EEPOET ON THE GOLD EIELDS

G—No. 4,

26

are several leads of gold extending over a greater breadth than other beaches. It was first washed by miners who followed Hunt on his well-known second rush, and has always been worked since, but at times there have been as few as eight miners on it; at the first working there were about 500 miners engaged on it, and a considerable number continued there until the rush to the Haast took away the greater part of the miners at the beginning of 1867. Subsequently there were but few men working on the beach until about two years ago, two races, carrying together about twenty heads of water, were brought in, and have induced a number of miners on the beach, numbering now about ninety ; at the first working of the beach there were no very rich claims, but some paid good wages, and a few rich patches were obtained, but there has always been a large extent of poor ground payable with water power, and the beach is likely to find employment for a considerable number of men for years. The stripping varies from six feet "to thirty feet, and the claims are generally easily worked, as the water can be kept down by a hand pump. . At the Karangarua a strong party of eight men have brought m a race to wash tho beach, it has cost them about six months labor, and will carry about twelve heads. The beach has been worked by miners from time to time, but this is the first water brought on to it. The working of the beach will shortly be commenced, the race being nearly complete. Hunt's Beach extends from the Karangarua to Jacobs' Bluff, a distance of about six miles, two small creeks joining at the centre of it and running to sea. It is peculiar in being alwaysa hard beach, being in that respect an exception to the other beaches in the district, which are continually changing and are frequently soft; it is also always covered with black sand. This was the first beach worked in the district, having been opened by Hunt in 1865, most of the miners haying proceeded thither by sea to Bruce Bay, and thence overland. This beach was worked in a very primitive manner by cradling, great quantities of wash dirt having been carried in bags back to the lagoon and there washed ; but the ground was good, and good wages were made. Most of the miners worked here until Hunt's duffer rush, and then left for Gillespie's and other places, but a straggling population has always continued working it. A.t present there are about seventeen miners on the beach, and as most of them have small races, with the aid of water power, they are enabled to make a living, and occasionally by some surfacing to do something more. About two years ago a small engine was placed on the beach to pump water for washing, but the results were not satisfactory, and it was soon given up. There is a water wheel employed for a similar purpose, which has been at work for some years. Bruce Bay has always been frequented by shipping in the different rushes, on account of its being the only available shelter in the vicinity; and", as might be expected, the beach has been prospected, and some of it worked, but never with much success. At present there are very few men working there. At the time of the duffer rush there were a number of stores, but all but one have disappeared. Between Bruce Bay and the Haast are some dangerous bluffs, which render travelling along^ the coast very difficult and laborious; they rise so precipitously close to the sea as to be sometimes impassable, or only passable at the risk of life. During the Haast rush a number of men travelled overland, and I believe some rough tracks were cut through the bush over the worst of the bluffs, but lam led to believe that they have since become so overgrown as to be unserviceable. I suppose that the beaches must have been prospected to some extent, but the difficulties of the journey would, I believe, induce men to press on as rapidly as possible, without giving much attention to the ground. Tracks'are now being cut by the County Government as a road inland instead of on the beach, but from the want of some connections with the beach they have not yet been much travelled. The Haast Beach has been worked both north and south of the river. Bushed at the beginning of 1867, some hundreds of men were soon on the ground, yet it lasted but a few months, not turning out anything so good as was expected. Since then, off and on, there have nearly always been miners there, and a water race has been brought in, but unfortunately that has not proved & remunerative speculation, at present there about twelve miners working, and one storekeeper, all doing very poorly. Different places between the Haast and Martin's Bay have been tried, but I am not aware of any

The population of the Okarito district numbers about 514, distributed as follows:—

_ Of the above number about 278 are miners, the remaining males being engaged ra business, farming, storekeeping, &c. The gold exported during the year ending 31st March last, amounted to 6,/ooozs., whilst 1,2840z5. were forwarded overland to Hokitika for payment of duty there, making a total of 8,0190z5. The average per head of the population (514) was, therefore, 15'60z5.; per male adult (347), 23-lozs.; and the average per miner (278) 28'84ozs.

)karito Beach ialtwater Beach ?hree Mile Beach five Mile Beach Eiver yaikupakupa tloonlight Beach xillespie's Beach ?ook Eiver Larangarua I lint's Beach Bruce Bay 5aringa laast / Male. 29 7 53 11 68 8 5 8 100 6 10 20 5 3 14 Femal 14 1 4 2 22 i 15 i 3 le, Children 32 4 4 8 32 18 a. Total 75 12 61 21 122 8 6 8 133 6 11 29 5 3 14 ,1. Totals 347 G3 104 514