£Wt

paid on account of schools of mines ; while the value of the works undertaken amounts to £19,531 2s. 6d. The liabilities on works authorised and in progress, including those on works authorised previous to last year, amounts to £19,489 13s. 3d. The total value of works undertaken"on goldfields and for the development of the mining industry since the votes were placed under the control of the department amounts to £324,081 lis., Bd. of which amount £219,152 ss. 3d. has been paid by Government. This shows that of the total value of works undertaken, the local bodies have contributed to the extent of £85,539 13s. 2d. The details of the whole of this expenditure are shown in the tables attached to the report of the Inspecting Engineer. Although a large amount of work has been done in opening up the country for mining, a great deal yet requires to be done to give facilities towards carrying on mining operations. The hilly, broken nature of the country, especially in mining districts, which in many places is densely timbered, necessitates a network of roads" and tracks to enable machinery and supplies to be brought to different places as the mines get opened out. Departmental. During last year there have been thirteen applications for mining managers' certificates, of which ten are under the Mining Act and three under the Coal-mines Act. One of the applicants came up for examination and passed, and the Board of Examiners have fixed the third week in July for the examination of the other applicants. The changes that have taken place in the departmental officers are as follow : Mr. J. McKerrow, who has for a number of years ably filled the position of Secretary of Mines in conjunction with that of Surveyor-General, has now been promoted to be Chief Commissioner of Eailways; Mr. J. Gow has been removed from the Nelson Creek Water-race and appointed manager of the Waimea-Kumara Water-races in lieu of Mr. J. Dand, who had to give up the management on account of ill health ; and Mr. J. McNaughton, who had been employed on the Nelson Creek Waterrace since its construction, has'recently been appointed manager, owing to the removal of Mr. Gow.. The reports of the Inspecting Engineer, Inspectors of Mines, Wardens, and Managers of Waterraces accompany this report, and will show in detail what has been done in the several mining districts and in connection with mining generally during the past year. S. Percy Smith.

No. 1. Table showing the Quantity and Value of Gold entered for Duty for Exportation from New Zealand for the Years ending the 31st March, 1888, and 1889, and the Total Quantity and Value from 1857 to 31st March, 1889.

8

Year ending 31st March, 1889. Year Elst Ms ending u-ch, 1888. Increl Decrease ending 31i 181 ise or for Year 5t March, S9. Total Quant from Jan to 31st Mi ]ity and Value mary, 1857, arch, 188U. Name of Goldfield. Port of Entr Quantity. Value. Quantity. Value. Increase. Decrease. Auckland Auckland ., Oz. 30,683 £ 121,505 Oz. 31,986 £ 126,723 Oz. Oz. 1,303 Oz. 1,585,370 £ 5,908,920 Wellington Wellington 188 706 f Marlborough 4 I Picton Nelson Blenheim .. Dunedin .. Auckland .. Greymouth 718 97 1,621 6 1 33 2,645 356 6,227 21 4 132 176 944 "656 3,400 221,472 2,476 9,385 1,120 4,056 1,356 57,450 Nelson \ Nelson Dunedin .. 3,645 13,635 1,987 112 7,378 448 229,356 910,025 7,826 1,546 Nelson Westport .. Greymouth Hokitika .. Auckland .. 3,645 13,635 2,099 West Coast -J 954 9,235 63,205 30,056 63 3,084 36,912 252,835 120,222 252 1,593 8,783 55,581 29,121 6,334 35,131 222,304 116,482 19,583,786 103,513 413,905 j 95,078 380,251 8,435 4,932,480 Canterbury Christchurch 24 96 48 192 Dunedin .. Invercargill 24 96 I 24 Otago .. 56,775 11,7S6 226,332 47,049 55,451 6,227 219,539 24,482 244,021 6,883 18,458,418 4,677,316 Totals .. 68,561 208,902 273,381 61,678 831,907 191,961 762,877 16,941 11,482,208 45,083,519