7

C.-3

(1.) Quartz-mining. Tiiere has to be recorded a decline of £67 ; 560 in the value of the production from the auriferousquartz mines, and £67,033 in the dividends paid by them during the past year. This decline, however, is entirely confined to the Thames, Reefton, and Coromandel districts ; the more recently discovered goldrields at Waihi, Karangahake, and Big River having largely increased their gold-production and alue of dividends paid. With the proposed reconstruction of the treatment plants at the Reefton mines, and the deeplevel developments on that and the Thames goldfields, there is reason to believe that the present slight decline in production from the quartz-mines of the Dominion will be arrested. The following is a statement showing the tons of ore treated, the value of bullion produced, and the amount of dividends paid in each of the inspection districts during the years 1907 and 1908 : —

The following is a statement of the production, working-cost, dividends declared, and number of persons employed at the principal quartz-mines during 1908:—

Inspection District. Tons of Ore treated. 1908. 1907. Value of Bullion. Dividends paid. (By regis tered companies only). 1908. 1907. 1908. 1907. Value of Bullion. Jorthern Vest Coast iouthern 546,905 520,061 95,156 , 98,027 12,246 i 8,190 £ £ £ £ 1,302,665 ! 1,375,035 j 545~233 589,691 160,156 ' 160,533 16,600 39,175 14,191 j 9,004 ; Totals ... 654,307 : 626,278 1,477,012 1,544,572 56,833 628,866 I

Dividi mds paid. Name of Mine. Tons of Quartz treated. Value of Bullion. Average Value per Ton.* Total Cost per Ton.* Number of Persons ordinarily employed. 1908. Total to End of December, 1908. Northern District— Waihi Gold-mining Company (Ltd.)! Grand Junction Gold-mining Company (Ltd.) Waiotahi Gold-mining Company (Ltd.) Talisman Consolidated (Ltd.) Komata Reefs (Ltd.) New Zealand Crown Mines (Ltd.) May Queen (Ltd.) West Coast District— Keep-it-Dark Quartz-mining Company (Ltd.) Progress Mines of New Zealand (Ltd.) Consolidated Goldfields of New Zealand (Ltd.) New Big Eiver Gold-mining Com- , pany (Ltd.) Blaokwater Mines (Ltd.) Southern District — Barewood Goid-mining Company (Ltd.) Other quartz - mines throughout New Zealand Totals, 1908 393,214 48,477 3,497 46,417 28,170 14,921 429 13,170 48,500 15,347 4,851 9,169 4,793 23,352 654,307 393,214*1 48,477* 3,497* 46,417 28,170* 14,921* 429*: 13,170 48,500 £ 896,7431: 73,123 14,717 218,975 44,260 25,260 3,261 14,059 58,297 £ s. a. 2 5 7 1 10 2 4 4 2 4 14 4 14 4 1 13 10 7 10 2 114 14 0 £ s. d. 0 16 712 2 5 0 1 15 9 § 0 18 8-75 1 1 9-42 £ 446,316 6,000 86,250 6,667 1,000 £ 3,139,560 397,800 251,250 33,333 70,000 158,667 295,625 1,500 364 44 300 170 131 38 60 300 15,347 29,854 1 18 11 0 18 9 95 4,851 31,241 6 8 9i 1 16 10-52 15,600 629,667 40 9,169 17,647 1 18 5f 0 17 0 180 4,793 7,230 1 10 10f 1 1 4f 2,800 21 23,352 42,345 § 875 654,307 654,307 1,477,012 j 561,833 4,118 I I * Short tons of 2,000 lb. dry weight. t The total value of the output of this income-tax. J In the annual report of the directors of an average value of £2 7s. 5d. per short ton. with 1,299,979 tons at the end of 1907. § Unknown. i company at the end of the year was £7,18(5,856. 1 this company for 1908 the value of the bullion produci The ore reserves at the end of 1908 are estimated to 'he divide: iion is sta ye 1,329,8' nds hero giv .ted to be £9 72 short tons ■en arc free of =130,511, being i, as compared