G—No. 31

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

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

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

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

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

9

GOLD EIELDS OE NEW ZEALAND.

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

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

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