THE MINES STATEMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7693, 19 July 1886, Page 14

THE MINES STATEMENT.

In the House of Representatives on July 6 1 Mr. Larnach delivered his annual address on the department under bis charge. OUR MINERAL RESOURCES. He began by saying : "Up to the present period the reports and statistics in relation to mining have referred almost exclusively to gold and coal. I now feel it a pleasant duty to direct the attention of hon. gentlemen to the enormous value of the several other mineral products found in this colony, and axported from it, the value of which amounted on the 31sc of December last to no less a sum than four millions of money ; and, in addition to this, the value of New Zealand coal consumed within the colony to the same date, may be estimated at three and a-half millions sterling. These figures, I apprehend, are surely of great importance to the present well-being and future progress of New Zealand, and I venture to hope may have some influence upon the minds of hon. gentlemen when considering the moderate sums asked for in aid of carrying on a systematic and permanent course of developing the mining industry. The total quantity of mineral ores produced and' exported since 1853 was: Gold, £42,327.907 ; silver, £118 322 ; copper ore, £17,397 ; chrome ore, £37.367 ; antimony ore, £7731 ; manganese, £43,103; hematite ore, £220; mixed minerals, £49,834 ; coal, £102,681 ; coke, £4573 ; and lastly kauri gum, £3,685,499, amounting in the aggregate to a grand total of £46,394,934. Sow the total value of the exports of produce and manufactures of the whole colony during the year ending December 31 last was £0,591,911. Of this sum 1 claim in the interests of mining £1,311,394 for mineral products, being equal to one fifth in value of the year's exports. If we deduct the value of wool exported for the same period, £3 205,275. it will be seen that the value of our minerals is more than one-third of that sum, and is therefore equal to 39 per cent, of the value of all other natural and artificial products and manufactures, and if the total value be taken of the whole exports of the colony, which amounts to £125,050,369, from the time that minerals were first recognised as one of our important natural products for export, then the value of our mineral product equals 37 per cent, upon that sum ; or, to put it in another form, by deducting the value of wool sent away from all other products, except minerals for the same period, the result will show above 69 per cent, on such." GOLD-MINING. The hon. gentleman proceeded to say that the nominal capital of cold mining companies was £7,078,393, representing 451 companies, the amount of paid-up capital being £1,575,983. The total quantity of quartz crushed during the past year wa594,016 tons, which yielded 111,4320z of gold, while the quantity crushed during the previous year was 92,872 tons, producing 38,2990z of gold, thus showing a satisfactory increase of 23,1330z. Mr. Larnacn looked upon this improvement as particularly interesting. It gave evidence tnat quartz mining—to his mind the future permanent gold and silver mining of the colony—was steadily increasing in many parts of New Zealand, and although its development heretofore has been slow, its future importance and value to the colony are already assured. He proceeded: Let me now call attention to the number of miners in active pursuit of their calling on goldfields. On 31st March last there were 11,178, while the miners similarly engaged during the previous year were 12,034 In respect to the number of men—and there were 856 less, which those figures show, and a consequent decrease of labour power—it is satisfactory to find that the gold product for the same period has increased • f the number of miners following their avocation 2105 are engaged entirely in quartz mining, as against 2059 employed as similar work during the year previous. After careful observation, I have come to the conclusion that quartz mining is eve year receiving more attention from the practical miner than alluvial digging, and there is no doubt that the average earnings of the quartz miner are greater than those of the alluvial miner. For instance, the average earnings of miners on our goldfields last year app to amount to £S0 5s 5d per miner, or £3 153 per man more than for the previous year, but to those of my friends engaged in quartz reefing, comparing the value of the gold obtained from such workings against the number of men employed, the average earnings of each will amount to £185 5s sd. HE LA MONTE PROCESS. I desire briefly to refer to the invention known as the "LaMonte process," for extraction of gold and silver from ore, and I feel much cause for regret that the smelting works erected on that principle at the Thames have failed to come up to the expectations that had been formed of them. The failure, however, seems fairly attributable to the want of cheap and proper fluxes ; for although the process gave a larger product of metal from the ore than any other method yet adopted in the colony has done, the cost of treatment under the existing circumstances precludes it from I use in operating upon ores of low grade, of which there are unlimited quantities in many portions of New Zealand. It is fair, however, to the promoters of the process to state that through the erection of their works the attention of miners has been directed more closely to the richly argentiferous ores which are now found to be abundant in the Ohinemuri district, and along the Hauraki Gulf, to the Thames. I have little doubt within a short period a new and valuable branch of mining, which has hitherto laid dormant, will be vigorously prosecuted. As illustrative of the great mineral richness of the large district of the Thames, I may here refer to the valuable discovery recently made at Waiomo, a trial crushing of stone having yielded at the rate of 75 of gold to the ton. With such evidence of wealth in our mines, I hope the miners of New Zealand will pause before deciding to proceed to Western Australia ; for, with the greater experience I have been enabled to gather by visits made to many mining centres and districts in this colony, I feel convinced that to the practical miner, as well as to the steady worker, who is willing to follow the pursuit of mining, no better field can be found for the profitable occupation of their labours, nor no finer or more wholesome sphere for their well-being and the exercise of their physical capacities, than exists in this colony." THE COAL INDUSTRY. The Minister here came to the coal industry, which, he said, was second in importance to no branch of mining in New Zealand. He stated: — It is most gratifying to find that our coal mines are, year by year, making steady and sure progress. In 187S our total output was 162,21S tons, while in ISB4 - a period of seven years inclusive—it had reached 450,531 tons, The total production from our coal mines last year ending December 31, was 511,063 tons, and the quantity imported, 130,202 tons, making a total of 641,265 tons. I cannot but express extreme regret that at this period of the colony's history our exports of coal other countries should only amount a few hundred tons, when, had the question of the improvement of the harbours of Greymouth and Westport been taken into consideration at the time of the initiation of the Public Works scheme, and dealt with in a practical manner, as done during the session of 1884, these harbours would long ere this have admitted vessels capable of carrying from two to three thousand tons of coal on one bottom, and instead of the trifling export that is being seat away, tens of thousands of tons would be exported annually, not alone to neighbouring colonies, but to countries more distant, and 1 have no hesitation in predicting that the progressive export of coal from this colony annually in future will be such as will place the status of New Zealand in respect to its total export of this commodity, upon an equal footing with other portions of Australia, where the effects of trade hitherto have placed them in an advantageous position in respect to export of coal. I feel I cannot lay too much stress on the importance of nourishing I our great coal industry, both in regard to I the advancement of colonisation and concurently with it the sound progess of .New Zealand financially in respect to its future revenues. The total number of mines in the colony is 95, one more than last year, and the average output per man was last year 345 tons. The Westport mine shows a decrease of 36,000 tons, owing to an unfortunate strike, but this was more than balanced by the increased yield at Brunnerton, which is mainly attributable to the Brunner mine, owned by Messrs. Kennedy Brothers, and the Coal Pit Heath Company's mine. The former shows an increase of 25,633 tons, and the latter 11,289

tons, while a new mine, recently opened on the Westport Company's property, and known as the Tyneside, shows an output fori the year of 2903 tons. The Wall send company (now the Westport), which was origin.) ally initiated many years ago, has had to encounter some difficulties, but since the mine was taken over by the Westport Com-i pany the work has been pushed on vigorously, with the object of speedily sending coal to the market. Two excellent shafts have been sunk to a depth of 600 feet each, and with* out any exception the best plant in the colony for pumping, winding, and otherwise 1 workirig a mine to the greatest advantage is to be seen here. The company have bottomed on a magnificent seam of coal, 18 feet in thickness, and a3 soon as some extra modern machinerynow ordered from Englandarrives, operations on an extensive scale will commence, and as the shafts are contiguous to the railway to the ship, ping port, only distant about eight miles, I have little doubt that the export of coal from Greymouth during the next year will nearly have doubled its previous annual quantity. It is unquestionable that the rapid increase at Greymouth of its chief export is entirely owing to the encourage* ment given to shipping by the construction of the harbour works, and the substantial improvements that already are apparent in its harbour. It is not many years ago that vessels drawing a little over 8 feet of water, and carrying not more than two hundred tons of coal could with certainty at all times be piloted over the bar, whereas now it is seldom that less than 12 feet to IS feet are found on the bar, thereby enabling vessels carrying on one bottom from 700 to 1000 tons of coal to load and leave the port without risk. When the harbour works have been completed, and more wharfage accommodation provided, the increase of trade at this port will be so rapid and so sound that the day is not far distant when this Newcastle of New Zealand will rank second to very few of the chief towns of the colony in point of substantial prosperity, as it will, like its twin sister, Westport, take a foremost place as a port for the shipment of one of New Zea. land's finest bituminous coal, which is of such a high quality for gasmaking purposes, while Westport coal is equally good for steam purposes, and either class of coal cannot be surpassed for their respective qualities in any part of the world. The Collingwood district is perhaps the richest known mineral one in the colony, and it abounds in excellent bituminous coal, but the great difficulty in getting it shipped adds seriously to the cost, and prevents it taking a proper place in our market. Enormous deposits of rich iron ore are in situ almost side by side with large coal seams, the whole being surrounded with abundant supply of the finest limestone. The output of coal from this district for the last year shows a falling off of 1544 tons. 1 feel sure, however, were a moderate sum of money forthcoming towards the improvement of the river, and supplying wharfage and shipping accommodation, a very large coal trade would quickly spring up between Colliugwood and Wellington, and other ports in proximity. DIAMOND AND OTHER DRILLS. Subsidies in aid of the purchase of diamond and other drills have been given by the State to the extent of £ISSS, but no expenditure under this head has been incurred during last year. The diamond drill, in my opinion, is not altogether the machine likely to prove of general use to the miner, for it has been found that unless in boring for coal or other minerals through rock of uniform hardness it cannot be worked economically. Neither is the drill well suited for prospecting through lodes where silurian rocks have to be bored, and many valuable metals are found frequently in such rocks. What is required, to be practically useful to the miner for prospecting purposes, is a strong and light portable machine that could be carried by packhorses from place to place, and which would be capable of sending a borehole to a perpendicular depth of 500 feet. Such a class of drill I believe can be found in America at a moderate cost, and I am now in communication with manufacturers in that country on the subject. SEMMART OF EXPENDITURE ON WORKS. I will now briefly summarise my remarks by stating that during the last four years the total amount authorised for the construction of water-races, drainage, and sludge channels, roads and tracks, diamond and other drills, and aid to prospecting on the goldfields, wan £244,477, and otherwise paid by way of subsidies £131,044, while the sum authorised for similar works last year appears £76,804, of which £41,789 have been paid, and there are remaining liabilities amounting to £60,885 to be provided for. CONCLUSION. Mr. Larnach then alluded to the great success of Professor Black's metallurgical lectures, and the great interest taken in them by the miners. Dr. Von Hoast had been instructed to purchase several complete sets of mineralogical specimens in Europe, for the purpose of distributing them to the principal schools of mines in the colony. The Mineß Department had also sent a collection to the London Exhibition, which the English papers said compared most favourably with those of the other colonies. He had also given instructions for the compilation of a handbook and mining guide, which had long been needed. The rest of the Statemsnt dealt with the places visited by the Minister during the recess.