WARDEN’S REPORT.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2270, 16 August 1870, Page 2

WARDEN’S REPORT.

Mr Warden Pyke (Dunstan district) re* ports for the quarter ending the 31st July, as follows The unprecedented rainfall of this season has proved disastrous to those branches of gold mining which are dependent on the state of the river. Bank sluicing and dredging have been rendered impossible in the Clyde and Alexandra divisions, and have been pursued under most unfavorable conditions elsewhere. Both crushing machines have been idle during the latter portion of the quarter—the Aurora battery because of the frost affecting their supply of water, and the Cromwell Company’s battery owing to the breakage of their driving wheel, and consequent stoppage of the machine. These causes have teiqled to reduce the production of gold very considerably ; and as the season is fast passing away without any sign of an approaching change, I fear there will not be any compensation for the opportunities thus lost. In Black’s division, however, the fine open weather and the abundant supply of water has been very beneficial, an' the yield there has increased proportionately. The same is true of the Nevis workings, where for the first time (I am informed) since that locality has been opened, the miners have this year been able to continue their operations without let or hindrance up to this present writing. I have no new discoveries to report for this quarter. Owing to the almost impassible state of the roads, the local agriculturists have obtained very high prices for most of their.produce. Oats— greatly iu demaud here—weie 5s per bushel at harvest time, and are now 6s fid, with an upward tendency. Sraw and other produce maintain proportionate rates. As a consequence more land is taken up fo i cultivation, both at Bald Hill and Tiger Hill, At the latter place the nucleus, of what promises to be a very extensive agricultural settlement, has been formed. As an e »ddence of local progress, I may mention tho successful establishment of a brewery at Alexandra. The proprietors of this establishment —Messrs Theyers and Beck—have succeeded in producing malt beverages.of superior quality, and such as are calculated to drive Dunedin competitors out of the Dunstan market altogether. Hero again a fresh incentive is given to agriculture, and from samples - grown in the neighborhood the soil .appears admirably adapted for the growth of excellent barley. The climate is certainly favorable, ami in one instance at least no less than SO bushels to the acre of a very superior com hape been qbtainett. 1 : ' •' u ' ’• Copulation. —lf there is any change since my last report thero has been a slight decrease in the population owing to the stoppage of mining operations by the weather in certain parts of the district. Gold. During the quarter there has been Sent down by escort from the Dunstan district, gold as follows

Leet flic above return should appear inconsistent; with m y general report as to tho comparative prosperity O-f the several divisions of the district, 1 may explain that tho effects of apy depression, or the reverse, in gold mining only devclopcs itself in the escort returns after the fact; usually from two to tlirte months after, as miners do not “wash up ” so frequently now as they formorly were in the habit of doing. I may also add that in the mouth of June there was only one escort which will account for the exceeding tenuity of the returns for that mouth. I anticipate great results from our reefs next spring. from tho statistical tables appended to the report, we loam that in the four divisions of the district there are 57 water races, giving 205 heads of water, whose cost of construction was 1jG0,355, and present value L33,C00. There are 14 tail races, whose cost of construction amounts! to L 10,425, and present value is L 10,325 ; and there are 19 dams, which cost L 1540 to construct, am s are now valued at L 4520. In the die^

there are 850 European and 530 Chinese alluvial miners, and 150 European quartz miners. The approximate value of the whole of the mining plant in the district is LOO, 01)0, which includes the value o£ water races. The number of square miles of auriferous ground actually worked upon is about fifteen, and the price of gold ranges from L 3 12s' to L 3 13s.

Locality April May J unc Total or, dts 07, (Its oz on cits Cromwell .. .1441 0 1387 0 794 3823 0 Black’s , 00!) 0 404 0 604 1617 0 Clyde . 604 0 302 0 303 1408 0 Alexandra . 012 4 380 1 202 1194 5 Gen 1 . Totals 326(5 4 2873 I 1903 8041 5,