C—4a

1886. NEW ZEALAND.

GOLDFIELDS.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

WARDENS' AND WATEE-EACE EEPOETS.

AUCKLAND GOLDEIELDS. No. 1. Mr. Warden Kenbjck to the Under-Secretary of Mines. Sir, — Warden's Office, Thames, 24th April, 1883. I have the honour to forward the annual report upon the various gold-mining districts under my control, together ■ with the goldfields statistics and returns for the year ended 31st March last. Haurald South {Thames). A good deal of prospecting has been carried on during the year at Tapu, Puru, and Mata Creeks, in the northern portion of the district, with satisfactory results. At Tapu a claim known as the Everton has been sunk some 80ft. below the creek-level, carrying good payable stone the whole way. Encouraged by this success, and the promise of a subsidy from the Government, the owners have arranged to sink a fresh shaft to a depth of about 180 ft., at which depth they anticipate being able to work the reef. The work will be a somewhat expensive one, there being so much water to contend with; but it is an enterprise deserving of the encouragement it has received, as a successful result (of which there is every probability) would cause a large area of ground hitherto untried at this depth to betaken up. Both this and the tunnel at Golden Point, in the same locality (also subsidized) are works of public importance. Unaided, the works would not have been started for years, if at all ; whilst both, if successful, will open large areas of ground. Sluieing-c'aims, a novelty on this goldfield, have recently been taken up in the Puru and Mata Creeks; but as yet the necessary preliminary work is not completed. Good prospects of coarse, loose gold have frequently been obtained in both localities. Amongst the older mines on the Grahamstown Flat the feature of the year has been the rich returns obtained from the Cambria Mine, rivalling those obtained from the Prince Imperial Mine two years ago. As showing the latent wealth of the district, I would point out that the ground comprised within the Cambria Company's mine had, like the Prince Imperial Mine, been neglected for years. It was taken up in 1884 by a company with a nominal capital of £31,500. Only 9d. per share was called up. Since then 10,987 tons have been crushed, yielding 36,3340z. of gold; and dividends to the amount of £2 4s. per share have been paid on 31,500 shares. The run of gold has been temporarily lost; but there is every indication that it will be recovered in the lower levels now being sunk and driven for. Apart from the Cambria yield the year's work in the older mines has not been altogether satisfactory. The Queen of Beauty Mine has not resumed operations; whilst the companies working between the 400-feet and 640-feet level havemet with but indifferent success. I regret to say that the new Drainage Board have, on the score of the great expense of keeping these levels clear of water without adequate results, decided not to drain below the 400-feet level during the present year. The provisions of the Gold-mining Districts Amendment Act of last session relating to the drainage of mines having been brought into operation by regulations framed for the purpose, a Board has been elected who will in the future have sole power to regulate the drainage of the claims within the proclaimed area. One of the first acts of the Board was to enter into negotiations with the present Pumping Company I—C. 4a.