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APPENDIX B.

REPORTS RELATING TO THE INSPECTION OF COAL-MINES. The Inspecting Engineer of Minks to the Under-Secretary of Mines. Sir,— . Wellington, 31st March, 1919. I have the honour to present my thirteenth annual report, together with statistical information, in regard to coal-mines of the Dominion, for the year ended 31st December, 1918. The report is divided into the following sections : — I. Output of Mineral. 11. Persons employed. 111, Accidents. IV. General Remarks — (a.) Exploration and Development of Coal Areas. (/>.) Safety Provisions. (/,'.) Oil-shale Resources. Annexures— A. Summary of Annual Reports by Inspectors of Mines. B. Colliery Statistics.

SECTION I.—OUTPUT. The output of the several classes of coal mined in each inspection district is summarized as follows :—

The decline in output for 1918 amounts to 34,169 tons, being 2 per cent, of the total output, There was likewise a decline in the. output per underground miner from 715 to 703 tons per annum, which also is in the proportion of 2 per cent. This alone accounts for the annual decrease of output; had it not been, however, for the epidemic, by which most, of the mines were rendered idle for two or three weeks and to which sixty-six working coal-miners succumbed, there would have been an increased output for 1918. The considerable decline at bituminous collieries is partly attributable to shortage of miners on the West Coast,

Output of Cral during 1918. Class of Coal. Northern Distriot, West Coast District. Southern Distriot. Toial. _ Total Output to the End of 1918. lituminous and semi-bitu-minous" Tons. 125,349 Tons. 996,959 Tons. Tons. 1,122,308 Tons. 31,171,005 irown ... lignite 420,430 3,999 130 285,213 202,170 705,773 206,169 14,480,157 2,541,678 Totals for 1918 ... 549,778 997,089 487,383 2,034,250 48,192,840 Totals for 1917 ... 470,638 1,146,778 451,003 2,068,419 46,158,590 Including eoal firmerly classified as " pitch " coal,