MINES STATEMENT.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 263, 30 July 1908, Page 8

MINES STATEMENT.

RECORD COAL OUTPUT. ' SYSTEMATIC PROSPECTING FORESHADOWED. The Minos Statement presented to Parliament yesterday by the Minister for Mines (Hon. J. M'Gowan) began with a referenco to tho continued advancement of tho mining industry. "Although there was a falling-off in tho yield of gold for tho twelve months, thero are indications that it will bo mado'up by tho. increasing yield from some of tho leading mines during tho current year. Owing to the drought that prevailed thero was a scarcity of water for hydraulic elevating and sluicing in Otago and Westland, and many of the were consequently idle for several months. As might reasonably have been expected, there has been a falling-oil' in tho number of dredges working, i and a consequent I decrease in the yield , of gold from that source. ADVANCE OF COAL MINING. "Coal mining, on tho other hand,: has shown a distinct advance, the output for lfisfc year being tho largest yot recorded. New coal areas aro in course of development on tho-West Coast .to keep pace with tho con-, stautly increasing demand for the high-class bituminous coal mined in that part of tho Dominion. Thero is a very large area within; which brown coal is mined, and, with the introduction of producer-gas plants, .we may look forward to seeing, its utilisation for power, purposes, not alone in connection with mining, but for many other industries. Brown ' coal. has given good . results,, more particularly in Germany,, in the manufacture 1 , of producer-gas. THE YEAR'S MINERAL PRODUCTION. "The gross valuo of all minerals produced during 1907 amounted to £3,775,835, being £96,156 less than the value of tho production during 1906. This decline is entirely confined to the yeild-from tho alluvial-gold 1 mines, .the production from all other branches of mining showing an increase, and that from the quartz, coal, and scheelito minos .constituting a record. Tho number of persons ordinarily employed in or about New Zealand mines during 1907 was 13,081, being an incroaso of 185 on the number, so omployed during tho previous year. The proportion' of fatal 'mining accidents during 1907 amounted to 1.45 per thousand persons employed. This compares favourably with most other, countries." - j Tho quantity of gold entered for export during the year was 508,2100z., valued at £2,027,'490—a decrease of £243,414 (as compared with tho export returns. for tho previous year. ' Tlie i valuo of other minerals, . including ■silver,'coal, and kauri-gum, f produced during the year was £1,748,345—Ail incroaso of £147,258 . as compared with tho j production during 1906. The quantity of gold entered for exportation through the Customs for tlio year 1907 was as follows: Auckland, 298,101oz.; Nelson, 4G880z.; West Coast, 87,0690z. : ; Otago and Southland, 118,3520z.; total, 508,2100z., valued at £2,027,490. .

AURIFEROUS. QUARTZ MINING. This, tho most important branch of the mining industry in tho Dominion (tho statement continues) continues to incroaso both as regards tho quantity of ore treated and the gold production. The prospority of our quartz-miiiing companies is demonstrated by the fact that during 1007 tlioy paid'in dividends £628,866, equivalent to 40.7 per ccnt. of - tho valuo of tl'ie bullion won by them, which, with oiio exception, is tho highest proportion/so paid in any country. The Waihi Gold-mining Company declared during the year £306,726 in dividends,' .as the result of treating 356,074 tons of- ore;'for'a, return of £5£!6,010. Tho' total dividends paid by this company to the end of 1907 amount te £2,693,274. , ':, ' . " ' ,• COAL MINING. The production of . coal for the past year is the highest' yet attained, being .1,831,009 tons, which exceeds the output during 1906 by 101,473 tons. Tho output from the three mining districts was as follows ■: Northern, ' 316,977 tons, increase over 1506,- 15,791' tons; West Coast, 1,052,022 tons, increase,' 89,107 tons;' Southern, 462,010, decrease, 3425; totals, 1,831,009; increase, 101,473 tons. The comparative tonnage of tho various classes of coal, etc., for tho yciar 1007 is summarised .'as follows, the incrpaso or decrease as compared with 1906 being shown in parenthesis .'—Bituminous and semi-bitu-minous, 1,184,211 (increase, 106,803 tons);, pitch coal, 22..060 tons ((decrease, 2901 tons) jb'rown coal, 515,797 tons (decrease, 5206); lignite, 108,941 tons (increase, 2777 tons) ; totals, 1,831,009 tons (increase, 101,473 tons). ' , ■ " - '

The totil recorded output of the various classes of "coal, lignite,' and oil-shale is now 25,261,964 tons. .' ; ' ELECTRICITY IN MINES. ''

The application of. electricity as a motiye power. has until recently been somewhat l'etarded by reason of the rival claims of hydraulic power, so generally available 011 our mining fields; but with l tho extension of operations more favourable attention has recently been devoted to electricity, which power has now-been installed at somo. important' minos. With tbo advent of electricity in the mines of Great Britain and other countries'regulations have been . adopted to' rouder it' use as safe' as possible, and it is proposed to establish somewhat similar safeguards in this Dominion. Under such regulations it has been found that when once a well-designed plant, of .good material, has peen properly installed in a mine, and is under the chargo Of a capable man, thero is'little, if any, danger in tho use' of electricity, even at high voltages. It is proposed to add to tho list_ of subjects' upon which candidates for mine-managers' certificates are examined an elementary' knowledge of electrifcity, :'aud of first-aid to the injured. As' our ; certificates aro reciprocal-with those of other ■: countries, is has been determined to maintain the present, high standard of practical mining experience by our managers. ' 'PROSPECTING. ■ . : : Whilst the.State has for years encouraged small parties of prospectors, it cannot boaffirmed: that tho results i have been com-mensurate-with tho expenditure. It would, therefore, appear that the time -has now arrived for a forward, move. Prospecting parties, under the control of the Mines Department, should ho properly equipped, and endeavours' made to discover new lodes of auriferous, quartz, deep loads of,alluvial gold; or economic minerals. ! These parties would require to have thoroughly practical miners at their head, and" should bo guided in selection of locality by tlfo adjvico 'of ~\a Government geologist. In this connection tho Geological Survey Branch, which is carrying on oxtonsivq explorations, should bo ablo to r 4 fford' valuable' assistance. "Small parties of prospectors'have,' as'-a rule, kept too close I to-'tub beaten tracks, and tbo old workings. Ail endeavour should now bo niado. to penetrate into otjtsido districts, and so pavo tho way , for ' mining developments in portions of tho Dominion that aro. at present littio known. . - . ~ i i , , INSPECTORS OP MINES. 1 In accordance with tho recommendations of tho Royal Commission, a change has been made in the status'of the Assistant Inspectors of Minos. Theso officers have now been raised to tho rank'of'inspector, with clearly defined duties. Each 'inspection district wiil in future, have an officer whoso duties will bn ehieily devoted to the supervision of coal minos, while the ''other inspector will' have chargo, of tho various quartz and alluvial mines and dredges. These changes will, it is hoped, tend'to tho greater safety of thoso employed in mining undertakings.

In addition'to. tho work of tho geological survey now in hand, it is hoped to inaugurato new operations in the Bay of Islands and Waihi subdivisions,. Auckland, and in tho Grcymouth subdivision, Westlaml. It" is expected that some special topographical work will be done at t.lic Fox Glacier, and a reconnaissance will be carried into Hie mountainous country of. South IVcstland,.