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During the year 145 applications were lodged, a third of which were for prospecting licenses. This shows a decrease of twenty-eight on the previous year's total. The sum of £1,427 4s. 6d. was collected in revenue, an increase of £95 6s. Bd. on the previous year. To sum up, the prospects of the quartz-mining field are excellent, the chief difficulty being the shortness of labour. Ahaura Subdistrict. The chief interest in this district has centred round the operations of the Lake Hochstetter Gold-mining Company. The construction of the water-race has given a great deal of employment during the year, and fair progress has been made. It is anticipated that the construction of the race will be completed towards the end of the present year, when everything will be in readiness to commence active mining operations. A large number of men will be employed in connection with this company's claim. At Half-ounce and Noble's district there has been nothing new opened during the past year; the higher levels could be worked were water available. The population is stationary. At Orwell Creek the population has dwindled down to a few. There have been no new discoveries. Recently a water-race from Clark River was projected in order to carry water for working Napoleon Hill, Red Hill, and Specs Terrace. Should this mature and sufficient water be obtained the district would have a new life. Moonlight District. —This will at some time be a very important one. There is no doubt the northern parts of Brunnerton Riding, covering Moonlight, Baxter's, Caledonia, and Shellback Creeks, carry a large number of reefs which in time will be developed. Messrs. Hargreaves, Mitchell, and party are still prospecting for quartz at right-hand branch of Moonlight Creek, and are in hopes of making a find during the present year. The population is stationary. Nelson Greek. —There is still a fairly large number of miners in this district, mostly employed in sluicing. There has been nothing new done during the past year. Notown. —There is very few miners in this district. Like many other places, water to work the higher levels on the terraces is all that is required to give new life to the district. During the year 202 mining applications were received and dealt with in the Warden's Court. Kumara Subdistrict. Alluvial Mining. There was quite a revival in this class of mining during the year, which is the principal in. this district, so much so that no less than 142 applications were dealt with, the greatest number since the dredging-boom days, which was in the year 1900, and the amount of £1,304 18s. 4d. was collected, as against £799 os. lOd. for the year 1912; while 183 miners' rights were issued and 296 general registrations were recorded, this increase of business transacted being chiefly due to a new goldfield being discovered, about the middle of the year, at Argus Terrace, Greenstone, quite a small rush taking place, resulting in a number of both special and extended claims being taken up j but, owing to the shortage of water, the only operations carried on up to the present has.been in the nature of prospecting and preparing tail-races for which a number of licenses have been granted, awaiting a water-supply which is being brought in by the Government by means of a branch race, a distance of one mile and a quarter from the Government dam at the head of the old Erin-go-bragh Water-race, also known as the Long Drive Water-race. The construction of this branch race was taken in hand by the Government several months ago, and is now nearly completed. There is, I am informed, a considerable quantity of unworked ground in the same locality of a somewhat low grade, but with a copious water-supply could be worked by m«ans of hydraulic sluicing. All parties concerned are confident of success. One of the claim-holders, Kean and party, who have done the most prospecting, found a nugget a few months ago, which upon being weighed proved to be only 7 dwt. short of an ounce. Mining operations have been carried on steadily during the year at other alluvial claims, which have been working for years past, both at Cape Terrace and Westbrook portion of this district, and have obtained fair results, more so to advantage at the latter place since the completion of the Westbrook-Greenstone Road deviation, which now gives claim-holders ample deposit-room for tailings on; and across the old road claim-holders in this part of the district have also been greatly hampered toy the Erin-go-bragh water-race being in their way. This trouble is also relieved, the Government having purchased the race from Mrs. Dixon (the licensee) in the month of June last for the large sum of £2,000, £1,800 being paid by the Government and the balance (£200) by the claim-holders in the district. Four Chinese parties are still working extended and special claims in this part of the district. Operations at Dillmanstown and Kumara portion of the district : The Kumara Long Tunnel Company ceased operations over a year ago, owing to the very heavy expenditure involved in maintaining the No. 3 channel, there being no other party at that time sluicing into it but the company, but Shannon and party have now finished the boxing and blocking of their tail-race and are now ready to commence sluicing. The Long Tunnel Company may now give their ground another trial, as the maintenance of the channel will not be so heavy, divided between the two parties. McGrath and party commenced sluicing in their special claim at Larrikins, but was compelled to cease operations to put in a new low-level tail-race to enable the ground to be worked, the wash having dipped below the level of their top race, which took years to construct, at a cost of about £3,000. The low-level race is now nearly completed, and the party expect to commence sluicing operations very shortly. Tomasi and party, known as Garner's Claim, at Dillman's : Very little work has been carried on at this special claim during the year, chiefly owing to the scarcity of miners in the district. This party also hold a special claim at Cape Terrace, and the most of the miners obtainable were employed at that claim.