37

C.—3

quantity of gold obtained by them was 4,0500z., representing a value of £15,592 10s. Deducting the value of the sales of water from the value of the gold obtained, it leaves the average earnings of the miners last year to be about £109 4s. Id. per annum, or £2 2s. per week each man. The outstanding liabilities, according to the books of the Mount Ida Trust, on the 31st December last, was £1,703 2s. 10d., of which amount there is £763 12s. 6d. standing against names of people, some of whom are dead and some left the district. This leaves the liabilities as £938 10s. 4d. as the utmost that could be got, but it is questionable if some of it will ever be recovered. The following statement shows the value of the sales of water from the Ist January to the 31st of March, and the moneys received, and the amount expended on maintenance. A portion of this expenditure should have been charged to repairs, as the water was shut off at the beginning of February : —

Mount Ida Water-race, 1893.

In February and March, the maintenance men were employed on construction-works, the water being turned out of the race, and only a small portion of the wages is charged to the maintenance. SUMMAEY OF WATEE-EACES. The following statement shows the result of working the water-races controlled by the Government, and the collatoral advantages derived by their construction. Although the direct revenue has not been so great as was anticipated at the time that their construction was authorised, they have been the means of affording a large population profitable employment for a number of years, and a large amount of gold has been obtained which otherwise could not have been got. It is only by a large supply of water that the most of the auriferous gravel terraces can be made to pay for working. In very few localities will ground pay to drive out and bring the wash-drift to sluices by carts and trucks. And, even where the ground has been sufficiently rich to admit of this being done, in most cases, when water has afterwards been brought on the same ground, it has paid the miners far better the second time by working it in a face by hydraulic-sluicing.

Statement showing the Profits and Losses on the Working of the Water-races for Fifteen Years.

Months. Sales of Water. Cash received for Sales of Water. Expenditure. Amount of outstanding Moneys at end of each Month. •9 I c "o cSOrrj Number of I 9 "g § Men g «, -| employed. ftoo <- a Value of Gold. January February ... March £ a. 96 2 8 14 d. 6 2 £ s. d. 120 11 1 112 3 10 63 7 11 £ a. d. 97 12 11 21 19 8 21 19 9 £ a. 1,677 14 1,574 4 1,510 16 d. 3 7 8 I About J j 13 ° 1 Oz. 300 42 £ s. d. 1,155 0 0 161 14 0 104 16 8 296 2 10 141 12 4 342 1,316 14 0

Name of Water-race. Value of Sale of Water, including Value of any Gold obtained in Sludge-channel. Expenditure. Profit or Loss on Working. a T-I Q 00 >. r5 ° oo CO. ape rH CO <x .So fl<*H £a as co «a Value of Gold obtained. Duty received on Gold obtained. Total Profit or Loss, with Value of Gold Duty added. Total Cost of Construction. Waimea-Kumara Water-race and Sludge-channel. Fourteen years ending the 31st March, 1892 Year ending 31st March, 1893 £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. Oz. £ s. d £ s. £ a. d. .€ s, d. 119,604 12 10 6,804 13 0 75,068 0 3 2,640 11 4 44,536 12 7 4,164 1 8 371 213 220,109 11,147 823,789 6 3 43,473 6 0 20,728 0 65,264 12 7 4,164 1 8 Totals 126,409 5 10 77,708 11 7! 48,700 14 3 361 231,256 867,262 12 3 20,728 0 69,428 14 31 182,949 3 2 Nelson Creek. Thirteen years ending the 31st March, 1891 Four months ending 31st July, 1892 17,364 0 7 15,123 0 7 2,241 0 0 53 32,698 125,069 17 0 3,269 16 5,510 16 0 213 0 0 292 6 6 *79 6 6 23 245 980 0 0 79 6 6 Totals 17,577 0 7 15,415 7 1 2,102 13 6 52, 32,943 126,049 17 0 3,2G9 10 5,431 9 6 90,722 10 8 Argyle. Thirteen years ending the 31st March, 1891 5,530 16 10 5,455 7 7 75 9 3; 17 8,040 30,738 12 0 804 0 933 3 11 14,701 15 3 Mount Ida. Fourteen years ending the 31st March, 1892 Year ending 31st March, 1893 18,786 1 5 1,396 0 4 22,373 14 9 1,403 0 0 3,605 12 4| *6 19 8 1107 130 34,411 4,050 130,383 0 0 15,592 10 0 3,176 2 245 15 9 *6 19 8 Totals 20,182 1 9 23,776 14 9 *3,G12 12 0 108 38,461 145,975 10 0 3,176 2 238 16 1 67,001 9 2 Grand Totals 169,699 5 0 123,356 1 0 47,326 5 0 537 310,700 1,170,026 11 3 27,977 16 7G,032 3 9 355,374 18 3 * Shows a loss on the working.