A GOLDEN HALF CENTURY/.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLII, Issue 6, 8 January 1908, Page 4

A GOLDEN HALF CENTURY/.

Fifty years'-of gold-mining in New Zealand has resulted in 18,215,678 ounces of gold being exported, valued at £71,528,978. These are prodigious figures, and indicate the value to the State of one alone. The greatest amount of' gold won in any -single year wa§,in 1866, when nearly ;tihree million pounds' worth was exerted. "Since then the quantity has been gradually diminishing, till in 1883 it fell 'below a million pounds' worth, and remained so' for some years. In 1898 it took an upward tendency again, and of late years, tho production has remained practically at the same figure, two. million pounds' worth odd." With improved N appliances it might reasonably be expected, that ■ more of the precious .metal could be obtained, but it-'-does not appear that our increased knowledge of mining has resulted in any improvement in the output. . Possibly other industries are claiming greater attention. It is a pity however to neglect mining, and prospecting for new fields should not [be overlooked. The. Mining Department specially encourage this by assisting prospectors with cash and appliances, and it would be interesting 'to. know how much of .such assistance j has been requisitioned of late years. There may be many portions of the Dominion in which the prospector has never yet ventured, which are full of inexhaustible riches, only waiting some lucky chance to reveal it. Incidents of unexpected finds are occasionally heard of from Australia, but in this country the "welcome nugget" or tho "little wonder" do not materialise. Perhaps energetic prospecting operations persistently prosecuted may yet yield wonderful results to those engaged in them. Other mining fields also require development. Our copper and iron deposits need to be turned into cash, for it is simply neglecting the good gifts of Providence to;let this wealth remain undeveloped. our mining interests appear, for some unexplained reason, to'be languishing, and the Mining Department might well take some steps toj start it into renewed activity. >-