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that an education reserve of 1,000 acres forms the very heart of it, on which the greater portion of the town is built. It causes inconvenience in the way of mining, and considerable loss of revenue, as about three-fifths of the sites are on the reserve, and no business licenses taken out for them. It would in my opinion have been desirable if on the breaking out of the gold field the reserve had been withdrawn, which could have been done under the provisions of the Westland Waste Lands Act, as it never could have been contemplated that large blocks of highly auriferous land should be set apart for this purpose. A tramway has been constructed between Greymouth and Kumara at a cost of £5,000, and is now open for traffic. It will prove a great convenience to this gold field, and is entirely a Greymouth enterprise, and constructed by Greymouth capital. The entire population is as follows : — Town of Kumara ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1,406 Town boundary and terrace, to Dillmantown ... ... ... ... 704 Thence to Larrikin's ... ... ... ... ... ... 450 Dunedin Flat ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 685 Shamrock Lead ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 500 Shallow Lead ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 380 New Lead towards Blake's saw-mill ... ... ... ... ... 150 Other parts not enumerated ... ... ... ... ... 385 North side of Teremakau ... ... ... ... ... ... 200 Total ... ... ... ... ... 4,860 In conclusion it affords me great satisfaction to |say this field holds out hopeful prospects of improving, and that it will for some years to come support not only the present but a larger population. M. Peice, Hokitika, 16th June, 1877. Warden.

No. 9. Mr. AVarden Revell to the Undee Seceetaey for Gold Fields. Sic, — Warden's Office, Greenstone, April, 1877. I have the honor to make the following general report on the Greenstone District for the twelve months ending the 31st March last past. This district was seriously affected by the Kumara rush last August, but during the last three months there has been a steady increase in the population, now estimated at 600 souls, of whom about 300 Europeans and 150 Chinese are engaged in mining. The revenue in the Warden's department has been fully maintained, whilst the estimated yield of gold is in excess of last year; but, owing to the reticence of the banks, it is very difficult to arrive at a correct estimate. The gold passes through the port of Hokitika, and naturally the revenue accruing to the Grey County suffers thereby. There are about sixty men at work at Maori Point and Revell's Terrace, chiefly ground-sluicing, two parties hydraulic sluicing, and five parties tunnelling. On Duke's Terrace three parties hydraulic sluicing; and on the Three-Mile and on north side of the Greenstone Creek, near the Teremakau, there are ten parties hydraulic sluicing. On Hayes's Terrace, immediately over the Teremakau Ferry, there are 150 miners ground-sluicing and tunnelling, and some very fine parcels of coarse gold have been obtained. The sinking varies from 15 feet to 87, and the ground is full of enormous boulders several tons weight, which have to be blasted before removal. The rush to Hayes's Terrace is likely to increase, some good prospects having been found in the face of same terrace fronting on the Greenstone Road, about one mile from the Teremakau River; and it is the intention of the Dobson's Creek and Piraunui Water-race Company, and the Erin-go-Bragh Water-race Company, recently formed, to extend these races to this terrace. On 14th February last a prospecting claim of double area was granted to Payne and party, in a gully situate about a mile and a half up the Teremakau from Hayes's Terrace, and there are from sixty to seventy miners at work in that locality ground-sluicing and tunnelling. There are 150 Chinese at work along the low banks and in the river-beds of Three-Mile Creek, Fuchsia Creek, and Greenstone Creek, engaged ground-sluicing, with good average results. In the early part of February last this district was visited with the heaviest flood on record since the first opening of the gold field. The old Greenstone township was totally destroyed, several of the stores and their contents being completely washed away, the occupants barely escaping, whilst others had property to a large extent damaged. The foot-bridge over the Greenstone Creek was washed away, and the wire bridge across Greenstone Creek, near the Teremakau, was rendered useless for traffic, whilst several of the claims, dams, and water rights were more or less injured. The dam and head works of the Hohonu Water-race Company were washed away, as also the large dam on Duke's Terrace, the damage being estimated at from £1,000 to £1,200. Sittings of the Resident Magistrate's and Warden's Courts are held fortnightly at Greenstone; but if the rush at Hayes's Terrace continues it will be necessary to have an office near the locality, where a small township is likely to spring up, for the collection of the county revenue, which otherwise will go to Kumara, being so much nearer than Greenstone. The statistical returns which have been already forwarded show that seventy-four head-races, capable of carrying 242 heads of water a distance of 64 miles, fifty-three tail-races, and thirty-seven dams, were registered during the year, at the estimated value of £23,518, which, together with forty 2—H. 1.