C.—2

14

prior to the accident, had been working on the deck on the port side, and in order to get to the other side without walking round the railing had endeavoured to take a short cut by climbing the rail and walking along a timber stay above the screen, and that while doing so had lost his balance and fallen on to the screen. Deceased had no duty that necessitated him going inside the railing. On the 22nd May Richard William Ryder Hungerford, aged 23 years, was killed in the Woodstock chamber, Karangahake. Deceased with another workman was engaged in dismantling an air-receiver. He had disconnected the air-pipe, which probably knocked out the cradle under the end of the receiver, causing the latter to tilt, with the result that deceased fell and the air-pipe fell on top of him. On the 19th August Isaac Wade, aged 44 years, was killed in the compressor-house of the Ohinemuri Gold and Silver Company's mine at Maratoto. From the evidence taken at the inquest it appears that the deceased, who was in charge of the compressor, had been engaged in oiling the compressor when a cast-iron pulley burst, and a piece struck him on the right temple, causingJaceration of the brain, from which he died. Prior to the accident the pulley seemed to be quite safe ; its failure was due to a flaw in the casting. Accounts of the serious but non-fatal accidents are given iti the District Inspectors' annual reports. IV. GOLD-MINING. The following statement shows the value of the bullion-production, also the dividends declared, number of persons employed, and the number of gold-mines and dredges :—

The value of gold produced during 1924 was less by £129,917 than during 1923. This decrease is made up of a decrease of £119,143 from quartz-mining, due to the reduced production from Waihi Borough and Tauranga County, a decrease £9,463 from dredging, and a decrease of £1,311 from alluvial mining.

(1.) Quartz-mining.

The average value per toil of ore treated during 1924 amounted to £1 17s. 7d., as compared with £1 16s. Id. during 1923. At the Waihi Mine 190,640 tons of ore were crushed of 566,097 oz. of bullion, an increase of 10,792 tons of ore and 42,562 oz. of bullion. The development work done during the year at the lower levels has not so far disclosed any reef comparable in width or in value with the reefs found in the higher levels. At the Waihi Grand Junction Mine 17,337 tons were crushed for a return of 27,391 oz., compared with 76,705 tons and 82,111 oz. during the previous year. Development work done during the year did not prove the existence of workable ore, and as the payable reserves became exhausted crushing ceased. Two boreholes were put down by diamond drill from No. 10 level, one a distance of 600 ft. and the other a distance of 756 ft., but without striking any payable reef. At Muir's Gold-reefs Mine no crushing was done during the year. Sinking was continued in the main shaft till a depth of 515 ft. from the surface was reached, and from the chamber at 500 ft. a total of 1,209 ft. of cross-cutting was done towards Muir's reef and the Massey reef.

! Production of Bullion, 1924.* (All Mines.) I Number of Persona ! Number of Dividends paid, 1924. 0 rdi n arilv Wd Productive Quartz(By Registered Com- and mines, Alluvial ! panies only.)t rfn JodnoW Minl Mines, and Quantity. Value. | Unproductive Mines. DredgeS} 1924 . Oz. £ £ Quartz-mining .. 625,162 490,850 50,790 1,283 23 Dredge mining .. 13,336 58,540 (>,566 468 5 Alluvial mining! .. 14,357 57,863 6,180 78 273 Totals, 1924 .. 652,855 607,253 63,536 1,829 301 Totals, 1923 .. 692,090 737,170 30,344 2,026 160 * In addition to the gold produced from the gold-mines, silver was obtained from them, hence the word " bullion " is used in preference to " gold." t The profits of privately owned dredges and mines are unobtainable, which renders this statement incomplete. X The bullion-production is from 262 alluvial claims, but the dividends are only ascertainable from those few that are the property of registered companies.

Statute Tons of Ore treated. Value of Bullion. "icreirCompinteonljl, 8 " Inspection District. 1924. 1928. 1924. 1928. 1924. 1928. £ £ £ £ Northern .. .. 209,481 288,036 374,085 508,545 49,590 24,795 West Coast .. .. 51,467 47,872 115,652 99,143 1,200 Southern .. 97 1,935 1,113 2,305 Totals .. .. 261,045 337,843 490,850 609,993 50,790 24,795