c—3

5

IV. GOLD-MINES. The following statement shows the value of the bullion-production and dividends declared, also the number of persons ordinarily employed and number of gold-mines and dredges working during the year : —

* In addition to the gold produced from the gold-mines, silver was also obtained from them, hence the word " bullion " is used in preference to "gold." t The bullion-production is from 104 dredges, but the dividends given are only from 35 of these, the property of registered companies. The profits of privately owned dredges and mines are unobtainable, which renders this statement incomplete. I The bullion-production is from 293 alluvial claims, but the dividends are only ascertaiiiable from 14 of them, the property of registered companies. (1.) Quartz-mining. The production of bullion from the quartz-mines of the Dominion during 1910 was the highest on record. As the result of treating 688,660 tons, bullion to the value of £1.564,189 was obtained, and dividends amounting to £597,127 were declared. An increase in the value of production has to be recorded for the Coromandel. Waihi. Karangahake, and Inangahua quartz-mining fields, but at the Thames and Otago fields a decline has taken place. The following is a statement showing the tons of ore treated, the value/of bullion produced, and the amount of dividends paid by quartz-mining companies in each of the inspection districts during the years 1909 and 1910 :—

Northern Inspection District. Waihi Goldfield. —Waihi Gold-mining Company (Limited): After a long period of successive increases the Waihi Mine has at last shown a decrease in its annual output. The value of the bullion won from the the past year was £894,8L5jfrom 442,020 tons,* being in value £33,494 less than for 1909, when the output reached the record total of £959,594. During 1910 the quantity of quartz treated exceeded that of the previous year by 25,207 tons. Dividends declared during the year amounted to £446,316. The total quantity of ore treated during the year amounted to 442,020 tons (dry weight, of 2,000 lb. per ton), 226,442 tons being obtained from the Martha lode. The

• Short tons of 2,0001b. dry weight equivalent to 394,660 ions of -2,2iU lb. The total cost per long ton, including development and London expenditure, amounted to 19s. 2-88 d., and the total value received for ore treated amounted to £2 6s. lid. per long ton.

Production of Dividends paid. j Numb er of Person* lir N ; imbe ,T ° £ Bullion, 1910.- „ 191 °- ordinarily em- Working Mines, (All mines.) (By registered com- , 'd Dredges, and panies only.) r Claims. (Quartz-mining ... Dredge mining ... Alluvial mining .. 1,564,189 597,127 1,324 L58 315,'2371 51,918! 774 104 188,464* 11,411J 3,983 293 Totals, 1910 2,067,890 660,456 8,081 555 Totals, L909 2,187,772 666, 7,495 550

Tons of Ore treated. Value of Bullion. Dividends paid. (By regietored companies only.) Inspection District 1910. L909. 1910. 1909. 1910. 1909. Northern Vest Coast iouthern Totals ... ... 612,553 573,470 1,824,456 1,301,002 543,915 554,316 ... 121,832 108,136 230,.S07 214.S76 : 53,212 43,955 ... 10,658 11,400 8,9-26 10,983 ... 745,043 693,006 1,564,189 1,526,861 597,127 598,271