C—3.

KUMARA EACE.

The total sales of water from the Kumara Eace for the year amounted to £2,250 12s. 2d., and the expenditure for maintenance and repairs during the same period was £1,706 10s., showing a credit balance of £544 2s. 2d. on the year's transactions. The average number of miners supplied with water for sluicing from the race was 4608, and the approximate quantity of gold obtained by them was 4,504 oz., having a value of £17,565 12s. The sales of water are £69 Is. 2d. greater than during the preceding year, and the approximate yield of gold is 627 oz. more, having a value of £2,445 6s. The expenditure on maintenance and repairs is £371 6s. 10d. less than during the preceding year, and all the races and pipe-lines have been kept in an efficient state of repair. The most of the ground sluiced away during the year was poor, and several claims were abandoned on that account; but other ground formerly abandoned has again been taken up, with fair prospects of payable returns. All the races, tunnels, and pipe-lines have been maintained in an efficient state of repair, and no accident or breakages, except of a minor nature, occurred during the year. The reduction in the price of water has had a beneficial effect, and kept many claims going that would otherwise have had to be abandoned, and the revenue has not suffered by the reduction. The supply of water has been at all times ample for all requirements, and for the first time since the race was constructed the water has not been short for a single day throughout the year. During the year water was running to waste over the dams ninety-nine days, and during that time 204-| days' water for the whole field was lost for want of storage-room. The miners observed twenty-one holidays during the year. The attached table shows the number of days in each month on which water was running over the dams, and quantity lost, and also the number of holidayson which no water was used for sluicing:—

Besides the sales of water above referred to, water to the value of £111 2s. Id. was supplied to claims having a succession of poor washings. Full inquiry was made in each case before any concession was made. Flushing-water was supplied to each of the channels without charge, in accordance with authority from the Department, to the following extent: No. 2 channel, ten sluice-heads; No. 3 channel, twenty-three sluice-heads; No. 4 channel, ten sluice-heads ; No. 5 channel, twenty sluice-heads. In no case was less than the above quantities supplied, and, as water was plentiful during the whole year, quantities much in excess of the above were supplied instead of letting it go to waste, which would benefit no one. Washing-up water was supplied to miners using water from the race free of charge, and the Borough of Kumara was supplied with water for fire purposes. The following tabulated statement shows the receipts and cost of maintenance of the Kumara Eace for the year ended the 31st March, 1902, together with the approximate quantity and value of gold obtained by parties using water from the race : —

157

Month. ater running over Dam. Quantity of Water lost. Holidays. No Water for Channel. Dams empty. April ... May ... June ... July ... August... September October November December 1901. 1902. Days. 8 11 9 2 4 7 14 13 13 Days. 15i 12 17* li 2* 14 42 39 24 Days. 8 Days, Days. *6 January February 'March ... 7 7 4 19 14 4 6 i Totals 99 20421

Month. Sale* of Water. Cash received for Sales of Water. Expenditure. Outstanding ! Number Ap P^?J i_ Moneys at of OuMrtHv the End of Men emeach Month, ployed. 0 $^. Value of Goli obtained. 1901. April May June July August September October November December £ a. d. 203 18 9 236 8 2 199 19 2 209 17 9 174 8 7 172 4 10 215 9 6 213 17 1 167 15 7 i 1 £ s. d. 256 16 7 256 0 6 244 18 7 150 14 5 162 10 0 139 12 0 203 12 0 66 2 6 209 10 0 £ b. d. 136 12 5 136 5 8 134 8 1 145 9 5 147 9 11 152 13 9 128 8 11 146 6 4 168 3 4 £ s. d. 490 11 0 468 3 7 427 7 11 482 8 9 494 6 1 526 18 11 538 16 5 686 11 0 644 16 7 54 62 60 52 49 47 40 43 37 Oz. 405 472 400 420 350 345 432 428 336 £ a. d. 1,579 10 0 1,840 16 0 1,560 0 0 1,638 0 0 1,365 0 0 1,345 10 0 1,684 16 0 1,669 4 0 1,310 8 0 1902. 127 11 6 161 15 10 167 5 5 95 0 0 57 0 0 127 8 6 139 5 6 128 7 1 142 19 7 677 8 1 782 3 11 822 0 10 39 35 35 256 324 336 998 8 0 1,263 12 0 1,310 8 0 January February March Totals 2,250 12 2 1,969 5 1 1,706 10 0 4608 :»verag 4,504 17,565 12