28

0.—3

usual clearing-out of the race was done in February, whilst the water was low, and it is now in good order. The following statement will show revenue derived from sales of water, the cost of maintenance, the number of men employed, and the approximate quantity of gold obtained from those claims which are worked by the aid of this race : —

It will be seen from the foregoing statement that the sales of water for the last year amounted to £126 16s. id., as against £115 19s. 3d. for the previous year, while the cost of maintenance was £30 10s., thus leaving a net profit of £96 6s. Id. on the working of this water-race. The average number of miners employed in claims worked by the aid of this water-race was 8-75, and the approximate quantity of gold obtained by them was 160 oz., representing a value of £616. Deducting the value of the sales of water from the value of the gold obtained, it leaves £489 3s. lid. as the earnings of the miners, which is equal to about £56 per man per annum. The total cost of this water-race was £1,036 16s. The net profit on the workings last year gave about 9-6 per cent, interest on the capital invested.

Sumarry of Water-races. The following statement will show the profits and losses of working the different water-races constructed and maintained by the Government for the last twenty years, and also the collateral advantages derived by the utilisation of the water from these races:—

Sales of Water. i Cash received. Number I feS^ 6 of Men Q n oM employed, j ob 4 ined . Value. Month. Maintenance. 1897. £ s. d. 10 15 10 10 15 10 10 15 10 10 15 10 10 15 10 10 15 10 10 15 10 10 15 10 10 15 10 £ s. d. 10 15 10 10 15 10 10 15 10 10 15 10 10 15 10 10 15 10 10 15 10 10 15 10 10 15 10 £ s. a. 0 3 0 4 3 0 0 3 0 0 3 0 0 3 0 2 3 0 0 3 0 0 3 0 0 3 0 Oz. £ a. a. April May .. June July .. August September OctoberNovember December 1898. 9 9 7 8 9 9 9 9 9 January February March 10 15 10 8 1 11 10 15 10 10 15 10 8 1 11 10 15 10 0 3 0 19 13 0 3 7 0 9 9 9 Totals .. 120 16 1 126 16 1 30 10 0 8-75 160 616 0 0

Name of Water-race. Value of Sales of Water, Expenditure, obtained in Sludge-channel. Profit or Loss on Working. at 5° « oa -3.fS a Value of Gold Md o-gJS S3 obtained. h ffl ,q <A Duty received on Gold obtained. Total Profit or Loss, with Value of Goia Duty aaaea. Total Cost of Construction. Waimea-Kumara Water-race and Sludge-channel. Nineteen years ended 31st March, 1897 Year ended 31st March, 1898 £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. a 3 Oz. £ s. d. £ a. £ s. a. £ s. d. 147,680 2 7 3,849 1 10 88,779 5 6 2,643 6 6 58,900 17 1 1,205 15 4 266,760 7,444 1,005,718 4 3 29,031 12 0 20,728 0 79,628 17 1 1,205 15 4 126 Totals 151,529 4 5 91,422 12 0 •208,790 7 5 60,106 12 5' 274,204 1,034,749 16 3 20,728 0 80,834 12 5 Nelson Creek. Thirteen years four months ended 31st July, 1892 126,049 17 0 17,577 0 7 15,415 7 11 2,161 13 6 52 32,943 3,269 16 5,431 9 6 90,722 10 8 Argyle. . Thirteen years ended 31st March, 1895 5,530 16 10 5,455 7 7 75 9 3 17 8,040 30,738 12 0 804 879 9 3 15,151 15 3 Mount Ida. Nineteen years ended 31st March, 1897 Year ended 31st March, 1898 25,194 1 0 1,395 18 1.1 28,522 6 9 1,384 18 9 t3,328 5 91 11 0 2 ! 50,322J 2,885 191,854 2 6 11,107 5 0 3,176 2 tl52 3 9 11 0 2 68,607 8 9 61 Totals 26,589 19 11 29,907 5 6 13,317 5 7 53,207J 202,961 7 6 3,176 |141 3 7 68,607 8 9 Blackstone Hill. Four years ended 31st March, 1897 .. Year ended 31st March, 1898 41 15 0 30 10 0 445 13 11 96 6 1 872 160 3,382 19 6 616 0 0 445 13 11 96 6 1 1,036 16 0 492 8 11 ! 126 16 1 7 8| Totals 619 5 0| 72 5 0 542 0 0 1,032 3,998 19 6 542 0 0 1,036 16 0 Grand totals 1,398,498 12 3 201,846 6 9 142,272 17 2 59,573 9 7 369|426i 27,977 18 87,551 7 7 1 (383,808 18 1 * Including £&,Q'J1 15s. 6d. cost of constructing extension to Callaghau's. ! Loss on working.