STATE COAL-MINES.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VI, Issue 1787, 5 November 1919, Page 3

STATE COAL-MINES.

DEPARTMENT'S REPORT. DECREASE IN OUTPUT. [From Our Own Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, November 4. The report on the working of the State Coal-mines for the year ended March 31, 1919, was laid on the table of the House of Representatives to-day. The report shows that at the Point Elizabeth colliery, the gross output for the year was 86,535 tons, a decrease of 31,546 tons from that of the previous year. The total output from this colliery since its inception amounts to 2,418,067 tons. During the year the colliery worked on 236| days, and the average daily output was 365 tons 12 cwt, a reduction of 170 tons per working day from that of the previous year. The difference between the time worked and the possible working time is accounted for as follows:—Pay Saturdays, 27; days of union holidays, 15; bad bar, or want of shipping, 3}, influenza epidemic 6, Pea<-e days 2, quarterly cavel 1, levy strike 6, stop-work through there being no medical officer 5, stop-work meetings 2; total time lost, 76J days. The gross total output of the Liverpool Colliery for the year was 128,384 tons, an increase of 187J tons over that of last year. The colliery worked on 206J days, and the average daily output "was 615 tons 15 cwt, a reduction of over 33 tons per day from last year. The net profit of the department for the year amounted to £30,607, made up as follows: —Point Elizabeth Colliery, £14,663; Liverpool Colliery, £20,140; : Seddonville Colliery (recovery), £647; sale of hulk, £1701; total, £37,151. From this amount are to. be deducted, losses at depots, £6451; highway robbery, £B9; Briquette Account £4. The net profit earned represented a return of 8.16 per cent, on the gross capital expenditure to date, and was equal to 10.47 per cent, on the total turnover for the year, which amounted to £292,238. In com-

pariaon with the figures for the previous year, there was an increase of 1.36 per cent, in the profit earned, and of 2.55 per cent., computed on the turnover. Bemarking on the loss on the working of the depots, the Sales- Manager says, "In my two previous annual reports, I directed special attention to this phase, and recommended that, in view of increased shipping freights, general working expenses, salaries, etc., the retail price of household coal should be increased, in order to enable the depots to show a reasonable margin of profit, but so far nothing has been done in this direction, as it was considered inadvisable to increase the price of coal to householders during the War.