C—3

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ALLUVIAL AND HYDRAULIC MINING. The working of alluvial deposits of an auriferous character has been carried out from one end of the Middle Island to the other, and, to a limited extent, in Stewart Island also. At the present time alluvial mining is responsible for the employment of a very large number of persons, apart altogether from the system of dredging in rivers and on alluvial flats, a method which will be treated under its own heading. In Marlborough rough alluvial gold is obtained in Top Valley Creek and tributary creeks ; also in creeks from the Devil's Arm-chair (Richmond Ranges), and in tributaries of the Wairau River for a distance of some sixteen miles above the confluence of Top Valley Creek with the Wairau. Digging to a shallow depth has been carried on in a desultory fashion for some years by individual miners and small parties fossicking about the creeks which empty into the Wairau River from Blenheim upwards. A dredge is being built in Top Valley. At and in the locality of Wakamarina about two dozen miners make a living, the Gorge and Yukon Claims employing about half that number. The gold is coarse, and the ground patchy. The auriferous drift bottoms on schist rock, and much of the ground is shallow. Dredging has been commenced on the Wakamarina River. About thirty men are employed in alluvial mining in the neighbourhood of Cullensville and Mahakipawa. The Nelson and West Coast districts contain large areas of alluvial-mining country, upon which digging and sluicing operations are actively pursued, work on an extensive scale being conducted in the localities of Collingwood, Westport, Greymouth, Kumara, Hokitika, and Ross. Work on a small scale is also in progress at many other places throughout the district. In the neighbourhood of Takaka a number of miners have found employment for several years, and I understand that a scheme is under way for working the alluvial deposits near the Bubu Stream by hydraulicking. There is an area of flat here which, if profitably auriferous, might possibly be worked to advantage by dredges. At Parapara, near Collingwood, the operations of the Parapara Hydraulic Sluicing Company find employment for twenty men. The results obtained for the period under review appear to have been satisfactorily profitable, but from appearances some dead-work may have to be faced in the near future. The Collingwood Goldfields Company's claim is at Quartz Ranges, some miles above Bainham. It comprises an area of considerably over 200 acres, and the head-works for the water-supply have been carried out in a most workmanlike style. The source of supply, is Boulder Lake, 120 acres in extent, and which has a discharge by a narrow gorge into the Boulder River. Across this gorge a masonry dam has been built, which raises the water in the lake 17 ft., thus forming a large reservoir. After its discharge from the lake the water flows down the Boulder River for a mile and a half, and is then taken by a race four miles and a half in length to the claim. The race, which has a carrying-capacity of sixty Government heads, had to be constructed under conditions of considerable difficulty, and consists of open wood fluming—supported, where necessary, by trestle-work and trusses —for the greater part of its length. From the penstock the main pipe-line is 30 in. in diameter for some distance, then gradually diminished to 15 in. at the paddock, the service pipes being from 9 in. to 13 in. in diameter. The pressure here is due to a height of 270 ft., or, say, 117 lb. per square inch. About £15,000 has been expended. At the working-face the wash is variable in depth —the average being about 33 ft.—and consists of somewhat coarse gravels. It is said to be patchy as regards its auriferous qualities. The provision made for gold-saving consists of tail-races paved with wood blocks to some extent, and also provided with iron ripples. lam of opinion that this method is open to considerable improvement. From seventeen to twenty-five men find employment here, the number being regulated by requirements, and it is intended to open out another face of work which will employ an additional dozen men. The works have been in progress for some four years, but sluicing only commenced in November last. In the locality of Westport, operations at the claim formerly held by the General Exploration Company have been resumed. The property is now held by a local syndicate. With the exception of the progress being made by the Virgin Flat Gold-mining Company (Limited) in the completion of their constructive work, there is practically nothing to report in the way of developments. At Addison's, Charleston, and the outlying-claims around Westport alluvial mining for the year does not call for special comment. The auriferous nature of the ground contained in the valley of the Grey River has long been recognised, and the deposits worked to some extent. At Ahaura there is a possibility of extensive sluicing operations being undertaken if trial prospecting is satisfactory. Nelson Creek gives profitable employment to a number of miners, but operations were much retarded owing to a recent scarcity of water. For the more efficient supply and storage of water for working their claim extensions are being carried out by the Bell Hill Sluicing Company. The German Gully Company and the Roaring Meg Company have suspended operations. Sulky Gully Claim is worked by a party of Chinese. Fifty-four men are employed in connection with the hydraulic claims at Barrytown. Extensive works are in progress for sluicing; also sluicing and elevating, and dredging is proposed. In this locality (as elsewhere on alluvial goldfields) a few miners are to be found working individually or in small parties. They are reported to make satisfactory wages. In the locality of Kumara —including Dillmanstown and Waimea—sluicing claims, employing a gross number of 237 men, have been supplied with water from the Government races. From these claims 9,518 oz. of gold, valued at £37,120 45., was obtained from the Ist April to the 31st December, 1900, the labour employed and amount of gold obtained from the claims supplied by each race being as under : —