( 1 H

6

II. PERSONS EMPLOYED. The appended statement shows the number of persons ordinarily employed in or about the metalliferous mines of the Dominion during the year: —

III. ACCIDENTS. The following is a classification of fatal and serious mining accidents that have occurred during the year at all metalliferous mines:—

IV. GOLD-MINING. The past year has been an uneventful one with the gold-mining industry. There continues to be a slight falling-ofT in the bullion-production* from the gold-mines of this Dominion, which decline for 1908 amounted in value to £16,712. This decline in bullion-production appears to be general throughout all the gold-producing States of Australasia, and may reasonably be attributed to the gradual exhaustion of the high-grade ore from the upper levels of the quartz-mines and the rich and easily accessible alluvial deposits. There is also a certain amount of apathy by the public to mining enterprise, which has the effect of discouraging prospecting. The profitable character of gold-mining speculations in this Dominion may be gauged by the fact that during 1908 the sum of £561,833 was distributed in dividends by registered quartz-mining companies, representing in value the high proportion of 38 per cent, of the bullion-production. The following statement shows the value of the bullion-production and the proportion of the same paid in dividends during the year : —

Classification. Northern. Inspection District. West Coast. J Southern. Total. Gold and silver Antimony ... Copper Iron Platinum Scheelite Marl Tin Phosphate .., 3,264 4 12 3,264 4 12 2,820 2,601 4 60 6 17 11 47 2 2 30 2,820 60 17 2,601 4 6 11 47 2 2 30 8,685 8 78 17 11 ¥1 2 2 30 Totals 3,280 2,897 2,703 8,880 About a thousand diggers are engaged u; ion the kauri-; ;um fields ; th actual numbei 1 is not known.

Inspection District. Explosions allso i r Ground. I re a. ■ 3 '| 3 <e .2 « : .2 CtJ Q w (D ft CO ft | CO MiBoe; In Shafts, ous U grou "nderind. Surf lace. Dri >out dges. Total. CS .2 _g ft 00 ft 00 a .2 CO ft 3 o 'C CD CO "3 ft 3 „• 3 O O 'C "S "C fl) « o co ft to Northern West Coast ... Southern 3 1 1 1 1 3 1 1 2 2 21 3 3 "l "l i 2 9 8 2 4 4 ! 3, 15 | 15 Totals 3 1 2 i 1 1 2 2 6 4 1 3 I i Being at the rate of T69 f; p< >r 1, ►0 p. srsom employed.

t Production of Bullion, 1908.* (All mines.) Dividends paid, , _ , , _ 1908 Percentage of Pro(By registered com- j du £ tio * P aid in paniesonly.) Dividends. Number of Persona ordinarily employed. Quartz-mining ... Dredge mining ... Alluvial mining £ 1,477,012 373,818 329,432 £ 561,833 75,820! 11,073 Per Cent. 38-04 21-25! Unknown 4,118 1,013 3,554 Totals, 1908 2,180,262 668,726 Unknown 8,685 Totals, 1907 2,196,974 731,951 Unknown 9,138 * In addition to the gold prodi lenoe the word " bullion " is used ■j- The bullion-production is fri registered companies. The profit: ment incomplete. iced from the geld -mines, silver to the value of £175,337 was also ( in preference to " gold." >m 123 dredges, but the dividends given are only from 43 of the i of privately owned dredges and mines are unobtainable, which ibtained from them, ;se, the property of renders this state-