19

C.-3

Notwithstanding the different statements in my annual reports year after year, some person occasionally asks me to inform him as to the amount of loss each year in working the water-races on the West Coast; but if such person would examine my reports they would see that each year there has been a large surplus revenue arising from the races since their construction. Taking the Kumara Water-race as an example, if the amount of money actually received from the sales of water —namely, £65,058, exclusive of the value of water given towards the cost of deviations and other works, and allowing £13,445 for maintenance, an actual profit is shown of £51,613 for a period of nine years, being £11,976 more than the cost of construction. Waimea-Kumara Water-race. The returns have been shown for each portion of this water-race separately; but it must be considered as one work, and, although the Kumara portion of the race pays extremely well taking it as a whole, the very large expenditure on construction of over two miles of heavy cast-iron pipes on the Waimea portion, the profits on the working would have paid good interest on the outlay. The total cost of this work, exclusive of the cost of the main tail-race, or what was formerly termed the sludge-channel at Kumara, is £158,647 14s. 9d. ; but, as the main tail-race has been handed over to the miners, the cost of its construction has not now to be taken into account in calculating the rate of interest from profits. The following statement gives the details of water supplied from the races, other than by sales :—

Free Water supplied from Waimea-Kumara Water-race from 1st April, 1891, to 31st March, 1892.

The profits on the working of this race last year give about 3-64 per cent, on the total cost of construction. The following table will show the total returns and collateral advantages in the working of the water-race: —

Name of Party. Purpose granted. j Amount of Authority. Balance i Total ! T t , , due 31st i for Devia- .t^ 1 *° r e Mar., 1891. | tions. jAssistance. I i i Total for Opening up. Total. Balance due on Authorities, 31st Mar., 1892. KuMARA Wi Kui I ATEE-BAC IE. \ £ s. d. £ s. a.i I s s. a.i ,i £ s. a. £ s. a.i s, s. a.i ! £ s. d /Deviation of\ J. Palmer and party j water - race and ! S. Pascoe and party j substituting steel f v syphon J G. Watson and party Poor ground 88/581 450 0 0 450 0 0 88/581 92 16 3 297 19 2 I i 92 16 3 268 2 6 92 16 3 268 2 6 29*16 8 91/199; Telegram, 24/11/91 91/199; 91/392 91/75 ; 91/91/ 950 M. 229 91/199; Telegram, 32 10 0 ■• 65 8 4 65 8 4 B. Ireland and party „ 24/11/91 ' 91/199; 91/392 72 0 0 72 0 0 Mollveney and party 91/75 ; 91/91/ 40 10 0 44 2 11 84 12 11 3. Corrigan and party Poor ground and opening out claim 950 M. 229 31 17 6 i 31 17 6 A. Trickey and party N. Rothwell and party! Williams and party ! Poor ground C. Hillier and party ! „ E.Rochfordand party] „ S. McNeil and party j Opening out claim .. 91/950 M. 229 91/950 M. 229 91/309 91/392 M. 229; 91/950 91/308 91/391 251 r\-i n-\r\r\ I i 43 6 3 30 0 0 41 7 1 129 0 7 " I 56 1 3; 52 15 0 ' 129 0 7 43 6 3 30 0 0 41 7 1 56 1 3 52 15 0 ! ■• 91/309 i 91/392 "Hi" nnn . M. 229; W. Morris and party j „ Thomas and party .. ; Poor ground Lee and party .. (Deviation of race, subI stitutingsteel pipes Moore and party .. I Poor ground Anderson and party ' „ Harvey and party .. „ D. Seater and party „ Crump and party .. J. Keller and party.. „ T. Davidson and party Deviation of race .. T. Hughes and party Poor ground J. Light and party.. ! „ Carew and party .. ! „ Gibbons and party .. j „ 91/950 HI /QAO 91/308 ■" 35 15 0 32 10 0 35 15 0 32 io o; 49 4 7: 100 15 5 91/391 251 150 0 0 i •• ; 49**4 7 91/463 91/463 91/392 91/392 91/950 3 0 0; J 32 10 0 32 10 0 37 10 0 32 10 0 27 0 11 ! 37 10 0 i 38 19 2 32 10 0| I 24 10 5 :; 2G"o 0 339 17 3 32 10 0 32 10 0 37 10 0 32 10 0 27 0 11 37 10 0 3 0 0 38 19 2 32 10 0 24 10 5 26 0 0 1,409 7 9 1 91/950 .. 413 3 4 656 7 2| Martin Morris .. Poor ground J. Gargivitch MuKenna and party „ A. Masiorini .. „ Waimea W^ ATEE-EAC JE. 91/308 91/465 91/733 Memo. 8/12/91 u 19 o; 35 0 0J 26 0 0i 21 0 0j 96 19 0i I