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From this it will be seen that the total for the year 1887 of mineral products shows an increase in value of £21,428, which is due to the yield of kauri-gum more than compensating for the fallingoff in the yield of gold. Gold. The amount and value of gold obtained within any specified period in the colony cannot be accurately ascertained; but, as the whole of it, with the exception of what is used in the colony —a comparatively small quantity —is exported, the Customs returns may be taken as giving a close approximation of the yield for the periods to which they refer. The falling-off for the year 1887 is £92,469, as compared with 1886. Again, comparing the export for the six months ended the 30th June, 1888, with the corresponding six months of 1887, there is a falling-off in value of £13,580, The decrease is almost entirely in the alluvial fields of the West Coast and Otago. The yield of gold from quartz is fairly constant from year to year, as the following statement, covering a period of four years, for the two principal quartz-mining districts—viz., Auckland and Eeefton —will show. The returns are for the twelve months ending the 31st March in each case :—

Goromandel shows an increase in the quantity of stone crushed and also in the yield of gold, principally due to the vigorous prosecution of the Kapanga Mine. Thames and Ohinemuri show but little variation in the number of tons crushed, and with the exception of the year 1885-86 the yield of gold is very regular. The large yield for 1885-86 is due to rich stone having been obtained from the Cambria Mine. The returns from the Te Aroha field have been steadily getting less year by year, but notwithstanding this there is a prospect of this field being worked yet with more success. The Eeefton district shows a large falling-off in the yield of gold last year, which is in a great measure due to two of the regular dividend-paying mines—Welcome and Keep-it-Dark — producing very low-grade stone during the year. In the latter mine, however, the reef now found at the lower levels gives promise of better returns for this year. The quartz-mines in the Lake District of Otago have not given returns last year quite up to their usual average. At the end of Eoughridge, Ida Valley, two old claims which had been worked at different times in the course of the last twenty years, and latterly abandoned for several years, were reopened last year, and from 400 tons of stone the handsome return of 820oz. was obtained. At Serpentine, which has gone through a somewhat similar experience to that of Eoughridge, payable gold has been struck at several points along along a low-level adit, 900ft. long, following the general course of the reef. On the Old-Man Eange, above Bald Hill Flat, White's reef yielded 830oz. of gold from 820 tons of stone. This mine is at a very high level, about 3,000ft. above the sea, and can only be worked for seven or eight months in the year. The vicissitudes of failure and success which have attended quartz-mining in New Zealand go to show that persevering and well-directed efforts are almost sure of their reward. The Kapanga Mine already referred to, the Phoenix Mine at Skippers, and the Globe at Eeefton, may be taken as examples of what capital and skill can accomplish ; while failures, which could be quoted by the dozen, go to show that it is futile for persons without adequate means to engage in an enterprise requiring a large preliminary outlay before success can be achieved. Notwithstanding the failures, observation strengthens the conviction that there will yet be a very great development of quartzmining in the colony. Debdging-plants . Since the introduction of the Wellman dredger, which was constructed to work the bed of the Clutha Eiver, Otago, a large number of dredging-claims have been taken up; but, unfortunately, the pipes sent out from England with this dredger were found to be far too small to be of any real utility in carrying on dredging-operations. The holders of the claims recently taken up are waiting to see this new appliance properly, tested before commencing their operations. The novel feature of this dredge is that it lifts the gravel by means of suction produced by a centrifugal pump, the manner hitherto of raising gravel from the beds of rivers being by bucket-dredges. A large number of claims have also been taken up on the ocean beaches on the west coast of the Middle Island, and also on the east coast, between the mouth of the Clutha Eiver and the Bluff. Mr Brooke-Smith has introduced what is termed the Ball dredger (similar in construction to Wellman's), and is at present erecting one on the Five-mile Beach in the Okarito district, Westland. Should these dredges be successful there will be a large field opened out. Mr. McQueen, of Dunedin, who placed a steam-bucket dredger in the Clutha in 1881, which has been in successful operation ever since, is now building a steel pontoon bucket-dredge at Granite Creek, on the ocean beach, about twenty miles north of Westport. The machinery is to be driven by a turbine, fed through a flexible piping from a water-race.

188! (-85. 181 i-86. 188( 3-87. 1881 f-88. District. Quartz. Gold. Quartz. Gold. Quartz. Gold. Quartz. GoM. Auckland, — Coromandel Thames and Oliinemuri To Aroha Tons. 456 31,496 11,042 Oz. 3,201 37,705 9,506 Tons. 550 35,998 6,552 Oz. 3,382 61,540 4,489 Tons. 305 34,827 4,743 Oz. 4,170 38,142 3,658 Tons. 1,923 35,207 7,166 Oz. 6,774 39,354 2,918 leefton 42,994 34,349 50,412 23,997 43,100 27,198 69,411 14,591 39,875 23,930 45,970 21,143 44,296 24,403 49,046 16,775 Totals .. 77,343 74,409 70,298 84,002 63,805 67,113 68,699 65,821