65

C.-4

Waimea District. There is still a considerable quantity of ground on the terraces on the south side of the Waimea Creek that can be worked with water from the Government water-race, but the fall for sluices and available ground for the deposit of tailings is very limited. The bed of the Waimea Creek has been raised 20ft. in places by the discharge of tailings from the terrace claims. The miners state that the ground is very poor, and only pays very small wages for working ; but from the principle on which the claims are worked, it would require to be good sluicing-ground to pay wages. It is true there is very little fall in their sluices —somewhere about sin. to the 12ft. box, or a grade of about 1 in 29 —but the limited quantity of water used for this grade, together with the small iron pipes and canvas hose, which are still in use, with the full pressure from the race not utilised, it cannot be expected that low-grade auriferous drift can be made payable for working. The principle of working adopted is by using a small nozzle at the end of the pipes or canvas hose for breaking down the ground and letting the rest of the water flow over the face. Fully double the pressure can easily be got from the race, but it is not considered to be of any advantage to use it; indeed, if these terraces were at Kumara, and worked in the same systematic manner, there is little doubt that many of the claims could be made to pay fair wages. Bepresentations were made to the Hon. the Minister of Mines during my visit to this locality that there was a considerable area of payable auriferous ground in the vicinity of Callaghan's Creek and on the north side of the Hokitika-Kuinara Boad if a deviation of the race was made. The manager of the water-race has been instructed to thoroughly examine the ground in this locality, and to report as to the area of payable auriferous drift that the race would command if a deviation was constructed. He is also to furnish an estimate of the cost of such deviation, together with its length and sectional area, if it was constructed on a gradient of 1 in 660, or a fall of Bft. per mile. There is said to be a considerable extent of auriferous drift-wash about Scandinavian Terrace and German Gully which the proposed deviation would command, but which cannot be worked for want of water. This will be fully inquired into when the report of the manager has been received. Aeahuba Distbict. Humphries' Gully United Company.- —This company has expended a large capital, but have not yet completed the works to a paying point. The claim is situated on the Hokitika Harbour Board Bese-rve at Humphries' Gully. There is a depth of about 250 ft. auriferous-drift terrace in this locality, and the object of the company is to work this ground by hydraulic slucing, which requires a large quantity of water to make much impression on it. They have constructed a large head-race for about 10f miles, which intercepts several creeks, from which a good supply can be obtained in wet weather, but, the drainage-area of each of these creeks being very small, the water diminishes rapidly in fine weather, and the supply for working the ground is cutoff. It is estimated

9—C. 4.

Name of Party. ■h .9 . gall * i 5 if °r§ Q ill \ 1 *p II Name of Party. fall b III 03 No. 2 Channel — Water from Kumara Race — Turnbull and party ... Arthur and party Hoist and party Watson and party Morris and party Hughes and party Palmer and party Harvey and party Eodgers and party Ireland and party Pascoe and party Baucke and party Corrigan and party ... No. 3 Channel — Water from Kumara Race — O'Sullivan and party... Harris and party Eothwell and party ... Anderson and party ... Hillier and party Bain and party Eizzi and party Williams and paity ... Carew and party Light and party Thomas and party O'Connell and party ... Moynihan and party ... Trickey and party 5 4 4 5 2 4 6 3 3 4 6 4 3 In. 8 8 8 8 5 6 8 5 8 5 8 4 6 64 8 10 10 11 12 10 10 7 12 9 10 10 j Prka te Tail-races — Water from Kumara Race — Davidson and party ... Seater and party Blake and party Henderson and party... Lee and party E. Anderson and party Shroeder and party ... j Hanson and party Stennard and party ... Mcllveney and party... P. Arnerich and party... Water from Holiness Race — Collins and party Brown and party Payne and party Dinan and party Evenden and party ... Burke and party Bowden and party ... •Johnson and party In. 6 5 6 6 7 6 4 6 5 4 4 12 6 6 7 7 10 V2 9 14 8 10 8 10 10 10 12 10 10 10 10 12 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 5 6 5 5 4 4 4 3 5 5 6 5 4 5 I 9 8 9 5 9 9 8 8 9 6 8 9 8 5 6 8 6 10 6 6 7 8 7 10 8 6 8 11 4 5 5 6 J: 5 (J 3 8 7 7 7 10 10 10 12 Water from Private Water-races — Pearu's lease Long Tunnel Gold11 dning Company (J 10 15 to 26 7 10 to 1.