H.—3

YIELD of GOLD, with Number of Tons Crushed, Inangahua District, Year ending 31st March, 1876.

N.B.—Quantity of gold in all cases is correct —partly melted, part retorted. Quantity of tons crushed, in some few cases, is approximate; but the above total will be found very nearly correct. Several new claims have commenced operations, and in a short time the value of the immense quartz deposits at Rainy Creek will be tested, as the new company's battery has already begun work. In addition to the wealth derived from auriferous rocks, this district possesses vast quantities of coal, antimony, galena ore, marble; and numerous enterprises are undertaken or are in contemplation to develop the mineral resources so obviously abundant. The greatest obstacle in the way of successful investment is the extraordinary outlay for carriage of the necessary plant and machinery. The cost of delivery at Beefton from Westport or Greymouth may be reckoned at from £10 to £12 per ton ; and during the winter, at £15. This can only be attributed to the unfinished condition of the roads ; that from "Westport being entirely impassable to vehicles of any description as far as the junction of the Inangahua and Buller Bivers ; while a section of the Greymouth road, from the crossing of the Grey to Lardi's accommodation-house, has not yet been commenced, and communication between these points is entirely interrupted after a few hours' rainfall. I know of nothing more calculated to advance the interests of the districts under my charge than a well-main-tained and bridged road from Greymouth via Eeefton to Westport. Ahaura District. Eesident Magistrate's and Warden's Courts are held monthly at Granville, and fortnightly at Ahaura. The Court formerly held at Nelson Creek was discontinued by my predecessor, Mr. Warden Broad, many of the miners being occupied in the construction of the Government water race. I expect, upon the completion of that work, many of the men employed upon it will betake themselves to their old employment, and it may be necessary to resume the sittings of a local Court. At Ahaura, 398 applications were lodged under the rules during the twelve months ending 31st March, 1876 ; and 541 miners' rights were issued. 31 annual, 43 half-yearly, and 16 quarterly business licenses were taken out; 8 gold-mining leases were applied for, 2 extended claims, and 2 agricultural leases. In the Eesident Magistrate's Court, 31 criminal and 104 civil cases were disposed of. The amount of Provincial Eevenue collected was £3,680 lis. 9d., and by Eesident Magistrate's Court fees, &c, £156 3s. 4d. The population of the Ahaura District may be estimated at about 2,000. Most of the miners are employed in ground-sluicing ; the gold workings throughout the valley being as yet almost entirely alluvial. A good deal of prospecting has been done during the summer on the Moonlight ranges, without any very marked success, but it is believed that the discovery of payable quartz there is only a matter of time. In the meantime, the experiment is being tried of utilizing this tract of country for pastoral purposes. Ahaura is rapidly becoming the most important cattle market on the West Coast; and if a better track were provided from Canterbury across the Amuri saddle, a considerable impetus would be given to the trade. Owing to a landslip in the month of March the track was closed, and up to this date the drivers incur the utmost risk and hardship in making tho trip. The statistical returns for No Town and Cobden Districts require no comment from me. The

Reti irns. Dividends Paid during Year. Name of Company. Bemarks. Tons. Ounces. £ Ajax Q.M. Co., Eegistered Wealth of Nations Q.M. Co., Eegistered Energetic Q. M. Co., Registered 2,411 6,900 7,850 2,725 4,899 5,510 10,075 9,000 Paid off £2,000 on machinery. Also put up the extra head out of profit. North Star Tribute No. 2 South Larry's Q.M. Co., Limited 315 3,640 190 1,911 Paid off £2,200 of debt on machinery and claim. Eldorado Phoenix Q.M. Co., Eegistered Golden Ledge, Eegistered Just in Time, Eegistered Caledonian, Eegistered Victoria, Eegistered ... G-olden Treasure, Eegistered Vulcan, Eegistered Independent, Eegistered Fiery Cross, Limited ... Keep It Dark, Eegistered Hercules, Eegistered ... Hopeful, Eegistered ... Boatman's Creek, Limited ... 167 490 1,640 56 149 180 546 815 1,256 884 3,091 595 1,932 138 12 167 1,125 480 56 375 94 201 500 665 796 1,194 770 2,488 122 10 2,800 400 First crushing. First crushing. First crushing. 333 1,400 3,505 First crushing. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. Venus 33,064 24,278 27,513