304: 



PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION C. 



the increase of the gross amount was, of gold, nearly 50 per cent., and 

 of the useful metals and minerals 80 per cent., the increase on the 

 whole production being 60 per cent. 



One matter that attracts the attention of the statistician is the 

 great variety of valuable productions in the States, more especially 

 of New South Wales and Queensland. And as proving the advantage 

 of gold production in assisting in the production of the useful metals 

 or stimulating the search for them, or causing their discovery when 

 unlooked for, we find that during the seven years, 1901 to 1907, more 

 than one and three-quarter millions of other ores were produced in the 

 Western State, one^fourth of it in the last year of the period, showing 

 the gradual improvement which is taking place in the production of 

 that class of minerals in a State in which their existence has long been 

 known, but until the advent of the gold miner, and the requirements of 

 his craft, aided by the production of his hand and brain, opened the 

 countrJ^ cleared the paths, brought in the railways, made the getting 

 of supplies of food and other necessaries of life possible, the profitable 

 extraction of the useful metals could not be attempted. 



Table showing the production of the principal metals and minerals in 

 each of the States of the Cominonwealth of Australia and the dominion of 

 New Zealand during the year 1907 : — 



It is a matter for regret that so little is heard of the mineral 

 assets of the Northern Territory of South Australia. Whether it has 

 fallen out of the ranks of the producing lands, or is so far distant from 

 headquarters as to escape notice, need not be particularly stated, but 

 little mention is made of it in the mining reports of the State. No 

 eulogy could be stronger than has been given touching the mineral- 

 bearing character of the country. Gold, silver, copper, tin, lead, and 

 iron have all been found, to say nothing of the various minor metals 

 and minerals, which promise to be sources of profit to the future 

 inhabitants. It was once said by a Government Kesident that " in the 

 search for gold the European is not in it with the Chinaman," and 

 probably for the present the white Australia sentiroent dBprives the 



