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152

2991. With a price for whole coal as well as pillars ?—Yes. 2992. Is there any whole coal to work?— Not just now. 2993. Then the offer in respect to whole coal does not apply to present circumstances at all ?— Not work we are likely to do now. 2994. Until you have proved the faults ?—Not till we have taken the water out of the Coal-pit Heath or gone to the dip in the Brunner Mine. 2995. And now, as to the other portion of the offer in connection with the pillars ?—That makes 20 per cent, off in both cases. 2996. So far as the coal that is being worked at present is concerned, you offer the same rates as in your letter of July ?—Yes. 2997. Have they accepted that, then, or were they prepared to accept it last week?— Yes, they 7 would have gone to work on those conditions. 2998. Mr. Dunn was negotiating on these terms?— Yes. 2999. And even at that reduced rate they preferred piecework to 12s. a day ?—Yes. 3000. What conclusion would you draw from that?— That they accept the rates as being sufficient to enable them to earn good wages, or over 12s. a day. 3001. That they would earn more by piecework with the 20-per-cent. reduction than they would at 12s. per day ?—Yes. 3002. Did you send a w 7 ritten notice to the union of your withdrawal from the agreement about not supplying the Union Steamship Company's vessels ?—I sent them a notice to the effect that the Union Steamship Company demanded the carrying of the Grey Valley Coal Company's coal. 3003. That was immediately before the " Brunner " was loaded? —Yes. 3004. Is that letter in evidence?—l think you have it. It was put in when I was here before. 3005. The Chairman.] You have put in an inventory of the plant that was taken over by the new company upon the amalgamation, from the Coal-pit Heath ? —Yes. 3006. Can you describe what condition it was in when it was taken over?—-Yes. There was some of it in rather a shaky condition, so that it had to be partly renewed immediately after the amalgamation. The whole valuation of the Coal-pit Heath plant at that time amounted to £11,000. Their winding-engine required renewal, and we took immediate steps to make it safe by putting on a new cylinder, although there was a new engine on the ground that we could have erected, but we had not the opportunity of doing so. Then, the shaft and timber were giving way, and it was deemed unsafe to continue w 7 orking there, which was the reason for opening the shaft and making the tunnel to connect with the Brunner. In going through the shaft with me the Inspector called attention to its condition, but we were perfectly aware of it before, and there was a necessity for making a second outlet from the mine. 3007. Do you consider the valuation you put in w 7 as in excess? —Certainly not. 3008. In other words, the valuation you put in made allowance for defective plant. And what has been spent in the improvement of the plant since the mine was taken over by the amalgamated company?—We have abandoned the winding on that shaft, and erected a new engine for the purpose of hauling the coal to the Brunner loading-stage, there having been about £5,000 spent in developing that mine altogether. 3009. Mr. Moody.] In what condition was the pumping-gear ?—ln a very poor condition. A lOin. Tangye pump was the main pump, and we duplicated that by adding two Worthington pumps immediately after the amalgamation. 3010. Mr. Brown.] You did publish a statement about the average wages in some month ?— Yes. 3011. The Chairman.] It was published on the 22nd August, 1890. And these two exhibits, Nos. 12 and 14, correspond, then, do they, with the published statement ?—Yes; No. 14 exactly corresponds, and Exhibit No. 12 is substantially the same, but extends over a slightly longer period. 3012. Mr. Brown.] Had the miners any opportunity of checking this statement? —Yes ; I sent them a copy of it. 3013. They would see a copy of it in the newspaper?— But I wrote, enclosing a copy. 3014. Had they any opportunity of checking them ? —They came and asked permission to examine our books in order to see how we had made up the averages; and they w 7 ere allowed the privilege, and w 7 ent through the pay-sheets and books with our clerk. 3015. And did they find them correspond?— They expressed themselves satisfied, with the exception that they wanted us to agree that they should be allowed 4d. a day for picks and lights and renewing of tools. 3016. As to Exhibit 12, what am I to understand by these shifts there earning so much money? Do these shifts represent so many men?— Yes, and the number of days w r orked. 3017. Or pairs of men ?—Yes, or pairs of men. 3018. So that from that sheet we can get at what each man earns?— Yes. 3019. As to the several values when the amalgamation took place, can you give us any information on that point?—We have separate values. 3020. Is that obtainable from any of the returns we have here ? —No, it is not in any of the returns before you. I have the inventory made for the purposes of the amalgamation. I can furnish the total values on each from the foundation of the amalgamation. 3021. May I ask why the fluctuation on the output in these returns was so great ?—There were only four clays' pay. There were only four days of the last fortnight, and then they stopped. 3022. Mr. Moody.] Can you give us any idea of the number of holidays or idle days which the men had during the twelve months, and the different causes ?—There is a return being made up of that. It is a difficult return ta make up.