WARDEN'S REPORT.

Tuapeka Times, Volume IV, Issue 221, 25 April 1872, Page 5

WARDEN'S REPORT.

Mr Warden Borton, writing from Boxburgh under date April 11th, remarks :—: — The Mount Benger district, in common with others, has suffered severely in consequence of the long-continued drought of last quarter. The miners have perhaps been more directly affected than any other class, and work in a great many claims, both on the low river flats and in the high-lying parts of the district, has been almost entirely suspended for want of the necessary supply of water. Miners who have lived here for the last six or eight years all agree in their expression of opinion that the past six months has been a season of unprecedented severity. I am, however, happy in being able to state that rain has lately fallen in considerable quantities ; and although the parched ground drinks in a large proportion, still enough has found its way into the creeks to enable a majority of the miners again to resume work. Since my last report a quartz reef has been discovered in a spur of the Old Man Range, leading down to the Clutha fiiver, at the Fourteen Mile. The discoverers, Messrs Heron and Nott, have applied for a prospecting claim, and are now sinking a shaft with a view to test the richness of the discovery. In some specimens shown me gold was plainly discernible, and a small crushing by hand yielded at the rate of four ounces to the ton. From the character of the gold obtained by Messrs Heron and Nott in their alluvial claim, situated immediately below the reef, I am inclined to the opinion that the gold in the reef will be found to be coarse and heavy. Asm '11 amount of stone has, I believe, been forwarded for trial to f Alexandra, and until the results are knewn it would be premature to hazard a decided opinion as to the richness of the reef. The indications, however, are good, and I hope next quarter to bt able to report the establishment of quartz- crushing as one of the permanent industries of this district. The population continues steady ; a few newcomers have settled down here, and one or two old residents have left for the South African diamond fields.

The estimated number of miners in the district is 694, of whom 548 are Europeans and 146 Chinese. They are engaged in alluvial mining. The machinery employed comprises 59 sluices and toms, 19 waterwheels, 22 pumps, and 1532 sluice boxes, which is approximately valued at L 23.740. The nnmber of square miles of ground actually worked is 42 \. Water supply is obtained by means of 132 water races, which were constructed at a cost of L 18 ,050. They supply 290 sluice heads of water, and their present value is estimated at L 16.320. The number of tail races is 68, which cost L 2,812, and are now considered worth L 2,560. In addition to t'aese works 76 dams have been formed at an outlay of L 3,342, and which are now valuel at 1.3, 175. Of ground sluices there are S formed at a cost of L 350, and which are estimated to be worth L 385. PiiiCES Current :— Beer, LIS 10s per hhd; brandy, per gal., 255; bread, per lb, 2|d; fresh butter, Is 6d ; salt do., Is 3d; cheese, 9d ; coffee, Is 9d ; flour, 40s per 196 lbs ; wheat, 4s 6d per bushel ; horned cattle, each L 5 10s ; goats, 5s ; horses, Ll2 ; sheep, 7s ; swine, 30s. Meat, per lb —Beef, 4d ; mutton, 34d ; pork, 6d. Milk, per quart, 6d ; rice, perlb, 4d ; salt,, 3d ; sugar, 6d ; I tea, 3s; tobacco, 6s j wine, per gallon, 18s. Kate of wages, L 2 10s per week.