C.—3

24

It will be seen from the foregoing statement that the value of the sales of water last year amounted to £6,411 Os. 3d., as against £6,804 13s. for the previous year; thus showing a decrease in the sales of water last year of £393 12s. 9d. The expenditure on maintenance last year was £2,836 17s. 9d., as against £2,640 lis. 4d. for the former year ; showing an increase in the cost of maintenance to the extent of £196 6s. sd. Taking the value of the sales of water and the cost of maintenance last year, it leaves a net profit of £3,574 2s. 6d. The total cost of the work up to the present time is £171,682 17s. lid. It has been the means of giving profitable employment to 183 miners last year, who obtained approximately 10,4000z. gold, representing a value of £40,560. Deducting the value of the sales of water from the value of the gold, it leaves £34,149 as the average earnings of the miners, which is equal to £186 12s. 2d. a man per annum, or about £3 lis. 9d. a man per week. It has to be borne in mind that a considerable discount from this amount would have to be made for the net earnings of the miners, as no allowance is made for tools and materials used.