WARDEN’S REPORT.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2627, 19 July 1871, Page 3

WARDEN’S REPORT.

Mr Warden Borton, under date, Roxburgh, July 10, reports as follows : I have the honor to state that since my last report the Chinese have again visited the district in considerable . fully anticipate seeing more of them wo iking'the various beaches and r.vcrs, than there has ever been hitherto. lam gh|J to be able to state that there has been but little crime amongst the Chinese located hcie their moral obliquity of vision displaying itself chieily in the difficulty v.hic.i they apparently experience in discriminating between their own claims and those ot the Europeans near whom they may be working. In common with other districts, we have recently been visited by frosts of almost Arctic severity ; so severe indeed as to stop the workings not only in the hill country but even along the hanks of the Clutha. As a natural consequence of the severe frosts following upon the drought of last summer, the river has fallen to a lower level than usual; and should cold frosty weather still prevail, no doubt there will be a rich harve-t to be gathered from the beaches. All the river claims arc now again in full work, and I am glad to notice that the antiquated S3 stem of lifdiig the wash dirt by hand labor is being superseded in some instances by tie truck and tramway, with horse power. Bjthis latter process, claims can be wrought with little more than half the number of men hitherto employed, and hence ground always thought to be too poor to work, will really pay better than many of the old claims long since abandoned. I armors in the district arc busy and cheerful, and Irom the high prices which are realised for all kinds of cereals, I should gather that they have had a prosperous year. 1 regret having to report another case of scarlet fever, after the disease had apparently died out. It is, however, an isolated case, and not likely to spread. The population is on the increase, chiefly from the influxof Chinese. I estimate the numbers at 1,150, of whom about 1000 are Europeans. The number of miners is 543, of whom 384 are European, and 159 Chinese. The machinery employed in mining includes 21 sluices and toms, 19 water-wheels, 23 pumps, and 1,19G sluice-boxes, of the of L 22,937. In addition to this 117 waterraces have been constructed at a cost of L 15,512, supplying 200 sluicc-heads of water. The present value is estimated to be L13.9G0. Of tail races there are 87, which cost together L 2,517, and are now valued at L 2.714 ; and 61 dams have been built at au outlay of L 3 232. the present value of which is computed to be L' 3,270. Eight ground sluices are in work, on which L 355 was spent, and which are now considered worth L 395. Provisions are moderate. Beer, per hhd., Ll9 ; b;andy, per gall., 2Gs ; bread, per lb., 3d ; fresh butter, Is 6d ; cheese, Is; cotlee, Is 9cl; beef, 4d ; mutton, 3d ; pork, 6d ; rice, 4d ; salt, 3d ; sugar, 7d ; tea, 3s Gd ; tobacco, 6s ; wine, per gallon, 18s. Wages, L 3 per week.