O—2

13

11. PERSONS EMPLOYED. The following statement shows the number of persons ordinarily employed in or about the metalliferous mines* of the Dominion during the year : —

111. ACCIDENTS. During 1927 there were no fatal accidents and only one serious accident. In this respect the year under review is the best in the history of metal-mining in New Zealand.

A full account of the serious accident, which occurred in the Waihi Mine, is contained in Inspector Paul's report in the annexure hereto.

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 bullion produced during 1927 was greater by £10,864 than during 1926. Bullion from quartz-mining increased by £6,607, from alluvial mining the decreased value was £3,505, but the increased value of gold from dredging was £7,762.

Classification. Northern. Inspection District. | West Coast. Southern. Total, 1927. Jold, silver, and tungsten ironstone 804 804 507 70 507 70 352 1,663 70 Totals for 1927 804 804 577 577 352 1,733 Totals for 1926 .. 850 850 554 554 366 1,770 * In addition, 0 persons wore employed in sulphur-mir lining, and 32 persons in oil-boring operations. Mill ng, and 32 p persons in oil-boring

Cause. Fatal i Number of Separate Accidents. Fatal Ai rcidents. N Z b tn r ,° f Mo' Deaths. Accidents. Serious Non-fi Sal Accidents. Number of Persons injured. 'alls of ground.. Jxplosives liscellaneous liscellaneous, underground i 1 Totals 1 1

Production of Bullion, 1927.» (All Mines.) L Dividends paid, 1927, J (By Registered Companies only.)f Quantity. Value. Number of Persons Lj*H*S,SL ordinarily employed ' ™S ..h, ■? at Productive and m1 "™' 0 A " l ' v . iaI Unproductive Mines. jjggfifa. l Quartz-mining Drodgo mining Alluvial miningj Oz. 480,978 15,040 10,402 £ 449,281 60,731 40,154 £ 49,591 6,766 2,155 1,089 22 104 4 468 346 Totals, 1927 506,420 550,166 58,512 1,661 372 1,661 Totals, 1926 554,529 539,302 59,566 1,704 314 * In addition to the gc preference to "gold." t The profits of privatcl; X The bullion-produetioi of registered companies. ild produced from tho gold-mines, silver was i obtained from hence the word " b mllion " is used in y owned dredges and mines are unobtainable, w rr is from 34(1 alluvial claims, but the divideni diicli renders this statement incomplete. Is are only ascertainable from those few thai t are the property