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As there is little likelihood of any claims being made for compensation, your Commissioners recommend that the Kyeburn, from its source to its confluence with the Taieri Eiver, be proclaimed a watercourse into which tailings, debris, and waste water from mining claims may be discharged. Hogbubn. Mining has been carried on in the Hogburn and its valley for the last thirty-eight years. It is the principal outlet for all the waste water from mining claims in the vicinity of Naseby. Two hydraulic-elevating plants are being worked in this valley, about two miles below Naseby, and are giving good returns. There is a mining reserve,, 10 chains in width, down this valley, from Naseby to the Taieri Lake, which manifestly precludes the possibility of any valid claims for compensation being made in the event of the stream being declared a sludge-channel, and your Commissioners therefore recommend that the Hogburn be proclaimed a watercourse into which tailings, debris, and waste water from mining claims may be discharged. GIMMBBBUBN. The Gimmerburn takes its rise in the Garibaldi Eange, and passes through a wide valley for a distance of about seven miles to its confluence with the Wetherburn, which is a tributary of the Taieri Eiver. At the point where it leaves the gorge in the range there is a tailings reserve of 124 acres, which extends below the gorge for a distance of about a mile and a half, and from the lower end of this reserve to the Wetherburn there is a mining reserve of 2 chains wide along the course of the stream. There have been considerable gold-workings on the Garibaldi Eange, and there is a large deposit of tailings on the reserve immediately below the mouth of the gorge. Evidence tendered to your Commissioners showed that the tailings reserve was leased by two settlers, and that a channel, for the purpose of draining the land, was cut in the reserve to the place where the tailings are deposited. The cutting of this channel had the effect of concentrating the water which formerly flowed over the flat,, and as a result of such concentration tailings have in time of flood been deposited on lands occupied by other settlers lower down the stream. The evidence also showed that there were four miners working claims on the Garibaldi Eange, and that they could only work for about four months in the year owing to scarcity of water. It was evident to your Commissioners after inspection that there is a sufficient reserve for the deposit of tailings near the mouth of the gorge, and that any damage done to settlers lower down the stream is due to the action of those who cut the before-mentioned channel in the reserve. If this channel were closed up near its head, the tailings and water would go over a considerable area of the tailings reserve, and not in any way interfere with or damage the land of settlers lower down the valley. Under these circumstances your Commissioners do not recommend that the Gimmerburn be proclaimed a watercourse into which tailings, debris, and waste water from mining claims may be discharged. Fbasbb Eivbb. The Fraser Eiver takes its rise in what is termed the Old Man Eange, and traverses from its source auriferous country, some portions of which are known to contain gold in sufficient quantities to pay for working. A hydraulic-sluicing plant has recently been constructed for the purpose of working the Fraser basin near the source of the river. There is no freehold land on the banks of this river until it leaves the mountains and enters the plain at the Earnscleugh Estate, where it passes through a pre-emptive right section recently purchased by the Government. Below this pre-emptive right holding there are two small sections of freehold land, but one of these has lately been sold for dredging, and it is probable the other will be disposed of for a like purpose. Seeing that the bed of this river is likely to be worked by dredges, and that little or no compensation will be required to be paid, your Commissioners recommend that the Fraser Eiver be proclaimed a watercourse into which tailings, debris, and waste water from mining claims may be discharged. Tuapbka Eivbb. The Tuapeka Eiver may be said to take its rise at Wetherstone and the Blue Spur, where rich deposits of gold have been obtained, and workings are still being carried on by dredging and hydraulic sluicing and elevating plants. Dredging claims have been taken up in the valley of the river. One dredge is at work and another in course of construction on Wetherstone Flat, and other dredges are working on the Tuapeka and Evans's Flat. The result of the first gold-workings, which were carried on by " pad docking," was that the ground was left in a very rough state, and utterly useless for cultivation, but the reworking of it by dredges has the effect of leaving it in such an improved condition that there is a reasonable prospect of the dredged land being utilised for settlement purposes. Seeing that no injury will be done and no compensation required to be paid to any landholder, your Commissioners recommend that the Tuapeka Eiver, with the tributaries, Wetherstone, Gabriel, and Monroe Creeks, be proclaimed watercourses into which tailings, debris, and waste water from mining claims may be discharged. Cabdeona Eivbb. Active mining operations have been carried on in the valley of the Cardrona and adjoining terraces during the last thirty-eight years. One dredge has been working near the junction of the Branch Creek and the main river for the last twelve months, and at the present time there are five dredges under construction to work the ground in the valley of the Cardrona below the township, which is about eight miles from the source and fifteen miles from the confluence with