D.—2.

RETURN No. 27. HURUNUI-BLUFF SECTION. Return of Coal Traffic from Local Mines during the Year ending 31st March, 1898.

RETURN No. 28. HURUNUI-BLUFF SECTION. Return of the Number of Vessels discharged and loaded at the Ports of Lyttelton, Timaru, Oamaru, Port Chalmers, Dunedin, and Bluff, for the Year ending 31st March, 1898.

40

Mine. 1897-98. 1896-97. Increase. Decrease. Austin Brothers, Sheffield Springfield Coal Company, Springfield Leeming and Co., Whitecliffs Thompson, A., Whitecliffs Deans, J., Glentunnel Wairiri Coal Company, Glentunnel Park, G., Mount Somers Albury Kurow Ngapara Shag Point Allendale Coal Company Walton Park ... Fernhill Freeman's Mosgiel Loveil's Flat ... Gibson and Lees (Loveil's Flat) Nelson's Kaitangata Castle Hill Lakeside, Stirling Anderson's, Stirling McAlister, Stirling Conical Hills O'Hagan, C, Pukerau Johnston, W. Waikaka ... Green, Thomas, Gore Sleeman, C. P., Mataura ... Beattie, J., Mataura Brown's, Mataura Glendhu, Mataura Munro, E., Wyndham Darcy's, Nightcaps Nightcaps Coal Company, Nightcaps Alley, J., Nightcaps Calder, J. and A., Nightcaps Hokonui Coal Company, Winton ... Smith and Logan, Kingston Crossing Graham, J., Fairfax Tons. i,9S8 1,214 1,427 Tons. 1,417 1,608 2,066 Tons. 54i Tons. 394 639 2,700 460 1,414 1 OS 18 2,835 36 8i5 77 18 4 19,383 io,473 11,138 7,109 6,619 i,342 1 OS 1,614 1,578 76,486 17,488 337 6S 6 2,110 406 424 599 28 I3S 4 21,015 ",967 10,603 6,iS7 7,430 3,026 146 5,199 i,34o 93,654 1,632 1,494 811 1,684 41 3,S8S S3S 952 17,168 238 16 4 17,488 321 6 1,877 405 12 460 152 S 66 4 89 1,602 i9,69S 12 443 34 12 17 118 S 66 4 49 237 3.309 3 233 1 40 i,365 16,386 9 6 2,534 323 6 37 20 5 2,497 3°3 S Totals 194, 298 186,275 31,832 23,809

Port. 1897-98. 1896-97. Increase. Decrease. • iSCHAB&BD : — Lyttelton Timaru Oamaru Port Chalmers Dunedin Bluff No. i,596 265 119 320 64 226 No. i,S93 284 123 325 72 202 No. 3 No. ■9 4 5 8 24 Totals 2,590 2,599 27 36 cOADED : — Lyttelton Timaru Oamaru Port Chalmeri Dunedin Bluff i,S3i ' 265 '39 373 7 225 1.563 284 '33 355 3 200 6 18 32 19 4 25 Totals 2,538 2,540 53 5i