III

C—2

twenty-eight of which, the property of registered companies, paid dividends amounting in the aggregate to £38,841. Fifteen dredges are operating on the West Coast and seventy-two in Otago and Southland.

The following is a statement regarding the gold-production and dividends by the most important gold-dredges during 1912 : —

* Dividends paid a,s here recorded are by registered companies only. The majority of the dredges are privately owned, and the profits therefrom arc not known. f Unknown. SCHEELITE. The quantity of scheelite concentrates exported during the year amounted to 135 tons, valued at £13,347, being a slight increase (as regards value only) over the output during the previous year. This mineral is usually obtained in conjunction with auriferous-quartz mining in Otago and Southland, but during 1912 a quartzscheelite mine of some magnitude has been opened at Wakamarina Valley, Marlborough. KAURI-GUM. The quantity of kauri-gum exported during 1912 amounted to 7,908 tons, valued at £401,305, as against 7,587 tons, value £395,707, during the previous year. The total value of kauri-gum exported to the end of 1912 amounted to £16,210,457. COAL-MINING. The output of coal during 1912 amounted to 2,177,615 tons, as against 2,066,073 tons during 1911, being an increase of 111,542 tons. There has also been a considerable increase in' the quantity of coal imported into the Dominion, 364,359 tons having been imported during 1912, as compared with 188,068 tons during 1911. The quantity of coal exported during 1912 was 229,012 tons, and during 1911 223,275 tons. Our annual consumption of coal has therefore increased by about 282,096 tons during the past year.

The following is a comparative statement of the coal and lignite raised during the years 1910, 1911, and 1912 :—

Name of Dredge. Production during 1912. Dividends Dividem ids paid* Production irrouuoiron uring 1912. During 1912. During 1912. I Total to End of 1912. i i ., Worksop Pactolus Hessey, Cameron, and Co. Crewe Masterton Rising Sun Magnum Bonum Electric (two dredges) Kohinoor Paterson's Freehold (two dredges) . , Seventy-five other working-dredges £ 15,159 5,877 5,488 5,699 4,609 6,367 4,873 7,702 2,455 7,032 192,072 £ 15,159 5,877 5,488 5,699 4,609 6,367 4,873 7,702 2,455 7,032 192,072 £ 8,400 2,500 1,560 2,250 1,750 2,400 2,000 2,600 1,424 4,500 9.457 £ 8,400 2,500 1,560 2,250 1,750 2,400 2,000 2,600 1,424 4,500 9.457 £ 24,300 65.000 6,255 8,625 33,250 18,400 10,875 128,692 1,424 19,500 t Totals 257,333 38,841 t

Inspection District. Output for Output for Increase or Decrease, 1911. 1912. 1911 and 1912. Output for Increase or Decrease, 1910. 1910 and 1911. Northern . . Vest Coast Southern . . Tons. 397,872 1,218,693 449,508 Tons. 383,847 Decrease 1,301,461 Increase 492,307 Tons. 14,025 82,768 42,799 Tons. 400,664 1,341,032 455,666 Tons. Decrease 2,792 122,339 6,158 Totals .. [ 2,066,073 2,177,615 Increase 111,542 2,197,362 Decrease 131,289