WATER SUPPLY UPON THE GOLDFIELDS.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 233, 22 August 1873, Page 5

WATER SUPPLY UPON THE GOLDFIELDS.

Mr. Ilaughton has good cause to complain of the difficulty he encounters in getting information from mine owners and managers as to mining statistics. He says: In presenting the Second General Report upon the Goldfields of New Zealand, I must express my regret that the difficulties in the way of collecting reliable statistics, which I took occasion last year to remark upon, have not in any way been diminished, and that my efforts to obtain satisfactory returns from the mine owners and managers throughout the Colony have been so feebly responded to as to make tbe information afforded absolutely useless for statistical purposes. Erom the very valuable report that he has compiled, we gather a few facts of general interest. T-'--e revenue and gold duty amounted to £111,135, for 1572. The number of miners is estimated at 22,335, of which number

3,872 are Chinese, mostly, settled in Otago. Many Chinese, * the leporc havt- left the Colony with a competence realised in a few years. There are-within the Colony 4932 miles of water races, constructed at an estimated cost of £763,899, carrying 6,776 sluice heads of water. During the last year the construction of two large water races, undertaken by the Government under the terms of the Public Works and Immigration. Act, 1871, has been commenced, and. two are in course of survey. The following return shows the amount of liability and expenditure up to 30th June, 1873, upon these works, and also the advances to water race companies, by way of subsidy, under the Acts of 1871 and 1872:

No. 3.— Companies that have Applied fob Subsidies. Amount of SubMoney Remarks. ■''■"'■/;: sidy asked for. Advanced. Tolara and Jon .s . £ . ;i.S. d. Creek Company 3484 10. 0 ■;>:.. Nil ■■.;•■ Beclined by the Gova-. Gtolden '.■■■■■Point ■/[: :pmy,;:, ,;-;:.;.>. Company ... ; 1000 0 0 ; v~. j> . Particulars notfarnished Beaumont and' of character of-works; Tuapeka Co. ... , 2000; OvO- '•;.'•■■»> , V; ■' .-■'^00 Carrick Range Company 5000 0 ,0 ;' ■ v '.; ■.'" ■ '■■'.'':■ ■ : ' Plans and .Specifications Caledonian Com- :' ■- ;.'' \- : V. ■ ' ;, ' '■■ '■;■[-■: ..:J)-'' not lodged. , X pany ... ■■■■■■ >>■'.- , J elused by Government. Mo lint Pisgah Company ... " ' ,'"■ '.'J:'!:I 1 urther; inforinalion re -j quired;;;^;.-;' ■ ;..',; 'j

.No. 2.—Companies which kaive Received 1 .'* .'.' : "V Amount of Subsidy '.'. asked for. Money: Interest Ady ancecf. Paid. Refund. Hohonui Company .. i-, Hibernian Company ... •New Iiiver Company ..C. Arrow; Eiyer Company :•;;:•£' v : ;s: d. 1>533 6 1 0 0 3,333 6 8 612: 10 0 1V42GvM } 3 15 11 11 1,892 iftjB 20.13 9 ■ •■■■" ."■ /■ ..■. •■ '■■- f ; |83 19 (2 J

■;y--r£^)!$$$V.VL. irNDEaXAIvJ!:N' BY THE G OVERKM.EST. - Esf-iznafed Cost.' '■■■:■ Money ,, v Expended; Kemarks, Thames .,.;... '■"■■■•..■■£.■• - s. d.| i: 48,150 4:10 i 1042 4 10 Survey finished, and plant Ordered. ' ;: Nelson Greek ... 7 '0 v .466' 7 Surrey 'nearly-finished. Waimea ... ;v w. ••• 61,235 10 2 1235 10 2 Survey and plans: fhii-. ';'.■ • shed. ;, >''■■■■ Mount Ida \ ... ; 42138; 8 0 2138 8 0 Survey and plans finished ■■;.. and .contracts m ... ■■handi.''.': : '.'..