D.-l

VIII

so far as to attract capital and abundant technical experience of the first order from Europe. In the meantime the progress is encouraging. Erom the long list of mines, most of them very small, which is attached to the report upon the control and inspection of mines, I extract a few facts regarding the most important. The largest output of coal during the year 1880, it will be observed, is from the Kawakawa Mine, Bay of Islands, which produces a "glance coal," largely used by the Union Steam-ship Company. Kawakawa Mine, opened 16 years, yielded ... ... 54,865 tons. Kamo (Whangarei), „ 4 „ ... ... ... 6,382 „ Taupiri (Waikato), „ 5 „ ... ... ... 14,817 „ Waikato (Waikato), „ 4 „ ... ... ... 15,849 „ Wairnangaroa (Buller), „ 5 „ ... ... ... 880 „ Banbury (Buller), „ 2 „ ... ... ~, 3,892 „ Brunner (Grey), „ 16 „ ... ... ... 32,505 „ Coalpit Heath'(Grey), „ 4 „ ... ... ... 14,330 „ Springfield (Malvern), „ 4 „ ... ... ... 7,060 „ Homebush (Malvern), „ 8 „ ... ... ... 7,873 „ Prince Alfred (Otago), „ 2 „ ... ... ... 1,089 „ Prince Alfred, No. 2 (Otago), „ 2 „ ... ... ... 2,030 „ Shag Point (Otago), „ 18 „ ... ... ... 36,066 „ Walton Park (Otago), „ 10 „ ... ... ... 19,370 „ Abbotsroyd (Otago), „ 5 ~ ... ... ... 8,216 „ Kaitangata (Otago), „ 5 „ ... ... ... 15,830 ~ Kaitangata No. 1 (Otago), „ 3 „ ... ... ... 10,799 „ It will be observed that up to the 31st December last, the date to which the returns are made, the output from the great Buller coal field, of which so much has been, on good grounds, expected, had not been extensive. Since that time, however, the yield has largely increased, being from the Banbury Mine upwards of 10,000 tons for the half-year ending 30th June. No doubt this important field will fully justify the large expenditure which has been incurred for its development. I am informed that one of the difficulties obstructing the development of these mines is likely to be diminished shortly, steamers having been ordered, designed specially for service to Westport, as colliers and passenger boats; and, if the management of the mines keeps pace with the improvement in the means of transport, next year will probably show an important advance in the working of this field, which supplies a coal that competes favourably in the Victorian market with the coal from any other field in this hemisphere. The total output of the coal mines of the colony is 300,000 tons for the year 1880, showing an increase of 68,700 tons on the yield of 1879, and of 137,700 tons on that of 1878. As I have already stated, New Zealand coal is now exclusively used on New Zealand Railways. A list of accidents during the year is given among the reports alreadyquoted. Death was caused in two cases, and injury to the person in twenty. The majority of the accidents were from falls of coal or roof, and from causes all but inseparable from labour connected with machinery. Two accidents arose from explosions of gas. Assiduous inspection, with increased care among the managers, should prevent any serious increase of casualties of this kind. WATERWORKS ON GOLD FIELDS. The expenditure on the maintenance and improvement of the existing works in Westland has been : —Maintenance, £5,137, defrayed by the Gold Eields Department ; construction, including liabilities, £20,744. The new works undertaken consist mainly of portions of the Mikonui Water-race and the Kumara Sludgechannel. Two contracts for the continuation of the Mikonui Water-race, which were in operation at the end of last year, have since been completed ; tenders for further sections have been accepted and the works carried out, and others are still in progress. The total expenditure on this race to the 31st March, 1881. has been £9,800. The first section of the Kumara Sludge-channel, 46 chains long, is finished, and the remainder, 39 chains, is under contract: the whole is expected to be completed and in full working order in three or four months. The total cost of the channel, to its completion, will be about £16,000. This work is expected