G,-Nd. H

WARDENS REPORTS.

AUCKLAND. No. 1. Mr. Warden Fraser to Undee-Secretart Gold Fields. Warden's Office, g IE Grahamstown, 10th June, 1872. I have the honor to forward herewith my general Eeport on the state of the. Thames Gold Field for the year ending 31st March, 1872 ; also, schedule of mining companies registered in this office, together with the return of prices of provisions, &c, to 31st March. The greater portion of the companies enumerated have been wound up, or have otherwise gone out of existence ■ but no provision having been made by the Mining Companies Act by which such information may be obtained from the official agent, or otherwise, the actual number of existing companies cannot be ascertained to a certainty. The list of Beere Brothers, herewith, gives as close an approximation as could be obtained under the circumstances, to which may be added those in bracket at end of schedule registered between November Ist, 1871, and March, 31st, 1872. Eequisition has been made to the Begistrar of Companies under the Joint Stock Act, for the information necessary to fill up the table under that head ; that information with the remaining forms, shall be forwarded as soon as they are completed. The circulars received from you, with an additional number printed here, have been sent to the several offices of companies, with the note, a copy of which is appended; as yet but six have been returned. I have, &c, The Under-Secretary for Gold Fields. W. Eraser, Warden. The Eeport and returns would have been furnished you at a much earlier date but for my recent illness. W. F.

General Eeport on the state of the Thames Gold Field for the year ending 31st March, 1872. At the beginning of the year over which this Eeport extends, the yield of gold has reached a higher amount than at any previous time since the opening of the field; chiefly owing to the working of the exceedingly rich shot of gold found in the mine of the Caledonian Gold Mining Company. During the month of January, 1871, it was calculated that 6,832 tons of quartz had been crushed for a yield of 11,865 ounces of gold: while in February the returns were 7,074 tons giving a yield of 30,749 ounces. Of this latter yield the following were the crushings from the Caledonian mine: —Bo tons yielding 5,096 ounces; 80 tons, 7,779 ounces ; 75 tons, 453 ounces, and 115 tons, 69,566 ounces. In March, 879 tons were crushed by this company for a yield of 45,200 ounces. The following are the estimated quantities crushed, and results for the whole field :— Ozs. In April 6,700 tons for ... ... ... ... 37,200 „ May 10,500 „ ... ... ... ... 63,200 „ June 6,900 „ ... ... ... ... 34,166 „ July 6,500 „ ... ... ... ... 28,527 „ August 7,000 „ ... .» ... ... 28,700 „ September 7,200 „ ... ... ... ... 18,085 „ October 8,080 „ ... ... ... ... 15,200 „ November 7,884 „ . . ... ... ... 20,900 „ December 8,528 „ ... ... ... ... 18,000 1872. „ January 3,683 „ ... ... ... •• 6,100 „ February 7,469 „ ... ... ... ... 13,800 „ March 8,800 „ ... ... ... ... 15,932 The very low return in January is accounted for by the Christmas and New Tear holidays. The statistics hereinbefore quoted, are taken from the monthly reports of the Thames Advertiser. In these figures there is included the result of several rich crushings from mines in the Coromandel district. Within the last few months, however, but little gold or specimens have been brought from Coromandel to the Thames, as facilities are being obtained there for crushing, retorting, melting, &c.

APPENDIX TO REPORT ON THE GOLD EIELDS OE NEW ZEALAND.