REPORT ON THE GOLD EIELDS

G.—No. 4,

6

NELSON. No. 5. Mr. Warden Chaeles Beoad to the Undee-Seceetart Gold Fields, Wellington. Eeefton, Province of Nelson, SIE) _ _ _ 31st May, 1872. I have the honor to forward you a copy of my Eeport upon this district to the Brovincial Council. I have to add that since the date of that Eeport I have little to add, except that the place and population are rapidly increasing. The various companies are busily engaged in obtaining machinery. Mace expects to finish his first crushing of 600 tons in about ten days time. I anticipate that it will yield about two ounces to the ton. As the district is in such an unsettled state at present it is impossible to give reliable statistics. I have, &c, The Under-Secretary for Gold Fields, Chaeles Beoad.

Me. Waeden Charles Broad's Report to Erovincial Secretaex Nelson, on Eeepton Gold Fields. Sir — Eeefton, 23rd April, 1872. In forwarding my annual Eeport for the information of the Provincial Council, I must premise that it must necessarily be of a meagre description for various reasons. Ist. Because I only took charge of the district at the commencement of February. 2nd. Because the district itself is in comparative infancy, each week making a considerable change in its progress, and the development of the reefs has yet to be effected, and their average yield ascertained. I propose, however, to notice the different lines of reef discovered, to state what has been done and is doing in connection with them, which I think will be sufficient to convince the Government of the importance of the district under my charge and the valuable nature of its mineral resources. I find upon reference to the plan forwarded mo that my supervision extends over the watersheds of the Inangahua and Upper Buller Bivers, embracing (commencing from the South at the Eainy Creek reefs, Murray Creek reefs, Liverpool Davy's, Painkiller Creek, Boatman's Creek, Larry's Creek, Mountain Creek, Flax Bush Creek, the Lyell and Matakitaki. Alluvial gold has been traced through the entire length of the district, a distance of some seventy miles whilst the recent quartz reef discoveries connect in an almost unbroken line Eainy Creek with the Lyell, a distance of some forty miles. Murray Creek was originally worked as alluvial ground by Murray, about the year 1867, and in the year 1870 a lease was applied for and granted for the purpose of crushing cement, of which Adam Smith was the proprietor. At about the same time several applications were made for leases by Christchurch people for the purpose of prospecting for quartz reefs, but the applications were withdrawn without survey. In the beginning of the year 1870 the first quartz claim was taken up by Westfield, but through some dispute a large portion of it fell to Kelly, from whose name the line of reef is called. The prospecting claim on Kelly's line of reef is now called the " United Band of Hope Company." Shoots and tramways have been constructed, tunnels have been driven into the ground, and they have expended in labour and capital some £6000. The Murray Creek Cement Company's wheel has been hired to crush, and the party have applied for a lease in conjunction with Nos. 1, 2, and 3, South. No. 1, North.' —Kelly's claim, known as the Golden Hill Company. The reef has been struck in three distinct tunnels in this claim, as well as on the surface. They are assisting Nos 2 and 3, North, known as the Westland Company, in erecting machinery, for which services they are to have 600 tons crushed for them. Nos. 2 and 3, North. —Westland Gold Mining Company, Begistered, known as Ehody Eyan's, have steam machinery on the ground at a cost of something like £8,000. They have fifteen heads of stampers, have constructed shoots and tramways half a mile in length, driven tunnels 500 feet, have struck the reef in various places and cross drives, and will commence to crush in a few weeks. They obtain their water supply from Murray's Creek. No. 4, North. —All Nations Gold Mining Company, Begistered. These parties have put in a tunnel 600 feet, and are still engaged in tunnelling and prospecting for the reef, which has, however, not yet been struck. Nos. 5 and 6, North. —Victoria Company, Begistered, are busily engaged in constructing tramways and preparing for machinery; have struck the reef. No. 7, North. —Phoenix Company, Begistered, have struck the reef on surface, and are engaged in drivino- to prove the reef, being uLcertain as to direction; about 100 feet tunnel put in, substantial huts erected, and permanently settled down to work. Nos. 8 to 14, Nor;h. —Applied for as leases; reef found on surface in No. 8 ; in No. 9, reef diverges in another direction, and is called Kelly's Line. A.; here reef has been stripped for 200 feet, and shaft is now being sunk to test continuation; from 9to 14 applied for as leases, but reef not struck at present, applicants engaged in prospecting. This carries the ground applied for to right hand branch of Inangahua Biver. Nos. 1, 2, and 3, South have amalgamated with Prospectors No. 4, South. Dan O'Connell Company, Begistered.—This has been granted as a lease in the name of John Trennery. A leader