NEW ZEALAND COAL TRADE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 2, Issue 409, 30 July 1881, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND COAL TRADE.

Since i 879,. says the Dunedin Star, there has beenPa steady increase in the f quantity of coatraised in the colony and a corrci&bndingdecrease in the quantity imported. From the statistics embodied in the annual report bn the > control and •■ 'inspection of, mines, recently laid before we find that 123,29§ topSiWbrb ithported during the year 1880, being 34,778 tons less than in 1879. - The total’output for the colony was *99,923 tons, being 68,705 tons over the quantity/ In 1879, ss£ v# lons, dyer 1 the produce, of, the mines in 1878,, Seven thousand, and^. twenty-one tons, were exported in 1880, being, we presume, supplied to steamers coaling at the Bay of Inlands; The Undersecretary of Mm<& remarks, in regard to these statistics : —“ With this evidence under, .present circumstances before us, it may safely be assumed that with increased facilities in the way of transit from the mines, their development and the consumption of our own coal will sobn be sb far extended that importation will no longer be necessary £ and although the exjport of coal is *at present very small, we may hope as soon as more is produced than is required in the colony, a market will be found to .take/.the surplus and increase theiexport trade.”