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working; there is, however, a deep lead in this locality which only requires capital and cheap timber to develop. An effort has been made by several companies from time to time, and a considerable quantity of gold obtained; but, in consequence of the bad nature of the ground for standing, and the high price of timber, which has to be brought from Southland, with a cartage from the nearest railway of over eighty miles, they have been compelled to give it up. This lead will doubtless be worked when the Otago Central Railway is within easy carting-distance. Taking all things into consideration the district may be considered in a prosperous state, and I calculate that there has been an increase in the gold obtained of nearly 3000z., despite the fact of Mount Burster not having washed up at Christmas, as in other years. I have, &c., The Under-Secretary of Mines, Wellington. J. Nugent Wood, Warden.

No. 17. Mr. Warden Robinson to the Under-Secretary of Mines. Sir,— Warden's Office, Oamaru, 31st March, 1886. I have the honour to report that mining in the Maerewhenua Division of the goldfield' has been fairly prosperous during the year now past. The number of miners employed has remained about the same as the average of the last few years, but I think the tendency is rather towards an increase than a diminution. No important new discoveries have been made, nor have any considerable new enterprises been attempted. Steady industry in ground already well prospected has been the rule. The dryness; of the weather for part of the year has, of course, been against the interests of the miners, as well as of other classes of the community; but the supplies of water for sluicing have not been quite so much affected by the drought as might have been expected. The supplies of water for this field, never large, are drawn from sources pretty high up in the ranges, which are not very readily affected by the vicissitudes of the weather. Of course, heavy rains will put the streams in flood for a few hours or days, but their normal supply is strangely constant. The want of a greater supply of water for sluicing is a constant topic of regret amongst those who would like to see the undoubtedly large auriferous deposits of the Maerewhenua District more extensively worked. It is not, however, easy to see how any material addition t:> the supplies can be obtained except at enormous cost. There is, and has long been, a certain amount of inconvenience arising from the fact that the outlets for some of the workings are through private property. This, of course, only affects the miners working or desiring to work ground the debris from which must be discharged through or upon the private property in question. As I have had to explain in former reports, it is next to impossible to get reliable data for an estimate of the amount of gold extracted, as there is no escort from Maerewhenua, and the gold is sold in various places. I think, however, I shall not be over the mark in putting it down at 900oz. This will not give any large average ; but it is to be borne in mind that scarcely any of the miners are able to work their claims continuously all the year round. Many of them, also, have other means of eking out a living. Moreover, as a rule, all have houses and gardens of their own ; and most of them possess cattle and horses. They are thus enabled to live cheaply. Their position is, on the whole, better than that of the average run of.raca following laborious occupations in the colony. I forward herewith the usual statistical returns. I have, &c, The Under-Secretary of Mines, Wellington. H. W. Robinson, Warden.

No. 18. Mr. Warden Maitland to the Under-Secretary of Mines. Sir,— Warden's Office, Dunedin, 19th April, 1886. I have the honour to forward herewith the annual statistical returns for the Hindon Mining District for the year ended 31st March, 1886. In doing so I have to state that miningmatters at Hindon remain very much as they have now been for several years past, demanding little or no particular comment or report. In alluvial mining mention might perhaps be made of the water-race just completed by J. Fenwick and party on the Sutton Stream. This race has been three years in course of construction, is over eight miles in length, and has cost something like £3,000. The ground intended to be worked is part of the University Endowment Reserve on the Barewood Run, the promoters having obtained a lease from the University Council. The water is taken from the Sutton Stream, some nine miles above its junction with the Taieri River. The owners are very sanguine of success, which they richly deserve after their arduous and costly undertaking. A number of men are scattered here and there over the district, who, sometimes mining, sometimes rabbiting, and at other times harvesting, manage apparently to gain a fair livelihood; and there can be no doubt that many others, especially single men now in the ranks of the unemployed, might do the same were they willing to put up with the discomforts necessarily incidental to such a life.