NEW ZEALANDS MINERAL RES0RCES. Minister of Mines Statement.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 113, 1 August 1885, Page 7

NEW ZEALANDS MINERAL RESORCES. Minister of Mines Statement.

The Minister of Mines, in moving the second reading of the Mines Aef Amendment Bill, delivered his mining statement. We append such portions as will he of special interest to readers in this district. Speaking generally of the mining interests, the Hon. Mr Laruach said : — The mngnitude and variety oF our mineral resources, and tho manner in which they are miscellaneously distributed throughout the colony is a sufficient reason for believing that New Zealand must become a great mining country, although the colony is yet in its infancy, compared to Australia and Tasmania. We have already extracted from below the earth's surFace an amount equal to 10,016, 1 Ofioza of gold, of the value of £41,634,507 sterling, which we had exported previous to the 3ist of March last, together with 447,9230zs of silver, valued at £115,144 ; 6 tons silver ore, £900; 75 tons copper ore, £1300 ; 37 tons copper, £ 1 1 70 ; 123 tons antimony, £•2340 ; 11,421 tons manganese, £41,386 ; 15 tons zinc, £25 ( J ; 18 to .s sulphur, £108 ; l£ tons hematite, £12; 7<SBB tons of other minerals not specified, £33,925 ; 61,5:40 tons of coal, £51,043; grand total— -81,1 03£ tons, £247,587, making a total value at the end of the financial year of mineral exports of £41,882.004, and this is only a tithe of our mineral wealth for all practical purposes, a mere sample of what in future may be done. We should therefore keep bofore vi the fact that the industrial aspect of each district may be entirely changed by the discovery of new ore. <md lessening the cost of producing any valuable mineral by a small figure per ton may increase its application in manifold ways. Our coal product is steadily iucroasinjf. The output for the wholo oolony during the last year was 480,831 tons, showing an increase over the previous year of 59,067 tons ; the quantity exported f< r the same period was 6354 tons, as against 7172 tons for 1883-84, while the quantity imported was 148,444 tons, as against 123,540 tons the previous year, showing an increase during 1884- 85 of coal imported of 24,904 tons. The total output of coal from the mines of the colony np to 3 1st December la*t amounts to 30,005,120 tons. When wo lind that our pnororinl and agricultural products are barely holding their own in the markets of tne world, it is somewhat difficult to lay down a hard and fast or general rule for the development and promotion of the mining industry ; each case must be dealt with on its meiits and circumstances. What may suit in one locality, and with ono branch of the industry, may be unsuitable and inapplicable to others. I have already briefly indicate'! l in general lines on which is is proposed to assist, and I will now summarise them, viz. : Collection and diffusion of information regarding the mineral resources of the colony ; systematic and scientific instruction in the colony, and mineralogy amongst thosl/ who are best able to make practical use of the knowledge imparted to them, so that the miner may be ever on tho alert to allow no substance to escape his practical eye, and no indication of an ore to be carelessly thrown away without proper examination ; encouragement and assistance to prospecting both above and below the surface, and to local bodies to enable them to open up communication through mineral districts by roads and tracks ; aid to water supply and goidsaving apparatus. By these and kindred means Government believe that the mining industry will be fostered and made prosperous while the comfort and well being of large and enterprising section of the community will be promoted, and the material advancement of the colony strengthened." Having referred to his visit to Coromandel and Thames, he went on to speak of his visit to this district as follows :—: — Having left the coast I rode inland through Puriri to Paeroa, where I reremained two nights, and a day later I was occupied by visiting the several mines in the locality of Owharoa and Waihi. Starting again from Owaroa,^l went to the reefs at Waibi, about i 7 miles in the direction of Katikati. Extensive quartz mining is being actively workod at Waihi in the Martha Extended Company's mine. The stone is conveyed in trucks on a wooden tram to the company's battery (which is driven by water power) about a mile distant from the mine. I saw over 500ozs of amalgam in the possession of the company's, manager, the result of five weeks' crushing. As extra water power can be acquired at a little more expense, it becomes only a question of putting through the battery a greater quantity of stone to produce large, results. 1 think a number of good reefs\will yet be digojvered here and opened out. On i my return journey to Ovrhnroa and

Paeron I no! iced reefs being 1 worke 1 «t Wnituknnri and Karangahake. Tlio next morning t visited the Paeroa C<ml Prospecting Company's works near Taieri creek, about thiee inilus from the township. The mine hns been recently opened, imd the scum so so fnr shows a lai 1 quality of brown coal, with four feet six inches of aface ; but boring has been put down hoar to the present workings, 400 feet below thn surface, through a six-foot seam, which no doubt will prove of a better quality, and a lasting coal mine here would prove of great value to a very large mining centre. I then rode to the reefs at Karangahako, and inspected the works, batlery, and witor supply. I met a number of miners, who with good reason complained bitterly of the want of a road or t*ack to carry their stone to the battey for crushing. They also asked that the mining laws under which they where governed should be assimilated to those in forco in other parts of the colony, and that they should be charged a more moderate rental. They further asked that the freeholds of their agricultural sections should bo granted to them for a small payment. Considering the quality of the chief portion of the laud, which I saw and examined, and the labour already expended upon their holdings, I think the freeholds ought to be granted to these pioneers for a very small payment. I crossed the hills to the mam road to Te Aroha, and arrived there that evening. The next day I went some distance beyond Waiorongomai to several reefs being worked above the starting-point of the Te Aroha tramway, at a much tiigher level. A great deal of mining has been done, and the country appears to be one mass of reefs that will return £old or silver, or both in oertain quantities. I met miners getting plenty of stone which they said would average Bdwts of gold and a litile silver to the ton, but that would not pay them after delucting oigh tramway charges for freight, and battery charges for crushing. Hitherto there has only been one battery in the district, owned and worked by ono of New Zealand's most enterprising men, Mr J. C. Firth) of Auckland ; and I have no hesitation in pronouncing this plant to be the most perfect of its kind in the colony. Without it the resources of this great mining district could not have beeu^ developed ; if, therefore, the proprietor has reaped a ijood harvest for his enterprise, lt is well leserved. Another battery of large ectenfc, upun a new principle, is in course of erection by Mr Ferguson, and is nearly ready for work, about four •niles above the present battery, an.l much nearer to several of the rviefs. To make this of general use, bowever. in the district, a short train will be erected, which work is entitled to consideration both from the Government and the local body. It would be difficult to estimate the value of all the country tying between the sea coast at Mercury Bay and tle Hauraki Gulf, from Coromandel to the valley of the Thames, and on to Te Aroha, for gold and silver mining purposes with improved appliliances for a more surely saving of the precious metals. In a distance of ovor 100 miles along the Colville reefs, I feel sure there is an ample field for enterprise and the judicious investment of capital for many generations. The whole of this extensive country is as yet but sparsely peopled. During my travels through it I had tho advantage of Mr Warden Kenrick's company, and I found his advice and guidance of the greatest value.