G.—No. 4

22

REPORT ON THE GOLD FIELDS

Drainage Board, formed under " The Gold Mining' Claims Drainage Act, 1868." I may here remark that owing to this Act being most unsuitable, and constantly clashing with the Gold Fields Act and the Gold Fields Mining Eegulations, great difficulty has had to be contended with, and heavy law expenses incurred on the part of the Board in trying to recover rates. I would suggest that this Act receive the immediate attention of the Government towards its amendment. Since the coming into operation of this Drainage Act 2,000 yards of drainage tunnels have been driven through Jones' Flat to lead the water to the drainage engine, at about £4,200, or 14s. per foot. The expenses of working the engine are about £80 per week in fine weather, and £120 per week in wet weather, so that even in fino weather the few claimholders on Jones' Flat are very heavily taxed for the drainage of their claims. Many attempts have been made to discover a quartz reef, but, although gold-bearing quartz has been found, it has been only in the form of leaders. There is one company now prospecting a reef within one mile and a-half of Boss. But lam inclined to think that we must look for reef's near the ranges. An application has been made through me by J. Brogden and Sons to bring in forty heads of water from the Mikonui Biver. The length will be eighteen miles. The County Engineer's estimate for construction is about £2,000 per miles. Some objection has been made to the amount of ground asked for by Mr. Brogden along the line, but I am inclined to think that so large an undertaking can only be carried out by dealing with the applicants in the most liberal manner. Of one thing lam certain, that should the race be brought in our population and export of gold in a few years would be doubled, and country opened up for mining purposes that at present is useless. I enclose a section of the Morning Star shaft, showing the different layers of washdirt in Jones' Flat, together with a map on which is marked the deep and shallow workings of the district, and also the proposed line of the Mikonui race. The population in the district seems to me to be more settled than in other parts of the coast. This I attribute to many of the miners being married men, with families, who are satisfied to work for from £3 to £3 10s. per week. Another reason is that nearly all the claims are either leases or extended claims, so that the owners have many years work before them. I may remark that it would be quite impossible to work this district in ordinary claims, owing to the great expense and time it takes before there is any return. As yet there is very little done in the farming line, owing to the great difficulty and expense of clearing the land. But there is no want of gardens, as every miner has a small patch cleared around his house, fenced and planted with vegetables. Owing to the new line of road inland to Hokitika having been commenced, a good deal of land has been bought along it already ; and I am certain the opening of this lino will lead to fresh discoveries. In fact I from day to day expect to hear of gold being struck, as already there are parties prospecting along the road. Gold was found there some years ago, but the great expense and difficulty of getting to the ground caused the miners to desist from prospecting any further. During the last year I have been compelled to refuse to recommend any new applications for dance house licenses, as 1 found that the proprietors of these establishments were in the habit of making trips to Melbourne and Sydney, and in many cases importing into the district a class of girls neither fit for wives or domestic servants, in fact, girls of the lowest class. The Bublic House Ordinance requires considerable alteration, as at present any one who applies for a license obtains one, so that the main portion of the town of Boss consists of nothing but drinking bars, without the slightest hotel accommodation for travellers. This evil requires to be remedied, as not only it encourages drinking, but liquors of the worst description are vended over these bars, driving many to the lunatic asylum. There is little or no crime, and I may say that I have never been on any gold field where the population have conducted themselves in so orderly a manner as they have in this district for the last six years. There are seven companies registered under the Mining Companies Limited Liability Act, actually in work, with a nominal capital of £41,500, and £38,000 paid up. This money has been chiefly expended in mining on leased ground of about 17-j acres in extent. Of gold, 34,992 ounces, value £132,094 165., have been forwarded from Ross to Hokitika during the year. Revenue.— Gold fields, £3,176 16s. 10d.; Warden's Court, fees and fines, £110 25.; Export Duty on Gold, £4,374 ; total £7,660 18s lOd. Wages. —Managers, £6 per week ; engine drivers, £3 10 per week ; underground captains, £3 10s. per week ; carpenters, £3 10s.; blacksmiths, £4 per week; miners, £3 (10 hour shifts). Timber. —Caps, 9 feet, £8 per 100 ; round props, 7 feet, £6 per 100 ; split props, 1 and 7 feet, £5 per 100; laths, 5 feet, £1 10s. per 100 ; firewood, £1 ss. per cord ; sawn timber, 12s. per 100 feet. Freight. —From Hokitika to Eoss, sixteen miles, 200 tons per month at a cost of £2 10s. per ton. Warden's Court. —Number of cases in Warden's court, 94 ; amount sued for £316 15s. lOd. Resident Magistrate's Court. —Number of cases, civil, 506 ; Number of cases criminal, 143 ; amount sued for in E.M. court, £7,095 17s. 9d. Population. —Male, 1,554; female, 746 ; total 2,300. Licenses. —The following number of rights, licenses, registrations, and leases, have been issued or applied for, and forwarded for consideration :—Business licenses at £5, 58; business licenses at £3. Ill; business licenses at £2, 41; miners rights at £1, 625; registrations at 55., 179; registrations at 2s. 6d., 42; registrations at Is., 363; leases, 4; special claims 1; extended claims 42; retail licenses (publicans'), 37; conditional licenses (publicans'), I; wholsale licenses 2 ; bottle licenses, 6.