17

H.—26

The yield of gold for the twelve months amounts, as far as can be ascertained, to 22,620 oz. 3 dwt. 11 gr., of which 4,530 oz. 6 dwt. 7 gr. is alluvial gold; the balance—lB,oB9 oz. 17 dwt. 4 gr. — being obtained from the various reefs, the yields from the several companies beiug as follows :— Oz. dwt. gr. Energetic Company ... ... ... ... ... 3,041 13 19 Welcome Company ... ... ... ... ... 4,196 16 15 Just in Time Company ... ... ... ... ... 1,572 0 9 Caledonian Company ... ... ... ... ... 107 7 12 Inkerrnan Company ... ... ... ... ... 76 3 6 United Inglewood North Star Company ... ... ... 327 2 18 Wealth of Nations Company ... ...• ... ... 1,305 10 5 Just in Time and Eiery Cross Crushing Company ... ... 117 14 7 Golden Arch Company ... ... ... ... ... 48 7 5 Pactolus Company ... ... ... ... ... 62 8 10 Hopeful Company ... ... ... ... ... 362 2 5 Golden Fleece Extended Company ... ... ... 836 13 0 Golden Treasure Company ... ... ... ... 233 5 19 Independent Company ... ... ... ... ... 602 8 2 Fiery Cross Company ... ... ... ... ... 613 8 12 Keep it Dark Company ... ... ... ... ... 4,057 16 8 Nil Desperandum Company ... ... ... ... 131 1 16 Perseverance Company ... ... ... ... ... 13 9 9 Victory Company ... ... ... ... ... 342 8 19 Graham and Allen ... ... ... ... ... 41 19 0 18,089 17 4 Alluvial ... ... ... :.. ... ... 4,530 6 7 22,620 3 11

Considerable attention has been given to alluvial mining at Italian, Burkes, Maori, and Lankey's Gullies —more especially at the last-named place, where a number of men have set to work, most encouraging prospects having been obtained in the locality. There is a great quantity of ground here, but the drawback is the scarcity of water. It has been suggested, in order to facilitate prospecting in portions of the district at present but little known, that base-lines should be cut. A track to the Maruia Plains has been opened at considerable expense to facilitate the transit of stock, and will prove a great boon to the inhabitants, as it will have the effect of considerably reducing the price of meat. The track, if extended for a few miles, would enable farmers and others on the Amuri Plains to find a market for their stock throughout the West Coast generally. All initiatory steps have been taken in the formation of the Black's Point Low-level Tunnel Company. The object of the company is to drive a tunnel from the right to the left hand branches of the Inangahua River, a distance of some two and a half miles, for the purpose of intersecting nine known golden quartz lodes at a depth of some 1,500 feet below the outcrops. These reefs or lodes have been worked to some extent, and the yield has averaged 14 dwt. per ton, a return that will leave a very handsome margin of profit over working expenses. The size of the tunnel is to be, inside of timbers, 5 feet wide at the top and 6 feet at tho bottom, 6 feet 4 inches in height from top of tram-rails to cap piece. Horse-power will be employed at first to draw the trucks, on a double line of rail; but this, it is anticipated, will be replaced by a mole steam-engine (a recent American invention now at work in the Nevada silver mines), possessing the peculiar characteristics of being able to work in a drive 4 feet high, consuming its own smoke, and doing the work of thirty mules. It will be observed, on reference to previous report, that there has been no falling-off in the revenue; and this, coupled with the fact that there are no spare hands in the field, would indicate the existence of the belief entertained in the permanency and ultimate prosperity of the district. Fortnightly sittings of the Resident Magistrate's and Warden's Courts have been duly hold at Eeefton, where a large number of civil and criia'iual cases have been disposed of. The statistical returns herewith enclosed show that the total value of all mining property in the district is estimated at £97,122, made up as follows : Mining plant and machinery, £74,830 ; 101 headraces, of an aggregate length of 83 miles, with 417 heads of water, £18,283 ; 43 tail-races, £1,709; 5(1 dams and reservoirs, £2,300. I annex herewith return showing the total population in the district, the number of cases disposed of in the Resident Magistrate's and Warden's Courts, the total revenue collected from the various sources, and the number of miners' rights, licenses, and registrations issued during the past twelve months. I have, &c, W. H. Retell, The Under-Secretary for Gold Fields, Wellington. Warden.

Enclosure in No. 7. Return of Cases disposed of in the Resident Magistrate's and Warden's Court at Reefton during the Year.

Civil. j Criminal. I Warden's. Total. - Reefton 603 157 767