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9
of considerable advantage to the district, and would have benefited the settlers on the banks of the river instead of injuring them, as they would have found a market for their produce, timber, and firewood. In conclusion, I may say that there has been a marked increase in the number of men employed in mining in several parts of the large district over which I have jurisdiction. There has been a large increase in the number of applications for special claims, and some energy has been displayed.in prospecting. Large areas have also been applied for in the neighbourhood of Matakitaki and Maruia under the Act of last session. This improved state of things is, no doubt, to some extent due to the fact that the attention of English capitalists has been drawn to the West Coast goldfields. I have, &c, Alfred Greenfield, Warden.
No. 6. Mr. Warden Steatfoed to the Under-Secretary for Mines, Wellington. Sir, — Warden's office, Reefton, Ist June, 1896. I have the honour to forward you herewith statistical returns for the year ended the 31st March last, and submit the following report on the Inangahua district for the same period. The result of the year's operations compare very favourably with the previous year, there being an all-round improvement. The calls are less, by £1,735, being, I believe, smaller than in any previous year in the history of the district; the dividends are greater by £14,913; the quantity of stone crushed is greater by 3,053 tons, with an increase of 3,1780z. of gold. The yield of alluvial gold is greater by 871oz. From theopening of the district to the 31st March last 670,749 tons of quartz have been crushed, from which 476,0270z. of gold have been obtained, representing a value of £1,860,968, out of which sum £588,518 has been distributed in dividends. The total amount of alluvial gold raised for the same period is approximately estimated at 127,5420z., representing a value of £471,882. The total gold production of the district amounts to 603,5690z., of the value of £2,332,850. The following table will show the calls made, dividends declared, &c, by the various companies in the district during the year : —
List of Dividends declared, Calls made, &c., by various Companies.
2—C. 3a.
Name of Company. Calls made. Dividends declared. Quartz crushed. Yield of Gold. Value. iVealth of Nations EEercules... iolden Lead slew Low-level Tunnel 5ir Charles Bussell Exchange Jlobe £eep-It-Dark vfo. 2 South Keep-It-Dark ... 3ig Eiver Welcome United ... jord Edward Jolden Treasure ... £ s. 1,200 0 600 0 318 0 1,500 0 300 0 d. 0 0 0 0 0 £ s. d. 1,625 0 0 1,200 0 0 Tons. 3,347 1,646 42 Oz. 1,190 823 39 3 258 £ a. d. 4,734 0 9 3,254 14 7 157 0 9 11 6 0 1,025 6 1 383 900" 0 0 5,250 0 0 3,750 4,169 1,502 2,389 6,026 15 0 9,584 17 0 600" 0 0 16,292 0 8 1,600 0 400 0 200 0 0 0 0 10,800 0 0 3,736 4,026 i'rogress ... Cumberland 1,200 0 100 0 100 0 100 0 200 0 0 0 0 0 0 6,000" 0 0 8,640 523 3,914 572 15,830 4 6 2,341 14 2 success ... Dillon ... iloyal 'nglewood 172 126 500 0 0 Private Coys, and Tributers — Al Golden Fleece ... Caledonian Sir F. Drake Syndicate ... Just in Time Victoria Boatman's Tailings Fiery Cross 150 0 0 59 1,050 *900 1,045 25 169 464 401 97 315 26 155 154 150 1,878 16 6 1,627 0 0 383 3 0 1,260 0 0 104 0 0 620 0 0 590 6 9 572 4 9 +160 Uluvial gold 8,418 0 0 25,925 0 0 29,816 16,604 5,421 66,793 10 6 21,142 7 10 Totals... 22,025 87,935 18 4 ick. iroximate onl