STATE COALMINES.

Evening Post, Volume LXX, Issue 39, 15 August 1905, Page 5

STATE COALMINES.

THE BOARD OF ENQUIRY.

IMPORTANCE OF SCREENING TO

RAILWAYS.

The ' Board cf Enquiry set up by the Government to report upon matters connected with the Seddonville and Point Elizabeth State- coalmines began its sitting in Wellington in the Customs Building this morning. The Board consists of Messrs John Hayes (Inspecting Engineer to the Mines Department), James Coutts, E. R. Green (Inspectors of Mines), and J. H. Fox (Locomotive Engineer). Mr Haves is the chairman. '

,yes is me vim ,- - The Board was set up to make enquiry as to the suitableness of the coal from the State mines for railway, marine, and household purposes; why there'was not a greater demand for it ; why it was not being put upon the market; -whether the mine was paying, and if not, why not; reasons for certain enumerated technical thiegs in and about the mine; why the miners were compelled to separate the coal underground instead of it being screened ; to ascertain whether the mine was overburdened- by officialdom ; whether -there should be separate management of the Seddonville and Point Elizabeth State mines; whether the consulting engineer for the State coalmines was also managing director, or a director of the Taupiri or any other company; and whether the manager or agent for the sale of State coal was the owner or principal owner of the toWnship of Dunollie, adjoining the Point Elizabeth State coalmine. As a result of its enquiries the Board is expected to make such recommendations as it may deem desirable for increasing the sale and disposal of coal from the mine. A. L. Beattie, Chief Mechanical Engineer'of Government Railways, gave much information of a technical nature regarding the use of coal from the Point Elizabeth mine on the railway system, concerning which he had received reports from officers an practically all the districts in the colony in which Point Elizabeth coal had been used.. He was of opinion that Point Elizabeth coal was lighter than other West Coast coals, and the consumption of unscreened was onefourth more than screened Brunner. If they had screened Point Elizabeth and screened Brunner, the consumption of the State coal would be from 10 to 12 per '•enfc higher than of the Bruhner coal. The quality and size of the Point coal were not so good aa they were some six months ago. There was an undue proportion of slack, and therefore the cost per mile went up considerably. Mixed ooal from the two " State mines would .ndke a satisfactory fuel for locomotives. Point Elizabeth coal was not suitable for heavy work. If screened coal could be obtained at a fair price it would be satisfactory. (Screens are now being elected at the Point Elizabeth mine.) Wm. Scott, Eailway Kunning-shed Foreman, Wellington, said good result' had been obtained from the use of the better class of Port Elizabeth coal on the Wellington section. But the coal varied, and there was a great deal too much skek, or small coal, supplied, due to the coal being unscreened. Good results would come from the use of half and half proportions of coal from the two State mines— Port Elizabeth and Seddonville. The undue proportion of slack and its lighter nature made for a greatly increased consumption of Port Elizabeth coal on heavy work. This coal also had a destructive influence on s>moke-box doors, etc. He thought the quality of the State coal had fallen off during recent, months. In its unscreened btxite, 25 per cent, more Port Elizabeth was required than Brunner or Westport.

Several written reports were put in by Mr. Beattie.

SHORT SUPPLY AND SHORT HOURS.

Alex Macdougall, Managing Agent stationed in Wellington for sale and distiibution of the State coal, depoafcd that the demand greatly exceeded the supply. The Chairman : Then why is the mine not working full time? Witness did not know. Ho knew ths orders were always in excess of what he. got. In reply to a. further question, he though* that weather and shipping conditions might have interfered with the supply. The Chairman asked if witness thought that the screening should be done in Wellington or on the Coast.

Witness replied that unless the coal was screened better than the coal they saw yesterday, ifc would have, to be gcreened in Wellington as well as on the Coast. Screening here would not be necessary if the coal was screened as well an was Westport coal. He believed the latter was double-screened.

The Chairman pointed out the bad effects of the sea-transit and subsequent handling, even if coal had been well screened. Witness Raid the Union Company had

not gone back in its agreement to take bunker coal from the State, with which ifc has a carrying contract. The company had refused to take some of the coal as not suitable, but had never refused to take any at all. The best State coal went to the railways. Port Elizabeth coal was good, but so far had not been screened, and it was necessary that coal for household purposes should be screened. Port Elizabeth contained 50 per cent, of slack, and should certainly bo screened. The' supplying of household coal ex ship was a make-shift. All household coal should be bagged. The Department had refused to supply State coal to agents of other coal companies, for fear it shouia bo mixed with other coal to improve the sale of the other coal. Mr. Green: Mixed with inferior coal?

Witness could not say-inforior, but knew the State coal was used for mixing purposes. Many dealers who bought State coal never had ifc for sale. Witness was frightened of State coal being mixed in order to sell coal tbat was inferior for household, but not for other purposes. He had refused to supply State coal to the agent for the sale of Brunner coal. The latter- was not a household" coal, but might be made one by mixing it with the State coal. If the coal was all brought to Wellington unscreened, the amount of smdl coal and slack thus brought in i would b.e too gieat to be all absorbed by the Wellington market, A,t tho sometime, lie admitted that screened coal did not carry as well as unscreened coal. Itwould cost about 3s 6d a ton to cart- the coal fromgthe ship to a yard and bag it. To bag ol the mine would not do; it would probably double the freight. Mr. Fox doubted if carried in the baggod state would double the freight. Witness had recommended the establishment of depots in Wellington for a start, and afterwards perhaps at other places. Ho left it open whether the State should do its own delivsry from the depots, or have a contract with a carting firm.

To Mr. Green : Witness had been unable to sell so much coal as he could because it was -not forthcoming. Mr. Bishop, Mines Manager on the Coast, had told him that the mine 3 could supply 3500 tons a week. About three months ago Mr. Bishop told witness the coal was thinning, and the r.iine could only turn out 2750 tons a week. Witness had to decrease his' sales accordingly. The orders he had sent over to the Coast were not punctually attended to, and it was no good him pushing the sales when the orders he sent were not completed. The Railway Department's orders were also not supplied punctually, and the Department had been compelled to buy coal outside. To the Chairman : Witness did not know till now that the Seddonville mine had been working a day a week short from June, 1904 to March, 1905, and 34 days a- fortnight short since.

The .Chairman pointed out that thinning coal and orders that could not be met were not consistent with this reduction of hands. WELLINGTON AND GREYMOUTH OFFICES.

Witness was sure that at the time the Greymouth office had more orders than it could supply. The orders were held on to, and eventually supplied. Besides the weather, a possible insufficiency of hoppers and other facilities on the Coast (of which Mr. Bishop had complained) might have interfered with the supplying of the orders. Consumers had complained of the slack in the coal. He had all along been pressing on Mr. Bishop to screen, in order to remove the slack. (There is no screening at Port Elizabeth, and it has only lately been started at Seddonville.)

Witness objected to Mr. Green's method of examination as discourteous.

Mr. Green disclaimed any discourtesy, He had not created the situation.

Witness : Neither have I. Witness stated that he acted on authority when he refused to sell to agents of collieries, which did not include dealers. He did not say that the. agents would mix coal inferior for household purposes with other coal, and sell it as State coal ; but the objection was to State coal being sold mixed with inferior coal, whether sold as State coal or not. Mr. Green : Is the mine (Port Elizabeth) a financial success? Witness : It ought to be. Mr. Green : Is it ? Witness could not say. It ought to be, as the prices received were good paying prices. (Left sitting.)