15

C—3a

inasmuch as all business is transacted from one central office. The company has exported the following quantities: New Zealand ports, 1,715,423 ft.; Cape Town, South Africa, 738,000 ft.; Melbourne, 289,664 ft. To the Cape, red-pine has been sent, and to Melbourne, white-pine. Return of cases disposed of in the Magistrate's and Warden's Courts at Greymouth for the year ending the 31st March, 1896 : Civil, 186; criminal, 243 ; Warden's, 17. The revenue for the year amounted to £3,299 16s. 5d., made up as follows : Warden's department, £2,930 2s. 5d.; Magistrate's, £290 9s. ; Licensing-fees, £79 ss. : total, £3,299 16s. sd. Particulars of revenue collected in the Warden's Court at Greymouth, for the year ending the 31st March, 1896 :— £ s. d. Miners'rights ... ... ... ... ... ... 337 2 0 Business licenses ... ... ... ... ... ... 300 Water-races ... ... ... ... ... ... 31 5 0 Registrations ... ... ... ... ... ... 20 4 0 Rents ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1,045 17 0 Fees and fines ... ... ... ... ... ... 9 14 0 Miscellaneous ... ... ... ... ... ... 1,483 0 5 £2,930 2 5 Number of applications lodged during the above-named period, 290. Moonlight Greek. — Stewart's Hill still continues to find employment for about twenty miners, who, on the whole, make good wages. Some attention has been given to quartz-minim? in this locality, there being at present three applications for special claims pending in the Auaura Warden's Court. While one party is already vigorously at work constructing a low-level tunnel into its ground, everything would seem to lead to the conclusion that reefs do exist here, and, judging from the specimens obtained, they should be of an exceptionally rich nature. Some time since a party was formed to bring in a race from the Roaring Meg Creek to Healy's Gully, which is situated in the Moonlight Creek watershed, and a considerable area of ground has been taken up in anticipation of being supplied with water therefrom. It seems that a good deal of prospecting has been done, and the prospect of the ground turning out well almost assured. As regards the area of this auriferous country, I may say that it extends from the Roaring Meg Creek to the foot of German Gully, Blackball southward, and upward from the Meg to BA Creek, a distance of about three miles. Between Upper Moonlight and the Roaring Meg Creek there are about a hundred and ten miners at work —eighty at Moonlight and thirty at Roaring Meg Creek— while about seventy Chinese are employed about Shellback and Caledonia Creek, new auriferous ground having been found by them towards the last-named creek. Blackball. —There is at the Upper Blackball a number of sluicing-claims, employing between thirty and forty miners. I am unable to report any hew discoveries during the year, although some prospecting for quartz reefs has taken place at, and about the head of, the left-hand branch, and leaders containing gold found. The class of gold from this locality favours the belief that reefs are not far distant, and only need discovering. A considerable number of Chinese, and a few Europeans, are working about Ford's and Soldiers Creeks, and Lingren's Terrace. No Town. — There are about a hundred miners, including Chinese, in this district, where a considerable amount of sluicing is carried on in spite of a very limited water-supply. The great drawback is, I may say, the apparent inability to bring a sufficient supply of water for sluicing purposes on to the high terraces; otherwise those situate north and south of No Town would, in all probability, have long since been worked and found payable. About two years ago some new ground was opened at Sunday Creek, which has been giving, and will continue for a long time to come to give, handsome returns. How far this extends is hard to say. The last party that got on gold had about 1,700 ft. to tunnel for it, but is now being well paid for its labour. Nelson Creek still maintains a large number of miners, who, taking the general average, make fair wages. The workings extend over a considerable area of country in this locality. The Bellhill Gold-mining Company's water-race is nearing completion, when the value of their property will be known. This portion of the district has held the reputation of being one that would yield good returns, provided a sufficient supply of water were brought to bear on it; but this was an undertaking beyond the means of a small party of miners, and it is to be hoped that success will attend the efforts of the company carrying it out. There has been no new discovery of auriferous ground of any importance during the last twelve months, but it is believed that a large area exists at the upper part of the left-hand branch which will pay for working. Ahaura. —With the exception of two claims taken up opposite Sullivan's Creek, which are giving payable returns, there is nothing fresh to report. Rees and party, and Calder and party, are still engaged in the construction of their water-races, which are rather big undertakings, and will be some time yet before they are completed. Some idea can be formed of the first when it is mentioned that there are about 40 chains of tunnelling in the line of race, while the last-named party's race is three miles in length, having two large reservoirs connected with it. Such undertakings prove that these parties have confidence in the ground, especially when it is considered that everything is paid for out of their own pockets. Nobles, Waipuna, and Mosquito Creeks. —There are some thirty Europeans and twenty Chinese working about the above-named creeks. The district labours under special difficulties in respect to water-supply. During the last twelve months a party of ten Chinese, who have set in toward the head of Mosquito Creek, are reported to be doing well. From the point where they are working to the foot of the creek is untried. Many attempts have been made to prospect this creek, but hitherto all have failed, owing to a large body of water being met with underground. A special claim has been applied for with the intention of giving it another trial, it being no doubt under contemplation