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better developing the mining industry will he obvious, when I explain that the only approach from Greymouth to the diggings at the present time is by tho ocean beach at low water, all goods being packed out at about Bs. per 100 lb. Brunnerton and langdons. —Between Bi-unnerton and .Langdon s, on the north bank of the River Grey, are a few miners scattered about. Of their average earnings or mode of working lam unable to afford you any reliable information. South Beach.- —The coast-line between Greymouth and the Teremakau —a distance of ten miles— finds employment for about 50 miners, all engaged in sluicing operations on what is termed the "Back Lead," evidently an old beach-line situated about 50 yards from high-water mark. The largest holders of water rights are the Leviathan and Great Extended Water-Race Companies, who have been sluicing in this neighbourhood for the past twelve or thirteen years with very satisfactory results. They display a remarkable reticence respecting the amount of their earnings, and transfers of interests in these companies are not of frequent occurrence. Cameron's Terrace. —About five months ago a rush set in to Cameron's Terrace, on the north bank of the Teremakau. Owing to the difficult nature of the workings the population rapidly dwindled down to about 45 bona fide miners, who are now engaged taking up extensive tail-races to drain the ground, which is of a swampy nature and difficult to work. The miners in this district seem disinclined to engage in any venture unless they can procure extended areas. Rulherglen. —Manuka Flat and Rutherglen find employment for about seventy Europeans and fifty Chinese. The Cornish party are the principal holders of water rights in this district, and, judging from the prices obtained by the transfers of one or two interests during the past month, the results of their mining operations must be satisfactory The miners, as a rule, are making good average wages. The once flourishing and busy township of Rutherglen has now only a small store, and two or three huts. Welshman's. —Limestone and Welshman's, situate seven miles from Greymouth, with a mining population of about forty Europeans and seventy Chinese, continue to yield average returns. The want of water for sluicing operations is much felt in this district during the summer months. Marsden. —A few miners are scattered through the Marsden District (I speak of that portion north-west of the New River), who, with the residents in the Township of Marsden, number about forty Europeans, with their families, also about twenty Chinese. Mining matters in this district are stagnant, no fresh finds having been discovered for some time past, and the old claims are worked out. Greenstone. —The population of the district remains about the same as last year. lam unable to state the yield of gold from this district, as it is sold in different places. A prospecting association was formed about eight months since, and parties sent out by them to prospect the country ; about three weeks ago they discovered gold in ground situate about three-quarters of a mile from Revell Terrace ; but, owing to recent wet weather since the discovery- —their shaft having become filled with water —they have been unable to give the ground a fair trial. Miners who have visited the locality seem to think there is every probability of the ground proving payable and extensive. New ground is greatly needed at Greenstone, as most of the old claims are now worked out. Creek Claims. —There are several parties, principally Chinese, working on the bed of the Greenstone Creek ; but they have at times very great difficulties to contend with, as in wet weather the creek frequently rises to such a height as to flood their claims, thereby causing them a great deal of trouble to get them into working order again; otherwise they appear satisfied with their earnings. Chinese, as a rule, are inoffensive and industrious, and they often take up ground and work it after Europeans and others have abandoned it as being unpayable. Quill's Terrace. —There are still a few claims at work on this terrace, and the owners making fair wages; but the greater part of them have been worked out and given up. Hayes's Terrace. —There are several parties w-orking claims by sluicing process; the ground is rather difficult to work, ow-ing to there being a great number of large stones in it. Gape Terrace. —A rush took place to this terrace about eighteen months ago, and although the ground has not proved to be so good as was at first anticipated, still there are a large number of miners making a fair living. Arnold Subdivision. —During the past year nothing has occurred of a special nature; no new ground has been opened up and but little prospecting done. The miners are chiefly engaged in sluicing operations, not more than about a dozen are driving out the ground ; they appear to be making average wages. There are no rich claims in this portion of my district, and the ground is poor. Dunganville. —At Dungauville there are many good paying claims, especially those situate on the New River Lead, several yielding from £6 to £10 a man per week. In developing this lead there has been heavv outlay, some parties working for two years before the gold was struck. The claims are worked by tunnels, some from 1,000 to 2,400 feet long. It is satisfactory that these parties, after so much loss of time and outlay, are now reaping the reward their enterprise deserves. About fifty miners are employed on this lead. Twenty-five miners are at work on the Eight Mile, and their claims are yielding average returns. Wood's Creek. —There are about twenty-five men working, who are said to be doing fairly The rest of the mining population is scattered over the district at Liverpool's, Coca Bulla, Irishman's, &c, and the miners are in most cases satisfied with their earnings. Although no new ground has been opened up in this division during the past year, the old claims have maintained a steady yield. A good number of double area claims have been granted, as an inducement to men to undertake prospecting ground costly and difficult to work. As far as I can judge mining is not waning here. No Town. —ln mining operations during the past year there is nothing new to report upon. No fresh ground has been opened up, and no prospecting to speak of done. The old claims are yielding average returns, and the mining population remains much the same as it was a year ago. All the miners in this locality appear to be well employed, and generally earning from £2 to £3 a week. The workings are chiefly sluicing, but some thirty or forty men are engaged tunnelling. The population is scattered, the largest centre being at Red Jack's, where there are about forty miners,
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