11

H.—3

Valley District, formerly under the charge of Mr. Warden Whitefoord, has been placed under my supervision, whilst the Lyell, which for the last three years had been in my district, has since the sth February last been handed over to Mr. Warden Giles. Consequent upon these arrangements, the following Courts are held during the month: —Reefton, four Courts; Ahaura, two Courts; Granville, two Courts ; No Town, two Courts ; Cobden, two Courts ; Nelson Creek, one Court. I have hitherto been well able to do this work, by giving one week to the Inangahua District, and the alternate week to the Grey Valley District. Statistics. The population I estimate as follows:— Reefton (proper) ... ... ... ... ... ... 424 Black's Point, and Murray Creek ... ... ... ... 453 Boatman's ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 161 Italian and Burke's ... ... ... ... ... ... 16 Redman's and Due North ... ... ... ... ... 61 Larry's Creek ... ... ... ... ... ... 93 Buller Road and Inangahua Valley ... ... ... ... 149 Total Inangahua... ... ... ... 1,357 Ahaura ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 242 Nelson Creek ... ... ... ... .... ... 361 Half-Ounce Creek ... ... ... ... ... ... 200 Noble's, Napoleon, &c. ... ... ... ... ... 140 Blackwater and vicinity ... ... ... ... ... 223 TotaraFlat ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 120 Orwell Creek ... ... ... ... ... ... 35 No Town Creek and vicinity "... ... ... ... ... 738 Mossy Creek and Sundries ... ... ... ... ... 299 Total Grey Valley ... ... ... 2,358 Cobden and Noble's to Razorback ... ... ... ... 589 Total population ... ... 4,304 Of this number, 474 are Chinese, principally located at No Town, Mossy Creek, and Redman's Gully. This includes women and children, who may be put down at fully one-third of the entire population. Revenue. The amounts received in the various districts under my charge during the past year are as under: — £ s. d. Reefton ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 6,381 15 10 Ahaura and Grey Valley ... ... ... ... ... 6,268 7 3 Cobden ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 259 0 5 £12,909 3 6 Of this sum about £1,500 has been received for miners' rights, and some £1,600 for business licenses, about £3,000 for rents on gold mining and agricultural leases, and upwards of £5,000 for publicans' licenses; whilst the Resident Magistrate's fees and fines are upwards of £1,000, the balance being for fees for registrations and sundry receipts. Cases Heaed. Reefton—Number of applications under rules, 153; Warden's Court cases, 19; gold mining leases, 21; agricultural leases, 23, with an area of 1,280 acres. Resident Magistrate's cases—Civil 318, and 34 criminal. Ahaura and Grey Valley —Number applications under rules, 809; gold mining leases, 11; agricultural leases, 26, with an area of 1,750 acres; Warden's Court cases, 75. Resident Magistrate's cases—Civil, 379 ; criminal, 42. Cobden—Applications under rules, 74 ; civil cases, 35; criminal, 8. Reefton Reefs. During the past twelve months additional facilities for crushing the quartz have been furnished, noticeably the Inangahua Public Crushing Company, who have erected a large battery with fifteen head of stampers. The Ajax Company have also increased their machinery, whilst the Larry's Creek Company have also erected machinery. Although no wonderful yields have resulted, yet the annexed return will show how surely though gradually the reefs are going ahead. The return speaks for itself, and when it is considered what immense bodies of stone have been discovered precisely of a similar nature to that already crushed, no possible doubt can exist as to the future of Reefton. Fortunately the fever of undue speculation has died out, and in lieu thereof the place presents a healthy and vigorous appearance.