C.—2.

APPENDIX B.

REPORTS RELATING TO THE INSPECTION OF COAL-MINES.

The Inspecting Engineer and Chief Inspector of Coal-mines to the Under-Secretary op Mines. Sir, — Wellington, 21st June, 1937. I have the honour to present my annual report, together with statistical information, in regard to coal-mines of the Dominion for the year ended 31st December, 1936, in accordance with section 42 of the Coal-mines Act, 1925. The report is divided into the following sections : — I. Output. 11. Persons employed. 111. Accidents. IY. Working of the Coal-mines Act —(a) Permitted Explosives ; (b) List of Mines at which Permitted Explosives are used ; (c) List of Mines required by Law to use Safetylamps ; (d) Dangerous Occurrences ; (e) Electricity at Collieries ; (/) Prosecutions. V. Legislation affecting Coal-mining. Annexures — A. Summary of Annual Reports by Inspectors of Mines. B. Colliery Statistics.

SECTION I.—OUTPUT. The output of the several classes of coal mined in each inspection district is summarized as follows :—•

The following is a table showing the annual production of coal and the quantity of coal imported since 1911 : —

59

Output of Coal during 1936. Total Output Class of Coal. to the Northern District West Coast District Southern District T f i End (North Island). (South Island). (South Island). lotals. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Bituminous and sub-bituminous 62,094 796,763 .. 858,857 49,836,586 Brown .. .. .. 733,743 46,500 369,828 1,150,071 30,992,459 Lignite .. .. .. .. 1,307 129,982 131,289 5,148,498 Totals for 1936 .. 795,837 844,570 499,810 2,140,217 85,977,543 Totals for 1935 .. 837,620 803,653 473,911 2,115,184 83,837,326

Total Quantity of Total Quantity of Year. Coal produced. Coal imported. Coal produced and Year. Coal produced. Coal imported. Coal produced and imported. imported. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. 1911 .. 2,066,073 188,068 2,254,141 1924 .. I 2,083,207 674,483 2,757,690 1912 .. 2,177,615 364,359 2,541,974 1925 .. I 2,114,995 572,573 2,687,568 1913 .. 1,888,005 468,940 2,356,945 1926 .. ! 2,239,999 483,918 2,723,917 1914 .. 2,275,614* 518,070 2,793,684* 1927 ., ! 2,366,740 j 378,090 2,744,830 1915 .. 2,208,624 353,471 2,562,095 1928 .. | 2,436,753 247,881 ' 2,684,614 1916 .. 2,257,135 293,956 2,551,091 1929 .. j 2,535,864 215,656 2,751,520 1917 .. 2,068,419 291,597 2,360,016 1930 .. ! 2,542,092 157,943 2,700,035 1918 .. 2,034,250 255,332 2,289,582 1931 .. i 2,157,756 179,060 2,336,816 1919 .. i 1,847,848 391,434 2,239,282 1932 .. j 1,842,022 103,531 1,945 553 1920 .. J 1,843,705 476,343 I 2,320,048 1933 .. 1,821,258 99,272 1920 530 1921 .. I 1,809,095 822,459 i 2,631,554 1934 .. 2,060,315 100,715 2,161,030 1922 .. ! 1,857,819 501,478 2,359,297 1935 .. | 2,115,184 97,398 ! 2,212,582 1923 .. 1,969,834 445,792 2,415,626 1936 .. j 2,140,217 111,078 2,251,295 ♦ Includes 21 tons shale.