D.—No. 6.

Mr. Warden Worthington's Report.

68. Respecting the other districts of the Tuapeka field, Mr. Warden Worthington reports very favourably thus : —" The payable ground already discovered is capable of supporting a large population. There is good wages for the miner almost anywhere, with the prospect of dropping on a rich patch if he perseveres." 69. Extending northwards from Tuapeka, the known gold-fields continue in an unbroken line to a point about four miles above the junction of the Eawarau and the Clutha Rivers, and by the course of the former river to the "Wakatipu ; on the west by Xokomai and Switzer's to the Mataura, and on the east by the vallies of the Manuherikia and Ida Burn to the Mount Ida gold-field ; from which the auriferous circle returns southward to within a few miles of Dunedin. 70. The Mount Benger gold-field, as proclaimed, is a long narrow strip of country connecting Tuapeka with the Dunstan. The working! are mostly confined to the river beaches, but several small gullies are being worked beyond (he boundaries, near the Beaumont and Tallaburn. Mr. Mining Surveyor Coates reports: — " Notwithstanding that this gold-field possesses immense quantities of auriferous ground, its population is exceedingly scant, which circumstance seems difficult to account for, considering that claims generally in that district are represented asof a payable character. With (lie exception of a water-race, which has been conducted from the first gorge on the Teviot stream to the bank of the Clutha, through the Township, and three in operation on Miller's Plat, I have not seen the natural supply diverted." 71. The population is stated, by Mr. Warden Robinson, at 1,100, of whom 950 are miners ; and in a late report that officer thus refers to a new feature in the mining operations of the district:— " A novelty in this district is the introduction of tunnelling, for the purpose of getting at the auriferous deposits below the high banks of the river. The party that has introduced this improvement has already put in two tunnels about twenty feet in length each. They were afraid to drive further, and when they had finished one tunnel they filled it up with stones as solidly as they could before beginning the next. They have been ho well satisfied with their prospects that they have applied for an extended claim, and propose obtaining timber to enable them to work on a large and systematic scale." 72. In explanation of the Warden's remarks, it is requisite to give a brief general description of what may be termed the Riverine G-old-fields, meaning those situated on the banks of the Clutha. Like many of the other rivers of this Province, the Clutha possesses no true valley, but pours its v,;i.tcr> through a succession of gorges cut transversely through the mountain ranges. Between these gorges there are wide open basins presenting the appearance of having formerly constituted a chain of lakes, before the erosive action of the waters upon the intervening barriers* reduced the channel to its existing level. These old lake beds are composed of loose drift, varying from 30 to 80, and sometimes 150 feet in depth, and are generally known by the name of "terraces" although that phrase is more peculiarly applicable to the remarkable elevations of the Manuherikia and Upper Clutha valleys, which closely resemble military earthworks with glacis-like slopes and surprisingly uniform surfaces. Under these terraces or banks, heavy gold has long been known to

Csurse of tlie known Gold Fields.

Mount Benger Gold Field.

Mr. Coates' Report on Mount Bender <Jold Field.

Mr. Warden Rob" ;- son's Keport.

Tunnelling.

Riveriuo Gold Fields.

16

REPORT ON THE

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