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The town of Greymouth is steadily advancing, and properties of all descriptions have an upward tendency; but everything is in a state of uncertainty until the question of the Brunnerton Railway is finally settled. The Public House Ordinance and Amendment Acts require material alteration—in fact, total repeal, and a new Act passed more suitable to the requirements of a little community. The suppression of dance-houses under the Act has had a good effect, and tended in some measure to reduce the number of unfortunate females who daily paraded the streets, and further stopped the frequent importation of a class of women designated dance-girls. The statistical returns forwarded herewith show 299 head races. 132 tail races, and 332 dams, duly registered, at the estimated value of £34,744 ; with mining plant (exclusive of tools) as shown in. Return No. 75, estimated at £1,630; making a total of £35,374. The population of the district is estimated at 4,220, and is located as follows : — Grey mouth District ... ... ... ... ... 2,970 New River .., ... ... ... ... 550 Arnold ... ... ... ... ... 700 Total ... ... 4,220 The revenue for the past year amounts to £28,220 13s. 9d., and is made up as under : — £ s. d. £ s. d. "Warden's Department ... ... ... 2,828 3 O Resident Magistrate's Department ... ... 1,101 8 0 Publicans' Licenses, paid to County Treasurer ... 1,290 0 0 5,222 11 0 Gold duty Westland, share ... ... 3,539 17 7 Half-share Customs revenue ... ... 19,458 5 2 22,998 2 9 £28,220 13 9 The number of cases disposed of in the Resident Magistrate's and "Warden's Courts is— Civil. Criminal. Wardens. Total. Greymouth ... ... ... 736 446 25 New lliver ... ... ... 40 14 23 Arnold ... ... ... 52 23 25 828 503 73 1,404 The following number of rights, licenses, and registrations have been issued during the year:— Miners' Rights—C94. Business Licenses —Yearly, 30; Half-yearly, 81; Quarterly, 23. Registrations—ss., 300 ; 2s. 6d., 34 ; is., 1,127. Spirit Licenses—"Wholesale, 7; Bottle do., 6; Retail, 7; Retail (Town of Greymouth), 42. Yearly Conditional Licenses, 22 ; Half-yearly do. do., 30; Extensions, 7 ; Transfers, 9. I have, &c, The Under Secretary for Gold Fields, "Wellington. W. H. Retell, Warden.

No. 9. Mr. Warden FitzGerald to the Under Secretary for Gold Fields. Sir,— Warden's Office, Stafford, 30th April, 1873. I have the honor to report as follows on this gold field, for the period ended 31st March, 1873. There are now no whims at work here, owing probably to the great expense incurred through the excess of water, and the difficulty experienced in obtaining sufficient fall for the tailings, as the construction of deep tail races, properly secured, involves a very considerable outlay. During the past year there has been a considerable influx of Chinese into this neighbourhood, who number at the present time 266, mostly located in the vicinity of Stafford, German Gully, and Goldsborough. They have all come from the Otago Gold Fields, aud are remarkably peaceable and well-conducted. There has not been much litigation during the last year, the main business being the granting of registration certificates for rights and privileges, which are, as a rule, retained only for brief periods, although they are frequently taken up again by new parties. There have been 1,139 certificates issued during the year —this, of course, including all transfers, &c, &c. I Bhould estimate the average earnings of the miners to be about £2 per man per week, the scarcity of water seriously interfering with their operations, and tho weather has been exceptionally dry since Christmas, and complaints as a consequence very numerous. The construction of the Waimea Water Race is anxiously looked forward to, and would doubtless draw a much larger population to the district, which it would be well able to maintain. The total revenue collected for the year has been £2,529 Is. 6d., exclusive of gold duty. There is nothing else calling for special remark. I have, &c, G. G. FitzGerald, Warden. C. E. Haughton, Esq., Under Secretary for Gold Fields, Wellington.