3

C—3a.

SECTION II.—PERSONS EMPLOYED.

SECTION lII.—ACCIDENTS. In 1908 four separate fatal accidents occurred in and about the coal-mines of this Dominion, (arising the loss of five lives. Compared with the previous year, there is a decrease of six in the number of fatal accidents, and of seven in the number of lives lost. The actual number of deaths by itself does not afford a complete test of the comparative safety or danger of the coal-mining industry in 1908. True comparisons can only be made by taking into account either the number of persons employed or the quantity of mineral obtained/" - ;.' The following summary of the annual ratio of persons killed per 1,000 employed in the collieries of,the most important countries of the world during the last ten years, regarding which official statistics have been published, will permit of that comparison by which the safety or danger of the coal-mines in this Dominion may be tested.

It will be seen that New Zealand occupies the sixth place as regards the safety of the coal-miner, among fourteen coal-producing countries. The following is a.summary of fatal and non-fatal accidents classified, and cause, in this Dominion during 1908.

Average umber of Persons emp during 1908. ioyei Inspection District. Above Ground. Below Ground. Total. Northern ... ... ... ... ... 122 512 634 West Coast 562 1,646 2,208 Southern 308 744 1,052 122 562 308 512 1,646 744 634 2,208 1,052 Totals, 1908 992* 2,902 3,894* 992* 2,902 3,894* Totals, 1907 ... 1,143 2,767 3,910 1,143 2,767 3,910 *.The decline in the number of persons employed is confined to those employed above ground, and this is due to the completion of extensive surface works on the West Coast coalfields.

Country. Annual Ratio of Persons killed per 1,000 employed. Years. United Kingdom United States of America, and Canada Prussia (bituminous-coal mines) „ (brown-coal mines) Austria (bituminous-coal mines) ,, (brown-coalmines) 1-29 3-33 2-13 2-07 1-03 1-74 1-81 106 0-86 4-91 2-14 1-20 2-28 1-56 1897-1906 (ten years). 1898-1907 1897-1906 ft II if ft it n France ... Belgium India ... Natal ... ... ... ... New South Wales ... Queensland Victoria New Zealand 1898-1906 (nine"years). 1897-1906 (ten years). rr if >f i> 1899-1908 "„

Fatal Accidents. Non-fatal Accidents. Number of Separate Fatal Accidents. Number of Deaths. Number of Persons ,, , , „ iniured, including Number of Sena- tnose . • d b b rate Non-fatal Acciden J ts whio £ Accidents. prore(J Fatftl to their Companions. Explosions of firedamp Falls in mine Shaft accidents Miscellaneous —Underground... On surface ... 3 4 1 6 3 7 1 i 15 1 15 1 Totals 23 26 Lives lost per 1,000 persons employed, l - 28.