o.—Bα.

The annual output of coal in this Dominion has doubled during the past decade. Prior to 1878 the total quantity of coal produced was only 709,931 tons. The following statement sliows the production, &c., of the principal collieries :

The predominant feature of the year in the coal-mining industry lias been the increased demand for the best classes of coal: resulting in greater outputs from the principal collieries ; a decline, however, in the production of lignite from the southern mines has occurred, which may be attributed to the stoppage ofjnany of the gold-dredges which usually burn that class of fuel.

SECTION II.—PERSONS EMPLOYED.

In conformity with the output the number of persons engaged at our collieries lias practically doubled within the past decade. SECTION lII.—ACCIDENTS. In 1909 seven fatal accidents occurred in and about the coal-mines of the Dominion, causing the loss of seven lives. The proportion of lives lost was 1-79 per thousand persons employed, which proportion, although lower than prevails in some countries, including North America and South Africa, exceeds the general European average. By far the greatest number of accidents may be attributed to the carelessness of the sufferers or to misadventure.

2

Name of Colliery. Locality. Class of Coal. Total Output h^17 ,, ? , ordinarily employed. I i Northern District. Semi-bitu-minous Brown ... Semi-bitu-minous Tons. Tons. 58,359 639,952 84 192,827 2,093,280 4G0 39,301 323,547 78 Hikurangi Coal Company (Limited)... Hikurangi... Taupiri Coal-mines (Limited) Northern Collieries Company (Limited) Huntly Hikurangi... West Coast District. Millerton ... Deuniston Mangatini • Westport Coal Company (Limited) i (Coalbrookdale Collieries) i Westport - Stockton Coal Company (Limited) Bituminous 212,474 2,863,535, 452 348,335 5,374,712 604 89,675 92,942 200 (17,935 277,345 110 216,225' 1,011,683 411 New Zealand State Coal-mines Seddonville Point Elizabeth Blackball... Blackball Coal Company (Limited) ... n 120,065 1,146,620 190 Southern District. Kaitangata New Zealand Coal and Oil Company (Limited) Nightcaps Coal Company (Limited) ... Nightcaps... Brown „ ... i Various . . 127,732 2,440,412 327 50,052 666,31.-) 90 388,267!l2,103,843| 1,190 Other collieries, in all districts Totals 1,911.24729,034,186 4.191

Inspection District. Average Number of Persona employed during 1909. Above Ground. Below Ground. Total Total. Northern West Coast Southern 155 627 782 727 1,670 2,397 277 7S5 1,012 Totals, 1909 1,159 3,032 4,191 3,032 4,191 Totals, 1908 j I I 992 2,902 3,894 992 2,902 i 3,894