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1886. NEW ZEALAND.

ANNUAL PRODUCTION OF GOLD AND SILVER IN VICTORIA (RETURN OF), FROM THE EARLIEST RECORDS OBTAINABLE TO 31st DECEMBER, 1884.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

No. 1. Colonel Andeeson, Eoyal Mint, Melbourne, to the Hon. the Ministeb of Mines, Wellington. (No. 481/85.) Sm, — Melbourne, 20th November, 1885. It would be of value and interest to this branch of Her Majesty's Mint, and also to our correspondents, to have as complete a record as possible of the production of gold and silver in the various Australasian Colonies, and I would therefore ask you if you would be so good as to obtain for me, at your earliest convenience, a return showing the quantity of gold and silver produced in New Zealand, in each year, from the earliest record obtainable to the present time. I trust that the value to this department of this record may be my exci: t for troubling you in the matter. I have, &c, Geoege Andeeson, The Hon. the Minister of Mines, Wellington. Deputy-Master.

No. 2. Mr. H. J. H. Eliott to Colonel Andeeson, Eoyal Mint, Melbourne. (Mines 86/1544.) . Sib,— Wellington, 15th' January, 1886. In compliance with the request contained in your letter of the 20th November, No. 481/85, I have the honour, by direction of the Hon. the Minister of Mines, to forward herewith a statement of the quantity and value of gold and silver shipped through the Customs Department of this colony from the year 1857 to the 30th September, 1885. From the return you will see that 10,789,6500z. of gold, of the value of £42,327,908, and 447,9230z. of silver, of the value of £115,144, have been shipped at the period named. The information in the return is as accurately compiled as the public records will permit. But it is believed that in years past considerable quantities of gold were taken out of the colony without passing through the Customs. Neither is the gold and silver which have been manufactured in the colony included in the statement, as there is no information obtainable under that heading. The Hon. the Minister of Mines would be obliged if he could be supplied with similar information respecting the Colony of Victoria. I have, &c, Colonel Anderson, Deputy-Master, Eoyal Mint, H. J. H. Eliott, Melbourne, Victoria. Under-Secretary.