C—2

Table Showing the Quantity oe Coal Exported from New Zealand from 1930 to 1948 Year. Tons. Year. Tons. 1930 .. .. 126,118 ' 1940 .. .'. 81,287 1931 ... .. 48,334 1941 .. .. 58,179 1932 .. .. 35,866 1942 .. .. 54,700 1933 .. .. 34,131 1943 .. ..42,522 1934 .. .. 40,361 1944 .. .. 37,688 1935 .. .. 46,146 1945 .. .. 21,989 1936 .. .. 44,872 1946 .. .. 27,366 1937 .. .. 113,116 J 1947 .. .. 28,035 1938 .. .. 55,711 | 1948 .. .. 18,913 1939 .. .. 43,990 | INVESTIGATION OF COAL RESOURCES Intensive work on the investigation of coal resources was continued by three organizations working as in past years in close co-operation. These organizations are (1) the Coal Survey, whose activities are mainly geological and chemical; (2) an organization set up by the Mines Department to follow up the Coal Survey with detailed topographical surveys and shallow prospecting by means of cuts, pits, and hand drilling ; (3) the drilling section of the Mines Department carrying out investigations by percussion and core drilling. Considerable progress was made by all these organizations and much detailed information concerning mines and fields has become available. The efforts of these organizations have, however, been mainly directed towards the detailed investigation of selected areas so that either underground or opencast mines in those areas can be opened up to the greatest advantage. Accordingly, sufficient information has not been forthcoming to materially affect the position of the coal resources of New Zealand, which have not been re-estimated, and remain as set out in the Mines Statement for the year 1945. It is, however, apparent from recent prospecting work that the Buller Field may contain greater reserves of coal than those previously estimated. The time is approaching when adequate replacements will have been obtained for mines now approaching exhaustion and when work on the general question of the coal reserves of New Zealand will be intensified. The most interesting features of the year's operations have been the considerable extension of the seams explored in the Morley area of the Ohai Coalfield to adjoining areas and the consistent results obtained by the close drilling of the main opencast mining area at Stockton. At both these localities uniform'conditions of the coal-seams have been proved with consistent results over relatively large areas and large tonnages of coal are available in compact blocks, so that both areas promise to be major coal-producers in the coming years. Particulars of the activities of the three organizations mentioned above are as under: — Coal Survey Coal Survey (Geological) The geological work of the Coal Survey was confined to the South Island, and although staff shortages have now been largely overcome, it will be the middle of 1949 before work in the North Island fields is commenced, when the new members have received some training and experience.

12