GREENSTONE DISTRICT.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1127, 8 March 1872, Page 2

GREENSTONE DISTRICT.

The following is Mr Warden Price** report on the Greenstone district :— To the County Chairman, Hokitika. Sir— l have the honor to report that this district can bear favorable comparison with other districts in Westland, although the smallest in its area and population. The yield of gold iri; ho "way decreased during the past half-year, but kept up to its full average. The population t ,is mated at 570. The gold fields revenue during the past six months amounts to L 573 18s. This does not include gold 1 duty. Mining operations/ are carried on with much energy throughout the district,, although the miners have to contend with many difficulties* The supply fof water which the Hohonu water-race affords to Duke's Terrace, is the means of enabling some 120 miners to work ' ground 'which otherwise? would be abandoned ; this, in a very small way, 1 proves the advantage a permanent' supply bestows.. A nugget, weighing 67£oz, the largest! ;believeTdis«' covered in this country, was found a short time ago in a claim close td the high road, and not far from the "Court House, at a depth of lift in the ground. < '■ . ; The necessity of moving the township to some ; other locality is becoming more apparent every day, because the tailings from the Duke's Terrace just above it are injuring the sections and buildings occupied by many of . the inhabitants to such an extent that either the miners on the terrace must stop working, or the^ town be mdved. "The damage done has given cause to much litigation^ during the past half-year/ and created an irritablefeeling between the miners anil townspeople. The most desirable course to adopt appears to me would be to fix on the most: eligible site fora new township, and sell the sections as soon as surveyed. I believe the advantages a freehold affords would induce all to" move without very great dissatisfaction. lam aware. you have taken the matter under your consideration, and I trust something will be speedily done to put an end to the present inconvenience which is felt by all parties. Estimated population of the Greenstone district on the 31st December, 1871:-— Greenstone : township, 130; Duke's Terrace, 120; Argus Terrace, 70 ; Shed Flat, 60 ; Greenstone to Maori Point, 80 ; Green- . stone road, 60 ; Junction and adjacent gullies, 50 =•; total, 570.; '..•/■' Beturn showing population and all revenue collected in the Greenstone district for the half-year ending 31st December, 1871 :— -Population, 570 ; gold fields revenue, L 540 6s 6d ;fees and fuies in den's Courts, L 26 !6s ; fees and fines in Resident Magistrate's Court, L 33 Its 6d ; total revenue, L 57 3185. I have the honor to be, Sir, Your most obedient servant, : M. Price/. Watden. Warden's :Qffice, Greenstoue, " ; January 3, 18f2,. ; . f STAFFORD AND WAIMEA DISTRICTS. The following is Mr Warden Price's report for the Stafford and Districts : — , To. the Qounty Chairman, Hokitika,. SraU-During the past i half-year, nothing whatever of any. importance- has occurred in the Waimea District requiring special remark thereon, and mining matters. are, I may say, much. in the same litate.as when I furnished my report in June., The population is estimated' at" 22li6 souls, being a decrease of 157 since June last.: . .:• : . ... , ...; „.-..,.'■-; The revenue collected' amounts to L 1564 17s 3d, showing a falling off of L 15 9: 8s 3d from that of tte previous half-year. This is easily accounted for, . as, since August last, no business licenses have been taken out by those residing in the townships of Stafford and Goldsborough, in accordance with your instructions not to insiston their renewal,- as the notice of the sale of both was daily lex-. pected. - ...'. .' The loss in this item is L2JJ4, the bu^l : nes? licenses fqi: the Jjalfeyear,;. ending* 30th June amounting to L 404, whereas those for the past half-year only to Ll5O. 4 loss of L 22 3.Q3 ; has , also taken place since Ist November last, in consequence of being entirely out of 5s registration fee books, although constant applications have , been made to the Receiver of Land Re-^ ! venue for them, who however, it appears, has none on hand. . This has and is causing the greatest inconvenience^ as it is bringing the registration of/ various rights into confusion. I would litso take this opportunity of making the same remarks as regards the difficulty there* is in obtaining a sufficient supply of the\yarious printed forms required by the Mining Regulations: for applications for mining privileges. It cannot be expected from the miners to write thenvoutj or-.^dii the clerk to do Soj as he has no time for $* as, n|any as from 60 to 70 Being some-" times issued in one day. The result is a constant source of complaint on the part of the public. I do trust that some remedy may be found for this. ' : : I ought to explain that in giving an estimate of the revenue, I do not include gold duty, which I understand is done by some of the Wardens, because it is impossible to ascertain the actual^quantity of gold obtained in the district. : The return I give is therefore not a conjecture, but the real amount received at the Warden's Office,. -,:i . ' " tufl ' .'I regret to say the result of- the rush to Italians Flat has proved a failure, only about ten claims being now worked there. From all I can ascertain, I believe the yield of gold in this district has been gradually decreasing for some time past ; this I attribute, not to the want onnew ground, but to the difl^culty there'js in obtaining a good supply of 'WateJ!,,' :; Thf 9 district abounds in auriferous ground, which will support not only tfie present but "a much larger population for years and years to come, if water can be permanently provided. '" " " ' I would therefore urge on the Government to offer not only every facility jn the way of obtaining grants, but aid;' and support in introducing some comprehensive water scheme whereby a permanent ( supply of water can be secured^tiTtae ' miners, in this district, as without' &&£ thing of the kind, instead of expecting it to progress, it will be found graduaUy to decline. . : I have the honor to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, ..;•-.: " M. PRICEj;, Warden, Warden's Office, Stafford, January 6, 1872*