C.—2

The following statement shows the value of New Zealand minerals (other than coal and coke) and allied substances exported during 1938 and 1937, and since Ist January, 1853 : —

, 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 1938 two fatal and ten serious but non-fatal accidents occurred in or about metalliferous mines, at which 3,012 persons were ordinarily employed.

Both of the fatalities occurred in the West Coast district and both were from falls of earth or clay in sluicing claims. It is pleasing to record the absence of fatal accidents in both Northern and Southern districts during 1938. Of the ten serious but non-fatal accidents, six were in the West Coast district, three in the Southern district, and one in the Northern district. Two of the six West Coast serious accidents were due to fails from ladders or stairways, one to a blow from a windlass handle, another to a blow from a tightening headline of a dredge, another to the backfire of a tractor used at a dredging claim, and the sixth to the fall of a screen-drive bearing on a dredge. One of the three men injured in Southern mines was struck by a wire rope whilst working on his alluvial claim, another was caught between a dredge and a large boulder on the river-bank, and the third was injured by the collapse of a trestle when he was erecting an aerial ropeway.

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Total from the 1st 1938. ! 1937. Increase or Decrease. thITlV/becembM, 1938. £ £ £ £ Gold .. .. .. .. 1,287,421 1.423,348 Deo. 135,927 103,970,295 Silver .. .. .. .. 38,857 48,087 „ 9,230 3,544,415 Tungsten-ore .. .. .. 10,804 7,248 Inc. 3,556 348,165 Kauri-gum .. .. .. 103,777 151,589 Dec. 47,812 23,617,529 Sand, lime, and building-stone .. 8,811 8,057 ) Ino Q84 649,786 Other minerals .. .. .. ai ) Totals .. .. 1,449,931 1,638,360 Dec. 188,429 132,130,190

Inspection District. Classification. Total, 1938. Northern. West Coast. Southern. Gold, silver, and tungsten .. .. .. .. 857 1,488 653 2,998 Cinnabar .. .. .. .. .. .. 2 .. . 2 Iron-ore .. .. .. .. .. .. 4 .. .. 4 Manganese .. .. .. .. .. .. 8 .. .. 8 Totals for 1938 .. .. .. .. 871 1,488 653 3,012 Totals for 1937 .. .. .. .. 1,027 1,894 992 3,913 *In addition thirty-four persons were employed in oil-boring operations.

Fatal Accidents. Serious Non-fatal Accidents. Cause- Number of „ h . Number of Number of Separate Separate Persons Accidents. Accidents. injured. Falls of ground.. .. .. .. .. .. 2 ! 2 Explosives .. .. .. .. Miscellaneous, on surface .. •. . • .. .. .. 10 11 Miscellaneous, underground Totals .. .. .. .. .. 2 j 2 10 11 I