MONEY IN MINERALS

Evening Star, Issue 18741, 17 September 1924, Page 10

MONEY IN MINERALS

INCREASED PRODUCTION LAST YEAR.

[From Our Parliamentary Reporter.]

WELLINGTON, September 16. The annual statement of the Mines Department, laid on tlie table of the House to-day, shows that during the past year the value of minerals (including kauri gum exported) and of coal used in the dominion amounted to £3,423,927, as compared with £5,171,105 during 1922. Tlio total value of such minerals exported to the end of 1925 amounted to £153,268,184. The bullion prodcod during the year was greater in quantity by 171,8030 z, and in value by £162,182, than in 1922, the increase being almost wholly from quartz mining in Waihi Borough. S The yield from alluvial mines continued to decline, and was less by 1,7860 zin quantity and £9,086 in value than the previous year. Dredging produced 15,7880 z, compared with 15,4650 z during 1922; but the continued success of tho Rimu dredge has been the important factor, encouraging further prospecting for dredging areas, and has led to a considerable amount of drilling in other areas. MORE COAL PRODUCED. " The output of coal from coal mines of the dominion shows a satisfactory increase for the year,” stated the Minister of Mines (Mr Anderson} in bis annual report. He added that tho increase was very marked in the northern inspection district, the output for tho year being 113,712 tons in excess of the output for 1922. The total increase of brown coal for the dominion was 150,027 tons. The production of bituminous coal for the year was 32,741 Lons less than for the previous year, duo to an industrial dispute which led to most of the mines in the West Coast district being closed for the last quarter of the year. This mainly accounts for the reduction in production per person employed belowground for 1925; and had such stoppage not occurred there would have been a very largo increase over tho previous year in the amount of bituminous coal produced. The output of lignite continued to decline. The amount of coal imported wa.s 445,792 tons, which is 56,686 tons less than during 1922. Blackball mine, which had had to close clown for the greater part of its working area in December, 1922, on account of a serious underground fire, was successfully reopened in March, and by the end. of the year practically all workings had been recovered. In or about the coal mines in the dominion 5,000 persons were ordinarily employed last year. Five fatal accidents occurred during the year, and thirty-two other persons were seriously injured. Fatal accidents were at the rate of 1 per cent, per 1,000 persons employed. In the British Isles, where the fatality rate for coal mines is about the lowest in the world, the average rate for the last decade was 1.15 per 1,000. Of serious non-fatal accidents in coal mines in the dominion eye accidents form a very large percentage. It is a matter for serious concern that roughly one-half of the accidents to hewers are eye accidents.