27

C—3

The following statement will show the receipts and expenditure for the last thirteen years ending the end of March last of the Waimea and Kumara Water-races: —

This table shows that there has been a net profit derived from the working of the Waimea Race of £3,834 12s. lid., and £52,632 lis. 3d. from the Kumara Race, for the above period. Mount Ida Watee-eace. This race continues to furnish water sufficient to employ a large number of men. The usual work in maintaining the race has to be carried on in order that it may be kept open, as landslips and falls from the sides frequently fill it up. During the early part of the year three dams had to be refaced with sods, and a short pipe was introduced to replace a flume that was worn out, the timber becoming too weak for the weight to be sustained. This, with the cleaning-out of the race and widening four miles from Home Gully to Coal-pit Gully, entailed considerable expense, and added to the cost of maintenance. The very dry summer, combined with the early disappearance of the snow, reduced the quantity of water to such an extent that only one sluice-head and a half was running in the race at the middle of March. Four new elevating claims have been added to the number, and there are eight elevating plants now in use. The increased need of an extra supply is apparent, and the only known source of supply is that from the proposed reservoir at Eweburn, which has been ascertained to be practicable. The following statement will show the revenue derived from sales of water, the cost of maintenance, and the approximate quantity and value of gold obtained by the miners using water from this race for the year ending 31st March last : —

It will be seen from the foregoing statement that the value of the sales of water last year amounted to £1,395 18s. lid., as against £1,333 lis. 6d. for the previous year, which is an increase of £62 7s. 5d., while the expenditure on maintenance was £1,384 18s. 9d., as against £1,316 15s. 6d. for the previous year. The gain on the working last year was £11 Os. 2d. The approximate quantity of gold obtained from claims worked with water from this supply was 2,885 oz., representing a value of £11,107 55.; and the number of men employed in these claims averages about 61. Deducting the value of the gold obtained from the value of the sales of water, it leaves £9,711 6s. Id. as the earnings of the miners, which is equal to about £159 4s. a man per annum, or about £3 Is. 2d. a man per week. Blackstone Hill Race. This race is still used by a few men, and, although they cannot be said to be doing well, they manage to recover a considerable quantity of gold. During the year the race was repaired and side-trimmed. The tunnel on Johnstone's tail-race was also repaired where it crosses the road. The

5—C. 3.

Waimea Race, Kumara Race. Year. Sales of Water. Expenditure on Maintenance. Net Profit. Expenditure Sales of Water. on Maintenance. Net Profit. 1886 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 £ a. d. 1,790 16 0 1,675 19 4 1,612 11 3 1,416 6 8 1,240 9 7 1,388 17 5 1,121 16 2 1,015 12 3 828 15 8 988 0 7 795 13 6 776 19 5 787 18 7 £ a. a. 1,131 18 1 1,116 10 0 1,027 17 11 860 2 5 795 7 7 933 3 3 784 13 10 858 0 4 919 9 4 1,061 9 4 770 3 8 669 6 3 677 1 6 £ a. a. + 658 17 11 +559 9 4 + 584 13 4 +556 4 3 + 445 2 0 + 455 14 2 +337 2 4 + 157 11 11 - 90 13 8 - 73 8 9 + 25 9 10 + 107 13 2 + 110 17 1 & a. a. 9.788 16 8 6,470 14 4 7,169 10 3 6,716 6 10 3,550 4 8 6,665 12 8 6.645 11 0 5.789 0 9 5,582 4 7 4.646 19 9 4,106 11 3 3,502 17 0 2,889 3 3 £ s. a. 1,459 19 5 1,398 18 10 982 12 0 1,024 1 9 1,424 13 3 1,766 4 3 1,584 10 11 1,782 11 0 1,919 8 5 1,976 17 7 1,943 8 7 1,786 15 9 1,841 0 0 £ a. d. 8,328 17 3 5,071 15 6 6,186 18 3 5,692 5 1 2,125 11 5 4,899 8 5 5,061 0 1 4,006 9 9 3,662 16 2 2,670 2 2 2,163 2 8 1,716 1 3 1,048 3 3 Totals 15,439 16 5 11,605 3 6 3,834 12 11 73,523 13 0 20,891 1 9 52,632 11 3

Date. Sales of Water. Cash received. Maintenance. Number of Men employed. l!s| < Value. 1897. £ s. d. 134 3 5 104 7 7 115 9 2 49 3 11 14 12 6 195 9 1 232 14 10 214 1 0 149 6 1 £ s. d. 134 3 5 107 1 8 119 9 2 49 3 11 20 16 9 196 10 7 244 14 10 214 11 4 149 6 1 £ s. d. 116 12 8 89 8 8 84 14 8 87 10 5 334 7 8 136 8 8 91 14 8 96 2 8 87 3 8 Oz. 280 273 220 150 45 306 345 406 400 £ a. d. Ipril /lay .. une uly LUgUSt . . September )ctober ■fovember December 1898. 78 72 60 55 20 69 70 71 67 anuary rebruary darch .. 74 4 4 48 3 0 64 4 0 74 4 4 48 3 0 67 7 1 88 14 8 79 12 8 92 7 8 64 54 51 210 120 130 Totals 1,395 18 11 1,425 12 2 1,384 18 9 61 2,885 11,107 5 0