H.—1.

1877. NEW ZEALAND.

THE GOLD FIELDS OF NEW ZEALAND (REPORT ON).

Return to an Order of the Souse of Representatives dated 3rd August, 1869. " That it is desirable that the Government should cause to be laid upon the Table of this House, during each Session, a Report embodying a general account of the present condition of the Gold Fields of the colony, their advancement or otherwise during the preceding year, and their probable prospects ; together-with particulars showing the average price of provisions during the year on each Gold Field, the rate of wages, estimated population, and sueli other information as would afford a comprehensive idea of the general condition of the mining interest in the colony; and that His Excellency be requested to forward a copy of such Report to Her Majesty's Secretary of State for the Colonies." — (Mr. TV. S. Sarrison.)

To the Hon. the Secretary for Ceown Lands. General Crown Lands Office, Sic,— Wellington, 20th July, 1877. I have the honor to forward the usual yearly report upon the Gold Fields, with Appendix, consisting of Wardens" reports and statistical tables. I have, &c, The Hon. the Secretary for Crown Lands. J. Giles.

REPORT. In submitting for the information of Parliament the usual statistics and returns, from which may be gathered some notion of the present state of the gold fields of the colony, and of their progress during flic past twelve months, I propose to make my own report upon the subject as brief as is consistent with clearness; a course which is necessitated by the degree to which my time and attention have been absorbed by the unaccustomed duties of a new office. I shall therefore content myself with directing attention to the leading facts which indicate the increased or diminished prosperity of the gold fields, and with mentioning one or two points which offer themselves to notice with some prominence in the present transition phase of institutions of local government. Gold. The first item which I shall notice is the return (No. 7) of the quantity and value of gold exported from the colony during the first quarter of the present year, as compared with the corresponding quarter of 1876. The total quantity reported for the three months ending 31st March, 1877, was 82,241 oz., value £330,167; whilst the same items for the corresponding quarter of 1876 were 83,276 oz., value £330,523. Although these figures appear to show a steady condition of the gold fields as a whole, this steadiness is the result of the fluctuations of the several parts, the exports from Auckland having fallen off to the extent of 3,742 oz., and from Otago 5,540 oz. This loss has been compensated to the extent of 1,063 oz. by Nelson, and 7,184 oz. by Westland, an increase which must be attributed chiefly to the new diggings which have been opened on the West Coast. A similar comparison made for the two years 1875 and 1876 shows for the former of the years that the total quantity of gold exported was 355,322 oz., having a value of £1,407,770, and for the latter 322,016 oz., value £1,284,328. Miners' Rights. Another good index to the state of the gold fields is the number of miners' rights which are issued during the year. An examination of this item (Table No. 3) shows a diminution in the year 1876 as compared with 1875, the number for the latter period being 12,369, and for the former 10,527. Here again the falling off would have been more marked and decided but for the increase by more than a thousand of the number issued on the Westland Gold Field, and in which we again discern the compensating influence of the Kumara rush.