C.—2

16

IV. GOLD-MINING. The following statement shows the value of the bullion-production, also the dividends declared, number of persons employed, and the number of gold-mines and dredges :—

The value of gold produced during 1926 was less by £6,724 than during 1925. Gold from quartzmining decreased by £17,368, from alluvial mining the decreased value was £1,331, but the increased value of gold from dredging was £11,975.

(1) Quartz-mining.

The average value per ton of ore treated during 1926 amounted to £1 17s. 2d., as compared with £1 17s. 3d. during 1925. At the Waihi Mine 185,787 tons of ore were crushed for a return of 498,101 oz. of bullion, a decrease of 6,550 tons of ore and a decrease of 67,996 oz. of bullion. The total development and deadwork footage for the year amounted to 15,939 ft., and in addition 1,770 ft. was bored by diamond drill. No large body of ore was disclosed, the result of the development work in the lower levels being particularly disappointing. The Waihi Grand Junction Mine has been leased to the Waihi Gold-mining Co., Ltd., for a period of ten years on a profit-sharing basis. During the year under review 3,079 tons of ore were mined, and gave a return of 4,188 oz. of bullion. At Muir's Gold-reefs Mine no work, other than repair work and work in connection with the installation of the new pumping plant, was done during the year. At the Blackwater Mine 40,044 tons of quartz were mined, and gave a return of 18,032 oz. of bullion, valued at £70,232. The total footage for the year amounted to 2,115 ft. against 1,037 ft. for the previous year. Most of the development work was in the direction of the North Blackwater Mine, which was recently purchased by the Blackwater Mines, Ltd. At the New Big River Mine 1,799 tons of ore were mined, and yielded 1,727 oz. of bullion, valued at £6,608, against 3,976 tons of ore and 3,432 oz. of bullion, valued at £13,479, for the previous year. Comparatively little development work was carried out during the year, and what was done gave disappointing results. (2) Dbedge Mining. The following is a statement showing the capacity, production, and profits of bucket gold-dredges during 1926. (Note.—-The profits made by privately owned dredges are not obtainable for publication.)

Production of Bullion, 1926.* (All Mines.) Number of Persons Number of Dividends paid, 1926, ° ,T_. Productive Quartz- - ( s y Registered Com- °S " ' mines, Alluvial panies only.)f Unproductive IVOnoa Mines, and Quantity. Value. Unproductive Minos. D re dgea. 1926. Oz. £ £ Quartz-mining .. 530,087 442,674 55,840 1,139 21 Dredge mining .. 13,104 52,969 .. 93 5 Alluvial mining J. .. 11,338 43,659 3,725 472 288 Totals, 1926 .. 554,529 539,302 59,565 1,704 314 Totals, 1925 „ 625,626 546,026 67,623 1,666 275 * In addition to the gold produced from the gold-mines, silver was obtained from them, hence the word "bullion" is used in preference to " gold." t The profits of privately owned dredges and mines are unobtainable, which renders this statement incomplete. j The bullion-production is from 288 alluvial claims, but the dividends are only ascertainable from those few that are the property of registered companies.

Statute Tons of Ore treated. Value of Bullion. D tIre™CompiUVo?ly?. 8 ' Inspection District. , 1926. 1925. 1926. 1925. 1926. 1925. £ £ £ £ Northern .. .. 190,638 193,907 349,196 348,703 49,591 49,591 West Coast .. .. 47,395 53,254 93,062 111,210 6,250 12,799 Southern .. . . 135 40 416 129 Totals .. 238,168 247,201 442,674 460,042 55,841 62,390

qjO tn m , w : flbC "Sft mS °« 2.2 tv. , , V. & .3 . -J sac 2*c Dividends declared. £© § M d 0.3 A .2 W j§ ; _••! Name of Dredge. Locality. ©j» o£?a> o cs o «<-<« >>o ns3+= 73m <u,® os= ° C . Mua .2? Mpq rt'o During T . . ill a© „„ || 1926. lotaI - © fc fc ! a>H < > Otago and Southland. j Ft. £ £ I £ Nevis Crossing .. .. Nevis River .. 3£ 10 12 S 10 2,072 .. ! McGeorge's Freehold No. 2 Waikaka Valley . . I 6,§ 9 20 S 35 728 . . ! Shotover* .. .. Maori Point .... .. 300 E 20 40 West Coast. Rimu .. •• .. Rimu .. .. 10 19 325 E 55 47,900 .. j 13,132 New River .. .. Dunganville .. 7 18 155 E 35 2,229 Totals, 1926 .. .. 52,969 .. j Unknown, _ Totals^! 925 .. .. 40,994 3,283 1 Unknown, * Suction cutter dredge.