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were better at both these ports, you would send a larger number of bottoms through to carry coal ? —Yes ;we have laid ourselves out "to provide larger ships, anticipating improved harbour-accom-modation for them. One ship, as I have already stated, is now in process of construction, anticipating that there will be 18ft. of water. If it be not so within the year we shall feel disappointed, and we shall feel obliged either to employ her elsewhere or lay her up. 346. How much did you say she would carry?—From 2,500 to 3,000 tons. We have another Large steamer on her way out, designed to carry 2,000 tons on 18ft. of water. I am in hopes she will be able to load at Westport. She will be here in a few months. Mr. R. PL J. Reeves, M.H.R., in attendance, and examined.---347. The Chairman.] You have been a long resident in the West Coast district ?—Yes. 348. Do you know much about the coal-mines there. Perhaps you would explain to the Committee what you know ? —I do not know much about the coal-mines or their workings ; I never nad much to do with them; I only know what the feeling is in the locality. The feeling of the people there is that there is a combination between the Union Steamship Company and the collieries by which a limit is placed on the output o'f coal. I know that a large number of hands are out of work in consequence of the complications thus brought about. One hundred and tw Tenty men have left the Greymouth mines for Newcastle and other places where they are working coal. 349. Is that on account of the wages being so low ?—lt is on account of the limited output: the price is the same for hewing coal, but the men can only work half-time. 350. Is the falling-off in the output occasioned by any special circumstances beyond the competition from Newcastle?—No ; Ido not think so. I may perhaps be allowed to mention that the coal industry is heavily handicapped by the freight charges, terminal charges, and royalty which it has to pay. In New South Wales generally and at Newcastle the property in the mines belongs to private persons, so that no royalty has to be paid. On the West Coast there is a royalty of 6d. per ton; and I learn that there has recently been issued an order under which the royalty will be Is. a ton at Mokanui. 351. Mr. O'Conor.] They have instructed the Land Board of the district to charge Is. ?—I believe that is so; but I may say there would be a very large output of coals for some years to come were it not for the excessive charges that are put on. 352. Mr. Withy.] How many separate leases of mines have been merged into the Grey Valley Coal Company ? —There were three —I might say four, for the Tyneside, though a portion of the Wallsend, was cut off by being leased to Kilgour. 353. Will you name the four?—The Coal-pit Heath, the Brunner, the Wallsend, and the Tyneside. 354. Will you tell us whether there is any other mine delivering coal at Greymouth than the Grey Valley Company ?—No. Some people have a fancy for Reefton coal, and return wagons bring it down to Greymouth for household purposes. 355. Mr. O'Conor.] Before these companies were merged in this Grey Valley Coal Company, were they in operation ? —The Coal-pit Heath and the Brunner were ; not the Wallsend ; it had not been in operation for a long time. 356. Had Kilgour?—Kilgour could not get into operation until he leased from the Wallsend. 357. What I want to get from you is whether these mines were in operation previous to the amalgamation ? —The Wallsend was not working, and had not been working for a long time ; they had had great difficulties to contend with. The Tyneside had been working. 358. But they were all in operation before they were bought out ? —So was the Wallsend. 359. But they had all been in operation?—Yes. 360. What has been the result of the amalgamation : an increased trade ?—No; it has decreased. 361. Have the mines continued to work, or has any cessation occurred?—Some of them have ceased working. They are not, I think, working Tyneside. They are working Wallsend, may be, from the other side of the river. 362. Has the output of coal increased or decreased?—lt has decreased in Greymouth. I know it has decreased, for there has been a large number of men knocked off work. It has decreased also at Westport. Mr. R. J. Seddon, M.H.R., examined. 363. The Chairman.] Which place do you live nearest to, Mr. Seddon, Westport or Greymouth? —I live nearest to Greymouth, and my visits are frequent to Greymouth ? —I keep the run generally of what is going on at the West Coast. I have had considerable experience connected with these coal-mines, and with regard to the titles and rights relating to them. I was also a member of the Greymouth Harbour Board to which all the returns from the Brunner Railway had to be furnished for the last two years. 364. Do you remember, from your connection with Greymouth, when these several mines were in work at Greymouth ?—Yes; the mines at work were thejßrunner and the Coal-pit Heath, up to the time of the amalgamation. Just prior to the amalgamation the Wallsend was at work : its new shaft had been completed. They were cutting coal. Then, Kilgour had a lease from the Wallsend of an upper stratum of coal, first worked by the Wallsend Company. 365. That was just below the bridge ?—There was considered to be a fault in the mine. On his taking it up, his idea was "_at that was a mistake ; but the work had been knocked off. He found, however, a very large seam of coal, that would give several years of work. His difficulties in working the mine were two —one of these was want of the bottoms necessary to carry the coal away ; the other was the reluctance on the part of the Railway authorities to give him trucks sufficient for even the demand which he had,