H.—l9.

Statement of Receipts and Expenditure for the Tear ending 31st March, 1882. Peceipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. 1881—April ... ... ... 176 10 0 1881—April ... ... ... 75 19 10 May ... ... ... 86 5 10 May ... ... ... 377 10 6 June ... ... ... 190 12 1 June ... ... ... 104 15 3 July ... ... ... 153 1 8 July ... ... ... 85 18 7 August .. ... 186 9 2 August ... ... 84 16 8 September ... ... 188 2 1 September ... ... 96 15 8 October ... ... 229 15 10 October ... ... 84 17 0 November ... ... 233 17 11 November ... ... 82 0 0 December ... ... 184 0 10 December ... ... 86 12 8 1882—January ... ... 157 10 10 1882—January ... ... 82 0 0 February ... ... 197 11 8 February ... ... 76 6 8 March... ... ... 207 15 0 March... ... ... 118 0 8 Balance Cr. ... ... 835 19 5 £2,191 12 11 £2,191 12 11 The following table shows the approximate amount of gold obtained by persons using water from the Nelson Creek Water-race, and their average earnings during the year ending the 31st March, 1882 :— Month *^"0, °^ eu Approximate amount Employed. of G-olcl obtained. Oz. 1881—April ... ... ... ... 73 ... 294 May ... ... ... ... 69 ... 184 June ... ... ... ... 63 ... 300 July ... ... ... ... 68 ... 335 August ... ... ... ... 64 ... 307 September ... ... ... ... 67 ... 324 October ... ... ... ... 72 ... 386 November ... ... ... ... 69 ... 368 December ... ... ... ... 67 ... 293 1882—January ... ... ... ... 66 ... 271 February ... ... ... ... 66 ... 379 March ... ... ... ... 64 ... 367 808 .'.. 3,808 Value of gold, at £3 16s. 6d. per oz. ... ... ... £14,565 12 0 Deduct sales of water ... ... ... ... 2,191 12 11 £12,373 19 1 Average number of men employed, 67. Average earnings per man per annum, after deducting money paid for water, £184 13s. Bd. I have, &c., Henry A. Gordon, The Under-Secretary for Gold Fields, Wellington. Manager.

No. 21. Mr. J. Gow, Manager of the Waimea-Kumara Water-Eaee, to the Under-Secretary for Gold Fields. Sib, — Manager's Office, Kumara, 4th April, 1882. I have the honor to make the following general remarks on the working and maintenance of the Waimea-Kumara Eaces and Sludge Channel for the year ending 31st March, 1882 : — Waimea Pace. —This race maintains about the same number of miners as last year, and I think their earnings average much the same, except some of the Chinese, who are working very poor ground ; they seem, however, contented with much smaller pay than would satisfy most Europeans. As the shallow ground at the heads of the gullies is being worked out, the miners move downward towards Stafford, and are now opening up extended claims on Tunnel Terrace, where the ground is from 40 to 73 feet deep, and much resembles the Kumara workings in character, but I believe not in value, per cubic yard. The extension of Branch B race will command all this terrace, which will very soon be the chief mining centre in this district, and will give employment to a good number of miners for many years. The sales of water for the incoming year promise to be equal to the past year. Kumara Pace. —There are now only a few claims working remuneratively in the old style—viz., by windlass or whip, which are here termed " feeder claims." Much of the ground which has been worked in this way has lately been taken up in extended claims, with a view of sluicing into the sludge channel, and many of the feeder claims at a considerable distance from the line of channel have quite lately been abandoned in consequence of the new discoveries near Woodstock, where all who are doing very little here are moving in the hope of getting a golden claim; even the Government racemaintenance men, who have been in this employment for years, have gone to the new rush. This rush will slightly reduce the sales of water for a time, but I do not anticipate a serious loss. Kumara Sludge Channel. —This is, I believe, the most important work of its kind in New Zealand, and calculated to be the salvation of this gold field. It will enable the miners to sluice away a very

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