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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 71

7. Total Consumption, Output, Imports and Exports, Etc

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7. Total Consumption, Output, Imports and Exports, Etc.

With only one very small exception, the total consumption of coal has gone on from year to year steadily increasing, as will be seen on reference to the following table and to Fig. 5, Plate III.:—
Table of Total Consumption of Coal, New Zealand.
Year Quantity in Tons. Increase Decrease Percentage increase. Percentage Decrease
1877 294,980 — — — —
1878 332,445 37,465 — 12.7 —
1879 582,099 49,654 — 14.09 —
1880 416,200 34,101 — 8.4 —
1881 460,598 44,398 — 10.6 —
1882 503,609 43,011 — 8.5 —
1883 538,132 34,523 — 6.41 —
1884 822,921 84,789 — 15.7 —
1885 638,894 15,973 — 2.56 —
1886 651,364 12,470 — 1.95 —
1887 652,899 1,535 — 0.20 —
1888 687,558 34,659 — 5.30 —
1889 675,218 — 12,340 — 1.79
1890 714,932 39,714 — 5.88 —
1891 765,019 50,087 — 6.54 —

The total output (Fig. 5, Plate III.) also shows a steady increase, except in the year 1889.

page 100
Table of Coal Outputs, New Zealand.
Year. Quantity in Tons. Increase Decrease. Percentage Increase. Percentage Decrease.
1877 138,984 — — — —
1878 162,218 23,234 — 16.71 —
879 231,218* 69,000 — 42.5 —
1880 299,923 68,705 — 29.7 —
1881 337,262 37,339 — 12.4 —
1882 378,272 41,010 — 10.8 —
1883 421,764 43,492 — 10.5 —
1884 480,83l 59,067 — 14.0 —
1885 511,063 30,232 — 6.3 —
1886 534,353 23,290 — 4.5 —
1837 658,620 24,267 — 4.5 —
1888 613,895 55,275 — 9.9 —
1689 586,445 — 27,450 — 4.4
1890 637,397 50,952 — 8.7 —
1891 668,794 31,397 — 4.6 —
Imports.—The imports of coal into New Zealand will probahly never entirely cease, for though the native coal is plentiful and good, New South Wales fuel will always command a market. This arises mainly from the fact that the latter colony is a very large customer for New Zealand farm produce, and the vessels, rather than come back empty, bring coal as a return freight. The following table and Fig. 6. Plate III., show the history and position of the trade:—
Table of Imports of Coal into New Zealand.
Year. Quantity in Tons Increase. Decrease. Percentage Increase. Percentage Decrease.
1877 155,996 — — — —
1878 174,148 18,152 — 11.6 11.6 —
1879 158,076 — 16,072 — 9.2
1880 123.298 — 34,778 — 22.0
1881 129,962 6,664 — 5.12 —
1882 129,582 380 — 0.2
1883 123,540 — 6,042 — 4.66
1884 148,444 24,904 — 20.1 —
1885 130,202 — 18,242 — 12.28
1886 119,873 — 10,329 — 7.93
1887 107,230 — 12,643 — 10.55
1888 101,341 — 5,889 — 5.49
1889 128,063 26,722 — 26.37 —
--1890 110,939 17,124 — 13.37
1891 125,318 14,379† — 12.96 —

* The abnormal increase of the year 1879 over that preceding is due to the fact that a large number of coal-mines which had not previously received official notice were at that time, owing to the enforcement of legislation relating to mining, added to the list. By this means the number on the record was raised from 30 to 90.

† This increase was caused to some extent by the strikes in New Zealand, which caused foreign coal to be poured in. For instance, one line of steamers imported 4,621 tons from Europe.

page 101
Return Showing the Quantity and Value of Coal Imported in New Zealand During the Year Ending December 31st, 1891.
Countries whence Imported Quantity in Tons. Value. £
United Kingom 962 1030
Victoriya 1,246 1,304
New South Wales 120,775 116,320
Queensland 2,335 1,768
Total 125,318 £120,422

Exports.—In considering the exports of coal from the colony, is necessary to distinguish between that which is actually exported of a foreign country there to be consumed, and that which is put on bird the direct steamere to be burned on the voyage. In Table A, this quantity is counted, where obtainable, as consumed within the colay; and in table B, it is treated as export. (See Fig, 6, Plate III.)

Table A. Exports of Coal from New Zealand (Counting Direct Steamer Consumption as Consumed in the Colony).
Year. Quantity in Tons. Increase. Decrease. Percentage Increase Percentage Decrease.
1878 3,921 — — — —
1879 7,195 3,274 — 83.5 —
1880 7,021 — 174 — 2.4
1881 6,626 — 395 — 5.6
1882 4,245 — 2,381 — 35.9
1883 7,172 2,927 — 68.9 —
1834 6,354 — 818 — 11.4
1885 2,371 — 3,983 — 62.6
1886 * — — — —
1887 12,951 — — — —
1888 23,783 10,832 — 83.6 —
1889 39,290 15,507 — 65.2 —
1890 33,404 5,886 — — 14.9
1891 29,093 4,311 — — 12.9

* The figures for 1886 are not obtainable. This has destroyed the continity of the table.

page 102
Table B.—Exports of Coal from New Zealand from 1884, With the Direct Steadier Consumption Treated as Export.
Year. Quantity in Tons. Increase. Decrease. Percentage Increase. Percentage Decrease.
1884 6,354 — — — —
1885 45,493 39,139 — — —
1886 47,037 1,544 — 3.39 —
1887 44,129 — 2,908 — 6.18
1888 68,087 23,958 — 54.29 —
1889 82,670 14,583 — 21.4 —
1890 76,388 — 6,282 — 7.6
1891 99,464 23,076 — 30.2 —
The following table gives details of the countries to which the above amounts for 1891 were sent:—
Return Showing the Quantity and Value of Coal Exports from New Zealand During the Year Ending December 31st, 1891.
Countries to which Exported. Quantity in Tons. Value.
United Kingdom* 70,371 £ 78,050
Victoria 157 102
New South Wales 8,952 8,2269
Queensland 70 81
South Australia 7,701 3,360
Western Australia 89 45
Tasmania 19 22
Norfolk Island 74 80
Fiji Islands 3,421 2,602
U.S. America (East Coast) 2 2
Chili 407 509
South Sea Islands 8,201 7,536
Total 99,464 £100,658

Of this, 2,968 tons, valued at £3,348, was foreign coal, the rest was New Zealand produce.

Table of Proportion of Imported Coal to Total Consumption, New Zealand. (See Fig. 7, Plate III.)
Percentage of Imported Coal to Total Consumption.
1878 52.3
1879 41.4
1880 29.6
1881 28.21
1882 25.7
1883 22.9
1884 23.8
1885 20.3
1886 18.4
1887 16.4
1888 14.7
1889 18.9
1890 15.5
1891 16.37

* For direct steamers.

page 103
The following tables, and Fig. 5, Plate III., show the output of oal percentage increase or decrease per annum for each island:—
Output of Coal, North Island, New Zealand.
Year. Output in Tons. Increase. Decrease. Percentage Increase. Percentage Decrease.
1878 58,900 — — — —
1879 75,070 16,170 — 27.4 —
1880 96,345 21,275 — 28.3 —
1881 90,734 — 5,611 — 6.18
1882 96,151 5,41 7 — 5.9 —
1883 92,762 — 3,389 — 3.5
1884 103,903 11,241 — 10.81 —
1885 111,734 7,831 — 7.53 —
1886 104,794 — 6,940 — 6.2
1887 98,710 — 6,084 — 5.8
1888 108,538 0,828 — 9.9 —
1889 94,255 — 14,283 — 13.16
1890 115,917 21,662 — 22.9 —
1891 104,064 — 11,853 — 10.2
Output of Coal, South Island, New Zealand.
Year. Output in Tons. Increase. Decrease. Percentage Increase. Percentage Decrease.
1878 103,318 — — — —
1879 156,148 52,830 — 51.1 —
1880 203,248 47,100 — 30.1 —
1881 246,529 43,281 — 21.2 —
1882 282,121 35,592 — 14.4 —
1883 329,002 46,881 — 13.07 —
1848 376,828 48,826 — 14.8 —
1885 399,329 22,452 — 5.9 —
1886 429,559 30,230 — 7.57 —
1887 459,910 30,351 — 7.06 —
1888 505,357 45,447 — 9.87 —
1889 492,190 — 13,167 — 2.6
1890 521,480 29,290 — 5.9 —
1891 564,730 43,250 — 8.29 —
page 104
The following table indicates more clearly how the ratio of increase in the South Island exceeds that in the North:—
Table Showing Percentage of Total Output of Coal Contributed by the North Island, New Zealand.
Percentage Contributed by North Island.
1878 36.3
1879 32.46
1880 23.1
1881 26.9
1882 25.4
1883 17.2
1884 21.6
1885 21.8
1886 21.8
1887 17.67
1888 17.6
1889 16.07
1890 18.18
1891 15.5
The following table gives some details of the outputs of the various districts for the years 1890 and 1891, and the approximate total output since records have been kept:—
Table Showing the Output of Coal from the Various Mining Districts, and the Increase or Decrease for the Years 1890 and 1891, Together with the Total Approximate Quantity of Coals Produced.
District. Outputs Increase. Decrease. Approximate Total Output to Dec. 31st, 1891.
1890 1891.
Kawakawa 30,367 28,254 — 2,113 769,246
Whangarei 19,633 16,228 — 3,405 265,860
Waikato 64,729 55,869 — 8,860 596.529
Mokau 1,188 3,713 2,525 — 4,901
Pelorus (Piction) — — — — 711
West Wanganui and Collingwood 4,092 3.328 — 764 40.114
West port 170,406 206,184 35,778 — 1,191,867
Reefton 6,010 4,556 — 1,454 47,740
Greymouth 118,847 145,351 26,504 — 1,522,030
Malven 15,083 14,775 — 308 274,328
Timaru 1,430 1,488 58 — 5,442
Otago 176,428 164,870 — 11,558 2,218,982
Southland 29,184 24,178 — 5,006 194,236
Totals 637,397 668,794 64,865 33,468 7,131,986
Net inncrease, 31,397
page 105

The following table classifies the different varieties of coal:—

Table Showing the Different Classes of Coal from the Mikes in New Zealand.
Name of Coal. Output of coal. Increase. Decrease. Approximate Total Output to Dec. 31st. 1891
1890. 1891.
Bituminous 323,712 387,839 64,127 — 3,531,749
Pitch 124,593 96,979 — 27,614 1,112,965
Brown 171,725 161,904 — 9,821 2,276,364
Lignite 17,367 22,072 4,705 — 211,908
Totals 637,397 668,794 68,832 37,135 7,131,986
Net increase, 31,397
The following table gives an indication of the relative number of men employed and average output per man in the different sized mines. It supports what the writer has mentioned relative to the inconstant employment and consequent small output of the very small pits:—
Table showing the Number of Coal-Mines in Operation, the Number of Men Employed, and the Output of Coal per Man.
Number of Mines Working Number of Miners Employed in Each Mine. Total Number of Men Employed. Output of Coal During 1891. Average Output per Man.
Tons. Tons.
96 1 to 4 men in each 196 49,416 252
15 5 to 10 men in each 107 30,587 285
6 11 to 20 men in each 95 22,141 233
16 21 men and upwards 1,295 566,650 437
133 Totals 1,693 668,794 395

The discrepancy between the number of mines given above and that given in the table on page 90 has been already explained.

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