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a mile of new tramway. Mr. Frank Johnson, the manager, has shown much skill and energy in the transport of the heavy plant over very rough country, and in the completion of the whole work under most difficult conditions. There are about twenty men regularly employed on the works. Johnston's United Gold-mining Company (Limited). —Operations at this mine during the past year have been practically suspended, owing to an option of purchase of the company's property having been granted for a great part of the time, the terms of which option prevented any work being done by the company. Three miners only have been employed. At Bocky Biver I hear good work has been done, and good results have been obtained, but I have no exact information. New Discovery. —Just recently a quartz reef, which has yielded good prospects, has been discovered on private land, and a small syndicate has been formed to further test it. If it is anything like what is represented it should turn out a valuable find. It is situated about a mile and a half from Collingwood Township on the Ferntown side of the Aorere Eiver. Altogether the outlook in the Golden Bay district is much brighter than it has been for many years. Considerable work is being done, much gold won, and new enterprises are being started. The Customs returns show the quantity of gold sent coastwise from the Port of Nelson for export to be only 2,553 oz. 0 dwt. 12 gr., valued at £10,105 ; but I have evidence that nearly double that quantity left the port —viz., 4,769 oz. 7 dwt. 12 gr., valued at £18,965. Chrome is being mined for at the Croixelles, and I hear that a considerable quantity has been shipped away. I have, &c, Wtlson Heaps, Warden. The Under-Secretary, Mines Department, Wellington.

Mr. Warden Hawkins to the Under-Secretary for Mines, Wellington. Sir, — Warden's Office, Greymouth, 11th June, 1900. I have the honour to forward herewith statistical returns for the year ended the 31st March last, with detailed reports from the several districts of my Courts of Greymouth, Ahaura, Eeefton, Lyell, and Westport. I am indebted for these detailed reports to the assiduity of the Wardens' Clerks of the several Courts, and I am also indebted to the managers and directors of companies and to mining agents for furnishing the materials for their compilation, and I have to express my thanks to all for the services rendered. With the exception of Eeefton, where reef mining has been, and will probably for many years yet to come be, the main source of gold-production, there is no question that the future of goldproduction through the greater part of the district of my Courts depends on the success of dredging. There is still room for a considerable development of sluicing—and, indeed, the whole of the country from Westport to Charleston lends itself best to that mode of working: while one of my correspondents, a mining agent of great and long experience, and of the highest repute, estimates that east of Ahaura Township there is an area of no less than twenty square miles of terrace land, practically untouched, which he believes to be highly auriferous and payable if only water could be brought in in sufficient quantities and with sufficient pressure to work it. But to return to the dredging industry : The following figures give the best indication of the activity of prospecting and promoters of companies. The first table shows the number of prospecting licenses granted during the year ending the 31st March, 1900, with the acreage of areas ; and the second shows the number of prospecting licenses granted from the 31st March, 1900, to the 31st May, 1900 :— Beturn of Prospecting Licenses granted to 31st March, 1900. Number granted. Area granted. Eeefton . . . ... ... 24 1,623 Westport ... ... . . ... ... 45 2,796 Greymouth ... ... ... ... ... 118 8,332 Ahaura ... .. ... ... ... 196 13,214 Lyell ... 11 675 Charleston ... ... ... ... ... 4 303 Total ... ... ... ... 398 26,943 Beturn of Prospecting Licenses granted from lst April, 1900, to 31st May, 1900. Number granted. Area granted. Acres. Eeefton ... ... ... ... ... 54 3,688 Westport ... ... ... ... ... 64 3,711 Greymouth 124 10,861 Ahaura ... ... ... ... ... 248 20,121 Lyell ... ... ... ... ... 26 1,578 Charleston ... ... ... ... ... 5 440 Total ... ... ... ... 521 40,399 16—C. 3.

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