Wellington Philosophical Society. 439 
The Secretary, Mr. R. Pharazyn, read a special report respecting the 
arrangements that had been made since joining the New Zealand Institute, 
and a list of the books which had been added to the library since last 
meeting. 
Dr. Hector read a report by Captain Hutton, F.G.S., “On the Gold- 
bearing District near Rangiriri," and pointed out that it appeared to indicate 
gold under conditions more nearly resembling the gold fields in the South 
than those of the Thames district ; also, an abstract of a letter from T. 
R. Hackett, Esq., containing notes on the Queensland Gold Fields. He also 
laid upon the table a report by the Government Geologist for South 
Queensland; * On the Geological and Mining Features of the Gympie 
Gold Field ;” and, in adverting to the progress of gold discoveries, gave the 
following account of the amount of gold found between the years 1492 and 
1867 throughout the world :— 
YIELD or GOLD THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, 
From the Discovery of America, in the Year 1492, to the present Time. 
The following information respecting the yield of gold throughout the 
world, from the earliest time of which we have any record, namely, the 
discovery of America in 1492, up to the present time, has been collected 
from various sources, in order to show the relative importance of the 
Californian, Australian, and New Zealand gold fields. 
Excepting perhaps in¥very early times, prior to that date gold seems to 
have been obtained principally by trade with the inhabitants of various 
districts in Europe and Asia, so that the yield, though small, was 
uniform. 
From the time of the diseovery of America, however, the amount of gold 
obtained annually has on the average steadily increased. 
The progress of the gold discoveries since the above date may be divided 
into the following periods :— 
During the 16th century the principal supply was from Central America 
and Peru. In the 17th century the Mexican and Brazilian mines attracted 
most attention. In the 18th century, in addition to the large yield which 
continued from America, gold-mining enterprise was directed to Siberia, and 
a large quantity was obtained by trade from Africa. 
. In the first half of the present century the yield from the Siberian mines 
became permanent, though it never equalled that from Americae 
` The year 1850 may be taken as the starting point of the modern gold 
fields, and 1860 for that£in which this colony is most interested. 
: Dividing the history of gold discoveries according to their period, the 
following table will show at a glance their relative ic anagem — 
