I.—lo.

Imports and Exports of Coals during the last Five Years.

Places where Coal exported to, from Newcastle.

Note.—Total increase for 1889 is 511,220 tons. The New South Wales coal has advantages and disadvantages as compared with that of New Zealand. It is harder, and therefore less liable to injury by loading and transit; but it is frequently mixed with incombustible material. The working-seams are there from Bft. to 6in. thick, with intervening bands of indurated clay, stone, shale, morgan, and jerry between them varying in size from lin. to 22in. This involves extra work in mining, and frequently reduces the value of the fuel. Notwithstanding this, the miners having the advantage of cheaper provisions, the cost of working the coal is considerably less than in New Zealand. Coal owners in New South Wales are generally free from royalty, and the greater part of the coal shipped at Newcastle is only 'subject to a payment of iOd. per ton for rail and port charges. The difference made by those four items—labour, royalty, rail and port charges—as against Westport coal, amounts to 3s. lid. per ton. Then comes the private expenditure for mining-works and plant. The average sinking at Newcastle is only about 400 ft. In New Zea-

4

Imj lorts. Exports—New Zealand. .887 .888 .889 .890 .891 Tons. 107,230 101,341 128,063 110,939 125,318 £ 108,288 98,431 114,053 102,166 120,422 Tons. 43,659 64,192 79,490 69,614 91,664 £ 44,083 61,367 76,228 67,003 91,173 Totals 572,891 543,360 348,619 339,854

Countries. 1888. 1889. Increase. Decrease. Victoria New Zealand South Australia... Queensland Tasmania Western Australia Hongkong Java ... New Caledonia ... Singapore Mauritius Fiji United States ... India ... Philippine Islands Peru ... Sandwich Islands Mexico Chili Solomon Islands South Sea Islands Africa ... Ceylon Macassar Haiphong Yokohama Sumatra Guam ... Tons. 666,947 138,007 74,250 Tons. 811,818 156,172 181,411 5,319 61,585 14,780 79,826 70,494 10,838 39,057 15,422 10,966 296,357 62,216 45,026 23,044 27,081 9,601 145,237 1,428 3,642 487 2,438 3,740 933 1,003 5,449 3,328 1,654 725 480 Tons. 144,871 18,165 107,161 5,319 28,071 2,966 42,873 38,206 1,730 21,178 8,341 3,707 Tons. 33,514 11,814 36,953 32,288 9,108 17,879 7,081 7,259 314,593 34,643 33,084 9,186 21,418 2,193 100,631 18,236 3,632 400 1,685 27,573 11,942 13,858 5,663 7,408 44,606 1,428 10 87 753 3,740 933 1,003 5,449 3,328 524 725 480 Penang Bangkok United Kingdom New Guinea Indo-China Queensland South America ... New Hebrides ... 1,130 485 1,367 5,074 14,822 894 485 1,367 5,074 14,822 894 1,580,337 2,091,557 552,098 40,878