.—9.

Westport Sub-District. In alluvial mining there is little to report upon, mining having been carried on much the same as last year. During the past three months, owing to the extremely fine weather, the general supply of water for mining purposes has been greatly reduced, so much so that many of the claims are standing idle. The owners are taking advantage of the fine weather to repair their dams and water-races where necessary, and in several instances parties have set in to work the river beaches where available through the low state of the water. In January last a prospecting claim was applied for, and granted to Messrs. Trahey, Carson, Hansen, and Masse, at Larrikins' Creek, about twenty-five miles up the Mokihinui Eiver. This party had been out for some months prospecting in that locality. They produced about 17oz. of gold, consisting of large nuggets and very coarse gold. They reported that the country was exceedingly rough and almost inaccessible. A small rush set in, but many returned, and others took work on the track that was being made from the Mokihinui reefs at Seatonville up to the forks of the Mokihinui Eiver, to enable persons going to the rush to get provisions up. The ground was tried afterwards, but the men have since left in consequence of the rough nature of the country and the difficulties they had to contend with in opening up the ground (which is full of enormous boulders and stones), and the patchy nature of the wash-dirt. The miners are not favourably impressed with the locality: it will be deserted until next summer. In quartz-mining there are only a few companies doing any work. The Great Bepublic Company surrendered their four leases, and have been granted a special claim of 99 acres over the same ground. This company have been engaged prospecting the ground, and sinking shafts and driving tunnels on the different levels. No. 1 level has been driven in 114 ft., No. 2 level 100 ft., both showing good gold-bearing stone. No. 3 level has been put in about 230 ft. but will have to be continued for some distance yet before striking the reef. A large shoot and tramway has also been constructed. The general prospects of the company are considered very favourable, and it is expected that machinery will shortly be placed on the ground. The Try-Again Company have men prospecting on the lease, but nothing definite has as yet been discovered. At Mokihinui the Mokihinui Gold-Mining Company have seven hands engaged repairing the battery and water-wheel, and have expended £800 on the repairs of their dam and water-race. The Bed Queen Company have driven a tunnel in the low level a distance of 243 ft., and one 200 ft. in the upper level. Both levels are connected by a winze 125 ft. in depth. The reef averages about 15in. in thickness, and shows very good gold throughout. This company will crush first at the Mokihinui Company's battery, to which they have paid a portion of the cost of the repairs. The stone will be conveyed by a tramway 37 chains long to the river, and then across the river by a wire rope to a shoot 300 ft. in length at the battery. The Guiding Star Company have driven in a tunnel from the Mokihinui Company's lease, towards their own lease for a distance of 245 ft., and another tunnel on the upper level 146 ft. along the line of reef, showing good gold the whole distance. They have also sunk a winze 90ft., and are now engaged driving the lower tunnel to meet the winze, and when completed it will be used to run the quartz from both levels to the battery of the Mokihinui Company, where they have arranged to crush. The Golden Crown Company have men employed driving a tunnel from the eastward to cut the reef. This tunnel is in about 200 ft., and the men expect to strike the reef shortly. . During the year 9 gold-mining leases and special claims were applied for at the Warden's office, Westport; 24 leases were executed; 19 leases were cancelled after execution, whilst 19 w T ere forfeited for non-execution ; 3 leases remain on hand for execution. Charleston Sub-District. Mining operations, which are all of an alluvial nature in this portion of the Buller District, have been steadily pursued during tho past year, so far as the limited water-supply would admit. The Government race, heading from the Argyle Dam at Deep Creek, has been extended during the above period to Argyle Terrace, and commands in its course some fairly remunerative ground, which, however, to enable the miners to work the same to advantage, will require the use of a large quantity of water for sluicing. The further extension of this race along the line of terraces ending at the Nile Eiver is much needed, as some valuable ground is known to exist in that direction, and gold-mining leases have been held for years thereon in view of the completion of the race thus far. The extensive water-rights held by Mr James Butterworth, on the Four-Mile Flat and in Whisky Creek neighbourhood, have been largely used by tho miners ; and this race, standing as it does at a higher level than the Government race, commands a greater area for working. With the exception of one party on Candlelight, who have erected a water-power machine for crushing cement, the whole of the claims in that locality have been worked during the year by sluicing, no alterations of any importance or value having been made during the said period. The same may be said of the Black Lead, and of the workings on the flats around Charleston. At Croninville some twenty men are engaged sluicing, the greater part of their water-supply being obtained from the Totara Eiver, from whence it is conveyed to the several claims by two races several miles in length, which have been constructed by the miners at considerable trouble and expense. The men engaged in this locality are comfortably housed, and express themselves well satisfied with the quality of their ground, which is held by them in extended claims. The great drawback to the profitable working of these claims is the number of large stones and boulders met with, which have to be stacked; and considerable expense is involved in the putting in of long tunnels to convey the tailings, &c, into the Totara Eiver. The miners working at the Four-Mile, Six-Mile, and Brighton are earning fair average wages,

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