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ANNEXURE B. STONE-QUARRIES. SUMMARY OF REPORT BY INSPECTOR OP QUARRIES FOR THE NORTH ISLAND. (R. T. H. Pale.) The following is the report for the year ending ,'ilst December, 1912, for stone-quarries and tunnels worked in the North Island district under the Stone-quarries Act, 1910. Stone-quaebies. A total of 237 quarries was worked during 1942, a decrease of 65 when compared with the number worked the previous year, while the number of men employed, which was 1,292 in 1941, decreased to 1,024 in 1942. The reduction in the number of quarries worked was caused by the curtailment of maintenance work in many of the county districts, the falling-off in the number of workmen employed, the mechanization of the larger quarries, and the increased use of earth-moving machinery for the removal of overburden. Output of Stone. Though there is a marked falling-off in the numbers of quarries worked and workmen employed, the tonnages of stone of all classes has increased. The output of hard stone used for loading, aerodrome construction, and concrete work was 1,170,390 tons, an increase of 106,409 tons over the tonnage of 1,009,873 produced in 1941. During 1.942, 321,351 tons of limestone were used for agricultural purposes and 278,389 tons for cement, making a slight increase on the 1941 tonnages of 319,814 and 206,353 respectively. In 1942, 58,042 tons of soft stone were produced for the manufacture of bricks, pipes, and tiles, 55,320 tons being used in 1941 for this purpose. A total of .1,835,384 tons of stone, valued at £345,902, was produced during' 1942. The 1941 tonnage was 1,055,494, valued at £314,455. Tunnels. Twelve shafts, the combined depth of which is 800 ft., were sunk, and tunnels of a total length of 14,452 ft. driven, during 1942. Four hundred and forty-three workmen were employed on this work, the cost of which was approximately £203,300. Accidents. One serious accident occurred in a tunnel, and one fatal and six serious accidents occurred in quarries, during 1942. Fatality. On 24th April, Jas. Reay McPlierson, plant attendant at the Arapohue Lime-works, received fatal injuries when he was drawn into and crushed by a set of toothed ' rollers. Serious Accidents. On 16th January, G. Irwin, crusher attendant at the Waitomo Lime Co.'s No. 2 plant, received severe lacerations from a projecting stud in a revolving coupling. On 6th. April, J. A. Staff, tunneller, while engaged in firing a round of shots in No. 8 tunnel, Albert Park shelters, received injuries to his abdomen and chest fnom flying debris when some shots exploded before he was able to take shelter. On 12th June, V. Quarterman, quarry foreman at the Wanganui Harbour Board's Quarry, Kaiwaike, was crushed by a large stone which fell' on him from the top of a truck. He received severe internal injuries and both his legs were broken. On 24th August, Robert C. Branch, engineer, Mills' Quarry, Runciman, while erecting machinery received injury to his spine through falling off a platform. On 4th August, Joseph Job, quarryman, had a leg broken when he was crushed by a sliding stone while engaged in stripping operations at the Kaitaia Lime C'o.'s Quarry, Kaitaia. On 9th September, W. F. Dunbar, engineer at the Gorge Lime-works, Woodville, had a leg broken through being caught by a belt. On 10th November, J. Hodge, quarryman employed at the Mountain Quarry, Ngongotaha, received concussion when he was struck by a stone falling off the face. Pbosecutions undee the Stone-quaebies Act, 1910. Six informations were laid during the year and convictions obtained in each case. On 26th March a quarry foreman and contractor was proceeded against on one charge of breach of section 9 of the Stone-quarries Act and one charge of breach of Regulation 51. He was convicted on both charges, lined £8, and ordered to pay Court costs. On 4th April two quarry, foremen were proceeded against for breaches of Regulation 51 under the Stone-quarries Act, 1910. Both foremen were convicted, one being lined £5 and the other £7 10s. An order to pay Court costs was made in each case. On 20th June a tunnel foreman was proceeded against, convicted, fined £5, and ordered to pay Court costs for a breach under Regulation 29 of the Stone-quarries Act. On 13th. August a tunnel foreman was proceeded against by the police and fined ss. for a breach under Regulation 29 of the Stone-quarries Act.

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