THE WORLD’S GOLD PRODUCTION.

New Zealand Mail, 29 January 1902, Page 26

THE WORLD’S GOLD PRODUCTION.

We are indebted to the RegistrarGeneral of Western Australia for a copy of a tabulated return showing in plete detail the gold production of the world for each of the ten years fioni 1891 to 1900. The particulars given are in every case based upon official information, and the results of a iaoonous tabulation and comparison are therefore of value. The Continent of America is shown to be the largest gold producing tract, its total for the ten years being valued at £105,491,028. of winch fully two-thirds came from the AJmtw States. Next in order stands Anstraasia, with a total for the decade o £101,388,115. Of this amount Victoria is credited with £29,627,407; Queensland £24,174,923; Western Australia, 308,526; New Zealand £10,980,1/0 New South Wales, £10,650,648; and smaller amounts from Tasmania, South - tralia and New Guinea. Africa sh°"’_ total gold production for the ten y of £84,213,222, all of winch, exccp about a million and a half sterling, from the Transvaal. Europe has a double the yield of Asia, viz., ’ 619, against £28,861,628. Of the W®* pean total Russia provided over fifths —Germany and Austria Buu o being the only other countries th at, n.j: 6 returns of considerable amount, yield from Great Britain and l re was £148,568. For the whole « the ten years’ yield is given as > 506.674 fine ounces of gold, v , '' £426,925,209. The production W progressive over the whole penm, the exception of the year 19W, • showed a decline of about £H> ' , as compared with the preceding . which is more than accounted • 3r f ,Lj s . stoppage of operations in the , vaal, which led to a decline of >- = 000 ounces in the yield from 11 ' try. The only defect abouu tins —and that is owing to no . Western Australian Registrar- _, ]te is the absence of returns 10 ‘ „ .Jt countries for a number or V.' esti' would have been preferable ha * s jt mate for these years been g iye ’. : .. fr y stands, however, the return g IT ,. ‘ fair statement of tho compare. t ] lo yield of the different countries « p{ world and of the enormous g r , ec f gold production that lias take P- ' late years. Taking the ext re - . two periods,- it is found that j j n which was £25,451,877 m 1891. 1900 increased to £426,920,- f car a parcntly there is no need scarcity of the yellow nietai^