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Wainihinihi Water-race. The supply of water from this race has been very good throughout the year, and, with the water from the Kawhaka Creek, it has kept the siphon which supplies the Waimea-Callaghan's and Middle Branch Races practically full all the year. No breaks have occurred, and there have been no stoppages of any kind during the year ; the race has been well maintained, and is in a thorough state of repair, and in good working-order. I have, &c, James Rochford, Manager Water-races. The Under-Secretary, Mines Department, Wellington.

Mr. R. Murray, Manager, Mount Ida and Blackstone Hill Water-races, to the Under-Secretary, Mines Department, Wellington. Sir,— Naseby, 22nd-,May, 1906. I have the honour to submit|tlie following report on the Mount Ida and Blackstone Hill Waterraces for the year ending the 31st March, 1906 : — The total sales of water from the Mount Ida Water-race during the year amounted to £1,141 19s. lid. The expenditure on maintenance and repairs for the same period was £1,490 18s. 6d., a decrease of £72 lis. on that of the last year. The total cash received was £1,141 19s. lid. On account of payment in advance, free water to the value of £12 Bs. was supplied, and free water for washing up was also supplied to the value of £82 3s. Bd. The total value of water supplied from this race during the year amounted to £1,236 lis. 7d. The average number of miners supplied with water was 46-83, an increase of 8-58 on that of last year. The approximate quantity of gold obtained by parties using water from this race was 1,965 oz., valued at £7,565 ss. The reduction in the price of water from the Ist May, 1905, accounts for the falling-off in revenue. In consequence of the continued dry weather, which set in in January, 1905, the miners could only be supplied half-time (week about) until the end of May. On the 3rd June, hard frost having set in, I was compelled to turn the water out of the race as the ice began to pack. Heavy rain setting in on the 12th, had the water turned on on the 13th, and the miners at work to the end of the month, throughout the whole of July, and on to the 19th August. Started to clean out the race on the 22nd August, and the water was turned on to those supplied from Coalpit dam on the 6th September. As a large amount of flume and box repairs had to be done, the water could not be turned on to those on the east side of the main gully until the 11th September. The weather during the clearing-out was very rough. On reaching Idaburn on the 22nd September, it became so rough that the men had to knock off, there being 8 in. of snow at the camp ; finished on the Ist November. As a good many of the sets in the East Eweburn tunnel were showing signs of decay, centre-sets had to be put in. Used 6 in. blue-gum for props and caps, as the heart of red-pine does not last. About half the legs of the flume in the main-race crossing, Main Gully, having sunk, they had to be raised, levelled, strengthened, and the boxwork repaired, as it leaked badly. On account of the extra demand for water in Spec and Enterprise Gullies, larger gauge-boxes had to be put in each of them ; repairs had to be made to two large flume-boxes in, and two dray-crossings over, the main race, besides repairs to several small boxes and a long shoot. A small branch race in Spec Gully had to be widened for about two miles and a half to supply an elevating claim. To supply the demand in Enterprise Gully the branch race (five miles in length) from Coalpit dam to Enterprise Terrace had to be widened to carry twenty heads, four elevating claims being supplied by it in addition to small ground-sluicing parties. As there are three elevating claims being supplied at the lower end of this branch, the building of the dam on the terrace (which was finished on the 18th November) saves a large quantity of slack water, and allows of the full head pressure to be kept steadily on the different elevators. On the 13th December a heavy thunder-cloud burst over Pearce's Gorge Creek, causing a break in the race one chain in length where the country is very steep and of a rotten-rock formation. To

g-s . : s Name of Party. u g'O : -- 1 S a a % _5 rj o <u ' r3 CO •« CO ■ CO o T3 ° ■Seh : si's 6b l> * w - s .2 co 3 a 3.2 o a) M o CQ u • Is* J _ K Cubic Yards. 140 ! Kumara 154 ! Kumara I & private Remarks. I No. 4 Channel— Inches. Cullen and party 5 7 Long Tunnel Co. 5 7 Inches. Heads. 24 20 26 22 Sluiced twelve months. No. 5 Channel — Thorn and party i 4 7 (new claim) Giffney and party 4 7 Private Eaces— Pascoe and party 3 7 McGrath and party i 10 8 24 10 26 11 70 ! Kumara 77 Kumara /; Sluiced four months. 16 4 24 22 28 Kumara 176 Private Sluiced eleven months. a i