Wellington Philosophical Society. 439 



Tlie Secretary, Mr. E-. Pliarazyu, read a special report respecting the 

 arraugements 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, E.G-.vS., " On the Gold- 

 bearing District near Eangiriri," 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. 

 E-. Hackett, Esq., containing notes on the Queensland Grold Fields. He also 

 laid upon the table a report by the Grovernment Greologist for South 

 Queensland, " On the Greological and Mining Features of the Grympie 

 Grold 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 of Gold theou&hout the "Woeld, 

 From the Discovery o£ America, iu 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 discoveiy 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 i^merica. 



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 importance : — 



