THE GOLDFIELDS.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2284, 28 July 1881, Page 3

THE GOLDFIELDS.

[BY TBIESBiPH.] [FEOM THE OWN CORBBSFOr»SNT OV TEE " PBBSS."J WELLINGTON, July 27. The goldfields report was presenced this evening. Mr McKerrow reports unusual activity during the year, especially in prospecting new country. The total yield of gold for 1880 shows an increase of 17,78-tozs over 1879, but the March quarter of 1881 shows the large decrease of 28,6610 as as compared with the corresponding quarter in 1880. The total export of gold from 1857 to the end of June, 1881, was 9,659,2660z5, value £23,810,653. The average number of miners at work during the year was 14,736, and the average earnings per man about £75 8s for the year, as against an average of £B2 7s 6d for the four previous years. The average in Tictoria is £BO 15s per man, but New Zealand miners have the advantage of cheaper living and fuel, and pay no rent. Fully two-thirds of the year's yield of gold was obtained from alluvial workings over 5000 miles of water-races, constructed by miners at a cost of nearly £BOO,OOO, in addition to the Government races, which cost £450,000. Ground sluicing is stated to be a favorite mode of alluvial mining, and is described as a most destructive process. The yield of gold from quartz and cement was 114,4780z5, an average rate of loz 2dwts2grs per ton of stone, as compared with Sdwts 15gra per ton in Victoria. Auckland quartz cruthings yielded from loz lOdwts to loz 17dwt»; Westland, from 13dwts to 18$dwts ; and Otago, from lOdwts to ISidwts per ton.