MINES STATEMENT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9301, 30 July 1908, Page 2

MINES STATEMENT.

♦ MINERAL WEALTH OF NEW ZEALAND. AN INTERESTING' REVIEW. [F*om Oub Correspondent.] WELLIiNGTOJN, July 29. The Minister of Mines (the Hon J. M' Go wan) presented his annual statement to Parliament this atternoon. Although the report states that there was a falling-ofl: in, the yield of gold for the twelve months, there are indications that it will be made up by the increasing yield, from some of the leading mines during the current year. Owing to the drought that prevailed, there was a scarcity of water for hydraulic elevating and. sluicing in Otago and Westland. There was a falhng-off in dredging, but coal mining had shown a distinct advance, the output for the year being the largest yet recorded. Kauri gum continues a valuable export. There are upwards of 3000 men engaged in the industry. Up to the end of I^o7 the export of gum had reached a value of over £14,000,000. , SOME STATISTICS. The heavy fall in the metal markets throughout the world had given a setback for the time being to the development of the copper lodes, but as pjrices were gradually recovering, there was, a likelihood, of renewed activity. The total value of gold, silver and other minerals produced within, the dominion now exceeds £100,000,000. The gross value of all minerals produced during 1907 amounted to £3,775,835, being £96,156 less than the value of the production during liMb. This decline is entirely confinecl to the yield from the alluvial gold mines, the production from all other branches of mining showing an increase, and that from the quartz, coal and. echeelite mines constituting a record. The number of persons ordinarily employed in or about New Zealand mines during 1907 -was 13,081, being an increase of 185 on the number so employed during the previous year. The quantity of gold entered for export was 508,2100z, valued at £2,027,490, a decrease of £243,414 as compared with the export returns for the previous year. The value of other minerals, including silver, coal and kauri gum, produced during the i year was £1,748,345, an increase of £147.258 as compared with the production during 1906. GOLD MINING. During 1907 quartz mining companies paid £628,866 in dividends. The Waihi Gold Mining Company paid £396,726 in dividends, which brings the total dividends paid by the company to £2,693,274. Reference is made to the dredging industry, which), it is stated, has settled down to a steady and more permanent level. During the year fifty-six tons of copper ore, valued at £595, were exported. A little attention was paid during the year to prospecting for antimony and cinnabar, but. the results are not considered of much commercial value. Operations on the Parapara ironfield have been dormant. No developments of commercial value nave been disclosed by the oil-boring operations carried out in Taranaki during the year, which remark also applies to operations, at Kotuku.