The State Coal Mine Inquiry.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7901, 17 August 1905, Page 3

The State Coal Mine Inquiry.

ETidcnce ec Oistnbiticfl(Fit Press Association.) WKLLINGTON, Aug. 16. To-day's sitting of tbe Coal Mines Board of Inquiry was taken up with bearing evidence concerning retail distribution and the mixing for household purposes of various kinds of coal, I Ahaander MacDougall, managing agent for tbe State mines in Wellington, recalled, stated that he did not know that as ajgeneral rule customers wanted coal mixed—at any rate he would say that the Government dirt not want State coal mixed with any other kind ; he would not advise the Slate to sell their coal for mixing purposes. To Mr Green: He had nothing lo sav if the Chief Mechanical Engineer said (lie best results were obtained by mixing State coal. He objected to supplying Slate coal for mixing. when he could not get enough of it to supply those who wanted, only State coal. The evidence submitted lo the Commission as to the mixing of coal was not untruthful, but mixing was not general. Tho stopping ol tbe Seddonvilte mine was simply due to the fact that they were not producing their coal suitable for consumers. Tliere was a loss o[ from 5s to 7s per ton. This was very serious. Witness quoted figures showing that there were .practically continuous arrears in orders for railway coal since last April. At the present date tliere were 3285 tons In arrear ; there were 2100 tons of fresh orders, in addition to inno tons on order for private people- It was no good witness pushing private orders whilst the mines were so much in arrear in supplying the State railways. The present system of working the State mines was rotten, and until the Mine.* Department took litem In hand there would be no improvement. By having the head office in Wellington matters would be greatly improved. Office expenses were very heavy under (he pre sent sysfcm, and could be reduced. The cost of producing State coal was Is per ton more than the cost of producing other coals.

Duncan Campbell (chief clerk to the. managing agent) stated that the system of book-keeping in connection with the State coal mines frequently created great delay in the matter o| adjustments as net ween Wellington and (ircymouth. The whole system now was cumbersome and unbusincssilike. It would he better if the Greymouth oflire, :-o far as book-keeping was roncciiiril, was shifieir to the Mines Department Ir; Wellington.