RECORD COAL OUTPUT.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 213, 8 September 1928, Page 11

RECORD COAL OUTPUT.

RAILWAYS USING MORE. GOLD PRODUCTION LESS. HOPES OF A REVIVAL. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Friday. A record quantity of coal was produced in New Zealand during the twelve months which ended on December 3], according to the annual statement of the Mines Department. Thic fact may be to some extent attributed to the railways using a greater quantity of New Zealand coal. The quantity of gold produced during 1927 showed a. decrease as compared with 1926. From* the number of claims taken up, however, it is evident that great interest in metal mining still prevails, and it is hoped that as a. result a. much desired revival in mining will i eventuate. Gold and silver worth £.>•.>0,100 were produced during the vear. as against a total value of £589.302 in

1920. Platinum worth £231 ( £313). tungsten ore £445 ( £475). sulphur £3375 ( £5217), iron £17.701 ( £19.585). stone £570.309 ( £510,075) and pumice £0230 ( £8081) were produced durinu the year, the figures in parentheses being for 1020. Quicksilver valued at £402 was obtained, though none of this mineral was produced in the preceding year. Tn all. 300.740 tons of coal, worth £2.300,740, was produced, as against an output valued at £2.239,900 in the previous year. The total value of NewZealand miners" production was £3,515.779, an increase of £280.732. The total value of minerals and kauri gum exported np io t lie end of 1927 amounted to £100,238,'154.

In metalliferous mines, at which 1733 men were ordinarily employed, therewas no fatal accident, and only one serious accident. At stone quarries, employing 2341 men. one was killed and five were seriously injured. There were 5374 persons ordinarily employed about coal mines, of whom ten were killed and si'\en seriously injured. A total of £13.800 was expended in prospecting subsidies. 140 persons being employed as prospectors. The profits at the State coal mines were £17.084, and at depots £4132, a net profit of £21.800. The year's business is regarded as satisfactory, due in a large measure to the collieries losing very little time on I account of strikes.