C—3

105

Abstract of Licenses for Special Claims and Licensed Holdings issued from the Wardens' Offices — continued.

Work has been carried on in the King Solomon Claim with a view of striking the run of gold that was being worked when the claim was flooded out some years ago. So far the company has met with very little success. The position of the place where the run of gold was left in the flooded part of the mine has not been reached; from 200 ft. to 300 ft. have yet to be driven. Bight men were employed. A small number of miners still continue to obtain a little gold by fossicking and working in the upper parts of the stream and its branches. Wakamarina. The company which for several years past has been engaged in working the Wakamarina Gorge was at last successful in bottoming the most rock-bound portion of its claim. The quantity of gold obtained was only about 50 oz., for which upwards of 128,000 cubic yards of gravel was raised and washed. This claim is now taken up by another party, who intend to try and get at the bottom near the mouth of the gorge. Ground-sluicing is carried on in different parts of the creek and terraces, furnishing employment to a number of miners. Some of the claims are also worked by hand, and the washdirt afterwards sluiced. Advantage is taken of the time when the river is low, and small quantities of gold are obtained from the rocky bars by a method known as " blind-stabbing." Wairau. A few miners still continue to obtain small parcels of gold by sluicing in the Onamalutu, Armchair, and other creeks on the north of the Wairau Eiver. Nelson Distbict. Takaka District. The mining industry at present in this locality is in a very low state. At the Bubu there are five parties working, who do not average small wages, on account of the scarcity of water for sluicing. Patterson and party are bringing up a drainage-race to work ground whfch is supposed to be rich, and expect to have it finished about the end of May. Whelham and mate are sluicing on Whelham's freehold property, and are well remunerated when they have a good supply of water. J. Eose is also sluicing in the winter months, but has to get protection during summer. Cate and son are fossicking, but are doing very little. There are four old men also fossicking on the Bubu. At Anatoki, Jackson and party are bringing in a head-race about a mile long to work a terrace along the Anatoki Siver. They are very sanguine as to the result, as they have well prospected the terrace before going to the expense of the race. If this claim proves payable, very likely other parties will take up the terraces along the river. In former years several persons have worked the bed of the river during the summer months, and now three parties are working there, who, when the river is low, make fair wages. Stewart and Bamford have taken up a claim at the head of the Anatoki, on a beach left by the river taking another course, and their prospects appear

Date of License. Area. Locality. Block. Survey District. Name of Claim. Name of Registered Owner. Hi 'okitika —cont: :nued. 12/3/95 A. E. P. 50 0 0 Waiho XI. Waiho Waiho Hydraulic Sluicing and Water-race Co. (Ltd.). G. Noble, C. Crawford, and J. Stenhouse. John Howat. S/7/97 9 0 0 Shallow Lead.. I. Kanieri 1/7/97 1/1/98 19/1/98 1/6/98 20 0 0 100 0 0 75 0 0 30 0 0 Lake Mahinapua Seddon's Terrace Gillespie's Gentle Annie Terrace XI. v., IX. IX. X. Mahinapua .. Kanieri Gillespie's .. Kanieri Joseph Grimmond. Philip James Perry. C. J. E. Linnemann. ./3/83 ./3/84 ./5/84 1/10/89 1/10/89 .4/2/91 1/12/94 13/12/96 60 0 0 25 0 0 43 0 3 10 0 0 21 1 32 7 0 0 6 0 0 1.00 0 0 Boss. Prince of Wales.. Mont d'Or Ross United Mont d'Or Charles Davey. Mont d'Or Gold-mining Co. Ross United Gold-mining Go. Mont d'Or Gold-mining Go. Donoghue's Ross I. II. Totara Redman's Ross I. II. Chamberlain's .. Mont d'Or Robert Gow Chamberlain. Mont d'Or Gold-mining Go. ./3/97 100 0 0 Waiho .. i Okarito. Waiho Hydraulic Sluicing and Water-race Co. (Ltd.). Waiho Hydraulic Sluicing and Water-race Go. (Ltd.). XI. Waiho Marlborough District. Mahakipawa.