25

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In the Onamalutu Valley there are a few miners st work. The yhave to contend v.v \r difficulties, viz., want of a road, and too much water on the low-lying clams. The reefing claims are at a standstill. There is nothing to report on this subject, Pelorus Gold-Mining District. —Wakamarina. Alluvial and Biver Claims. —Minors working ordinary alluvial claims may generally be described as earning a living. Parties or companies working the larger claims have not found the past year a very profitable one. Floods, freshes, imperfect machinery, and mismanagemi ut have in some cases tried the pockets and faith of the shareholders. Others have done and are now doing very creditable work, but not sufficiently advanced for any result to be reported at present. In river claims the Caledonian and Go-Ahead Claims are the furthest advanced, and will most likely be the first to fairly test the value of the Wakamarina river-bed as payable ground. Beefing Claims. —There is only one claim that can furnish matter for report, the Golde Claim. The manager reports as follows : Length of tunnel to strike reef, 150 ft.; length driven on reef, 220 ft.; quartz to grass, about 300 tons. This company has expended a fair amount of i on their claim, and still it may be described as not much more than surface or very shallow workings. lam informed that the stone will show about 15dwt. to the ton. If this is correct il should induce the company to vigorously push on the work. In conclusion, I can only repeat an opinion formerly given, viz., that there is very little doubt about payable gold reefs being found in the dividing ranges between the Wakamarina, and Wairau, and Kaituna Valleys. It is simply a question of time, capital, and perseverance. I have, &c, J. Allen, The Under-Secretary for Gold Fields, Wellington. Warden

NELSON GOLD FIELDS. No. 6. Mr. Warden Gibbs to the Undee-Secbetary for Gold Fields. Sir,— Warden's Office, CoUingwood, lQth April, 1884. I have the honour herewith to forward statistics relating to this gold field, and to report on the general condition of mining matters during the past year, and so far as relates to the nine months ending the 31st December, 1883, might almost repeat verbatim the report I made last year. Since then, however, there seems to be a general movement, indicating a revival of confidence in this field. The very excellent stuff reported by the manager of the Johnson's United Company to be found in the drives of this old claim, and the change of proprietary of the Bed-hill leasehold, has caused quite a number of applications for leases and licenses to be made for ground in this locality. There is also an indication of increased activity on the part of leaseholders in the Anatori District, as also by those still holding leases in the Mount Arthur District, there being also - ■■<■, eral new applications for leases in this last-named place, amongst others one for constructing a capacious race or flume for bringing a large body of water from Lake Peel, with a view to h\ draulic sluicing. There is said to be a large area of ground in this locality that would pay well if worked by that method. Hitherto the men working on sluicing claims have not had the capital to develop the n ,il value of the ground by such a system of water-supply. If this company carry out their scheme it will not only enable them to work such ground as may be granted to them, but their surplus v, ter will no doubt assist others to work their claims more profitably. The want of some necessary road-making, and a water-supply, is still the great want here', i re has been nothing whatever done in these matters during the past year. The moneys which Parliament has so repeatedly voted for road-making are still unexpended. Those I refer to are roads to Karamea, road to the Heaphy via Gouland Downs, road to Mount Arthur via Takaka and via Motueka. Some of these roads would open country available both to the miner and grazier. The only road-work done during the year out of nioney granted by Government is the expenditure of a small sum at West Wanganui, viz., the sum of £200 granted as a subsidy to the local body, being £2 to £1 for the improvement of the road to the reefs. This work I had the honour to report upon to you in August last. The local body spent nearly an equal amount to that granted bo th The road, however, although improved, is only just passable, and it would be very difficult to fc machinery over it. There have been some explorations (not completed) with the view of line;;. available dray-road to Mount Arthur, without which it would be almost impossible to get mach to these reefs. Coal. —The mine known as the CoUingwood Coal Mine is turning out a regular and increasing quantity of coal: added to which a new company is about starting to work another part of th field, with the intention of providing wharfage accommodation for shipping the coa-l in i going vessels. I have, &c, William Gibbs, The Under-Secretary for Gold Fields, Wellington. Warden.

No. 7. Mr. Warden Ebvell to the Under-Secretary for Gold Fields. Sir, — Warden's Office, Westport, April, 1884. I have the honour to forw T ard herewith the statistical returns for the twelve mouths ending the 31st March, 1884, and to furnish the following general report upon the district, viz.:—-

4—H. 9.