C—2b

Session 11. 1921. NEW ZEALAND.

COAL-CONTROL DEPARTMENT. REPORT BY MINISTER IN CHARGE.

Laid before both Houses of the General Assembly by Leave.

REPORT. In presenting a brief review of the operations of the Coal-control Department for the financial year ended 31st March, 1921, it is satisfactory to be able to state at the outset that industries and public services are in a very much better position regarding supplies of coal than was the case for the corresponding period last year. The outputs of the Dominion mines for the year totalled 1,843,705 tons, as compared with 1,847,848 tons for 1919—a decrease of 4,143 tons. On the other hand, importations exceeded the quantity imported for the corresponding period last year by 191,583 tons —the figures being 455,494 and 647,077 tons respectively. The improvement recorded in this connection is reflected in the position of stocks held by our main services and industries, and illustrates the extent to which the Dominion is dependent on outside sources for supplies of hard coal to maintain operations and for building up reserves to meet possible contingencies. Taking the combined outputs and importations for 1920, it is found that the total coal available from all sources amounted to 2,490,782 tons, as against 2,303,342 tons for last year—an increase of 187,440 tons. As it is of interest to note the fluctuations that have taken place in the production and importations of coal during reoent years, the following table, covering the period 1914 to 1920, inclusive, has been prepared : —

To better illustrate the position, especially in respect to hard coal, a further table is submitted, which shows the output of the New Zealand mines under three classified headings—namely, bituminous and semi-bituminous, brown, and lignite : —

Comparative Statement showing Outputs of New Zealand Mines and Importations from 1914 to 1920 inclusive.

Year. New Zealand Outputs. Importations. Totals. 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 Tons. 2,275,593 2,208,624 2,257,135 2,068,419 2,034,250 1,817,848 1,843,705 Tons. 518,070 353,471 293,956 291,597 255,332 455,494 617,077 Tons. 2,793,663 2,562,095 2,551,091 2,360,016 2,289,582 2,303,342 2,490,782

Year. Bituminous and Semibituminous. Brown. Lignite. Totals for New Zealand Mines. Importations. Grand Totals. 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 (1) Tons. 1,494,313 1,404,400 1,422,074 1.247,989 1,122,308 961,107 923,575 (2) Tons. 691,367 725,001 653,898 629,174 705,773 684,331 715,709 (3) Tons. 89,913 79,223 181,163 191,256 206,169 202,410 204,421 (4) Tons. 2,275,593 2,208,624 2,257,135 2,068,419 2,034,250 1,847,818 1,843,705 (5) (6) Tons. Tons. 518,070 2,793,663 353,471 2,562,095 293,956 2,551,091 291,597 2,360,016 255,332 2,289,582 455,494 2,303,342 647,077 2,490,782 Total for seven years 8,575,766 4,805,253 1,154,555 14,535,574 2,814,997 17,350,571