e.—2

1927. NEW ZEALAND.

MINES STATEMENT BY THE HON. G. J. ANDERSON, MINISTER OF MINES.

Mr. Speaker,— I have the honour to present to Parliament my seventh annual statement on the mining industry of the Dominion for the year ended the 31st December, 1926. The following statement shows the quantity and value of the production of metalliferous mines, stone-quarries under the Stone-quarries Act, and of coal-mines during 1926 and 1925 :—

The value of minerals, including kauri-gum, exported and of the coal used in the Dominion, which is shown in table No. 1 accompanying this statement, amounted to £3,254,372, as compared with £3,170,828 during 1925. The total value of such minerals exported to the end of 1926 amounted to £162,930,715. 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 1926 and 1925 : —

I—C. 2.

1926. 1925. Mineral. Quantity. j Value. ! Quantity. Value. £ £ Gold and silver* .. .. .. 554,529 oz. 539,302 625,626 oz. 546,026 Platinum .. .. .. .. 31 ,, 313 Tungsten-ore.. .. .. .. tons 475 1-i-J tons 64 Sulphur .. .. .. .. 594 5,217 269 ,. 1,154 Iron .. .. .. .. 3,997 „ 19,585 1,289 „ 8,701 Stone .. .. .. .. .. 516,075 .. 463,667 Pumice .. .. .. .. 2,358 „ 8,081 2,532 „ 7,672 Coal .. .. .. .. 2,239,999 „ 2,239,999 2,114,995 „ 2,114,995 Totals .. .. .. .. £3,329,047 .. £3,142,279 * The gold-silver bullion is generally exported unseparated.

Dividends Number of ProducProduction of Bullion. paid by Registered tive Claims and I Companies. Dredges. Class of Gold-mining. J I ' I " I 1926. 1925. 1926. 1925. 1926. | 1925. Oz. £ Oz. £ £ £ Quartz .. .. 530,087 442,674 604,044 460,042 55,841 62,390 21 22 Alluvial .. 11,338 43,659 11,545 44,990 3,725 1,950 288 248 Dredging .. 13,104 52,969 10,037 40,994 .. 3,283 5 5 Totals .. 554,529 539,302 625,626 | 546,026 59,566 67,623 314 275