C.--3.

List of Prospecting Licenses for Dredging Purposes, &c.— continued.

District of Ahaura Court. Orwell Creek. The population in this district is still stationary, but will no doubt increase when dredges get to work. Some ground-sluicing is carried on when water is available; the want of it and irregularity of supply are the great drawbacks in this locality, inasmuch as there are no creeks for sixteen miles above Ahaura on the left bank, and none on the right bank which carry constant water. There are two gold-dredging companies registered (Orwell Creek and Erickson's Eeward) which purpose working two miles of Orwell Creek from Napoleon Hill downwards, the dredges for which are now building. Moonlight. There has been nothing new in the way of mining opened here during the past year. The population continues about the same—sixty-five—mostly employed in sluicing about the old worked ground. There are three companies registered for dredging in this creek, and every probability of several more. The contracts for building dredges for two of the companies have been let, and altogether the outlook for the place is promising. Coal is plentiful and easily got, and this will tend to the cheap working of dredges. Half-ounce and Duffer's Creek. . There has been no change in this locality during the past year. The population remains about stationary, and finds employment both in sluicing and tunnelling. No new ground has been opened. Several areas in these creeks have been taken up under prospecting licenses, and two companies registered for gold-mining by steam-dredging.

125

Date of Grant. To whom License granted. Area granted. Locality. 1899. Nov. 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 „ 20 ,. 20 „ 20 . 20 „ 20 . 20 „ 20 Dec. 4 4 „ 4 4 „ 18 1900. Jan. 8 „ 22 -, 22 Feb. 5 5 /. 5 5 . 19 Mar. 19 E. A. Wickes E. A. Wickes John Baybutt Thomas Baybutt .. .. • Joseph Condy Thomas Waugh Joseph Scott J. T. Skoglund Daniel Sheedy Thomas Waugh C. L. Morice H. Bignell .. T. W. Ponsonby J. W. Call well G. S. Cray .. B. Nancarrow Alfred Stinton H. W. Young H. W. Young G. B. Ritchie Thomas Joyce E. I. Lord.. J. D. Gillies James Thorburn R. Nancarrow E. I. Lord James Trent A. W. Morse J. Eton and another.. J. Taylor J. Keeney P. Warren .. J. Trent R. Clough D. Ryan, jun. G. Winslow W. E. Reynolds H. W. Young H. J. Jeffrey John Byrno.. Pero White R. W. Poschich .. .. .. M. Ryan Acres. 100 100 28 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 80 80 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 60 100 100 100 100 100 30 32 100 50 100 100 99 100 100 50 100 20 40 100 100 New River. Near Red Jack's. Cock-eye Creek, near Marsden. Near Red Jack's. Candlelight Creek. Cock-eye Creek, near Marsden. Card's Creek, Marsden. New River. Card's Creek. Canoe Creek, Barrytown. Near Barrytown. Deadman's Creek, near Barrytown. Candlelight Creek. New Biver. Near Barrytown. Portuguese Creek. Near Barrytown. Barrytown. New River. Stillwater Creek. North Beach. Barrytown. Near Barrytown. Barrytown. Canoe Creek, near Barrytown. Near Canoe Creek, Barrytown. Saltwater Creek, near Paroa. Twelve-mile, North Beach. Canoe Creek, near Barrytown. Seven-mile, North Beach. James Keeney Andrew McKay J. Isdell J. T. R. Delaney T. McCarthy Joseph Taylor John Gill John Byrne G. D. Wilson 15 50 65 40 100 100 100 20 100 Cobden Boad. Near Fagan's Creek, Barrytown. Near Grey Biver. Twelve-mile, Grey River. Paroa. Kotuku. Near Paroa. Maori Creek.