e.—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 : —

The total value of the bullion produced in 1934 was greater by £96,261 than that produced in 1933, but from quartz-mining the value of the bullion was less by £22,419. From alluvial mining the value of the gold produced increased by £88,394, and from dredging by £30,286.

(1) Quartz-mining.

The average value per ton of ore treated daring 1934 amounted to £2 15s. 2d., as compared with £2 9s. during 1933. At the Waihi Mine 185,210 long tons of quartz was mined and treated, from which 57,448 oz. of gold, valued at £393,519, and 343,012 oz. of silver, valued at £33,586, were recovered. The dividends for the year amounted to £99,181 Bs., bringing the total dividends to date to £6,239,008 14s. 6d. Most of the development-work done during 1934 was above No. 10 level, but a large amount of stoping, much of it of somewhat low-grade ore, was done down to the No. 14 level. Investigation of the north branch, from No. 2 level down to No. 7 level, has proved it to be a dropper of the Martha lode, leaving the main lode between Nos. 2 and 3 levels, and having a general strike like the Martha. Down to the No. 5 level its dip is rather slight, but below that level it became much steeper. From the Waihi Grand Junction area—also worked by the Waihi Gold-mining Co. —19,568 long tons of ore was mined, from which 5,887 oz. of gold, valued at £40,326, and 16,617 oz. of silver, valued at £1,627, were recovered. Prospecting in that area was continued in the Junction Nos. 6 and 7 levels, and in the Waihi Co.'s No. 11 level also. In an intermediate level, 40 ft. up from the Junction No. 6 level, payable ore was met, and fair values were got also in a crosscut to the north ofi the Junction No. 7 level. Stoping was continued from No. 6to No. 10 Grand Junction levels, and from No. 11 to No. 13 Waihi Co.'s levels in the Grand Junction area. From the Golden Dawn Mine 6,720 tons of ore was crushed, from which 4,105 oz. of gold, valued at £39,497, and 7,915 oz. of silver, valued at £785, were recovered. For other mines in the district the Golden Dawn battery treated 3,008 tons of ore, from which 3,150 oz. of gold, valued at £18,909, and 15,070 oz. of silver, valued at £1,234, were recovered. Development was continued in the Nos. 2, 3, and 4 levels and in several intermediate ones in the Golden Dawn mine, and from most of them quartz of fair value was mined. From the Talisman-Dubbo Mine at Karangahake 2,094 tons of ore was mined, and treated at the Golden Dawn battery, yielding 2,478 oz. of gold, valued at £14,525, and 13,342 oz. of silver, valued at £1,071. Several mines were reopened during the year in the Ohinemuri district, including that formerly known as Walker's at Maratoto, and the Komata Reefs, Alpha, St. Hippo and Seotia Mines at Waitekauri. The interest in quartz mining in the Thames District continued. Many old mines have been reopened and are again being worked, on a small scale, in that district and in the Coromandel field. At the Golden Point Mine, Macraes, from four to six men were employed intermittently at develop-ment-work until June, when the mine was again closed.

20

Production ol Bullion, 1934.* (All Mines.) _. Number of Persons „ Nu ™ be rof Dividends paid, 1934. ordinarilv „ Productive Quartz- ( B y Be S isteredCora " atP?odLtWe and mines, Alluvial panies only.)t Min es, an(i Quantity. Value. Unproductive Mines. Dredges, 1934. . . __ Oz. £ £ Quartz-mining .. 475,230 699,273 155,099 1,652 73 Alluvial miningf .. 43,541 306,248 11,222 4,693 4,357 Dredge mining .. 24,092 190,319 41,406 175 12 Totals, 1934 .. 542,863 1,195,840 207,727 6,520 4,442 Totals, 1933 .. 592,247 1,099,579 209,337 6,212 2,468 * 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 4,357 alluvial claims, but the dividends are only obtainable from those few that are the property of registered companies.

Statute Tons of Ore treated. Value of Bullion. "teredto^aUYoST" Inspection District. 1934. 1933. 1934. 1933. 1934. 1933. £ £ £ £ Northern .. .. 215,781 240,851 539,906 514,453 108,702 106,088 West Coast .. .. 35,824 52,193 154,162 202,227 46,397 57,782 Southern .. .. 1,743 1,575 5,205 5,012 Totals .. .. 253,348 294,619 699,273 721,692 155,099 163,870