C—2.

GOLD AND SILVER MINING. The following statement shows the quantity and value of bullion-production, the dividends paid by registered companies, and the number of productive claims and gold-dredges during 1932 and 1931 : —

GOLDFIELDS REVENUE AND GOLD DUTY. The amount of goldfields revenue received and payable to local bodies during the year ended 31st March, 1933, was £15,823 ss. 6d., and the amount received and payable to Native and European owners and special endowments was £220 18s. 9d. During the same period the sum of £30,432 7s. was received by way of duty on gold exported, of which £22,225 16s. was credited to the Consolidated Fund, and the balance of £8,206 lls. was credited to the Local Bodies' Deposit Accoxmt for the benefit of the local bodies in whose districts the gold was won, so that during the year the total sum of £24,029 16s. 6d. was received on behalf of the local bodies from these sources. MINING PRIVILEGES. That increased interest is being maintained in the mining industry is shown by the fact that during the year ended 31st March, 1933, 1,982 licenses for mining privileges were granted under the provisions of the Mining Act, 1926, as compared with 1,276 for the previous year. Out of this number 383 were licenses for claims authorizing the holders to mine for gold. For the same period 154 mining privileges including twelve licenses for claims, were struck off the registers under the provisions of section 188 of the Act. The efficient handling of this greatly increased activity has added enormously to the work carried out by the officers of the Mines Department, including the Wardens and their respective staffs, and I think that it is not out of place here for me to express to all of them my personal appreciation of the cheerful and efficient manner in which they have performed their duties, often under severe pressure, and necessitating the working of long hours. A great mass of information relating to gold-mining areas has been disseminated by the Department during the past twelve months, and has been found helpful by many persons who are taking an interest in mining. PROSPECTING FOR OIL. During the year two companies (one in the North Island and one in the South Island) were engaged in boring for oil in the Dominion, the aggregate footage bored being 1,145 ft. 6 A production of 228,061 gallons of oil was obtained from the Moturoa No. 2 well at New Plymouth. The total production of crude petroleum oil to the 31st December, 1932, is estimated at 1,897,789 gallons. COAL-MINING. The production of coal during 1932 again fell away and was less than the 1931 figures by 315,734 tons, or approximately 700,000 tons less than the record output of 1930. It is almost as low as that of 1907 when 3,910 men were employed in the industry whereas 4,636 men were at work in or about the coal-mines in 1932. In 1931 there were 5,745 men so employed.

2

Dividends Number of ProducProduction of Bullion. paid by Registered tive Claims and Class of Gold-mining. Companies. Dredges. 19 32- 1931. 1932. 1931. 1932. 1931. Oz. £ Oz. £ £ £ Quartz .. .. 684,272 758,231 538,070 532,152 177,230 106,087 49 32 Alluvial.. .. 27,214 151,054 15,306 70,110 3,465 470 1907 726 Dredging .. 17,660 110,529 11,495 54,927 7,000 : . .. 4 5 Totals .. 729,146 1,019,814 564,871 657,189 187,695 106,557 763