O—2

34

The gross output of coal for 1927 showed an increase of 126,741 tons over the output for 1926 and is the greatest annual output yet recorded. The increase of 126,741 tons is made up of an increase of 94,141 tons in the output of bituminous coal, an increa.se of 48,611 tons in the output of brown coal, and a decrease of 16,011 tons in the output of lignite. The increase in the output of bituminous and brown coal is largely due to the fact that the Railway Department used, and is still using, local coals wherever practicable in place of Australian, coals. In the Northern District the output of bituminous coal from the Hikurangi district was 60,430 tons over that for the previous year, and the output of brown coal from the Waikato mines was increased by 33,251 tons, the combined increase being 93,681 tons. In the West Coast district the output of bituminous coal showed an increase of 33,711 tons, the output of brown coal an increase of 342 tons, and of lignite a decrease of ,38 tons, the total increase for this district for the year being 34,015 tons. In the Southern district there was an increase of 15,018 tons in the output of brown coal and a decrease of 15,973 tons in the output of lignite, which together make a net decrease of 955 tons in the output of this district for the year. The coal-market was dull throughout most of the year, and a considerable amount of slack time was worked at almost all the mines. The combined capacity of the existing mines is well ahead of the demand, particularly for brown and lignite coal. During 1927 there was very little time lost at the mines through industrial trouble. The production from and the number of persons employed at the collieries of the Dominion are shown in the following table :■

SECTION II.—PERSONS EMPLOYED.

Total n.itm.t fnr Total Output to Number of Name of Colliery. Locality. Class of Coal. 10-17 31st December, Persons 1927. ordinarily j employed. Northern District. * Tons. Tons. Hikurangi .. .. .. Hikurangi .. Sub-bituminous 87,005 241,208 206 Wilson's .. .. .. „ .. „ 66,029 359,542 184 Kotowaro .. .. .. Huntly .. Brown .. 148,914 1,054,318 272 Pukemiro .. .. .. „ .. „ .. 149,272 1,448,402 280 Waipa .. .. .. .. „ .. „ .. 63,130 918,065 128 Glen Afton .. .. .. Glen Afton .. „ .. 176,254 668,300 296 West Coast District. West-port-Stoekton .. .. Ngakawau .. Sub-bituminous 144,655 2,337,482 260 Millerton .. .. .. Millerton .. „ 187,672 7,532,960 464 Denniston .. .. .. Denniston .. ,, 231,374- 9,356,992 550 Westportmain .. .. .. Westport .. ,, 27,754 56,628 51 Cardiff Bridge .. .. .. Seddonvillo .. ,, 29,663 114,135 32 Paparoa .. .. .. Roa .. „ 36,897 581,014 104 Blackball .. .. .. Blackball .. „ 135,314 3,602,148 423 Liverpool (State) .. .. Rewanui .. „ 147,736 1,762,923 381 James (State) .. .. .. Rapahoe .. „ 39,278 145,668 88 Dobson.. .. .. .. Dobson .. „ 32,166 91,167 174 Southern District. Kaitangata and Castlehill (3 colleries) Kaitangata .. Brown .. 61,501 4,516,010 220 Taratu .. .. .. .. „ .. Lignite .. 23,376 658,142 41 Linton (2 collieries) .. .. Nightcaps .. Brown .. 95,262 395,846 133 Wairaki (2 collieries) .. .. „ .. „ .. 38,984 239,327 97 Mossbank .. .. .. „ .. „ .. 36,571 170,380 59 Birchwood .. .. .. Ohai .. „ .. 31,235 147,154 55 139 other collieries .. .. All coalfields .. Various .. 376,698 7,023,087 876 Collieries abandoned or suspended, &c. Various .. „ .. .. 22,905.184 Totals .. .. .. .. .. 2,366,740 66,326,082 5,374

Average N umber of Persons employed luring 1927. Inspection District. Above Ground. Below Ground. Total. Southern West Coast Northern 247 773 366 714 2,162 1,112 961 2,935 1,478 Totals, 1927 1,386 3,988 5,374 Totals, 1926 1,336 3.823 5,159