ANNUAL PRODUCTION OF GOLD AND SILVER IN VICTORIA (RETURN OF), FROM THE EARLIEST RECORDS OBTAINABLE TO 31st DECEMBER, 1884.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1886 Session I, H-10

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1886. NEW ZEALAND.

ANNUAL PRODUCTION OF GOLD AND SILVER IN VICTORIA (RETURN OF), FROM THE EARLIEST RECORDS OBTAINABLE TO 31st DECEMBER, 1884.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

No. 1. Colonel Andeeson, Eoyal Mint, Melbourne, to the Hon. the Ministeb of Mines, Wellington. (No. 481/85.) Sm, — Melbourne, 20th November, 1885. It would be of value and interest to this branch of Her Majesty's Mint, and also to our correspondents, to have as complete a record as possible of the production of gold and silver in the various Australasian Colonies, and I would therefore ask you if you would be so good as to obtain for me, at your earliest convenience, a return showing the quantity of gold and silver produced in New Zealand, in each year, from the earliest record obtainable to the present time. I trust that the value to this department of this record may be my exci: t for troubling you in the matter. I have, &c, Geoege Andeeson, The Hon. the Minister of Mines, Wellington. Deputy-Master.

No. 2. Mr. H. J. H. Eliott to Colonel Andeeson, Eoyal Mint, Melbourne. (Mines 86/1544.) . Sib,— Wellington, 15th' January, 1886. In compliance with the request contained in your letter of the 20th November, No. 481/85, I have the honour, by direction of the Hon. the Minister of Mines, to forward herewith a statement of the quantity and value of gold and silver shipped through the Customs Department of this colony from the year 1857 to the 30th September, 1885. From the return you will see that 10,789,6500z. of gold, of the value of £42,327,908, and 447,9230z. of silver, of the value of £115,144, have been shipped at the period named. The information in the return is as accurately compiled as the public records will permit. But it is believed that in years past considerable quantities of gold were taken out of the colony without passing through the Customs. Neither is the gold and silver which have been manufactured in the colony included in the statement, as there is no information obtainable under that heading. The Hon. the Minister of Mines would be obliged if he could be supplied with similar information respecting the Colony of Victoria. I have, &c, Colonel Anderson, Deputy-Master, Eoyal Mint, H. J. H. Eliott, Melbourne, Victoria. Under-Secretary.

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Enclosure in No. 2. Return of Gold and Silver entered for Export from 1857 to 31st December, 1885.

No. 3. Colonel Anderson, Eoyal Mint, Melbourne, to the Hon. the Minister of Mines, Wellington. (No. 67/86.) Sir, — Melbourne, 28th January, 1886. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of Mr. Eliott's letter, 86/1544, No. 22, dated the 15th instant, enclosing by your direction, in answer to my request, a statement of the quantity and value of gold and silver shipped through the Customs from New Zealand from the year 1857 to 10th September, 1885. I have to thank you very much for your courtesy in procuring me this valuable return, and, in response to your request for a similar return from this colony, I have the honour to inform you that I have already taken steps to procure it, and that I will forward it to you by the earliest possible opportunity. I have. &c, The Hon. the Minister of Mines, Wellington. George Anderson.

No. 4. Colonel Anderson, Eoyal Mint, Melbourne, to the Hon. the Minister of Mines, Wellington. (No. 65/86.) Sib, — Melbourne, 25th January, 1886. I have the honour to request that you will do me the favour to inform me what quantity of gold and silver has been produced in New Zealand during the year 1885, according to the estimate of the department under your control. I have, &c, The Hon. the Minister of Mines, Wellington George Anderson.

No. 5. Mr. H. J. H. Eliott to Colonel Anderson, Eoyal Mint, Melbourne. (Mines 86-88/277.) Sir,— New Zealand, 10th February, 1886. I have the honour, by direction of the Hon. the Minister of Mines, to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 25th ultimo, No. 65/86, asking for a return of the quantity of gold and silver which has been produced in New Zealand during the year 1885. In reply, I forward herewith for your information a schedule showing the amount and value of gold and silver entered for export during the period named. I have, &c, Colonel Anderson, Deputy-Master, Eoyal Mint, H. J. H. Eliott, Melbourne, Victoria. Under-Secretary.

Enclosure in No. 5. Eetden of Gold and Silver entered for Export in New Zealand for the Year ended 31st December, 1885. oz. £ Gold 237,371 ... 948,615 Silver ... ... ... ... 16,624 ... 3,169 Mines Department, H. J. H. Eliott, Wellington, 10th February, 1886. Under-Secretary.

'ears. >ld. Silver. Years. .Id. Silver. oz. 10,437 13,534 7,336 4,538 194,031 410,862 628,450 480,171 574,574 735,376 686,905 637,474 614,281 544,880 730,029 445,370 £ 40,422 52,464 28,427 17,585 751,873 1,591,389 2,431,723 1,857,847 2,226,474 2,844,517 2,697,852 2,504,326 2,362,995 2,157,585 2,787,520 1,731,261 oz. £ oz. 505,337 376,388 355,322 . 332,016 371,685 310,486 287,464 305,248 270,561 251,204 248,374 229,946 237,371 £ 1,987,425 1,505,331 1,407,770 1,284,328 1,496,080 1,240,079 1,148,108 1,217,252 1,080,790 1,002,720 993,352 921,797 948,615 oz. 36,187 40,566 29,085 12,683 33,893 23,018 20,645 20,005 18,885 5,694 16,826 24,914 £ 9,850 10,380 7,560 3,171 7,556 5,755 4,512 4,500 4,236 1,286 3,785 5,125 .857 .858 .859 .860 .861 .862 .863 .864 .865 .866 l867 l868 l869 L870 L871 L872 1873 1874 1875 1876 1877 1878 1879 1880 1881 1882 1883 1884 1885 11,063 37,123 80,272 37,064 2,993 11,380 23,145 9,910 10,789,650 42,327,907 447,923 115,144

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No. 6. Colonel Anderson, Eoyal Mint, Melbourne, to the Hon. the Ministee of Mines, Wellington. (No. 112/86.) Sib, — Melbourne, 2nd March, 1886. I have the honour to acknowledge with thanks the receipt of Mr. Eliott's letter, No. 88, dated the 10th ultimo, enclosing a return of the amount and value of the gold and silver entered for export in New Zealand during the year 1885. I have, &c.,. The Hon. the Minister of Mines, George Andeeson. Wellington, New Zealand.

No. 7. Colonel Anderson, Eoyal Mint, Melbourne, to the Hon. the Minister of Mines, "Wellington. (No. 100/86.) Sir,— Melbourne, 19th February, 1886. In accordance with the request contained in your letter 86/1544, No. 22, dated the 15th ultimo, I have the honour to transmit a return showing the estimated annual production of gold and silver in Victoria, from the earliest record obtainable to the 31st December, 1884. This return has been prepared from the figures kindly furnished to this branch of Her Majesty's Mint by the Department of Mines and Water-supply, Melbourne. I have, &c, . The Hon. the Minister of Mines, Wellington. George Anderson.

Estimated Production of Gold and Silver in Victoria, from the Earliest Records obtainable to 31st December, 1884.

Royal Mint, Melbourne, Geobge Anderson, 19th February, 1886. Deputy-Master of the Mint. [Approximate Cost of Paper.— Preparation, nil; printing (1,350 copies), £2 is. 9a.]

Authority: George Didsbuby, Government Printer, Wellington.—lBB6.

Silver. Sil rer. r, ji a Extracted from Ore at the Mint from Ore. from Gola Year. Year. Gold. Total. Gold. Total. Produced from Ore. Extracted at the Mint from Gold. oz. 212,899 2,286,535 2,744,098 2,218,483 2,819,288 3,053,744 2,830,213 2,596,231 2,348,703 2,224,069 2,035,173 1,730,201 1,694,819 1,622,447 1,611,554 1,546,948 1,501,446 1,684,918 oz. oz. oz. oz. 1,544,756 1,304,304 1,368,942 1,331,377 1,170,397 1,097,643 1,068,417 963,760 809,653 758,040 758,947 829,121 833,378 864,610 780,253 778,618 oz. oz. oz. 1851 1852 1853 1854 1855 1856 1857 1858 1859 1860 1861 1862 1863 1864 1865 1866 1867 1868 1869 1870 1871 1872 1873 1874 1875 1876 1877 1878 1879 1880 1881 1882 1883 1884 850 5,516 760 137 516 671 160 48 169 7,161 8,831 11,146 21,705 25,839 19,046 22,835 23,680 23,078 20,957 20,343 22,121 27,070 8,011 14,347 11,906 21,842 26,355 19,717 22,995 23,728 23,247 20,957 20,343 22,-121 27,070 1,098 5,688 3,379 2,348 78 5,761 1,098 5,688 3,379 2,348 78 5,761 Totals 53,023,985 27,179 253,812 280,991