*-7. £1

36

Waimea -Kumara Water-race. Tlie following is a summary of the revenue and expenditure of these water-races for the year ended 31st March, 1921: Sales of water, £536 15s. 9d.; cash received, £579 15s. 7d. ; expenditure, £2,650 16s. sd. ; approximate value of gold obtained, £4,187 19s. 6d. ; average number of miners employed, L 7" 16. In addition to the cash received for sales of water, the sum of £375 18s. 2d. was received from J. G. and A. Watson, sawmillers, for royalty on timber cut on the Reservoir Reserve. The sales of water show a decrease of £118 14s. lid., and the cash received a decrease of £79 15s. lOd. In addition to the above sales, authorized free water to the value of £59 ss. lid. was supplied to parties opening up new claims. The total expenditure on the combined races was £2,650 J 6s. 5d., as against £2,387 2s. Bd. for the previous year, an increase of £263 13s. 9d. This increase is more than accounted for by the rise in salaries of the permanent staff, without taking into consideration the increased cost of casual labour, tools, and oilier material necessary for the maintenance of the races. Comparing the sales with Ihe expenditure, the combined races show a loss of £2,114 os. Bd. for the year. During the year the sum of £609 Us. lOd. was written off by authority of the Appropriation Act, 1920, leaving the outstanding balances on the 31st March at £40 19s. lOd. Mount Ida Water-race, Central Otago (Mr. J. C. Buchanan, Manager). The total sales of water from the Mount Ida water-race during the year amounted to £601 12s. 7d., a decrease on that of last year by £133 17s. lOd. The expenditure on maintenance and repairs for the same period amounted to £1,504 18s. lid., a decrease on that of last year of £164 7s. lid. The total cash received was £602 7s. The total amount owing for water supplied at the 31st March was £2 12s. Free water was supplied for washing up to the value of £45 Is. The total value of water supplied from this race amounted to £649 13s. 7d., a decrease on that of last year of £150 os. 7d. The approximate quantity of gold obtained by parties using water from this race was 822 oz., valued at £3,164 145., a decrease on that of last year of £53 18s. The average number of men employed was 13"75. From the Ist April to Ihe 21 si June the weal her was very dry, with a shortage of water in the creeks. On the 22nd June 12 in. of snow fell, and was followed by severe frost, which compelled the claims to close down. On I lie 30th June a good thaw set in, and work was resumed on (lie Ist July. For the remainder of the winter there was a fairly good supply of water, and most of the claims were able to work throughout the winter months. From the Ist September to the end of March the season was very dry, at times the available supply being as low as 1* heads. With the exception of a portion of the Eweburn tunnel collapsing in January, the race throughout the year was free of mishaps. At present the race as far as Johnstone's Creek is in good workingorder. ANNEXURE D. STONE-QUARRIES. Summary op the Report by the Inspector op Stone-quarries for the North Island (Mr. James Newton). The correspondence dealing with quarry matters has considerably expanded during the year under review, most of which, however, has been of a minor nature, such as giving information regarding the necessary requirements of the Act, &c, to quarry operators, and applicants for quarry-manager or foreman's service permits. I have found time, however, to visit most of the quarries under the Act at least twice, some more than twice; a few have only been visited once. This has necessitated a great deal of travelling, and approximately 12,350 miles have been covered by various means of conveyance; and approximately 350 inspections have been made, a few being to quarries which, owing to their vertical height, did not come within the meaning of the Act. 1 am of the opinion, however, that it is a wise plan to visit such places when within reasonable access, and I have found that more care has subsequently been taken both as regards the actual operation of the quarry-face and the handling of the explosives. I have found that reasonable care is being employed at the quarry-faces generally, and undoubtedly much improvement is shown during the last few years when compared with the conditions found prior to the handing-over of the supervision to the Mines Department. The quarry-faces are operated by safer methods; the loose material that is invariably found on the tops and sides of the quarries receives a great deal more attention than formerly; besides which the important matter of the safe handling arid care of explosives now receives a great deal more attention. Accidents. —In quarries within the Act there has been no fatality, and only two accidents of a nature calling for notification, neither of which resulted in injuries of a permanent nature. When the dangerous nature of the industry, the number of quarries actually operated, and the number of persons employed is considered I think the result is a very creditable one to all concerned, and reflects great credit on all the quarry operators. On the 11th August Tom Hunt, an employee of the Napier Harbour Board, received slight injuries about the face from a. premature explosion of powder. He was employed in Hyderabad quarry, and was engaged bulling a hole, and had prior to this exploded small quantities of powder in the bottom of the hole for bulling purposes. On the latter occasion, and whilst Hunt was lowering the small charge into the hole, it exploded, and the flame shooting out of the top of the hole struck him in the face and burnt it.