PRODUCTION OF MINERALS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 893, 12 August 1910, Page 8

PRODUCTION OF MINERALS.

A . SATISFACTORY INCREASE. ' There was (says tho annual report on the goldfields of the Dominion) a substantial increase in the value of the mineral production for the year 1909; this increase; amounting to ,£182,800, has occurred ■in the .value .of the exports of gold, silver, manganese, and kauri -gum. : The total value of the output from tho metal mines and gumfields of the Dominion during 1900 amounted to .£2,752,387. . ' 1908. 1909. ' ' ' £ • JJ Gold ; 2,004,925 2,006,900 Silver . ...: 175,337 180,872 . Copper ore ■ 275 100 Scheelite ; ', 6,055 4,263 Manganese oro ... — 79 ' Antimony, oro ... 73 60 Other minerals... 10,124 7,115 ~ Kauri gum 372,798 552,698 i Totals ..2,569,587 2,752,387 The past. year has been. a profitable one' for the gold-mining industry; the slight decline in tho value of. bullion from our gold-mines which was noticeable during the two previous years has been arrested, and an increase, of .£7510 has taken place. For this improvement tho alluvial and quartz-mines may,, bo credited, these mines having increased. their annual production tp a. greater, extent than the gold-production by dredgers has declined.- Dividends, to the amount of ,£660,548 have been declared by those of the mines and dredgors which aro the property .of registered companies, equivalent to .30 ..per cent. o£ tho. value; of l tho total bullion-production , from all gold-mines and dredgers -in tho Dominion. The profits from tho privately-owned mines and dredgers, which are considerable, aro Unobtainable; these, if known, would considerbly-increase- tho-above ..value of, dividends distributed during the year. 1 . It is proposed to submit amending legislation in regard to tho Coal. Miners' Relief- Funds. Legislation will also be submitted providing 'an Accident Relief Fund to miners working in quartz-mines, and also on mining-dredgers. This fund will bo maintained by a small charged) tho bullion production of the quartz-mines and dredgers operating in the Dominion. Touching on geological surveys, the annual report says that a detailed examination of the. Taranaki ' oilfield, which was begun last 'year, will, it is hoped, be brought ,to completion-during, the .coming year.-In addition to the'above surveys,' short visits. were : ' made by the director to a number of localities where it was desired- ..that investigation should be made. : The annual, report will contain reports-.of these insCttigations, together with ■ a preliminary report on a portion of the Taranaki oilfield. ' , Present legislation, says , the_ report, practically prevents advances being made by the State-Guaranteed Advances Board for tho development of mining enterprises. Several applications • for advances wufti received during tho year,. but all had. to bo reluctantly refused, owing to the. legal objections referred to. That th'urfc are many excellent, mining ventures worthy of State financial assistance is invariably admitted. It is proposed to submit legislation for the consideration of members this session, in order to romove the' existing legal obstruction. . A Royal Commission would be appointed to report on the hygienic sanitary conditions of all tho mines about, which complaints had been made, with a view to protecting tho health and lives of the men. Last session Parliament legislated to prevent the medical examination of men seeking employment in coalmines. : It was intended to ask member* this session to legislate in a similar direction for men looking for employment in or about quartz-mines. . . ._ : In concluding his review of the mining industry, the Minister for ; Mmes says that never in its history were its prospects more promising than tliej; aro at .present; it .is, however, essential that generous assistance and fostering cam should be giv-.n ip developing, our mineral resources. This industry dias since 1853 . contributed approximately .£108,000,000 to our national wealth,, and no. better investment is open to tho people of this Dominion than granting , reasonable assistance in extending prospecting-tracks into the wood-clad practically impenetrable ranges and gorges in which a.large portion ot' our mineral resources are located; every encouragement should also bo granted to the prospector and the pioneer miner ill their arduous and strenuous efforts in discovering and developing new mining .ventures. He anticipated substantial progress in developing the .mineral resources during tho present year, and could assure members that they can look forward with confidence to the future expansion and prosperity of the mining industry..