DEPARTMENT OF MINES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9271, 5 August 1893, Page 5

DEPARTMENT OF MINES.

ANNUAL REPORT.

i'bt TELEGRAPH. SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Friday. The report of tho Minister of Mines (Mr. Seddon) was laid before Parliament this evening. Mr. Seddon states that it) gives him great pleasure to report that the mining industry is steadily progressing, and urges the importance of a system of water conservation, to admit of the expansion of mining operations. Ho indicates the conflicting interests of existing water rights as applied to mining, and state* that it. is possible to regulate this difficulty. He points out there are numerous rivers and streams (lowing at high velocities which, if properly utilised, would give a cheap motive power to work the whole of the mining and other machinery in the colony. By this means a lower grade of ore could be reduced and treated at profit than at present. It is gratifying, he says, to find that by improvements in gold saving appliances both auriferous drifts and lodes can now be worked at a profit, which a few years ago were considered almost valueless. He is sanguine as to the future of mining in the colony, and states that were it not for the revenue derived from miii'iig a number of County Councils could not maintain the necessary public works. He pays'a high tribute to the miners, as a class, and «ays that the diggers of to-day are not of the same migratory character as of old. They are now taking up plots of land on occupation license tenure, and making for themselves comfortable homes. When they cannot work their claims for want of wateror other reasons they cultivate the land. The number of holdings under this tenure at present are 593, comprising 16,934 acres for mine- | ral production. The miners'production for 1892, including kauri gum, shows an increase of £25 6-0 over ISO 1. The value of minerals for ISO- was Gold, £9-34,714 ; silver, £3996 ; antimony, £4900 ; manganese, £1239 ; other minerals, £031 ; coal exported, i'SO,'JJ."> ; coke exported, £5691 ; coal consumed in the colony, £'297,-0-; and kauri gum, £517,67S ; making a total of £1,5(3(i,30(). The value for the previous year was £1,840,686, shewing an increase of £25,620. As to gold mining, the quantity of gold obtained during tho financial year. 1892 93, as taken from the returns of gold entered for exportation was '225,(>."i9 ounces, valued at £917,467, while the return for 1892 was 270,535 ounces, valued at £1.107.177, but of this gold a large quantity was held by the Banks, pending the abolition of the gold duty. Ot the gold produced last year, the Auckland district contributed about 17*95 per cent.; est Coast, 44'45 per cent.; Otago, 35 "04 per cent.; and Nelson and Marlbrough, 2'56 per cent. Earnings of gold miners :— A return for tho year shows 12,197 miners to have been employed, as against 12,721 for the previous year. The average earnings of tho miners amounted to t!79 4s 51, and for the previous year £80 12s. Auckland shows £116 2* fid per man, Otago £63 o.s 9d. Quartz workings ; The total quantity of ore and tailings treated was 184,820 tons, for gross value of C 520,282. The Otago district has given the highest return, the Auckland district coming next with £189.391. Alluvial mining : This system of mining produced about (if) per cent, of the gold obtained last year, largely owing to hydraulic sluicing and dredging. Mr. Seddon anticipates that the proper conservation of water will largely augment the returns from this class of mining. Coal mining : During the year the total output was 673,315 tons, and imported from Australia 798, tons. The quantity exported was 28,169 tons; consumption within the colony was 770,598 tons as against 765,019 tons for the previous year. Number of men employed in coal mining was IGSI, as against 1693 in the previous year. The total value of the men's earnings is computed at £200,633 4s lid, which is equal to £119 7s Id per man per annum, as compared with £118' 8d in the previous year. Manganese : 521 tons were exported for the year, valued at £2 7s 6 1 per ton. Antimony: 364 tons were exported, of the value of £1908. Kauri gum : This industry is assuming larger proportions every year, and last year's export was 8705 tons, valued at £517,678, which is equal to £52 9s 4d per ton. The export for the previous year was 8388 ton*, valued at£437,os6being equal to £52 4s per lon. The total area over which kauri gum is found, exclusive of the islands, is about 5,682,586 acres. It is difficult to ascertain the number of men engaged in digging gum as a great many natives work casually ; taking tho average earnings of £100 per annum, there would be about 5177 men employed. Water-races: These are said by Mr. Seddon to have been the means of finding profitable employment to a large population, and excepting tho Alt-. Ida water-race, the net profits on their working has been' £50,939, while they have furnished employment to 537 miners, who obtained gold to the value of about £170,027. Prospecting : Considerable attention is devoted to this subject in the reports and the Premier expresses his intention of affording additional encouragement to the prospecting of new country, and opening up leads. Geological exploration : During the year a large belt of copper bearing country was discovered in the northern portion of Westland, specimens from which, upon an analysis, returned 10 per cent, of copper. An examination of the lying lands, from Greenstone to Ross, shows a large area covered with auriferous drift, where gold is likely to bo found in payable quantities. The Schools of Mines are said to be making very satisfactory progress, and doing excellent work among the miners who are largely availing themselves of the opportunity of acquiring this technical education at the various mining centres. Mining legislation : A Bill has been prepared giving facilities for mining underneath the surface of private lauds. It is also proposed to amend the Mining Act to give encouragement to prospect deep levels, and create largo water supplies for these purposes. Power will be taken to advance loans to mine prospectors to the extent of one-fourth of the prospecting work done, to be refunded from out the first profits of tho mine, with 5 per cent, interest added, a. first lien being taken 011 the pro perty as security for repayment. Power will also bo taken to validate all titles to lands held as licensed holdings, and special claims severed by rivers, streams and roads. Safety cages will be examined and passed by an inspector of mines, and it is intended to increase tho rates in aid of prospecting operations, and to enlarge their | scope so as to include additional metals and minerals. I