C.—2.

In the Linton No. 1 Mine the development has been chiefly to the west, but when approaching the western boundary of the lease the coal became very inferior in quality. Two boreholes were put down to the south of the Linton No. 2 Mine with disappointing results, but boring to the east of the No. 1 Mine is more encouraging, and a new haulage road into that area is under consideration. The detailed survey of the coal resources of the Grey and Buller coalfields, commenced in 1937, was continued throughout 1938, but the surface examinations were, in 1938, chiefly in the Grey District. Difficulty has been experienced in retaining the services of suitable assistant surveyors and geologists, and some have left for private employment. Consequently the detailed examinations and compilation of data and plans that are essential before reliable estimates can be made have been somewhat retarded. Several meetings of the Coal Survey Committee were held in Wellington and one in Greymouth, the latter being required in an endeavour to find additional areas suitable for working by small co-operative parties of miners. Subsequently some of the selected areas were prospected and bored. Protective helmets, commonly called " hard hats," are now generally worn by the West Coast and Southern coal-miners, but in the Northern District their use is not as wide as it should be. Several serious accidents were averted during 1938 by the miners wearing " hard hats," and some of the serious accidents would undoubtedly have been fatal ones if " hard hats " had not been worn by the injured men. Steel-toed boots are not as yet made in New Zealand, and the few which have been imported from England appear to be of too heavy a type for the New Zealand miner. There should be no valid reason why, if there is a demand for them, lighter miners' boots, equipped with saftey toes, cannot be made here. The production from and the number of persons employed at the collieries of the Dominion are shown in the following table :—

SECTION II.—PERSONS EMPLOYED.

61

Total niitxnt. f„ r Total Output to Number of Name of Colliery. Locality. Class of Coal. ilvJa 3 l st December. Persons IH " 8 - 1938. ordinarily employed. Northern District. Tons. Tons. New Kamo .. .. .. Kamo .. Sub-bituminous 26,741 98,920 83 Rotowaro .. .. .. Rotowaro .. Brown .. 160,463 2,621,693 I 286 Pukemiro .. .. .. Pukemiro .. „ .. 102,751 2,704,766 206 Wilton .. .. .. .. Glen Massey .. ,, .. 89,557 649,636 163 Glen Afton .. .. .. Glen Afton .. „ .. 74,939 1,851,593 152 MacDonald .. .. .. Waikokowai .. „ .. 144,012 1,002,834 252 Renown .. .. .. „ .. „ .. 107,202 980,519 194 Egmont .. .. .. Tatu .. „ .. 13,852 66,366 54 West Coast District. Westport-Stockton .. .. Ngakawau .. Bituminous .. 144,890 3,706,356 260 Charming Creek .. .. .. „ .. „ .. 24,909 153,054 1 43 Millerton .. .. .. Millerton .. ., .. 75,560 8,536,038 108 Denniston .. .. .. Denniston .. „ .. 160,895 11,003,694 379 Cascade .. .. .. Cascade Creek „ .. 15,976 187,227 23 Hydro .. .. .. .. Seddonville .. „ .. 10,833 22,745 11 Burke's Creek .. .. .. Reefton .. Brown .. 20,592 312,877 28 Paparoa .. .. .. Roa .. Semi-bituminous 41,762 888,665 90 Blackball .. .. .. Blackball .. Bituminous .. 28,259 4,136,135 90 Blackball Creek .. .. .. „ .. . „ .. 9,869 120,343 24 Liverpool (State) .. .. Rewanui .. „ .. 131,915 3,089,233 312 James (State) .. .. .. Rapahoe .. Sub-bituminous 40,675 545,501 99 Dobson .. .. .. Dobson .. Bituminous .. 65,658 888,868 164 Wallsend .. .. .. Brunnerton .. „ .. 49,605 720,003 126 Southern District. Kaitangata .. .. .. Kaitangata .. Brown .. 124,469 5,695,835 300 Linton (2 collieries) .. .. Ohai .. „ .. 106,056 1,431,744 164 Wairaki .. .. „ .. „ .. 35,738 527,493 68 Mossbank .. .. „ .. „ .. 26,546 640,389 66 Birchwood .. .. .. .. „ .. 13,516 221,992 55 Black Lion .. .. „ .. ., .. 14,982 195,813 20 Kea .. .. .. .. „ .. „ .. 14,083 23,658 8 129 other collieries .. .. All coalfields .. Various .. 345,783 9,511,335 735 Collieries abandoned or suspended, &c. Various .. „ .. .. 27,942,105 j ... Totals .. .. .. .. .. 2,222,088 90,477,430 [ 4,563

Average Number of Persons employed daring 1938. Inspection District. Above Ground. Below around. Total. Southern .. .. .. .. J 271 680 95] West Coast .. .. .. ..I 581 1,490 2,071 Northern .. .. .. .. j 343 1,198 1^541 Totals, 1938 .. .. 1,195 3,368 4,563 Totals, 1937 .. .. 1,129 3,288 4,417