121

C—3

The following tabulated statement shows the revenue derived from sales of water, cost of maintenance, and approximate quantity of gold obtained by parties using water from the race for the year ended 31st March, 1901: —

Kumaea Bace. The total sales of water from the Kumara Race for the year amounted to £2,181 lis. and the expenditure for maintenance and repairs during the same period was £2,077 16s. lOd. showing a credit balance of £103 14s. 2d. on the year's transactions. The average number of miners supplied with water for sluicing from this race during the year was 6625, and the approximate quantity of gold obtained by them was 3,877 oz., having a value of £15,120 6s. The sales of water are £277 4s. Bd. less than during the preceding year, and the approximate yield of gold is less by 562 oz., having a value of £2,191 16s. The expenditure on maintenance and repairs during the year was £173 9s. Id. more than during the preceding year, which was incurred by the necessity of enlarging the Kapitea Hill Race for the supply of water in sufficient quantity for Nos. 3, 4, and 5 main tail-races. The decrease in the sales of water is accounted for by the fact that several claims were abandoned during the year as non-payable, and the claims running into No. 5 main tail-race had a large amount of work to do in opening up the new ground ; in fact, some of the claims are not properly opened up now. The most of the ground sluiced away during the year was poor, and the earnings of the miners must have been very small. The Kapitea Hill Race has been still further enlarged, and the balance of the timbered portions of the race lined to increase its carrying-capacity, and the race will now carry sufficient water to run two main tail-races at once, giving water both for sluicing and flushing. This race will now carry ninety-five sluice-heads of water from the head to Nos. 3 and 4 main tail-races, and thence to No. 5 main tail-race, sixty sluice-heads. The head-race tunnel has been regularly examined and repaired during the year, and will now carry 150 sluice-heads of water when that quantity is required. Although the best ground on the Kumara Goldfield, so far as at present known, has been sluiced away, there is still a large area of ground still unworked that will pay small wages for many years to come. The plentiful supply of water now available, and the reduction in the price of water, which took place on the 15th January last, will do much to keep the field going ahead, and cause large areas of ground to be worked that would otherwise have to be abandoned as non-payable. And, although the price of water has been reduced by one-third, there is but little doubt that the year 1901-2 will be a more prosperous year financially than the year just past, as all the claims running into No. 5 main tail-race will be in good working condition, and some of the claims that have done little or no sluicing during the past year are making preparations for a fresh start since the price of water was reduced. Besides the sales of water above referred to, water to the value of £740 17s. Id. was supplied for opening out the claims running into No. 5 main tail-race, and to claims having a succession of poor washings. In no case was water given without full inquiry being made as to the necessity for so doing, and more claims would have had to be abandoned had concessions not been made. The supply of water for opening out the claims running into No. 5 main tail-race was in accordance with the practice that has obtained on the field since the races were first constructed. Large quantities of water were also supplied for flushing the main tail-races—No. 2, ten sluiceheads ; No. 3, twenty-three sluice-heads; No. 4, ten sluice-heads ; and No. 5, twenty sluice-heads. In no case was less than the above quantities supplied and when water was plentiful, which was the case throughout nearly the whole year, quantities much in excess of the above were supplied, as it was better to use it in this way than let it go to waste down the creeks, where it would benefit no one. Water for washing-up was also supplied to miners using water from the race, and the Borough of Kumara was supplied with water for fire purposes. During the year water was running to waste over the dams forty-nine days, and during that time 57f days' water for the whole field was lost for want of storage-room. The miners observed twenty-four holidays during the year. There was no water for the channels for eighteen days, and the dams were empty for seven days. The table attached shows the number of days in each month on which water was running over the dams and quantity lost, the number of holidays observed, the number of days on which there was no water for channels, and the days on which the dams were empty. 16—C. 3,

Month. Sales of Water. Cash received for Sales of Expenditure. Water. Outstanding Moneys at the End of each Month. Number e mare Men em- Q»»"t;ty Value of Gold obtained. 1900. £ s. d. £ a. d. 37 10 0 36 5 0 £ s. d. 22 5 0 25 15 0 10 0 0 10 0 0 12 0 0 10 0 0 11 5 0 10 0 0 12 10 0 £ s. d. Oz. 76 95 £ b. a. 296 8 0 370 10 0 April May June July August .. September October .. November December 36 h 0 22 15 0 23 10 0 22 15 0 23 10 0 7 6 8 8 48 49 187 i 0 191 2 0 47 15 0 10 15 0 15 10 0 47 15 0 10 15 0 15 10 0 8 8 8 96 24 35 374 8 0 93 12 0 136 10 0 1901. 25 5 0 25 5 0 10 0 0 10 0 0 10 0 0 8 January .. February March .. 52 202 16 0 Totals i • 181 15 0 219 5 0 153 15 0 475 1,852 10 0 7-62