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6. What was allowed you for the water?—No charge was made before the Conciliation Board's award. I heard that one man was paid by yardage, and believe he made good wages. It was all in yardage, at so much per foot. George Kerr, Mine-manager, examined. 1. The Chairman.] You are manager of the Hikurangi Collieries Company's mine ?—Yes. 2. How long have you been manager ?—Four years.' 3. The mine has been opened how long ?—About three years and a half. 4. Did you open it ?—Yes. 5. About what quantity of coal have you taken out of the mine ?—Getting on to 60,000 tons, I think. 6. Will you make a statement as to the position of the mine at the present time ?—The position at present is that in three months' time this block will be closed. 7. The company have how many acres?—l66 acres in two blocks, of which 40 or 50 are coalbearing. We have twelve men working. The whole property at present is for sale. We have a lease from the Government of 160 acres. It is quite impossible to say what is likely to be done with this lease. The company has expended about £2,000, which constitutes its whole capital. We have paid about £12,000 in wages and nothing in dividends. There is no reserve. 8. Can you tell me anything as to other coal-bearing areas in this neighbourhood outside the Hikurangi Coal Company's property?- There is Walton's freehold of 196 acres, which was worked some years ago during the maritime strike. There were some 3,000 or 4,000 tons taken out. 9. What do your own men earn per week on an average ?—About £2. It depends upon how much broken time they have. 10. How much are they making at the present time about ?—They make from 10s. to 12s. for a day's work. 11. Are the relations between the company and the men of an amicable and satisfactory character ?—Yes. 12. Mr. Lomas.] Have you inspected this other seam of 160 acres?— The company has put in a few bores. 13. Do you know anything about its quality ?—lt is just about the same as ours. 14. Mr. Proud.] You have apparently no system or principle of working ?—Yes, the pillar and bord. You could not work it in any other way. 15. You do not project your workings in any way ?—No. 16. Mr. Lomas.] Do you find the seam broken very much ?—Sometimes cut out altogether. 17. Does clay come between the seams?—lt comes right down on to the floor. 18. Mr. Proud.] If you could have sold the fireclay it would have been of assistance to the mine ?—Yes. 19. What about the ventilation ? —The mine is thoroughly ventilated naturally. 20. Do you lose any coal in working ?—About 2 ft. is left iv the roof on account of so little cover.

WHANGAREI. Tuesday, 18th December, 1900. Thomas Pearson Moody examined. 1. The Chairman.] You are a mining engineer, I understand ?—A civil and mining engineer and a geologist. 2. Of how many years' experience?— Actively connected with the management of mines upwards of forty years—thirty-seven years' experience in Australasia as a mine manager, three years in South Wales as underviewer. 3. You are now working manager for the Hikurangi Coal Company?— Yes. 4. And you have filled that position for how long?— About seven years. 5. You opened the mine, I believe ?—Yes ; I was the pioneer of the Hikurangi Coalfields. 6. You might make a short statement as to the character of the mine, the ventilation, the manner of working, and so on ?—The system of mining is by pillar and stall, or bord and pillar. The mine is entered by means of an incline plane on a grade of lin 12. The ventilation is by natural means—we have no artificial ventilation—and it is thoroughly good and up to the requirements as prescribed by law. The seam of coal varies from 6 ft. to 16 ft. thick, without any bands. 7. The property stands on both sides of the railway-line ?—Yes. We work north, south, east, and west. We work east and west of the railway and north and south of the Hikurangi Township. We have coal under the railway, but are not working that. 8. How do you propose to work the ground north-west of the railway?—By means of shaft openings. 9. Are you not afraid of water?— Yes ;we shall have to pump. The dip is in that direction. 10. What proportion of the coal within your boundaries on the south side of the railway do you suppose you have worked ?—About one-tenth. 11. Will you take out the remaining nine-tenths before you begin on the north-western side? —Yes ;we shall take out about 75 per cent, of the remainder. In the solid coal we have taken out one-third. We shall take out 75 per cent, of the two-thirds left. 12. What depth can you work the seam ?—Our seam varies from 6 ft. to 16 ft. We are now taking out an average of 9 ft. We have to leave from 2 ft. to 2 ft. 6 in. of coal to support the roof, the roof being soft. Portion of that coal under the roof may be taken out when the pillars are being extracted, but I very much doubt whether we shall. In pillar workings we may take out 75 per cent.