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GOLD AND SILVER MINING During the year 470,568 oz. of bullion, valued at £1,518,119, was produced, an increase in quantity of £0,632 oz. but a decrease in value of £49,495, as compared with the previous year. J he gold content of the bullion is estimated at 142,287 oz., valued at £1,4-74,536. The estimated gold production for the past ten years has been as follows Year - Oz. Year. Oz Jjjjj® 165,277 194-0 185,665 1936 164,575 1941 .. .. 174 656 J931 168,487 1942 .. .. .! 165 ; 9 86 1938 ' .. .. 152,050 1943 .. . 149 150 1939 178,955 1944 .. .. " 287 The decline in the production of gold which commenced in 1941 and has continued during the war years was still maintained, and this year's production shows a decrease of 6,863 oz. of gold compared with the previous year. Production from alluvial mines (4,831 oz.) shows a decrease of 1,928 oz., dredges (87 274 oz ) an y n ear eaBe ° Z " min6B (5 °' 182 E deCreaSe ° f 7,688 oz " compared with the previous The increase in the production of gold by dredges is due to the completion of alterations to the Uutha Kiver dredge converting it from a river dredge to a paddock dredge and allowing of the commencement of operations. Seventeen dredges operated during the year, fifteen on the West Coast and two in Otago. One of the West Coast dredges ceased operations during the year. , Jhere has been only one prospecting venture of any consequence during the year—namely, that at the Sylvia Mine m the Thames goldfield. On the whole, results have been disappointing and operations have not disclosed any ore body of economic proportions. Generally the gold-mining industry has been severely handicapped by shortage of man-power and difficulties in securing replacements for essential equipment, but, these have been inevitable owing to war conditions. Under the circumstances it is remarkable that many producers have managed to continue operations and that the decline in the production of gold has relatively been so small. MINING PRIVILEGES A total of 205 licenses for mining privileges was granted under the provisions of the Mining Act a decrease of 42 on the previous year. Of the licenses granted in 1944, 32 were licenses entitling the holders to mine for gold. ® PETROLEUM OIL The only activity in the prospecting programme during the year was the completion of the bore at No Town, near Greymouth, by the New Zealand Petroleum Co., Ltd. This borehole reached basement rock at a depth of 6,742 ft., but proved, like all the preceding holes, to be dry. Since the passing of the Petroleum Act, 1937, the following wells have been sunk: Totansi (Gisborne), 5,700 ft. ; Morere (Gisborne), 6,643 ft. ; Midhirst (Taranaki), 10,925 ft • Devon No 1 (Taranaki), 9,412 ft.; Devon No. 2 (Taranaki), 6,177 ft.; S.F.L. No. 1 (Kumara), 5,450 ft : SFL No. 2 (Eumara) 2,980 ft ; Stantiall (Marton), 6,877 ft.; Young (Mount Stewart), 3,395 ft. j Kawhaka No. 1 (Westland), 2,795 ft.; Uruti No. 1 (Taranaki), 1,173 ft.; Uruti No. 2 (Taranaki), After many years of detailed geological study the sites for these boreholes were carefully chosen and their completion now covers all the favourable structures located by the geological work All the operating companies have now ceased work, their staffs of highly skilled geologists and drilling experts have been disbanded, and the licenses held by them under the Petroleum Act have been surrendered While two years ago five companies held 47 licenses covering 7,541 square miles, at the present moment only 2 licenses are current, the small one of 10 square miles near New Plymouth which covers the activities of the Moturoa Oilfields Co., Ltd., and another of 198 square miles in 'North Auckland held by Northern Oilfields, Ltd. From the wells at Moturoa, 73,588 gallons of crude petroleum, oil was obtained during 1944. , omi T n ' S total P roduction of crude petroleum oil to 31st December, 1944, is estimated at 3,411,570 gallons. COAL-MINING There were 149 coal-mines operating in the Dominion in 1944. Fifty-four of these mines are situated on freehold property and produced 1,197,485 tons, or 43 per cent, of the total output The remaining 95 mines are situated on Crown lands and produced 1,608,485 tons or 57 per cent of the total output of 2,805,970 tons. The annual production of coal since 1939 has been as follows eai '- Tons. Year. Tons. 1939 .. .. 2,342,639 1942 .. .2 680 041 1940 .. .. 2,516,099 1943 .. .. 2 ; 787 ;5g •• •• 2,639,507 1944 .. .. 2,805,970 , »°, o?L"? S im P orted in 1914 ' w hereas in the previous year 37,454 tons were imported. Exports totalled 37,688 tons, against 42,522 tons in 1943.

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