THE WORLD'S FUEL BRITISH AND FOREIGN COAL CONSUMPTION.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 14, 17 January 1908, Page 8

THE WORLD'S FUEL BRITISH AND FOREIGN COAL CONSUMPTION.

INCREASING OUTPUT." The British Board of Trade return of tho coal trade of the world just'issusd contains figures which aro instructive I when compared with tho annual statistics ] of exports and imports. The demands made upon the coalfields of Britain by j other nations havo given rise to much controversy, but the ligures in this report I are reassuring if they are* contrasted with those abroad. ! The development of machinery, and perhaps in no inconsiderable degree the competition in the o'ceau-carrying trade, have brought about a need of fuel which even'eJcperls have not contemplated, and in this connection it is not surprising to learn that the production of coal for 1906 in the United Kingdom, Germany, and the United States exceeded that of any previous year.' Tho rate of increase in the output of coal is indicated by the facts' that >\vhilo in the twelve months the figures of the United Kingdom rose from 236,129,000 to 251,068,000 tons, those for Germany and the United States respectively increased from 119,350,000 to 134,914,000, and from 350,821,000 to 369,672,000 tons. In other words, the increase in the British output was 15,000,000 tons, that in the German output 15,500,000 tons, and that in the output of the United States was 19,000, 000 tons. The production of coal in the United States now exceeds that of the United Kingdom by nearly 50 per cent., while that of Germany represents only about one half. The figures for 1906 are :—: — Tons. United Kingdom ... 251,068,000 Germany 134,914,000 United' Statea ... 369,672,000 The influence of labour disputes upon production may be gauged from the tact that in 1906 the output in France showed a decline of nearly one million tons. The figure for the early part of the year was 15 million tons, whereas that for the second part was 18£ million ton*. As compared with its population, fho production of coal in the United ,Kingdom still surpasses that in the United States. It amounts to 5% tons per head ; while in the United States it is- rather more than 4 1-3 tons per head. In Belgium it amounts to 3' 4 tons per head, in Germany to about 2\ tons, and in France to under one ton. A far larger number of persons is employed in coal mining in the United Kingdom than m any other country. The figures for 1905— the last year for which cornpleLo information is available — were :—: — United Kingdom 837,100 , United States 626,200 Gerniany 493,300 France 175,500 . Belgium . . ... 134,700 As regards the output per head of those employed, the United States takes the first place with an output of 560 tons, the United Kingdom the second with 282 lons, and Germany the third with 242 tons. Considerable inteiest attaches to the exports. Industrial prosperity abroad has led to an increased demand for British coal, the total quantity during the first nine months of 1907 being 46,824,000 tons, as compared with 41,230,000 tons in tho corresponding period of 1906. Tina increase was due chiefly to the larger exports of "steam" and "gas" coal. The imports of British coal into Germany during 1906 were larger than in (any previous yeav. The figure in the return shows that the total consumption of coal in the United Statss is now twice as great, as that in any other country, exceeding, in fact, the combined consumption of tho United Kingdom, Germany, and France. An answer to alarmist controversialists may bo found in the Etatis.tica. .which show that ymuitajieously

with the increased imporis of British coal to Germany, there has been an in crease in the exports of German coal to France. The total quantity of coal brought snVo London by railway, canal, and sea was 15,972,198 tons, as against 15.650,388 tons in 1905.

The quarterly returns of ths bu&iness transacted at the Supreme Court, Wellington, for the quarter ending 31st December, 1907, together with the figures for 1905^ — tho latter being in paientheses — are as follows: — Criminal sittings, 20 days (21) ; criminal indictments, 22 (28) ; sentences under Indictable Offences Summary Jurisdiction Act, 14 (25) ; civil court sittings, 32 days (34) ; trials by common jury, 3 (32); trials by special jury, 1 (1); trials by judge, 43 (08) ; judgments entered, b (?) ; sittings in chambers, 43 (45) ; motions, 191 (200); orders made, 245 (248) ; sittings in banco, 41 days (16) : motions, 2 (15) ; divorce and matrimonial sittings, S days (15) ; petitions filed, 24 (15) ; answers filed, 4 (5) ; motions, in chambers, 14 (12); trials, 14 (17); decrees nisi granted, 9 (15) ; decrees absolute, 10 (11) ; probates granted, 69 (76) ; administration, 106 (112) ; bills of sale and similar documents dealt with, 341 (301); Bankruptcy Court sitting*, 3 days (2) ; debtors' petitions, 9 (10) ; creditors' petitions, 3 (o) ; adjudications. 10 (1); binkruptcy fee, £79 2s (£loli 125 6d) ; fees other than bankruptcy, £870 14s 6d (£B3O 19s); fines, £2; mortgage sales, £4 6s 9d (£7 2s 3d); total fees, £956 3s 3d (£943 13s 9d). This week's New Zealand Graphic contains thirty-tyro photographs o£ tho various teams competing at. tho Northern bowling tournament ; pictures of the delegates - and camp held recently at Trentham by the university students Christian Union ; qf the New Zealand Dental Conference at Auckland ; of the competing teams in the intercolonial school teachers' cricket match ; together with an interesting article by Mr. H. A. Parker, champion of New Zealand, on the play at tho recent tennis tournament, help to make up a good number. i This morning, before Mr. Riddell, S.M., William Brew, who had pleaded guilty to stealing an overcoat, value £2. on the 11th January, came up for sentence. Ho was convicted and fined £1, and ordered to pay costs 4s, or in default suffer sovca days' imprisonment.* For breach of a prohibition ord&r A/rfchur Edward Tonks was convicted and »fined £2, and rosts 7s, or in default seven 'days' imprisonment, and for insobriety ' David Wilson was fined 10s, or in de- ' fault 48 hours' imprisonment, and a first offender ss, with tho alternative of • 24 hours' imprisonment. "< •• ' Archibald West, the European carter, who was injured at Maranui yesterday, is progressing favourably in the hospital.-'' -"",-"' (,vTh» new building in Willis-street nearing completion, and which is to be cMled the Windsor Private HoteJ, will be opened towards tho end, of February under the joini proprietorship of Mr. G. Boulton, late manager of the Grand Hotel, and Mr. G. Edwards, late propm'oi of the Palace. Hotel. Mr. Boyd Bennic has been appointed a, mining inspector for the North Island at a salary of £300 per annum. He has had experience in both gold and coal mini-ig, .nd has been an assistant-inspector of mines in tho Dominion for some timo past. There were over 40 applications v for the position. Tho Minister tcr for Mines intends to appoint another inspector for the North Island. Tho two inspectors will bo of squal rank. Mr. Leo. Buckeridjre, voice specialist, has returned to town after a short vacation in Nelson, and resumes teaching at his new studio, Boulcott Chambers, on Monday Mrs. Evans advertises in this issue that her first term will begin on sth February. Amongst tho many special prizes advertisod to be* offered at The New House summer salo to-morrow will be a line of forty-two sunshades. C. Smith, Ltd., announce that tho opening summer sale will commence to-mor-row. "Millinery in tho latest fashion at halfprice" is the offer made by the Drapery Supply Association, Cuba-street, in connection with their end-of-the-scason fair, which is now being held. Mr. S. G. Ross, jeweller and engravor, Willis-street, advertises that in consequence of his lease expiring in a fortnight's time, he is making further reductions in prices of goods.