19

a—2.

Kauri-gum. The quantity and value of kauri-gunt exported during 1920 amounted to 6,481 tons, valued at £556,756, as compared with 4,128 tons, valued at £255,812, during the previous year. Phosphate Rock. The production of phosphate rock by the Ewing Phosphate Company, of Clarendon and Milburn, Otago, amounted to 5,341 tons, valued at £5,341, as compared with 4,000 tons, valued at £4,000, during 1919.

VI. STONE-QUARRY INSPECTION AND STATISTICS. By section 2 of the Stone-quarries Amendment Act, 1920, the application of the Act was extended to include every place, not being a mine, in which persons work in quarrying stone and any part of which has a face more than 15 ft. deep, and also in any tunnel in the construction of which explosives are used. The Act, however, does not apply to any Government operations, or any road or railway-cutting, or excavations for buildings. The stone-quarrying industry continues to advance in importance, during 1920 the value of stone, ivc, produced being £314,470. The following is a table showing the number of quarries under the Stone-quarries Act, 1910, also the number of persons ordinarily employed thereat, and the annual output and value of orude stone during 1920: —

At the 241 stone-quarries under the Act, at which 1,468 persons were ordinarily employed, the only serious accident which occurred during the year consisted of a broken arm. A considerable number or' quarries, &C., producing valuable stone do not come under the operations of the Act by reason that the face is not 15 ft. deep : these include some of the Oaniaru limestone and pumice quarries. Further particulars regarding the inspection of stone-quarries in the North Island and Canterbury are contained in the annual report by Mr. James Newton, appearing in Annexure C accompanying this report.

VII. STATE AID TO MINING. (1.) Subsidized Prospecting. During the year ended 31st March, 1921, efghteen approved prospecting parties were granted subsidies amounting to £6,545, of which £1,456 was expended during the year. In addition to this, £697 granted during previous years was expended. Upon subsidized prospecting operations 122 persons were intermittently employed during the year; the results attained were moderate, The following is a statement showing the number of subsidized prospectors, the amount of subsidy granted and paid, also the character and result of such prospecting operations from the Ist April, 1920, to the 31st March, 1921 :—

Provincial District. Name and Address of Government Inspector of Stono-quarrios. bo« sua o i-i !"i o tn 9 a au a a?-*! h 8.2 Pi D, a O fe o S * * £ -w«-i o CO 5 ,5 W Sis CO 1 O T & B jd '3 Output of Crude Stone, a S °3 1r. a a) .a aft !: n> cj sis i-i •S 3 O B w Si K bo a . §.s a£ n % o £ «^ OS j? a 9 a 3 Auckland .. James Newton, Minos Dept., Auckland M. Paul, Mines Dept., Waihi (Hauraki Mining District only) James Newton, Minos Dept., Auckland Ditto 532 Tons. 271,316 Tons. 79,001 Tons. 13,712 Tons. 33,807 Tons. 102,020 Tons. Tons. 1,000 Tons. £ 105,701 105 11 75 15,734 295 8,997 Hawke's Bay • 74,323 18,720 13,800 20 69 14,500 Taranaki Wellington .. Canterbury.. Nelson ( Westland ( Otago f Southland ,, 11 43 11 80 210 78 17,101 71,270 88,517 130,870 1(1, S02 4,993 1,201 11,916 8,000 18,453 20,333 21,027 J. F. Downey, Minos Dept., Roof ton A. Whitley, Mines Dept., Dunodin }» J27 144 274 3,824 95,697 772 10,040 1,280 2,529 1,684 76,095 29,710 31,611 5,341 15,587 103,903 Totals 1920 Totals 1919 241 219 1,408 1,409 578,262 587,901 317,461 183,000 19,023 27,051 142,252 102,010 169,953 143,182 5,311 4,000 1,600 2,500 314,470 * |6,685 ■liknovvii.