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The following table shows the total sales of State Coal from the State mines as compared with the previous year, and the average f.o.r. price realized by each mine, exclusive of subsidy :-

* Increase, 58,850. The sales of coal, &c., through the medium of the depots totalled 290,036 tons, value £499,010, as against 263,800 tons, value £441,337 for the previous year. HOUSING The employment of more labour in the coalfields of the Dominion has been rendered difficult by the lack of housing accommodation in the mining townships. In the State coal-mines vigorous steps have been taken to overcome this difficulty, and since the outbreak of war 186 houses have been built, at a cost of £177,788. In addition, 55 houses have been erected in the Waikato since the collieries were placed under control in October, 1942, and contracts for the erection of a further 30 have been let. Altogether 370 homes, at a cost of £270,000, have been erected in mining townships since the present Government came into office, and of this sum £245,000 has been spent at State or State-controlled mines. Last year the Government approved of a plan whereby special advances could be made by the Mines Department to the proprietors of privately-owned collieries to assist with home building. The obligation on colliery owners to provide adequate housing accommodation for their workmen is a statutory one (section 151 of the Coal-mines Act, 1925), and in view of the financial assistance which has been made available, there is no excuse for failure to build homes where necessary as speedily as possible under existing conditions. CO-OPERATIVE MINING, STATE COAL RESERVE Eighteen co-operative parties working portions of the State Coal Reserve near Greymouth produced during the year 1942, 87,591 tons, the number of men employed being 139. During the previous year nineteen parties produced 85,333 tons. Up to the end of 1942 co-operative parties have produced a grand total of 1,713,194 tons of coal and have in the same period paid royalties to the State amounting to £82,636. RESCUE-STATIONS During the year the Rotowaro Rescue-station commenced training classes, and this station is now in full swing. Delay in the shipment of rescue equipment from overseas held up the opening of the Ohai Station, but it is satisfactory to know that sufficient equipment has now arrived to enable training classes to commence in this area. All three stations,.Dobson, Rotowaro, and Ohai, will be fully effective before the end of 1943, and although it is to be hoped that no serious call will ever be made on the stations, it is good to know that the latest equipment and well-trained crews are at hand for rescue work. SOCIAL AMENITIES The Government's policy of improving social amenities and living-conditions in the mining townships has been fully implemented, as illustrated by the following amenities which have been brought into being since 1935 : Eight swimming-bath's ; seven public halls ; eleven sports areas ; eleven bowlinggreens ; fifteen tenuis clubs ; twelve libraries ; 6 croquet-greens. Since the outbreak of war a definite limitation on the carrying into effect of this policy has been inevitable on account of the difficulties associated with labour and materials, as well as the need for according priority to defence works. CARBONIZING AND BRIQUETTING The following figures show the production of the low-temperature coal-carbonizing and briquetting plant of Waikato Carbonization, Ltd., at Rotowaro, during 1942 :— Raw coal carbonized .. .. . . . . . . 35,964 tons. Carbonized coal produced .. .. .. .. 17,622 tons. Average percentage of carbonized coal to raw coal .. . . 49 per cent. Carbonettes manufactured .. .. .. .. 10,890 tons. Tar and oil treated .. .. .. .. .. 343,001 gals. Pitch produced .. .. .. .. . . . . 732 tons. Light and heavy oils produced .. .. .. .. 1,715 gals. Creosote produced .. .. .. .. .. 169,192 gals. " Char " sold for producer-gas plants .. .. .. 8,751 tons. " Char " sold for other purposes .. .. .. .. 189 tons. For the twelve months ended 31st December, 1942, Smokeless Fuel and Briquettes (Canterbury), Ltd., produced 1,956 tons of briquettes at its works at Sockburn. The production of tar was 28,891 gallons.

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Mine Total Sales, Total Sales, Percentage Average Price f.o.r. 1942-43. 1941-42. Increase. realized. Tons. Tons. s. d. Liverpool .. .. 159,900 155,349 2-8 18 3-22 Strongman .. .. 92,240 80,754 12-4 22 0-40 James .. .. .. 27,927 26,190 6-2 20 0-41 Blackball .. .. 30,542 22,41.5 26-6 16 2-53 Mangapehi .. .. 50,862 38,851 23-6 20 1-82 Tatu .. .. .. 24,321 14,858 38-9 21 1-24 Wallsend . . .. .. 5,910 .. .. 21 4-20 Dobson .. .. .. 5,565 .. .. 20 10 • 20 Totals 397,267* 338,417 14-8