D.—No. 40,

18

REPORTS ON THE GOLD EIELDS

would commence at too great a distance from the source of supply and cross point of too great elevation to admit of being extended into a main route for the whole district. I am at present engaged in preparing a map of the district showing the quartz reefs known to exist, and the probable course which they follow. With such a map as a guide, much time and labour would be saved in tracing the reefs over so rough a line of country as the Taipo is. I have, &c, The Chief Surveyor, Hokitika. C. Y. O'Connor, Mining Engineer.

Enclosure 11 in No. 2. GREENSTONE DISTRICT. Sir, — Poenamu, 31st December, 1869. Since my half-yearly report of 30th June last, fresh ground has, as I anticipated, been opened between the Eight-mile and the Greenstone —No Name being the centre of these new workings. Hitherto men have been engaged here mostly in preliminary operations, the major part working by tunnel. There is likely to be a considerable increase of population here after the Christinas holidays. Fight-mile. —To this have flocked a large proportion of those who had been located about the Eight-mile, and consequently this latter at the present time looks dull; yet there is ground about here that will probably employ for a long time to come more than its present population, but, being for the most part heavier ground than usual, it requires men of some capital who can undertake it. For this reason I have hero granted several claims of double areas. Greenstone. —No material change has taken place in the Greenstone (proper) sub-district. Mining has proceeded steadily during the past six months. It suffered severely from the reaction sure to follow a greatly over-estimated rush, such as was this at the beginning of the year. But there are evidences of improvement lately ; and I should hope that the Hohonu Water Eace, completed to the Duke of Edinburgh Terrace, will materially exist in the development of mining operations in this neighbourhood. There have been already several extended claims applied for and granted by me here (besides a lease often acres by the County Chairman to the above-named Eace Company), the intention being to work these claims in connection with this race. Hohonu Water Race. —l cannot pass the subject without expressing my opinion of this enterprise. The mode in which the work has been done, from first to last, is deserving of the highest praise. The best professional assistance (Mr. O'Connor's) was sought, his advice was followed, and the result has been the execution of the finest piece of work of its kind (of its length) certainly on the West Coast, if not in New Zealand; and I sincerely hope the result to its spirited owners may be such as to induce similar enterprise elsewhere. Population.— -I estimate the population as follows : —Greenstone, 700 ; Eight Mile, 350 ;No Name, 700; various small groups not specified, 250; total, 2000. I feel confident that this district is more likely to increase than to diminish in importance if its just requirements be attended to, so as to promote the proper development of its resources ; of these the chief are, as I have so frequently taken occasion to mention, tracks passable for pack-horses. Towards this the Eoad Board has done something —as much, I believe, as the means at their disposal allowed. Messrs. Hamilton and Co.'s tramway, though terminating exactly at the boundary of the district, is of material advantage to it, and the County Eoad gives communication with Stafford. But what is specially required is the means of intercommunication by such tracks as the Eoad Board have constructed between Cock-a-Bulla and Clifton, within the district. Poenamu, Clifton, No Name, have means of intercourse with Hokitika or Greymouth, but are to all intents and purposes isolated from each other. It is easier far to get from Poenamu to Hokitika, twenty-five miles, than to Clifton, twelve miles, or No Name, six miles. These tracks would not cost any large sum of money, and the advantage to the miners would be inestimable. Revenue. —Taking the revenue as a test of prosperity and importance, I find the total amount passed through my office last year w ras £1,682 ss. ; for the previous half-year, £2,753 13s. 9d.—total for one year, £4,435 18s. 9d. ; and if the moneys paid into Greymouth and Hokitika were calculated, the Greenstone would be found to have added little short of £5,000 to the revenue. Examining these figures, I find again that £280 per month represents the average of the first-named period; I also find the average of the first quarter of the same period to be £256, and of the second quarter of the same period to be £301, whilst the last two months give £366 ; showing a steadily increasing ratio of revival and improvement. I think, therefore, lam quite borne out in stating that the Greenstone bears favourable comparison with any other district in Westland, and its importance is increasing. Public House Act. —In my report before alluded to (30th June), I had the honor to call attention to the inadequacy of the Public House Act. Since that it has been amended, but not improved, and I therefore again venture to bring this subject under notice, as I did then (in a special note attached to that report). A well-digested Public House Act, becomes a matter of the utmost importance to any officer administering upon a gold field, and the more simple its provisions the better it works. For a gold field, I regard wholesale and bottle licenses unnecessary, and as affording facilities to evade the law ; I should therefore recommend the adoption of only two forms, the ordinary retail (at a much reduced rate) with permissive right of removal to the license ; and a bush license under certain restrictions, preventing undue competition with those paying the higher rate —both licenses issuable at yearly and half-yearly rates. I believe some such plan would, besides much conducing to morality, sensibly increase the revenue, by bringing a license of one sort or another within every man's reach. It is notorious that custom compels nearly every storekeeper to give drink ; and it would be far better in every way that license fees should be so reduced as to allow every man to sell drink openly, under police supervision, rather than, by the exorbitant fee demanded, tempt to an infraction of the law. I have, &c, The Chairman, County Council, "Westland. M. Keogh, "Warden.