a—3

126

Brandy Jack's and Totara Flat. There are two companies registered for dredging in this locality. No new ground has been opened during the past year. Waipuna, and Noble's. There are seven gold-dredging companies registered in respect of claims in this locality. Contracts for the building of pontoons have been let in three instances. There is a large area of country here available for dredging, the Grey and Waipuna Eivers and low terraces intervening offering a large field for operations. Prospecting is carried, on on many claims for the purpose of proving value. Nelson Greek. The population here (165) is about the same as previous year. Sluicing is generally the method of mining. The permanency of water-supply is an immense benefit to this place. This enables ground of poor quality to be operated upon, and steady wages are generally earned. There are nine companies registered for dredging in this creek. The pontoons for two are in a forward state. Should these two prove successful there will be considerable increase in population, as the district over and above the companies floated shows a large area available for working by dredging. Blackball aud Healey's Gully. The sluicing claims at Healey's Gully and Montgomery's Terrace still continue working with good results. There is a large area of terraces about these localities of a payable nature were water available. Jones and party are fetching in a water-race from Blackball. This will, no doubt, when completed, find work for several claims, but will be inadequate to work the large areas of terraces thereabouts. Facing the terraces running along the Grey Eiver at the foot of Healey's Gully and Scotchman's Gully there are four dredging companies registered. There has been no new discovery about Blackball during past year. The population has, however, increased considerably about the township, where it is mostly engaged in coal-mining. At Upper Blackball there is some sluicing going on that will probably last for some years, in consequence of the heavy nature of the wash making the working slow. There is one company registered for dredging in Ford's Creek. No Town. The population here has been on the decline for some time past. There are two companies registered for dredging. The district offers a fairly large field for that kind of mining. General. The inquiries made for dredging claims have given a great impetus to mining throughout these localities, and there has been found already employment for a considerable number of men, and the requisite labour has been difficult to secure. It can be safely said that should one-half the projected companies prove successful there will be some difficulty in finding the labour necessary for efficient working.

Return of Mining Privileges granted by Warden at Ahaura for the Year ending 31st March, 1900.

Date of Grant. Name of Licensee. Nature of Privilege. Area. Locality. Dredging. 1899. April 1 1 „ 23 May 22 „ 22 „ 22 „ 22 „ 22 . 22 „ 22 , 22 „ 22 . 22 „ 22 , 22 June 26 „ 26 . 26 „ 26 . 26 „ 26 . 26 „ 26 „ 26 „ 26 „ 26 „ 26 July 27 . 27 James P. Doolan George Hill 'Bert Millington George S. Cray Thomas W. Ponsonby Henry Neilsen H.A.Wick Henry Neilsen Henry Dearing Donald McGregor .. Henry Dearing R. Currie William Rundle Henry Bignell Thomas W. Ponsonby John Turner John Ross .. H. A. Wick Henry Watterson Joseph Taylor Frank Stace James Marshall William Malone Duncan Campbell .. Olaf Magnus A. Dunn and A. Ross William Rundle James HargreaveH .. D. Donald Ordinary prospecting license .. Prospecting dredging claim .. Ordinary prospecting license .. Acres. 100 32 16 48 32 24 22 24 160 160 160 150 100 100 32 '24 24 24 48 40 100 60 40 100 50 100 100 50 100 Grey River, Totara Flat. Mosquito Creek. Waipuna Creek. Blackball Creek. Ford's Creek. Waipuna. No Town Creek. Moonlight Creek. Nelson Creek. Prospecting dredging claim .. Ahaura River. Blackball Creek. Waipuna. Totara Flat. Bed Jack's Creek. Above Moonlight Creek. Moonlight Creek. Grey River, Donald's Bluff. Nelson Creek. Ahaura River. Grey River, Totara Flat. Ordinary prospecting license .. Prospecting dredging claim .. Ordinary prospecting license ..