MINING.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16942, 2 March 1917, Page 6

MINING.

The gold received at tho Melbourne branch of the Royal Mint during the week ended with January 27 amounted to 2642.330z, compared with 12,667.280z for the corresponding week last year. Tho condition of the mining industry in. tho St Arnaud district of Victoria is re fleeted in tho final disappearance of the local branch of the Amalgamated Miners' ■Association. Tho branch had been in existence since 1874, and at one time had a membership of 300; there have lately been less than five members and tho branch has been closed.

THE "WAHU COMPANY. DEVELOPMENT WORK RESTRICTED. (Peb United Association.) AUCKLAND, March 1. Tho Auckland attorneys"" for tho Waihi Gold Mining Company reix>rt that there is an increasing difficulty in obtaining mining material, stores, and labour, while the re-

quest of the Imperial authorities is that mining companies -should, for the national benefit, maintain the gold output at its highest point. In the company's mines considerable development work been carried on, alongside the regular work ■of supplying the batteries with ore, and this policy haa resulted in ore reserves being now available abovo the 1300 ft level for sevoral.years ahead, practically 1,500,000 tons of payable ore being in sight. In 'this sataiactory position the mining staff advised that it would not be prejudicial to the company s interests if further shaft sinking and name development at and below the 1450 ft level were suspended until the general conditions improved. This promised to relieve working, pressure, and after consideration the executive of tho company decided to recommend to iho Lbndon directors the suspension of all shaft sinking work until the conditions,, ,were more favourable. Cabled instructions have now been received to carry out this programme and work at tho mine will therefore now be restricted to the maintenance of tho gold output as long as sufficient labour is available. ..-•'...