WARDEN'S REPORT.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2356, 20 October 1870, Page 2

WARDEN'S REPORT.

Mr Warden Borton, writing to the Secretary of Land and Works, from Mount Benger, under date October 11, reports : I have the honor to report that, during the last quarter just ended, mining in this district has been carried on with considerable energy and success. The river, which at one time threatened to put a stop to all operations on its banks, has since fallen sufficiently low to admit of the working of all ordinary claims ; and although from the increasing deposit of tailings in the river bottom, sluicing is year by year becoming a more difficult and less remunerative undertaking.; still the results of some of the washinga-up this season have been such as to prove that there are yet rich treasures to reward the toil and perseverance of the miner. One of the principal obstacles to mining is this, as in other districts, the want of capital to test the capabilities of new ground. There are hundreds and even thousands of acres on either hank of the Clutha, which I am confident would amply remunerate any parties able aud willing to give them a sufficient trial, lu proof of this I may mention that, about two mouths since, a party of Chinese discovered a rich deposit in the terrace on the west bank of the river, about a mile of above Roxburgh. This terrace has been yielding from LI to L 3 per day per man to forty or fifty miners, mostly Chinese ; and yet, so small was the expectation of this spot proving payable, that an excellent stone house had been built on the ground. Since my last report the European population has remained very steady ; but there has been a large influx of Chinese who have gone over the hills and taken up good claims on the Pumahaka and surrounding districts. I estimate that from 100 to 200 Chinese are now working in those localities, aud doubtless the yield of gold for the next quarter wjll be Javorably affected by this increase of pop datio i. The weather during the first part of the quarter was wet and stormy, but for the last six weeks we have had no rain at all; and unless a good downfall occurs shortly, the growing crops, both of farms and gardens, will be materially injureli. By a table appended tq the report, we learn that there ;}2f) European and 312 Chinese miners ip the district. Thepe are employed 23 sluices and toms, 30 water*

wheels, -24. pumps, and 1015 sluice boxes ; representing a money value of L 22,250. The number of square miles of auriferous ground actually worked upon is -474> aQ d the price of gold 75s per ounce.