0.-2

40

Since 1916 the annual output of coal has declined from 2,257,135 tons to 1,843,705 tons during 1920, but there is evidence that such decline will be arrested during the current year. During 1920 no new colliery of importance attained the output stage. The James and Mac Donald proposed State collieries, situated respectively near Greymouth and Httntly, are being developed, and surface buildings, tramways, and equipment are being installed. Production of coal from the Point Elizabeth State Colliery ceased, owing to its exhaustion, with a total output of 2,401,610 tons. An area of about 250 acres was worked on the bord-and-pillar system, the proportion of extraction being about 77 per cent., which probably is the highest yet at.ta.ined in the Dominion, and compares favourably with the. proportion of extraction at. the Brunner Colliery, the only other considerable colliery worked out on the Grey coalfield ; in that ease the proportion was 32-6 per cent, over an area of 450 acres. The production from and the. number of persons employed at the collieries of the Dominion are shown in the following table : —

SECTION II.—PERSONS EMPLOYED.

The increase in the number of persons employed, although, small, is satisfactory, and there is evidence that it will continue. There has, however, been a decrease of output per person employed

Name of Colliery. Locality. Class of Coal. Output for 1920. Total Total Output Number to 31st De- „ ot oember, 1920. P . e . ra0 »? ordinarily employed. Northern District. Tons. 68,098 Tons. 1,311,226 109 Hikurangi Hikurangi... S emi-bitu-minous Taupiri Extended Eotowaro Pukemiro Waipa ... Huntly ... Eotowaro... Pukemiro... Glen Massey Brown a ... „ ... 139,386 81,188 90,140 59,696 2,697,143 881 188,452 137 475,825 187 502,648 106 West Coast District. 212,212 127,091 131,265 4,902 Westport (2 collieries) Wostport- Stockton (Point Elizabeth... State (2 collieries) j (Liverpool Blackball Millerton ... i Denniston Mangatini Dunollie ... Bewanui ... Blackball ... Bituminous a a Semi-bitu-minous Bituminous ,/ 5,922,363 330 8,056,075 302 1,618,002 248 2,401,610 43 142,519 101,429 849,713 341 2,905,084 288 Southern District. Kaitangata and Castle Hill (3 collieries) Taratu ... Nightcaps Kaitangata Near Kaitangata Nightcaps... Brown Lignite Brown 96,091 46,870 3,832,121 306 441,274 99 37,669 1,393,900 90 130 other New Zealand collieries All coalfields Various ... 505,149 19,288,957 1,161 Totals 1,843,705 51,884,393 4,078

Average N imber of Persons employed during 1920. Inspection District. Above Ground. Below Ground. Tots Total. lorthern Vest Coast ioutherri 273 519 360 717 1,375 834 990 1,894 1,194 Totals, 1920 1,152 1,152 2,926 4,078 Totals, 1919 1,095 1,095 2,849 3,944