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1928. NEW ZEALAND.

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

Mr. Speaker,— I have the honour to present to Parliament my eighth annual statement on the mining industry of the Dominion for the year ended the 31st December, 1927. As will be seen from the tables accompanying the statement the quantity of coal produced in the Dominion during the year 1927 constitutes a record. This is most gratifying, and may to some extent be attributed to the Railways using a greater quantity of New Zealand coal instead of imported coal than has been the case during recent years. It is regretted that the quantity of gold produced during the year 1927 shows a slight decrease when compared with the production during the preceding year. It is evident, however, from the number of claims taken up during last year that great interest in metal mining still prevails, and it is to be hoped that as the result a much desired revival in mining will eventuate. 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 1927 and 1926 :—

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 £3,307,939, as compared with £3,254,372 during 1926. The total value of such minerals exported to the end of 1927 amounted to £166,238,654. 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 1927 and 1926 : —

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1927. 1926. Mineral. Quantity. Value. Quantity. Value. Gold and silver* Platinum Tungsten-ore.. Sulphur Iron Quicksilver .. Stone Pumice Coal 506,420 oz. 33 „ 6,j 9 j;ton3 469" „ 3 j 383 j. £ 550,166 231 445 3,375 17.761 462 570,369 6,230 2,366,740 554,529 oz. 31 „ tons 594 3,997 £ 539,302 313 475 5,217 19,585 14 516,075 8,081 2,239,999 1,733 2,366,740 2,358 2,239,999 Totals £3,515,779 £3,329,047 * The gold-silver bull lion ia generally expi jrted unaeparai .ml.