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APPENDIX B. REPORTS RELATING TO THE INSPECTION OF COAL-MINES. The Inspecting Engineer of Mines to the Under-Secretary op Minks. Sir,-- Wellington, 26th May, 1915. I have the honour to present the annual reports of inspection, together with statistical information, in regard to the coal-mines of the Dominion, for the year ended 31st December, 1914. The reports are divided into the following sections :— I. Output of Mineral. 11. Persons employed. 111. Accidents. IV. General Remarks. Annexures — (it.) Examination of Colliery Officials, and List of Certificate-holders, (b.) Statistics of Working Collieries,

SECTION I, OUTPUT. The output of the several classes of coal mined in each inspection direct is summarized as follows : —

The annual output during 1914 constitutes a record for New Zealand, and is remarkable owing to the fact that there was a considerable quantity of imported coal stored in the Dominion at the beginning of the year, carried over from the 1913 strike reserves. The quantity of coal imported during 1914 amounted to 518,070 tons, being 49,130 tons in excess of that imported during the previous year. The output of coal from each coalfield is as follows : —

Output of Coi ,1 during 1914. Total Output to the End of 1914. Class of Coal. Northern West Coast Distriot. District. Southern District. 1 Bituminous and semi-bitu-minous coal 'itch-coal Irown coal lignite Tons. Tons. 141,133 1,351,182 299,320 Tons. Tons. 1,492,315 Tons. 23,978,642 1,998 1,998 392,047 691,367 89,913 89,913 1,995,592 11,766,311 1,883,867 Totals for 1914 ... MO, 453 1,351,182 1,351,182 483,958 2,275,593 39,624,412 Totals for 1913 ... 349,586 1,057,564 1,057,564 480,855 1,888,005 37,348,819

Coallield. Output during 1914. Total Output to End of 1914. i North Auckland Waikato Mokau Nelson Buller Inangahua . . Grey Canterbury . . Otago Southland Tons. 141,133 295,442 3,878 16,571 818,176 I I ,362 505,070 11,707 312,685 159,566 Tons. 3,268,246 3,769,526 88,998 255,895 12,976,087 240,956 7,637,142 683,178 8,277,981 2,426,403 Totals 2,275,593 2,275,593 39,624,412 39,624,412