WARDEN'S REPORT.

Evening Star, Issue 3024, 29 October 1872, Page 3

WARDEN'S REPORT.

Mr Warden Borton (Teviot district) reports as follows : There has been great activity throughout the district during the quarter ended the 30th September. Claims have for the most part been in full work, and water has been abundant. The quartz reef at the Fourteen Mile Beach, mentioned in a previous report, seems likely to turn out well. Several experiments on a small scale have been made, and, I understand, in each case with good results. The prospectors are about to send a sample of the stone to the Government battery in Dunedin, and, I think, wisely—as the result of the crushing, whether good or had, will give more satisfaction to intending purchasers than could bo the case if the stone were forwarded to any private company. Considerable interest and excitement were at one time manifested about the Queensland rush, hut subsequent reports from that place have somewhat damped the ardor of those who were contemplating a trip thither. Up to the present time I nave not heard of a single miner having left this district for the new El Dorado. Now that the Spring has again set in, many parties are finding their way into Campbells and the adjoining localities from other districts, and the present season bids fair to be a profitable one to those engaged in mining throughout the high-lying parts of this district. The “Perseverance” dredge, so long lying idle at her anchorage, has again started work, and although no great finds have hitherto been made, yet the amount of gold obtained has shown that the proprietors were fully justified in once more starting to work on t'ho Teviot beaches. The population is nearly stationary, though perhaps slightly on the Increase.

There arc 727 miners in the district—s63 European and 164 Chinese. The machinery employed in alluvial mining comprises 85 water-wheels, 19 hydraulic hoses; 22 pumps and 1940 sluic(vboKOß, vnlued at L 24.920. There are 137 water-races, giving 294 heads, valued at L 16,620; 99 tailraces, valued at L 2580 ; 78 darns, valued at L329D ; and 8 ground sluices, valued at 1,385. The number of miles of ground worked upon is 419; the price of gold L 3 15s anoz., and the weekly rate of wage* L2 Bs.