NEW ZEALAND COAL MINES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9170, 19 August 1908, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND COAL MINES.

The annual report of the Inspecting Engineer of Mines has been published, and the information provided is interesting when sifted from the general mass of figures. The "Otato Daily Times" has analysed the report thoroughly, and remarks that an interesting table, which sets out among other things the annual output of coal during the past thirty years, discloses the fact that up to the end of last year the coal harvest of New Zealand amounted to over 25,000,000 tons. The increase in output from yenr to year has been apparently very steady, and the yield of 1,831,009 tons in 190' 7 contrasts well with t'.iat of R40.713 tons in 1897, and that of 558 620 tons in 1887.' Last year's increase represented a gain of nearly 6 per cent, on the previous year's output, and those who delight to view all things possible from a population basis will see that Ihe prafeent annual output represents approximately two tons of coal for every individual in ihe Dominion. In producing this total 3,910.men were engaged, 1,143 working above and 2,707 below ground, the average amount of min eral raised per underground employee during the year being 662 tons.