C—2

44

The following statement shows the tons of coal and shale raised, persons employed, lives lost by accidents in or about coal-mines, fas., from 1878 to 1918 : —

SECTION IV.—GENERAL REMARKS. (a.) Exploration and Development of Coal Akeas. Boring operations by Government drills were carried out in the Parish of Whangape on the Waikato Coalfield upon. Sections 116, 202, 201, 2(17, and 209, the property of the Awaroa Land Company; also upon Section 125, owned by the Whangape Coal Company. Upon the first-named property twelve holes were drilled, in nine of which brown coal of workable, thickness was proved. The maximum thickness of the coal-scam is 21ft., and. the average thickness 16ft. din. To estimate the thickness of workable coal in this locality a, deduction of 3 ft. or more is necessary, which being required to support the tender fireclay roof would not be removed when mining. Adjoining this property to the north-east upon Section 125, Owned by the Whangape Coal Company, three holes were drilled during the year, in two of which the coal-seam, averaging 18 ft. in thickness, was proved to exist over a, portion of the, .section. The exploration here recorded proves a valuable addition tot the known areas of brown coal on the Waikato Coalfield. At Huntly the extension northward of the two workable coal-seams has been proved by underground development and boring at the Taupiri Extended Colliery.

Year. I Persons employed. Output. Above. : Below. Total. Tons raised per j oach Person em ployed Underground. Per Million Tons raised. lives Lost. Per Number Thousand by Persons Aooiemployed, dent. Prior 1878 1879 1880 1881 1882 1883 1884 1885 1886 .1887 1888 1889 1890 189.1 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 709,931 ! 162,218 i 147 366 513 231,218 802 299,923 1,038 337,262 963 378,272 1,043 421,764 : 361 888 1,249 480,831 393 890 1,283 511,063 338 1,145 1,483 534,353 392 1,213 , 1,605 558,620 388 1,111 1,499 613,895 i 414 1,275 | 1,689 586,445 466 1,251 ! 1,717 637,397 . 512 1,334 j 1,846 668,794 416 1,277 1,693 673,315 485 1,196 1,681 691,548 590 1,298 1,888 719,546 506 1,393 1,899 726,654 525 1,274 1,799 792,851 590 1,347 1,937 840,713 ; 531 1,381 1,912 907,033 i 556 1,447 ! 2,003 975,234 \ 554 j 1,599 ] 2,153 1,093,990 617 1,843 j 2,460 1,239,686 688 2,066 2,754 1,365,040 H03 2,082 | 2,885 1,420,229 717 ' 2,135 ' 2,852 1,537,838 763 2,525 3,288 1,585,756 833 2,436 3,269 1,729,536 1,174 2,518 3,692 1,831,009 1,143 2,767 3,910 1,860,975 992 2,902 '. 3,894 1,911,247 1,159 3,032 I 4,191 2,197,362 I 1,136 3,463 4,599 2,066,073 ! 1,365 i 2,925 ! 4,290 2,177,615 ! 1,130 i 3,198 ' 4,328 1,888,005 I 1,053 3,197 : 4,250 2,275,614 ! 1,176 3,558 4,734 2,208,624 1,050 3,106 4,156 2,257,135 988 3,000 3,988 2,068,419 1,090 2,893 3,983 2,034,250 1,102 2,892 3,994 443 475 540 456 440 503 481 468 477 523 563 533 516 618 588 609 627 609 593 600 655 665 609 651 687 662 641 633 634 706 681 590 639 711 750 715 703 194-64 6-66 2'96 5'28 4-74 6-23 5'87 7-16 6-51 6-82 12-55 5-98 1.-48 7-23 8-33 6-88 83-24 4-75 110 3-07 3-65 2-42 1-46 2-81 2-60 3-78 3-46 ■ 6-55 2-68 3'65 7'28 6-77 413 3-18 21-53 407 2-65 1-93 2-95 * 0 44-00 351 1-92 2 1-04 1 1-91 2 1-60 2 2-34 3 2-01 3 ■■:■■ o 2-66 4 2-36 4 2-37 i 4 4-33 i 8 2-36 4 066 1 2-64 5 3'16 6 3-33 5 34-07 66} 2-09 4 049 1 1-39 3 1-62 4 109 3 0-69 2 1'40 4 1-21 4 1-83 6 1-62 fi 3-07 12 1-28 5 1-79 7 3-55 16 . 3-26 1.4 2-08 9 1-38 6 10-35 ■ 49^ 216 9 1-50 6 1-00 4 1-50 6 Totals i 48,207,283 18,207,283 335 * No life lost, explosion. fYoar ir of Kaitangata of Kaitangata explosion. J Year of Brum explosion } Yea ,r of Brunm ir explosiot .. $j Year of Ralph's Huntly)