WARDEN’S REPORT.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2174, 26 April 1870, Page 2

WARDEN’S REPORT.

The following is the report of Mr Warden Robinson, who, writing under date the 19th April, says : “ I have to report that, notwithstanding some drawbacks, the mining interest in this district has continued to prosper. The most serious of these drawbacks has been a strike of the work ng miners renting water for sluicing at Naseby. The w'ater race owners at Naseby had for along time been letting out water at the rate of 50s pr Hogburu head. The Hogburn head is a stream running for eight hours daily through an orifice equal to sixteen inches by one. The miners using the water complained that the rate charged for it was exorbitant, and demanded that it should be reduced to 30s. This the water owners would not accede to, and the consequence was that the miners decided to cease taking water until the price should come down. For several weeks the strike continued, hut at length it was happily brought to the end by the reduction of the price to 40s; except for the water supplied to the claimhoklers on Surface Hill, au elevated piece of ground to which wat>-r .has rec nfcly been conducted at considerable expense. “The strike while it lasted was a heavy drain upon the resources of the district. Large numbers of men who, in the ordinary course of events should have been earning from L2 to L 4 a week each, or in some instances much more, were idle. Some went away to seek work elsewhere, but the number ox these was comparatively small. The loss to the district can never be repaired, but it is a very encouraging Tact to observe that it appears to have been most cheerfully borne. “Another drawback has been a heavy flood, which occurred on the 2nd of January. This did considerable damage to the large tail races in the Hogburn Gully. “ But in spite of all these drawbacks, as already stated, the mining interest must be considered as in a flourishing condition. “The almost universal method of working in this district is that known as‘sluicing, and the operations are, as a rule, con dueled on rather au extensive scale, Some of tho tail races are of great length, and very deep and wide, while not a few are carried through tunnels to get the ‘ fall ’ which is so essential to the success of this class of mining. The subject of ‘ fall ’ is indeed of momentous interest to the miner. He may discover ground containing a fair proportion of the precious metal—he may lead water on to it to wash with ; but unless he can secure a sufficient ‘fall’ or declivity for the discharge of the ‘tailings,’ all his labor and research will have been thrown away. “ At St. Bathan’s very extensive and systematic works have been constructed, with the sole object of pulling out of the way the waste sand and gravel, which, if allowed to accumulate, would in a few hours choke up all the tail races in the St Bathau’s basin, and bring the work in the c’aims at a .standstill. At Hamilton and Hyde the sluicing is on an almost equally extensive scale as regards individual claims, but the natural facilities for getting rid of the waste stuff being greater, it has not been found necessary to make any such works as the St. Bathan’s main channel. An interesting feature at Hyde is the taking up of several leases in the m in gully for sluicing purposes ; to work which, it is intended to bring up tail races of considerable dimen. sions. At Hamilton a large dam recently comp’eted, will secure to the miners a more copious and uniform supply of water for their operations. ‘ ‘ More attention has of late been paid to

quartz mining, in this district especially, in the vicinity of Macrae’s Flat. One company, the Duke of Edinburgh Co., has erected powerful crushing machinery, which it is expected will be ready for work in a week or two. The old Macrae’s quartz mill having fallen into new hands, is and has been for some time at work. “ Some excitement was lately occasioned by the reported discovery of a rich quartz reef at Strath Taieri. There was quite a rush to secure claims. The excitement was somewhat moderated when it became known that a trial crushing had shown a prospect of only nine pennyweights to the ton, but none of the claims have been given up, and the holders appear resolved to give the reef a thorough testing. The same may be said of the reef at the Maerewhenua, which is being very vigorously prospected. This reef is being worked in four different claims. The claimholders have erected substantial huts on the ground, intending to reside there fjr the winter. “The construction of the water-races granted at the Maerewhenua diggings is being pressed forward as rapidly as their means will allow ; but the works have in most instances proved more costly than was at first anticipated. It is impossible to say with any certainty what will be the future of the diggings at Maerewhenua, until some at least of the large races are brought in and supplying water for sluicing. All that has been done there hitherto has been mere prospecting for sluicing ground. “I forward on a separate sheet a tabular statement in the form supplied by you, showing approximately the number of miners employed, and the machinery in use in the various divisions of my district. It may be roughly estimated that the number of persons not engaged in mining is about equal to the number of miners. This will, of course, bo inclusive of those engaged in pastoral pursuits, and of women and children “ As this is mainly a sluicing district, the amount of machinery employed is very small; but, as quartz mining advances, it is reasonable to expect that there will be more and more capital invested in machinery of various kinds. The largest investments in this district as yet are in water races, some of which represent a very heavy outlay of capital. “ I am compiling a statement, embodying some information about water races, which shall be forwarded as soon as completed. The total population of the district is 1780, composed as follows: —Nasehy, 550 ; Kyehurnand Clark’s, 170; St. Bathan’s and Welshman’s, 225 ; Rough Ridge and Hill’s Creek, 80 ; Hamilton and Sowburn, 90 ; Hyde and Fullarton’s, 95; Macraes and Strath Taieri, 220 ; Serpentine, 70 ; Maerewheuua, 170 ; other localities, 110. There are 1320 Europeans alluvial and 120 quartz miners, and 340 Chinese alluvial miners. The number of hydraulic hoses in use is 105 ; of pumps, 2; of sluice boxes, 171 ; of steam engines, 2 (the aggregate horse-power being 28) ; of quartz crushing machines, 3 (with 24 heads of stamps); and of water wheels, 1 ; —the approximate value of the whole being L 5435. The number of square miles of ground actually worked upon is 39, and the value of gold is L 3 15s per ounce. The rate of wages for miners is L 3 per week.