H.—3

6

Contributions for Drainage. —During tho last year there has been a considerable amount of litigation respecting contributions for drainage to those mines which were using pumping machinery. The Pumping Association claimed to drain the mines around them, and also, to a certain extent, the ground at the Waio-Karaka flat, where the Bright Smile was engaged pumping. The Bright Smile on the other hand, denied that the Waio-Karaka flat was at present drained, and claimed to be entitled to the whole of the drainage contributions for that district. After a large amount of costly litigation, a number of mines in the Waio-Karaka district agreed to pay drainage contributions, and an agreement was made between the Pumping Association and the Bright Smile Company that, of these contributions, 30 per cent, should go to the Pumping Association, which claims to drain the Waio-Karaka ground down to a certain depth, and the remainder to the Bright Smile Company. It is to be hoped that this exceedingly difficult subject of drainage will be settled in future by agreement amongst the companies. The Water Supply Scheme. —The great scheme for a copious supply of water to the field from the Kauwaeranga Stream is now being carried out under the superintendence of Mr. A. Aitken. A long delay took place owing to the non-arrival of the iron troughs from England, but the whole of the iron work is now on the ground and is being put in position. The first contract is nearly finished; the second, which extends over about fifteen miles of trenching and trestle work, will not be finished till about the end of the present year. The third contract, extending from Parawai to the Waio-Karaka, has just been let. The following are the gold returns published in summaries of the Thames Advertiser since last report. These are the only statistics on this point obtainable, and are, I believe, approximately accurate: — Oz. dwts. grs. 1874. Apr. 10 ... ... ... ... ... 11,626 5 3 „ May 9 ... ... ... ... ... 8,715 19 19 „ June 5 ... ... ... ... ... 7,408 11 12 „ July 6 ... ... ... ... ... 10,632 1 0 „ Aug. 1 ... ... ... ... ... 8,336 11 0 „ Aug. 22 ... ... ... ... ... 7,901 IS 12 „ Sept. 23 ... ... ... ... ... 7,819 4 12 „ Oct. 28 ... ... ... ... ... 9,676 5 12 „ N0v.23 • ... ... ... ... ... 8,970 5 2 „ Dec. 24 ... ... ... 10,153 10 23 1875. Jan. 20 ... ... ... ... ... 3,213 17 21 „ Feb. 17 ... ... ... ... ... 7,853 19 0 „ Mar. 17 ... ... ... ... ... 7,915 19 0 110,224 9 2 In my report last year, the number of ounces, in a return compiled in the same manner as the above, was 143,036 ; so that this year there is a deficiency of 32,811 oz. 10 dwts. 22 grs. I think there is every prospect that during the coming twelve months this portion of the gold field will considerably increase its yield, independent of what may be produced by the newly-opened ground. Thames, Ist April, 1875. W. Feasee, Warden. General Report on the Ohinemuri Gold Field, Province of Auckland, to 31st March, 1875. Aptee years of resistance to every influence, the Native chiefs, Te Hira te Tuiri and Te Moananui, consented, about the 23rd December, 1874, to give up the Ohinemuri Block for gold-mining purposes. They however stipulated for some delay before completing the arrangement. In January and the beginning of February, Mr. Mackay was busily engaged in settling boundaries, defining Native reserves, and other matters; and on the 15th February, 1875, the Hon. Dr. Pollen and the Hon. Sir Donald McLean proceeded to Ohinemuri, in the "Luna," with their staff, to complete the necessary preliminaries for the opening. The deed was signed by the principal Native chiefs on the 25th February ; and a few days' delay took place, in order to afford time for preparation of the necessary Regulations, Proclamations, &c. The Ohinemuri Block extends from the southern boundary of the Hikutaia Block on the Thames River to the Mangaiti Stream, which forms the southern boundary of the Te Aroha Block ; thence by the boundary of the Tauranga Block to East Coast; thence to the southern boundary of the Whangamata Block, excluding Native reserves at Mataora and Waihi; thence to point of commencement by the southern boundary line of the Hauraki Gold Mining District. The western boundary of the gold field runs at the foot of the ranges, leaving the flat lands between the hills and the River Thames as Native reserves; the estimated area of the block is 132,175 acres. By the opening of this block the Government secure the power of connecting the Thames district by main lines of roads with Tauranga and Waikato, and within the last few days Mr. Mackay and Captain Turner have laid off the most practicable lines of road. On the 3rd of March, 1875, the Ohinemuri Block was opened as a gold field, under " The Gold Fields Act, 1866," by Proclamation issued at Auckland, at 10 o'clock a.m. that day, in the Provincial Government Gazette No. 11. Extracts from the Proclamation and Gazette were at the same hour read by me in front of the temporary Warden's Office at Ohinemuri. The Gazette referred to contains also the following — 1. Proclamation exempting from occupation for mining purposes, &c, a piece of land, described as Reserve B, at Ohinemuri, and known as Mackaytown.