G—No. 4a.

19. Management. —The reduction of the Gold Fields staff has been gradually but continuouslycarried on, principally by the amalgamation of districts and officers. It has, however, been found necessary to effect still further reductions, and several officers have, in consequence, been removed from the remote and least populated localities. I do not think any further reduction can be judiciously made ; indeed, as every officer of the Department is now in some way a Revenue collector, the revenue itself must suffer from undue economy in this direction. At present the expense of managing the Gold Fields (so far as my Department is concerned) is much smaller in proportion to Revenue than in either Victoria or New South Wales. 20. Future Prospects. —It will be apparent from the foregoing remarks that the future prospects of the Otago Gold Fields are of the most promising character. From the past we may judge of the future. Speaking calmly, and without prejudice, I honestly believe that the best days are yet to come. The Gold Fields have now happily passed through that probationary state when their capacity and extent was a matter of theory, and their continuance a doubtful question. Time has afforded a certain and satisfactory solution of these problems. And if the results of unsystematic labour, and of individual exertion, uninstructed by experience and unaided by capital, have been thus far profitable, it is evident that richer and more assured returns may be anticipated, now that a vast amount of available information has been acquired, and confidence, begotten of knowledge, has been productive of such permanent and extensive mining undertakings as those for which the Gold Fields of Otago are rapidly becoming famous. I have, &c, Ves'cext Pike, To the Provincial Secretary. Secretary for the Gold Fields Department.

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FURTHER PAPERS RELATIVE TO

EETUEN showing the Total Immigrai ion and Emigrat :on at Dunedin during the twelve months em ling 31st March, L8G5. australian Colonies. Coastwise. Great 3EITAIN, 'C. Totals, Adults. Children. i Adi Its. Chili Iron. A«!i lite. Chili Iron. Adi Its, Chili Iren. Immigration II. F. ] 1,526 649 :4,96G 605 44 j 3,440 ... I M. 262 F. 241 M. 5,508 i F. M. I 546 124 | 606 195 F. 72 M. 885 F. 560 M. 178 F. 143 M. 7,919 | F. M. I i . 1,755 564 F. 456 Emigration Excess of Immigration 199 i 63 1661 75 I | 11,248J i i 126 lol. i 781 43 517 12 166 9 134 16,318 1,254 ] 406 501; 158 301 155 ... : ... | Excess of Emigration I I 1 I 5,740 60 71 54 8,399 Total Emigration ... ... ... ... ... 18,279 Total Immigration ... ... ... ... ... 10,694 1,279 i,694 Balance in favour of Emigration ... ... 7,585 EETUEN showing the Number of and Extent of Land comprised in applications for Agricultural Leases, Mixing Leases, and Extended Claims, and the number of Eesidence Sites, registered on the Gold Fields of Otago. ■RICrLTUR. x Leases. Eesidence Aeeas. JIinik& /EASES. IXTENDED Jlaims. Districts. BM No. Area Applied for. Area Surveyed. No. Area Applied for. !No. Area Applied for. Area Surveyed. No. Area Applied for. Area Surveyed. Gabriel's Waitahuna Mount Benger Dunstan Arrow Quecnstown Upper Shotover Nokomai Nevis Upper Manuherikia Hamilton 7(i 29 ■I17 28 30 2 A. B. P. 691 3 15 284 0 0 40 0 0 165 0 0 230 0 0 263 0 0 20 0 0 A. B. P. 641 3 15 284 0 0 40 0 0 129 2 4 227 0 22 226 1 19, 16 0 0 164 65 : 75 47; 23 21 18 i 31 43 A. E. P. 66 1 OJ 32 2 0 37 2 0 23 2 0 11 2 0 12 0 0 9 0 0 8 2 0 0 2 0 15 2 Oi 21 2 0| 32 29 1 i A. B. P. 99 1 2 170 0 0 3 0 0 46 0 0 16 0 0 18 0 0 A. E. P. 99 1 2, 43 0 0! 3 0 0, •13 0 0 16 0 0 17 3 18! n 60 18 74 23 il20 91 83 2; 75 15 i 33 A. H. P. Ill 3 0 15 0 0 37 2 30 24 3 0 47 2 0 250 1 4 55 1 29 Area not 26 2 0 15 2 12 36 2 0 A. E. P. Ill 3 0 15 0 0 30 0 30 22 0 36 31 3 0 28 1 33 17 2 16 given. 3 0 0 7 2 0 36 2 0 4 18 0 0 10 0 0 Totals.. 175 1693 3 15 1564 3 20 508: 238 1 0 76 I I 370 1 2 232 0 20 I .39 620 3 35 303 3 35