91

D.—4

760. Could you find any other evidence of mining ? —lt has all been abandoned. 761. Were there any shafts sunk or tunnels driven-?—lnnumerable shafts have been sunk and tunnels driven in that block. 762. Did you see any evidences of a tail-race or things of that sort? —Yes. 762 a. And they have been abandoned ?—Yes. 763. There were no traces of continuous workings of any kind?— Not now. 764. Until you come to what portion of the block?— This portion, near Callaghan's [indicating on map]. 765. You mean where Hindmans and others are working? —Yes. 766. From that point down to how far south of Chesterfield do you say there are no evidences of men working at the present time ?—I should say from just about here [indicating on map] there is no mining. 767. You say that on the north-western corner there is a block there of about two miles by one on which there is no mining?— Yes ; with the exception of one man. 768. We will take Block 6, Kumara Block. We will deal first with all this large area where the surveyed sections are. What do you say to that ? —The greater portion, or nearly all of it, has been prospected. On what is called the Upper Teremakau there has been a little gold got there on the terraces verging into the river, but generally no gold has been got. It is only used for sawmilling purposes. 769. You say there is no evidence of mining on this north block—on all the block west of the Kumara—below the endowment ?—There is no evidence. 770. Are there any evidences of prospecting of any kind, and, if so, where ? —At Acre Creek a rush took place in 1888 or 1889, and a good many men worked there, but they could not get a living. 771. Are there any other places where you saw evidences?—On the north-western boundary there were evidences of there having been workings in years gone by, but at the present time there is nothing doing. 772. You say that is all the evidence you could find of gold-mining on it ?—Yes. 773..As to the balance of Block 6—adjoining the Township of Kumara?—There is a 50-acre lease and another special claim. 774. Hon. B. Blake.] About 60 acres altogether ?—Yes ;50 acres held by one party ; and there is another holding of 10 acres. 775. Mr. Jones.] Is that in the piece there is working on ?—Two Chinamen were working there a few years ago, but they have left it now. 776. There is a race at one place ; there is that evidence of gold-mining ; is that the only race? —Yes. 777. We travel now up to Block I. Where is there any digging on that block?—On the western side—called Dillman's Diggings. 778. That is really what is known as the Kumara Diggings?— Yes, Kumara and Dillman's Diggings. 779. What area would you estimate ? —I should say about 1,200 acres. 780. What do you say to the eastern portion of the south portion?— There is a water-race belonging to Mr. James Holmes running through it. That is the only evidence of mining. Several attempts have been made in several creeks. A little gold was got in one place a few years ago; but that place has been totally abandoned. 781. Is there any evidence of mining in this south-western piece ? —Only that close to the Government water-race and dam. There is no actual mining carried on there. 782. Can you tell me where the miners engaged on the Kumara Goldfield obtain the timber which they require for mining and domestic purposes?— Just adjoining their holdings there is a sawmill near there. 783. They get it out of Block 1 ?—Yes. 784. Is there a large quantity of timber in the block ? —Yes. 785. Will the supply of timber be equal to the continuous longevity of the goldfield ?—Yes, if No. 5 channel is carried through. 786. If No. 5 channel is not carried through it will last a great deal longer than the goldfield ? —Yes. Unless it is carried through I do not think Kumara will be up to much. 787. Block 5 : have you been there ? —Yes. 788. Where did you see the first evidences of mining in that block ?—Starting from the Kumara boundary I went up to Cape Terrace and down further. In Cape Terrace there is a population of seventy men. All round between Cape Terrace, Euschia Creek, Big J?uschia Creek, and Greenstone Creek there is a population of about seventy miners. 789. Travelling further up, what did you find there ? —Coming down to Candlelight, it has been completely abandoned. 790. Before we get any further, do you recollect about three years ago a little rush to Cameron's ?—Yes. 791. How long did it last?—A very short time. 792. Was there any discovery of gold there of any importance ?—Men who were on the ground tell me that no gold was got. 793. Were there actual workings?— There were shafts sunk and abandoned—from all appearances recent shafts. 794. What do you know about the other portions of that block? Did you go on the northern side of it ?—We did. 795. What did you find there ? —We found a mining population scattered in a few places. 796. Going on up the Greenstone Creek you come to the Blackwater, and go further up. Did you find any digging there ?■—We found a few men scattered about.