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increase of about eighty over the number so employed the year before, the totals (approximately stated) being 963 during 1881, and 1,043 during 1882. The Return No. 1, following the Appendix to this report, contains these and other particulars in detail, as well as the total output from the various coal mines for the year ending the 31st of December, 1882, and the approximate total output from the coal mines in the colony, since any record was kept of them, up to the same date. Eeturn No. 3 contains a statement, by the Secretary of Customs of coal imports and exports during the year 1882. The total output for the colony during 1882 is 378,272 tons, and if the quantity imported (129,582 tons) during the same period is added to this, and the export (4,245 tons) deducted—assuming, as in former reports, that the remainder has been consumed here—the total consumption in the colony during 1882 would be 503,609 tons, or an increase over the consumption of 1881 of 43,011 tons; the increase of coal won from mines in the colony during 1882 being 41,010 tons over the quantity raised in 1881, as will be seen in the following table, showing the total production of each of the past five years, and the relative quantity imported :— Raised in the Colony. Imported. 1878 162,218 tons 174,148 tons 1879 .... .... 231,218 tons .... .... 158,076 tons 1880 .... .... 299,923 tons .... .... 123,298 tons 1881 .... .... 337,262 tons .... .... 129,962 tons 1882 .... .... 378,272 tons .... .... 129,582 tons Although the increased quantity of coal raised in the colony during the year is not nearly so large as one might have been fully justified in anticipating in view of the efforts being made, at the date of the last report, to improve the appliances of some of the larger mines, and to increase the facilities of transit, it is nevertheless satisfactory to be able to show, as above, that there has been a substantial increase in the quantity produced in the colony ; while the quantity imported is rather less than the importation of the previous year, thus affording continued evidence of the steadily increasing consumption of our own coal to the exclusion of foreign productions ; and from various recent indications there can be little doubt that the relative proportion of home production and imports will be much more in favour of the colony during the present year than during the past. To analyse the sources of the increased output this year, it will be observed that, while in the North Island there has been a small falling-off in the yield from the Bay of Islands (Kawakawa) colliery, more than the difference has been contributed by the increased yield from the Whangarei (Kamo and Whau Whau) and one of the Waikato (Taupiri) collieries; and in the Middle Island the Westport Company's Banbury mine again comes to the front as contributing the principal increase, yielding upwards of 24,000 tons more than last year. The Brunner mines also show an increase of some 16,000 tons, and these, and the Banbury mine, and the Nightcaps mine, in Southland—which contributes 6,730 tons against 120 tons last year —form the principal items of the total increased output, the Kaitangata and Shag Point mines showing some falling-off in the output compared with their last year's returns. From the Inspectors' reports it appears that the works at the Koranui mine (Waimangaroa) towards placing it in the position of a considerable coal-producer have not been progressing so satisfactorily as might be desired; but lam informed that recently better progress has been made. Important works, including the sinking of a new deep shaft, are now being carried, on at the Wallsend (Greymouth) mine, which has become the property of the Westport Colliery Company, with a view to reopening the mine. Mr. Cox reports that five workable seams of coal, varying from 3 feet to 7 feet thick, have been struck in Wilson's colliery, South Malvern (noted as " Whitecliffs," in Eeturn No. 1) besides several smaller ones, and that there is every probability of this mine developing largely. The Springfield Coal Company, which has been a most enterprising one, notwithstanding" discouraging circumstances, has now ordered from Australia a diamond rock-drill, with a view to further prospecting for coal of a better quality, the Government having agreed to grant the company a subsidy from the vote for this purpose, in order to assist them and contribute towards the establishment