0.—2

22

CINNABAE. The New Zealand Quicksilver-mines (Limited), who are engaged in mining a lode containing cinnabar at Puliipuhi, North Auckland, have continued sloping the block of ore which they disclosed in their development operations about two years ago. During 1019 the company mined and retorted 650 tons of ore for a return of 11,1751b. of quicksilver, valued at £2,794. The Customs' returns for the same period show that 8| tons (19,2641b.) of quicksilver, valued at £4,619, were entered for exportation. Development of the mine has recently been resumed, and the low level, which had to bo retimbered, has been further advanced. The lode now showing in the face is about 2 ft. wide and contains a fair percentage of cinnabar. The company at an early date anticipate boring a number of holes from the surface with a diamond drill in order to determine the extent and value of this lode at a greater depth. Kauri-gum. During 1919 4,128 tons of kauri-gum, valued at £255,812, were exported, the total quantity and value of gum exported to the end of this year being 360,420 tons, valued at £18,581,064. This industry is now controlled by an officer of the Lands Department, and detailed information is published in that Department's reports. H.—STONE-QUARRIES. (1.) QuAiumNG Operations. several years past it has been the custom to point out that the inspection and statistical information concerning quarries in the Dominion are not as complete as they should be. Under the Stone-quarries Act, 1910, inspection is only required of places where the rock-faces exceed 20 ft. in height and explosives are used in the quarrying operations. There is little doubt that there is an equal amount of danger in handling explosives whether the rock-face is over or under 20 ft., and, again, for the safety of the worker certain quarries, whether explosives are used or not, should be under the Inspector's supervision. During the year two fatal accidents occurred in the Auckland district in quarries to which the Act does not apply. In one case at Morrinsville A. Parkinson was undercutting the face of a gravel-pit when the overburden fell in and entombed him. At the Eauroa quarry, near Raglan, where the rock-face was 18 ft. deep, T. G. Dunlop was killed by an explosion whilst forcibly recharging a hole in which a niissfirc had occurred. Unlike the Coal-mines and Mining Acts the Quarries Act does not compel the owner to furnish complete annual returns. The information which is tabulated below deals only with quarries visited by the Inspectors in the course of their duties, and was courteously supplied at their request by the several owners or managers. No returns are to hand from a number of producing quarries whose operations are such that they do not require inspection. With the information available, which is of course incomplete, it will be seen that the quarrying industry is steadily increasing. The production of 219 stone-quarries amounted to 1,056,329 tons, and required the services of 1,409 persons. The production of building-stone amounted to 27,051 tons, and limestone for agriculture and cement-manufacture to 245,192 tons, both products showing a considerable increase on the returns of last year. The products from the quarries in the Dominion have not yet found an extensive outside market. During 1919 these exports, which consisted of small quantities of lime, serpentine, dressed marble, building-stone, and pumice sand, were valued at £4,039, of which total 1,037 tons of pumice sand, valued at £2,840, was the chief item.

Table showing the Number of Quarries under the Stone-quarries Act, 1910, also the Number of Persons ordinarily employed thereat , and the Annual Output of Crude Stone during, 1919.

Provincial District. Nana; and Address of Government Inspector of Stone-quarries. *■§ »H 3 o si ■ aw fc 1 si a-g fc -H fcfj °S . a «H h2£S f/5 o h a W Outpi 1 o ai bD .a s '3 it of Orudi 5 U.S a a Hi c Stone. K °: a 9 ti H 01 0 -Oh5 h5 •C •■3» <2« «» «3 SS m« >£ o ft ° bo <u a m ■«M .a s ° Ah Ph «i Auckland .. James Newton, Mines Dopt., Auckland M. Paul, Mines Dopt., Waihi (Hauraki Mining District only) James Newton, Mines Dopt., Auckland Ditto .. Tons. Tons. 250,195 41,786 Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. 21,318 23,270 104,480 Tons. 23,270 Tons. 104,480 Tons. Tons. Tons. 87 510 11 01 37,109 1,730 Hawke's Ray 21 108 27,425 65,397 .. 21,000 21,000 Taranaki Wellington .. Ot. Duggan, Mines Dept., Greymouth J. F. Downey, Minos Dept., Reefton 14 37 2 (IS 163 15 22,830 28,960 77,989 3,794 5,852 .. 10,700 10,700 Nelson Westland li ( l0 24 115 16 4 88 227 : 34 2,500 375 794 .. 15,579 973 70 4,000 36,627 5,370 15,579 97.1 Canterbury ) Otago > Southland I E. R. Green and A. Whitley, Minos Dopt., Dunedin 83,325 IS,07!) 78,879 2,332 7,274 15,900 70 1,100 4,000 2,000 2,109 36,627 21,123 4,000 r. ')-A 2,000 21,123 4,000 2,500 6 685 5,370 Totals 1919 Totals 1918 219 247 1,409 1,453 587,901 183,000 611,169 90,061 27,051 |l02,010 143,182 4,000 4,197 86,807 36,507 5,000 j 102,010 I 80,807 143,182 36,507 4,000 5,000 2,500 2,500 6,685 6,186 Further particulars regarding tained in the annual report by J report. the inspec ames Newl tion of stone-qu ton, appearing tarries in the North Island in Annexure C accompair are ■ing :onthis