G.—2

36

The average number of. miners supplied with water was 11 -33, an increase of 6-75 on the previous year ; arid the approximate quantity of gold obtained by them was 779 oz., having a value of £3,038 25., an increase of £2,151 Bs. on last year. The sales of water amounted to £333 4s. 6d., an increase of £309 His. 5d- on the previous year, and the cash received showed an increase of £216145. 7d. McGrath and Co. worked their claim at Upper Larrikins all the year, but the results obtained were far from satisfactory. This is greatly to be regretted, as, apart from the very large expense incurred by the company in opening up the property, it was thought by many competent judges that the lead that distributed the Kumara gold would be again picked up in this area, and that some indication of its original source would be ascertained. Shannaughy and party was the only claim that sluiced into the No. 3 deviation during tho year, and, notwithstanding the very heavy expenditure involved in maintaining about 7,000 ft. of channel and a long private tail-race, payable results were obtained. During the year Mr. T. Moynihan took up a mining-area of 9 acres near the Kumara Borough boundary, which has since been transferred to an Auckland syndicate. Messrs. D. and T. Moynihan, on behalf of the syndicate, started lo put the property in working-order in December, and, judging by the satisfactory progress made with the work up to the 31st March, sluicing operations should start some time in May. The preparatory work already carried out goes to show that the syndicate intends to work their property on a fairly large scale, and should the venture prove a success -and there is nothing to indicate otherwise the)- will be large purchasers of Government water in the near future. About twenty intermediate sets of timber and a considerable number of extra side and roof laths were placed in position in the head-race tunnel during the year. The usual quantity of flushing-water authorized by the Department was supplied when the No. 3 channel deviation was working, and water was also supplied to the Kumara Borough for lire-brigade and other purposes free of charge. Kumara Trans-Taramakau Water-race. The cash received for sales of water from this race for the year ended the 31st March, 1915, was £200 10s., and the expenditure on management, gauging, maintenance, and repairs amounted to £291 2s. 3d., showing a debit balance of £30 12s. 3d. on the year's transactions. Tho average number of miners supplied with water was 14-25, an increase of 3-34 on the previous year; and the approximate quantity of gold obtained by them was 833 oz., having a value of £3,248 145., a decrease of £581 2s. on last year. The sales of water amounted to £358 12s, 9d., a decrease of £114 15s. 6d. on the previous year; and the cash received shows a decrease of £168 2s. 3d. The sales from this race were very disappointing, as, instead of a decrease, a substantial improvement was expected. It is a significant fact that out of the five claims opened up and fully equipped at the beginning of the year only one, Bell and party, was working on the 31st March, the other four having closed down owing to the unsatisfactory results obtained. So far, however, none of those claims are dismantled, and there is reason to hope that they will be given another trial before being finally abandoned. Although the Taramakau River has scoured considerably since the pipe-lino was laid down, the pij>es crossing the river show no indications of displacement, but a few more crates at tho north, end may be required from time to time. On the river-fiat a number of joints started to leak so badly that an 8 ft. section of pipe was cut out, and the line connected up with an expansion-joint. Tho whole siphon is now fairly tight, and the race from the outlet end to Quinn's Terrace is in good order. Erin-go-Bragh Water-race. The cash received for sales of water from this race for the year ended the 31st March, 1915, was £214 75., and the expenditure on management, gauging, maintenance, and repairs amounted to £371 95., showing a debit balance of £157 2s. on the year's transactions. The average number of miners supplied with water was 10-83, a decrease of 0-33 on the previous year; and tho approximate quantity of gold obtained by them was 540 oz., having a value of £2,106, an increase of £464 2s. on last year. The sales of water amounted to £222 Bs., an increase of £10 17s. 6d. on the previous year. The cash received showed an improvement of £11 10s. 6d., and the expenditure increased by £150 9s. 9d. The increased expenditure was almost entirely due to the cost of repairing a break which took place in intake tunnel near the head of the long-drive race. The break occurred on the 30th November, and owing principally to the unsafe condition of the timber in the tunnel at both sides of it, which had to bo renewed to ensure the safety of the men employed, repairs were not completed until the 10th March. The collapse of this tunnel completely cut off the water-supply from Maori Point and tho new claims at Argus Terrace for over three months, and materially reduced the sales of water for the year. The tunnel is now in good order, and the cost of maintaining this race should be small for some time to come. During the year three new claims opened out at Argus Terrace, but owing to the proximity of the Maori Point Road one of them had to temporarily cease operations before their free water was used up. The results so far obtained from these claims have been encouraging, and there is every probability of a payable field being opened up in this locality.