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Millerton Colliery Medical Association. —ln accordance with Regulation 15, Paragraph (a), under " The Coal-mines Act, 1905," the trustees paid during the year, in excess of the claims for minor accidents, the sum of £150 on behalf of three claims for permanent disablement, and .£25 for one death by accident. The Brunner Mine Accident Relief Fund. —At the request of the trustees of this association, the Hon. Minister of Mines granted that the considerate allowance of £130 be withdrawn from the accumulated funds, in full satisfaction of all claims for funeral expenses, due to the deathrate occasioned by the late Brunner Mine accident, 1896. Accidents. Of the number of accidents reported as coming within the meaning of section 60 of " The Coal-mines Act, 1905," five were fatal and seven non-fatal. Of the persons killed, four were underground at or near the working-face, and the other, a screen attendant (youth), caught by a travelling belt. Fatal. Point Elizabeth Colliery. —(23/5/1907): Stanley Whitesmith, screen boy, while working in the bins, was killed by the travelling belt. Millerton Colliery. —(7/6/1907): John Leece, miner, killed by fall of roof-coal, caused by truck knocking out prop. Ironbridge Mine. Denniston Collieries. —(30/9/1907): John Kirkin, trucker, killed by fall of roof-coal and stone, caused by-collapse of the timbering over a main landing. Ironbridge Mute, Denniston Collieries. —(3o/10/1907): Victor Johnson, miner, sustained fatal injuries by fall of stone from roof while setting prop, from which he died on the 2nd November, 1907. Paparoa. Colliery. —(7/11/1907): Martin Harrobin, underviewer, while attempting to cleai himself from fall of soft side coal and fireclay, fractured his skull against a lath previously nailed to the main timbers. Death instantaneous. Non-fatal. Millerton Colliery. —(B/1/1907): Joseph Tiplady, horse-driver, sustained injury to groin by kick from horse. Coalbrookdale Mine, Denniston Collieries. —(4/5/1907): Charles Morrisey, miner, sustained fracture of shin-bone of right leg by fall of coal and stone in working-face. Ironbridge Mine, Denniston Collieries. —(lo/5/1907): James McVicar, miner, sustained scalp-wound by fall of stone in face of stone drive. Tyneside Colliery. —(29/5/1907): James Veale, miner, sustained scalp injury, and George Griffiths, miner, slight scalp wound and injury to left big toe by fall of roof in their workingface. Point Elizabeth Colliery. —(l/ 7/1907): Thomas Jackson, miner, sustained injury near left breast by fall of coal from face, caused by a " bump." Ironbridge Mine, Denniston Collieries. —(6/9/1907): J. Ballinger, miner, whilst taking down coal in the face, sustained injuries to the heel, which necessitated amputation of the foot. Puponga Colliery. —(l 2/12/1907): James Pearce, miner, sustained severe burns by the ignition of 1£ lb. of compressed powder, which he carried openly. General Remarks. This is the first year in which the record output of 1,000,000 tons has been raised from the coal-mines of this district. The gross tonnage was 1,052,022 tons, an increase of 89,107 tons on the previous year. Mining operations generally have been carried on without interruption due to bad trade or to labour disputes, with the exception of some misunderstanding which arose between the owners and workmen on the Denniston field, relative to the interpretation of the eight-hour bank-to-bank clause of the Arbitration award versus section 37 of " The Coal-mines Act, 1905." Fortunately, however, an amicable settlement was forthwith established, without loss of work. Persons employed. —-The total number of persons employed in and about mines under the Coal-mines Act was 2,158, being an increase of 114 on the previous year. Of these, 1,467 were employed below ground and 691 above ground. Omitting number of persons employed in development of new leases, the coal raised per person actually employed below ground was 769,577 tons, and per person employed above and below ground, 562,578 tons. Accidents. —The death-rates from accidents per thousand persons employed during the year were— (a) Below ground, 2 - 726; and (6) above ground, 1 "447. Per 1,000,000 tons raised, the death-rate was 4 - 752, as against 2077 in 1906. Foreign Trade. Westport Coal Company. —The total tonnage shipped directby from Westport to ports outside the Dominion during the year 19Q7 was 38,447 tons, this being an increase of 5,202 tons as compared with 33,245 tons for the year 1906, and in comparison with the year 1905 an increase of 3,678 tons. I have, &c, R. Tennent, Inspector of Mines.