THE GOLD FIELDS OF NEW ZEALAND.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume I, Issue 20, 13 September 1873, Page 9

THE GOLD FIELDS OF NEW ZEALAND.

Ma HAxro-HTou's bepoet. (Return to an Order oftlie House of Representatives, dated 3rd August 1869.) Machiseby. The number of engines employed upon the 31st March, 1873, in quartz mining was as- follows :— B3 steam engines of 1,816 horsapowor. In alluvial mining, Ijlic number ot" sceam engines employed was eleven, »nd the aggregate horse-power 259. Nine dredging machines were employed during the year in working the beds of the Shotover and Molyneux Rivers. Mining Leases and Holdings. There were in occupation upon the 31st March, 1873, 495 mining leases, coveriug a total area of 3,256 acres 1 rood 23 perches. In the number are included 75 licensed holdings, covering an area of 499 acres 39 perches. These are all upon the Thames Gold Field, being taken up'under "The Gold Mining Districts Act, 1871." AGKicrTLTOaA.ii Leases. Twelve hundred and forty-nine leases, comprising an area of 47,395 acres 9 roods 20 perches, were in occupation on the 31st March, 1873. The leases are almost entirely within the Province of Otago, and the falling off in numbers is accounted for by many of the lessees during the last year having taken advantage of the purchasing clause, and made their leases freehold. Mining .Companies. From the official returns it appears there are 342 companies registered under " Tho Mining Companies Limited Liability Act, 1865," and amended Acts, having a nominal capital of £4,510,0*26, and thirtytwo under the Joint Stock Act, with a nominal capital of £557,625 j three under " The Mining Companies Act, 1872." having a nominal capital of £15,160. Rate, as Wages and Pbice op Provisions. Wages rule exceedingly high in Otago and on the West Coast. In many places, although the mnaus of communication with the ports is greatly improved, yet the price of provisions remains about the same as in my last year's report. The high price of wages in Weßtland has gone a long way to check mining erttei prise, and iv some cases to put a stop to the enterprise of companies who were ener a »ed in deep sinking, and who were large' employers of labour. ""Any attempt made to reduce the wages led to a strike on the part of the the miners, so that in the end the companies had to cease working, as the miners would hear of no reduction, and tho ground was not sulSciently rich to justify the necessary expenditure. Watee Supply on the Gold Fields. During the last year the construction of two large water races undertaken by the Gaverninout under the terms of " The Public Works and Immigration Act, 1871," has been commenoed, and two are under survey. The following return shows the amount of liability and expenditure up to 30th June, 187 a, upon these works, and also • the advances to water race companies by way of subsidy under the Acts of 1871 and 1872.

As the construction of the Waimea Race in the County of West - land has been undertaken by tho Government .since my last report was submitted to Parliament, I may remark that I have every confUeuoo that it will be a work of great public utility. The raoe will bo aboac sixteen miles long, leading from the Eawhaka Cieek, w.iioh has a cou-

head's m^* a 2a 25 t 'JFV k kto b ° .? DBtpucted to «»"7 fcrty -luice rendXfl^il^? f - nOWU a »riferous country which will be

Mfp , _„ Mnrnra- Laws. in forced JK* Mining D L Btrict , Act » l 87 1" *»*«* has only been put Si? £ »• *«mnce of Auckland, seems after more than a year's Kelddl Ban8 and g C«.' atißfectiOD ' t0 judge *° m *•**«* of Wakens deoid^Sir^f J 8 *°mtiu report of Mr Warden Keddell :-« One St?,!nr oftbi. Act is to lessen the amount of litigation, the wSd^hSiSiffW-f* b?b ?5 C £ of Rations underthe Gold plaintiff." S forfeiture of defendant's interests in favor of the Mr Warden Fraser writes on the same subject :— » In mv last SEfht ' SBtS 8t * $**? *° S™ a decided J opinion, burfhiri S2S i t r uW T* "tiAotorily. Twelve months further exweU S a S%o OTk A ngofth . emea9Ure enablea me to -tatethatitis S. A? >• r * h « ulrementß of thia field - Under the Gold S^othtr 'offi^rf 6 t] * hAßineiah A Bine i a ° f - the Warden ' tbe *»P«°t°r, and tne other officials to affqrd such assittance to all engaged in minine enterprises as shall enaHe them to avoid litigation." gS R em Wl W «^f e 5 f raaer^ arth « expresses his opinion that the Act is fs worked ±ii°? U , Ch - 8 f ld v field " the Barnes, where theground z^j&tss&&isr^ but does not thiak v m .. „. P*jWEBOXB OF THE GOLD FlBU)8. been^alfcoTTi f y< *- ending 31fit Marcb ' 1873 ' h ™ not Bion, and good l prospects for the future are held out. P ■uMeel -SmT^Sff 8 ? j Oorom . a *d«l) writes as follows on the done-ZdwSS 8 ? Mp n r V „A Be at deal of «t«ady wOJkw o Jk has been ftMco^SfSSiS Vw te S m future yieldßj ans Boteral claima ?n JSt fo ? rwar , d . wlfch steady returns. The old Kapanga ground, hJ n at, Jfr d t "'? laßt rep ° rt ' has within the la « fc ft" months 7 aLondoa Company, called the New Zealand KapSSp?°S?M I°g1 ° g ? Mai | Mlll J' Witha ca P ital of £100,000, with 3*ooo £16 000 m ® n S [ ™ d - Machinery and stores of 'the value of t n «3 c Bam ? Warden '^tributes the great depression in the year 1872 ne SHIS 1 cc n o ' m Whi^ Wa8 f brou g ht o* the reported^ealth of l^l&t^S;^^^^^^ » h ™ Pleadings are lowfl^l si\ FF T ef rep ° rfcS On the Thameß Gold K «' da ** fol- £??« « There t has be « n a T «ry prevalent depression in mining affairs *st£S?£Z J° ttiO £ ° {the - P 11 ! 4 7^, Principally ca« 9 ed g by the cSelomiaivin% ? Bl7yieldfroltt *he Caledonian Mine. The J he Pnmmng AMociotion »t the Thames h»»e l«tel» not to work M.d the result has b.en tU me.n. of draining . »3« of OMrtj Thenoama power of the engine is 350 horse power .^e capaDie 01 laising fully 10 tons of water per minute. The ec^ of «h«ft and niachmery has been £40,000 up to the present time. Id the luangahan, Province of Nelson, the reefs have not turned out so well as was expected when I furnished my lost report At th« same time I see no reason to doubt that, in the course o?i me when these reefs are thoroughly opened up and proved, they will be flunH opSTrw^nt ' ° Ut * th ' ?££% to the great dryuess of the season. Mr Warden Eevell reports lhat « the remarkable dryaess of the weather during the P S five month! has tended considerably towards this depression." ' V r w2 n Eobiason (Mount Ida) reports .—« The year ha« m ffc Warden been a favourable one for mining. It hasTeen ?Z£jfc ZL^ seasons, and the consequence has been a remarkable sewefty of water for sluicing purposes. Thjf has seriously cramped the enSie. o f «I miners. Mr Warden Carew (Black's) reports- "A 1«S * } c has to an unprecede^S I extent!" ' 7 ° Water Taking all the circumstances into consideration, a careful ne M i««l of the reports and statistics (given in the resortf will T tvii? that although a considerable depression didXdoubtedly S 'o?er 7 large portion of the gold fields during the year 1872 S t hat thl 3S, : sa3ffisSS I feSrPs