The Annual Mines Statement.

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 27, 31 July 1896, Page 2

The Annual Mines Statement.

The annual statement of the Minister of Mines comments upon the large and gratifying increase of the gold returns during the past year, and the large influx of foreign capita). The total production of gold and silver was 378,5150z, representing a value ef L 1,172,843, 172,843 compared with a value of L 894,536 for the proceeding year, an increase of L 278.307. Of other " minerals," including coal, 748,866 tons were produced of the valua of : L 833.134. as against 728,594 tons of a value of L 802.706 last year. The quantity of gold produced last year was 29«J,4910z, the value being Ll, 162,164, the quantity , of silver being 85,0240z, valued at L 10,679. The coal exported totalled i 85,987 tons, valued at L 83.342, the value of the kauri gum exported being L 418,766. : The total value of the chief mineral proi ductions for the year was L 2,005,977, an i increase of L 308.735 on the previous year , The total value of gold, silver, coal, i kauri gum, etc., exported by the colony up to the end of 1895 is L 64.775.629. The total number of miners employed last year on the goldfields was 13,226, as . against 11,412 for the previous year, i This increase was principally in the Auck--1 land district, where the increase was 1715. Dividing the value of gold exported by the number of men employed, an average earning of LB7, 17s 5d per man is obtained, as against, L 77 18s lid the year previous. The coal-mining industry, it is stated, continues to expand. The total i export last year was 740,827 tons, as 1 against 719,546 tons the year previous. ; Vhe average wage of coal-miners for the year is calculated at L 2 7s 6d per week.