23

C.—3

The steel pipes that Pascoe and Palmer placed in the deviation of the race at Dillman's show signs of weakness. Some of them are oxidized to such an extent that there are several small holes in them. They show clearly that steel pipes are much more subject to oxidation, and also that the water has a far greater effect on them than on iron pipes. One thing can be said—that they were never well coated with tar; and this has, in a great measure, been the cause of their rapid oxidation. The following is a statement showing the results of working the Kumara Water-race during the past year : —

It will be seen from the above statement that the value of the sales of water last year amounted to £5,582 4s. 7d., as against £5,789 os. 9d. for the previous year, thus showing a decrease in last year's transactions of £207 16s. 2d. The expenditure on maintenance last year was £1,917 Bs. 5d., as against £1,782 11s. for the previous year, thus showing an increase in the cost of maintenance last year of £134 17s. sd. Taking the value of the sales of water and the expenditure on maintenance, it leaves a net profit on the working of £3,664 16s. 2d. In addition to the value of sales of water, the value of water supplied free of cost to those who had bad claims—or, at least, the working of which was not profitable to the owners—amounted to £1,901 10s. 3d., and water to the value of £214 10s. was given to open up new claims, and also water to the value of £89 4s. 4d. as a subsidy towards the cost of a deviation of the race. The approximate quantity of gold obtained by those who were using water from the race was 8,3480z., representing a value of £32,557 4s. Deducting the value of sales of water from this, it leaves £26,974 19s. sd. as the earnings of 116 miners, being an average of £232 10s. a man per annum, or £4 ss. 6d. a man;per week. The total cost of construction of this race up to the 31st March last was £40,984 Is. lid., and, taking the profits on the working last year, it gave 8-9 per cent, on the capital invested. Waimea-Kumara Watek-kaces. The two water-races previously referred to have to be taken in conjunction, as they practically comprise one work. They are separate water-races in one sense, but the Kumara Water-race depends on portion of its supply of water from the Waimea Water-race, which can be turned into what is known as the Kawhaka Supply-race at several points, and this keeps up the supply of water in the Kumara Eeservoir, which is constructed on the south side of the Loop-line Eoad. Taking, therefore, this supply as one work, the following statement will show the result of the working during the last year : —

Month, Sales of Water. Cash receivea for Sales of Water. [Expenditure. Outstanaing Moneys at the End of each Month. Number Men em- <*2£$& joffid. Value of Goia obtainea. 1893. £ s. a. 451 16 5 480 13 7 541 11 11 542 9 6 575 10 5 486 9 2 539 8 4 402 11 11 451 5 5 £ b. a. 451 13 0 548 0 2 501 1 4 530 12 9 546 0 0 445 0 11 572 17 6 336 14 10 446 2 0 £ s. a. 167 19 1 146 4 0 155 5 4 150 10 6 135 16 6 144 19 6 151 3 6 144 11 2 201 2 4 £ a. a. 147 15 8 94 7 6 111 2 0 113 0 7 122 11 11 104 7 6 114 8 3 139 10 6 114 5 11 Oz. 678 720 813 815 860 720 800 604 675 £ s. d. 2,644 4 0 2,808 0 0 3,170 14 0 3,178 10 0 3.354 0 0 2,808 0 0 3,120 0 0 2.355 12 0 2,632 10 0 April May June July August September October .. November December 128 127 122 129 122 116 116 111 109 1894. January February March 303 0 10 415 5 5 392 1 8 372 0 0 268 7 0 434 16 6 187 12 1 182 16 9 149 7 8 119 18 9 160 12 3 116 9 3 104 102 105 455 620 588 1,774 10 0 2,418 0 0 2,293 4 0 Totals 5,582 4 7 5,453 6 0 1,919 8 5 116 (average) 8,348 32,557 i 0

Month. Sales of Water. Cash received for Sales of Water. Expenditure. Outstanding Number Moneys at of the End of I Men cmeach Month, ployed. Approximate Quantity of Gold obtained Value of Gold obtained. 1893. £ s. d. 513 18 1 569 6 3 637 1 3 614 10 4 652 19 9 559 12 1 616 7 6 492 3 9 493 15 5 £ s. d. 534 8 5 635 14 2 562 14 7 617 7 9 639 18 6 514 19 2 655 14 9 406 1 7 455 13 3 £ s. d. 232 10 0 216 16 4 230 18 3 218 10 4 211 4 8 215 6 10 214 15 8 216 16 0 294 7 7 £ s. d. 204 11 1 192 151 2 11 : 195 1G7 17 5 189 169 16 0 194 179 7 4 187 161 2 11 183 170 18 10 190 196 5 11 185 171 1 4 182 Oz. 833 940 1,053 995 1,052 900 990 824 780 £ s. d. 3,248 14 0 3,666 0 0 4,106 14 0 3,880 10 0 4,102 16 0 3,510 0 0 3,861 0 0 3,213 12 0 3,042 0 0 ipril Hay funo fuly August September )ctober November December 1894. 348 5 5 478 17 11 434 2 6 437 0 6 848 1 6 472 11 6 294 11 G 263 19 9 227 0 10 anuary February.. ilarch 176 14 2 173 217 7 8 166 174 6 2 168 567 778 688 2,211 6 0 3,034 4 0 2,683 4 0 Totals 6,411 0 3 6,280 5 8 2,836 17 9 -"■ I -*. \S ~- wa-i^yj 183 (average) 10,400 40,560 0 0