c.—2.

From the West Coast coal-mines the output was 60,625 tons less than during 1932, and from those in the Southern District the output increased by 20,404 tons. Many men had to be dismissed in West Coast and Southland mines, and the work concentrated in sections where the best and cheapest coal could be won. In all districts the steadily decreasing demand for coal could be supplied from a much smaller number of mines than are being operated. Competition is very keen and many of the small West Coast mines had to be closed. Most of the others were worked "for about half-time only. The coal trade of New Zealand is, of course, not unique in finding itself with an excessive productive capacity. Sir Ernest A. Gowers, Chairman of the British Coal-mines Reorganization Commission in a recent speech said, — " There was no room for doubt that the long era of easy expansion of the coal industry was over. There was no prospect that even in the best of times markets could be found for anything like the total possible production. " On every side attempts were made to supersede laissez-faire with what was, at first, called rationalization, and then planning. The common feature of these schemes was that they moved away from unrestricted competition to co-operation. " They were of two main types. One was the amalgamating type and the other the federating type. " In respect to the coal-mining industry what was the proper form of organization ? " During the past year a compressed-air-driven coal-cutter, weighing only 16 cwt., was introduced into one of the larger of the Southern mines, and the use of coal-cutters is extending in the Waikato field. 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.

7—C. 2.

47

Total , T , „ Ontnnt fnr Total Output to Number of Name of Colliery. Locality. Class of Coal. iqqq 31st December. Persons 1933. ordinarily employed. Northern District. Tons. Tons. Hikurangi .. .. .. Hikurangi .. Sub-bituminous 43,166 544,966 143 Rotowaro .. .. .. Huntly .. Brown .. 94,858 1,819,129 179 Pukemiro .. .. .. „ .. „ .. 69,370 2,132,051 138 Wilton .. .. .. .. Glen Massey .. ,, .. 97,100 221,226 246 Glen Afton .. .. Glen Afton .. „ .. 44,315 1,474,992 93 MacDonald .. .. .. Waikokowai .. „ .. 77,936 269,563 119 Renown .. .. .. „ .. „ .. 109,129 432,520 169 Egmont.. .. .. .. Tangarakau .. „ .. 15,056 79,319 31 West Coast District. Westport-Stockton .. .. Ngakawau .. Bituminous .. 104,909 3,112,227 283 Millerton .. .. .. Millerton .. „ .. 31,140 8,238,400 74 Denniston .. .. Denniston .. „ .. 116,739 10,330,055 386 Cardiff Bridge .. .. .. Seddonville .. „ .. 17,665 249,964 15 Paparoa .. .. Roa .. Semi-bituminous 27,319 737,492 37 Blackball .. .. .. Blackball .. Bituminous .. 35,980 3,987,500 81 Blackball Creek .. .. .. „ .. ,, .. 19,154 44,257 42 Liverpool (State) .. .. Rewanui .. „ .. 94,780 2,478,413 328 James (State) .. .. .. Rapahoe .. Sub-bituminous 32,910 371,907 74 Dobson .. .. .. Dobson .. Bituminous .. 57,999 633,706 170 Wallsend .. .. .. Brunnerton .. „ .. 50,905 474,652 131 Southern District. Kaitangata (2 collieries) .. .. Kaitangata .. Brown .. 111,186 5,103,584 287 Linton (2 collieries) .. .. Ohai " .. „ .. 54,187 928,555 109 Black Lion .. .. „ .. „ .. 20,918 104,938 30 Mossbank (2 collieries) .. „ .. „ .. 29,208 417,998 65 Birchwood No. 2 .. .. „ .. „ .. 24,200 132,366 55 192 other collieries .. .. All coalfields .. Various .. 441,129 10,228,013 1,101 Collieries abandoned or suspended, &c. Various .. „ .. .. 25,114 034 Totals .. .. ..J .. .. 1,821,258 79,661,827 4,386

Average Number of Persons employed during 1933. Inspection District. — ! — Above Ground. Below Ground. TotaL Southern .. .. .. .. j 282 667 949 West Coast .. .. .. .. j 571 1,493 2,064 Northern .. .. .. .. 339 1,034 1,373 Totals, 1933 .. .. 1,192 3,194 4,386 Totals, 1932 .. .. 1,257 3,379 4,636 I . I