18

3.-3.

The by-wash has had nothing done to it during the year, and, as the scour is still going on, means will have to be taken to put a stop to it. Head-race Tunnel. —During the year about one chain of the main race between the inlet end of the Head-race Tunnel and the little dam has been enlarged and timbered, and about two chains of the upper end of the tunnel has also been enlarged and substantially retimbered. New inletgates of much larger carrying capacity, with substantial screws for opening and closing, have been fixed at the tunnel mouth, and a length of 18 chains of tunnel has been lined top, bottom, and sides. These alterations and improvements hdfve increased the carrying-capacity of the tunnel fully 25 per cent. Previously, the tunnel had a carrying-capacity of something less than 100 sluiceheads ; its carrying-capacity now exceeds 125 sluice-heads. A new screw has been fixed on the outlet-gate of the little dam, as the old one was not in good condition ; and new boxing and gates have been put in at the lower end of the Head-race Tunnel, for the better distribution of the racewater to the several branch races. In case of accident, a new by-wash has been put in between the upper end of the tunnel and bhe little dam, through which the whole of the race-water can be turned should necessity arise; by this means the race can be thoroughly emptied for the execution ol repairs to either tunnel or race. Catchwater Baces, do. —Catch water races have been cut, by which a very considerable quantity Df water, formerly running to waste, is now carried into the little dam, and full benefit is derived 'rom any temporary heavy showers. The Kapitea Hill Eace has been considerably enlarged, and !s now capable of carrying seventy-five sluice-heads. Two new by-washes have been constructed, me at the lower end of the Kapitea Hill Eace, and the other at Dillmanstown. The foregoing improvements have rendered the race capable of supplying 25 per cent, more »vater than formerly; but the demand for water has recently been very small. The following table will show the result of working the water-race last year, the number of nen employed, and the approximate quantity and value of gold obtained by those using water rom this supply : —

It will be seen that the sales of water for last year amounted to £6,645 lis., to which must be iddecl the value of water given towards the cost of deviations, £413 3s. 4d., making the total sales of water £7,058 14s. 4d., while the expenditure on maintenance for the same period was 61,584 10s. lid. Comparing this year's returns with the previous one, in which the sales of water unounted to £6,665 12s. Bd., and adding the value of water given towards the construction of No. 3 Channel or tail-race—£9.l3 18s. 4d.—the total sales amounted to £7,579 lis., the expenditure for the same period being £1,766 4s. 3d. ; showing a decrease in the sales last year of E1,520 16s. Bd., and in cost of maintenance of £181 13s. 4d. The actual profit on the working ast year was £5,474 3s. sd. The value of free water given to parties to open out claims was £339 17s. 3d., and for assistance in working poor ground £656 7s. 2d., making a total of £996 4s. sd. rhe average number of men employed in claims working with water from this supply last year >vas 172, while for the previous year the average number employed was 155. The approximate mantity of gold obtained by persons using water from this race last year was 10,2390z., representing i value of £39,932 2s. Deducting the value of the sales of water—namely, £7,058 14s. 4d.-—from ;he value of the gold, it gives the average earnings of the miners as about £191 2s. 6d. per man per innum, or £3 13s. 6d. per week, being Is. 4d. a man per week less than the earnings for the Drevious year. The profits on the working for the last year equalled 138 per cent, on the total ixpenditure on construction, which now amounts to £39,636 7s. Id. The following summary will show the result of working this water-race for the last nine years : During that period, £65,057 19s. 6d. was derived from sales of water. The value of water given or assistance was £6,575 17s. Id. ; for cost of deviations, £1,898 3s. 9d.; and towards the construction of the No. 3 Channel, or tail-race, £2,406 Is. 2d. ; making the total value of water sold md given away amount to £75,939 Is. 6d., while the cost of maintenance for this same period was 213,445 ss. lid.

lonth. Sales of Water. Cash eceived for T?™ e v,rH+,,vo Sales of iixpenaitme. Water. Dutstanaing Moneys at the end of iacli Month. dumber of ilea, eraployed. Approximate Amount of Goia ibtainea. falue of Gold. 1891. Lpril tlay 'une uly LUgUst September )ctobor .. November Jecember £ s. a. ! 616 5 10 I .. 655 4 11 542 9 1 .. 179 11 11 426 16 1 : 769 15 5 ! .. ! 784 13 8 J .. [ 642 4 2 J 469 10 0 £ s. a. I 485 7 0 : 679 16 6 j 621 13 11 [ 225 0 3 305 16 11 838 19 11 607 1 5 710 7 10 474 10 6 £ s. a. ! 167 13 2 171 3 9 140 11 3 112 11 8 124 5 3 171 19 3 150 17 8 149 18 11 107 16 2 I £ s. a. 51 4 3 179 72 1 9 I 180 50 8 7 ' 179 ! 44 8 9 179 56 8 3 179 49 10 0 179 74 1 9 177 58 6 10 168 62 13 8 171 Oz, 1,026 1,255 629 399 527 802 1,123 1,138 842 £ s. a. 4,001 8 0 4,894 10 0 2,453 2 0 1,556 2 0 2,055 6 0 3,127 16 0 4,379 14 0 4,438 4 0 3,283 16 0 1892. 310 13 7 490 9 11 630 1 6 95 4 10 82 13 7 109 15 5 767 645 1,086 anuary February., .larch 291 3 9 .. 543 7 6 ; .. I 724 8 8 66 5 6 166 85 17 7 162 118 8 7 149 2,991 6 0 2,515 10 0 4,235 8 0 J_ J- W I -A. _&. *J Total .. 6,645 11 0 6,379 19 3 1 .,584 10 11 172 10,239 ! 39,932 2 0