.a—s
30
It will be seen from the foregoing statement that the sales of water for the last year amounted to £129 10s., as against £126 16s. Id. for the previous year, while the cost of maintenance was £2 145., thus leaving a net profit of £126 16s. on the working of this water-race. The average number of miners employed in claims worked by the aid of this water-race was nine, and the approximate quantity of gold obtained by them was 140 oz., representing a value of £539. Deducting the value of sales of water from the value of the gold obtained, it leaves £489 3s. lid. as the earnings of the miners, which is equal to about £45 10s. per man per annum. The total cost of this waterrace was £1,036 16s. Argyle Eace. The Argyle Water-race, which supplies water to the Charleston field, is now managed by and under the control of the Buller County Council. Certain repairs and additions to the siphon being required, a subsidy amounting to £150 was given towards this work, which has been satisfactorily completed at a total cost of £350. Summary of Water-races. The following statement will show the profits and losses of working the different water-races constructed and maintained by the Government for the last twenty-one years, and also the collateral advantages derived by the utilisation of the water from these races : —
GOLD- AND SILVEE-MINING. In the conduct of operations prosecuted in search of gold and silver, steady perseverance has characterized the efforts of all the companies and persons who have entered on the industry as a field for legitimate investment. ■'■ Prospecting-works that were carried on throughout the goldfields in both Islands, and which did not realise encouraging results, have for the most part -been stopped, and only in those mines that are favourably situated, or those from which the returns have been satisfactory, have progressive and development works been vigorously prosecuted. It Is satisfactory to note that in most instances an increase in the yield has resulted from further development of quartz, alluvial, hydraulic sluicing, and dredging claims, on which improvements and additions have been made to the different plants and machinery required in the working of mines, and the recovery of the precious metals. Dividends to a considerable amount have been paid by quartz, hydraulic mining, and dredging companies, and there are evidences that the number of dividend-paying mines is on the increase.
Name of Water-race. Value of Sales of Water, including Value of Gold obtained in Sludge-channel. Expenditure. Profit or Loss on Working. si **• 0 ft ti. ~ * s oo go ti * '3"|S.g Value of Gold ° obtained. |3 i Duty received on Gold obtained. Total Profit or Loss, with Value of Gold Duty added. Total Cost of Construction. Waimea - Kumara Water - race and Sludge-channel Twenty years ended 31 March, 1898 .. Year ended 31 March, 1899 '■... £ s. d. 151,529 4 5 £ s. d. 91,422 12 0 £ s. d. 60,106 12 5 a CO 3 Oz. 274,204 £ s. d. 1,034,749 16 3 £ s. 20,728 0 £ s. d. 80,834 12 5 £ s. d. 3,598 3 0 3,179 14 7 418 8 5 120 7,284 28,407 12 0 418 8 5 Totals 120 155,127 7 5 94,602 6 7 60,525 0 10 281,488 1,063,157 8 3 20,728 0 81,253 0 10 •211,168 2 Nelson Creek. Thirteen years four months ended 31 July, 1892 5,431 9 6 17,577 0 7 15,415 7 1 2,161 13 6 sy 1 32,943 126,049 17 0 3,269 16 90,722 10 Argyle. Thirteen years ended 31 March, 1895 .. 5,530 16 0 5,455 7 7 75 9 3 17 8,040 30,738 12 Ol 804 0 879 9 3 15,151 15 Mount Ida. Twenty years ended 31 March, 1898 .. Year ended 31 March, 1899 .. 26,589 19 11 29,907 5 6 t3,317 5 7 53,207J 202,961 7 6 3,176 2 fl41 3 7 68,607 8 1,496 9 0 1,231 14 0 264 15 0 49 2,895 11,145 5 0 264 15 0 Totals 28,086 8 11 31,138 19 6i '+3,052 10 7 49 56,102J| 214,106 12 6 3,176 21 123 11 5 68,607 8 Blackstone Hill. Five years ended 31 March, 1898 Year ended 31 March, 1899 619 5 0 72 5 0 542 0 0 1,032 3,998 19 6 542 0 0 1,036 16 129 10 0 2 14 0| 126 16 0 140 539 0 0 126 16 0 Totals 180 16 0 I i 668 16 01 1,036 16 748 15 0 74 19 0 1,172 4,537 19 6 Grand totals .. 207,070 8 9J 146,686 19 9 59,890 9 0 49 379,745J 1,438,590 9 9 27,977 18 |88,356 7 0 1386,686 12 1 * Including £6,027 15s. 6d. cost o: constructing sxtension to Ci bllaghan's. t Loss on working.