WARDEN'S REPORTS.

Evening Star, Issue 3941, 12 October 1875, Page 3

WARDEN'S REPORTS.

The following is the report of Mr Warden Beetham for the quarter ending September 30, for the district (Queenstown) under his charge:— A considerable extent of ground has been taken up under the Mining Lease Regulations siuce my last report. The area applied for during the quarter ending 30th September being sixty-seven acres as against twenty-seven acres takon up during the previous quarter. These leases have been taken up principally in the vicinity of Arthur's Point, at which place it is thought not improbable that a deep lead will eventually be discovered. A number of mining leases have also been applied for in the neighborhood of the Skipper's reefs, the extreme richness of the stone in the old Scandinavian claim having, no doubt, induced speculation. lam informed that many of the newly-acquired claims promise well. The tributers on the Scandinavian have not yet retorted amalgam, so it is impossible to say what the yield will be per ton.

The yield of gold for the quarter amounts to 3,7560z 15dwts, or within 17oz of the weight escorted last quartsr. 557 a. lr. 39p. have been taken up under the Agricultural Lease Regulations, and 143 a. 2r. 35p. under th*> deferred payment By.tem; 67a. 2r. 31p. have been granted under the Mining Lease Regulations ; while 40a. have been taken up as extended claims. Seventy-six mining applications have been dealt with, and Bixty seven caßes have been decided in the Warden's and Resident Magistrate's Courts. Businrss generally is reported as being very dull, nor is it ever likely to be otherwise until it becomes worth while to export grain and other produce to th • Coast. The following is the substance of the report of Mr Warden Stratford for the quarter ending September 30 for the district (Arrow) under his ch >rge :

In the neighborhood of two large companies, Arrow _ United and Arrow Universal Company, are in full working order —in the fermer under new auspices, the reformation of the company. The contractors have nearly completed a large flood-r tee capable of draining aH the water of Bush Creek, and as highly auriferous wash is known to be embedded at about 30ft below the surface, the company, which has expended about L 4,000, will hare a fair prospect of obtaining good interest for their capital. They have fifteen aores registered under the Mining Lease Regulations. The Universal Company are at_ present engaged in sinking a shaft to rai«e the drainagp-water by means of a centrifugal pump which will shortly be erected, and made capable of pumping 2,000 gallons a minute. Up the Arrow River some few of the original rich claims are proved to be almost inexhaustible. A Chinese party of six having purchased the Pip and Tear claim for a small sum, are making about L4O a week. They havo a gigantic underground tail-race running three-quarters of a mile under the bed of the river. The Sons of Fortune Company having succeeded in driving a tunnel 30t)f t. under the river and through solid rock has now como upon indications of rich wash, and is approaching ground known to be rich. Braoken's Gully, once a busy scene of successful goldmining, is nearly deserted. I do not think there are mor» than eight or ten Europeans there now, and about twenty Chinese. 1 believe the locality will soon be a diggings of. the past. At Macetown there are about seventy European male adults, twenty females, fifty children of both sexes, and sixty Chinese. Thi3 estimate includes the residents of Eight-mile Diggings and Roger's Gully. The sluicing parties are making fair wages, and the quantity of gold sold from this locality would justify the opinion that the finds, to the present number of population, exeeeds L2 10s a-week u 1 man. On the banks of the .Kawarau, between Morven Ferry and Roaring Meg, owing to an unprecedented mild winter, the sluicing parties have been engaged without cessation. At the Cardrona, the European population (about 100, all told) has held its own against all tempting rushes and inducements to leave since my list report. The township is shortly to be sold, which will lead to a better class of houses, and increase of settlement and cultivation. The Chinese, three years ago, mustered about 600 ; this number became reduoed to about 170 1 st year, and has again increased to about 2.10. Shallow paddock are few and far between, deep-sinking being the prevailing method if mining now. The farmers have been complaining very much this winter at the want of market for their produce. There has been scarcely any sale for wheat, and only 2s t;d per bushel got for oats. lhe Oromwell district demand has proved very serviceable, however, in maintaining a standard price at 2s 6d; and just new demand down country for produce i 3 removing the pressure for money, so severely felt in the agricultural districts during the winter. An impetus has been given to the quartz reefing industry during the past three roon.hs, owing to the formation of companies and expenditure of money in testing reefs. On the Crown Terrace a party of twenty-four miners have takf n up the old Cornish reef, and after hree months' work have struck good stone, in ■vhich gold is visible all through. The lode is from 18iu to 2ft wide, the walls well denied. Four tons are to be sent to Southborg'a machine •lit Upper .-ihotover next week. nother reef, with a width of 3ft solid quartz, has beuu taken up by a party of ten shareholders. It is I pw*M with mi about 400 yd* higher than ih»

Crown Tcitm* reef, In the same erully. The walla of this reof are well developed, and the stone full of pyrites. The almost universal complaint among business people—especially hotelkeepers—of the 4'ilnens of the times, is not from the cause attribute!, that gold is getting scarce, but the miners are emerging from their childlike propensities into manhood, and becoming wiser. Bank deposit receipts are being pi ef erred to whisky and brandy. A drunken man is a rare sight. 1 etal abstinence societies are gathering strength. The mild winter has been followed by an uncertain spring, and the frosty nights of September have considerably retarded crops and fruit trees.