H.—l9

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The following is the return of miners' rights, licenses, registrations, &c., issued during the twelve months ending 31st March, 1882: —

The following is the return of revenue for the twelve months: —

The following is the return of cases in the Resident Magistrate's and Warden's Courts: —

The following is the estimated yield of gold: —Westport, 6,0860z. ; Charleston, 6,6920z.; Lyell, 10,000oz. : total, 22,7780z. The following is the estimated population: —Westport, 2,000 Europeans; 6 Chinese : total, 2,006. Charleston, 890 Europeans. Lyell, 1,000 Europeans ; 70 Chinese : total, 1,070. Total population, Europeans, 3,890; Chinese, 76. I have, &c, W. H. Eevell, The Under-Secretary for Gold Fields, Wellington. Warden.

No. 9. Mr. Warden Eevell to the Ukder-Secretaey for Gold Fields. Sib,— Warden's Office, Reefton, 26th April, 1882. The time has once more arrived for submitting to you my annual report upon this portion of my district, and my task is in many respects a pleasurable one, as scarcely at any time during the existence of the field have its prospects been so bright as at the present time. One of the essentials to the development of the gold fields is capital. The return of the tide of prosperity to the colony during the past twelve months has made itself felt at this remote portion of it, inasmuch as the money market, which had before been so depressed, having become easier, investment of capital in mining became once more the order of the day, and a great revival has consequently taken place in mining matters. Although the hopes entertained, when writing my last report, of a much larger output of gold during the year have not been fully realized, which may be accounted for by the fact that the works in several of the mines were not so far advanced as it was anticipated, yet the result may be regarded as satisfactory, there having been an increase upon last year of 2,135 oz., 12 dwt., 20 gr., from the quartz mines, and 1,446 oz., 16 dwt., 23 gr. from alluvial workings. The past year has been an eventful one in the history of the district. All quartz-mining communities are subject to " spurts," which are generally occasioned by the striking of rich gold-bearing stone in a mine. The past year has seen several such finds in many of the mines here —notably in the Imperial, Specimen Hill, Golden Fleece, and Golden Point Companies. These finds occurring in quick succession, coupled with the finding of rich loads at deep levels in the Welcome and Keep-it-Dark mines, and money being much more plentiful, resulted in a spurt such as the district had not seen since its early days. The above companies are situated at Boatman's, Murray's, and Devil's Creeks, and are

Westport. Charleston. Lyell. Totals. liners' rights ... iusiness licenses, £5 business licenses, £3 ¥ater-raee licenses, 5s. /Vater-race licenses, 2s. 6d. ... legislations, 10s. {registrations, Is. dining Applications .pplications gold-mining leases jrold-mining leases granted 186 5 90 5 168 95 36 8 259 1 2 191 4 988 330 5 3 234 3 4 2 111 6 292 180 58 16 079 4 9 4 392 15 1,448 605 99 27

Westport. Charleston. Lyell. Totals. Warden's Department, Gold Fields Ditto Colliery Reserve Resident Magistrate's Department Fees, Licensing Court Spirit Licenses £ s. d. 985 7 0 974 19 6 150 19 6 11 5 0 547 0 0 £ s. d. 630 0 0 14 9 0 5 4 0 230 5 0 £ s. d. 942 19 6 50 0 6 10 3 0 273 0 0 £ s. 2,558 6 974 19 215 9 26 12 1,050 5 d. 6 6 0 0 0 Totals 2,669 11 0 879 18 0 1,276 3 0 4,825 12 0

Civil. Criminal. Warden's. Totals. Westport harleston ,yell Lampden 269 24 31 18 123 13 23 1 4 24 12 6 396 61 66 25 342 160 -16 548