C—2

Five fatal and two serious accidents occurred in New Zealand quarries during 1947. Two fatalities took place in the Southern District and three in the Northern. All the accidents were reported on, after investigation, by the Inspector of Quarries, but two of the fatalities in the Northern District happened in quarries which are not subject to inspection by Mines Department Inspectors. Three of the fatalities were due to falls of ground and one due to a worker falling from a high place. Attention is again directed to the need for constant supervision of quarry faces by experienced men and the use of safety ropes and belts by every one working on the quarry face.

QUARRY OUTPUTS

STATE AID TO MINING Subsidized Prospecting A total amount of £6,113 was advanced during the financial year 1947-4:8 to the mining industry in the form of subsidies, loans, &c. The Mines Department expended £27,093 in surveying, prospecting, and developing areas. Government Drills Mines Department drills were fully employed throughout the year in operations on the Bailer, Grey, Kaitangata, Ohai, and Waikato Coalfields. No drills were available for hire to private operators. Subsidized Roads The expenditure on subsidies for the maintenance and construction of roads in mining areas during the financial year 1947-48 was £3,476. The expenditure for the previous year was £7,015. I have, &c., R. H. Schoen, Inspecting Engineer of Mines.

28

— Northern. Hauraki. West Coast. Southern. Quantity. Value. Quantity. Value. Quantity. Value. Quantity. Value. Tons. £(N.Z.) Tons. £(N.Z.) Tons. (£N.Z.) Tons. £(N.Z.) Bentonite 215 1,049 Clay for bricks, &c. 92,443 13,410 3^436 1 2»500 '803 52 j 429 18^629 Clay for pottery, <fte. 1,353 1,791 778 838 9,839 7,341 Diatomite 204 401 232 308 Dolomite 7^034 3," 517 Fuller's earth "31 3.20 Limestone for cement 256 j 047 41j 457 60j 936 6^630 82j 352 25,682 Limestone for agriculture 364,827 153,774 44,656 14,146 611,327 239,839 Limestone for industry 5,475 2,604 2,683 1,073 10,243 3,122 Magnesite 362 253 Phosphate '200 " 'lOO Pumice 3,389 2,635 Quartzite 13 33 Rock for harbour-works 41j 347 6^451 Sand, gravel, &c., for roads and 973i061 287020 211jiog 80^816 ll|881 1^933 421,843 108,539 ballast Sand, &c., for building aggregate 214,634 66,721 160,801 70,402 Serpentine .. 28,639 6,859 3,296 4,944 Silica sand 12,541 28,217 i45 i45 1,757 1,996 Stone dust for coal-mines 914 174 384 96 Dimension stone for building i22 549 14,406 10,594 Totals .. .. | 603,806 84,728 j 29,545 1 498,043 Number of men employed : Northern, 1,127 ; Hauraki, 210; West Coast, 157 ; Southern, 048 ; total, 2,148.