37

C.—2.

APPENDIX B REPORTS RELATING TO THE INSPECTION OF COAL-MINES. The Inspecting Engineer and Chief Inspector of Coal-mines to the Under-Secretary op Mines. Sir, — Wellington, 14th June, 1929. I have the honour to present my annual report, together with statistical information, in regard to coal-mines of the Dominion for the year ended 31st December, 1928, in accordance with section 42 of the Coal-mines Act, 1925. The report is divided into the following sections : — I. Output. 11. Persons employed. 111. Accidents. IV. Working of the Coal-mines Act— (a) Permitted Explosives. (b) List of Mines required by Law to use Permitted Explosives. (c) List of Mines required by Law to use Safety-lamps. (d) Dangerous Occurrences. (e) Electricity at Collieries. (/) Prosecutions. V. Legislation affecting Coal-mining. Annexures— A. Summary of Annual Reports by Inspectors of Mines. B. Colliery Statistics. SECTION I.—OUTPUT. The output of the several classes of coal mined in each inspection district is summarized, as follows:—

The following is a table showing the annual production of coal and the quantity of coal imported since 1911 :—

The output of coal for 1928 was the highest, annual output yet recorded, and was greater by 70,013 tons than the output for 1927. The production of bituminous coal increased by 58,203 tons, that of brown coal by 18,802 tons, while the production of lignite decreased by 6,992 tons. The increases in bituminous and brown coal are'largely the result of an endeavour on the part of the Railway Department to..use. wherever possible..local. cqaL in preference, to imported coal. The output of bituminous coal in the Northern District showed an increase .for the year of 7,112 tons and of brown coal an increase of 27,247 tons,, a total increase of 34,359 tons.

Output of Coal during 1928. - Total Output Class of Coal. to the Northern District West Coast District Southern District End of 1928. (North Island). (South Island). (South Island). otals. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Bituminous and sub-bituminous 179,460 1.169,272 .. 1,348,732 41,819,046 Brown .. .. .. 602,429 31,408 339,401 973,238 22,734,951 Lignite .. .. .. .. 159 114,624 114,783 4,208,838 Totals for 1928 .. 781,889 1,200,839 454,025 2,436,753 68,762,835 Totals for 1927 .. 747,530 1,156,191 463,019 2,366,740 66,326,082

Total Quantity of Total Quantity of Year. Coal produced. Coal imported. Coal produced and Year. Coal produced. Coal imported. Coal produced and imported. imported. Tons, Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. 1911 .. 2,086,073 188,068 2,254,141 1920 .. 1,843,705 476,343 *2,320,048 1912 .. 2,177,615 364,359 2,541,974 1921 .. 1,809,095 822,459 2,631,554 1913 .. 1,888,005 468,940 2,356,945 1922 .. 1,857,819 501,478 2,359,297 1914 .. 2,275,614* 518,070 2,793,684* 1923 .. 1,969,834 445,792 2,415,626 1915 .. 2,208,624 353,471 2,562,095 1924 .. 2,083,207 674,483 2,757,690 1916 .. 2,257,135 293,956 2,551,091 1925 .. 2,114,995 572,573 2,687,568 1917 .. 2,068,419 291,597 2,360,016 1926 .. 2,239,999 483,918 2,723,917 1918 .. 2,034,250 255,332 2,289,582 1927 .. 2,366,740 378,090 2,744,830 1919 .. 1,847,848 391,434 2,239,282 1928 .. 2,436,753 247,861 2,684,614 * Includes 21 tons shale.