(J.—2

Description of Fatal Accidents at Mining Operations other than Coal-mining —continued.

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

(1.) QUAETZ-MINING. 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 1913 and 1914 :—

20

Name of Person killed, Accident MlnD 0r aim - Oauso of Accident, and Remarks. « William Rolla Bealc 28/9/14 B 1 a e k w a te r Mine The deoeased, a carpenter engaged upon repairs in the shaft, (quartz) . was lowered in a cage by himself to the No. 3 level; shortly afterwards the signal-bell was rung once (to hold the cage) presumably by deceased. The cage was left stationary for about sixty minutes, when, no further communication being received from him, the chamberman descended the shaft by another cage, and eventually the body of deoeased was found in the sump at the bottom of the shaft. The Coroner found that deceased was killed by accidentally falling down the shaft, with a rider that provision should be made in the Mining Act that no person other than a braeeman or chamberman should he allowed to give signals for the moving of the cage in the shaft, as already provided for in the Coal-mines Act. Harry Nicholls .. 14/12/14 Bolitho's Claim (allu- After firing four holes in the auriferous conglomerate of vial) this cement claim, the deceased and H. Bolitho. both experienced miners, returned to fire two more that were already charged ; and Bolitho had just reached the face when a very heavy stone fell behind him, crushing Nicholls to the floor, death being probably instantaneous. The stone which fell was too large to be sounded for safety. The jury found that no blame was attachable to any one.

n.«j..«i: .,( Dividends paid, ' ,.-. i * -n Number of Production of Bullion, 1914.* (All Mines.) Dividends paid, 1914. (By Registered Companies only.) Number of Working Mines, Dredges, and Claims. Production of ,St7 " ' Number of Persons "I'r" 0 '? 1 Bullion, 1914.* L „ 14 ' Jn ordinarily em- Working Mines, (All Mines.) PWed. D "^" d Number of Persons ordinarily employed. 1 ' paniesonly.) r-v-r- Claims. £ S3 £ £ Quartz-mining ... ... 1,154,214 288,265 2,863 61 Dredge mining!... ... 191,112 23,080 491 64 Alluvial mining J ... 157,323 10,992 1,054 258 £ 1,154,214 191,112 157,323 £ 288,265 23,080 10,992 2,863 491 1,054 61 64 258 Totals, 1914 ... 1,502,649 322,337 4,408 383 1,502,649 322,337 4,408 383 * In addition to the gold produoed from the gold-mines, silver was obtained from them, hence the word ' bullion " is used in preference to " gold." f The bullion-production is from 64 diedges, but the dividends given are only from 16 of these, the property of •egisterad companies. The profits of privately owned dredges and mines are unobtainable, which renders this statement incomplete. J The bullion-production is from 258 alluvial claims, but the dividends are only asoertainnblo from those few that lire the property of registered oompanies.

Inspection Distriot. Statute Tons of (Intreated. " ' " i ! l... Value of Bullion. I Dividends paid. (By Registered Companies only.) Northern West Coast Southern 1914. 1913. 347,194 ; 327,590 148,069 ; 126,260 6,076 I 10,658 i 1914. 1913. 1914. 1913. £ £ £ £ 911,733 865,619 266,165 260,188 239,237 . 201,987 22,100 ! 26,900 3,244 | 4,207 Totals ... 501,339 464,508 1,154,214 1,071,818 288,265 287,088 There has therefore, been an i: '2,177 in dividends declared. [crease during 1914 of 36,831 tons of ore treated : £82,41 ll in value obtained, and