H.—26

30

The revenue received during the year was as follows : — £ g. d. Ordinary gold-fields revenue ... ... ... ... 809 5 0 Rent on depasturing allotments ... ... ... ... 635 5 6 ~ gold-mining leases ... ... ... ... 214 10 0 ~ agricultural leases ... ... ... ... ... 2,203 19 11 ~ deferred-payment leases ... ... ... ... 3,464 3 0 Fees and fines in Warden's Court ... ... ... ... 60 18 0 ~ Resident Magistrate's Court, Lawrence ... 353 10 0 Total ... ... ... ... ... £7,741 11 5 I have, <fee, E. H. Caeew, The Under-Secretary for Gold Fields, Wellington. Warden.

No. 16. Mr. Warden Maitland to the Undee-Seceetaey for Gold Fields. Sic,— Warden's Office, Dunedin, 16th April, 1880. I have the honor to enclose herewith the annual returns of information relating to the state and condition of the Hindon Mining District, for the year ending 31st March, 1880. In doing so, I regret my inability to state that the expectations of last year, more especially with regard to quartzmining, have been realized. The failure in this direction is mainly attributable to scarcity of water during the summer months, and want of capital. There has been a further falling-off in tiie number of alluvial-miners, while the number of quartz-miners remains the same as iast year. Several additional gold-mining leases on quartz lodes have been taken up during the year, some of which are doubtless being held in the hope of getting stone crushed at one or other of the batteries already erected on the ground. With machinery so limited in extent, and water so scarce as at present, many of the leaseholders, unable from want of funds to erect batteries of their own, cannot fully comply with the conditions of their leases. The two companies that have erected machinery —viz., the New Caledonia Quartz-mining Company (Limited) and the Hindon Quartz-mining Company (Limited) (late Kenney and party)—have hud so many difficulties to contend with in the matters of fuel and water that they have not only not been able to crush for others, but have been able to put through a comparatively small quantity only of their own stone —say from 700 to 1,000 tons in all. The average yield from this, I have been given to understand, was about 15 dwt. to the ton, a yield which, with an abundance of water and machinery, would give a handsome profit. Steps are now being taken by these companies to bring in a larger supply of water, and it is confidently expected that when this has been done the result will be highly satisfactory, and that it will give an impetus to the whole of this branch of mining industry at Hindon. Blocks of land for settlement have recently been surveyed in the district, and are now being opened under the deferred-payments and pastoral deferred-payments systems, as also for immediate sale. In these blocks reserves for mining purposes have been made wherever, in the opinion of the surveyors, there have been sufficient indications of the auriferous character of the land. There is no reason to doubt but that, before long, this hitherto somewhat isolated locality will become a settled and prosperous district both in agricultural and mining pursuits. I have, «fee, J. P. Maitland, The Under-Secretary for Gold Fields, Wellington. Warden.

.No. 17. Mr. Warden Wood to the ~Undee-Seceetaby for Gold Fields. Sic, — Warden's Office, Riverton, Ist June, 1880. I have the honor to forward statistical returns for the year ending 31st March last. In the Waikaia, or Switzers, subdivision mining is just now very dull, the generality of miners being content with 30s. or 40s. per week. The Blackhorse Freehold Company, on Winding Creek, is erecting new machinery for the lifting of wash-dirt, which the proprietors expect will yield a large return. The perseverance and energy they have shown deserves its reward ; and if the lifting power proves a success they ought to do well, as the ground has already been tried, and proved rich. The chief drawback to success hitherto has been owing to the want of sufficient fall, which has absorbed all or the principal portion of the profits. The Chinese constitute the majority of the mining population at Waikaka and Waikaia, but at the former place are a good deal cramped on account of the land having been sold. If thoroughly prospected there can be no doubt that rich quartz reefs would be found to exist at the head of Dorm Creek, Nokomai and Gow's Creeks ; but there seems to be a blamable want of energy amongst the miners and residents in taking up the search. In tho Orepuki and Longwood gold-mining is in a prosperous state. At Orepuki the claims at work are making good returns. Round Hill, which is the favourite field for Chinese labour, is turning out well, fully justifying John's partiality ; and the Celestial population steadily increases. I should say the returns might be fairly stated at from £2 tp £8 per week. It seems a most extraordinary thing why this place, which is one of the best average poor man's diggings in the district, has not been more patronized by Europeans. It is true that water is scarce there; but the Chinese manage, by renting a few inches of water from the holders of races, to obtain the above good results. The water is held entirely by Europeans, and it stands to reason that they would have naturally given