15

a—3a

Coalbrookdale Mine, Denniston. —(24/8/08) : John Walker, miner, sustained broken rib and injury to the lower section of back by fall of roof-coal while preparing to set prop. Seddonville Colliery. —(28/8/08) : Guy Fleming, while repairing rope-road, sustained severe crushing of right hand, three fingers being amputated, through having it carried round curve wheel while the rope was in motion.

Summary of Fatal and Non-fatal Accidents classified, and Cause.

General Remarks. As affecting the industrial interests dependent on the Grey Valley Coalfield, the more important features were the prolonged strike at Blackball and the flooding of the Tyneside Mine. With the increase of output produced from the Brunner and Point Elizabeth (State) Collieries, the shipments from the Port of Greymouth only show a decrease of 3,731 tons as compared with the previous year. Whilst quoting the returns from the Buller Coalfield, the Westport Coal Company shipped from the Port of Westport 613,218 tons, from Seddonville State Mine 55,231 tons, and from Westport-Stockton 3,267 tons. Thus an increase of 25,521 tons is shown in favour of Westport as against the previous year. Mechanical ventilation is now installed. Included in the latest installations are a motordriven improved Waddle fan at Westport-Stockton and a steam-driven Sirocco at the Seddonville State Colliery ; whilst on the Paparoa coal lease and the Mangatini section of the Millerton Colliery two other Siroccos, with respective capacities of 110,000 cub. ft. and 150,000 cub. ft. per minute, are in course of erection. The Paparoa fan will be steam-driven, and that at Mangatini motor-driven. Persons employed. The total number of persons employed in. and about mines under the Coal-mines Act was 2,044, a decrease of 114 on the previous year. Of these, 1,523 were employed below ground, and 521 above ground. Omitting number of persons employed in the development of new leases, the coal raised per person actually employed below ground was 724-339 tons, and per person employed above and below ground, 536-128 tons. ' Accidents. The death-rates from accidents per 1,000 persons employed during the year were — (a) .below ground, 1-313 ; and (b) above ground, 1-919. Per 1,000,000 tons raised, the death-rate was 2-823, as against 4-752 in 1907 and 2-007 in 1906. Foreign Trade. Westport Coal Company. —The total tonnage shipped directly from Westport to ports outside the Dominion during the year 1908 was 42,958 tons, this being an increase of 4,511 tons as compared with 38,447 tons for the year 1907, and in comparison with the year 1906 an increase of 9,713 tons. I have, &c, , R. Tennent, Inspector of Mines.

Mr. E. R. Green, Inspector of Mines, Dunedin, to the Under-Secretary, Mines Department, Wellington. Sir, — Office of Inspector of Mines, Dunedin, 23rd March, 1909. In accordance with the requirements of section 78 pf " The Coal-mines Act, 1908 " I have the honour to submit the following report on coal-mines in the Southern Mining District for the year ending 31st December, 1908. Canterbury. Springfield Colliery, Springfield (Christchurch Brick Company, owners ; T. N. Horsley, secretary ; James Taylor, permit, mine-manager).—(B/12/08) : After standing idle for some months, a start has

Fatal Accidents. Non-fatal ecidents. Number of Separate Fatal Accidents. Number of Deaths. Number of Separate Non-fatal Accidents. Number of Persons injured. Explosions of firedamp Falls in mine Shaft accidents Miscellaneous— Underground On surface 2 2 "i "5 1 1 "l i 3