C.—2

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 :—

The sales of coal, &c., through the medium of the depots totalled 370,740 tons, value £648,651> as against 290,036 tons, value £499,010 for the previous year. HOUSING Owing to lack of man-power and essential materials, the provision of housing accommodation in mining townships is not proceeding as rapidly as might be desired, and consequently the employment in the mines of quite a number of suitable men has been prevented. To improve th? position temporarily in the Waikato District the Government has obtaiued a number of huts, which haveibeen transported to and erected at the Renown and Wilton Mines and cooking and other facilities provided. These huts have been made available to the coal-mining companies concerned on favourable terms, and are being occupied by single men directed to the coal-mining industry. CO-OPERATIVE MINING, STATE COAL RESERVE Eighteen co-operative parties working portions of the State Coal Reserve near Greymouth produced during the year 1943 97,995 tons, the number of men employed being 149. During the previous year the same number of parties produced 87,591 tons. Up to the end of 1943 co-operative parties have produced a grand total of 1,811,189 tons of coal and have in the same period paid royalties to the State amounting to £87,559. RESCUE-STATIONS As predicted in my previous Statement, the three rescue-stations at Dobson, Rotowaro, and Ohai were in full operation during 1943, and the training of crews in mine-rescue work is proceeding satisfactorily. Since the inception of the scheme, 168 certificates of proficiency in mine-rescue work have been issued, after examination, to trainees at these three stations. It has been decided to establish a rescue-station in the Buller District, and steps to that end have been taken. The establishment of such a station in this district is considered a vital precaution in view of the active mine fires in the vicinity of Denniston, Stockton, and Millerton Collieries. SOCIAL AMENITIES During the year assistance continued to be rendered to organizations in mining communities which had for their object the provision of recreational facilities, both sporting and otherwise, for miners and their families. It is pleasing to record that full use is made of these facilities, which were brought into being by the efforts and with the assistance of the miners themselves, the coal-mine owners, and the Government. 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 1943 : — 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

6

Total Sales, Total Sales, Percentage Average Price f.o.r. 1943-44. 1942-43. Increase. realized. Tons. Tons. s. d. Liverpool .. .. 131,015 159,900 *18-06 18 6-38 Strongman .. .. 102,798 92,240 11-44 23 3-64 Jamesf .. .. .. 12,519 27,927 *55-17 9 1-22 Blackball.. 44,559 30,542 45-9 16 10-82 Mangapehi .. .. 69,391 50,862 36-42 20 8-91 Tatu .. .. .. 22,893 24,321 *5-87 21 0-07 Wallsend .. .. 56,375 $5,910 .. 20 9-30 Dobson .. .. .. 60,720 $5,565 .. 21 3-09 Glen Afton Opencast, No. I.. 6,175 .. .. 24 7-92 Totals .. .. §506,445 397,267 27-48 * Decrease. t Colliery ccased operations on 23rd July, 1943. Sales include 6,883 tons slack lifted from dump. J Output for six weeks only. § Increase, 109,178.