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the West Coast District being closed for the last quarter of the year. This mainly accounts for the reduced production per person employed below ground for the year 1923, as mentioned in Appendix B, and had such stoppage not occurred there would have been a very large increase over the previous year in the amount of bituminous coal produced. The output of lignite continued to decline. The amount of coal imported was 445,792 tons, which is 55,686 tons less than during 1.922. The Blackball Mine, which had had to close down the greater part of its working area in December, 1922, on account of a serious underground fire, was successfully reopened in March, and by the end of the year practically all the worlcings had been recovered. Investigations, New Zealand Coals. With a view to the utilization of much of the slack from our collieries, for which at the present time there is no profitable market, a small experimental briquetting-press was purchased from Yeadon and Son, Leeds, and installed at the Dominion Laboratory. With this, pressures up to 30 tons per square inch may be obtained. Some preliminary work has shown the necessity of providing some means of heating the moulds. A suitable heater is being constructed, and when completed the following points will be investigated with regard to the coals selected : (1) The most suitable degree of fineness ; (2) the nature and amount of binder required ; (3) the effect of varying pressure ; (4) the conditions generally under which satisfactory briquettes may be obtained. PERSONS EMPLOYED IN OR ABOUT MINES AND STONE-QUARRIES. The following table shows the number of persons employed in each inspection district during 1923 and 1922 :—

MINING AND QUARRY ACCIDENTS. At metalliferous mines, at which 2,034 persons were ordinarily employed, there was no fatal accident, but five persons were seriously injured. At stone-quarries under the Stone-quarries Act, in which 1,644 persons were ordinarily employed, there were three fatalities, and three persons met with serious injury. In or about the coal-mines in the Dominion 5,000 persons were ordinarily employed. Five fatal accidents occurred during the year, and thirty-two other persons were seriously injured. The fatal accidents were consequently at the rate of 1-00 per thousand persons employed. For purposes of comparison it may be stated that in the British Isles, where the fatality rate for coal-mines is about the lowest in the world, the average rate for the last decade was 1-15 per thousand. Of the serious non-fatal accidents in the coal-mines in the Dominion eye accidents form a very large percentage ; it is a matter for serious concern that, roughly, onehalf of the accidents to hewers are eye accidents. At all the mines and quarries the proportion of lives lost was 0-92 per 1,000 persons employed. For the preceding year the percentage was 1-1 per 1,000 persons employed.

Ii ispoction District. Totals. Classification. Northern (North Island). \\r i. n t i t Southern tT of South South Island). Mand) 1923. 1922. Increase or Decrease. Jold, silver, and tungsten ore ironstone, cinnabar, and asbestos joal .. .. .. itone-quarries under the Stonequarries Act 1,249 3 1,497 1,084 453 325 4 2,395 1,108 138 422 2,027 7 5,000 1,644 2,031 60 4,556 1,383 Dec. 4 .. 53 Inc. 444 „ 261 Totals 3,833 2,990 1,855 8,678 8,030 Inc. 648