C—2

Amongst other provisions, the regulations provide for the guaranteeing by the State of the profits of the companies based on the average figure of three years prior to control and full settlement has been made of all claims lodged to date. Since the profits of the companies are guaranteed, the full district rate of subsidy has not been paid, for such a procedure would simply have involved reduced payments under one item in Stabilization Account and increased payments under another. The total amount paid in respect of claims under the Control Regulations to the end of the respective financial year ending in 1946 of each company has been £378,848. No prolonged stoppages occurred at the controlled mines during 1946, but a shortage of truckers at Renown and of hewers and truckers at Taupiri is reflected in the reduced outputs from these collieries.

The following table shows the production from the Waikato controlled collieries over a period of seventeen years :

The peak year of 741,856 tons occurred in the first complete year of control, but production has since receded. CARBONIZING AND BRIQUETTING The production of the low-temperature coal carbonizing and briquetting plant of Waikato Carbonization, Ltd., at Rotowaro during 1946 was — Raw coal carbonized .. .. .. .. 24,920 tons. Carbonized coal produced .. .. .. .. 12,211 tons. Average percentage of carbonized to raw coal.. .. 49 per cent, Carbonettes manufactured .. .. .. .. 12,575 tons. Tar and oil treated .. .. .. .. 213,885 gallons. Pitch produced .. .. .. .. .. 166 tons. Creosote produced .. .. .. .. .. 164,082 gallons. Char sold for producer gas-plants .. .. .. 126 tons. Char sold for other purposes .. .. .. 348 tons. During the year Smokeless Fuel and Briquettes (Canterbury), Ltd., produced 33,675 gallons of tar and 400 tons of briquettes.

12

Calendar Year. Glen Afton. Pukemiro. | Taupiri. Renown. 1 Total. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. 1930 177,244 127,205 143,163 88,790 536,402 1931 277,107 110,069 130,754 82,749 600,679 1932 164,824 65,904 I 90,415 52,762 373,905 1933 122,251 69,370 94,858 109,129 395,608 1934 197,316 120,388 171,330 105,847 594,881 1935 234,522 119,600 156,698 113,591 624,411 1936 235,782 117,940 155,785 106,466 615,973 1937 223,301 112,036 158,288 114,893 608,519 1938 218,951 102,751 160,463 107,202 589,367 1939 211,768 110,987 , 176,020 121,164 619,939 1940 208,684 127,849 I 184,995 144,646 | 666,174 1941 222,333 134,242 203,298 128,297 688,172 1942 224,489 125,989 207,738 131,637 689,853 1943 241,709 138,530 219,643 141,974 741,856 1944 204,387 128,970 212,370 147,619 693,346 1945 189,707 116,696 195,205 130,037 631,645 1946 1 194,924 122,271 1 165,859 110,713 593,767