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No. 17. Mr. Roderick Murray, Manager, Mount Ida Water-race, to the Under-Secretary for Mines, Wellington". Sir,— Naseby, Bth April, 1896. I have the honour to submit the following report on the Mount Ida and Blackstone Hill water-races for the year ending the 31st March, 1896 : — Mount Ida Water-race. The total sales of water from this race during the year amounted to £1,189 Is., and the expenditure on maintenance and repairs for the same period, £1,362 4s. The total cash received was £1,229 18s. Id. On account of payment in advance, water to the amount of £86 17s. 6d. was supplied. Free water to the amount of £15 6s. 3d. was supplied to assist in opening up new claims, and free water for washing up was also supplied to the amount of £68 6s. 6d. The total value of water supplied from the race during the year was £1,359 lis. 3d. The average number of miners supplied with water from this race was 61-25, and the approximate quantity of gold obtained by parties using water from the race was 2,3050z., valued at £8,931 17s. 6d. From the last half of April to the 10th May there were several slight falls of snow, giving a good supply of water. On the 26th May we had the heaviest fall of snow experienced so early in the season for many years, followed by hard frost, when nearly all the miners knocked off work, a thaw setting in on the 30th allowing them to go to work again ; but by the 13th June winter setting in in earnest compelled them to knock off again, when, on account of the terrible severity and length of the winter, there was practically no work done for twelve weeks. I started to clean out the race on the 26th August, the severity of the winter and the great depth of snow causing a great deal of stuff to fall into it, this, together with hundreds of dead sheep and thousands of rabbits, entailing a large expenditure to clean it out. By the end of December the ranges were clear of snow, hot weather and high winds drying up the water, so that for most of the time since then there has been but little over half a supply. There are now three elevating claims at work—all in the Main or Hogburn Gully — supplied by water from the race, the latest a claim of 60 acres on the sludge-channel, taken up by W. Guffie and party (three), a mile and a half below the Township of Naseby, from which, from a month's washing they have had out of it, they are likely to get well paid for their enterprise. The race since it has been cleaned has been kept in good order by the maintenance men. There has been little or no prospecting done in the district during the year. Blackstone Hill Race. The total sales of water for the year from this race was £131 lis. 7d., and total cash received was £131 4s. Id. The total cost of keeping this race in repair, including the repairing the tunnel in Johnstone's tail-race where the main road crosses it, was £29 Bs. From the end of December the supply of water has been at times very short, particularly during last month. The average number of miners supplied with water from this race during the year was 741. I have, &c, R. Murray, Manager. The Under-Secretary, Mines Department, Wellington.

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