a—Ba

36

No. 16.

Mr. Alexander Aitken, Manager, Waimea-Kumara Water-races, to the Under-Secretary for Mines, Wellington. Sir, — Kumara, 2nd May, 1896. I have the honour to forward the following report on the Waimea-Kumara Water-races for the year ending 31st March, 1896 : — Waimea Water-race. The total sales of water from this race during the year amounted to £795 13s. 6d., and the expenditure for the same period on maintenance was £770 3s. Bd., showing a credit balance of £25 9s. lOd. on the year's transactions. The average number of miners supplied with water from this race was sixty-nine, and the approximate quantity of gold obtained 1,9250z., valued at £7,507 10s. The sales of water are £192 7s. Id. less than the preceding year, and the yield of gold 5500z. less, valued at £2,145. The difference in the yield of gold and in the sales of water is attributable to the time lost by the miners through breakages and scarcity of water, and to several claims being worked out in the Waimea and Stafford districts. The yield of gold averages about the same as last year, so that, had the sales of water been up to the average of last year, the yield of gold would not have shown any material difference. The expenditure on ordinary maintenance is less than for the preceding year by £291 ss. Bd. This is due to the flumes on the Waimea and Stafford sections being in a fair state of repair, so that very little had to be expended upon them. Some of the tunnels had to be retimbered and cleaned out. Several very large slips occurred during the year, the largest in January last, when it took a fortnight to repair the damage done. The whole of this race in the Waimea and Stafford sections is now in a fair state of repair. Besides the sales of water, free water to the value of £115 9s. 7d. was supplied during the year to assist some of the claimholders who had a succession of poor washings, and who would have had to abandon the workings unless some assistance had been given, and a considerable amount of waste water has been given away to parties with the endeavour of opening up new ground in the district. Only repairs that were absolutely necessary to render the race safe were effected on the high fluming at Kawhaka, as the high fluming will soon be dispensed with and the deviation, now nearly completed, used in its place. Deviation Waimea Race at Kawhaka. The deviation of the Waimea Race at Kawhaka was commenced about the lattter end of August, but owing to the wet weather no work was done until the middle of September. The earthwork is now nearly completed. An average of thirty-five men was employed on contracts during the whole of the time. The amount expended on this work during the year was £1,583 19s. Bd., and the wages earned by men engaged ranged from ss. 6d. to lis. 7d. per day. The difference is due mainly to the amount of work the contractors were able to perform, those earning :he small amounts being old men and unable to do much work. The fluming, which will not be more than 10ft. in the highest part, will be proceeded with as soon as possible, so as to enable the high fluming on the old race to be dispensed with. As soon as this deviation is completed, water will be available for Callaghan's and the Middle Branch of the Waimea Creek, as the deviation will carry a much larger quantity of water than the race at present in use. The portions of the race at present in use in earthwork would carry more water, but the high fluming is not safe to run full in its present state. Branch Race to Callaghan's. During the year the sum of £1,709 12s. was expended on this work, which includes the construction and laying of 1,700 lineal feet of 26in. wrought-iron riveted pipes, with necessary tanks at inlet and outlet ends for syphon across the Hokitika Road. The balance of the expenditure was caused principally in the work of building up the low places where it was originally intended to erect fluming and boxing over creeks, tail-races, &c, and erecting necessary by-washes. When the race is cleaned out, which is rendered necessary owing to the occurrence of slips, and the deviation of the Waimea Race at Kawhaka is completed, water can be supplied at Italians' and Callaghan's. Beanch Race towaeds Middle Branch of Waimea Creek. No work has been done on this race during the year, but an extension is required to enable water to be supplied to claims taken up in the Middle Branch of the Waimea Creek. Instructions have been received to proceed at once with the construction of this extension, when water will be available for the claims taken up in connection with the Waimea Main Tail-race. Waimea Main Tail-race. This main tail-race extends from the Middle Branch of the Waimea Creek to the Right-hand Branch, and the entire length of it will be in blue reef. The total length when completed will be 2,036 ft., of which 1,036 ft. has already been driven. The size of the tail-race is 7ft. by 4ft. 6in. in the clear, and has a gradient of 3in. per box, or P37sft. per chain. The boxes will be 3ft. by 3ft. in the clear, without including blocks. There is a large area of sluicing ground in the Middle Branch of the Waimea Creek which can be worked through this tail-race about 25ft. in depth, and the tail-race now being constructed will enable the whole of this ground to be worked. The depth at which the tail-race will reach the Middle Branch is 42ft., and the drop for tailings at the outlet into the Right-hand Branch will be fully 20ft. It will take about eight months to complete the work, and when completed should give a great impetus to mining in the Waimea District.