c.—2a

1942. NEW ZEALAND.

STATE COAL-MINES (REPORT ON THE WORKING OF) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1942.

Prepared in accordance with the requirements of Section 184 of the Coal-mines Act, 1925.

REPORT ON SOUTH ISLAND STATE COAL-MINES. The Superintendent, State Coal-mines, Greymouth, to the Under-Secretary, Mines Department, Wellington. g IR 25tli June, 1942. I have the honour to submit my annual report on the workings of the State coal-mines for the year ended 31st March, 1942. Liverpool Colliery. Coal-winning. —The gross output for the year was 163,798 tons 15 cwt., a decrease of 2,729 tons 19 cwt. when compared with the figures for the previous year. After making allowances for stocks on hand, and deducting mine consumption and waste, there remained for disposal 159,935 tons 9 cwt. 2 qrs., which is accounted for as follows : — Tons cwt. qr. Shipped . . . . ■ ■ • • • • . . 62, 418 9 0 Railed Canterbury .. .. •• •• 40,187 3 1 Local sales .. •• •• •• •• 52,807 15 2 Mine sales . . . • • ■ ■ ■ • • ■ • 94 0 0 Sales to workmen, and free issues .. .. ■■ 1,745 12 1 Stock in bin and yard . . . • • • • ■ 2,290 18 0 Stock on wharf .. .. • • • • • • 391 11 2 159,935 9 2 Used on works « .. . • • • ■ • . . 5,480 0 0 Waste 1,148 15 0 166,564 4 2 The gross output from the colliery since its inception amounts to 3,624,045 tons 14 cwt. During the year the colliery worked 223 days, a decrease of 10 days when with the previous year, when 5 back Saturdays were worked. The possible working-days, excluding Saturdays, were 261. The difference between the days worked and the possible working-days is accounted for as follows : 1 day, Good Friday ; .1 day, Easter Monday ; I day Anzac Day ; 1 day, May day 2 days, dispute re wet-time train ; 1 day, dispute re lamps ; 1 day, Labour Day ; 3 days, heavy rain ; 6 days, heating in mine ; 1 day, dispute re men going on coal; 8 days, no trucks ; 5 days, slips on rail; 7 days, Christmas holidays. . Employees.—ln connection with coal-winning, the average number of persons employed m and about the mine was 297 men and 14 boys, made up as follows—Underground : Hewers, 87 ; deputies, shiftmen, and truckers, 160 ; boys, 2. Surface : 50 men and 12 boys.^ Expenditure. —The total expenditure in connection with coal-winning for wages, stores, mine timber, and compensation, together with subsidies on railway tickets and cost of fuel used on works,, amounted to £138,426, as compared with £138,295 for the previous year. Coal-hewers' Average Daily Earnings.—The coal-hewers' average daily earnings (gross) were .£2 7s. lOd. per day, and after deducting stores (explosives) their net return was £2 45., an increase of 2s. 9d. per day when compared with the previous year. ( Daily Output—The average daily output was 734 tons 10 cwt. and the coal-hewers average daily output was 9 tons 4 cwt., as compared with 714- tons 14 cwt. and 8 tons 19 cwt. respectively tor the previous year.