15

C.—2

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 : —

(1) Quartz-mining.

The average value per ton of ore treated during 1928 amounted to £1 15s. 5d., as compared with £1 15s. 3d. during 1927. From the Waihi Mine 181,479 tons of ore were extracted and treated, an increase of 1,836 tons over the quantity of the previous year. The bullion won consisted of 67,322 oz. of gold, valued at £282,752, and 350,669 oz. of silver, valued at £35,067, the total value being £317,819, which is less by £3,174 than the value of bullion won from this mine in the previous year. A considerable amount of development work and diamond drilling was done during the year, but no large body of payable ore was found. The Waihi Gold-mining Co. has also carried on work in the Waihi Grand Junction property. 22,762 tons of ore were mined, and yielded 67,929 oz. of bullion, valued at £45,762. Muir's Gold-reefs Mine was unwatered early in the year, and a small amount of crosscutting and driving was done with a view to locating the Muir's reef at the 500 ft. level. The reef was got, but the values were quite unpayable. Two bore-holes were then put down from the surface, but these also failed to strike payable reef, and all work on this property was stopped in May. The Blackwater Mine produced and milled 39,907 tons of ore for a return of 16,609 oz. of gold, valued at £70,525, being a decrease of 1,455 tons of ore, a decrease of 948 oz. in the amount of gold won but an increase in value of £1,880 over the figures for the previous year. (2) Dredge Mining. The following is a statement showing the capacity, production, and profits of bucket gold-dredges during 1928. (Note. —The profits made by privately-owned dredges are not obtainable for publication.)

I I Production of Bullion, 1928.* (All Mines.) , _ Number of Persons Number of Dividends paid, 1928 " Productive Quartz(By Registered Com- 0 SS'S mines, Alluvial panies only.)t Mines > and Quantity. Value. j Unproductive Mines. Dredges. 1928. Oz. £ £ Quartz-mining .. 506,473 446,014 99,181 961 22 "Dredge mining .. 15,848 64,711 3,283 90 5 Alluvial mining J .. 10,593 40,517 1,660 407 333 Totals, 1928 532,914 551,242 104,124 1,458 360 Totals, 1927 .. 506,420 550,166 58,512 1,661 372 * 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. % The bullion-production is from 333 alluvial claims, but the dividends are only obtainable from those few that are the property of registered companies. The total value of the gold produced in 1928 was greater by £1,076 than that produced in 1927. The return from quartz-mining decreased by £3,267, while the returns from alluvial mining and golddredging increased by £363 and £3,980 respectively.

Statute Tons of Ore treated. Value of Bullion. D i™ZpLnie7o?ly) iS " Inspection Digtrict. 1928. 1927. 1928. 1927. 1928. ' 1927. I £ £ £ £ Northern .. .. 205,271 208,372 366,937 366,021 99,181 49,591 West Coast .. .. 46,717 46,168 79,044 83,243 Southern .... 120 28 33 17 Totals .. .. 252,108 254,568 446,014 449,281 99,181 49,591

A>.® .<§£ ® <£j flbo l & It ~JS g|° If Dividends declared, fle S-o W,S 09 §•£ cq'O " o " g 1. a ir Hame of Dredge. Locality. ©<» o °o-o >»■§ n "3 * £.2 ►» o> C o c . J=|d .a? «*g During T . . gs_® a-2s al II III! II 1928. lotai ' g-drt ge, 11 11 11 £0 o fc j ■< > Otago and Southland. Ft. £ £ £ Upper Nevis .. .. Nevis River .. 7 10 205 E 50 4,984 Nevis Crossing .. .. ,, 3£ 10 12 S 10 1,02S Undaunted .. .. Little Kyeburn .. 4j 10 60 H 20 87 West Coast. Rimu .. .. .. Rimu Flat .. 10 19 325 E 55 57,725 3,283 22,981 New River .. .. Dunganville .. 7 18 155 E 35 887 Totals, 1928 .. .. 64,711 3,283 Unknown, Totals, 1927 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 60,731 6,766 Unknown. I