I.— IIA.

17

J. K. WARBURTON.]

270. Yes, but with regard to the £174 Os. 7d., what further do you want than is contained in that?— That is an item in a general balance-sheet. It is not an item in a separate balance-sheet. It would be all right if the balance-sheet were separate. What I want is a balance-sheet for all the transactions, liabilities and assets, of the Point Elizabeth Mine in one balance-sheet; and I want everything else —liabilities and assets —of the other mine shown in another balance-sheet. 271. Hon. Sir J. G. Ward.] You say that you want a separate balance-sheet for each mine regarding everything? —Yes. 272. How, in practice, could any officers of the Coal-mines Department prepare, in connection with the Point Elizabeth Mine, the accounts of debtors to the depots for coal ? How could they say to which mine each one belonged unless they had separate depots and separate staffs?— Suppose there were two proprietors? 273. But if there were two proprietors each man would be running his own business to make a profit for himself. This is a case of the State running two mines to bring about the best results? —Say two managers agree that one depot is better than two separate depots; they say, "We will agree to supply so-much of the money of each mine towards the purchase of that depot." 274. I am not talking about that; I am talking about the sale of the coal after it gets to the depot. If there is £750 due to the depot in accounts at the end of the year, who is to say to which mine those accounts pertain ?--Surely they would keep accounts of the receipt and issue at the depot of the coal from each mine. 275. But do you not see the difficulty? According to the view you take, that they must have the actual results as to both mines, a separate depot would be necessitated, because a cargo of 300 tons, we will say, of Point Elizabeth coal arrives to-day, and next week 500 tons of Seddonville coal comes to hand, 200 tons of -the Point Elizabeth coal being meanwhile sold; and the next week another load of Point Elizabeth coal comes, when a portion of the 500-ton shipment has been sold. Who is to say to which mine the remaining coal belongs—who is to apportion it?—l imagine that I could give an account of it if I were there. The coal coming in and going out for each mine would be accounted for.

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