C—2

In the following tabic; is shown the quantity of quartz crushed, and scheelite (tungstic trioxide) concentrates obtained by the seventeen companies and parties of miners engaged in this industry, together with the value, during the year 1914 :•

In addition certain of the above mines produced gold as follows : — £ Dominion Consolidated .. .. .. .. .. 7,833 Fraser and party • . .. .. .. .. 12 Deep Dell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220 Golden Point .. .. .. .. .. . . 867 Stoneburn .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . 23 Mareburn .. . . . . . . 280 Alta Syndicate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234 The principal market for scheelite concentrate being Germany, the demand ceased after the outbreak of the present war. Kauri-gum. The value of kauri-gum exported during 1914 amounted to £497,444, or £51,662 less than that exported during the previous year. The decline is due to the war, much of the gum exported being formerly used in Europe by the belligerents. Since the outbreak of hostilities the quantity of gum shipped weekly from the Northern Wairoa, it is estimated, does not exceed 3 tons, whereas prior therein 30 tons were so handled. The average weekly quantity dug now approximates 8 tons, but owing to the depressed state of the market country buyers are chary of purchasing more than is necessary to liquidate the indebtedness of diggers for food-supplies. At the same time the regular diggers, amongst whom are some three hundred Croatians, do not appear over anxious to sell, and are storing their gum on the fields, being satisfied that at the cessation of the war all grades of tho material will command higher rates than those which have ruled hitherto. Prior to the war about six thousand persons were more or loss intermittently employed at gumdigging, but owing to the decline in the demand for gum this number has been greatly reduced. To afford a measure of relief to unemployed gum-diggers the Government, in terms of tho Kaurigum Act, 1914, has recently purchased from such diggers gum to the value of £5,000 on the base of prices ruling on the Ist July, 1911. The gum thus purchased is being stored in Auckland. fi«>.\'. The Parapara iron-ore leases continue to remain unworked, tho Cadman lease having now boon under protection for the past two years and a half, and under partial exemption from the labour conditions of the lease the previous two years and a half. These leases have been obviously held for sale for many years, and bona fide mining operations are apparently not intended by the holders. At Moturoa Messrs. Hesketh and Son have during the year produced 3 tons of pig iron from Taranaki ironsand, by a special process described in my last annual report. The furnace employed is of large cupola type, the ironsand being first briquetted with 40 per cent, of non-sulphurous coal. Two sintering-furnaces were at the time of my inspection, in March. 1915, being constructed.

4—C. 2.

25

Namo of Mine or Company. Locality Scheelite Quartz (TungstieTrioxido) crushed. Concentrate obtained. Value. i " , Dominion Consolidated Development Wakamarina Valley, Company Marlbi trough Glenorchy Scheelite Syndicate and ) : ,-., , T , „ J , ■ t ■ r ' Glenorchy, Lake County seven parties of miners j ■" •> Buckland and Ewart .. .. I Barewood, Taieri County Fraser and party (iMorning Star) . . Waihemo County Deep Dell Gold and Silver Company ,, Golden Point Gold-mining Company ,, Mitchell and Dowie .. . . ,, Stoneburn Gold and Silver Company ,, Mareburn Gold and Silver Company Hyde, Maniototo County AIta Mining Syndicate .. .. Bendigo, Vincent County I I Tons. Tons cwt. 15,814 ] 83 15 9 £ s. d. 9,300 0 0 £ s. ),300 C 554 ! 79 12 6 6,815 13 6 1,815 13 50 : 5 0 500 0 0 500 C 97 i 16 10 1 1,650 ] 21 12 2 1,377 : I 0 21 ' 1 5 1,115! 83 955 ■ 4 1 1,720 10 0 2,080 0 0 80 0 0 97 15 (I 735 0 0 396 0 0 ,720 If !,080 C 80 C 97 15 735 C 396 C 112 1 0 100 0 0 100 0 . Totals 21,745 221 18 21,824 18 6