WARDEN’S REPORT.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2167, 18 April 1870, Page 2

WARDEN’S REPORT.

Mr Warden Beetham (Queenstown dis* trict), writing under date the Bth instant* reports as follows :

“ The population of the district has been gradually on the increase during the whole of the past year, but the most marked increase has taken place during the last six months. A peculiar feature in this addition to the mining portion of the community has been the settlement of about 600 Chinese miners in the district. The total mining population is now about 1343. “ The various industries, of the Wakatipu district may he classed as follows :—l. Mining operations ; 2. Agricultural and pastoral pursuits; 3. The production and export of hewn, sawn, and split timber, lime, coal, &c. “ In mining operations the progress has been steady, and uncharacterised by any uu due or unhealthy excitement such as existed during the quartz fever of 1867 and 1868, which was naturally followed by a reaction so complete and disastrous in its character as to paralyse for a length of time all progress in the development of quartz mining. ' Now, however, partly consequent upon the recent discoveries at Bendigo Gully, and partly resulting from the evident richness of the quartz lodes of the Upper Shotover, considerable progress has lately been made in developing the resources of the district with reference to that branch of mining. The Nugget Reef may now be considered as fairly tested by a prospecting extending over two years, which has resulted in the formation of a company and the erection of machinery upon the lease. “ Terrace working, by means of tunnelling and sluicing, employs now a much greater number of miners than were engaged in it twelve months ago. Operations in this direction had resulted in opening up much ground which was not supposed to be at all payable, while some terraces have been found to contain almost fabulous quantities of gold. I have heard LISOO refused for one month’s earnings of one share of a terrace claim. A vast extent of this ground is either untouched or only partially worked. “The river bed workings are yielding an abundant second, and even third, harvest to two classes of workers, the dredgers and the Chinese. The Upper Shotover, the Arrow, and the Cardrona, are the principal places which are thus being reworked, but it is quite certain that the mountain streams which abound in the Wakatipu, will be systematically reworked by both Europeans and Chinese. The dredge Enterprise, owned by Messrs Ashcroft, Graves, and party, which is working the bed of the Shotover, about 1£ miles above Skipper’s Point, has succeeded in proving payable ground. This dredge, which is due of the largest on the goldfields, is 37ft in length and of loft beam. It cost mope than L 700; the whole of the timber used in its constrgQti.cn was cut at Robertson’s saw mills, and was packed §3 npiles on horses. This timber with the machinery weighed 13 tons. In the opinion of the proprietors the whole of the river bed from sand hills to the forks, a distance of about ten miles, null pay handsomely for dredging. The party are paying wages at the rate of L 4 10s per week for all men employed. This is the first dredge at work in the district. “ In every portion of my district, which extends over an area of 2,250 square miles, mining operations are extending, and becoming more and more permanent and remunerative in their character. ,1 desire with reference to this subject to point out the marked increase in the yield of gold in the year 1870 as against that of 1809, feeing 47360 Z5 . The total yield of gold during the’year ending March 31st,' 1870. vtas 22,203ozs,'representing L8fi,03(5 12b gd. This is a most convincing proof of the increased prosperity of the district. Under the GoM Mining Lease Regulations are held 392 acres, and about 412 acres are held under the Extended Claim Regulations. “Agricultural and pastoral pursuits, as will be observed from the returns, occupy the attention of a large and influential section of the population of the district. The area held at present under th<? Agricultural Lease Regulations is about 16,500 acres, of which about 5,087 acres are taken up and are under cultivation, producing during the present year 59,920 bushels of wheat, 50,508 bushels of oats, 1,405 bushels of barley, 206 tons of hay, and 1,065 tons of potatoes. The district will shortly possess two flourmills—the Brunswick Mills, which have been in operation about two years, and a new mill in gourde of erection by Messrs Gilmore Brothers. It is also in contemplation by Messrs Robertson and Hallenstein of the Brunswick Mills, to grind oatmeal during the present season. This null is probably the finest wooden structure of the kind in the Province. It is three stories in height, and c&n drive four pair of stones. Che greater portion of the land is of first-rate quality, and is easily worked. It is held in farms varying in size from 10 to 200 acres. In some few cases partnerships have been formed, giving farms of a larger area. These firms arp with few exceptions fenced subgtaatially with posts, tpp rail, and wires. During the past year considerably progress has been made in the formation of quick and otljer line fences ; while plantations of the” blue gum hays been sown, which will in a few years become very valuable. On the higher levels of country large flocks of sheep and herds of cattle ara depastured, and lines of runs held under depasturing leases bound the district upon the south, east, and west. The northern boundary of the district is to a great extent a terra incognita to the Canterbury Province, except in the direction of the West Coast, which has been recently explored. I have no doubt that the limits of the goldfield will shortly extend in that direction. The Holleyford Valley and the country generally beyond the dividing range are no doubt auriferous, apd will shortly be well prospected. Lime of a good quality, and a first-class limestone for building purposes, are found in several localities, and seams of first-rate coal are worked. A considerable quantity of lime is exported. Timber of different kinds exists In great abundance on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, and also in various other portions of the district —hewn, sawn, and split. This forms a valuable article of export. A large brewery and maltbouse is now nearly completed at Queenstown, and ere long the large flax flats at Kingston will, I believe, be utilised. Some idea of tbe export trade of the district may be formed from the fact that the demand for the carriage of flour, timber, grain, and wool, far exceeds tbe capabilities of the return dray traffic, both by tbe Dunedin and Invercargill roads. The return drays cannot keep pace with the requirements of the down traffic. As I have frequently before observed there ia but one thing wanting in the die?.

triet, and that is a population to develop its vast resources. A magnificent climate and individual prosperity result inevitably here, as elsewhere, in a rapid natural increase of the population, time however must elapse before this can be utilised. We require bone, sinew, and -capital, to develop the resources which are waiting to our hands.

“ Great as the progress of the district has been during the seven years in which it has for the most part been under my charge, I believe that the next seven years will show a still more rapid development. The transition from the days when every living soul in the district was under canvass to the civilisation of the present is great, and looking upon this field as the outpost of civilisation in the Province most remarkable and interesting. Blocks of country which seven years ago were utterly waste and unoccupied are now covered by enclosed fields and dotted with smiling homesteads, producing grain and food in abundance for borne consumption and for export to less favored regions. “ Radiating from the smaller centre of population, in the more alpine and sterile portions of the district parties of miners are dotted in every direction, living for the most part in stone and wooden houses, and surrounded, comparatively speaking, by every comfort. The miner of 1870 differs as much from the pioneer of 1863 as does a cultivated field fromahowliug wilderness. Heis possessed of conveniences and appliances which his less fortunate brother of old never dreamed of. he settles down to his occupation as one which will interest and occupy him for life ; he builds himself a comfortable house, cultivates a garden, and marries (for a very large proportion of our miners have taken unto themselves helpmeets for them), the consequence is that a hardy young population, inured to hard Work and alpine frosts and snows (but to no other hardships) are reared to work those mines which their fathers will but have opened for them. Nor are these children without every advantage, educational and otherwise. Schools of a very high order are (except in very remote situations) available for them, and their spiritual welfare is cared for. Two resident clergymen and the frequent visits of others supply the religious requirements of the district. There are five churches and services are frequently held at the schoolhouse and reading rooms in the various small centres of population. “In the Warden’s and Resident Magistrate’s Courts of the district during the year ending the 31st March, 471 cases were heard, and 1160 mining applications were granted ; this being exclusive of the jurisdiction of the District Court.” “ There are in the district 668 Europeans, and 635 Chinese, alluvial miners ; and 40 European quartz) miners. The number of sluices aud toms is 225 ; of water wheels, 7 ; of hydraulic hoses, 64; of pumps, 50; of sluice boxes, 1100; of quicksilver and compound cradles, 1 ; and boring machines, 1. There are 4 crushing machines ; 59 stampheada ; 3 water wheels, and 15 whims ; the approximate value of the whole of the m’ning plant being L 46.037. The number of square miles of auriferous ground actually worked upon, is 96, and the price of gold in the district L 3 17s 6d per oz. The rate of wages is—for miners, L 3 to L 4 per week ; and for laborers, LI 5a to LI 10s with rations. The estimated population of the district is 2868, composed as follows : European miners, 708 ; Chinese miners, 635 ; business people, 262 ; population engaged in agricultural pursuits, 477; ■ women aud children, 786.