C.—2

The quantity of coal imported into New Zealand in 1938 was 109,206 tons, as compared with 116,499 tons for the previous year, a welcome reduction of 6-27 per cent. The output of the several classes of coal mined in each inspection district is summarized as follows : —

WASTAGE OF COAL. I am happy to say that the tremendous improvement effected in regard to the wastage of slack coal d uring the last three years has been maintained. NEW AVENUES OF COAL-UTILIZATION. Surveys of our coal resources have been continued, and further references to the work carried out appear later in this statement. DOBSON RESCUE-STATION. The new rescue-station at Dobson was completed in April, 1939, and lectures are now being conducted in the building by a competent officer of the Department. Instruction is being imparted to teams of selected men from the Dobson, Wallsend, Blackball, Paparoa, Briandale, and State Collieries and from nearby small co-operative mines. Twenty sets of Proto self-contained breathing-apparatus were imported from England and are now in use at the station. For charging the small steel cylinders of the Protos by a special type of pump which had to be imported, a supply of oxygen in large cylinders is kept at the station and is replenished from Christchurch. The teams are trained to use an up-to-date oxygen and carbon-dioxide inhalator by which two unconscious persons can be resuscitated simultaneously, and also to use smoke helmets, of which there are two types at the station. The station itself has been erected in reinforced concrete and consists of seven rooms, the largest being the demonstrating-chamber in which the trainees wear the Protos in an irrespirable atmosphere for periods gradually increasing in length until the full two-hour maximum is reached. While wearing the apparatus they perform tasks similar to the class of work they are required to undertake in a coalmine. Outside the demonstrating-chamber are observation and lecture rooms, and beyond the observation room is a change-house equipped with hot and cold showers. Under the same roof as the rescue-station is a large concrete garage in which is stored a fully equipped rescue van to convey brigades and apparatus to any mine in which a fire has broken out or in which an explosion has occurred. The van is so designed that it can be used as an ambulance van if required.

4

Output of Coal during 1938. Total Output Class of Coal. Northern West Coast Southern J° District District District Total. J ' na ot iydh ' (North Island). (South Island). (South Island). Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Bituminous and sub - bitu- 44,838 933,012 .. 977,850 51,784,420 minous Brown .. .. .. 717,879 50,231 344,304 1,112,414 33,291,193 Lignite .. .. .. .. 1,146 130,678 131,824 5,401,817 Totals for 1938 .. 762,717 984,389 474,982 2,222,088 90,477,430 Totals for 1937 .. 778,498 975,228 524,073 2,277,799 88,255,342