0.—3

120

Branch Race to Callaghan's and Middle Branch of Waimea Creek. The cash received for sales of water from this race for the year ending the 31st March, 1906, was £722 ss. 2d., and the expenditure for the same period on gauging, maintenance, and repairs was £561 10s. 5d., showing a credit balance of £160 14s. 9d. on the transactions for the year. The average number of miners supplied with water for sluicing purposes from this race during the year was 14-5, a decrease of 2-08 as compared with last year,,and the approximate quantity of gold obtained by them was 1,751 oz., having a value of £6,828 18s. The total sales of water for the year from this race amounted to £695 2s. 3d., an increase of £9 17s. Bd. on the preceding year, and the cash received for sales of water showed an increase of £203 3s. lOd. Taking into consideration that the water was reduced to half-price on the Ist May, 1905, these figures are highly satisfactory, and show a substantial improvement for the year. The increase of £9 17s. Bd. really represents an increase of £667 os. 6d. in the quantity of water supplied as compared with the previous year. The approximate quantity of gold obtained by the miners was 43 oz. greater than during the previous year, representing an increase in value of £167 14s. The expenditure on gauging, maintenance, and repairs during the year was £34 14s. 3d. greater than the previous year. This increased expenditure was caused by two breaks that occurred in the flush race leading to the Waimea Main Tail-race during wet weather, and the construction of two by-washes to minimise the possibility of a like occurrence in the future. For the first four months of the year five parties were sluicing into the Waimea Main Tail-race, but a new claim was opened out in August and six parties were sluicing into it during the last eight months of the year, and the Main Tail-race worked most satisfactorily. Baby and party have extended the Main Tail-race a further distance of 200 ft. during the year, and when they have driven another 100 ft. they intend to open out their claim and start sluicing. In Callaghan's Flat, Honey and party have been sluicing on a fairly big scale during the year with satisfactory results, and ;I tliey are prepared to take double the quantity of water that present be supplied to them. Manzoni and party have also applied for additional water. This speaks well for the locality, and as there is a large extent of unworked ground commanded by the water from this race I do not anticipate any falling-off in the revenue for some time to come. Flushing-water was supplied to the Waimea Main Tail-race during the year, and authorised free water to the value of £18 15s. was supplied to Betty and party for opening out their claim. The following tabulated statement shows the sales of water, cash received, and the cost of maintenance of the Callaghan's and Middle Branch Bace for the year ending the 31st March, 1906, and also the approximate quantity of gold obtained by parties using water from the race : —

Kumara Bace. The cash received for sales of water from this race for the year ending the 31st March, 1906, was £451 10s. 4d., and the expenditure for the same period on gauging, maintenance and repairs was £877 18s. 4d., showing a debit balance of £426 Bs. on the transactions for the year; but £246 12s. sd. of this amount was lost during the first three months of the financial year. The average number of miners supplied with water from this race during the year was 1666, a decrease of 309 as compared with the previous year, and the approximate quantity of gold obtained by them was 878 oz., of the value of £3,424 4s. total sales of water for the year amounted to £438 2s. 2d., a decrease of £374 6s. lid. on the preceding year, and the cash received for sales of water shows a decrease of £201 19s. Bd. This fallingoff is entirely due to the reduction in the price of water which took place on the Ist May, 1905. Had the price prevailing last year been maintained the sales of water would have amounted to £858 17s. 3d., an increase of £46 Bs. 2d. on the previous year. The approximate quantity of gold obtained by the miners was 750 oz. less than during the previous year, representing a decrease in value of £2,925. The expenditure on gauging, maintenance, and repairs

Cash received for Sale3 of Water. Outstanding Expenditure. «™f3 J** Month. Number of Men employed. Approximate Quantity of Gold obtained. Value of Gold obtained. Month. Sales of Water. 1905. Lpril day fune ruly August September )ctober November Jecember 1906. £ s. d. 37 19 5 33 16 0 63 8 1 69 7 1 74 6 8 58 2 1 ! 59 10 0 75 18 9 54 7 1 £ s. d. 79 8 6 30 7 6 83 19 4 63 2 2 76 11 4 73 4 £ 53 0 6 56 6 5 46 0 0 £ s. d. 48 0 9 42 18 5 72 19 10 38 4 0 45 7 7 45 8 11 46 5 11 36 15 0 39 1 3 £ s. d. 318 6 2 322 2 2 310 3 5 313 9 7 310 3 8 292 13 7 207 3 10 232 16 2 242 2 0 14 14 14 14 14 17 17 14 14 Oz. 95 85 157 175 185 145 147 190 135 £ 8. d. 370 10 0 331 10 0 612 6 0 682 10 0 721 10 0 565 10 0 573 6 0 741 0 0 526 10 0 Fanuary rebruary itarch 44 9 2 60 7 11 63 10 0 60 15 0 34 11 0 64 18 9 51 16 3 46 10 0 I 48 2 6 217 14 11 245 0 7 248 10 7 11 14 17 130 150 157 507 0 0 585 0 0 612 6 0 Totals 695 2 3 722 5 2 561 10 5 14-5 1,751 6,828 18 0