C—2
PETROLEUM OIL Activity in the petroleum mining industry was again confined to the operations of New Zealand Oil Refineries, Ltd., which, in addition to maintaining production from the old wells in the Moturoa field near New Plymouth, completed a new well, the Dobson No. 1. Although this well was not completed until March, 1949, production from it alone amounted to 180,970 gallons of crude oil as compared with 55,493 gallons from the three old wells. This result has encouraged the company to commence a new well, the Dobson No. 2, and despite some misfortune at the commencement of operations, satisfactory progress has been made in sinking the bore hole. Production from the Moturoa field for the year 1949 amounted to 236,463 gallons, as against 83,112 gallons in 1948, 82,307 gallons in 1947, and 81,625 gallons in 1946. The total production of crude petroleum in New Zealand up to 31st December, 1949, now amounts to 3,986,316 gallons. COAL-MINING The total coal-production of the Dominion for the year 1949 amounted to 2,813,275 tons, which is 37,389 tons greater than production in 1948, which amounted to 2,775,886 tons. The annual production of coal since 1930 is as follows : Year. Tons. Year. Tons. 1930 .. .. 2,542,092 1940 .. .. 2,516,099 1931 .. .. 2,157,756 1941 .. .. 2,639,507 1932 .. .. 1,842,022 1942 .. .. 2,680,041 1933 .. .. 1,821,258 1943 .. .. 2,787,868 1934 .. .. 2,060,315 1944 .. .. 2,805,970 1935 .. .. 2,115,184 1945 .. .. 2,833,576 1936 .. .. 2,140,217 1946 .. .. 2,793,870 1937 .. .. 2,277,799 1947 .. .. 2,751,725 1938 .. .. 2,222,088 1948 .. .. 2,775,886 1939 .. .. 2,342,639 1949 .. .. 2,813,275
4
-— Yardage. Acreage. Average Depth, in Feet. Men Employed. Gold (Ounces). Silver (Ounces). £(N.Z.). Grey River Arahura Rimu Kaniere Ngahere Snowy River Austral New Zealand Clutha Rainbow 3,337,000 441,253 1,565,000 2,789,372 1,498,351 1,000,000 2,990,000 2,521,000 150,000 Dra 68-5 2-0 23-0 15-8 13-3 42-3 20-0 iges 30 131 42 113 78 20 47 78 6 25 39 41 42 27 13 47 25 2 5,667 1,832 4,849 11,300 4,971 4,735 7,090 6,400 156 64,146 22,389 49,613 123,628 46,784 37,564 67,835 62,021 1,407 Totals 261 47,000 475,387 Alluvial Waitahu Round Hill Sundry 12 2 6 92 93 327 1,022 1,116 2,888 9,402 Totals 100 1,442 13,406 Grand totals 892 84,874 232,599 890,588