H.—B.

MARLBOROUGH GOLD FIELD. No. 16. Mr. Warden Whitehorn to the Under Secretary for Gold Fields. Sib, — Havelock, Marlborough, 4th April, 1876. I have the honor of forwardiug herewith my annual report on the gold fields of this Province, together with the returns in duplicate as requested by you. I have, &c, C. E. Haughton, Esq., Under Secretary, Public Works % W. Whitehorn, Office, (Gold Fields Branch), "Wellington. "Warden. Eeport on the Gold Fields of the Province of Marlborough for the year ended 31st March, 1876. Pelorus. —The population in this district has slightly decreased during the year, being now reduced to about thirty men. In my last year's report I stated that a quartz reef had been discovered near Deep Creek, the chief centre of population. This reef has been prospected considerably, and two leases of areas of sixteen acres each have been applied for. A sample of the stone has been tested by the Government Analyst, and a result of 3 oz. 10 dwts. 19 grs. obtained. Two tons of stone is now being brought down with a view of testing it on a larger scale, before the applicants proceed to erect machinery. The gold in this reef is very fine, and apparently very generally distributed ; but the alluvial gold obtained in the neighbourhood is of a coarse quality, so that it would appear that other reefs are existing not far distant. A second reef about two miles south has been found, gold-bearing ; but although a considerable amount of labour has been expended on it, the finders have abandoned it for the present, under the belief that it would not be payable, though no test has been made, and the stone is of a similar character to that of the first-mentioned reef. Within the last week another reef has been discovered, also gold-bearing, a few miles further south, in the range of hills between Pelorus and Wairau Gold Fields. These finds lead to the conclusion that the country is intersected by numerous gold-bearing reefs, which will probably be traced through into the Wairau Gold Field to the south of Pelorus ; and as a large proportion of the gold taken out of the upper part of the Wakamarina and its side streams is attached to quartz, it would appear that some of them must contain gold in payable quantities. But the difficulty of searching for them is great, the whole country being a dense bush, though up to the present time very few miners have devoted themselves to the work, probably not more than five or six ; and as three reefs are now known to exist, one js led to anticipate a future as a reefing district whenever a more systematic search is made. No new works have been undertaken in alluvial mining, the few men at present on the ground being still able to get a fair average earning of about 30s. per week on and about the old workings. Wairau. —About twenty men are still working at Onamatutu, principally on private land. Some very heavy pieces of gold are taken out, some as large as 7 oz., 1 oz. and 2 oz. being common, but the ground is very patchy. The reef mentioned by me last year has been abandoned by the finders for want of means to test it. Eavenscliffe. —Operations here have been entirely suspended for some months. Queen Charlotte Sound. —Nothing has been done here. I regret the very unsatisfactory report I am compelled to make of the mining industry in the Marlborough Gold Fields, the population being smaller than at any previous time. The Pelorus would undoubtedly support a considerable population if water could be brought on to command the terraces, which are unworked as yet; but, as I have stated in former reports, the capital required for the initiatory works is not to be found among us, and nothing but water applied as indicated, or the successful prospecting for reefs, willj raise the district from its present dormant state. W. Whitehorn, C. E. Haughton, Esq., Under Secretary for Gold Fields. Wardon.

AUCKLAND GOLD FIELDS. No. 17. The Provincial Secretary, Auckland, to the Under Secretary for Gold Fields. Sir, — Superintendent's Office, Auckland, 3rd May, 1876. Adverting to your circular of the 10th February ultimo, I have the honor to forward the report and returns (received this day from the Mining Inspector) of the Hauraki South Gold Mining District, for the year ended 31st March ultimo. I have, &c, Keader "Wood, The Under Secretary for Gold Fields, Wellington. Provincial Secretary. General Report on the Southern portion of the Hatirahi Gold Mining District, for the year ending 31s# March, 1876. The mining events of the year will be noticed in the order in which they occurred ; some general remarks follow. At the beginning of April, the Moanataiari mine, being in full swing, got in the fortnight 271 oz., 200 oz. covering all expenses, mining and general. A mining rush, with extension of the gold fields in a southerly and easterly direction takes place; the opening of the Ohinemuri Block having been followed by that of tho Tairua, drawing oft' some of the mining population to these rushes; although at this time important results were being obtained from the City of London, Queen of Beauty, Cure, and Caledonian.