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GOLD AND SILVER MINING. The following statement shows the quantity and value of bullion-production, the dividends paid by registered companies, and the number of productive claims and gold-dredges during 1923 and 1922 : —

The bullion produced during the year was greater in quantity by 171,803 oz. and in value by £162,182 than in 1922. The increase was almost wholly from quartz-mining in the Waihi Borough. The yield from alluvial mining continued to decline, and was less by 1,786 oz. in quantity and £9,086 in value than it was the previous year. Dredging produced 15,788 oz., compared with 15,465 oz. during 1922, but the continued success of the Rimu dredge has been an important factor in encouraging further prospecting for dredging areas, and has led to a considerable amount of drilling being done in other areas. MINERALS OTHER THAN GOLD AND SILVER. No smelting was done at the Onakaka ironworks during the year. Operations were confined to rebuilding and renewing plant destroyed by a fire, and to the constructing of a wharf which is necessary for the transport of coal to the works and of the iron produced to the different markets. A battery of Beehive cokeovens was erected and some coke produced in anticipation of the resumption of smelting operations. The low prices ruling during the year prevented the working of the scheelite deposits. COAL-MINING. The output of several classes of coal mined in each inspection district is summarized, as follows :■—•■

The output of coal from the coal-mines in the Dominion shows a satisfactory increase for the year. The increase was very marked in the Northern Inspection District, the output for the year being 113,712 tons in excess of the output for 1922, the total, increase of brown coal for the Dominion being 150,027 tons. The production of bituminous coal for the year was 32,741 tons less than for the previous year, due to the industrial dispute which led to most of the mines in

Production i of Bullion. Dividends paid by Registered Companies. Number < tive Cla Drei of Produclims and Class of Gold-mining. dges. 1923. 1922. 1923. 1922. 1923. 192 Oz. £ Quartz .. .. 661,468 609,993 Alluvial .. 14,834 59,174 Dredging .. 15,788 68,003 Oz. £ 488,202 439,489 16,620 68,260 15,465 67,239 £ £ 24,795 51,991 2,266 1,040 3,283 22 130 8 20 149 11 Totals .. 692,090 737,1.70 520,287 ,574,988 30,344 53,031 160 180

Class of Coal. Output of Coi Northern West Coast Distriot District (North Island). (South Island). ,1 during 1923. Southern District (South Islano). Total. Total Output to the End of 1923. Tons. 126,118 Tons. 809,579 Tons. Tons. 935,697 Tons. 35,853,667 iituminous and semi-bitu-minous irown ... ignite 507,747 38,710 740 313,903 173,037 860,360 173,777 18,151,010 3,516,464 Totals for 1923 ... 633,865 849,029 486,940 1,969,834 57,521,141 Totals for 1922 ... 520,153 879,983 457,683 1,857,819 55,551,307