WARDEN ROBINSON'S ANNUAL REPORT.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 233, 22 August 1873, Page 7

WARDEN ROBINSON'S ANNUAL REPORT.

Warden's Office, Naseby, Ist April, 1873. Sir, —In accordance with I have the honor to report upon the district tinder my charge as Warden for the last year year has, on the whole, not been a favorable one for mining. It has been unusually dry in all seasons, and the 'conse?~ quence has been a remarkable scarcity of water for sluicing purposes. This has seriously cramped the energies of the miners, sluicing being the only methdd of alluvial mining practised here. 2. By far the most important matter, as affecting mining in this district during the year, has been the initiation of the public works at Naseby. These works consist of a large water race from the upper branches of the Manuherikia River to Naseby, and of a sludge or main'tail race extending from Naseby fof ten miles down the Hogburn Gully. This latter work has been let to one party for £IB,OOO, and they have set to work with; an energy which augurs well for the speedy completion of their contract. The head race will be about sixty miles in length; of this, ten miles have been contracted for, and the works are now in progress. It is expected that other lengths will soon be let out. The whole are being executed acoording to the plans and under the supervision of Mr. D. L. Simpson, the Provincial Engineer of Otago. The original scheme contemplated the bringing in of a flushing water race from the Little Kyeburn; but after a careful survey, Mr. Simpson decided that it would be best to bring in the large supply from the Manuherikia at once, and the Little Kyeburn flushing water race has therefore not been gone on with. 3. Great expectations have been based on these undertakings, but some time must elapse before the practical benefit can be reaped from them. The Sludge Channel cannot be completed much under twelve months, and it seems likely that the construction of the great water race will take at the least two years. When completed; it will be a splendid work; and there is every reason to believe that the Water, Race and Sludge Channel in conjunction will be the means of affording employment for a series of years to a considerable number of miners, and will enable much auriferous land to be worked which, without them, would hardly have been got at. 4. Since the levels from the main Sludge Channel have been known, it has been alleged, by some miners that, to command all the ground, it will be necessary that it should be made deeper at the Naseby end. The matter has been brought under the attention of the Provincial authorities and the Engineer, and is now under consideration. It is argued by the advocates of the deeper level that it would be a pity to bring up the channel at a certain depth, and then find that it would be advisable to.make it deeper, whereas, by a slight modification of the gradient, the required depth could be obtained in the first instance without any very great additional outlay. I refrain from myself passing an opinion on this point; as it is eminently one for professional skill to determine, and will no doubt receive the - consideration it deserves. 5. The Mount Ida district has never yet been very famous or fortunate in the matter of quartz reefing. For a- while there was some excitement about the reefs at Rough Ridge and at Macraes, but one after another the claims were abandoned, and the companies wound up. Lately, however, there has been a sort of revival of the quartz mining interest, in respect of a number of reefs discovered in the Dunback Ranges, Shag Valley. The boundaries of the Goldfield have been extended to take in the scene of these new discoveries, and much enterprise has been shown by claimholders. Already there are three batteries of stamps erected, and a large amount of work done, not only in the way of getting out qiiartz, but in the. formation of reservoirs and the nutting of roads. That there exists quite a network of reefs is evident. Tt is .also a fact that, although not rich, the stone has yielded, payable returns for such crushings as have been • obtained. It remains now to be'seen'whe- » ther these reefs will pay for continuous working. Tt is only fair to add that the companies that have already got fairly : to work seem very sanguine of success. The reefs at Rough Ridge, after a long interval of neglect, are about to get another trial, at the hands of a company bearing the well-omened name of " The Energetic." I am given to understand that this company has obtained prospects justifying the regular opening out of a mine, and the erection of suitable crushing machinery, and that the necessary arrangements are now in a forward state. 6. The Maerewhenua division of the district has made some advances during the year, but its development has been by no means rapid. . The work, for the most part, is still only of a preparatory character. Further portions of races have been constructed, and one race —that known as the Mosquito—has been finished, its completion having been made the. occasion of some festivity; but still it must be said that the thorough opening up of the Maerewhenua Diggings is a thing of the future. The holders of some of the water rights are showing great determination in carrying out works that have proved to be far more difficult and costly than was expected when they were begun. They are full of hope. One party have been at work for the past two years, bringing in a large race from the Kakanui River. They have made nine miles of the race, and have six or seven more to do. This party propose to avail themselves of the assistance of the Go-

vernment to finish the work. —•■• Their race, when completed, will command,a fine extent of good ground for sluicing. .7. With reference to the water of the Kakanui River, an important question has arisen/ during the year. Besides the party already referred to, there have been, two other companies that have applied for and grants of water from the Kakanui. Not content with the grants they held,. they, made application for additional supplies—more, in fact, than the stream could possibly have yielded—and this seems to have roused the fears of the owners and occupiers of property down the river, near its mouth." A strong objection was put in oh behalf of the owners and occupiers of a flour miil, a fellmongery, and a meat-preserving establishment, : near the mouth of the Kakanui; and, after hearing the arguments adduced, 1 found it necessary to refuse the 1 applications for additional' supplies of water. This refusal -was; considered so significant that one of the companies decided to wind up its affairs, not deeming it safe, in the face of such opposition as might be expected from the riparian proprietors down stream, to commence their race at all. The other party have their rights under protection, and are, for the watching the course of events—not liking to commit themselves to a large expenditure until they can feel sure of being able to carry their enterprise to its completion without clashing with other and possibly more powerful interests. ■••-.[.-.' ..'•'. ~ •8. The several mining centres of Hamilton, Hyde, and Serpentine have not, during the past year, presented any matters in connection with mining matters worth recording. Their mining population has remained about the same, and, if anything, has minution rather than increase. Macraes, on the other hand, has shown signs of improvement, which, although not very noticeable, are yet satisfactory. 9. No review of the past year would be. complete which should omit to notice the improvements in the.town of Naseby. :The year thet has gone by has been especially momentous for Naseby, as it has-seen the erection of the town into a Municipality, and the starting of the public works which, it is believed, will place its prosperity on a" really sound foundation. Without going into details, I will simply say that the place is evidently growing. New buildings are continually going up. The Presbyterian body have got up the walls of a commodious and substantial church, and the Church of England has funds collected towards the same object. Everything denotes confidence in the permanence of Naseby as a mining centre. 10. In my last report I had to include Hill's Creek and St. Bathans, of which I had charge during the temporary translation of Mr. Warden Carew to Clyde, to do duty for Mr. Warden Simpson, absent on leave; but as Mr. Carew has since resumed charge of his own district, 1 must leave him now toreport upon those localities. This, change, will also make a noticeable difference in the tabular returns. 11. In conclusion, I have to express my satisfaction that, notwithstanding a bad year for mining, the district has continued to hold its own so well; and my earnest hope is, that a more favorable season for water may enable me in my next report, to present a more cheerful statement qf r affairs.,;.: 1 have^.&c.., •■■-H/'W." Robinson, Warden. The Under Secretary for;;. ; ;•. ; ; ."- Goldfields, Wellington. .......