceetaet for Gold Fields. Sib— Warden's Office, Waimea, 20th April, 1874. I have the honor to report as follows on the state of the Waimea district for the year ending 31st March last, and at the outset I would state that the district continues to maintain steadily a population of about 1,500, and that little discontent prevails; the only complaint being as to the scarcity of water, which in dry weather it is impossible to procure at any price. The completion of the Waimea water-race is anxiously looked forward to by all, more especially by the old residents, who have acquired a considerable stake in the Province; and I am glad to hear that the works are being vigorously pushed ahead, and when complete I have no doubt a considerable impetus will be given to mining operations. Numerically there is little change in our Chinese population (which I now estimate at 250), although many have passed through this district for the Grey Valley and other gold fields, and at the present time I constantly hear of new arrirals. The good feeling to which I referred in my last report as existing between the Europeans and the Chinese still continues ; and although the latter do not spend much money, the storekeepers report them to be good cash customers. There have been 104 cases tried in the Warden's Court, 1,211 certificates of registration issued, and a revenue of £2,127 15s. 6d. collected, exclusive of gold duty.

Greyniouth. Arnold. Clifton. Greenstone. Total. liners' Eights Jusiness License lalf-yearly License... Quarterly License ... Registrations, 5s. Do. 2s. 6d. Do. Is. ... Spirit License, wholesale Jottle License letail License \>wn of G-reymouth, retail fearly, conditional lalf-year, conditional Extensions 3ush Jxtended Claims 437 14 37 13 342 37 1,034 5 4 10 42 3 17 6 15 140 4 18 5 3 200 5 12 1 6 294. 16 27 9 69 201 3 10 1,071 39 94 28 411 37 1,235 5 7 29 42 6 20 6 17 1 22 i 3 1 1 2 1 13 "7 2

Hibernian. New River. Hohonu. Hohonu Extended. length of "Work completed to 31st March, 1874 length to complete STo. of men employed ... 3ost of Work constructed xovernment Subsidy received ... nterest paid Subsidy refunded ifcent of Water ... Quantity to let, Heads ... 6 miles T £6,000 7 miles 3 miles 13 £5,800 6 miles 33 chains 2 £9,653 7s. Id. 1 mile 40 chains 1 mile 40 chains 18 £500 £2,000 £126 11s. 9d. £2,592 14s. 6d. £174 6s. £1,533 6s. Id. £218 13s. 3d. £444. 11s. 6d. £2 10s. 40 to 50 £1 10 £1 6

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The special claim at Callaghan's is said to yield very fair returns, and the fact that another large party has set in to work on the adjoining ground, and obtained a similar grant on favourable terms, would tend to confirm me in the opinion that the ventures in which they have embarked will prove highly remunerative. The new applicants propose to keep 100 men employed on the ground when their workings are opened up. I would therefore be inclined to give every encouragement to similar undertakings. A few parties are employed in prospecting in the vicinity of the Taipo River, where payable reefs are said to exist; but up to the present time nothing of importance has been discovered, so far as I am aware, and the prospectors seem to display but little energy. In conclusion, I would beg to state that I have every faith in the permanence and prosperity of the district, which continues to hold its own in spite of the loud complaints to be heard in other localities. Full statistical information will be found in the returns forwarded herewith. I have, &c, Gr. G. FITzGEEALD, The Under Secretary for Gold Fields, Wellington. Warden.

No. 10. Mr. Warden FitzGebald to the Undee Seceetaby for Gold Fields. Sic, — "Warden's Office, Kanieri, 2nd May, 1874. I have the honor, in compliance with your circular memorandum, to forward the enclosed returns filled up. Upon the condition of the Kanieri "Warden's district for the year ending 31st March last there ia not much to report. The district (if anything) has slightly increased in prosperity, and this is mainly owing to the works of the Kanieri Lake "Water-Race Company being in active progress, and providing work for a large number of the poorer class of miners, who have taken advantage of better wages given than they could have made by mining. During the year a number of miners from other districts (principally from Ross) have settled in the district, and are engaged either at mining or at work on the race above referred to. The total population of the Kanieri Warden's district (as ascertained by the late census) is 2,051, of whom thirty-three are Chinese. These, for the sake of convenience, I shall divide into sub-districts and describe separately, commencing with the town of Kanieri and its vicinity. This sub-district contains a population of about 500 souls, 300 of whom reside in the town. Of the remainder about eighty-five are miners, and are engaged in working the old ground around the Kanieri, known as the Old Terrace; and although some of it has been turned over thrice before, it still pays small wages for working. It is being sluiced away bodily. Some are at Tucker Flat, where the workings consist of sinking: when at a depth of about twenty feet a rather poor wash-dirt of about five feet in depth is found. The average earnings of the miners employed at these two places would be about £2 10s. per week. They are supplied with water by the Pioneer and United Water-Race Companies, who charge £3 10s. per sluice-head per week. This district also gives employment to about forty men engaged in cutting timber for the saw-mills, three of which are in the district. They cut large quantities, which is exported, principally to Melbourne and Lyttelton. "Woodstock sub-district lies on the south bank of the Hokitika River, and is distant from the Kanieri about one and a half miles. This is an old-established and still prosperous district. It contains a population of about 300. Mining is the only industry carried on. The depth of the ground varies from fifteen to forty feet, and is worked, the shallow ground by sluicing and the deeper by tunnelling. The yield varies from about £8 per man per week to £2 10s. Water is supplied by three Companies, who have brought in water-races at a great expense. The charge for water is about £3 10s. per week per sluice-head, and there is a very good supply the greater part of the year. On the same side of the Hokitika River, and along the Ocean Beach, is what is called the South Beach sub-district. The population of this part I estimate at 145, about thirty-five of whom only are miners. These are principally engaged in working the black sand deposits which the heavy tides leave after them, the others a defined but poor lead of gold that runs parallel with the beach, and distant about fifty yards from high watermark. There are several small farmers in this sub-district, who supply the surrounding miners. The Hokitika Hospital is also in this sub-district. The Blue Spur sub-district is distant from the Kanieri about five miles. It is the largest and most important sub-division of the Kanieri district. The population of the Blue Spur and the surrounding gullies and workings I estimate at 450. It is altogether a mining district, and dates back to the earliest settlement of the coast, since which time it has carried a large population. There are three or four large water-races in this district, brought in by private enterprise, which pay good dividends to the shareholders. They do not sell any of the water, but work the ground themselves. The Kanieri Lake water-race is being brought in to this place, and the miners are looking forward anxiously to its completion, as it will prove of very great benefit to the district. A dray road is in course of construction, being the first made in this locality. It will be of great benefit, as it will be the means of considerably cheapening the necessaries of life. The number engaged in mining I estimate at 220. The earnings vary from £9 a man down to £2 10s. a week. The Hauhau, Big, and Little Paddock, sub-district is distant about two miles from the Kanieri. It was a very important place about five or six years ago, when it was first worked, but now it is almost deserted. It is expected, however, that it will soon revive, as it is the terminus of the Kanieri Lake water-race. It is thought, when the race is brought in, it will be the means of giving employment to a great many in working the old ground, and as the want of water in this sub-district was always the great drawback, this will then in a great measure be remedied. The total population of the sub-district I estimate at 150 souls, of whom sixty are miners. The average earnings are about £2 15s. per man. The Kanieri River sub-district is distant from the Kanieri about five miles. There are not many employed in this locality, as the extent of the workings is rather limited. The workings are principally on the banks of the Kanieri River and its tributaries. The total population I estimate at seventy, and

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of these about sixty-five are miners. This ground has been worked for the past eight years, and always carried about the same population. The earnings average about £3 ss. per week. The Kokatihi sub-district lies along the north bank of Hokitika and Kokatihi Eivers. It is a farming settlement: the only miners are two parties working up the Kokatihi Eiver on quartz reefs, discovered there about fifteen months ago. These reefs have not been properly tested yet, but machinery is being erected, and it is expected that crushing will commence in about two months. The discovery is not generally thought to be of much value. Coal has been found in this district, but not to any great extent. A Coal Company is in existence at present, who are prospecting, and they are subsidized by the Provincial Government. It is the opinion that a good coal field will be opened in this district. The total population of the sub-district is about eighty-five. The Arahura sub-district lies along the ocean beach, north of Hokitika, a distance of five miles, and then up the Arahura Eiver, on the south bank, for five miles. This sub-district is nearly altogether composed of small farms, the occupiers of which are the principal contributors of farm and dairy produce to Hokitika. The Christchurch and Hokitika Eoad runs along and through their ground. The population of the sub-district is about 250 souls. Upon the whole, I consider that the Kanieri Warden's district is fairly prosperous, and when the Kanieri Lake race is finished (which will be in about nine months), it will be able to carry a great many more miners, with a better prospect of increased earnings. The total number of cases adjudicated on in the Warden's Court was 32 for the past year. They were generally of a trivial character. Of new registrations for the past year, there were granted 63 head-races, 62 tail-races, 74 dams, 10 extended claims, 23 tunnels, and 34 residence areas. The total number of registrations for the year amounted to 781; and the total receipts from all sources to £927 Os. 6d. I have, &c, G. G. FitzGeeald, The Under Secretary for Gold Fields, Wellington. Warden.

No. 11. Mr. Warden FitzGeeald to the Undee Seceetaet for Gold Fields. Sie ,— Warden's Office, Eoss, Westland, 20th April, 1874. I have the honor to make the following report on the present state of the Totara district. After an experience of twelve months as Warden and Eesident Magistrate, I regret that I am not in a position to report more favourably of mining matters than when I last reported. Since I took charge I have held weekly Courts in Eoss, and find these weekly visits sufficient for the transaction of the duties of my office. In case of emergency the clerk can always communicate with me by telegram, though as yet he has had no occasion to do so. Till within the last six months the longtalked of Mikonui water-race, and the hopes entertained of its construction by Government, kept a great many people idly waiting in the district. Latterly, however, these hopes have been dispelled, and now every day witnesses the departure of numbers who have been the mainstay of the district. The construction of the Waimea and Kanieri Lake water-races and the Greymouth Eailway, and latterly the Eeefton and the North Australian diggings, have induced many who were earning a precarious living here to leave, although well aware they were leaving ground with plenty of gold in it. In the centre of operations, Jones' Flat, there has been no change for the better during the year, with the exception of the erection of a turbine and two or three water-wheels, with incline tramways, the motive power of each being water. These Companies are working old ground, from the surface to the first bottom, with satisfactory results. The other claims on the flat are paying moderately. At Eedman's, mining is carried on as actively as ever. The drainage is inexpensively effected by water-wheels. At Donohue's one water-wheel drains all the surrounding claims to a depth of nearly 200 feet, the only cost of maintenance being a nominal charge for water and the wages of one man. It is very evident that when such rude constructions as these wheels are can be made to drain the ground, a plentiful supply of water and superior machinery are all that would be required to take the gold out of the flat and overcome the water at the greatest depth yet reached. Between Eoss and Donohue's there were a number of claims worked by horse and whim. This mode of working was found both ineffectual and expensive, and has been abandoned. The ground in this locality is now being sluiced —along the line, extending from Jones' Flat to Donohue's —at a distance of some three miles, the ground being equally rich as Jones' Flat. No matter where or how deep a shaft is sunk, the ground is payable; but of course, without water to drain or work it, it is perfectly useless to the miner. There is nothing new to report on the diggings up the Totara. The population there is settled, and making fair wages. A few parties are still at work at Aylmer lead, Campbellton, and Mahinapua Lake. The Totara and Jones' Creek Water-Eace Company have completed the enlargement of their upper race, and dispensed with almost all the fluming, substituting instead, ditching and tunnelling. This enlarged race now carries the water formerly conveyed by three races. The outlay on these alterations, though great, will be eventually returned, with interest, to the shareholders. A great saving in maintenance is effected by doing away with the fluming, and having but one race instead of three to keep in repair. So simple a matter as the falling of a tree on the fluming often stops the water for days, and consequently throws the miners using it out of employment. The oftreiterated cry for water in this district is shown not to be unnecessary, from the fact that this Company, in times so depressed as the present, are spending so much of their capital to secure a steady supply. It is not to be supposed that they do this from mere philanthropy, but rather with the hope of increasing their dividends. . The Greenland Water-Eace Company, which have got a right for twelve heads of water, as I stated in my last report, from the Greenland Eanges and small creeks along the course to Eoss, are making

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rapid progress. It will, however, be fully twelve months before they have their race completed to the terraces over the township. Even then they will be to a considerable extent dependent on the rainfall for a supply, owing to the small quantity of water in the creeks of which they own the right. The undertaking will, no doubt, eventually repay the small number of shareholders concerned, as the terraces which it will command over the township are known to be rich. These terraces are above the elevation of any water at present available. The advantage to the district of this race will be merely nominal, as the wants of a few sluicing claims would exhaust the whole supply. The two races above mentioned are the only ones at work or in contemplation, and even if they could carry the full quantity of water for which they are registered, they would only command a mere tithe of the known auriferous unworked ground. Beferring to Jones' Flat, the visitor of some five years back would scarcely recognize, in its present lifeless and desolate aspect, the place then teeming with life and activity. Where five steam-engines were busily at work, nothing now remains but great heaps of tailings and skeleton poppet-heads, and the sole cause of this sad change is want of water. These engines, which cost the district many thousands, are now either lying eaten up with rust or are dismembered and sold. From the fate of these engines it is evident that steam-power is a thing of the past, so far as Boss is concerned. Had the capitalists of the district had the experience of the present to guide them, the whistle of a steam-engine would never have been heard in Eoss. A race such as the proposed Mikonui could have been constructed twice over with the money thus thrown away, and the district, instead of being what it is, would have been, as it was at first, the most prosperous and largest contributor of revenue in the Province. This gold field is different from, and superior to, any other in the Province, from the fact that gold is found in payable quantities, in successive bottoms or layers, at the greatest depth yet reached. To give an idea of the possible future in store for Eoss, with a large supply of water for the flat, it may be stated that when the drainage engine was in operation, one claim of about one acre and a half in extent was giving handsome dividends, though rated for drainage at £70 per week. There is a large portion of ground on the flat, known to be equally as good as the above claim, as yet unworked, and yet while the miners know such to be the case they are obliged to leave for other and poorer fields. It remains with the Government whether the district will go down altogether or become again prosperous. Owing to the impoverished state of the district, any scheme to partly aid the people would be useless. Whatever is done must be done entirely by the Government. There is no doubt that such outlay would be repaid, both directly and indirectly. The Government have undertaken the making of a road from Bowen to Okarita, which will be the means of opening up a large tract of country both to the miner, grazier, and agriculturist. Even if there were not an acre of auriferous ground along the whole route, the sale of Crown lands and consequent settlement will be a source of material advancement to the district. I have been informed by parties working on the road that there is a large extent of land well suited for agricultural purposes along the line. In a district such as this, with mixed auriferous and agricultural land, water-races and roads are absolutely necessary to effect permanent settlement. Those best suited for the place are such as are willing to work if they can see a fair return for their labour. The amount of gold forwarded from Eoss to Hokitika during the year has been 15,520 ounces, at £3 16s. 3d.; value, £59,170. £ s. d. Gold Fields Eevenue ... ... ... ... ... 1,896 13 3 Warden's Court, Pees and Fines ... ... ... ... 32 15 0 Eesident Magistrate's Court, Fees and Fines ... ... 302 15 0 Export Duty on Gold ... ... ... ... ... 1,552 0 0 £3,784 3 3 This total shows a falling off in the revenue for the year of nearly one-half. Wages. —Managers, £6 per week; underground captains, £3 10s.; carpenters, £3 10s.; blacksmiths, £4; miners, £3. Timber. —Caps, 9 feet, £7 10s. per 100; round props, 7 feet, £6 per 100; split props, 1 in. X 7 in., £4 10s. per 100 ; laths, 5 feet, £1 10s. per 100 j firewood, £1 per cord; sawn timber, 14s. per 100 feet. Freight. —From Hokitika to Eoss, twenty miles, 70 tons per month, £2 10s. per ton of 2,000 lbs. The population may be estimated as follows:— European —Male ... ... ... ... ... ... 1,000 Female ... ... ... ... ... ... 600 Chinese ... ... ... ... ... ... 150 1,750 Warden's Court. —Number of cases, 45. Eesident Magistbate's Covet. No, of Cases—Civil ... ... ... ... ... ... 406 Criminal ... ... ... ... ... ... 78 Total ... ... ... ... 484 Amount sued for, £2,783 4s. 3d. The following number of rights, licenses, registrations, and leases have been issued or applied for, and forwarded for consideration:—• No. Miners' Eights at £1 ... ... ... ... ... ... 404 Business Licenses at £5 ... ... ... ... „. ... 38

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No. Business Licenses at £3 ... ... ... ... ... ... 76 Business Licenses at £2 ... ... ... ... ... ... 19 Eegistrations at ss. ... ... ... ... ... ... 180 Eegistrations at Is. ... ... ... ... ...- ... 273 Mining Leases ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 Extended Claims ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 39 Eetail Licenses at £30 ... ... ... ... ... ... 24 Transfers at £5 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 2 Conditional Licenses at £20 ... ... ... ... ... ... 3 Conditional Licenses at £12 10s. ... ... ... ... ... 3 Wholesale Licenses at £10 ... ... ... ... ... ... # 2 Bottle Licenses at £15 ... ... ... ... ... ... 2 Bush Licenses at £10 ... ... ... ... ... ... 4 It will bo seen from the above statistics that there is a considerable falling off in the revenue as compared with the previous year. This decrease is not to be attributed to the exhaustion of the gold supply, but to the exodus of those engaged in mining. I have, &c, The Under Secretary for Gold Fields, Wellington. G. G. FitzGeeald, . Warden.

No. 12. Mr. Warden Tizaed to the Undee Seceetaby for Gold Fields. Sib,— Warden's Office, Okarita, 20th April, 1874. I have the honor, in compliance with your circulars of 7th and 10th January last, to forward statistical forms duly filled up, which show the position of the Okarita district on the 31st March last. Having assumed charge of this gold field in February only, I am not in a position to give such a full account of its condition, since the last report made by my predecessor in 1873, as I would otherwise bo enabled to do. But this much I may say in favour of the state of the district, that having left it in 1871, on my return I find but little change has taken place either in the yield of gold, revenue, or population, which for the past year is as follows: —Yield of gold, 4,837 oz. 2 dwts. 3 grs.; revenue, £998 15s.—this is irrespective of gold duty ; present population, 490 souls. It may therefore fairly earn the reputation of having as settled a mining population as any gold field in New Zealand, and, on the whole, all doing well; and considering that, up to a very late period, the mining has been entirely confined to a few sea beaches, it is astonishing how inexhaustible they appear to be, most of them having been worked since 1865. The principal incident which has occurred in the district during the last year was the rush to the Haast River, situated about eighty miles south of Okarita, which drew down there not only most of the miners from this portion of the district, but also a number from other parts. I regret, however, to say the ground did not turn out so good as was anticipated, and most left it; but there is no doubt that when this portion of the Province is made more accessible to miners, it will open ground which will support a considerable mining population, as there is every indication of the country inland being auriferous. The gold, however, seems to be very much scattered and of a rough character, that found being from a pennyweight to 2-ounce nuggets. The most satisfactory feature observable of late in this district is the attention given by miners to working inland, up the Wataroa, Waiho, Oamaru, Cook, and other rivers, penetrating into the country up to the very foot of the ranges; in nearly every instance the ground is found payable; but, the almost insurmountable difficulties exnerienced in conveying provisions from fifteen to twenty-five miles over a most rough country, prevents their extension. As, however, Government is about commencing a road inland, it only requires time to develop country which will hereafter support a large population. This district, containing a coast line of about 145 miles in extent, 100 of which is entirely without population, the auriferous nature of which is undoubted, to say nothing of much good land available for settlement, presents prospects of a very cheering and encouraging nature, and needs only the aid of Government to give the people easy access to it to insure its progress. I have, &c, L. Tizaed, The Under Secretary for Gold Fields, Wellington. Warden.

OTAGO. No. 13. Mr. Warden Caeew to the Under Seceetaet for Gold Fields. Sib,— "Warden's Office, Laurence, 30th April, 1874. In forwarding the enclosed annual statistical returns, made up to the 31st March last, I have the honor to report upon the progress, state, and prospects of the Tuapeka gold field, which has been under my charge since the commencement of the month of June last. The returns show a considerable decrease in the number of miners employed in the district, as compared with former years, which requires explanation. I find, by the last annual statement of my

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predecessor, that the number of miners in the district was 1,740; of these, 1,140 were Europeans and 600 Chinese. The present number, which has been carefully estimated, I make to be, 537 Europeans and 513 Chinese ;in all, 1,050. There is thus a falling off to the number of 575; but, so far as I can learn, this reduction is in no respect owing to any failure of the auriferous resources of the district, but is to be attributed to the general prosperity of the Province, and the prosecution of large public works, having created an active demand for labour at a price exceeding the ordinary earnings by gold mining. Other districts have no doubt been affected in a similar way by these causes; but Tuapeka being the nearest gold field to the line of the Dunedin and Clutha Eailway, and the works of the Tokomairiro and Laurence line being constructed through the district, has brought immediate, steady, and remunerative employment to the miner's door, and consequently has no doubt had a more direct and marked effect in drawing miners from their usual avocation here, than would be the case in more distant gold fields. The rate of wages paid to Europeans at the works has been from 9s. to 10s. 6d. a day of eight hours, and to Chinese from 6s. to 7s. per day. I may here remark that the European miner is said by the railway contractors to be unequalled, for both quantity and quality of work, by the specially imported skilled navvy. The Chinese are also in favour for their steady perseverance, and as many as 300 have been employed at one time upon the Tokomairiro and Laurence line. A decrease in the quantity of gold forwarded by escort is a natural sequence to the decrease in the number of hands employed in obtaining it; and when this is taken into account, the yield of the last compares very favourably with that of former years, and, in fact, shows a considerable increase upon average earnings over the year 1872-73. The quantity escorted in the year last mentioned was 36,468 ounces, which, divided by 1,740, the then estimated number of miners, would, at the average price of gold (755. 6d. per ounce), leave a miner's earnings as £79 3s. for that year. The escort for the past year took down 28,383 oz. 11 dwts., which, divided by 1,050, gives £102 Is. as each miner's earnings. Although this is the usual, it is not, in my opinion, a reliable, mode of calculating average earnings. Perhaps for the past year it is favourable to this district, as I believo the number of miners to have been smaller when the estimate of their number was taken, than at any other season of the year. For a district dependent entirely upon gold raising, it is possibly the only correct mode of arriving at results; but Tuapeka is now not only a gold field but also an agricultural district, containing several hundred farmsteads, and is surrounded by large agricultural and pastoral settlements, which give employment to a considerable quantity of labour. Numbers of men who are gold miners by choice, so soon as they meet with ill-success in mining, or are interrupted in their employment by scarcity of water or other causes incidental to mining occupations, or are moved by the temptation of large wages, betake themselves to sheep-shearing, harvesting, or other of the outlets at command for their labour, and return again to gold mining at their pleasure. Many of the miners here are also holders of small agricultural leaseholds and small mobs of cattle, and employ a portion of their time in farming pursuits. It would be impossible, under present circumstances, to make proper allowance for this only partial employment at gold mining, and it is thus made to appear that a given quantity of gold occupies more labour to procure than what is really the fact. A remarkable feature of progress in real settlement is to be gathered from the transactions respecting land during the period reported on. The number of agricultural leases granted during that time is ninety-seven, covering an area of 8,053 acres 3 roods 21 perches, and sixty-five applications, for 6,911 acres 2 roods 4 perches, are now pending, which await survey and other preliminary matters before they can be granted. The holders of forty-eight leases, over 1,830 acres 1 rood 34 perches, which had run over three years, have purchased their holdings, and thirteen other applications, to purchase 405 acres, are before the Waste Lands Board for approval. The provisions under section 62, " Waste Lands Act, 1872," by which the holder of an agricultural lease, three years in possession, is admitted to the benefits of the system of purchase on deferred payments, is being largely availed of. The interpretation given to this section allows the holder of a lease under the Gold Fields Act (after three years) to obtain a Crown grant in fee simple on payment of 17s. 6d. per acre, which may be paid in fourteen instalments, extending over seven years. Strange to say, if the holder wished to purchase the same holding without deferred payment, under section 74 of the Act, the price would be 20s. per acre. In addition to the leases granted under the Gold Fields Act, fifteen applications, for 2,318 acres 1 rood 26 perches, have been granted under section 50, " Waste Lands Act, 1872." The holders of these allotments, after residing thereon for thirty months out of the first three years, and effecting certain improvements on the land, will become entitled to leases under deferred payments. Another block of land of 2,500 acres has lately been thrown open for settlement on this system, and there is also an area of 43,000 acres for selection under the Agricultural Lease Begulations. A considerable portion of this land is rough, hilly country, and the whole of it, until applied for on lease, is commonage to the surrounding miners and other settlers. The number of cattle depastured on this land for the past year, or rather the number for which assessment was paid, is as follows : —Cattle and horses, 2,485; sheep, 15,000. The total quantity of land which has been leased, in holdings of from five to two hundred acres, up to the end of last month was 33,176 acres 3 roods 31 perches, and about 20,000 acres granted in fee simple and on deferred payments. As regards mining matters, for the reasons already named, the past year has not been a stirring one. The effect of miners being diverted to other occupations has interfered with the opening of new enterprises, and very little prospecting has been done. The operations of the Clarke's Hill Prospecting Company, Limited, are however, a very noticeable exception. This Company was registered in March, 1873, and was formed for the purpose of prospecting the spur between Gabriel's Gully and Wetherstone's for quartz reefs. With this object the Company has put in a tunnel 1,100 into the spur, and which cut through the Gabriel's Gully reef at a depth of 300 feet from tho surface, but at this point the reef, although gold-bearing, is not considered payable. The tunnel has since been extended about 100 feet beyond the reef, and is to be continued for 200 or 300 feet further, in the expectation of meeting a main reef, of which lam led to believe there is a reasonable hope. The shareholders of the Company are generally holders of mining leases along the spur, and consequently are in

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a good position to avail themselves of any advantages their very commendable perseverance may afford them. The workings of the Gabriel's Gully Quartz Mining Company, Eegistered, are also situate upon this spur. Since November, 1872, the Company have crushed 4,000 tons of quartz, the produce of their mine, which has yielded gold to the value of £4,025, a poor result, certainly, but it speaks well for the management that this could be effected without loss. The manager is now having the low level prospected from the tunnel of the Clarke's Hill Prospecting Company. The importance of any discovery of payable quartz at this depth (300 feet) could not be too highly estimated, as affecting not only the Company but the whole district. The Table Hill Quartz Mining Company, Registered, and the Bruce Quartz Mining Company, Limited, at the Canada Reef, Table Hill, have not yet succeeded in making their respective ventures profitable. The Table Hill Company was for some time worked upon tribute, but operations at this claim have ceased for some months past, but will, I should imagine, be resumed when labour is more easily obtained. The Bruce Company have sunk to a new level, and are now driving; but lam not informed with what prospects before them. Their pumps and battery are driven by a turbine On the line of reef, and adjoining the claims formerly held by the O.P.Q. Company, Registered, several shafts have been put down on the reef, and quartz of very promising appearance brought to light. In one shaft in particular the reef is well defined, from two to. three feet in thickness, widening out as it deepens, and the stone shows a considerable quantity of gold, which will no doubt give a good return at the mill. The occupiers of this ground also hold the old rights of the O.P.Q. Company. The water-rights of the Golden Point Company from the Waipori River have also devolved to them, and I understand they intend constructing a race to work a battery of stamps upon the claim. A large quantity of gold wa.s obtained by the O.P.Q. Company when working in a costly manner and at considerable disadvantage in many respects ; but I have seldom seen a reef so favourably situated for economical working as the new discoveries I have named. To the south of this ground Thompson and party have acquired a lease of ten acres, and they have also water-rights, which they are cutting on to their machine site. Their claim has been prospected by opening out along the cap of the reef for a considerable distance, and the result of a small crushing has been 2 ounces per ton. These are about all the efforts at present being made in the district to develop quartz reefs ; and although considerable when viewed in the light of individual undertakings, are exceedingly small, on the whole, when compared with the extent of the district and the average amount of effort usually required to open out a single payable reef. I may safely say that in the Australian Colonies there are many reefs, each of which has absorbed more labour and capital in prospecting before producing a single ounce of gold, than has been expended upon all the reefs in this district. I have great hope that when labour becomes more abundant, that much more attention will be given to this branch of mining, and that it will become, as it has elsewhere, the mainstay of the district. In alluvial mining the Blue Spur still maintains pre-eminence, and no rival to it has yet appeared. Difficulties are, however, gradually drawing upon those claim-holders who discharge tailings into Gabriel's Gully. This gully is rapidly choking up, and so large is the accumulation from the tailraces from the Blue Spur, that where the first township stood, it is estimated the surface is now covered to a height of sixty feet. Several of the claims cannot be worked much longer to advantage, unless some provision be made for reducing and keeping down this accumulation in the gully. There are no engineering difficulties in the way of this being done, although the cost of the extensive works which are required would be considerable. A very general opinion prevails among men competent to judge, that not only can the gully be cleared, but that sufficient gold could be obtained in the operation to leave a handsome profit over the cost of the work. This is a matter which must at no distant day command attention. That great wealth lies hidden in the spur below the present working level is undoubted, and that thousands of tons of tailings in the gully contain gold is at any time capable of being demonstrated. It is also equally certain that without a properly-formed channel this ground can never be worked to any advantage, and a more legitimate undertaking for support, under the provisions of the Public Works Act for works upon gold fields, could not be presented to the Government. At "Waipori a few alluvial claims are being worked with very good returns, but the number of miners engaged there is very small. The drainage channel, which is being constructed by the Government, absorbs nearly all the available labour, the contractors for the work meeting with no little difficulty in procuring men at the highest current rate of wages. It is anticipated that the completion of this channel will open out an extensive area of country known to be all more or less auriferous, but without more population it may as well remain uncompleted. There is nothing special to remark upon concerning the other sub-divisions, but I can state generally that throughout the whole district every man able to work can command good wages, and that employers of all descriptions of labour have difficulty in supplying their wants ; and I may add that the necessaries of life, as one of the enclosed returns will show, are obtainable at very reasonable rates. The gold fields revenue collected for the year was £5,330 7s. 6d.; fees and fines in the Magistrate's Court, £304 175.; and in addition to these sums, a considerable amount as Provincial revenue. The number of cases heard in the Warden's Court was 46, and 288 applications were disposed of; and in the Resident Magistrate's Court, 422 cases were decided within the same period. The total population of the district is now 4,816. I have, &c, E. H. Caeew, The Under Secretary for Gold Fields, Wellington. Warden. 4—H. 9.

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No. 14. Mr. Warden Steatfoed to the Undee Seceetaey for Gold Fields. Sib,— "Warden's Office, Naseby, Mount Ida, Otago, 31st March, 1874. I have the honor to report upon the Mount Ida district under my charge, for the year ending 31st March, 1874. The statistical returns annexed contain such detailed information of the progress made in the various pursuits on this gold field, that in them the subject is well nigh exhausted; but as some localities are waning and others advancing, which the returns do not explain, I will endeavour to supply the deficiency in this my general report. There are fourteen distinct mining localities in this district, which I shall describe in order according to their prospective importance, viz., **Naseby, **Marawhenua, **St. Bathan's, *Kyeburn, *Macrae's, Hamilton, *Serpentine, *Hyde, **Blackstone Hill, *Sowburn, Rough Ridge, Shag Valley, Cambridge, and Garibaldi. Those I have marked with two stars will, in my opinion, be places of great mining repute in a few years ; those with one star, with present population permanently settled ; and those unmarked, waning into insignificance. At St. Bathan's, Courts are held twice, and at Hamilton, Hyde, and Macrae's, once a month; at Marawhenua once in two months; and at Serpentine about four times a year. The only changes I contemplate in this respect are, that when the Marawhenua races are completed it will be necessary to station a Receiver there, and that the Warden shall visit there once a month, at St. Bathan's three times a month, and at Hamilton once in two months. To perform these duties I now travel about 260 miles a month. The seasons have on the whole been favourable for the mining industry that prevails here,—that of sluicing. Water has been tolerably abundant. The winter of 1873 was perhaps rather longer than usual, but the frosts were by no means constant nor severe, and falls of snow late in the season served to secure supplies of water to the reservoirs, well into the summer; but although nature has been thus gracious, the past year has not been a prosperous one for this district, but to the contrary, as far as mining is concerned. The reason being that the numerous public works in operation in various parts of the Province have attracted men away who would otherwise have remained, ready to take advantage of full supplies of water as they became available. I refer especially to the class of miners who work for wages, but even claim-owners have been induced to seize the advantages of steady wages at high rates on public works. By this means the mining population (particularly in the neighbourhood of Naseby) has become considerably reduced. However, this decrease of population can only be looked upon as temporary, for as the public works verge towards completion, men will again resort to the old familiar occupation of gold mining. The great public works in this vicinity are the Naseby sludge-channel and the water-race from the Manuherikia River, which, when finished, will restore Naseby to the prosperous position it once before enjoyed, when the water-race companies first discharged their water into Hogburn Gully. Since the commencement of the public works here, doubts have been expressed at times as to the results ; but if the sludge-channel is brought up at a depth sufficient to work the payable auriferous ground down Hogburn Gully (and it can be), I have no hesitation in expressing a decided opinion, that as soon as the Government water-race has performed its first duty of scouring the valley of the tailings that for years have choked up many rich pockets or basins of gold, despised in the early days on account of the still greater riches of the terraces, men will set to work with a will into virgin ground, well preserved under a great depth of sludge; will cut up tail-races into the terraces, right and left of the sludge-channel; and work claims alongside it to advantage for three miles down the valley. Fair prospecting, quite recently, has proved the ground worthy of trial, and if the channel is deepened as it ought to be (for all depends on this), the Government, I anticipate, will have reason to be satisfied with its investment. It is not at Naseby alone the benefit of the race will be felt, but at different places (not less than three) on the line of race diggings will spring up, where gold is known to be in payable quantities for sluicing, but to which water has not been brought because the expense would have been beyond private enterprise ; but now that the water runs by, the ground will rise in value. I would here remark upon a singular fact, worthy of attention by geologists, and for practical purposes by the Government, who own the race, and the miners who claim to be permanent residents of Mount Ida, and it is this —that on all the neighbouring ranges—viz., Rock and Pillar, Lammerlaw, Rough Ridge on both sides, Raggedy Ridge, Blackstone Hill, and Mount Ida —rich deposits of gold have been found at the same level, and the diggings, as fresh discoveries have been made, have stretched out along the ranges, but at the same level or height above the sea; and, strange to state, the same rule applies to heavy dead timber on the places I have named, to which may be added Garibaldi and Cambridge, though the latter is outside the limits of the boundary my remarks apply to. This discovery should encourage belief in a run of gold along the whole course of the Government race, a distance of sixty miles, but especially at places which assume the same appearance as Naseby and Hamilton. The want of a large block of arable land is much felt by the inhabitants, who, with growing families, begin to pine for homesteads, with gardens, orchards, grass and oat paddocks, so indispensable for would-be domesticated people. It is this want that makes Naseby so purely a mining township, and its inhabitants unsettled. A change for the better could be brought about by the opening of land for the purpose, but it would considerably depreciate the value of the pastoral tenant's lease. I consider it right to mention this, in fairness to another class that has done so much towards settlement and the opening up of the country. Water ! water! water! is the cry everywhere, and capital to divert it around these rugged, rocky ranges. At Mount Burster, on the summit of Mount Ida Ranges, where the snow lodges from ten to thirty feet deep for six months each year, and, owing to the frosts, the miners can only work four months in the year, so rich is the yield of gold that six weeks' washing is sufficient to repay for eight months' complete idleness, and give the claim-holders besides a handsome return (not to exaggerate, I will say £500 a year a man) without fail. One man alone has been satisfied to spend seven years and £2,500 in bringing a water-race from Mount Domett, and cheerfully looks forward in another year to complete his race, and a few months afterwards extract from his claim his capital back and the multiple of it by three at least; and from my knowledge of the place, the man, and his practical experience, I believe his calculations to be correct. And Mount Burster is not a singular spot of

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fabulous wealth. The Marawhenua gold field, immediately on the other side of the Mount Ida Ranges, and scarcely twenty miles from Mount Burster, ,has all the attractions possible for a large population : a beautiful healthy climate, where trees, plants, and flowers of all descriptions thrive most luxuriantly; where sickness in families is scarcely known; where from an elevated plateau can be seen the broad, magnificent Waitaki, winding its course through an extensive plain for forty miles to the ocean. And the ocean itself, at that great distance, lends enchaetment to the view. Truly, scenery is only an acquisition, a luxury in New Zealand, and will not keep together a population; and even health, thriving plants and fruits, though desiderata, are not sufficient to create a city ; but fortunately there are other essentials in abundance in that really beautiful place, to form out of the present nucleus of a township a large inland town, as it will be (against all obstacles) in less than five years. Firstly, there is a great extent (say 15,000 acres) of rich arable land (exclusive of 40,000 acres freehold, the property of Messrs. Borton and McMasters, said to be worth £5 an acre). Secondly, there is a vein of gold pretty evenly sprinkled over an area within a radius of four to five miles from the township as a common centre. In the richest finds, about 70 ounces have been sluiced out by three men in six weeks. In the poorest claims, miners are sharing from £5 to £6 a week each; yet the population is very small, and no likelihood of increase for at least one year. This can be explained easily. The same reason, I have no doubt, nearly all the Wardens in New Zealand can give concerning their respective districts: that the day for poor men's diggings has gone by, and we are approaching the eve of a new era —one that Victoria has experienced —viz., gigantic operations and comparatively safe investments for capitalists. An account of the result of investments at Marawhenua, and plain figures, will best help to confirm my statement in regard to that place, and, to my knowledge, equally applies to many other places lam familiarly acquainted with in Otago. To prove the richness of these diggings, I wiil mention that the few miners, perhaps thirty all told (though there are others cutting races), have sold upwards of 1,000 ounces during the last twelve months, with an indifferent supply of water for continual mining operations, owing to the incompleteness of the waterraces, and the interrupted supply from the feeders. In regard to the races now in course of completion, the first one is the " Mosquito," with first rights to the Marawhenua River, in length twentyseven miles. The owners are now constructing two immense reservoirs, which, when completed, will enable them to sluice the highest ground on the field. The Mount Pisgah race, with first rights to the Kakanui, is fast progressing, aided by Government money under the Public "Works Act. The Golden Hill race, when completed, will be seventeen miles long; and to carry it into Marawhenua diggings, it will be necessary to erect twenty chains of box fluming, a suspension fluming of four chains, and a tunnel of eighty feet blasted through rocks. The Marawhenua Company have cut ten miles of their race, and the Band of Hope have nearly completed theirs. On the north side of the Marawhenua River there are several large races, viz., the Ben Lomond, the Fiery Cross, the Little Wonder, How and party's, and McCann and party's. When all these races and their discharge reservoirs are completed, which I believe we may expect in another year or eighteen months at the farthest, there will be steady employment for at least 300 miners, to which there will be added, I may almost say necessarily, 300 others of different occupations, including women and children. These calculations are based upon the supply of water now approaching the ground, the yields hitherto obtained, the prospects gained in many different places, the success of the small farmers and gardeners, and the genial climate. In regard to the capital that has been and will be expended to bring about a township of 600 people, 1 may mention that £20,000 is rather under the mark. Of this the Mosquito Company spent three years and £4,000 to bring their race in. It actually only discharges two heads (though probably will eventually supply ten), and yet is very valuable property. The Golden Hill, only partly finished (fourteen miles), has cost already £3,900; and the other races in course of construction, it is estimated, will cost at the rate of about £200 a mile. At the present time there is a check upon mining enterprise at this place, owing to an impending action against How and party by Messrs. Borton and McMasters, freeholders, through whose land the Marawhenua runs, and which has been polluted, it is said, by How's mining operations, to the detriment of sheep-washing at certain seasons by the freeholders. I do not anticipate any serious inconvenience to the miners should it become necessary to leave the river undisturbed, as it would only be for a short period once a year; and it would be practicable, if agreed upon, to carry a race of clear water (at least I think so) to the dip from different streams, independent of the Marawhenua. Ido not desire to comment on the principle involved, I simply deal with facts touching their bearing on the prospects of the Marawhenua gold field, which, as I have already said, will be without a doubt, in a few years, one of the most picturesque and stirring inland gold fields towns in Otago. It is supposed that in one year the railway will be completed to within ten miles of the township, which will bring the people to within six hours' communication of Dunedin, supply them with daily mails, and Newcastle coal at £3 10s. a ton. At St. Bathan's, which is next in order on the list of mining localities, there is at present a very small population, not exceeding, perhaps, 200 persons, but a sludge-channel is about to be constructed from the Manuherikia River, three miles up, to a large extent of auriferous ground, unused at present, so choked is the outlet with terrace tailings. The ground in question has been well prospected, and is known to be fairly payable for sluicing. There will be water in abundance, and employment for another 100 to 150 persons added to the present population. The sludge-channel will take probably two years to construct. It will cost say £1,000 a mile, and I believe the sludge washed out of it will almost, if not quite, pay the constructors the cost as they proceed, by the quantity of gold they will clean up out of the accumulation of wash-dirt swept down during the past nine or ten years. St. Bathan's may be called purely a mining township, but, like the now far-famed Bendigo Gully on the north side of the Dunstan Ranges, its treasures seem inexhaustible. The Kyeburn diggings have been steadily retrograding during the past year, owing to a rather scanty supply of water, the poverty of the ground, and the expenses in keeping the races in repair. There is no doubt, however, that there is a large extent of auriferous ground, which will in the future be considered payable enough though now despised, as £2 a week as return for six days' labour is

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rather sneered at at the present. The bed of the Kyeburn Eiver is thought to contain such ground as I have just described, but so covered and surfeited with tailings as not to make it worth while to remove them, but fortunately the Kyeburn is subject to heavy floods, and as soon as sluicing ceases at the head of the river, the scouring of the watercourse will open out a new and by no means poor diggings. The modus operandi is almost entirely ground-sluicing, but the samples of gold prove that there are quartz reefs in the neighbourhood. Kyeburn for a few years past has been better known for its coal than its gold; for Naseby, a very cold place in winter, has been supplied up to its demands almost entirely from the Kyeburn coal pits. That part of the country is streaked with splendid seams of coal, only two of which have been opened for use. These seams lie at an angle of from 45° to 65° with the horizon ; the breadth about 15 feet. They all run in the same direction, about 10° 21' east of the meridian. Durward and Co., coal miners, have been employed for nine months past in sinking two shafts, and timbering them. They have reached a depth of 52 feet, and intend to sink to 100 feet, to work the seam at a thickness of 15 feet. As firewood is so scarce and dear at Naseby, this discovery of coal has proved a great boon to its inhabitants, and the enterprising men who have found it will be, I believe, well rewarded for their trouble. None of the quartz reefs in the district are being worked at present, but it is generally believed that those of the Eough Eidge as well as Shag Valley will yet prove remunerative, though not pay great dividends. The miners at Hyde, Hamilton, and Macrae's are for the most part old settlers, who have their cultivated paddocks, gardens, and substantial houses, with all the appearance of permanent settlement. I have no doubt these men have work in hand that will last a lifetime; but I hear of no new ground nor signs of encouragement for new comers, and the townships are most unattractive looking spots, with their huge gaps of old worked ground, and conglomerated piles of debris and tailings. In concluding my report I would draw attention to a class of settlers that is (unobtrusively and without expense to the country) doing more than any other towards its advancement and settlement, more especially to be regarded at the present time, while the Government considers it wise to grant free passages (at a cost probably of £15 per head) to adult immigrants, whose security for remaining in the Colony is not to be compared to that of the class referred to. I speak of the married women and men. The latter, be they miners, tradesmen, or of the four professions, while working themselves by mental or manual labour, are rearing young families to take a permanent and responsible position in New Zealand's future. The girls are being taught to sew, to cook, and perform all kinds of domestic labour, with due regard to accomplishments ; and the boys, while undergoing a course of education, are being taught to be independent, by learning trades and a knowledge of field pursuits, such as ploughing, sowing, and fencing. These young people, many hundreds of whom, although not counted in the estimates of mining population, are growing into woman and manhood, and acquiring a taste for domestic life, are beginning to influence the actions and movements of their elders. Sons and daughters getting married are causing parents to invest their means in establishing themselves near their offspring; and many a township, once almost deserted, is again reviving, owing its success, its Athenaeums, Public Libraries, and Literary Institutions to the efforts of families who, finding their numbers increasing so fast, have been obliged to make permanent homes for themselves, though too often without having originally so intended. In Naseby alone there are about 250 children, and in comparison with the adults the other townships in the district are equally well supplied. Another benefit to the Colony at large, and the mining populations in particular, is being conferred, I observe, by the increasing number of breweries. The labour of mining is so great a tax on the constitution, requiring (it is argued) stimulants to counteract the evil effects of continual working in water, and the habit of imbibing strong drinks so prevalent on the gold fields, that it will only be by gradual means the slaves to alcohol can be emancipated, and the vile dens, where poisoned decoctions are bottled and capsuled to entrap unwary victims into nets that grip their bodies and souls, can be extirpated. The brewers are becoming the middle men between drunkards and abstainers, and consequently are benefactors to society, as they are encouraging a taste for a far less pernicious beverage, free or nearly free from drugs (if their periodical declarations on registration can be relied on), and I am rejoiced to say men are beginning to prefer beer for their meals to spirits and bad wine. It is to be hoped that this influence will lead to the adoption of still milder refreshments, when it is remembered how many families have suffered, how much terrible affliction has ensued, how many lives have been lost, through the intolerable curse that has for so many years pervaded the colonies. I have, Ac, H. A. Steatfobd, The Under Secretary for Gold Fields, "Wellington. "Warden.

No. 15. Mr. Warden Simpson to the Uitdeb Seceetaey for Gold Fields. Sic,— "Warden's Office, Clyde, 7th. May, 1874. I have the honor to hand you the statistical returns required by your circulars of 7th and 10th January, together with a general report on the district. In these returns I have treated the district under my charge, which now embraces the Teviot and Black's, as one where necessary, specially mentioning these places, but only as divisions. The fact that many of the places I have charge of I only visit once a month, must be my excuse for the returns not having been sent before. Warden's General Eeport for tJie Tear ending 31st March, 1874, on the Dunstan District, Otago, comprehending the Sub-Districts of Clyde, Cromwell, Alexandra, Black's, Teviot, and Nevis. During the year the population of this district, which, it will be remarked, has had the districts of Black's and Teviot added to it, has considerably diminished, owing, I think, chiefly to the great demand,

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at high wages, for labour in the coastal towns and neighbourhood, caused, I presume, by the public and other works carried on at present. This diminution in population has caused a corresponding dulness in the mines, and now that the uncertain accounts of the Palmer diggings are going the round of the newspapers, I anticipate a still greater dulness in mining. Already a good many miners have left this district for Queensland in the capacity of pioneers, by whose report a great many more are prepared to' be guided. It is therefore to be hoped that the flood of labour that is being brought to this country may set in in part to the up-country districts, otherwise all further development of the mines must be suspended, and even the existing works curtailed. At present there is a great dearth of good quartz, miners, and some of the Companies are unable to maintain double shifts in consequence. In the beginning of the year this was also the case, and two attempts were made to show proprietors that they were solely dependent on the wages-men in the locality, by their striking work. The Companies stopped work, and the men, thinking they could force them to go on or give up their claims to them, opposed an application to the Warden for protection, but time was given to ascertain the real state of the labour market, and in the meantime matters were adjusted. These attempts, which were the first I ever experienced on the mines, showed to my mind how dictatorial either (whether capital or labour), if in the ascendant, would be, and forced me to the conclusion that the vexed question of remunerating labour must be made more directly dependent on the immediate results caused by that labour. One good result I observed from this dispute is an endeavour to adopt mechanical power, where possible, instead of manual labour. The return of gold cannot be said to have diminished in proportion to the population, and that can be accounted for by the fact that the payable mines are gradually falling into the hands of Companies, who diminish the labour as much as possible, the shareholders pocketing the saving thus obtained. The individual miner on the Otago gold fields is gradually becoming a wages-man. lleefs. —There have not been any fresh disoveries, but some of the old reefs have been, largely developed during the year, and in several instances with wonderful results. The Cromwell Company, the yields from which might have been set down this time last year at nil, is now giving 8 ounces to the ton, and has proved the positive existence in the mine of stone, independent of what may be below, of a value of from £20,000 to £30,000. The profits divided by the Company for the last ten months may be set down at from £8,000 to £10,000. This Company is in the hands of three individuals. On this reef during the year two new Companies have taken up leases, viz., the Reliance and Energetic, and I am surprised that the success of the Cromwell Company has not caused more companies to take up ground. The former has sunk to a depth of 120 to 130 feet, and has found the reef certainly thin, but the proprietors are encouraged by the close resemblance it bears to the ground of the Cromwell Company at a similar depth. The Energetic Company was formed by the men who were working for the Reliance Company, and is a tangible proof of their belief in the continuance of the lode. The only other reef at work in the neighbourhood of Bendigo is the Lucknow. This Company has spent a very large sum of money in driving a tunnel at a low level, and as yet without being successful in striking the reef. The whole twelve months has been occupied in this way, the stone through which they are driving being hard. • On the Carrick reefs a good deal of work has been done during the year, but no large finds; but recently some of the claims have been showing better, as instance the Elizabeth, which has now come upon stone yielding 1 ounce to the ton. This is in such close proximity to the Star of the East that doubtless they will soon also reap the benefit of their prospecting. There are other claims, such as Jones and Co.'s, which have much improved, and generally an impetus has been given to the mines on the Carrick which, let us hope, may result in success. One great advantage possessed by the reefs at Bendigo and the Carrick is that as yet no machinery is required to overcome the water. The ground also stands well, and very few props are used, perhaps too few, as may be found when more quartz is taken out of the deep levels. Too much care cannot bo taken to support ground by filling up, and the use of props and caps. Miners often get too foolhardy in their confidence of the firmness of the ground (particularly in places like the Carrick and Bendigo, where timber becomes a large item in the expense), and dispense with support, endangering their own and the lives of the workmen. Often danger is seen by the workmen, but fearful of their services being dispensed with if they make any remark, they remain silent. This is a matter that requires regulating by some sort of official inspection. Alluvial. —No new discoveries can be said to have been made during the year. As a rule, the alluvial workings continue to yield a good steady wage, but in the Nevis and Waikaia some claims have greatly improved, and increased their yield from £5 a week to £30, £40, and £50 a week, and sometimes more. In the course of another twelve months I look to a considerable advance in this branch of mining, particularly in the Bannockburn and Waikirikiri districts, as in that time the Carrick Range "Water Company and the Bannockburn Company will have their water in, as also will Hastie and Company. In connection with this branch of mining, it is to be hoped that legislation will take place to regulate the discharge of tailings and sludge. As settlement advances in the country this question gets more and more important. Dredging. —With the exception of one or two in the Teviot district, none of the dredges are at work at present, or have been so for some months, and the only really successful one is a paddle one at Miller's Elat, worked by the owners. The Pneumatic Company, which has recently been re-floated as a public Company, intend resuming work at once. The Alexandra Steam Dredge Company are apparently at a standstill. I hear that a large company is about to be started at the Teviot to dredge by steam power. Settlement. —This district, the greater portion of which is unfit for agriculture, can never make any great strides in that direction. The Teviot and Black's divisions are the only places where any large area of ground fit for cultivation exists, and certainly in the former, settlement must be said to have advanced considerably within the last twelve months. Every section fit for cultivation available has been eagerly pounced on. At Black's some additional land has been leased, but chiefly to old settlers. In this district four deferred payment blocks under the Otago Waste Land Act have been thrown open during the year, viz., Teviot, Blocks 111. and IV.; Black's, Tiger Hill, Block V.; and Hawea,. 5—H. 9.

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Block 11. Block 111., Teviot, contains about 1,400 acres, of which about 850 have been taken up, the balance being rather indifferent land. Block IV., Teviot: No land has been taken up. I presume the reason to be that it is rather hilly and broken, with a good many rocks distributed over it, making cultivation very difficult, even if the soil were good, and that is only medium. Block 11., Hawea :No land has been applied for in this block, which is good land, but a little short of water. The only reason I can give for its not being applied for is its great distance from any market. Block V., Tiger Hill, contains 2,500 acres. Of this about 1,300 acres have been taken up. That the deferred payment system is in favour with the people, is evidenced by the fact that all the holders of agricultural leases under the G-old Fields Act who could do so, have applied to have their leases exchanged for leases under the Otago Waste Lands Act, whereby they get the advantage of the deferred payment, While on this subject, I would remark that much more land would be taken up if the limit were extended from 200 to 500 acres. This extension would be particularly advantageous in districts where the land is inferior, and I think it would be a good rule to regulate the classification of land, by fixing the limit of good land at 200 to 300 acres, and of inferior land so much more. Independent of the settlement on the blocks, since the new Waste Lands Act came into force there has been a good deal of settlement in a scattered way throughout the district by miners and others, who had, with the consent of the runholders, squatted, and cultivated small patches where convenient to their works, or for other reasons. In some cases these persons have paid as high as £3 an acre to acquire the freehold. The runholders' consent was required by the Board in all these cases, aud as a rule it has invariably been given. Some 200 acres have been taken up in this way. I have, &c, W. Latteence Simpson, The Under Secretary for Gold Fields, Wellington. Warden.

No. 16. Mr. "Warden Beetuam to the Undee Seceetaey for Gold Fields. Sic, — "Warden's Office, Queenstown, 13th April, 1874. I have the honor to forward to you my annual report upon the district in my charge. The report, with returns attached, dates from the Ist April, 1873, to the 31st March, 1874. I am unable to afford very full information as regards the Arrow division of the gold field, as I have only recently taken charge of it during the absence of Mr. Warden Stratford. In consequence of this I am unable to compare the yield of gold for the year ending 31st March, 1874, with that of the previous year. The yield for the current year has been 28,455 oz. 13 dwts. Quartz Beefs. —In the Queenstown division of the district there are at present discovered three distinct lines of reefs. Ist". The Phoenix, or the reef originally known as the Scandinavian. This reef is situated in the neighbourhood of Mount Auram, about ten miles above the junction of Skipper's Creek with the Shotover River. The battery consists of thirty heads of stampers, driven by a turbine wheel of 25 horse-power. The reef has been largely prospected, and a very extensive body of payable stone exposed. The operations are, I understand, remunerative. At a little distance above this claim, and situated on the slope of Mount Auram, is the reef known as Southberg's : it is worked by a battery of sixteen stamps, driven also by a turbine wheel. The quartz claim known as the Nugget is situated on the west bank of the Shotover River, a little above its junction with Skipper's Creek. It is worked by a battery of twelve stamps, driven by a turbine, the water supply for which is flumed across the Shotover Eiver by means of iron pipes suspended by standards from wire ropes. The leases held by the Company are permeated by a complete network of payable reefs, several of which are fairly opened out, and are of great thickness. The nature of the gold mining operations carried on in this field may be classed under three heads:— 1. Quartz mining. 2. Tunnelling and sluicing. 3. River-bed working. Tunnelling claims are almost invariably held under lease, and are situated on terraces bordering the present river beds, the auriferous deposit being, in fact, the old bed of the creek or river, which now runs hundreds of feet below it. These terraces are worked by means of tunnels driven at a level which allows of their being used as drains or tail-races as well as tramways. The famous claim known as Grace and Egar's (now the Shotover Terrace Company) is of this character. Claims of this kind are held and worked in all portions of the district. River-bed Workings. —These claims, many of them of great size, are held in the beds of creeks and rivers, and are very generally taken up in what is known as old or worked ground. The size of the claims, and the security of the tenure when held under lease, enables their owners to carry on operations of a magnitude and completeness which would be quite impossible under any other conditions, while the improved method of working results in the extraction of gold in payable quantities from ground which had been previously considered too poor to be remunerative. Some of these claims are worked by means of dredges. This method is not, however, frequently adopted, as the heavy floods to which the river Shotover is liable renders it extremely difficult to secure the punts. In smaller rivers and creeks the bed is usually worked by means of a temporary channel being cut for it. The largest works of this nature in this district are those of the New Channel Company, on the Shotover Uiver. Here the river has been turned into a channel cut in the solid rock at a very great outlay, laying bare a considerable length of its old bed for the operations of the Company. On the whole, mining operations on this gold field during the past three years have assumed a permanency of character utterly wanting before the system of large holdings, under a secure tenure, prevailed.

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Important and extensive works are now undertaken, having for their object the working of ground which a few years ago was abandoned as worthless, and if labour were more easily obtainable at a reasonable rate, large areas of auriferous ground now lying idle, would without doubt be profitably worked. Agriculture. —The district has this year produced a very large quantity of grain, which has been roughly estimated by competent persons as sufficient to supply its requirements, both as to internal consumption and export, for the next two years, while in the absence of a practicable outlet for grain or produce to the coast, prices are expected to be so low as to be unremunerative to the farmer. The wheat and barley grown in the Wakatipu is I believe equal, if not superior, to that grown in any other portion of New Zealand, and it undoubtedly will, on the completion of the Winton and Kingston line, form a very noticeable feature in the exports from this district. As it is, in the absence of an outlet to the sea board, produce vastly in excess of the quantity required here will be next to unsaleable, and thousands of acres of valuable agricultural land will in consequence be left unimproved. The speedy completion of the Winton and Kingston Sailway is of the very last importance to the progress of the district. I have, &c, EICHMOND BEETHAM, The Under Secretary for Gold Pields, Wellington. Warden.

No. 17. Mr. "Warden Wood to the Under Secretary for Gold Fields. Sir,— "Warden's Office, Switzer's, 22nd April, 1874. In accordance with your instructions contained in your circular letter of January last, I have now the honor to forward statistical returns and reports on the district under my charge. I have no change to record during the last year in the mining prospects within this division of the Otago gold fields. The quantity of gold has been greater, but the increase has, I believe, come from the outskirts, viz., "Worm Creek, Gow's Creek, and "Waikaka, where the mining population are nearly all Chinese. In this immediate neighbourhood farming is being more extensively entered into, all the land open for settlement having been taken up, and constant inquiries are made for a fresh block. In the Orepuki district of the Southland gold field, during the last twelve months a gradual improvement has taken place, both as regards population and the prospects of the miners generally. The sludge-channel, which has been in course of construction for nearly four years, has been completed, enabling claims to get to work which previously could not get fall to carry away the tailings, and about ten extra heads of water have been brought on the field. At the Bound Hill and Lake George, situate about half-way between Eiverton and Orepuki, about thirty-five miners are at work, including Chinese. They have very little water —I should say not exceeding an average of twenty inches each party ; but they are obtaining good wages say from £3 to £20 per week per man. If water could be brought on —which I believe is not practicable —at a remunerative price, this portion of the district would carry a large population, from the large extent of known auriferous country. The whole population of the district is as follows: — European Miners ... ... ... ... ... ... 145 Chinese Miners ... ... ... ... ... ... 25 Otherwise Employed ... ... ... ... ... ... 10 "Women and Children ... ... ... ... ... ... 165 Total 345 I have, &c, John Nugent Wood, The Under Secretary for Gold Fields, Wellington. Warden.

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No. 1. STATEMENT showing the REVENUE of the GOLD FIELDS collected in the several Districts, and the GOLD DUTY of the COLONY of NEW ZEALAND, for the period from 1st JANUARY to 31st DECEMBER, 1873. PROVINCE OF AUCKLAND.

Miners' Eights. Business Licenses. WaterRaces, Sluices, &c. Gold Mining Leases, Rents, and Royalties. Registration. Fees and Pines, ' Wardens' Courts. Survey Pees. Memorial Deposits of Companies. Depasturing Licenses and Assessments. Timber and other Licenses. Withdrawals of Leases. Miscellaneous. Net Amount Gold Fields Revenue. Total Received, including Publicans' Licenses. £ s. a. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. (155 3 0 ( 12 0 0* 4 4 0 £ s. d. ) £ s. a. £ 8. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. Sjiobtland ... 2,371 0 0 99 10 0 2,195 18 11 79 2 0 33 8 0 20 2 6 273 6 0 5,227 10 5 5,239 10 5 COBOMANDEL ... 380 5 0 25 0 0 31 0 0 1,152 17 8 18 4 6 8 14 0 ... 132 5 0 1,752 10 2 1,752 10 2 ... 2,751 5 0 3,348 16 7 ... 20 2 6 C159 7 0 { 12 0 0* } - 1 , 405 11 0 25 0 0 130 10 0 97 6 6 42 2 0 6,980 0 7 6,992 0 7 Gold Duty received in the Province during the Year, £10,976 15s. 9d. PE .OVINCE OF MARLI OROIXGH. Blenheim Havelock Waibau 47 0 0 ... 0 2 G 52 13 10 5 0 0 35 3 2 5 12 6 ... . ... 10 "o 0* 16 17 G 2 16 0 52 13 10 77 8 6 35 3 2 52 13 10 87 8 6 35 3 2 ... 47 0 0 i I 0 2 6 92 17 0 I 5 12 6 I ... ... 10 0 0* 16 17 6 2 16 0 165 5 6 175 5 6 Gold Duty received in the Province during the Year, £127 7s. fid. PROVINCE OF NELSON. collingwood... Westpobt Brighton and Chabieston COBDEN AlIAITKA Reefton Wangapeka ... 153 0 0 346 0 0 531 0 0 180 0 0 1,205 0 0 667 0 0 28 0 0 15 0 0 107 0 0 212 0 0 43 0 0 847 0 0 772 0 0 25 5 0 59 5 0 14 2 6 78 17 6 18 7 6 134 6 6 542 14 0 583 7 3 314 15 6 1,394 10 3 140 4 3 31 0 0 64 0 0 193 10 6 20 0 0 209 10 0 113 12 6 1 12 6 7 8 0 12 6 0 20 14 0 4 9 6 29 12 0 24 1 0 ■- ... 5 0 0 30 0 0 80 0 0 9 2 0 39 19 0 7 16 0 1 19 6 8 5 6 71 5 0 3 11 0 349 16 6 1,137 4 0 1,612 12 9 263 11 6 2,723 0 6 3,140 16 3 173 7 9 3,110 0 0 I I I 633 5 6 I 98 10 6 I 1,996 0 0 195 17 6 3,109 17 9 ... ... 115 0 0 141 18 0 9,400 9 3 9,400 9 3 Gold Duty received in the Province during the Year, £9,957 15s. 9d. Note, —The items marked thus * represent fees on Publicans' Licenses, and are excluded from last column but one, and included in the " Total" column.

33

H.—9,

No, 1— continued. STATEMENT showing the Eeyenue of the Gold Fields collected in the several Districts, and the Gold Duty of the Colost of New Zealand, for the period from the 1st Jaktjabt to the 31st Decembeb, 1873. O5 PEOVINCE OF WESTLAND. H Gold Mining Leases, Eents, and Eoyalties. Pees and Fines, "Wardens' Courts. Memorial Deposits of Companies. Depasturing Licenses and Assessments. CO Miners' Eights. Business Licenses. WaterEaccs, Sluices, &c, Registration. Survey Fees. Timber and other Licenses. Withdrawals of Leases. Miscellaneous. Net Amount Gold Fields Eeveuue. Total Eeceived, including Publicans' Licenses. hokitika Kaniebi Gbeymouth ... Eoss staffobd . Okaeito POUNAMU Maoki Guily... Haast £ s. d. 83 0 0 453 0 0 535 0 0 479 0 0 746 0 0 169 0 0 252 0 0 83 0 0 82 0 0 43 0 0 £ b. d. 3 0 0 123 0 0 323 0 0 501 0 0 145 0 0 112 0 0 199 0 0 65 0 0 46 0 0 66 0 0 £ 8. d. 39 15 0 81 15 0 45 5 0 112 15 0 £ s. d. 12 2 6 18 0 34 0 0 77 3 0 56 0 0 15 10 0 25 0 0 £ s. d. 4G 0 6 54 18 0 14 4 0 46 5 6 15 1 0 12 16 0 I £ a. d. 23 13 0 19 4 0 47 8 0 . 38 12 0 7 3 0 21 9 0 0 12 0 0 2 0 £ b. d. 62 16 0 12 15 0 23 6 6 12 3 6 £ s. d. ... I £ s. d. £ s. d. 355 0 0* 1,092 10 0* 895 0 0* 995 0 0* 500 0 0* 380 0 0* 105 0 0* 80 0 0* £ s. d. ... 12 0 0 £ s. d. 16 0 2 7 0 0 18 0 27 2 6 2 10 0 11 0 2 5 0 £ s. d. 99 8 6 756 19 6 1,061 10 0 1,229 9 0 1,158 17 0 319 5 0 568 2 0 148 12 0 128 4 0 116 4 0 £ s. d. 99 8 6 1,111 19 6 2,154 0 0 2,124 9 0 2,153 17 0 819 5 0 948 2 0 253 12 0 208 4 0 116 4 0 13 5 0 42 7 0 7 3 0 0 "i 0 0 10 ... 2,925 0 0 1,583 0 0 292 15 o! 221 3 6 196 8 0 163 3 0 156 8 0 I 4,402 10 0* 12 0 0 36 13 6 5,586 11 0 9,989 1 0 ... ... Gold Duty received in the Province daring the Year, £10,251 17s. PEOVINCE OF OTAGO. Naseby Black's and St. Bathan's Manuheeikia... Clyde Mount Bengeb Ckomwell QuEENSTOWN ... Abrowtown ... Laweence Switzee's Oeepuki 29 0 0 712 0 0 298 0 0 177 0 0 129 0 0 261 0 0 549 0 0 514 0 0 66L 0 0 958 0 0 481 0 0 142 0 0 299"o 0 138 0 0 55 0 0 37 0 0 76 0 0 261 0 0 36 0 0 147 0 0 211 0 0 215 0 0 20 0 0 0 15 0 45 10 0 10 12 6 5 0 0 6 12 6 10 17 6 23 15 0 21 12 6 9 15 0 27 7 6 10 17 6 8 5 0 111 5 0 816 13 0 352 15 10 95 10 10 328 6 10 730 2 7 295 0 0 2,259 10 3 891 6 8 3,037 0 7 300 5 2 0 12 6 0 17 6 65 7 6 25 0 0 18 13 9 7 10 0 14 12 6 44 7 6 38 7 6 80 7 6 41 15 0 37 2 6 13 17 6 33 19 0 11 1 0 10 8 0 15 2 6 11 12 0 25 16 0 22 10 0 30 7 6 36 0 0 7 12 0 10 5 0 ... ... 29 14 6 0 13 0 5 0 0 o'V 6 238 15 0 2 19 9 110 0 12 0 2 13 0 110 0 13 0 16 5 6 3 7 0 21 15 6 1 12 0 0 3 0 385 12 6 1,975 9 3 836 10 4 362 4 7 556 6 10 1,105 18 7 1,199 11 6 3,814 18 5 2.089 19 2 5,179 11 0 1.090 7 8 213 5 3 5 6 6 2 i 0 867 19 2 266 15 6 811 11 5 36 18 6 18 2 3 33 13 0 4,911 0 0 1,495 0 0 181 0 0 _ 9,218 9 3 387 18 9 214 13 0 ! 7 16 2,061 14 4 5 7 6 ! 33 13 0 293 17 9 18,809 15 1 18,809 15 1 Gold Duty received in the Province during the Year, £18,245 2s. lid. Note. —The items marked thus * represent Fees on Publicans' Licenses, and are excluded from last column but one, and included in the " Total" column. C. T. Batkin, Eeceivereneral.

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34

No. 2. STATEMENT showing the REVENUE of the GOLD FIELDS collected in the several Districts, and the GOLD DUTY of the COLONY of NEW ZEALAND, for the period from 1st JANUARY to 31st MARCH, 1874. PROVINCE OF AUCKLAND.

Miners' Eights. Business Licenses. WaterEaces, Sluices, &c. Q-old Mining Leases, Bents, and Boyalties. Eegistration. Fees and Fines, Wardens' Courts. Surrey Fees. Memorial Deposits of Companies. Depasturing Licenses and Assessments. Timber and other Licenses. Withdrawals of Leases. Miscellaneous. Net Amount Gold Fields Ee venue. Total Eeoeived, including Publicans' Licenses. £ 8. (1. £ s. d. ! £ s. d. I £ s. d. £ s. d. £ a. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. (31 0 0 13 0 0* £ s. d. J2 2 0 £ s. d. £ S. d. 234 0 0 £ s. d. 18 0 0 688 6 7 9 15 6 8 4 0 12 6 35 3 6 £ s. d. jl,027 14 1 £ s. d. 1,030 14 1 Shorthand ... COBOMANDEL ... 95 0 0 25 0 0 15 0 0 146 19 5 8 12 6 3 6 0 61 3 0 355 0 11 355 0 11 I ! f 31 0 0 [300* J2 2 0 329 0 0 25 0 0 33 0 0 835 6 0 18 8 0 11 10 0 12 6 96 6 6 1,382 15 0 1,385 15 0 Gold Duty received in the Province during the Quarter, £1,508 5s. 6d. PEOVINCE OF NELSON. CoMJNG'WOODt Westpoet Brighton and Charleston Cobden Eeepton Wangapeka ... 10 0 0 65 0 0 107 0 0 3 0 0 24 0 0 5 5 0 16 0 0 4 15 0 180 8 9 124 2 3 12 6 12 10 0 50 17 6 0 6 0 1 14 0 7 2 0 ... ... ... ... 0 5 6 26 1 6 7 "6 0 16 9 0+ 293 19 3 336 7 9 47 0 0 339 0 0 126 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 211 0 0 243 0 0 3 0 0 19 0 0 4 5 0 200 17 6 494 1 3 19 5 0 3 17 6 50 0 0 28 12 6 15 0 2 17 0 7 11 0 12 14 0 5 0 0 0 5 6 6 2 6 21 6 6 59 0 0 833 11 0 934 19 3 22 10 0 483 0 0 148 5 0 32 4 0 696 0 0 47 10 0 1,023 9 9 ... ... ... 5 0 0 61 7 6 2,496 16 3 Gold Duty received in the Province during the Quarter, £2,382 Is. 5d. PI ;OVINCE OF MAELI IOEOTJGH. Havblock Blenheim 17 0 0 5 0 0 1 10 0 110 24 11 0 35 3 2 ... 35 3 2 17 0 5 0 0 35 3 2 1 10 0 110 69 14 2 59 14 2 Gold Duty received in the Province during the Quarter, £30 15s. Id. Note. —The items marked thus * represent Fees on Publicans' Licenses, and are excluded from last column but one, and included in the "Total" column. t To 24th January, the date of last Beturn received from Collingwood.

H.—9.

35

No. 2— continued. STATEMENT showing the Eevehue of the Gold Fields collected in the several Districts, and the Gold Durr of the Colons of New Zea.la.nd, for the perid from 1st Jaotaby to 31st Mabch, 1874. PROVINCE OF WESTLAND. Miners' Eights. Business Licenses. WaterRaces, Sluices, &c. Gold Mining Leases, Eents, and Royalties. £ s. d. 0 4 0 18 0 5 8 0 Registration. Fees and Fines, Wardens' Courts. Survey Fees. Memorial | Deposits ofl Companies. Licenses and Assessments. Timber and other Licenses. Withdrawals of Leases. Miscellaneous. Net Amount Gold Fields Revenue. Total Received, including Publicans' Licenses. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. a. £ s. d. £ s. d. 9 0 0 106 0 0 70 0 0 £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d 0 2 0 0 7 0 0 5 0 £ s. d. 9 6 0 161 10 6 135 12 0 £ s. d. 9 6 0 256 10 6 295 12 0 hokitika Kaniebi Gbeyhouth Ross Staetobd Okaeito pounamtt MAOEI GtlLLY Clifton Haast 101 0 0 208 0 0 13 0 0 98 0 0 57 0 0 118 0 0 31 6 0 15 0 0 100 0 0 13 0 0 31 0 0 41 0 0 19 0 0 17 0 0 8 "6 0 24 15 0 15 0 0 33 0 0 3 5 6 5 0 0 3 0 0 7 12 6 15 4 0 4 4 0 13 10 0 2 7 0 3 10 0 2 3 0 5 0 0 3 7 0 50 18 0 0 5 0 0 13 0 0 6 0 0 18 0 ... 95 0 0* 160 0 0* ( 82 10 0* (050 95 0 0* 90 0 0* 75 0 0* 42 10 0* 120 0 0* 6*"o 0 ... s ••• 0 10 0 0 10 0 2 0 0 8 0 0 6 0 0 3 0 227 11 6 323 9 0 49 14 0 148 1 0 76 12 0 136 1 0 0 6 0 310 1 6 418 9 0 139 14 0 223 1 0 119 2 0 256 1 0 0 6 0 4 10 0 ... ... 0*6 0 ... ... ... ... ... 18 5 6 46 13 6 63 10 0 I C 760 0 0* I 0 5 0 J5 0 0 780 0 0 267 0 0 85 5 0 2 4 0 1,268 3 0 2,028 3 0 Gold Duty received in the Province during the Quarter, £2,066 5s. Id. PROVINCE OF OTAGO. Black's ahd St. Bathan's Mamuhekikia CLYDE Mottkt Bengeb ... Cbohwell Qtjeenstown Aebowtown Laueence Switzee's Obepuki 7 0 0 194 0 0 50 0 0 35 0 0 33 0 0 34 0 0 142 0 0 117 0 0 115 0 0 123 0 0 102 0 0 48 0 0 5 0 0 73 0 0 7 0 0 8 0 0 5 0 0 5 0 0 39 0 0 10 0 0 58 0 0 63 0 0 76 0 0 5 0 0 9 10 0 15 0 0 15 0 1 17 6 3 0 0 4 17 6 3 10 0 1 10 0 7 5 0 17 6 2 7 6 363*17 6 41 16 3 12 9 2 155 1 3 394 19 3 139 6 3 713 14 8 174 18 9 915 18 2 75 17 11 0 12 6 15 "2 6 2 12 6 15 0 0 17 6 3 2 6 14 12 6 6 2 6 13 18 6 10 2 6 6 7 6 4 17 6 12 "4 6 0 5 0 10 0 0 9 0 14 0 8 12 0 2 14 0 1 12 0 5 9 0 0 13 0 2 11 0 ... I - ... 0 0 6 ... 55 2 6 0 11 9 0 10 0 4 0 0 10 0 7 0 738 6 0 0 10 0 23 4 6 0 2 0 67 2 6 668 6 3 102 18 9 58 10 2 196 9 9 441 6 9 348 15 3 1,673 19 1 425 19 8 1,244 7 8 262 16 8 64 13 0 82 11 11 60 10 5 96 8 6 0 8 9 14 6 1,000 0 0 1 J354 0 0 37 5 0 1 J 2,988 11 8 79 1 0 36 13 6 241 4 7 ... ... ... 818 9 9 5,555 5 6 5,555 5 6 Gold Duty received in the Province Note. —The items marked thus * represent Fees on Publicans' Licenses, ai during the Quarter, £4,869 4s. 8d. id are excluded from last column but one, and included in the " Total" column. C. T. Batkin, Receiver- General.

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36

No. 3 COMPARATIVE RETURN of REVENUE derived from the GOLD FIELDS in the several PROVINCES of NEW ZEALAND, during the YEARS 1872 and 1873, showing INCREASE or DECREASE under each head of Revenue.

Auckland. MiBLBOBOUGHI. Nelson. Westland. Otago. Heads op Eetenue. 0 5 9 ft C3 o q H S3 o R PI I— I ft 1872. q ffjj (B A 03 i— i 3 5 1872. 3873. 1872. 1873. 1872. 1873. 1873. 1872. 1873. I I £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ Miners' Rights ... 4,775 2,751 2,024 111 47 64 4,918 3,110 I 1,808 3,203 2,925 I 278 6,377 4,911 1,466 Business Licenses 34 25 9 12 12 5,206 1,996 3,210 1,832 1,533 249 1,787 1,495 292 Water-races, Sluices, &c. 187 130 57 212 196 16 317 293 24 216 181 35 Gold Mining Leases, Rents, and Royalties ... 4,348 3,319 999 33 93 £8 2,080 3,110 1,030 454 221 233 8,039 9,218 1,119 Registration 117 97 20 15 6 9 1,031 633 333 174 196 22 438 383 100 Fees and Fines, Wardens' Courts ... 135 42 93 38 38 292 99 193 235 163 72 393 215 178 Survey Fees 45 45 745 156 589 51 7 •.. 44 Memorial Deposits of Companies ... 324 324 ... Depasturing Licenses and Assessments 29 20 9 3,113 2,062 1,051 Timber and other Licenses 138 159 21 5 5 Withdrawals of Leases 14 14 28 - 11 93 115 22 ... 10 12 2 I 14 34 20 Miscellaneous ... 306 406 100 4 3 1 176 142 34 55 371 i 18 97 294 197 Q-old Duty 11,205 10,977 228 257 127 130 10,035 9,958 77 12,596 I 110,252 2,344 19,709 18,245 ... 1,464 I Totals Net 3,701 I Net 207 Net 4,684 I Net 3,289 500 293 24,043 19,359 19,621 15,838 Net 3,783 40,344 37,055 21,657 17,956 C. T. Batkin. Eeceiver-G-eneral.

H.—9.

No. 4. COMPARATIVE RETURNS of the TOTAL AMOUNTS of GOLD FIELDS REVENUE (exclusive of Gold Duty) collected in the several Districts during the YEARS 1872 and 1873, and the QUARTERS ended 31st March, 1873 and 1874, showing the INCREASE or DECREASE in respect of each District.

37

Province. DlSTEICT. 1872. 1873. Inceease. Deceease. Auckland Nelson Maelboeough Shortland Coromandel Nelson Collingwood Westport Brighton and Charleston Cobden Ahaura ... Beefton ... Wangapeka Matakitaki Blenheim Havelock Wairau ... Hokitika Kanieri ... Greymouth Boss Stafford Okarita ... Pounamu Maori Gully Clifton Haast Dunedin ... Naseby ... Black's and St. Bathan's Manuherikia Clyde Mount Benger ... Cromwell Queenstown Arrowtown Lawrence Switzer's ... Orepuki ... £ 5,899 4,541 27 374 2,027 2,648 790 2,841 5,083 104 113 36 134 74 142 758 1,608 1,956 1,579 353 631 £ 5,228 1,753 350 1,137 1,613 264 2,723 3,141 173 £ "'69 £ 671 2,898 27 24 890 1,035 526 118 1,942 113 53 77 35 99 757 1,061 1,229 1,159 319 568 149 128 116 386 1,975 837 362 556 1,106 1,200 3,815 2,090 5,180 1,090 213 '"l7 Westland "'57 39 43 1 547 727 420 34 63 Otago 149 128 116 223 163 2,209 909 413 470 1,212 1,480 4,408 2,693 5,241 1,152 285 ""86 234 72 51 10S 280 593 603 61 62 72 Totals 52,463 40,942 788 12,309 Deduct Increase 788 Total Decrease £11,521 1st Jasttjaby to 31st Mabch, 1873 and 1874. Auckland Nelson Mablbobough Westland Shortland Coromandel Collingwood Wostport Brighton and Charleston Cobden Ahaura Beefton Wangapeka Blenheim Havelock Wairau Hokitika Kanieri Greymouth Boss Stafford Okarita Pounamu Maori Gully Clifton Haast Dunedin Naseby ... Black's and St. Bathan's Manuherikia ... Clyde Mount Benger ... Cromwell Queenstown Arrowtown Lawrence Switzer's Orepuki 1,486 445 69 265 559 71 669 484 26 53 39 41 330 369 454 285 108 161 1,028 355 16* 294 336 59 834 935 22 35 25 9 162 136 228 323 50 148 77 136 29 165 451 38 458 90 53 223 12 4 18 14 32 168 233 226 "58 13 Otago "77 423 320 52 146 388 378 765 601 1,205 268 56 67 668 103 59 196 441 349 1,674 426 1,244 263 65 "77 136 245 10 7 50 53 217 29 909 39 175 "9 '"5 Totals 10,593 10,763 2,208 2,038 Deduct Decrease 2,038 Total Increase £170 * To 24th January, the date of last return received from Collingwi od. . 7—H. 9. C. T. Batke ', Receivereneral.

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38

No. 5. RETURN of the QUANTITY and VALUE of GOLD EXPORTED from NEW ZEALAND during the YEAR ended 31st DECEMBER, 1873.

No. 6. RETURN of the QUANTITY and VALUE of GOLD EXPORTED from NEW ZEALAND during the QUARTER ended 31st MARCH, 1874.

Peoducb op the Gold Fields IN THE Poet ov Expobt. a J "u o 5 ■j o > o H 5 o B § s O o Totals. Quantity. Declared Value. Oz. 38,497 Oz. 23,355 Oz. 57,597 Oz. Oz. Oz. 119,449 437,123 Province of Auckland ... Auckland... Province of Marlborough Picton Nelson ... 388 367 519 907 367 3,582 1,468 Province of Nelson Nelson Westport... Greymouth 7,624 1,188 5,072 6,073 13,765 40,455 1,274 5,050 8,866 3,795 13,326 10,697 37,145 49,322 54,786 151,013 197,286 Province of Westland ... Greyrnouth Hokitika... Okarita ... 4,629 19,481 3,166 22,896 47,956 3,818 79 9 100,164 30,770 67,446 3,818 403,085 123,070 269,803 15,270 Province of Otago (including late Province of Southland). Dunedin ... Invercargill 109,601 21 l','42O 61,009 2,162 8,194 9 102,034 178,813 3,603 408,143 719,614 14,410 182,416 734,024 Totals 185,278 42,192 256,250 21,520 97 505,337 1,987,425 Wilmam itary and Inspe< Seed, :tor of Cm Sec: itoms.

Drai: ra the Qtjaetee :nded 31st Makch, 1874. Poet ov Export. Peodttce oe the Gold Fields in the Pbovince op Tot. J.3. To Grrat Britain. To New South Wales. To Victoria. To China. Quantities. Declared Value. Auckland Auckland .:. Oz. Oz. 5,545 Oz. 10,021 Oz. Oz. 15,566 61,585 Wellington Picton ... Marlborough ... ,, ... 98 209 98 209 392 836 307 1,228 Nelson Westport Greymouth Nelson >> ... „ 2,829 416 740 7,556 12,298 1,156 10,385 12,298 4,626 41,540 49,192 23,839 95,358 G-reymouth Hokitika Okarita Westland 7,398 12,901 243 7,398 12,901 243 29,594 52,574 97a Dunedin Invercargill Otago 26,158 17,283 466 20,542 83,140 1J070 3,716 47,157 1,536 187,886 6,142 48,693 194,028 Totals ... 28,987 7,031 69,213 3,716 108,947 435,339 Wr lliaii Seed, Inspector of Cui Secret: and itoms.

39

H.—9

No. 7. COMPARATIVE RETURN of the QUANTITY and VALUE of GOLD EXPORTED from the several PROVINCES of NEW ZEALAND for the QUARTERS ended 31st MARCH, 1874, and 31st MARCH, 1873.

No. 8. RETURN of the QUANTITY and VALUE of GOLD EXPORTED from NEW ZEALAND, from 1st APRIL, 1857, to 31st MARCH, 1874.

No. 9. TABLE showing the QUANTITY of SILVER EXPORTED during the YEARS 1870, 1871, 1872, 1873, and the MARCH QUARTER, 1874.

QUAETER ENDED 31ST MAECH, 1874. QuABTEE ENDED 31ST MARCH, 1873. Pbovinces. Quantities. i Value. Quantities. Talue. Auckland ... Marlborough Nelson Westland ... Otago Oz. 15,566 307 23,839 20,542 48,693 £ 61,585 1,228 95,356 82,168 194,772 Oz. 53,678 778 32,204 32,409 75,353 £ 169,087 3,112 128,816 129,636 301,412 Totals 108,947 435,109 194,422 732,063 H. S. Mel for the Secretar -ELLAE, of Customs

Dtjbini 3 THE QtTAE' 1st Maech, :ee ended 1874. Total E: feom New Produce EXPOETED TO 1 31ST Dei 1M p.eetious :he cembee', '3. to ! 31st ii tPOETED Zealand :he !aech, 'A Poet oe Export. of the Gtold Fields IN THE 1 o o o Eh "3 o CO .3 o p r5 m CJ "43 Totals. ■4. Peovinoe of a 13 5 o H rn O q 9 a? 93 i "3 a G 1 i Auckland... Auckland ... Oz. Oz. 5,545 Oz. 10,021 Oz. Oz. 15,566 £ 61,585 Oz. 853,688 £ 2,989,876 Oz. 869,254 £ 3,051,461 Wellington Wellington Picton Wellington Marlborough Ditto "98 209 "98 209 392 836 30 | 41,880 120 162,322 30 42,187 120 163,550 Nelson Westport... Grreymoutli Nelson Ditto Ditto 740 7,556 12,298 307 1,228 2,829 416 1,156 10,385 12,298 4,624 41,540 49,192 1 1,308,332 5,185,652 1,332,171 5,281,008 Grey mouth HoKtika ... Okarita ... Westland... Ditto Ditto 7,398 12,001 243 23,839 95,356 7,398 12,901 243 29,592 51,604 972 1 1,810,484 7,147,311 1,831,026 7,229,479 Dunedin ... Invercargill Otago Ditto 20,542 82,168 ] 3,209,171 12,568,120 26,158 1,070 17,283 466 3716 47,157 1,536 188,628 6,144 3,257,864 12,762,892 48,693 194,772 Totals 28,987 7,031 69,213 3716 108,947 435,109 7,332,532 7,223,585 28,053,401 28,488,510 H. S. Me o Secreta; Kellae, ry of Custi 'for t: ims

Dueiwi \ THB 1870. .EAE DuRIN* G THE 1871. :=ar DuEIN( r the Year L872. DlTEINi \ TnE Teak .873. DUETN( QUAl \ THE 3 ITEE, 11 fAECII )73. ToiiX Bi SIstMaei ;poet to DH, 1874. Peoducb OF THE Gold Fields in the * Pout op Expobt. I o Oz. 37,123 ' 1 5 .s" el 3 I d el 1 .9 4 I a & Oz. ■37,123 I l> o 1 6 2 | 1 s Province of Auckland. Auckland £ 11,381 Oz. 80,272 Oz. 80,272 23,145 Oz. 37,064 Oz. 37,064 i), 91 Oz. 38,187 Oz. 36,187 9,851 Oz. Oz. £ Oz. 190,648 54,275

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40

No. 10. TABLE showing the AVERAGE RATE of WAGES per WEEK for the YEAR ending 31st MARCH, 1874.

Mining Disteict. CUD 2 a so 3 I si hi I m 4 js I m o § Hi I 6 I) jJ ■is SI TO a m Auckland — G-rahamstown Coromandel Maelbobough Nelson — ■ Collingwood Westport Keefton ,., Ahaura Westland — Grrey mouth Waimea Kanieri Totara Okarita Otago — Duncdin 'Xuapeka Mount Ida Clyde Queenstowu and Arrow... Switzer's Orepuki £ a. A. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. a. £ s. d. £ s. a. £ s. d. £ a. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. 10 0 10 0 10 0 £4, to £10 4 0 0 5 0 0 £4 to £6 3 10 0 £2 10 to £3 2 16 0 5 0 0 £2 10 to £3 2 2 0 £3 to £3 10 3 0 0 £2 14 to £3 2 14 0 4 0 0 £2 5 to £3 2 8 0 3 0 0 £116-£2 2 2 2 0 3 0 0 £1 to £1 10 0 15 0 ... 2 "6 0 £4 to £6 5 0 0 £5 to £6 5 0 0 4 "6 0 3 10 0 3 0 0 4 10 0 5 0 0 4 10 0 3 0 0 5 0 0 4 10 0 5 0 0 2 10 0 3 10 0 3 10 0 4 0 0 2 10 0 3 10 0 3 10 0 3 0 0 1 15 0 2 0 0 1 10 0 3 0 0 £1 5s. to £2 3 0 0 15 0 £1 to £2 15 0 2 10 0 5 "6 0 5 0 0 3 10 0 2 0 0 6 0 0 5 6 0 5 6 0 3 10 0 3 "6 0 4 10 0 4 0 0 3 10 0 4 0 0 5 0 0 4 10 0 4 16 0 3 10 0 4 0 0 4 10 0 3 10 0 3 0 0 2 15 0 3 0 0 3 10 0 3 10 0 3 0 0 2 10 0 2 10 0 3 10 0 1 10 0 1 10 0 10 0 1 10 0 2 "6 0 2 0 0 3 0 0 1 15 0 2 10 0 15 0 10 0 10 0 1 10 0 1 10 0 10 0 2 0 0 5 0 0 4 10 0 3 12 0 4 0 0 6 0 0 3 6 0 4 10 0 3 12 0 3 0 0 3 0 0 3 12 0 3 0 0 3 12 0 5 0 0 3 0 0 2 10 0 3 12 0 4 10 0 3 12 0 5 0 0 4 10 0 3 10 0 3 12 0 3 0 0 3 0 0 3 0 0 3 12 0 3 0 0 3 0 0 3 0 0 2 8 0 3 0 0 2 8 0 3 0 0 15 0 2 8 0 3 0 0 15 0 0 15 0 0 15 0 2 0 0 i 1 0 0 1 10 0 2 0 0 1 10 0 2 2 0 £50 to £60 15 0 2 8 0 1 £35 to £45 0 15 0 0 15 0 10 0 £50 per an. 10 0 10 0 5 6 0 6 0 0 ... * £25 to £50 3 15 0 3 0 0 3 12 6 3 0 0 3 10 0 3 0 0 15 0 2 0 0 2 10 0 ... ; i i'5 o 1 i'6 0 2 5 0 ... ... ... No. 11. PRICE of Gom per Oum :e in the several MiNiwa Districts during the Yeae ending 31st Maech, 1874. Mining District. From To Mining District. From To Mining District. Feom To Auckland — Grahamstown ... Coromandel Mariboeough Nelson — Collingwood Westport Reef ton £ 8. d. 2 13 10 2 15 0 3 13 0 £ s. d. 3 17 10^ Nelson (continued) — Ahaura Westland — Greymouth Waimea... Kanieri ... Totara Okarita ... £ s. d. 3 16 0 3 15 6 3 16 0 3 16 0 3 16 6 3 14 6 £ s. d. 3 17 0 3 17 0 Otago — Dunediu Tuapeka Mount Ida Clyde ... Queenstown Switzer's Orepuki £ s. d. 3 15 0 3 15 6 3 15 0 3 15 6 3 15 0 3 15 G 3 16 6 £ b. d. 3 15 6 3 13 0 3 16 0 3 17 0 3 17 0 3 16 0

41

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No. 13. RETURN showing the AVERAGE PRICES of PROVISIONS and LIVE STOCK, for the YEAR ending 31st MARCH, 1874.

I a i 't, w M Lite Stock. Meat. P5 3 I 8 JO A pq 5 o PS s o i to i as a l i O j i d pi Mining District. i 1 p. I 8 la a § 1 Pa •i Si 13 fa 3 a 1 .a i J3 a ft Grahamstown ... Coromandel £ s. d. £ b. d. d. 8. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. £ s. d. s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ £ a. d. £ s. d. d. d. d. A, d. d. d. s. d. b. d. £ b. d. 5 10 0 5 5 0 13 6 14 0 2 21 1 3 2 3 0 9 1 6 0 10 1 0 1 8 1 10 0 15 6 10 0 5 0 6 0 10 0 0 7 10 0 0 12 6 0 17 6 £10 to £25 £5 to £50 10 0 15 0 1 15 0 2 5 0 6 7 5^ G 6 61 G 7 3 5 1 5} 6 2 9 2 6 4 0 6 0 0 18 0 12 0 Maelbobougii 1 10 0 1 1 6 1 G 1 0 2 0 0 19 0 6 *t 12 6 4 7 3 3 7 6 10 0 Nelson— Collingwood Westport Charleston Reefton ... Ahaura ... Grejmouth Arnold ... Clifton Greenstone Waimea Kanieri ... Totara Okarita ... 5 5 0 5 10 0 7 0 0 11 0 0 6 10 0 5 10 0 9 0 0 7 10 0 6 0 0 6 0 0 6 0 0 GOO 6 0 0 110 13 0 16 0 14 0 16 0 14 0 1 5 0 14 0 15 0 12 0 14 0 13 0 16 0 3 3 3 4 3 SI 3 3 3 *1 1 4 1 3 1 3 2 3 1 9 2 0 2 0 2 0 2 0 1 6 1 9 2 0 2 0 1 4 1 3 1 3 1 0 1 6 0 10 1 G 1 G 1 G 1 6 1 5 1 G 1 6 0 10 1 0 1 0 1 3 1 3 1 3 1 0 1 0 1 3 0 8 1 2 1 0 1 3 1 10 1 9 2 0 2 3 1 9 1 9 1 9 1 9 1 9 1 6 1 9 1 9 1 10 0 18 0 110 16 0 1 10 0 16 0 10 0 15 0 1 10 0 16 0 110 10 0 15 0 18 0 7 0 6 0 8 6 10 0 6 0 10 0 11 0 11 0 7 0 1 0 8 6 10 10 0 11 0 0 12 0 0 8 10 0 £9 to £15 10 0 10 0 4 0 0 1 10 0 1 10 0 20 0 0 30 0 0 £10 to £50 20 0 0 £10 to £50 0 18 0 12 0 1 10 0 0 18 0 10 0 2 0 0 1 10 0 1 10 0 2 10 0 2 0 0 6 8 8 8 6 6 6 6 G 7 7 6 6 8 8 8 C C G G 6 6 7 G G 6 8 12 10 10 6 10 10 9 9 8 8 10 6 9 12 12 S 8 12 G 6 G G 12 5 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 5 81 It 1 3 4 4 3 4 4 4 3 3 4 5 61 6 8 71 7 6 8 7 8 7 G 7 3 6 3 0 4 0 3 6 3 6 3 0 3 6 3 6 3 0 3 0 3 0 3 6 3 4 6 0 7 0 7 0 7 0 6 0 6s.-10s. 6 0 7 0 6 0 8 0 6 6 6 0 6 6 10 0 0 15 0 0 18 0 0 17 0 0 18 0 14s. to 28s. 0 18 0 0 19 0 0 17 0 0 18 0 0 16 0 0 16 0 10 0 10 0 0 10 0 0 10 0 0 10 0 0 10 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 1 10 0 10 0 5 0 0 25 0 0 30 0 0 15 0 0 £10 to £30 20 0 0 0 15 0 0 14 0 0 15 0 0 15 0 10 0 5 0 0 2 5 0 2 10 0 0 15 0 2 10 0 Otago— Dunedin Tuapeka Mount Ida Clyde Queenstown Svvitzer's Orepuke 4 10 0 5 0 0 6 0 0 6 0 0 7 0 0 9 9 0 7 10 0 0 18 0 14 0 14 0 14 0 16 0 1 10 0 1 10 0 2 3 3 Si 1 0 1 3 1 3 2 0 1 9 1 6 1 6 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 6 1 3 1 6 1 6 1 6 0 10 0 9 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 6 1 6 1 6 2 0 1 8 2 0 1 9 0 17 6 0 17 0 0 12 6 10 0 0 13 0 0 15 0 110 4 3 5 0 6 0 5 6 4 0 6 0 6 0 0 3 0 0 3 0 0 4 0 0 £5 to £11 4 0 0 0 i'6 0 1 10 0 15 0 0 £10 to £20 £15 to £40 £12 to £50 £4 to £40 £12 0 12 0 5s. to 10s. 12s.6d.-15s. 0 6 0 0 10 0 0 9 0 3 0 0 20a. to 50s. 15 0 15 0 8 0 0 2 10 0 4 5 7 6 8 4 4 4i5 G 5 4 51 8 8 10 8 6 8 G 4 8 8 6 6 G 4 5 4 4 G G 4 3 1 3 4 4 3 3 6 6 61 8 7 7i 6 3 0 2 9 3 3 3 3 3 0 3 0 3 3 5 0 4 6 6 0 6 0 6 0 6 0 6 0 0 17 0 0 16 0 18s. to 30s. 14 0 1 10 0 i "i o 10 0 ...

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No. 14. SUMMAEY. NUMBER of MINERS EMPLOYED during the YEAR ending 31st MARCH, 1874.

No. 15. NUMBER of MINERS EMPLOYED during the YEAR ending 31st MARCH, 1874.

Alluviai MlNEBS. QUAETZ MlNEES. To:als. Mining District. Grand Totals. European. Chinese. European. Chinese. European. Chinese. Auckland ... Mablboeottgh Nelson Westland ... Otago 55 3,147 3,566 4,091 392 840 2,871 2,182 30 690 18 260 2,182 85 3,837 3,584 4,351 392 840 2,871 2,182 85 4,229 4,424 7,222 Total 10,859 4,103 3,180 14,039 4,103 18,142

Alluvia: MlNEBS. QtTABTZ MlNEES. To.LS. Mining District. Geand Totals. European. Chinese. European. Chinese. European. Chinese. Auckland— Grahamstown Coroinandel Mablboeough Nelson — Collingwood Wangapeka Westport Charleston Brighton... Keei'ton ... Lyell ... Ahaura ... No Town Cobden ... Westland— Greymouth Arnold ... Clifton ... Greenstone Waimea ... Kanieri ... Totara ... Okarita ... Otago— Dunedin... Tuapeka... Mount Ida Clyde ... Cromwell Alexandria Nevis Teviot ... Black's ... Queenstown Arrow ... Switzer's... Nokomai... Waikaka Orepuki... "55 159 47 590 500 121 50 50 1,100 430 100 231 280 295 250 1,200 570 500 240 50 50 286 6 60 130 115 120 250 15 150 1,782 400 30 55 "435 200 "l8 1,782 400 85 214 590 500 121 485 250 1,100 430 100 231 280 295 250 1,218 570 500 240 "50 50 286 6 60 130 115 120 250 15 150 1,782 400 85 214 47 590 500 121 535 250 1,150 716 106 291 410 410 370 1,468 585 650 240 52 517 1,230 70 350 150 100 250 180 500 338 148 31 30 145 60 513 325 30 120 80 130 100 70 450 420 228 120 200 25 10 20 50 120 62 537 1,280 70 470 150 100 250 180 560 338 148 31 30 145 GO 513 325 30 120 80 130 100 70 450 420 228 120 200 25 122 1,050 1,605 100 590 230 230 350 250 1,010 758 376 151 230 170 "60 Total 10,859 4,103 3,180 14,039 4,103 18,142

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No. 16. SUMMARY. NUMBER of MACHINES employed in ALLUVIAL and QUARTZ MINING, for the YEAR ending 31st MARCH, 1874.

MACHINEBY EMPLOYED IN ALLUVIAL MINING. Machinery employed in Quabtz Mining. Steam Engines employed Winding, Pumping, &c. CD I - fa en .11 53 o 1=1 a is &, i ■II s Steam Engines employed Winding, Crusliing, &e. -r. to O Approximate Value ! or all Mining Plant < included in THIS KeTUBN. Mining District. Aggregate Horsepower. rn h 5 1 ft ft S i 1 Aggregate Horsew to 13 J ■a a No. No. power. I I _l I I I I i I I I I I I 3 — I ' 247,000 Auckland ... j I ... ... I 52 1,774 56 930 23 8 ... ... Maelbobough... ' I 310 3 i 12 i I 1 16 1 10 ... 1 ... 3,050 Nelson 1 4 2 3,950 63 370 15 50 250 1 2 50 11 121 9 1 1 51,700 Westland 16 31 11,081 48 416 90 3 B 1 1 i l I '"■ 59,548 ... Otago 1 1 7 1 3,769 60 1,062 1,849 238 12 25 10 139 23 199 13 4 4 141,873 503,171 ... 4 1 — 174 355 l_ 78 6 251 2 65 1,079 91 1,260 45 5 8 Total ... 2 25 U2 19,110 12 8 ! I

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No. 17. NUMBER of MACHINES employed in ALLUVIAL and QUARTZ MINING, for the Year ending 31st March, 1874.

Machinery employed in Alluvial Mining. Machinery employed in Quautz Mining. Mining District. Steam Engines employed Winding, Pumping, &c. s 3 I fa o o 02 m I Q on •5.3 ■8 3 o O g a 02 O Steam Engines employed Winding, Crusbing, &o. S 1 DO it i 1 to I Approximate Value op all Mining Plant included in this Return. •S o ° sgl No. Aggregate Horsepower. a 1 P J3 1 No. Aggregate Horsepower. .1 At P 1 I 1 I Auckland — Grahamstown Coromandel ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 44 8 1,522 252 45 11 819 111 17 6 3 ... ... 8 192,000 55,000 Shillings. 12 11 I i 1 1 1 52 1,774 56 930 23 3 8 Mablbobough... I I ... 310 1 ... 12 1 1 1 I 16 1 10 ' I I 1 1 247,000 3,050 No return. 3 1 ... 1 Nelson — Collingwood Westport ... Keefton Ahaura I I I 1 1 1 1 — 1 I ! ' I ' ... "2 ... iso "40 6 100 ... ... 250 ... ... 3 25 3 1 ... 10,000 Value unknown 36,000 5,700 No return, 20 to 25 -, 4 3,800 3,950 4,150 6,570 116 45 200 2 50 "b 9G 6 i 23 854 15 50 i ... \-T 4 I 2 63 370 15 50 250 1 2 50 11 1 121 9 1 1 51,700 Westland — Greymouth... Waimea Kanieri Totara Okarita ... M 4 10 4 16 14 75 265 45 29 2 6 32 3 9 40 I 1 [ 1 1 2 13 1 1 25 5 ... 2 1 ... ... ... 6 "i "i ... 5,820 7,048 3,480 40,000 3,200 59,548 ... ... ... I — 16 31 48 90 1 1 6 . — I 1 1 Otago — Dunedin Tuapeka Mount Ida ... Dunstan Queenstown Arrow Switzer's Orepuki 11,081 44 250 235 1,000 300 200 1,620 120 416 3 1 1 ... ... 20 20 I I I I — 4 15 10 800 50 40 23 20 2 100 1 1 — 1 1 4 4 16 24 54 45 1 4 6 9 3 10 35 35 60 59 M 1 1 1,723 6,000 9,500 60,000 58,000 2,500 3,900 250 ... 1 i * ... 3 2 5 3 "i 1 ... ... ... "l 5 20 5 3 5 30 50 40 16 "9 3 20 1 ... 3 2 "i ... ... ... I ... ... ... i ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... I i i 7 l 3,769 60 1,062 238 I 1 1 10 1 139 1 1 199 141,873 503,171 I 1 12 25 23 13 4 i Gross Total 1 I 4 I I ll 1 I 25 174 6 ... 2 ! 1 1 65 I — — — 9 32 19,110 1,849 355 12 78 251 1,979 91 1,260 45 8 1

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No. 18. TABLE showing approximately the NUMBER, DESCRIPTION, and VALUE of the WATER-RACES, TAIL-RACES, DAMS, RESERVOIRS, &c., for the YEAR ending 31st MARCH, 1874.

I Watee-Baces. Tail-Eaces. Dams. Eeseryoies. Mining Distbicts. Hi a s I gu 1 •a © i go < Peice charged job Watee pee Sluice-head, pee week. .a 2 a a a j Auckland— G-rahamstown Coromandel 40 12 10 9 122 39 9,000 3,500 2 £ 102 2 £ 100 £ 10s. to 20s. per week per stamp-head. Mablboeough 20 12 40 1,300 15 1,000 2 50 20s. for 40 inches. 20s. for 40 inches. £3 10s. for 40 inches. Nelson — Wangapeka Collingwood Westport Charleston Brighton Eeefton Ahaura 10 82 146 226 80 104 643 10 71 170 150 6256 396 35 212 75 43 495 1,056 2,000 240 14,450 12,750 5,270 44,860 39,650 36 34 83 39 53 563 1,640 1,500 3,000 1,700 7,968 11,230 64 32 239 99' 80 360 1,500 750 4,000 1,800 3,017 10,800 2 112 5 1 27 3 200 "l60 400 £3 for 40 inches. Westland — Greymouth Waimea Kanieri Totai-a Okarita 360 550 108 236 39 305 246 77 180 60 550 670 207 200 125 38,566 43,414 20,375 28,000 16,500 254 1,256 149 200 38 17,792 21,924 34,221 7,000 15,250 394 727 156 150 24 11,275 8,400 4,478 3,000 1,800 285 3 8,242 850 £2 for 40 inches. £1 to £1 10s. for 40 inches. £3 10s. for 40 inches. £4 to £7 for 40 inches. £8 for 40 inches. 2 "350 Otago— Dunedin Tuapeka Mount Ida Dunstan Queenstown Arrow Switzer's Orepuki 14 313 245 290 555 250 107 80 18 971 972 787 752 300 180 117 25 1,006 981 1,600 890 350 240 40 890 40,000 107,200 120,000 200,000 80,000 19,000 7,500 10 498 255 150 800 300 82 24,900 33,800 3,000 8,000 3,000 24 202 122 45 65 30 299 10,000 16,550 3,500 6,500 3,000 1 20 10 .65 2,000 1,000 £5 to £6 for 100 inches, 6 days of 8 hours. £4 for 40 inches. £3 to £4 for 40 inches, 6 days of 10 hours. No return. No return. £3 for 50 inches. £2 for 40 inches. 100 4,'200 "30 150 Totals 4,430 5,911 9,059 854,465 4,835 201,309 2,847 90,969 I 471 13,267

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No. 19. RETURN of the NUMBER of MINING LEASES in force on the 31st MARCH, 1874, the EXTENT of GROUND LEASED, and RENTAL per ANNUM.

No. 20. RETURN of the NUMBER of AGRICULTURAL LEASES in force on the 31st MARCH, 1874, the EXTENT of GROUND LEASED, and RENTAL per ANNUM.

Mining District. Number. Gross Acreage. Rental pee Annum. AUCKLAND: — Grahamatown Coromandel 29 9 A. R. P. 105 1 38 61 0 0 £ b. A. 210 11 8 182 13 6 Marlborough 6 72 2 30 163 0 0 Nelson— Wangapeka Collingwood Westport Charleston Brighton Keefton Ahaura i 8 21 36 74 15 50 8 72 2 6 157 1 4 254 0 9 331 0 39 73 2 28 481 3 31 66 3 0 110 0 0 134 10 0 445 12 6 789 15 0 182 5 0 1,171 15 0 85 0 0 Westland— Greymouth. Waimea Kanieri Totara 3 2 6 21 0 0 11 0 0 35 2 18 105 0 0 11 0 0 178 4 11 Otago— Dunedin Tuapeka Mount Ida Dunstan Queens town Arrow Switzer's 1 40 18 10 92 5 2 7 0 0 234 0 22 133 2 27 97 0 0 422 1 35 39 0 0 11 2 0 17 10 0 616 1 10 342 10 0 242 10 0 1,060 0 0 92 10 0 28 15 0 Totals 435 2,689 0 7 6,169 4 5

Mining Distbict. Number. Gross Acrea&e. Rental pee Annum. Nelson — Wangapeka Collingwood Westport Charleston Brighton Inangahua and Buller Ahaura and Cobden 1 30 15 15 87 85 a. E. P. ' 20 0 0 1,149 1 16 392 3 25 116 0 5 5,212 1 18 3,711 1 4 £ s. d. 2 10 0 138 7 6 50 0 0 15 2 6 656 2 6 464 10 6 Westland— Grey mouth Waimea Kanieri Okarita 9 12 7 2 81 1 4 37 3 7 24 0 0 62 0 0 16 14 0 11 7 0 4 16 0 6 0 0 Otago— Dunedin Tuapeka Mount Ida Clyde Cromwell Alexandria Teviot Black's Queenstown Arrowtown Sn-itzer's Orepuki 19 431 14 43 3 21 97 31 341 151 27 2 3,925 0 0 22,292 0 12 6,457 3 23 4,739 0 0 1,350 0 0 959 0 0 7,202 0 0 1,252 0 0 18,994 1 24 7,715 0 0 2,543 0 36 60 0 0 490 12 6 2,823 12 6 807 10 6 592 3 9 168 15 0 119 17 6 900 5 0 156 10 0 2,374 7 6 964 7 6 317 10 0 7 10 0 Totals 1,443 88,296 2 14 11,088 11 9

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No. 21. TABLE showing NUMBER of GOLD MINING COMPANIES REGISTERED under "The Mining Companies Limited Liability Act, 1865," and Amending Acts, the Joint Stock Companies Act, and "The Mining Companies Act, 1872," upon 31st MARCH, 1874.

No. 22. RETURN of CASES in the WARDEN'S COURT, and COSTS AWARDED, for the YEAR ending 31st MARCH, 1874.

No. 23. RETURN of the NUMBER of LICENSES under "The Gold Mining Districts Act, 1871," for the YEAR ending 31st MARCH, 1874.

Undee LlMI' 1865," " Mining- ( fed Liabii and Amen: companies jtt Act, ding Acts. >eb Joint Itock Act. Under "1 [PANIES Al jning t, 1872." Paid-up Scrip given to Shareholders. Co: Musing Disteict. Auckland — Gtrahamstown Coromandel Maklboeough Nelson — Collingwood Westport Charleston Inangahua and Lyell... Westland —■ Greymouth Kanieri Otago— . Dunedin Tuapeka Mount Ida ... Clyde Cromwell Black's Alexandria ... Queenstown Arrowtown ... Switzer's No. Nominal Capital. Paid-up Capital. No. Nominal Capital. Paid-up Capital. No. Nominal Capital. Paid-up Capital. £ £ £ £ 61 15 £ 1,850,914 278,700 £ 572,978 155,718 £ 1,135,282 "a 43,600 13,647 3 13,700 13,700 1 40,000 20,000 i 29 2,800 635,780 2, 800 260,778 "i 10,000 1,000 3 18 12,760 295,000 11,096 100,914. 3 1 26,613 1,836 21,953 1,836 1 12 13 3 11 5 6;000 46,975 80,220 4,500 83,600 17,400 3,120 24,602 40,755 2,800 45,000 9,000 2 1 2 2 1 1 ... 0 10,900 5,000 23,000 10,000 5,000 5,00 6,090 200 5,561 5,000 2,500 500 1 1 1 9,000 3,000 1,000 7,000 3,000 1,000 Total 976,024 450,991 880,557 i 1,135,282 87 10,000 1,000 107 2,536,274 The Returns from the P published in the Auckland ■■' Mining Companies Act, 18' rovince Provini 72." of Amcklai ;ial Govern ttd are not Lment Gazi com] ette, [ete, the ii rhich onli iformation includes uivir ig been coli >anies undi Lected from the Koturns jr the operation of the !oiiit

Oai 5ES "WHEEEIN JUDGME NT IAS DEOEEED SPECIFIC PEEFOIOIANCE. Mining Disteiot. NUMBER 05 MiningDisputes adjudicated ON. Aggeegatb Amount of Value. Amoukt or Costs AWARDED. Claimed. KecoTered. Ko. Remarks. Auckland — Grabamstown Coromandel... Nbison— Westport Charleston ... Brighton Eeefton Ahaura Westland — Greymouth Waimea Kanieri Totara Okarita Otago— Tuapeka Mount Ida ... Dunstan Queenstown Arrow Switzer's Orepuki 28 11 16 39 9 102 66 57 107 32 51 20 £ 994 14 0 2,230 0 0 538 0 0 1,192 19 2 102 11 6 2,127 0 0 511 6 8 430 3 8 109 0 0 50 0 0 554 10 0 157 3 4 £ 524 14 9 15 0 447 4. 4 8 0 0 311 3 0 134 11 8 221 16 4 9 0 0 1 10 0 103 15 6 57 3 4 93 12 0 77 16 0 24 17 0 68 2 0 7 10 0 75 4 0 89 11 0 48 15 0 69 13 0 16 4 0 96 6 0 8 10 16 27 g| «■§! 8j " S t^ fct ;io to O > O o M'C K •g se P s .3 a •■o b S^ S_ to GO r-- 5 5i ™ ■" r2 53 ts g 5) « # bp ISP'S r| wjars s a s «w s a co P^ d cii O t? » 46 39 69 35 25 9 16 288 0 0 1,734 15 10 759 9 7 2,756 16 8 141 0 0 150 0 0 520 0 0 7 15 0 122 19 10 316 15 7 282 7 0 2 3 0 15 0 0 104 0 0 14 0 0 63 1 0 75 2 0 126 8 0 27 3 0 2 3 37 9 10 0 8 16

MlNIKG DlSTEICT. Uotibeb. Gkoss Aoeeaoe. I Rental I'EK Annum. Auckland — Graliamstown A. B. P. 822 3 4 £ 2,443 110

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No. 24. TABLE showing the YIELD of GOLD from VARIOUS PARCELS of QUARTZ CRUSHED during the YEAR ending 31st MARCH, 1874.

AUCKLAND. Name of Company. Quartz Crushed. Average Yield of Gold. Total Yield of Gold. Average Value of Value Mining of Gold. Plant. til 3 8 £& S 0'! £" £ 1 Tons cwts. lbs. 1,945 0 0 1,647 0 0 787 0 0 70 0 0 20 0 0 267 0 0 109 0 0 133 0 0 30 0 0 670 0 0 1,430 0 0 10,540 0 0 70 0 0 30 0 0 6,380 0 0 455 0 0 1,175 0 0 3,979 0 0 1,501 0 0 946 0 0 794 0 0 276 0 0 3,313 0 0 23 0 0 400 0 0 26 0 0 147 0 0 220 0 0 313 0 0 3,710 0 0 19 0 0 39 0 0 15 0 0 22 0 0 149 0 0 80 0 0 93 0 0 90 0 0 14 0 0 370 0 0 65 0 0 193 0 0 6,187 0 0 12 0 0 I 155 0 0 10 0 0 11 0 0 13 0 0 3,667 0 0 36 0 0 40 0 0 43 0 0 20 0 0 241 1 0 236 0 0 2,930 0 0 423 0 0 7,067 0 0 38 0 0 162 0 0 11 0 0 86 0 0 150 0 0 1,199 0 0 108 0 0 560 0 0 7 0 0 2 0 0 1,026 0 0 1,614 0 0 504 0 0 161 0 0 975 0 0 5,495 0 0 483 0 0 16 0 0 Oz. dwts. grs. 0 19 14 1 3 19 1 13 6 1 5 18 2 0 0 16 1 2 17 11 0 11 5 12 0 0 9 16 1 10 0 17 6 0 11 17 0 7 15 1 1 11 0 9 0 0 19 0 1 1 21 0 14 6 0 18 0 1 13 5 1 12 6 0 15 0 4 4 4 0 19 1 0 15 9 16 2 0 4 10 3 11 23 1 7 13 0 11 2 0 14 0 0 8 16 1 10 0 1 8 11 0 5 7 112 0 11 2 2 10 0 19 6 0 2 7 2 0 9 110 4 18 8 0 13 6 0 11 0 1 3 15 0 13 2 0 18 19 1 1 10 0 10 6 2 18 3 0 12 0 1 13 22 0 9 0 0 3 6 1 5 18 0 14 1 12 0 1 9 12 4 0 0 2 12 13 0 5 11 0 18 2 3 17 1 1 11 1 17 0 0 18 12 0 14 7 3 6 14 2 10 15 1 12 13 0 7 22 1 7 13 0 14 20 0 15 15 Ozs. dwts. grs. 1,875 19 0 1,960 7 0 1,308 4 0 90 2 0 40 18 0 348 4 0 313 4 12 74 17 0 33 17 0 323 16 0 2,147 0 0 14,360 0 0 41 5 0 11 9 0 6,913 7 0 216 4 0 1.106 16 0 4,355 2 0 1,069 19 12 855 4 0 1,310 0 0 450 9 0 2,488 17 0 96 16 0 381 0 0 20 1 0 192 1 12 65 17 0 1,126 4 0 5.107 0 0 11 1 0 27 4 0 6 10 0 32 16 0 212 2 0 21 5 0 98 2 0 50 0 0 35 0 0 541 0 10 7 12 0 309 0 0 6,553 8 0 59 0 0 103 0 0 5 10 0 13 0 0 8 10 0 3,450 2 0 38 12 0 20 10 0 125 0 0 12 0 0 408 13 4 115 0 11 477 12 18 540 2 0 4,966 6 0 41 5 0 239 16 0 43 15 0 226 12 0 41 6 0 1,080 1 0 331 0 0 601 12 0 12 17 0 1 17 0 733 2 0 5,382 0 0 1,243 15 19 262 0 0 378 5 0 7,569 4 0 358 8 0 12 10 0 £ s. d. £ Feet. Ft. in. Alburnia All Nations* Albion ... Ashley ... Balaclava Ballarat and Rising Sun Bendigo Independent* Bessie ... Blencowe Bird-in-Hand Black Angel Bright Smile Buckland's (Tapu) Bullion ... Caledonian Californian ... Central Italy City of London ... Crown Prince* ... Cure* ... Cure's Tribute* ... Dauntless and Sink-to-Rise... Dixon's No. 1* ... Don Pedro Eureka Hill G-oo. Stepbenson ... Golden Age* Golden Anchor*... Golden Calf* ... Golden Crown* ... Golden Era Golden Spur Good Templars ... Great Surprise ... Hazlebanlc Hand and Band ... Hard Cash Hope ... Imperial City Inverness* John O'Groats ... Junction* Kuranui Hill Last Chance Lily Little Angel Little Lucie Little Sweeney ... Long Drive Tribute* Lord Nelson Lucknow Manakau Manchester Messengers* ... ... Middle Star Missouri* Morning Star* Moanataiari Montgomery Brothers Multum in Parvo Never Mind New Caledonia ... No. 1 Claim Nonpareil Nolan's Candlelight North Star No Surrender Old True Blue ... Otago* Old "VVhau* Point Russell* ... Prince Imperial* ... Queen of May Queen of Beauty... Ked, White, and Blue Republic 2 15 5 2 15 2 2 17 0 2 16 0 2 15 0 2 11 0 2 13 3 3 3 0 2 13 11 2 14 0 "2OO 150 2,000 6,000 114 200 150 150 175 170 2"'O ■ . ., 2 0 7 0 12 0 2'"6 6 0 1 0 4 0 27 4 30 12 20 20 ]S 4 2G 20 2 14 6 20 100 10 G 2 10 4 8 2 11 8 0"~4 33 2 15 6 2 0 8 2 16 0 2 11 7 2,'000 3,000 100 120 1 to 6ft. 3 0 14 5 " 322 300 170 4 0 10 0 2 0 3 0 2 10 6 2 10 10 2 17 6 30 20 "500 150

49

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'ABLE sho' ing the Y: :ld of GrOLB — continui :d. Name of Company. Quartz Crushed. Average Yield of Gold. Total Yield Al^Se of Gold. J$™ of Gold. Value of Mining Plant. H o "8 I* «M O o 9 Tons cwts. lbs. 65 0 0 673 0 0 2,702 0 0 48 0 0 372 0 0 1,375 0 0 1,479 0 0 163 0 0 6,542 0 0 4 0 0 380 0 0 174 0 0 47 0 0 152 0 0 911 3 0 47 0 0 477 0 0 30 0 0 10 0 0 683 0 0 288 0 0 Ozs. dwts. grs. 1 5 20 0 14 8 0 10 3 10 0 1 10 22 1 15 6 1 13 16 10 9 0 11 0 2 16 7 0 7 19 0 13 8 0 17 0 0 16 10 0 3 0 0 7 10 2 5 2 1 0 21 0 3 12 0 14 9 0 18 0 Oza. dwts. gra. 84 1 O 481 19 0 1,367 17 0 47 17 0 575 1 12 2,425 8 0 2,502 10 0 166 7 0 3,601 5 0 10 17 6 148 2 0 116 0 0 41 4 0 124 19 0 166 13 0 17 19 0 1,068 0 0 31 7 0 1 15 0 490 19 0 256 1 0 £ s. d. £ Feet Ft. in. Red Queen Rose and Shamrock Russell Battery ... Royal Blue Shamrock* Sons of Freedom ... Tookeys... Tweedside Una* ... Unicorn* Vale of Avoca Victory*... Wade No. 1. Wade No. 2 Waitohi* Waionui Waitemata Watchman White Rose West Coast Windsor Castle ... 2 14 5 2 12 10 2 16 0 2 18 6 5^000 400 200 400 "50 0 6 3 "0 8 0 3 "0 12 43 5 6 2 15 0 1/500 60 7"'o 18 CORO :andel. Bismarck* Buffalo ... Conquering Hero,.. Excelsior Golden Pah Harbour View Moore's* Nil Desperandum* New Pacific* Neptune Oriana ... Peep o' Day* Plutus*..." Pride of Tokatea* 150 0 0 0 3 48 37 0 0 18 0 0 3 0 0 0 6 64 20 0 0 150 0 0 75 0 0 44 0 0 20 0 0 78 0 0 0 1 84 50 0 0 0 10 10 78 8 16 204 0 0 23 10 0 23 18 0 4 0 0 424 4 0 40 0 0 30 0 0 148 18 0 34 15 0 5 0 0 103 0 0 97 10 0 26 0 0 2 17 2 220 1 0 12 0 12 17 1 6 13 1 6 16 2 0 0 0 5 0 1 19 17 0 15 19 0 5 0 16 9 2 17 6 3 10 2,000 5,000 50 20 110 20 16 6 10 9 3 0 0 3 14 2 15 0 7,050 4,000 100 100 1 6 0 8 2 6 10 5 10 10 0 10 11 90 marl: IC-ROUGH. Point Gore Mining Co.* Turner's* 4 0 0 55 0 0 1 18 1 0 15 0 7 12 5 40 0 0 3 17 10J 3 17 0 5,000 100 1 6 1 6 6 6 :lson. Alpine ... Anderson's Creek* Ajax Hand of Hope Break o' Day* Energetic* El Dorado Excelsior Ifiery Cross* Golden Fleece* ... Inglewood Invincible* Just in Time* Little Wonder ... Maloney's Marina ... Monte Christo* ... O'Brien and Blair's* Perseverance Westland* 50 0 0 2,220 0 0 2,497 0 0 390 0 0 297 0 0 1,700 0 0 0 5 0 249 0 0 892 0 0 2,233 0 0 364 0 0 404 0 0 312 0 0 65 0 0 93 0 0 308 0 0 124 0 0 25 0 0 700 0 0 434 0 0 0 9 14 1 1 12 0 15 10 0 13 7 14 12 0 13 10 2 11 8 0 8 22 1 10 0 1 10 11 O 13 16 12 1 5 4 16 0 12 0 3 0 0 4 8 15 2 16 3 1 11 5f 0 4 12 0 15 8f 24 0 0 2,286 10 0 1,950 7 12 25 0 0 2,294 0 0 1,028 0 0 111 0 0 1,335 14 0 3,402 12 2 248 15 O 445 12 0 1,632 10 8 39 0 0 279 0 0 1,365 0 0 349 0 0 39 0 0 130 0 0 313 17 0 3 17 0 3 17 0 3 17 3 3 17 0 3 17 0 8,000 600 15,000 2,000 250 90 200 10 60 3 "o 0 5 10 0 4 0 6 0 2 0 2 0 1 4 » 10 16 8 84 9 10 8 12 3 17 6 4,000 100 70 3 17 0 4,505 20 0 "6 "a 3 16 0 riboo 3,000 ibo 3 0 20 ITAGO. Auroraf Dunedin Gold Mining Company* Elizabetii* Gabriel's Gully* ... Gladstone* Nugget and Cornish* 182 17 0 173 5 0 3 15 0 2,000 100 1 0 800 0 0 2,573 0 0 3,380 0 0 150 0 0 1,451 16 0 0 8 0 0 8 0 0 5 5 0 9 8 0 10 4 321 0 0 986 0 0 881 8 0 70 0 0 739 9 0 3 15 0 3 15 6 3 15 0 3 16 5 3 15 0 6,000 8,400 1,500 1,000 5,000 245 100 8 0 1 0 1 to 12 4 0 9 to 20 11 50 "a 15 The Returns marked thus * are Thames Advertiser, and include yields t Stopped working. 10—H. 9. >btained from the Managers of the Mines; the others in the Province of Auckland are compiled from the from 16th March, 1873, to 14th March, 1874.

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No. 25. RETURN of the YEARLY EARNINGS of some ALLUVIAL MINES, and other Details. The following information has been obtained from Returns given by the Mine Owners or the Managers of the various Mines :—

Peovince. Name of Claim or Owner. Locality. Yield of Gold for Year. Value of Gold per Ounce. hi is a go i I s is 'So g CO I o I I " O a> m Value of Mining Plant. Eemaees. Nelson ... Cosmopolitan Nile Cement Crushing Co. ... Shenandoah ... (a.) Arrow River United Charleston Charleston Kanieri Arrow oz. dwt. gr. 365 15 0 590 16 12 318 15 22 £ s. d. 3 17 0 3 17 0 3 16 9 Feet. 14 12 14 40 Feet. 300 100 8 7 1 1 1 10 8 12 5 20 £ s. d. 2,800 0 0 500 0 0 1,836 0 0 1,000 0 0 Westland... Otago "i (a.) Machinery in course of erection. (b.) The claim is worked by tunnelling. The main tunnel is 400 ft. long, with branch tunnel 400 ft., and tramway. (b.) Bolton and Co Waipori 450 0 0 3 15 0 80 124 1 3 1 200 0 0 Crombie, Hazlett, and Co. ... Extended Water-Eace Co. ... Hall and Co Hales and Hind (c.) HavilahHill Bannockburn ... Mount Ida Blue Spur, Tuapeka ... Blue Spur, Tuapeka ... Table Hill 272 11 5 341 17 18 280 0 0 870 13 9 35 0 12 3 15 6 3 15 10 3 16 0 3 15 6 3 15 0 50 100 6 2 "5 150 0 0 100 0 0 Serpentine, Mount Ida Serpentine, Mount Ida Highly District Highly District Blue Spur, Tuapeka ... Blue Spur, Tuapeka ... Shotover Blue Spur, Tuapeka ... St. Bathan's Upper Shotover St. Batban's ... Blue Spur, Tuapeka ... Blue Spur, Tuapeka ... 150 10 15 167 11 0 275 5 0 13 0 0 2,419 17 3 500 0 0 200 20 70 "e "i 79 1 8,006" 0 0 34 0 0 1,040 0 0 500 0 0 2,700 0 0 600 0 0 1,678 0 0 700 0 0 750 0 0 400 0 0 665 0 0 30,000 0 0 600 0 0 9,100 0 0 200 0 0 (e.) With twenty - two miles of water-race. Homeward Bound Long and Co. May Burn Water-Eace Co. ... Mount Lyret ... Morrison and Co. Nelson Mining Co. ... New Channel Co Otago Gold Mining Co. Scandinavian Water-Eace Co. Shotover Terrace Co. United M. and E. Co. William Kell White and Co 3 15 0 3 15 6 3 15 6 3 15 0 3 15 10 3 15 6 6 35 2 130 150 2ft 6in "i 2 2 16 80 60 i "i "i 20 166 748 12 9 545 16 9 618 18 0 507 4 0 1,275 7 23 550 0 0 3 15 6 3 15 6 3 15 0 3 15 4 3 15 6 3 16 0 100 250 14 130 100 180 200 400 333 3 i 80 100 7 ...

No. 26. RETURN showing EXPENDITURE and LIABILITIES for SURVEY, CONSTRUCTION of, and SUBSIDIES for, WATER-RACES on GOLD FIELDS, to 31st MAY, 1874.

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a. Distance. Expenditure. Liabilities. Locality and Name oe Company. Survey and I Construction, 1870-73. J Survey and Construction, 1873-74. Engineer's Estimate to Complete Work including Lands, &c. Total Expenditure AND Liabilities. Miles. Chains. Subsidies, 1870-73. Subsidies, 1873-74. Totals. Contract Liabilities. Subsidies. Totals. O O go S Hi Ne Wi Mi Ka Nels Ne Na Otag Mc Ar Go Be Ca Wi M< Depa Sal Auckland :— Thames Westland :— Hohonu Hibernian ... New River ... Waimea Mikonui Kanieri ... ... Nelson :— Nelson Creek Napoleon Hill Otago :— Mount Ida ... Arrow Golden Point Beaumont and Tuapeka Carrick Range Waipori Mount Pisgah Departmental :— Salaries, Travelling, Advertising, &c. 11 4 4 4 16 16 70 Go 36 52 3 £ s. d. 1,456 18 11 1,235 10 2 466 7 0 £ s. d. 1,533 6 1 1,426 14 3 1,892 16 6 £ s. d. 26,756 0 3 3 17 0 7 18 10 18 12 6 29,214 9 1 11 3 9 15 6 632 8 7 £ s. d. 212 16 0 573 5 9 1,029 8 0 2,447 18 8 £ s. d. 28,212 19 2 1,749 19 1 2,007 18 10 2,940 17 0 30,449 19 3 11 3 9 2,449 4 2 1,098 15 7 £ s. d. 18,579 6 10 19,241 "l2 6 32,066 14 7 £ s. d. 13,000 0 0 53,308 8 3 18,000 0 0 £ s. d. 748 10 10 2,077" 15 6 7,552 1 4 £ s. d. 31,579 6 10 748 10 10 2,077 15 6 72,550 0 9 7,552" 1 4 50,066 14 7 £ s. d. 59,792 6 0 2,498 9 11 2,007 18 10 5,018 12 6 103,000 0 0 11 3 9 10,001 5 6 51,165 10 2 64 20 60 17 41 30 18 2,375 8 0 5oo'"o 0 10,776 17 5 112 "lO 0 13,152 5 5 612 10 0 23,847 0 0 3,000 14 7 1,333 6 8 1,360 0 0 2,906 7 11 26,847 14 7 40,000 0 0 612 10 0 1,333 6 8 2,000 0 0 4,000 0 0 12,996 4 8 1,000 0 0 20 2,145 "9 8 640" 0 0 1,093 12 1 640 0 0 1,093 12 1 2,145 9 8 7,450 "l5 0 3,400 0 0 1,333 6 8 1,360 0 0 2,906 7 11 10,850 15 0 1,000 0 0 1,000" 0 0 838 3 3 385 9 6 1,223 12 9 1,223 12 9 Total... 6,372 7 4 5,352 16 10 69,953 12 1 6,109 10 6 87,788 6 9 101,185 8 11 90,709 2 10 16,978 2 3 208,872 14 0 296,661 0 9 o 'I 00 Eetubn showing Amount of Subsidies, Payments on Subsidies, Payments of Inteeest on Sums Adva: Amount of Payments on Payments of Amounts -n , Subsidy. Subsidy. Interest. Refunded. -Balance. CED, BEFUNDS, &C. Amount of Subsidy. Payments on Subsidy. Payments of Interest. Amounts Refunded. Balance. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. Hohonu ... ... 2,494 12 11 1,746 2 1 123 9 8 444 11 4 748 10 10 Hibernian ... ... 2,000 0 0 2,000 0 0 128 11 5 New River ... ... 5.000 0 0 2.922 4 6 184 7 4 2.077 15 6 Hohonu Hibernian New River ... Kanieri Arrow Beaumont and Tuapeka Carrick Range £ s. d. 2,494 12 11 2,000 0 0 5,000 0 0 10,000 0 0 612 10 0 2,000 0 0 4,000 0 0 £ s. d. 1,746 2 1 2,000 0 0 2,922 4 6 2,447 18 8 612 10 0 640 0 0 1,093 12 1 £ s. d. 123 9 8 128 11 5 184 7 4 £ s. d. 444 11 4 £ s. d. 748 10 10 2,07715 6 7,552 1 4 32 3 6 l,36o" 0 0 2,906 7 11 Total 26,107 2 11 11,462 7 4 468 11 11 444 11 4 14,644 15 7