a—3

20

From this table it will be seen that the sales of water amounted to £7,767 7s. 2d., to which has to be added £413 3s. 4d., the value of free water given towards the cost of deviations at Kumara, making the total revenue £8,180 10s. 6d. ; the expenditure being £2,369 4s. 9c1., leaving a profit on the working of £5,811 ss. 9d. The total amount of free water given for other purposes last year was £1,093 3s. sd. The average number of men employed in working claims with water from this supply was 248, and the quantity and value of gold obtained was 12,8290z., representing a value of £50,032 19s. Deducting the value of the sales of water, and the value of water given towards the cost of deviations, it leaves £41,852 Bs. 6d. as the earnings of 248 miners for the year, which amounted to about £168 15s. 2d. per man, or £3 2s. 7d. a man per week, being about the same as for the previous year. Nelson Creek Water-race. This water-race is leased at a peppercorn rental for two years from the Ist August, 1891. The whole of the bridges and flumes, which have been erected for about seventeen years, are so decayed that the revenue the Government was getting from this race would not pay the cost of maintenance. The race was accordingly leased to John McNaughton, the former manager, to carry on for what he could mahe out of it. There is not a sufficient area of auriferous gravel-drifts commanded by this race to justify a large outlay in replacing the flumes and bridges. The sales of water for the year 1890-91 only amounted to £570, while the expenditure on maintenance for the same period was £940. The ground was also getting more worked out every year, so that the revenue would necessarily become less, and the average number of men that this supply was the means of keeping employed in the locality was only twenty-eight. There is a splendid reservoir at the head of this water-race, which may be utilised some day as a storage-supply for a water-race to command the country between Nelson Creek and No Town Creek, where there are large areas of auriferous drifts which may some day be profitably worked by hydraulicing. There is also a considerable area of drift terraces between Nelson Creek and the Ahaura Eiver that would pay for working with a good supply of water; this water-supply would also command that ground. The following table shows the receipts and expenditure for the four months previous to handing the race over to Mr. McNaughton : —

This shows a loss on the working of £79 6s. 6d. for the four months; and the amount received for gold, after deducting the value of sales of water, was equal to about £1 18s. 6d. a man per week. The total cost of this work was £90,722 10s. Bd. Mikonui Water-race. This water-race has been handed over to the Eoss Borough Council, who are intending to raise the necessary funds to complete it, at an estimated cost of over £60,000. The local body considers that if the water-race was completed they would derive a large revenue from it. At the present time it is only bringing in a revenue of £50 per annum, while the expenditure already made on the work by Government amounts to £25,927 4s. 6d. A large expenditure would also have to be made in completing the long tunnel between Donnelly's Creek and the Totara Eiver side of the range before any supply of water can be obtained. The portion completed at the present time is used by a company to carry water from creeks for which they hold water-rights.

Month. Sales of Water. Cash received for Sales of Water. Expenditure. Outstanding Moneys at the end of each Month Number of Men employed. Approxi- ' mate Amount Value of Gold. of Gold obtained. I 1891. April May June July August September October November December £ s. a. 726 8 10 771 3 9 639 1 10 251 9 5 518 17 1 H68 15 9 892 19 4 737 18 2 542 1 1 S s. d. 607 36 10 800 7 3 704 8 7 294 0 7 405 7 4 941 13 1 704 13 9 781 11 1 546 2 7 £ s. d. 228 16 7 234 9 6 198 8 8 17G 6 0 192 17 0 235 17 7 211 7 8 213 4 10 187 0 2 £ s. a. 110 4 8 131 4 8 "107 11 6 103 1 8 116 1 2 108 7 11 133 9 8 117 4 9 121 11 10 253 254 251 240 266 263 259 246 248 Oz. 1,264 1,499 816 589 726 1,048 1,367 1,371 1,008 £ a. d. 4,929 12 0 5,846 2 0 3,182 8 0 2,297 2 0 2", 831 8 0 4,087 4 0 5,331 6 0 5,346 18 0 3,931 4 0 1892. 342 3 1 633 6 11 843 1 11 125 5 11 144 13 0 175 15 3 241 236 222 January .. February March 395 8 2 574 4 4 748 14 9 173 12 10 139 0 2 178 3 9 938 852 1,351 3,658 4 0 3,322 16 0 5,268 15 0 Total 7,767 7 2 7,504 8 4 2,369 4 9 248 12,829 50,032 19 0

Month. Sales of Water. Expenditure. Number of Men employed. Approximate Amount of Gold obtained. Value of Goia. Lpril day une "uly 1892. & s. a. 42 10 0 44 10 0 68 11 8 57 8 4 & s. a. 74 2 0 74 9 0 77 13 6 65 17 0 26 24 ■li 21 Oz. 64 65 63 53 £ s. a. 256 0 0 260 0 0 252 0 0 212 0 0 Total 2:! 245 980 0 0 213 0 0 292 6 6