H.—3.

No. 13. Mr. "Warden Shaw to the TJndee Seceetaet for Gold Fields. Sib — Reefton, 12th April, 1876. I have the honor to forward to you the usual statistical returns, compiled in the four principal offices of the district under my charge, namely, Reefton, Ahaura, No Town, and Cobden. As my appointment as Warden only dates some two months back, I feel considerable difficulty in preparing for your consideration a report adequate to the importance and progress of this portion of the gold fields; but, at the risk of withholding what might prove valuable information, I have confined my remarks to matters that have come under my own observation. Inangahua District. Resident Magistrate's and Warden's Courts are held at Reefton twice in each week. There is almost an entire freedom from serious crime; and of the 103 criminal charges on the police sheet for the past year, all, with but two or three exceptions, have been dealt with summarily. On the civil side, 326 cases have been disposed of, and this portion of the work requires very much of the magistrate's time and attention ; and it may perhaps soon be considered advisable to appoint a second Justice of the Peace at Reefton, to relieve the Resident Magistrate's Court list of a number of small-debt cases. In the Warden's Court, 9 cases have been adjudicated on ; 229 applications have been made to the Court under the rules. Of this number 25 were applications for cancellation of gold mining leases ; 260 miners' rights have been issued ; of business licenses, 9 annual, 40 half-yearly, and 188 quarterly have been taken out; 77 gold mining and 12 agricultural leases have been applied for. The Provincial Revenue for the financial year amounted to £4,455 19s. 6d.; and the Resident Magistrate's Court fees and fines to £415 10s. Bd. The population of the Inangahua District I estimate at 1,450, but this computation is necessarily only an approximate one. The Beefs. —At present mining operations in some of the principal claims are totally suspended, owing to a dispute between employers and employed as to the rate of wages. Hitherto the miuimum rate of miner's wages lias been £3 10s. per week, and on the refusal of the men to accept a proposed reduction of 10s. per -week, a lock-out has ensued. Some fine claims are standing idle, and a number of men have left, or are about to leave, the district. Whether the companies are justified in their action or not, there can be no question they have incurred a very serious responsibility in disturbing a peaceable and well-ordered community at the approach of the most inclement season of the year, especially as one of the companies to take the initiative has divided about £9,000 in dividends during the past twelve months. I append a synopsis of the yield of gold, with approximate number of tons crushed, in the Inangahua District, for year ending 31st March, 1876, by which it will be seen that from 33,064 tons- of quartz crushed, 24,278 oz. of melted or retorted gold have been obtained. Dividends have been paid to the amount of £27,513, aud calls made by registered companies to the amount of £17,196. During the twelve months ending 31st March, 1875, the dividends amounted to about £13,000. It is gratifying to observe that this year they have increased upwards of 100 per cent.

Eevenue. Buller. Charleston and Brighton. I Lyell. Total. Eesident Magistrate's CourtFees and Fines Provincial Account... £ s. d. 405 7 2 1,908 10 8 £ s. d. 69 7 2 846 14 0 £ s. d. 252 18 2 1,176 11 3 £ s. d. 727 12 7 3,931 15 11 Population, "Westport Charleston Brighton... Lyell ... 2,000 500 150 340 Total ... 2,990 Gold exported from Westport from April 1,1875 to March 31,1876 Duty ... ... ... ... £2,224 11 7 Value ... ... ... ... 89,064 2 5 Oz. dwt. gr. 22,245 17 2