a—4.

10

From this it will be seen that the sales of water have been £1,790 165., whereas the previous year they amounted to £1,726 ss. 6d. The actual cash received for sales of water last year was £1,750 14s. 10d.; the amount received the previous year was £1,664 Is. Id. So that the actual sale 3 of water have increased £64 10s. 6d., and the actual cash received £86 13s. 9d. during last year. The expenditure on maintenance last year was £1,131 18s. Id., and that of the previous year £1,352 3s. 5d.; thus showing a decrease in last year's expenditure of £220 ss. 4d., which must be considered satisfactory. The.actual profit on last year's transactions was £618 16s. 9d., against £311 17s. Bd. the previous year; thus showing an increase of £306 19s. Id. The value of free water given last year to the miners to assist them in opening out their claims was £20 3s. 4d.; and the moneys outstanding on 31st March for water were £409 9s. lOd. The average number of miners employed in working mining claims with water from this race has been 107 ; and the approximate amount of gold obtained 3,5200z., representing a value of £13,376. Deducting the cash received for water from the value of the gold obtained, the average earnings of the miners have been about £2 Is. 9cl. per week. The total cost of construction of this portion of the water-race has been £118,575 15s. 2d., and profits derived from the working of the race £618 16s. 9d.; which gives direct interest at the rate of about \ per cent. on the cost of construction. Kumara Water-race, Westland. —The results of the working this portion of the WaimeaKumara water-supply are given separately; but, strictly, the Kumara Water-race has to be taken in conjunction with the Kumara Sludge-channel, as that work was constructed to enable the water to be utilized from this race. The whole of the works in connection with the supply are in good repair, and the race is capable of carrying about a hundred sluice-heads of water. The tunnel from the Kapitea Creek has been partially enlarged, but a small portion of it still remains to be completed. A folding-gate has been constructed by the manager across the by-wash at the upper dam at Loopline Road, raising the surface of water in the dam 15in., which increases the carryingcapacity of the dam considerably ; but, in the event of a heavy flood taking place, this gate should always be opened, as the embankment and outlet-box from the dam are not constructed to stand additional pressure. Indeed, during a recent flood the outlet-box showed signs of weakness, and had to be strengthened; so that great care and strict supervision must now be exercised to prevent any accident occurring. The following table will show the results of the working of this race during the year : —

Month. Sales of Water. Amount of Cash received for Sales of Water. Expenaiture. Amount of Outstanaing Moneys at the Ena of each Month. Number of Men employed. Approximate Amount of Gold obtained. Value of Gold. 1885. £ B. d. 141 19 6 183 7 0 172 12 5 147 3 3 120 7 9 185 1 2 191 0 9 166 7 5 127 5 9 £ s. d. 271 19 5 183 0 6 111 16 2 170 15 9 119 19 5 217 2 5 159 7 0 108 19 10 280 1 2 £ s. d. 79 13 5 87 12 11 93 13 7 113 3 10 159 3 8 95 13 5 43 15 0 90 1 2 115 17 9 £ a. a. 232 8 9 232 15 3 293 16 6 269 19 0 270 7 4 238 0 1 269 19 10 327 7 5 174 12 0 Oz. 281 294 300 490 360 301 317 275 299 £ b. d. 1,067 16 0 1,117 4 0 1,140 0 0 1,862 0 0 1,368 0 0 1,143 16 0 1,204 12 0 1,045 0 0 1,136 4 0 April May June July August September.. October November .. December .. 1886. 111 121 121 112 111 109 109 100 101 January February .. March 35 15 9 140 8 8 179 6 7 0 7 0 97 5 4 30 0 10 131 13 0 60 15 10 60 14 6 210 0 9 253 4 1 409 9 10 93 93 104 53 244 306 201 8 0 927 4 0 1,162 16 0 Totals 1,790 16 0 1,750 14 10 1,131 18 1 1,285 3,520 13,376 0 0 Remarks. —Amount of mo: in the 31st Match, 1886, £409 £ leducting cash paid for water, ney outstandi: )s. lOd. Profit £2 Is. 9d. per ag on the 31s: on Waimea ' week. March, 188; fater-race, £ 5, £362 8s. 8d. S618 16s. 9d. . ; amoun: iverage e of money outstanding jrnings of miners, after

Month. Sales of Water. Amount ol Cash received for Sales of Water. Expenditure. Amount of Outstanding Moneys at the; End of each \ Month. Number of Men employed. Approximate Amount of Gold obtained. Value of Gold. 1885. £ a. d. 655 16 0 796 6 9 893 5 3 745 19 7 773 19 10 943 13 5 953 15 6 997 7 8 697 13 5 £ a. a. 1,518 2 11 204 18 4 1,011 16 3 862 3 4 975 11 9 906 6 3 1,013 2 0 276 5 6 2,317 16 10 £ a. d. 94 8 11 99 14 0 102 18 1 101 11 0 122 18 7 141 10 6 122 18 5 123 3 5 144 17 2 £ a. d. 1,710 10 8 2,020 17 1 2,183 8 2 2,067 4 4 1,865 12 5 1,603 17 7 1,843 13 1 2,564 15 3 939 6 1 Oz. 740 999 1,050 1,062 1,080 1,072 1,375 1,220 1,300 £ a. a. 2,812 19 0 3,796 4 0 3,990 0 0 4,035 0 0 4,104 0 0 4,073 12 0 5,225 0 0 4,636 0 0 4,940 0 0 April May June July August September October November December 233 235 235 238 239 239 240 240 235 1886. January February March 686 4 0 708 15 8 9S5 19 7 10 0 346 2 9 948 5 2 127 0 9 109 10 6 164 8 1 1,624 10 1 2,077 0 7 2,064 15 0 233 229 232 1,357 1,197 1,404 5,156 12 0 4,548 12 0 5,335 4 0 Totala 9,788 16 8 10,381 11 1 1,454 19 5 2,828 13,856 52,653 3 0 Remarks. —Amount of mi ing on the 31st March, 188G, ; Pifter deducting cash paid for ■ >ney outstandi ■2,064 15s. P; vater and cha: ing on the 31st rofit on Kuma: nnel fees, £3 5 t March, 1885 : ra Water-race is. per week, , £2,572 17s. :, £8,926 lis, 'd.; amou 3d. Averi mt of mc jge earni: mey outstandags of miners,