C.—2.

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

111. ACCIDENTS. During 1931 one fatal and four serious but non-fatal accidents occurred in or about metalliferous mines, at which 1,954 persons were ordinarily employed.

An account of these accidents is contained in the District Inspectors' reports attached hereto.

IV. GOLD-MINING. The following statement shows the value of the bullion-production, also the dividends declared, number of persons employed, and the number of gold-mines and dredges : —

3—C. 2,

17

Inspection District. Classification. , Total, 1931. Northern. West Coast. Southern. Gold, silver, and tungsten .. .. .. .. 716 ! 507 647 ! 1,870 Ironstone .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 25 .. 25 Cinnabar .. .. .. .. .. .. 58 .. .. 58 Silica-sand .. .. .. .. .. .. .. j .. 1 1 Totals for 1931 .. .. .. 774 ! 532 648 1,954 Totals for 1930 .. .. .. .. 783 j 590 367 1,740 * In addition, 56 persons were employed in oil-boring operations.

Fatal Accidents. \ Serious Non-fatal Accidents. Cause. Number of Wlim . - Number of Number of Separate Separate Persons Accidents. . Accidents. injured. Falls of ground Explosives .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 1 Miscellaneous, on surface .. .. .. .. .. .. 4 4 Miscellaneous, underground Totals .. .. .. .. .. 1 1 4 4

Production of Bullion, 1931.* (All Mines.) 'i Number of Persons Number of i Dividends paid, 19-31 or dinarilv emnlaved Productive Quartz- _ - < B y Ee « i3teredCom - atProtoctWe and mi™s, Alluvial panles only.)t MiMg Mines ' and Quantity. Value. , Unproductive Mines. DredgeS; 1931Oz. ; £ £ Quartz-mining .. 538,070 532,152 106,087 968 32 Alluvial mining{ .. 15,306 70,110 470 805 726 Dredge mining .. 11,495 54,927 .. 97 5 Totals, 1931 .. 564,871 657,189 106,557 1,870 763 Totals, 1930 .. 639,795 550,978 101,713 1,539 335 * In addition to the gold produced from the gold-mines, silver was obtained from them, hence the word " bullion " is used in preference to " gold." t The profits of privately-owned dredges and mines are unobtainable, which renders this statement incomplete. X The bullion-production is from 726 alluvial claims, but the dividends are only obtainable from those few that are the property of registered companies.