MINIJ^G AND GEOLOGY IN AUSTRALASIA. 



303 



Table showing the production of the priueipal metals and minerals in each 

 of the States of the Conimanwealth of Australia a«id in the Dominion of New 

 Zealand during the year 1900, in pounds sterling : — 



At the outset of our career as a Commonwealth we find that the 

 niineral production of Australia and New Zealand for the previous 

 year, that of 1900, was .£24:, 343, 430, gold having yielded nearly two- 

 thirds of the amount, and we have to reniember that gold is not like 

 an agricultural production, which, like wheat or sugar, or tares, can 

 be produced again and again from the same piece of land. When once 

 removed that operation cannot be repeated. And yet, history tells us 

 that the tin in Cornwall has been operated on for 2,500 years, and, to 

 go still further back, Adam found that the g'old of Havilah was good, 

 jind it was evidently very soon and veiy largely worked, and yet, gold 

 is still Keing largely worked; and in Australia and New Zealand, 

 where its discoveiy is of a much more recent date, it may be hoped 

 that the period of its exhaustion is very remote, and that as successive 

 meetings of your Association are held in Brisbane, successive statis- 

 tical reports may show that the occupation of the gold miner is more 

 than ever largely in demand. 



The indications during the first seven years of our existence as a 

 Commonwealth are in favour of an optimistic view, for while the 

 increase has not been large, the former production has been fully 

 maintained, and with half a million to the good ; and during the same 

 period the production of the useful metals and minerals has largely 

 increased, having, perhaps, for the first time since the discovery of 

 gold, in 1851, exceeded that of the precious metal itself. The increase 

 during the year 1907 over that of 1900 is over 80 per cent., for which 

 we are indebte<^l to the silver-lead, &c., and the coal of New South 

 Wales, and the copper, tin, and silver of Queensland and Tasmania. 



The fact that the production of gold has "pursued the even 

 tenor of its way" with only something less than 3 per cent, increase 

 is sufficient evidence that there have been no startling discoveries 

 during the intei-val. That, however, only refers to the last years of 

 the respective periods, but when we compare the whole periods of 

 seven yeai-s we find there was a very material increase, West 

 Australia making an advance of thirty-four millions sterling, and New 

 Zealand an advance of six millions sterling in that time, so that 



