C—2

The construction of dredges, which had to be suspended during the war years, still remains in abeyance owing to the changed conditions brought about by the war, in particular the cost of erecting and equipping a dredge, which has increased enormously from the pre-war figure. The future of the gold-mining industry now depends mainly on large-scale dredges capable of handling heavy and relatively deep low-grade ground. It is of interest that seven dredges of this type—five on the west coast and two in Otago—were responsible for the production of 64,020 oz., considerably more than half of the total gold production for the year. There was again no prospecting activity in the search for new dredging areas, but some resumption of this type of prospecting is to be expected in the ensuing years in such areas as have no potential agricultural or pastoral value. During 1946, 224,341 oz. of silver, valued at £59,707, were produced, as compared with 244,544 oz., valued at £36,752, during 1945. While there was a decrease in quantity, the value increased appreciably owing to the increase in the price of silver during the year. Practically the whole silver output of New Zealand is produced from the Martha Mine, and the increased price of silver has been of considerable value to this company in their gold-mining activities.

The following table shows the production of the principal quartz-mines, dredges, and alluvial mines for the year ended 31st December, 1946. These producers contributed, in the aggregate, 99 per cent, of the total production of gold and silver in the Dominion :

3

— Ore, in Tons. Development, in Feet. Men | employed. Gold (Ounces), Silver (Ounces). £(N.Z.). Martha Black water 107,845 21,548 Quartz-minet 1 5,285 1 1,711-5 1 > 481 131 28,533 7,426 8,131 13,084 8,276 10,360 6,556 8,470 3,969 3,002 2,775 2,513 1,260 1,108 363 34 185 9,143 480 210 26 576 226 222,264 218 467 102 513 320 306 364,928 79,408 87,114 140,214 87,258 111,600 68,218 90,765 40,081 30,578 28,293 25,260 12,150 10,824 3,442 521 1,876 97,974 4,728 2,158 276 5,145 2,428 -— Yardage. Acreage. Average Depth, in Feet. Men employed. Grey River Kanieri Ngahere Austral N.Z. Clutha Rimu Snowy River Marsden Atarau Redjacks Blackball Creek Slab Hut Callaghans Gillespies Rainbow .. Arahura Round Hill .. Addison's Flat Moonlight .. Golden Sands Waitahu Totals 4,572,202 2,676,046 2,343,596 3,407,000 2,114,000 1,910,522 1,152,000 1,550,517 1,348,103 1,110,130 700,000 112,231 3,437 j 000 Dret 89-323 38-32 15-251 49-50 19-00 27-08 37-00 47-50 56-00 39-00 28-23 Alluvial iges 31-7 42-8 95-2 49-00 68-20 43-7 19-25 29-75 19-75 21-00 37-50 16-00 75-4 ' Mines 30 43 27 47 28 39 13 16 16 16 12 10 13 2 2 44 116,706 224,190 1,295,239