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D.—No. 6.

Estimated Kevenue andon^e"of™ Gold Fields population.

62. Estimating the inhabitants of the Gold fields at two-fifths of the entire population they "»7 *»£ *• credited with a corresponding proportion of the ordinary Customs Revenue'; but the)' must also be del)lterl two-fifths ot the general expenditure, inasmuch as they participate iv an equal degree in the benefits accruing therefrom.

Evidence* of the contlTeGold Fiekls

Tuapeka.

V.—Pbesent Condition of the Gold Fields. - 63. That the Gold-fields of Otago are in a state of unabated prosperity is a fact which is amply evidenced by the Escort Returns. Complaints of non-success are indeed occasionally heard, but it cannot be expected that all should be equally successful. Here, as elsewhere, "gome father fortunes from Nature's golden stores, others only make wages, and some are unable to earn a living by their labours. « The race is not always to the swift, nor tho battle to the stroii" " But <r O ld is more generally distributed throughout the soil of Otago than in that of any other "country • "and notwithstanding instances of individual hardship, the industrious miner can, as a rule, usually obtain fair remuneration for his toil, with the chance of something better falling in his waj 64. The oldest if not the best developed of our Gold-fields is Tuapeka, which still maintains its position. The population of this field, including the districts of Waitahuna and Waipori is now estimated at 8,100 of whom about 2,100 are actual miners. The following extract from the Eeport of Mr. Mining-Surveyor Drummond, affords a lucid description of mining operations thereon: — J " Nearly the whole of the mining operations carried on in this Gold-field have been confined to box or ground sluicing, and present a great similarity throughout. The sinking in the gullies and flats generally varies from six to twelve feet, and on the spurs from fourteen to twenty-two feet. The strata gone through generally consists of quartz and schist debris. The thickness of ' wastedirt' is from two to four feet in the gullies and from three to seven feet on the spurs. Where the water is heavy, and there are no means of cutting a tail-race, water-wheels have been erected, with Californian pumps attached. These seem to answer the purpose admirably, boih at the W'oolshed and the Tuapeka Flat, on which places about thirty are now in operation. At the 'Blue Spur ' in Gabriel's Gully, hydraulic pressure is used for washing the earth down : the stream from which the water is brought for this purpose, being tapped near its source, and consequently at a high elevation, and conducted by means of ditches or ' races ' to the scene of operations." 65. As Mr. Drummond has had considerable experience of gold workings, in his capacity of a Mining Surveyor both in Australia and Otago, his opinions on the condition and prospects of the Tuapeka Gold-field are of great value, and I therefore quote them in full: " I consider the prospects of this Gold-field are very much above the average of what, in Victoria, would be called ' payable ground,' and in no portion of it do I consider that the ground already opened can be regarded as worked out. Gabriel's, Munroe's and Wetherstonc's alone still support a population of over 400 miners ; the ' spurs ' (of the ranges) are in a great measure intact, and a great proportion of tho ground which is now being mined upon is only upon the false bottom.' That a second bottom exists, has been proved at the Blue Spur, in Gabriel's 'Gully, at Wetherstone's tunnel, and in the deep shalt Waitahuna. I may shite that a shaft has been sunk in one of the adjacent gullies to a depth of one hundred and fifty feet, and not bottomed.

air. Drummond's report on the prospects 01 luapena.

14

REPORT ON THE

Ykah ending 31st July, 1863. Amount. .Salaries and Contingencies of Gold Fields Department Escort Service and Police ... Eoad Works Storm "Water Channel at Wetherstone's Buildings for G-old Fields Department... Do. for Police do. Do. for Hospital do. Maintenance of do. Eeward to Hartley and Reilly for discovery of Dunstan Gold Field £ s. d. 11,O5.S 1 0 29.660 0 0 19.053 11 6 1,701 I 11 6,762 14 0 5,944 17 0 3.947 4 0 1,123 2 9 2,000 0 0 £ 81,250 12 •> Total Expenditure for the two years, £116,52] 9s. 5d.

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